Munificent-class star frigate/Legends

Munificent-class star frigate The Munificent-class star frigate, commonly referred to as the Banking Clan frigate, was a warship used by the InterGalactic Banking Clan.

Dimensions
The Munificent-class was 825 meters in length and had a skeletal look, owing to the fact that these ships required a small crew to operate and were not designed to be carriers. They had four extensive sensor and communications arrays affixed to the center of the hull in a cross-pattern.

Offensive and defensive systems


Banking Clan star frigates were light CIS warships armed for heavy combat with oversized guns, a massive twin turbolaser cannon, and two long-range ion cannons for use against capital ships. Complementing the heavy weaponry were 38 point-defense laser cannons for anti-starfighter firepower, and 26 twin turbolaser cannons and 20 light turbolaser turrets for flexible response.

The twin turbolaser cannon was powerful enough to melt an ice moon measuring 1,000 km in diameter or pierce the shields of a 10 km-wide Grade III battle station.

The two main reactors of a Munificent-class star frigate could together annihilate up to 2,300 tons of fuel per second. If one reactor failed, the other could power the ship on its own.

Complement
The ships also carried 150,000 battle droids for boarding or ground operations, and were capable of shielding droid starfighters within their hulls. A system of docking rings lined the sides of each ship. In the forward hollow areas, war materials could be stored for transfer, while in times of peace, they were used to transfer valuable financial assets.

Bridge tower
The command tower on a Munificent-class ship was located at the bow, rising diagonally from the superstructure. The tower contained a turbolift shaft that connected the various stations. Wide panorama windows were located on each level, providing good view of the surrounding area.

History


Manufactured by Hoersch-Kessel Drive and Gwori Revolutionary Industries, the star frigates were used by the Clan to defend their private, secure comm network, harass worlds heavily in debt, transfer key financial assets and guard treasure vaults. The Munificent acted as a key component of the Banking Clan's network by carrying hyperwave transceivers and communications arrays that allowed secure financial transactions to occur across the galaxy.

When the Banking Clan joined the Confederacy, Chairman San Hill devoted a fleet of star frigates to the cause. The class became a staple of the Confederate Navy during the Clone Wars and formed the backbone of the fleet, with tens of thousands produced. Towards the end of the war, thousands of Munificent frigates participated in the Battle of Coruscant.

Munificent-class star frigates assisted the navigation and coordination of Confederacy fleets deep in enemy space. They also escorted and coordinated Separatist fleet actions such as attacks on the interstellar HoloNet relays to demoralize and isolate Galactic Republic forces. The Confederacy also took advantage of the star frigate's powerful antennae to broadcast anti-Republic propaganda while using its jamming devices to hinder enemy sensors, targeting systems and distress calls.

After the Clone Wars ended, many crews took their Munificents past the reaches of the Galactic Empire, becoming pirates and mercenaries. Some vessels later ended up in the Rebel Alliance, where many ships were extensively modified to the point where they barely resembled their original design.

Behind the scenes
The official Databank entry on the frigate indicates that the organic, rounded appearance for the starship was meant to provide a stark opposite to the clean, triangular designs of the Galactic Republic's starships, similar to that of the Imperial warships and Mon Calamari cruisers participating in the Battle of Endor.

It should also be noted that the warship's depiction in Star Wars: Battlefront II is fairly different from that seen in the film; specifically, it is much simpler in design and somewhat truncated in appearance.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film)
 * Star Wars: Battlefront II
 * Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
 * Heroes on Both Sides
 * Star Wars: Obsession
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith comic
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
 * Star Wars Dark Times: The Path to Nowhere
 * Star Wars Dark Times 6: Parallels, Part 1

Notes and references
Bankenverband-Fregatte