Tartan-class patrol cruiser

Tartan-class patrol cruiser The Tartan-class patrol cruiser, also known as the Tartan-class corvette, was an Imperial anti-starfighter ship developed by Damorian Manufacturing Corporation towards the start of the New Order.

Characteristics


Armed with twenty laser cannons, the Tartan-class cruisers were designed for use against starfighters, bombers, and pirate vessels. Most notably, powerful sensor and computer systems enabled their guns to engage rapidly with swarms of small, swift targets, although these systems came at a hefty price.

In addition, powerful engines gave these ships the speed and maneuverability to engage directly with starfighters, and the systems that channeled power from the generators to systems throughout the hull were also versatile and sophisticated, being able to redirect energy from the deflector shields to give more firepower to the weapons systems. However, they were more or less useless against larger capital ships, unless in large numbers.

History
During the unstable times following the formation of the Empire, the Damorian Manufacturing Corporation was tasked to develop a warship capable of engaging with small, fast-moving targets as a response to increase piracy. The end result was the Tartan-class patrol cruiser, which was equipped withh an advanced tracking system.

The Tartan-class patrol cruiser were similar to the later and somewhat better-known KDY Lancer-class frigate, which had an almost identical armament and a similar mission profile, and also with the Rendili StarDrive Neutron Star-class bulk cruiser, a patrol vessel with a very similar size and armament.

Whereas the Lancer-class ships were basically defensive platforms designed to do no more than keep pace with larger capital ships, and the bulk cruiser was a cheap design known for its slow speeds, the Tartan-class was fast and agile, able to skirmish directly with enemy starfighters&mdash;displaying the same pace and agility as the same manufacturer's earlier Carrack-class light cruisers.

In addition to being used by the Galactic Empire, a few of the ships fell into the hands of the Zann Consortium.

Behind the scenes

 * The Tartan-class design was created for the game Star Wars: Empire at War, where it is shown as a relatively small capital ship, designated as a corvette: its primary strength is in destroying Rebel starfighter squadrons, and it finds itself on equal footing against opposing corvettes, such as the CR90 corvette, but it is easy prey for Nebulon-B frigates.


 * The Databank, however, attributes the Tartan a length of 600 meters, more than twice that of the comparably-armed Lancer-class frigate, or the Nebulon-Bs that can overpower this class in the game. This is canon, and although the Tartan-class does have a light armament for its size, it is identical to that of the similarly-sized Neutron Star-class bulk cruiser, and well-suited for its patrol role: the armament is designed for engaging with small, fast ships, and much of the hull is visibly taken up by the powerful engines. Although light shields and lack of heavy firepower would render the design vulnerable to smaller capital ships, it would also probably be able to outrun and outmaneuver a Nebulon-B. However, the game's scale is off for many ships.


 * Leftover descriptors in the Empire at War XML data files indicate that the Tartan-class was intended to be the Carrack-class. The reason for creating a new unit is still unknown.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Empire at War
 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption