Directorate Officer
Image Source: Star Wars Warlords Praetorian-class concept art modified by me
Affiliation: Galactic Republic
Manufacturer: Galactic Republic
Model: Champion-class Star Destroyer
Modularity: None
Production: Mass-Produced
Material: Duranium/Neutronium matrix alloy plating reinforced with titanium, mirrsteel frame, transparisteel, typical starship components
Classification: Balanced Star Destroyer
Length: 1505 meters
Width: 750 meters
Height: 420 meters
Armament:
5 Tyr-class Pulse Turbolasers (200 capital guns)
5 Hypervelocity cannon batteries (200 capital guns)
10 Heavy turbolaser batteries (80 capital guns)
60 Ion cannons (60 capital guns)
60 Rhongomyniad-class Mass Driver Cannons (60 capital guns)
10 Assault Concussion Missile Launchers (10 heavy warhead launchers)
10 Heavy Plasma Energy Torpedo launchers (10 heavy warhead launchers)
30 Flak Cannons (30 Defensive Guns)
30 Quad Laser Cannons (30 Defensive Guns)
40 Witch Fire CIWS emplacements (40 Defensive Guns)
Hangar:
72 fighters
12 gunships
6 heavy dropships
12 dropships
Special Features:
Aegis Anti-concussion field generator
Standard Communications Array
Encryption Network
Escape Pods
Holonet Transceiver
Imperial-style Internal Security structure
Standard Deflector Shield Generators
Standard Back-up (redundant) Deflector Shield Generators
Standard Detention Cells
Standard Life Support Systems
Standard Navigational Systems
Standard Sensor Array
Standard Targeting Systems
Tractor Beam Projectors (12)
Maneuverability: 15
Speed Rating: 15
Hyperdrive Class: x1.5
Strengths:
-Nimble: Mandalorian engines combined with lightweight armor make the Champion slightly faster and maneuverable than normal for its size
-Advanced defenses: The Champion has numerous systems designed to protect it from any number of circumstances, such as advanced hull plating and an anti-concussion field generator, to a labyrinthine internal structure and laser traps to protect against boarding. None of these make the Champion invincible, but it has no particular weakness in its physical form that can be easily exploited by enemy attacks.
Weaknesses:
-Weak rear arc weaponry: There are no rear-facing capital-grade weapons on the Champion, which makes it especially vulnerable to being raked from the stern by faster capital ships or by more cunning adversaries in similarly-sized ships. The ship does have some defensive anti-starfighter and missile weapons located on the rear side of the command tower and along the edges of the engine banks, but they are not present in large numbers.
-Difficult Timing: Power usage on the Champion means that many of its special systems such as its advanced engines or anti-concussion field generator need to be timed correctly or they will otherwise leave the ship more vulnerable than many of its counterparts
Description: The Champion-class Star Destroyer is another one of the post netherworld government-produced designs entering service in the Republic navy. Originally, the Champion-class was originally a design competing against the potent Avenger-class for a government contract. When the design lost out to Avenger, the designers went on to redesign the ship in hopes of complementing the long-range assault niche occupied by its competitor. When the netherworld occurred, the government bought the design and further refined it to become an all-purpose star destroyer, with an emphasis in conducting close range combat.
While the ship's lines and role show a clear inspiration from the Imperator-class Star Destroyers made famous by the Galactic Empire, the Champion is actually more inspired by the lesser known Turbulent-class Star Destroyer. Like that ship, the Champion is designed to be relatively quick and maneuverable on the battlefield, by the use of a powerful bank of Mandalorian-built engines combined with an advanced lightweight armor design. Because it has few long-range weapons, the Champion relies on this speed and its defenses to reach relatively close ranges where more of its weapons will be effective. Aside from being a potent knife-fighting type ship, the Champion-class frequently acts as a mobile base for other Republic units, such as starfighter squadrons and many ground troops, especially during excursions to areas outside of Republic space.
The Champion-class is expected to gradually fill the ranks of the Republic Navy to be employed like the Imperator-class Star Destroyers of the old Galactic Empire. While not exceeding rare, they are not the most commonly encountered Republic warship because of their size. The very first Champion-class, the Obi-Wan Kenobi, is serving as the flagship of Grand Admiral Gir Quee. Like its lead vessel, it is expected that many of them will act as small command ships for various Republic fleets scattered across the galaxy.
