Imperial III Star Destroyer

Imperial III-class star destroyers were built constructed by Kuat Drive Yards, and utilised by the Galactic Empire, and made up most of the larger ships in the Imperial Navy. It was the successor of the Palleon class star destroyer, and able to outgun most ships of the same class, due to superior weapons and shielding. It first saw use in 12 ADK, during the first battle of Triton VII.

Characteristics
The Imperial-III was the Empire's solution to the newer, heavy destroyers built by the Droid Confederacy, The GIA, and the Reborn Republic. It replaced the Pellaeon class star destroyer as the main ship of the Galactic Empire Navy. Improvements were that the Imperial III was more dagger shapped, rather than the large wedge the Pellaeon destroyer had been.

Despite being a smaller ship, it maintained most, if not all of the weaponry the larger destroyer used. However, it sacrificed the proton torpedo launchers, in favour of extra heavy tubo laser batteries. Imperial designers deduced that the destroyer would be vulnerable to snub fighters, and bombers, due to the fact it was primarily made to fight enemy capital ships.

To remedy this problem, forty five light laser cannons were installed at various points on the ship, as point-defense systems. This would make bombing runs on the ship considerably more difficult, although by no means impossible. It was also armed with eighty heavy turbolaser cannons, and forty Ion cannons. At the base of the command bridge, were six quad repeating tubolaser batteries.The Bastion-class targeting system present on all destroyers was top of the line, allowing great accuracy, even at range.

The Imperial-III was built with a heavily reinforced hull, and equipped with a 100.8 KYD deflector shield system. The generators were placed at three points on the destroyer. One below the command bridge, one at the base of the bridge, and another at the destroyers' mid point. However, the generators were very high maintenance, and usually, only one destroyer was used at once. This also allowed crew members to activate another generator if one was damaged or destroyed.

Both the main sensor system, and the communications system were stationed below the bridge, above the main engines. They were easy to destroy, and in the situation where the engines were destroyed, there was a good chance both would be damaged or destroyed as well. The command bridge itself was fairly vulnerable, as with most Imperial class star destroyers. Besides this, there were very few flaws with the destroyer, making it immensely popular among the Imperia Navy, and fear inspiring in battle.

History
The Imperial III was a continuation on the Imperial, and Imperial II class of star destroyer, utilized by the empire in the first and second civil war. Despite the fact that many Imperial ships in the Fel empire were larger and armed with a variety of weapons, the emperor preferred the older Imperial classes.

The first of the Imperial III star destroyers were seen shortly before the battle of Triton VII. The class participated in most major battles of the GIA-Imperial war, and was used to inspire fear and ensure obedience from Imperial planets considering rebellion. The Imperial III was instrumental when the empire took the planet of Corscin II.

The destroyer was hardly mass produced, until the empire captured Kuat, in 15 ADK. Kuat Drive Yards were constructing Imperial destroyers almost exclusively, due to the numerous purchases the empire made. The Imperial III was one of the few ships made expressly by KDY. The emperors' ship, Hand of the Empire was one of the first of Imperial III class star destroyers to be seen by those outside Imperial space.