Kom'rk-class fighter/transport

Kom'rk-class fighter/transport
Production information
Manufacturer	MandalMotors
Model	Kom'rk-class fighter/transport
Type	Transport
Technical specifications
Length	68.1 meters (larger model) 52.3 meters (smaller model)
Width	52.4 meters
Height/depth	13.23 meters
Engine unit(s)	2
Hyperdrive rating	Equipped
Armament	4 laser cannons; 2 fore, 2 aft
Crew	4
Passengers	24
Life support	Equipped
Usage
Role(s)	Starfighter Transport
Year introduced	Prior to 22 BBY
Affiliation	Death Watch

"Get to your ships and evacuate!"

―Pre Vizsla, ordering his Death Watch troops to board their Kom'rk-class fighters

The Kom'rk-class fighter/transport, also called Gauntlet starfighter, was a starship designed by rogue members of the MandalMotors corporation for use by the violent Mandalorian splinter-group known as the Death Watch. Taking its name from the Mando'a word for "gauntlet," Death Watch's leader by 21 BBY, Pre Vizsla, owned a Kom'rk-class fighter during the Clone Wars, which he named Gauntlet, and made use of as his personal transport. Over fifty meters in length, and equipped with laser cannons and powerful engines, each Kom'rk model was an able assault craft and fighter.

Several Kom'rk fighters were stationed at the Death Watch's hideout on Mandalore's moon, Concordia. During a confrontation with Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi in the second year of the Clone Wars, Vizsla ordered his Death Watch soldiers to evacuate the area aboard their Kom'rk-class fighters. However, the Death Watch returned to their base shortly after, bringing their Kom'rk fighters with them, waiting in preparation for a Separatist-backed conquest of Mandalore that was delayed due to the efforts of the New Mandalorian leader, Duchess Satine Kryze. Later, after having been driven from the Mandalore system, Death Watch relocated to the frigid world of Carlac with their Kom'rk fighters, where the transports ringed their camp.

Circa 20 BBY, a squadron of the Death Watch's Kom'rk-class transports came across an escape pod over Florrum containing the Sith Lord Darth Maul and his apprentice, Savage Opress. The fighter docked with the pod, and its crew recovered the injured Sith, returning with them to the Death Watch's encampment on Zanbar. There, an alliance was formed between Death Watch and the Sith, and they set out to collect further allies among Black Sun and the Hutt kajidics, storming the Black Sun base on Mustafar and the hall of the Hutt Grand Council on Nal Hutta with troops launched from their Kom'rk fighters.

Characteristics

Dimensions

The Gauntlet, a modified Kom'rk

The Kom'rk-class fighter/transport came in at least two models. One was 68.1 meters in length, with broad, angular, rotating wings. The other was 52.3 meters long.

The Kom'rk-class's wings alternated between an upright landing position when grounded, and a horizontal configuration while flying in the atmosphere or space. While in flight, the wings could also rotate around the vessel's main body, allowing for increased maneuverability.

Offensive and defensive systems

Designed and built by the Mandalorian starship company, MandalMotors, the Kom'rk-class fighter/transport shared several of these design aspects with MandalMotors' Aka'jor-class shuttle. Unlike the unarmed shuttle, the Kom'rk-class fighter was equipped with twin, forward-facing laser cannons located at the nose of the main body. On the larger model, each gun barrel stood on the end of the vessel's forward prongs. On the smaller model, they were tucked in-between the prongs.

Propulsion systems

The starship featured two rear engines for propulsion; these turbojets were designed to allow for rapid engine start-up.

Complement

The ship possessed a troop bay in the main section. A hatch on the ventral surface of the ship could open and allowed 24 warriors to be deployed into battle quickly. The Death Watch made great use of this feature, deploying their jetpack-equipped soldiers while the ship was still airborne, allowing for extremely fast raids on targets.

Role

An able troop transport, keeping with its official classification by its MandalMotors creators, the Kom'rk-class fighter/transport also had little trouble living up to the second aspect of its name: fighter. Crewed by up to four beings, the Kom'rk's small size, its twin laser cannon armament, and its significant maneuverability, made the starship an effective assault craft.

History

Kom'rk-class fighters resting in landing configuration at the Death Watch's Concordia base

At some point in time, prior to 21 BBY the Kom'rk-class fighter/transport was designed and built for the radical Mandalorian splinter-group known as the Death Watch by rogue elements within MandalMotors, a prominent Mandalorian starship company and driving force behind the planet Mandalore's economy, headquartered in planet's capital city of Keldabe. By the start of the Clone Wars, a galaxy-spanning conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, numerous Kom'rk-class fighters had entered into the possession of the Death Watch. Their most recent leader, Governor Pre Vizsla of Mandalore's moon, Concordia, possessed a Kom'rk which he named Gauntlet, the Basic language translation of the Mando'a word kom'rk.

At the Death Watch's secret base among the abandoned beskar iron mines of Concordia the Mandalorian renegades kept a number of Kom'rk-class fighters. These Kom'rk fighters were used to evacuate the base of its troops when Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi discovered the Death Watch, on the orders of the sect's leader, Pre Vizsla. While his soldiers boarded their vessels, and the Kom'rk transports lifted off and away from the mines, Vizsla engaged Kenobi in single combat, managing to overcome the Jedi with the aid of a trio of his men. However, once the Jedi had fled, Vizsla and his Death Watch army soon returned, and brought their Kom'rk fighters with them. There, the vessels and their owners waited for the order to begin an attack Vizsla promised would allow the Death Watch to take control of Mandalore and destroy the dominance of the pacifistic New Mandalorian government. That order never came, due to the efforts of the New Mandalorians' leader, Satine Kryze, who was able to halt the Republic military occupation that the Death Watch would need to justify their actions in the eyes of the Mandalorian people.

Behind the scenes

The Kom'rk-class fighter featured wings that rotated in multiple configurations.

The Kom'rk-class fighter/transport first appeared in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series' second season episode, The Mandalore Plot, originally aired on January 29, 2010. Used briefly by the Death Watch troops, the fighter would again feature in the episode Duchess of Mandalore, again in a mostly background role. The ship's name was never featured in either episode, but revealed through the reference book, Star Wars: The Clone Wars Official Episode Guide Series 1 & 2. Further details, including the starship's manufacturer and other statistics, came with the release of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Incredible Vehicles guidebook. It was designed by concept artist Thang Le.

Appearances

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Mandalore Plot" (First appearance)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Duchess of Mandalore"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "A Friend in Need"
• The Clone Wars: Darth Maul: Shadow Conspiracy
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Eminence"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Shades of Reason"
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Lawless"

Non-canon appearances

• LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles video game

Sources

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars Official Episode Guide Series 1 & 2 (First identified as Kom'rk-class fighter/transport)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Incredible Vehicles
• "The Mandalore Plot" - The Clone Wars Episode Guide on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link) (Picture only)
• LEGO Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Set: 9525 Pre Vizsla's Mandalorian Fighter)
• "Eminence" - The Clone Wars Episode Guide on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
• Gauntlet fighter in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link) (First identified as Gauntlet starfighter)

Notes and references

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