Lucrehulk-class battleship

The Battleship of the Lucrehulk-class was an enormous and deliberately intimidating warship. It was illicitly converted from the Lucrehulk-class LH-3210 cargo freighters originally produced by Hoersch-Kessel Drive Inc.. The transformation into warships is evident in the design of Lucrehulk vessels, given their original purpose. A distinguishing feature setting apart a standard Lucrehulk-class Battleship from a Droid Control Ship was the presence of a prominent communications array located on its dorsal hull. Command centerspheres were encircled by the starship's sensor arrays, while colossal Central Control Computers allowed Trade Federation officials to command battles from a safe distance by transmitting commands to vast droid armies remotely.

With a diameter exceeding three kilometers, the Control Ship incorporated a substantial, spherical core ship at its center. This housed the control bridge, typically staffed by Neimoidian officers, along with its reactor assemblies. The outer semicircle contained expansive hangars equipped with forward docking claws. Lucrehulks were formidable warships, representing the largest vessels deployed by the CIS navy. They boasted thick armor and high-density shields capable of withstanding even the most powerful weaponry, making the Lucrehulk class some of the most effective warships ever fielded.

Given the necessity for Federation officials to reside aboard the starship for extended periods of months, the Lucrehulk essentially functioned as a self-contained world within realspace. The vessel accommodated 50 conference rooms intended for meetings with clients. These rooms were intentionally designed to create a disadvantage for clients through the use of "concentration deficit" chairs and remotely operated gas emitters.

The bridge of the Lucrehulk was dominated by a throne-like navigation station, with pilot droids operating the navigation computers. The Bridge was heavily fortified with triple blast doors and reinforced hull plating. Neimoidian officials rarely ventured from the Bridge, fearing potential alliances forming against them amongst their colleagues. The bridge could be secured by triple blast doors to protect against possible threats.

Droid Control Ships, engineered for transporting substantial droid forces, typically carried a complement of 6,520 AATs, 550 MTTs, 50 C-9979 landing craft, 1,500 Vulture-class starfighters, and 139,000 B1-series battle droids. Hangar Control droids oversaw all departures from the hangar.

The Lucrehulk-class served a dual purpose as both a transport and a battleship, capable of maintaining a planetary blockade for extended durations. Despite their heavy armor, they were inefficient, costly, and prone to requiring frequent maintenance. Consequently, the CIS navy primarily deployed them for their imposing presence.

Originally conceived for hauling cargo, the Lucrehulk-class was repurposed into battleships for blockade operations. They were outfitted with 42 quad turbolasers. Their use dates back to the High Republic Era. Following the establishment of the Trade Federation Droid Army under the direction of Darth Sidious, Lucrehulks underwent clandestine modifications into battleships capable of housing droid armies. Some were further modified into Droid Control Ships, also employed in blockades, but distinguished by their capacity to command ground-based battle droids. Prior to the Invasion of Naboo, approximately one-third of the Lucrehulks within the Federation fleet were converted into battleships while maintaining the appearance of mere freight vessels.

During the Invasion of Naboo, the Trade Federation deployed a fleet of Lucrehulk-class Battleships, including a Droid Control Ship, to the Mid Rim planet of Naboo amidst disputes concerning plasma exports and the taxation of Free Trade Zones. In addition to implementing a week-long blockade, the Federation dispatched troops from its battleships to occupy the planet.

Subsequently, Bravo Squadron launched an attack on the control ship, but its deflector shield proved too resilient. In the heat of battle, Anakin Skywalker, a young Force-sensitive pilot, inadvertently flew into the ship's hangar. While attempting to escape, Skywalker fired upon the droids assailing his fighter, accidentally launching two proton torpedoes into the starboard main reactor. To the astonishment of Bravo Flight, the Control Ship began to detonate from within as Skywalker exited the hanger bay. Ultimately, the ship's sphere disintegrated due to the main reactor's overload, averting the destruction of the Gungan Grand Army by disrupting the Control Ship's signal and deactivating the B1 battle droids on the ground. The ship's port-side ring survived its destruction.

Years afterward, the battleships underwent clandestine conversion for war, anticipating an inevitable conflict with the Republic. However, the conversion was imperfect, as turbolasers did not provide complete coverage. The battleships became integral to the fleet of the Confederacy of Independent Systems and participated in numerous engagements. Several battleships were involved in the Christophsis blockade, and Captain Mar Tuuk commanded a battleship as the leader of the Ryloth blockade, although Anakin Skywalker, now a Jedi General within the Grand Army of the Republic, destroyed Tuuk's ship during the Battle of Ryloth. Lucrehulk-class Battleships, retaining their original design without Separatist colors or logos, were utilized in the blockade of Pantora under the command of Sib Canay. K2-B4 directed the Lola Sayu defense fleet from a Lucrehulk-class Battleship during the Battle of Lola Sayu. During a meeting of the Strategic Advisory Cell at the Strategic Planning Amphitheater, the Death Star was compared to a Lucrehulk-class Battleship.

At one juncture, General Skywalker informed ARC trooper Fives that targeting the main reactor could destroy a Droid Control Ship. Fives applied this knowledge during the Battle of Umbara, where he and two fellow clone troopers, Hardcase and Jesse, attempted to target the reactor of a DH-Omni Support Vessel's. Lucrehulk Battleships also saw action in the Battle of Coruscant, the final major Separatist offensive of the Clone Wars.

In 14 BBY, a Lucrehulk-class Battleship was transported to Bracca for the Scrapper Guild.

In 9 BBY, the core ship of the Lucrehulk Primacy was located on Koboh. The Bedlam Raiders, a band of marauders, utilized it as a base, leveraging the battle droids aboard the ship to bolster their strength.

During the Galactic Civil War, the Rebel Alliance operated a Lucrehulk, Lucrehulk Prime, as a flight school, under the command of General Hera Syndulla. Syndulla viewed the ship as a symbol of oppression transformed into a beacon of hope.

Decades later, in 35 ABY, several Lucrehulks formed part of the Citizens' Fleet, which participated successfully in the Battle of Exegol against Darth Sidious and his Final Order.

The Lucrehulk-class Battleship debuted in the 1999 film, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, and was officially identified in the 2017 video game, Star Wars Battlefront II. While Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Rise of the Separatists, and Star Wars Jedi Master Magazine 1 assert a capacity of 139,000 B1-series battle droids, Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles indicates a capacity of 329,000. Additionally, it states that the Lucrehulk-class Battleship accommodates 6,250 Armored Assault Tanks, whereas Star Wars: Ships of the Galaxy specifies 6,520. Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles and Star Wars Jedi Master Magazine 1 also cite a length of 3,170 meters, contrasting with earlier sources such as the databank, which established 3,356.9 meters. In instances of contradiction, this article assumes Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles to be inaccurate.