Technical explanations:
Hull: The hull of the Champion-class follows the traditional star destroyer format started by KDY and Rendili, with a dagger-shaped hull that allows a large number of weapons to be brought in a forward firing arc. While the ship has a traditional bridge tower, it has a CIC-style bridge complete with numerous holo-tanks deep within the superstructure for combat operations. The vessel uses a mirrsteel frame with a secondary set of titanium supports that help brace the ship's hull plating. The ship's armor consists of lightweight duranium plates that have been alloyed with neutronium to better disperse energy attacks against the hull. The actual internal architecture is heavily inspired by the Turbulent-class Star Destroyer, with a labyrinthine corridors and many criss-crossing maintenance tunnels winding around the ship's many subsystems. It's not uncommon for new crewmembers to get lost in the ship. Like many other Galactic Republic ships currently entering service, the Champion uses code cylinders to control access within the ship and uses laser traps to deter intruders.
Propulsion Systems: The Champion uses a full bank of Mandalorian-built MH-PU04 “Overdrive Engines” to propel it through space. In combat, the boost feature of these engines are used to quickly get the Champion-class into the close-range “knife-fighting” conditions it is designed to fight in. The ship's hyperdrive is an unremarkable x1.5 supported by a x12 back-up hyperdrive.
Defensive Systems: The Champion's most basic defense is its hull. Its armor is composed of lightweight duranium alloyed with neutronium, which provides it with typical protection for a ship its size, with a slight edge against energy weapons. The main benefit of the armor is its low-mass makes the Champion quicker and more maneuverable in the knife-fighting style combat it is designed to be employed in. The next layer of defense are typical deflector shield projectors along with a single set of redundant back-up shield generators. Like the Bastion and Noblesse-class, the Champion also employs an anti-concussion field generator, in this case a hefty Aegis Anti-concussion field generator. Unlike those ships, the Champion does not have enough power to keep the field constantly up. Instead, the anti-concussion field generator is supplied by a bank of capacitors that keep a supply of energy stored up to power the field for several minutes. These capacitors can be refilled by redirecting energy from other systems, typically from its weapons or engine systems. It's not uncommon for Champion captains to charge up these capacitors with energy typically devoted to short-range weapons while the Champion is closing in on a target. Still, Champion captains have to be careful to properly time the use of the anti-concussion field in order to keep their ship maximally effective. Like the Turbulent-class, main maintenance corridors allow a dedicated team of repair droids and technicians quick access to jury-rig repairs across the ship until the ship can be overhauled and fully repaired in a noncombat setting. Lastly, the ship employs Armatech's Witch Fire CIWS to protect it from missiles and similarly small threats.
Offensive Systems: The Champion carries an average amount of weapons for its size, all spread out equally across the four planes of its wedge-shaped hull. The core of the Champion's offensive power are its set of Tyr-class Pulse turbolasers and several turreted hypervelocity cannons, both of which are most effective at closer ranges. These big weapons are backed by an assortment of heavy turbolasers, ion cannons, and mass driver cannons. The Champion also carries several heavy warhead launchers, including plasma energy torpedo launchers to help batter down shields and assault concussion missiles to deal out heavy hull damage at close ranges. Lastly, an assortment of flak cannons and quad laser cannons to combat starfighters and other small craft.
Complements: The Champion's general carrying capacity is very similar in size and proportions to the older Imperator-class, though it carries less troops and support craft than that ship. The Champion carries its six squadrons of strike craft in small squadron-sized hangars equally spaced out in the ship's lateral trenches. The blast doors which protect the hangar from the vacuum of space and each wall in the hangar is constructed out of the neutronium-impregnated duranium plating that protects the rest of the ship's hull. Taking cues from the somewhat experimental Deliverance-class carrier, each starfighter hangar has several catapult pressors to quickly launch their craft, as well several automated shuttle carts which bring in volatile substances such as munitions and fuel from deeper and better protected portions of the ship. Typically the Champion carries a three squadron wing of multi-purpose starfighters such, as R44s or R46s, and wing of either interceptors or starbombers depending on the mission at hand.
The support craft of the ship are housed in a ventral hangar that is a miniaturized copy of the one found on Imperator-class. Normally a very quiet area of the ship, it becomes exceptionally busy when the Champion is landing any of its numerous troops.
The Champion can carry up to three Republic regiments and their equipment onboard up to 7500 marines depending on the type of regiment carried. While this maximum amount is already less than that of the Imperator, in practice, it is even lower still: Champion's usually only carry the full complement of marines for dedicated ground assaults. Generally, each ship typically only carries two regiments (about 5000 marine) at a given time. Often time the extra cabin space is used to transport other people around, such as special forces, Jedi, intelligence agents, and so forth.
Development Threads:
Fast Rode The Knight: Development and Building of the first Champion-class
No Rest for the Weary: The infamous Jackal pirates disrupt the building of the first set of Champions with a daring convoy raid
Engines purchased here
Intent: To provide the Republic with a standard in-production ship of line
Who Can Use This: The Galactic Republic
Primary Source: N / A
