Acclamator-class transgalactic military assault ship

Characteristics

Design and systems

The assault ship of the Acclamator-class was a product of Rothana Heavy Engineering, a branch of Kuat Drive Yards. Serving as a precursor to later Star Destroyer designs such as the Venator-class, the Acclamator-class was an integral part of the clandestine construction initiative spearheaded by Darth Sidious (under the guise of orders from the Jedi High Council) to establish the Grand Army of the Republic. Its design featured a wide, arrowhead-shaped hull, complemented by a single command and observation deck situated towards the ship's rear. The majority of the ship's interior was allocated for cargo and troop accommodations. During the first battle of geonosis, Acclamators appeared unpainted, displaying a gray color. However, after some time, most Acclamators were painted with a red stripe running down the center, accompanied by stripes along the sides. The Acclamator-class also boasted long-range sensors. While planetary defense forces had previously constructed larger vessels for patrolling local space, the Acclamator-class held significance as it marked the return of genuine transgalactic warships to the galaxy.

Propulsion for the Acclamator-class was provided by electromagnetic thrust-vectoring sublight engines and exceptionally rapid Class .6 twin hyperdrive engines, which utilized a navigation computer. Additionally, it included a Class 10 backup hyperdrive. These hyperdrives, alongside neutrino radiators for the power system, were housed within the ship's tail. The primary reactor was concealed deep within the ship's hull terraces, fueled by condensed annihilation reactant that was significantly denser than the ship itself. Tensorial integrity and inertial compensator field conduits extended throughout the ship's structure. Located towards the stern was the conning tower, which contained the main sensor and communications assembly at the front, with the bridge and battle operations room positioned behind it.

Passengers and complement

The Acclamator-class required a crew of 700 officers and enlisted personnel. Although it did not carry starfighters, it was equipped with 320 speeder bikes, 66 Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry, 14 Low Altitude Assault Transport carriers, 48 AT-TEs, and 36 SPHA walkers. This class of ship was capable of transporting an entire legion of clone troopers, consisting of 9,000 combat troops and 6,000 HQ and support personnel. Furthermore, it could carry consumables for six months and 10,000 tons of cargo. Unlike many vessels of its size, the Acclamator-class could land on both land and water, allowing it to deploy its complement of clone troopers and vehicles in just a few hours. To bear the ship's weight, it used a combination of antigravity repulsorlifts and landing pads. Troops and vehicles could exit from the main hanger via ramps extending from the sides or a ventral hanger opening. Barracks for most troops were located near the dorsal terrace of the ship. LAAT gunships were carried on a circulating rail in the main hanger, which also featured platforms for maintenance and troop loading. Other combat vehicles were stored in dedicated service bays.

Defense

For defense, the Acclamator-class was clad in super-dispersive neutronium-impregnated armor, which provided significant protection against Separatist fusion rockets. Additionally, it was equipped with strong deflector shielding, with regional shield generator nodes strategically placed throughout the ship. However, as demonstrated during the Battle of Ryloth, Separatist J-1 proton cannons could easily penetrate the shields of an Acclamator-class assault ship.

Armament

The Acclamator-class was armed with three starboard, three port, and six forward quad light turbolaser batteries, twelve port and twelve starboard heavy laser cannons, four proton torpedo launchers, and tractor beams. A series of point-defense laser cannons ringed the ship. These weapons allowed it to perform various orbital bombardments to support ground forces, ranging from precise strikes to devastating Base Delta Zero bombardments.

Role

During the Clone Wars, the primary function of the Acclamator-class was that of a troop transport, but it also served as a warship. Designed to monitor ground movements and coordinate attacks, each clone trooper wore a tracking device in their helmet that allowed controllers on Acclamator-class ships to create a better picture of the combat zone. Their adaptability and role as troop carriers proved crucial during the Clone Wars.

History

Clone Wars

Action at Geonosis

The First Battle of Geonosis in 22 BBY, which signaled the end of the Separatist Crisis and the start of the Clone Wars, saw extensive use of the Acclamator-class assault ship. Twelve Acclamators from the Rothana assault ship fleet, including the Implacable, were dispatched alongside Jedi Grand Master Yoda to Geonosis to reinforce the Jedi. These ships transported a total of 192,000 clone troopers, 1,600 Low Altitude Assault Transport/i gunships, 400 Low Altitude Assault Transport carriers, 100 Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery Turbolasers, and 2,160 All Terrain Tactical Enforcers, ultimately leading to a Republic victory.

Deployment to Christophsis and Teth

After the Battle of Geonosis, the Confederacy of Independent Systems established a blockade around the crystalline planet Christophsis in an attempt to control the major hyperspace routes of the galaxy. However, after Republic forces, under the command of Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, broke through the blockade, they were trapped, dwindling, and outnumbered on the planet's surface. There, they fought the army of Kerkoiden General Whorm Loathsom. Amid the battle, the Jedi contacted the Jedi Temple on Coruscant requesting assistance, resulting in the fleet of Admiral Wurtz, under Yoda and Admiral Wullf Yularen, which consisted of four Acclamator-class assault ships and three Venator-class Star Destroyers, being sent.

Following their victory at Christophsis, Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano were sent to the planet Teth aboard an Acclamator-class assault ship to rescue the Huttlet Rotta, the son of crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure.

Landing on Ryloth

Later, during the Battle of Ryloth, after Skywalker and his fleet of three Venators broke through the Separatist blockade orbiting the planet, the Republic dispatched an invasion fleet of three Acclamators under Generals Mace Windu and Kenobi, which then prepared to descend on the planet. However, as the three assault ships landed, the Separatists used J-1 proton cannons to fire on the invasion fleet, penetrating the deflector shield of one of the assault ships. This destroyed one of its engines and sent the damaged vessel plummeting to the surface, forcing the remaining two to abort their descent and dispatch several LAAT/i gunships to destroy the cannons.

