PDF | The Essential Guide to Warfare: Star Wars – Download

The hordes of starfighters bankrolled by the Separatist guilds were intended to overwhelm the relatively small warships of the Republic’s Planetary Security Forces. The first big capital ship of the wartime Republic, the Venator-class Star Destroyer, carried a substantial fighter complement whose primary mission was to neutralize the threat of Separatist fighters. The standard Venator design featured a long dorsal flight deck that allowed hundreds of starfighters to launch in short order, as well as a bridge dedicated to fighter operations.

The Venator proved its worth as both a fighting ship and a carrier, but many Republic strategists thought it would have been more effective if designed for a single role. Commanders, meanwhile, knew the Venator’s bow doors opened and closed slowly, leaving the ship vulnerable even with beefed-up, powerhungry deflector shields. Subsequent Star Destroyer designs scrapped the dorsal flight deck, making do with a smaller, ventral hangar and a reduced starfighter complement. Bigger capital ships were built around more powerful reactors, allowing them to be more heavily armored and carry tougher shields and more powerful weapons— all of which made Separatist starfighters less effective.