Bellator-class dreadnought

Bellator-class dreadnought

The Bellator-class dreadnought was a warship in the Imperial Navy.

Description
The Bellator-class had two reactors that protruded underneath the superstructure. The class was also marked with a ridge-structure in front of its command tower. The tower itself was similar to the towers on a number of other Imperial warships, like the Imperial-class Star Destroyers and Executor-class Star Dreadnoughts.

This dreadnought model was a fast ship, sacrificing armaments for speed. It was a reworking of the earlier Mandator-class and Mandator II-class dreadnoughts.

History
Several Bellator-class dreadnoughts were observed being serviced and refueled at the Naval Station Validusia. At least one Bellator class was also involved in a fleet exercise that involved an Altor-class replenishment ship refuelling an Assertor-class Star Dreadnought and an Allegiance-class Star Destroyer. At some point prior to the Battle of Hoth, Captain Firmus Piett and Admiral Kendal Ozzel observed several Bellators that were part of a fleet gathering.

At least one Bellator-class dreadnought appeared to be in service with the New Republic during the Thrawn Crisis, flying in formation alongside a fleet of Imperial-class Star Destroyers adorned with the New Republic logo, as well as a Procursator-class Star Destroyer. The fleet was joined by the Heroes of Yavin, flying in the Millennium Falcon.

During Luke Skywalker's capture and transport to Byss in 10 ABY, a Bellator-class vessel was present during a fleet maneuver of various Star Destroyers around the planet.

Behind the scenes
This design originated as a fanon vessel made by Ansel Hsiao, basing his design on a background vessel from Dark Empire 2: Devastator of Worlds, which was cataloged by Curtis Saxton as "anonymous star cruiser #5" on his fansite. When approached by Lucasfilm Licensing to provide artwork for The Essential Guide to Warfare, Hsiao submitted his own designs in addition to new models, along with their names. The names were recorded in LFL's Holocron continuity database, according to the artist. In the seventh endnotes post by Jason Fry, the vessel is given the name Bellator-class dreadnought and is referred to as a "fast dreadnought". Jason gives several facts about the class as well as others done by Hsiao, which is now official information. The design can be seen in two paintings, both by Tommy Lee Edwards. The latter of which uses a picture from Hsiao's personal gallery as a background, where the ship appears as one of the ships closest to the bridge (the rear being partially obscured by Ozzel's head), and another of the same class being a brief distance away facing the bridge.

Appearances

 * Dark Empire 2: Devastator of Worlds