The Assertor-class Star Dreadnought, alternatively referred to as the Assertor-class Command Dreadnought, represented a Star Dreadnought class. These massive vessels were products of Kuat Drive Yards and played a role within the forces of the Galactic Empire. Standing among the largest vessels within the Imperial Navy in terms of both size and overall combat capability, its defining feature was a slender, elongated hull reminiscent of an arrow. This dreadnought was well-equipped with a broad spectrum of weaponry and support systems, enabling it to effectively execute its various duties as a command ship, a sector patrol craft, and a platform for fleet operations. First appearing sometime between 19 BBY and 3 BBY, during a period when the Empire was actively exploring larger battlecruiser designs, only a limited number of these sizable warships were ever constructed.
The Assertor-class dreadnought saw action during the Imperial Era, specifically during the time of the Rebel Alliance. The class's namesake vessel, the Assertor, along with its sister ship, the Wrath, began construction before the Battle of Yavin. Throughout the Galactic Civil War, both of these ships, in conjunction with their respective battle groups, engaged in operations against the Alliance, primarily along the demarcation line separating the Mid and Outer Rim Territories.
The Assertor-class Star Dreadnought, also known as the Assertor-class Command Dreadnought, was a Star Dreadnought class distinguished by its lengthy, narrow arrow-shaped hull. These vessels were constructed by Kuat Drive Yards at a cost of 1,100,000,000 credits. The hull incorporated a wide ridge extending across approximately three-quarters of the ship's dorsal surface, terminating just ahead of the tapering fan-tail which overhung the main ion engines.
The Assertor-class ranked second only to the Executor-class Star Dreadnought in terms of both size and overall combat effectiveness. The Executor-class, measuring 19,000 meters in length, was equipped with 5,000 turbolasers, among other weapons. As such, the Assertor class represented the largest type of dreadnoughts in the Imperial Navy family, which also encompassed the Bellator-class and Mandator-class. Naval Station Validusia possessed the dimensions to accommodate docking for an Assertor-class, along with a dozen additional capital ships.
To effectively perform its designated roles, the Assertor-class Star Dreadnought was outfitted with a variety of advanced communications systems and long-range sensor suites. The vessel incorporated command and control systems that afforded its commanders an almost unparalleled perspective of the battlefield. Furthermore, it was equipped with a navigation computer, a primary class 2 hyperdrive supplemented by a secondary class 12, and sufficient supplies to sustain operations for three years.
To operate the vessel, the Assertor required a crew of 125,000 officers, pilots, and enlisted personnel, in addition to carrying 20,000 troops and support staff. Its complement included 120 starfighters and a variety of shuttles, landing barges, assault ships, gunboats, ground assault vehicles, and AT-series walkers.
The Assertor possessed a substantial arsenal, including twenty quad heavy turbolaser batteries on both the port and starboard sides, fifteen quad battleship ion cannon batteries on both the port and starboard sides, and ten twin heavy turbolasers mounted dorsally. In addition, it featured ten quad light turbolaser batteries facing forward, ten on the port side, and ten on the starboard side. Twenty twin battleship ion cannon batteries were also positioned ventrally, along with ten medium ion cannons on both the port and starboard dorsal sides, and twenty heavy tractor beam projectors.
The vessel also mounted twenty turret-mounted quad laser cannons facing forward, twenty on the port side, and twenty on the starboard side, along with thirty concussion missile launchers facing forward, thirty on the port side, and thirty on the starboard side. The concentration of these weapon emplacements across the dorsal and ventral hull surfaces provided each Assertor-class vessel with sufficient firepower to potentially devastate an entire planet.
The Assertor-class Star Dreadnought was responsible for a range of functions, including fleet and sector patrols, as well as fleet operations support. The Assertor was also designed as a sector command ship and acted as a formidable mobile weapons platform. Typically, these dreadnoughts served as the flagships for their respective battle groups, providing support for combat operations.
In 19 BBY, Kuat Drive Yards became the exclusive supplier of Star Destroyers for the Imperial Navy, which resulted in a buildup of naval forces during the Imperial Era. During the time spanning from 19 BBY to 3 BBY, the Galactic Empire experimented with larger battlecruiser designs within the Star Destroyer family, leading to the creation of both the Assertor-class Star Dreadnought and the Bellator-class dreadnought. However, the production of these larger warships remained limited.
The lead vessel of the class, the Assertor, along with its sister ship, the Wrath, were constructed at Kuat Drive Yards sometime before the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY. During the Galactic Civil War, the Assertor was deployed as part of a battle group, while the Wrath served within a separate fleet. Both battle groups operated simultaneously along the border region between the Mid and Outer Rim Territories, providing support for operations aimed at suppressing the Rebel Alliance.
While the specific composition of these battle groups remains unknown, it is generally believed that both vessels were supported by numerous other ships, including smaller dreadnoughts, Imperial I-class and Imperial II-class Star Destroyers, various cruiser-sized vessels, and a range of support craft. One particular Assertor-class vessel's fleet was observed to include at least two Imperial II-class Star Destroyers and a large number of TIE/ln fighters, positioned near a light blue celestial body in close proximity to a smaller, darker terrestrial body. At one point during the Imperial reign, a Rebel Alliance agent was held captive aboard an Assertor, awaiting interrogation. The Alliance needed to either rescue or eliminate the agent to protect its secrets.
The Assertor-class Star Dreadnought was initially mentioned within the current Star Wars canon in the thirty-fourth issue of De Agostini's Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon magazine series, released around August 26, 2015. Later, the Assertor was depicted in the 2016 Star Wars Roleplaying sourcebook titled Lead by Example, published by Fantasy Flight Games for use with the Star Wars: Age of Rebellion roleplaying game system. Steve Hamilton created the artwork of the ship for the book. The Assertor-class originated as a fan-made design by Ansel Hsiao in 2010. Both Hsiao's design and the name Assertor-class Star Dreadnought were subsequently integrated into the Star Wars Legends continuity in Jason Fry and Paul R. Urquhart's 2012 reference book, The Essential Guide to Warfare.
Lead by Example suggests that player characters should avoid direct combat with an Assertor because of its heavy armament. Instead, the sourcebook offers an alternative use for the vessel in roleplaying game adventures. It can be used as a backdrop or the location of an objective that the characters must attain. An example provided in the book describes a game-master player using an Assertor's weapons systems to target the player characters' starships on each turn of the game while a space battle is being fought across the dreadnought's surface. A game mechanism is also suggested that allows for missed shots by the Assertor's weapons to damage the ships of the characters' enemies instead.
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