Death Squadron/Legends



Death Squadron was the codename applied to Darth Vader's personal fleet of Star Destroyers following the Battle of Yavin, led by the Super Star Destroyer Executor. The fleet, designed to instill terror in dissidents of the Empire's New Order, was in fact tasked with locating and destroying the Rebel Alliance headquarters. Moreover, Vader used his fleet in a more personal mission to find and capture his son, Luke Skywalker. Death Squadron represented the largest fleet of warships ever gathered in the history of the galaxy.

Composition
About half a dozen or so Imperial-class Star Destroyers comprised Death Squadron at any one time, while Vader or the fleet's admiral could reassign ships from other fleets to Death Squadron whenever needed. Likewise, ships assigned to Death Squadron could be sent off from the main fleet on reconnaissance missions when appropriate.

The centerpiece of Death Squadron was Vader's flagship, the Super Star Destroyer Executor, while a number of smaller vessels routinely acted as support ships, primarily including the Imperial-class Star Destroyers Accuser, Adjudicator, Avenger, Devastator, Stalker, and the Tyrant. Together, Death Squadron was the most powerful assemblage of warships in galactic history.

Famed units attached to the fleet included Colonel Evir Derricote's 181st Imperial Fighter Group, Major General Maximilian Veers' Blizzard Force and elements of Stormtrooper Commander Bow's 501st Legion.

History
Darth Vader formed Death Squadron after the Imperial defeat at the Battle of Yavin. For three years, Death Squadron hunted the Rebel Alliance from system to system under the command of Admiral Kendal Ozzel, mercilessly crushing any Rebel forces it encountered. Eventually, a probe droid launched by the Stalker succeeded in locating the Rebel Alliance base of operations on the ice world of Hoth.

After participating in the space and ground battles at Hoth, Death Squadron pursued the Millennium Falcon, which was lost in the Hoth asteroid belt.

One year later, Death Squadron, under the command of Admiral Firmus Piett, served as the core of the Imperial fleet at the Battle of Endor. During the battle, Devastator and Executor were destroyed, and a number of ships were captured. With the death of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, the unit was disbanded.

Executor-class Star Dreadnoughts

 * Executor

Imperial-class Star Destroyers

 * Accuser
 * Adjudicator
 * Avenger
 * Devastator
 * Stalker
 * Tyrant
 * Vengeance II

Victory-class Star Destroyers

 * Firewind

Known officers

 * Supreme Commander Darth Vader, Death Squadron commander, owner of Executor
 * Admiral Amise Griff, former Executor commander
 * Admiral Kendal Ozzel, former Executor commander
 * Admiral Firmus Piett, Executor commander
 * Captain Lorth Needa, Avenger commander
 * Captain Lennox, Tyrant commander
 * Captain Akal Zed, Stalker commander
 * Lieutenant Venka, Executor crewpit officer
 * Lieutenant Cabbel, Tyrant first officer
 * Major General Maximilian Veers, Blizzard Force/Blizzard 1 commander
 * Brigadier Nevar, Blizzard 2 commander
 * Colonel Freja Covell, Blizzard 2
 * Colonel Starck, Blizzard 4 commander
 * Lieutenant Arnet, Blizzard Scout 1
 * Colonel Evir Derricote, former 181st Imperial Fighter Group commander
 * Colonel Soontir Fel, 181st Imperial Fighter Group commander
 * Major Turr Phennir, Saber Squadron

Appearances

 * Race for Survival
 * The Final Trap
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back novel
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars 39: The Empire Strikes Back: Beginning
 * Star Wars 40: The Empire Strikes Back: Battleground: Hoth
 * Star Wars 41: The Empire Strikes Back: Imperial Pursuit
 * Star Wars 42: The Empire Strikes Back: To Be a Jedi
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (arcade game)
 * Payback: The Tale of Dengar
 * Star Wars: TIE Fighter
 * Star Wars 51: Resurrection of Evil
 * Star Wars 63: The Mind Spider
 * Star Wars 76: Artoo-Detoo to the Rescue
 * The Longest Fall
 * Shadows of the Empire
 * Star Wars: X-wing Alliance
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * X-wing Rogue Squadron 25: The Making of Baron Fel

Notes and references
Death Squadron