Kenobi, leading the 212th Attack Battalion's Ghost Company, managed to destroy the proton cannons after navigating through the Twi'lek settlement of Nabat, allowing the remaining ships to land. The Republic then proceeded to liberate Ryloth from the Confederacy's occupation.

Return to Geonosis

Later in the second year of the war, the Republic discovered that the Confederacy, with assistance from the Trade Federation and the InterGalactic Banking Clan, was constructing a new droid factory on Geonosis. As a result, they returned to the desert world with a large fleet of ten Acclamators and six Venators under the command of Generals Kenobi, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Luminara Unduli, Skywalker, and Jedi Commanders Tano and Barriss Offee, hoping to destroy the factory and reclaim the planet from the Confederacy.

Upon exiting hyperspace, the Acclamators descended on the planet's surface. The Jedi Generals boarded their gunships while a fleet of carriers deployed All Terrain Tactical Enforcers to the surface. This resulted in the costly destruction of the factory and the capture of Geonosian Archduke Poggle the Lesser by the battle's end.

Engagement on Saleucami

Later, after Separatist forces under the command of Kaleesh Separatist General Grievous captured Jedi Master Eeth Koth aboard his Star Destroyer, the Republic dispatched Generals Kenobi and Skywalker, along with his fleet, to the planet Saleucami. Grievous and his fleet awaited their arrival, hoping to rescue General Koth from the Separatists. Despite successfully rescuing Koth from the enemy flagship, Grievous escaped his doomed vessel to the planet's surface. An Acclamator-class assault ship was sent to deploy Republic ground forces to locate and defeat the Kaleesh general. However, Grievous managed to escape Saleucami and the Republic aboard a Sheathipede-class transport shuttle.

Battles of Kamino and Sullust

The Republic then discovered that Kaleesh Separatist General Grievous and the Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress planned to launch a second attack on the cloning planet of Kamino after their first attempts failed earlier in the war. Their goal was to destroy the cloning facilities to shift the war's balance in favor of the Confederacy. In response, the 501st Legion, under Generals Skywalker and Kenobi, deployed to Kamino aboard an Acclamator to reinforce Tipoca City against the attack. The Acclamator later participated in the battle with the Republic's blockade, engaging Grievous's fleet above the planet.

Later in the war, an Acclamator-class assault ship fought alongside Anakin Skywalker's fleet in the Battle of Sullust against Ventress's Separatist fleet. This resulted in the destruction of Skywalker's flagship, the Venator-class Star Destroyer Resolute.

Battle of Umbara

In 20 BBY, the government of Umbara seceded from the Republic after the death of Senator Mee Deechi, who represented the planet in the Galactic Senate. They aligned themselves with the Confederacy, leading to the establishment of a Separatist blockade. A fleet of three Venators and three Acclamators engaged the blockade, allowing one of the Acclamators to reach the planet's surface after breaking through. It then deployed ground forces to engage the native Umbaran combatants.

Action on Kiros and Naboo

On Kiros, Separatist forces under Zygerrian Darts D'Nar and Count Dooku arrived and captured all Togruta colonists, transporting them to Kadavo. Shortly after the Separatist invasion, Republic forces under Generals Kenobi and Skywalker arrived and used an Acclamator-class assault ship to deploy ground forces against the Separatist Droid Army.

Later on Naboo, Republic forces, intending to protect Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine from a plot by Separatist Head of State Count Dooku to capture him, dispatched Generals Windu and Skywalker, along with Skywalker's Padawan, to Naboo aboard an Acclamator-class assault ship. The ship was carrying All Terrain Tactical Enforcers and squads of clone troopers.

Relief mission to Aleen

After a series of devastating groundquakes struck Aleen, the Republic received a distress signal from the native Aleena requesting aid. Clone Commander Wolffe and the clones of the 104th Battalion were sent with a lone Acclamator-class assault ship and three Pelta-class frigates to deliver relief supplies and install new equipment in their communications center.

Battle of Ringo Vinda

In the final year of the war, Republic forces under Generals Skywalker, Tiplar, and Tiplee engaged Separatist forces led by Harch Admiral [Trench](/article/trench] at Ringo Vinda. The Republic used a blockade from the Open Circle Fleet, consisting of twenty Venator-class Star Destroyers, an Arquitens-class light cruiser, three Consular-class cruisers, and a single Acclamator-class assault ship against Trench's fleet. Meanwhile, the Jedi and their clone forces engaged the Separatist Droid Army on the Ringo Vinda space station.

Action in the Ruusan system

During the war, Republic and Separatist forces fought in the Ruusan system. The Republic's forces, including at least one Venator, one Acclamator, and at least two Low Altitude Assault Transports, fought against at least one Lucrehulk-class Battleship. Around 3 ABY during the [Imperial Era](/article/imperial_era], the Nautolan bounty hunter Nakano Lash hid amongst the wreckage of the battle.

Age of the Empire

By the Imperial Era, the Acclamator-class assault ship was considered an outdated model. The wreckage of one was left in the Wastelands of Kullgroon. Despite its age, at least one, the Lodestar, remained active during the Galactic Civil War, serving as the flagship of New Republic General Hera Syndulla's Barma Battle Group.

Behind the scenes

The Acclamator-class transgalactic military assault ship made its debut in the 2002 film, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. Initially called the "Jedi troop transport," its triangular shape was designed as a tribute to the Imperial Star Destroyers from the original trilogy. It was later officially identified in the 2015 canon reference book, Star Wars: Ships of the Galaxy, by Benjamin Harper.