By modern galactic standards they were fairly small, slow, and ungainly, but the Sith battleships were among the most powerful and fearsome warships of their time, despite sporting no shields. One vessel was said to succumb only to the firepower of six main Republic warships, thanks to its heavy armor, and even then was able to cripple or destroy at least one of the opposing ships.
Ludo Kressh attacks Naga Sadow's citadel with battleships.
Ludo Kressh attacked his rival, Naga Sadow, with a small fleet of these battleships, while Sadow would later on launch his invasion of Republic space using Derriphan-class battleships of his own as primary space combatants.
About one hundred battleships were created prior to the Great Hyperspace War, with only one remaining by the end of it. Naga Sadow sacrificed the remainder of his fleet to cover his escape when the Republic counterattacked. He hid his flagship on the fourth moon of Yavin, where it would remain for 1000 years until discovered and used by the Sith Lord Exar Kun.
Following Kun's defeat, the Sith Empire under Lords Darth Revan and Darth Malak discovered the design's blueprints and produced more of them, using the massive Star Forge. They were effective against the Republic's frigates, but suffered massive casualties due to having no shields.
Derriphan-class battleships in formation with Sith personnel carriers and Naga Sadow's Sith Meditation Sphere.
- The Dark Side Sourcebook
- Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia