Executor-class SSD, A Question

[Eternal_Freedom]

Three Dreadnoughts split off to engage the second ISD, but everybody involved was planning to bug out anyway. The Katana suicide run attack gave them a chance to drive off the first ISD.

[RogueIce]

Ah, I might have remembered it wrong. Its been a while since I read it. Thought it was three Dreadnoughts.

It was, three for each ISD, and Mara said they wouldn't last long. But after Peremptory was destroyed, the other two Dreadnaughts were coming back (one was disabled) and Captain Brandei knew there was no other choice but to retreat. So we could maybe assume that four or five of those Dreadnaughts are able to best a Star Destroyer (initially, with all six, they were blanketing the single ISD with ion cannons and "ignoring the increasingly sporadic" return fire, which indicated they did have the upper hand in that engagement).

[Eternal_Freedom]

I think the implication was that they had the ISD on the ropes, but because they had mounted so many ion cannon they lacked the heavy weapons to actually finished the Judicator.

[RogueIce]

I think the implication was that they had the ISD on the ropes, but because they had mounted so many ion cannon they lacked the heavy weapons to actually finished the Judicator.

Either way, I think it fair to say that four to five Dreadnaughts could, at the very least, be made to neutralize (if not destroy) a single ISD. Because if Bel Iblis and his band could make the required modifications, I'm sure others could as well. And maybe even strike a balance between "disable the shit out of" and "actually destroy".

Though we may never know if those Dreadnaughts could have destroyed the Bellicose because Captain Brandei was smart enough to run when he knew he was outmatched.

[The Romulan Republic]

Of course, its wise to remember that Bel Iblis was an exceptional tactician. Many commanders might not be able to pull off such a battle the way he could.

[RogueIce]

Of course, its wise to remember that Bel Iblis was an exceptional tactician. Many commanders might not be able to pull off such a battle the way he could.

I don't think that really applies here, though. It pretty much went like this:

- Bel Iblis shows up, all six Dreadnaughts gang up on Bellicose and get an upper hand.
- Peremptory shows up, Bel Iblis splits off half his force to do 3 on 1, ISDs have upper hand.
- Luke and Han on the Katana drive another Dreadnaught into the Peremptory and destroy it, remaining two Bel Iblis Dreadnaughts attack Bellicose again.
- Bellicose has no other choice but to retreat.

All in all it was pretty straightforward for the capital ship part, and if Bel Iblis had some kind of tactical voodoo going on (rather than just the capabilities of his ships, which could be replicated by anyone motivated enough), the book never indicates it.

Although, to be fair, they did have assistance against the Imperial fighters thanks to Karrde's smugglers, the three New Republic squadrons and the Escort Frigate Quenfis which was apparently engaging the fighters rather than either of the Star Destroyers, though once the fighters were gone they could have joined in; however, the EU says the Dreadnaughts can carry a squadron of fighters, so unless the ion cannons or whatever other weapons would preclude that from happening - and depending on the capabilities and skill of your pilots - they would have 2:1 odds to face, which might or might not change things.

EDIT: Strike the last part of what I said. In a 6 Dreadnaughts vs 1 ISD scenario, the fighter odds would be even. Even if with just, say, four or five Dreadnaughts is might be: some of those squadrons are scout/recon craft as I recall the description of the battle. Of course the loadout of the Star Destroyers and Dreadnaughts could vary. The latter more than the former; ISDs supposedly have a "standard" complement in Imperial service, but I don't think it's ever said what a Dreadnaught would 'normally' carry. Well, except for Dreadnaughts in Imperial service which seem to carry a squadron of regular TIE fighters. Hard to say what Rebel Dreadnaughts would field, though.

[Galvatron]

All the Executers were to basically making people frightened and impressed, I suppose. Or to compensate for the Emperor's small penis.

I doubt that just like I doubted it about the Death Star. These ships were large and impressive, but hardly invincible.

[Simon_Jester]

We know there were enough of them for Han to comment 'there's a lot of command ships' upon seeing Executor in ROTJ, which hints at them not exactly bring rare (which low double digit numbers of them would be in a multimillion system Empire).

Not that rare- if there are, say, a dozen command ships and Vader only owns one of them, the odds of the guy on the command ship being Vader are low, which was Han's point.

For all we know, there may have been an Executor-class ship for every admiral in the fleet. The Executor herself may not have been Vader's ship so much as it was Admiral Ozzel's (then Piett's) flagship.
Remember, Vader arrived at the DS2 in an ISD, not the Executor.

Incorrect. Vader arrived at the DS1 in an ISD. He arrived at the DS2 in the Executor, hence its presence there at the Battle of Endor.

In a well-organized navy, large capital ships with extensive command facilities that act as major fleet flagships won't be used as personnel shuttles, even for important personnel, very often. Vader might very well want a destroyer to take him where he needs to go, rather than diverting the more expensive, valuable, and specialized flagship to do it.

All the Executers were to basically making people frightened and impressed, I suppose. Or to compensate for the Emperor's small penis.

One argument I've heard (thank you ECR) is that the 'real' reason to build supercapital ships is so you have something to chase renegades who have their own capital ships.

Certain planets have enough industrial capability to build a defense force that can stop an ISD in its tracks, and powerful men might rebel and take an ISD or two with them. Having ships far more powerful than ISDs, in command of politically reliable officers, gives you something to police those kinds of problems with.

So while the Executors might exist partly to look big and scary, they do serve a useful purpose in terms of regime protection and suppressing revolts.