The Kandosii design had sharp, thin lines and were based on a variety of stolen technologies. A notable flaw in their design was that their hyperspace navigation systems could be crippled by a strategically-placed charge in the rear.
Kandosii-type dreadnaughts were heavily armed for combat, with five heavy double turbolaser batteries providing the main offensive firepower. They also carried two point-defense triple laser cannon batteries placed at certain places as to give full hull coverage. Each dreadnaught also had two super-heavy concussion missile batteries that could bombard capital ships, or hold nuclear missiles to bombard planets, as seen at the Battle of Serroco. These missile launchers were located in the ship's bow and the lower protruding superstructure.
The Kandosii-type had a large cargo hold and could carry up to 128 starfighters for self-defense and offensive strikes. Usually the most common fighter was the Davaab-type starfighter. Each dreadnaught could also carry eight Shaadlar-type troopships with 800 troops each. In addition to these, the Kandosii-type could carry several Basilisk war droids.
Originally designed and built by the Fenelar, the Mandalorians stole the Kandosii-type design, during their conquest and destruction of the species. These dreadnaughts were later used by the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders during the Mandalorian Wars against the Galactic Republic.
A Mandalorian Dreadnaught led a battle group of Jehavey'ir-type assault ships during the Battle of Serroco, where the fleet bombarded the planet's surface with nuclear missiles. Later in the war, a ship of this type lead by Cassus Fett bombarded the surface of Jebble to stop the Rakghoul plague from spreading to other systems.
Sometime prior to 100 BBY, Rendili Star Systems adopted a Mandalorian warship design to create the Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser. The design used in the Mandalorian Wars shared some superficial similarities with the Rendili Dreadnaught design. Additionally, some MandalMotors designs like the Crusader-class corvette, would also borrow the sharp-edged, aggressive look of the then-ancient warships.
- Gratua
- Parjai
The reference to the Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers being based on Mandalorian starships comes from The Dreadnaughts of Rendili; combined with Palpatine's statement later in the comic that the heavy cruisers would be turned into dungeon ships, it was clearly intended to show the development of the Mandalorian Dungeon Ship from Star Wars: Dark Empire. However, The History of the Mandalorians article later made the dungeon ship specifically a separate ship class.
According to Dustin Weaver, he was aware that the Mandalorian Dreadnaught was the basis of the Dreadnaught-class Heavy Cruiser, but deliberately opted for a different appearance, citing changes over the millennia and a more aggressive look. He based the design on the Crusader-class corvette and the Lictor-class dungeon ship. He also stated that they were produced by MandalMotors, but this is not corroborated with the later Campaign Guide.
- Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
- "The Secret Journal of Doctor Demagol" on Hyperspace
- The Essential Guide to Warfare