- Intent: To create a dedicated multi-role escort cruiser to serve as a building block of the Imperial Navy and as a favorable ship for commanders.
- Image Source: Here
- Canon Link: N/A
- Restricted Missions: N/A
- Primary Source:
Vindicator-class Heavy Cruiser
- Manufacturer: First Order Core of Imperial Engineers (FOCIE)
- Affiliation: The First Order
- Model: Vindicator IV-class Escort Cruiser
- Production: Mass-Produced
- Material:
Quadanium-lined Durasteel Hull - Titanium-reinforced Alusteel Frame
- Transparisteel Viewports
- Turadium Blast Doors/Shutters
- Classification: Escort Cruiser
- Length: 700 meters
- Width: 250 meters
- Height: 175 meters
- Armament: Low
x11 Quad Heavy Turbolasers
1 fore - 2 port
- 2 starboard
- 2 dorsal
- 2 ventral
- 2 aft
[*]x2 Long Range Heavy Ion Cannons
- 1 fore
- 1 dorsal
[*]x40 Fast-Tracking Mount Light Turbolasers
- 5 fore
- 10 port
- 10 starboard
- 5 dorsal
- 5 ventral
- 5 aft
[*]x120 Fast-Tracking Quad Laser Cannons
- 30 fore
- 30 port
- 30 starboard
- 30 aft
[*]x80 Flak Guns
- 20 fore
- 20 port
- 20 starboard
- 20 aft
[*]Defenses: Average
- Standard Warship Deflector Shields
- Reinforced Hull
- E-War
[*]Hangar: Low
- 1 Squadrons of Combat Starfighters
x1 squadrons (12) of TIE/LN Mark IV Starfighters
[*]Various Non-Combat Starships
[*]Maneuverability Rating: High
[*]Speed Rating: Average
[*]Hyperdrive Class: 2.0 | Back-up 8.0
- Warship Ion Drives
- Warship Hazard and Damage Control Systems
- Warship Life Support Systems
- Warship Navigational Systems
- Warship Sensors and Targeting Systems
- Warship Communications Systems
- Warship Environmental Control Systems
- Warship Tractor Beams
- Warship Escape Pods
- Holonet Transceiver and Encryption/Decryption Networks
- Escort Cruiser - The Vindicator IV-class is a cruiser specially designed in order to act as escorts for their larger star destroyer cousins against other escort cruisers, frigates, and starfighters. A grouping of these cruisers can, with ease, effectively screen against multitudes of frigates and squadrons.
- Maneuverability - Advanced Imperial sub-light thrusters have been installed in order to grant the escort cruiser a significant amount of maneuverability in order to combat threats in all directions without any cost of to the vessel's speed.
- Lightly Armed - While particularly effective against ships of the same role and smaller, the Vindicator suffers in direct combat against heavy cruisers and in no way can take down ships larger than cruisers, as it itself will be destroyed in the process.
- Low Complement - Crew, cargo, and spacial requirements forced the vessel designed to shrink the attack hangarbay of the Vindicator, dropping its squadron count from two to a measly one, a tough decision for an escort cruiser.
As much of the Imperial Navy's pool of star destroyers were directed to the ever-continuing expansion of the Empire's territories or to the mighty task forces representing Imperial ideology in all corners of the galaxy, the regional governors noted a need for an inexpensive, compact, but powerful vessel for combating the swift marauding forces of Wild Space.
While the original Vindicator-class model was still in service to the Imperial Starfleet; commanders, captains, commodores, and admirals alike deemed the weaponry present to be outdated and yearned for a much more potent escort cruiser to serve as their command or as a symbiotic counterpart to their larger cruisers and star destroyers.
Thus, in line with the Department of Military Research's overhaul of the old Empire's ship classes: The Vindicator IV-class escort cruiser was given life, another addition to the prestigious line of dagger-shaped vessels, the likes of which include the Victory or Allegiance lines.
For the Vindicator, less was more in the eyes of the residing technicians; culminating in the addition of a small number of powerful turbolasers and ion cannons for use against other escort cruisers and frigates. This was not the case, though, when the subject of starfighter or corvette defense was brought up, as the ship features over two hundred individual light weaponry turrets such as point defense cannons, flak guns, and light turbolasers.
This, along with the average but still rather powerful deflector shielding, grant the Vindicator significant advantages against smaller ship classes that would be used both by pirates and sophisticated navies alike. Another fantastic feat of the ship is its high maneuverability, allowing it to change direction at a whim for a multitude of reasons.
Unfortunately, the escort cruiser is not fit to fight against heavier cruisers or ships larger than itself; meaning in a direct engagement it will without a doubt be outgunned and destroyed. When it comes to patrolling hyperlanes, defending settlements, and escorting fleets; the Vindicator is the undefeated champion.
Changed affiliation & manufacturer from Galactic Empire to First Order
