The Tartan-class patrol cruiser, alternatively known as the Tartan-class corvette or simply the Tartan patrol cruiser, represented an anti-starfighter warship of the Galactic Empire era, engineered by the Damorian Manufacturing Corporation near the dawn of the New Order.
Equipped with a complement of twenty laser cannons, the design of the Tartan-class cruisers prioritized engagements against enemy starfighters, bombers, and raiding pirate ships. A key attribute was the inclusion of advanced sensor arrays coupled with sophisticated computer systems, which allowed the ship's weaponry to rapidly target and engage numerous small, agile threats, although these advanced systems were expensive.
Moreover, the inclusion of powerful engines granted these vessels enhanced speed and maneuverability, enabling them to directly confront enemy starfighters. The power distribution systems were also highly advanced, capable of diverting energy from the deflector shields to augment the output of the weapons systems. However, these ships were largely ineffective when facing larger capital ships, such as MC80 Home One type Star Cruisers, Imperial-class Star Destroyers, or Keldabe-class battleships, unless deployed in significant numbers.
Amidst the tumultuous period following the establishment of the Galactic Empire, the Damorian Manufacturing Corporation received the task of creating a warship capable of countering small, fast-moving threats due to the increase in piracy. The Tartan-class patrol cruiser emerged as the solution, incorporating a state-of-the-art tracking system.
The Tartan-class patrol cruiser shared similarities with both the later KDY Lancer-class frigate, which possessed a nearly identical armament and a comparable mission profile, and the Rendili StarDrive Neutron Star-class bulk cruiser, a larger patrol ship with a very similar weapons loadout.
In contrast to the Lancer-class ships, which primarily served as defensive platforms designed to maintain pace with larger capital ships, and the bulk cruiser, a cost-effective design known for its sluggishness, the Tartan-class distinguished itself through its speed and agility, allowing it to engage directly with enemy starfighters—mirroring the pace and agility of the same manufacturer's earlier Carrack-class light cruisers. This enhanced agility often led to their deployment as reinforcements for the defense of Cardan-class space stations.
Notable examples of ships used by the Empire included the Diadem and the Battler. Several of these vessels also ended up in the hands of the Zann Consortium, either through bribing the crews or through acts of piracy to acquire ships manned by their own soldiers.
The design of the Tartan-class was originally conceived for the Star Wars: Empire at War game, where it appears as a relatively compact vessel classified as a corvette. Its primary strength lies in its ability to eliminate Rebel starfighter squadrons, and it can hold its own against similar-sized corvettes, such as the CR90 corvette (possessing only a slightly greater firepower), but it was vulnerable against Nebulon-B frigates and heavy frigates. Despite technically being a frigate under the Anaxes War College System of starship categorization, the Tartan-class was designated as a corvette within Empire at War, likely due to its in-game role.
The Databank initially listed the length of the Tartan-class patrol cruiser as 600 meters. However, a subsequent update by Leland Chee on the StarWars.com forums revised the length to 250 meters, aligning it more closely with the scale observed in Star Wars: Empire at War.
Remnants of the Empire at War XML data files suggest that the original intention was for the Tartan-class to be the Carrack-class.
The stat block presented in The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide specified two laser cannon batteries with five gunners each, resulting in a total of 10 laser cannons instead of 20 (as if each pair of cannons was fire-linked).
Tartan refers to a specific type of patterned fabric commonly associated with Scotland.