Providence-class
The Invisible Hand, Providence-class Dreadnought, Providence-class Carrier/Destroyer
History of Providence-class
The Providence-class Dreadnought, otherwise referred to as the Providence-class carrier/destroyer, Providence-class cruiser-carrier, or simply the Separatist dreadnought, was a model of dreadnought designed by Quarren engineers on the planet Pammant, seeing extensive deployment by the Confederacy of Independent Systems naval branch throughout the duration of the Clone Wars. Initially utilized as command ships by the private fleet of the Trade Federation, where it was debuted with the Invisible Hand, the personal flagship of Viceroy Nute Gunray. The warship was cautiously deployed by the Confederacy's naval admiralty, due to the high operational costs for such a vessel, but was utilized in situations where its capabilities were necessary. In 22 BBY, during the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Confederacy dispatched its Droid Army under the command of Kerkoiden General Whorm Loathsom and Sith assassin Asajj Ventress to the crystalline planet Christophsis, due to its resources and strategic position along the Corellian Run. After managing to occupy the planet's surface, the Confederacy proceeded to establish a thirty-craft blockade of at least six Lucrehulk-class Battleships and at least twenty-three Munificent-class star frigates in orbit under the command of Harch Admiral Trench aboard his flagship, the Providence-class Dreadnought Invincible. Following the blockade's establishment, the Republic dispatched a fleet of three Venator-class Star Destroyers and three Pelta-class frigates under the command of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker to Christophsis, where they were to break through the blockade and deliver relief supplies to the surface. As the two fleets exchanged fire with one another, the Invincible proceeded to make its advancement on the Resolute unopposed, which forced the Republic fleet to increase power to their forward shields. Releasing a barrage of turbolaser fire upon Skywalker's fleet, the Invincible managed to separate the Republic frigates from the Venators, destroying one of the frigates in the process. As the Invincible continued its bombardment, Skywalker ordered his fleet to over-fire their reactors, with the intent of charging through the blockade. In response, Trench ordered the blockade to maintain their position and intensify their forward deflector shields. Shortly after, Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi arrived in the system aboard his flagship, who advised Skywalker to withdraw his forces behind the moon of Leesis, informing him that he had devised a plan, to which Skywalker followed suit. As the Republic fleet fled to the other side of the moon, Trench's T-series tactical droid TI-99 inquired as to whether or not they should pursue, to which the Harch responded that their orders were to hold a blockade and that the Republic would return. After the Republic retreated, Trench ordered two B1-series battle droids of the dreadnought's crew to recharge the vessel's shields and to allow their cannons to reset. While the Republic recuperated behind the moon, Trench ordered TI-99 to provide an update on the surface engagements, to which the tactical droid explained that he estimated a half rotation before the Confederacy could take control of the planet. In response, Trench, who believed that a two-pronged attack would draw the Republic out, dispatched a squadron of Hyena-class Droid Bombers to the surface, where they were to bomb Senator Bail Organa's position. As the bombers made their approach on Senator Organa, the squadron unknowingly flew directly over General Skywalker, who was ordered by Kenobi to use a prototype stealth ship and deliver the relief supplies to surface. Not long after the bombing run, Skywalker, resolute in defeating the blockade, went on the offensive and attacked the Invincible. Deactivating the stealth ship's cloaking device, the Jedi Knight revealed himself to Trench and fired several torpedoes on the Invincible's command bridge. Repelled by the dreadnought's thermal shields, the Harch proceeded to order his crew to fire a wall of turbolaser fire, but were unsuccessful as the ship reactivated its cloaking device. Despite being unsuccessful, however, Trench came to the realization that a clone trooper would be unable to navigate a spread of lasers, and that they were instead battling a Jedi, to which the Harch proceeded to contact Skywalker aboard the stealth ship. As Trench spoke with the Republic crew, the Harch warned them to turn back while they were, and that despite them being in possession of an impressive vessel, he informed them that he has fought with similar vessels in the past. After the transmission ended, Trench hypothesized that, in spite of his message, Skywalker was unlikely to retreat and would strike again, understanding that a stealth ship would have been able to slip by the blockade without being noticed, but instead chose to attack. Affirming Trench's hypothesis, Skywalker once again disengaged the cloaking device, firing torpedoes at the dreadnought, which were repelled once more and allowed Trench to track the stealth ship's magnetic signature before it could disappear again. Upon locking onto its magnetic signature, the Invincible, lowering it shields to do so, fired several tracking torpedoes toward the stealth ship, which managed to evade the torpedoes, disengaging the cloaking device once more as it increased engine power, heading straight for the unshielded Invincible and sending the torpedoes into its bridge, destroying the vessel as a result. With the Invincible destroyed, Kenobi and the Republic fleet returned and continued their attack on the blockade, which had been thrown into disarray following the dreadnought's destruction. Some time after the Confederacy's triumph over the Republic on Felucia to gain access to the Perlemian Trade Route in 21 BBY, the Separatist navy launched an attack on Felucia Medical Station HCTFF2, a Republic Haven-class medical station located in the Felucia system, led by a Providence-class Dreadnought and two Munificent-class star frigates, which resulted in the medical station's destruction. Despite the failure of their first attempt earlier in the Clone Wars, the Kaleesh cyborg General Grievous and Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress of the Confederacy planned to launch a second invasion attempt on the cloning planet of Kamino. However, the Republic intercepted a transmission between the two detailing the invasion of Kamino, which resulted in the clones of the 501st Legion being deployed to help defend the planet. When he arrived in the Kamino system, Grievous commanded the fleet from his personal Providence-class Dreadnought, which was flanked by several Munificent-class star frigates and Recusant-class light destroyers. Later, a Providence-class Dreadnought flagged a Separatist fleet that was placed under the command of the dark side assassin Asajj Ventress, crossed paths with a Republic fleet commanded by both Jedi Generals Skywalker and Kenobi, which resulted in a battle to claim control over the planet Sullust. By the end of the battle, Count Dooku, who was ordered by his master Darth Sidious to destroy his assassin to prove his loyalty, instructed Ventress' tactical droid, TJ-912, to withdraw their forces and open fire on the Separatist command ship, where the dark acolyte was caught in a brief lightsaber duel between Skywalker and Kenobi, ultimately causing the dreadnought's destruction, but not before Ventress could narrowly escape the doomed vessel. After Jedi Master Even Piell had discovered the location of the strategic Nexus Route hyperspace lane, Piell's forces were ambushed by a small fleet of Separatist warships led by a Providence-class carrier/destroyer, which led to the Jedi Master being imprisoned in the seemingly inescapable Citadel on the volcanic planet Lola Sayu. Following Master Piell's capture by Separatist forces, the Republic dispatched a Jedi-led rescue team to extract their fellow Jedi from the Citadel to prevent the Confederacy from learning the hyperlane's coordinates. Entering the Lola Sayu system aboard a stolen Sheathipede-class Type B shuttle, the Republic's rescue team crossed paths with the Separatists' planetary defense fleet which was commanded by a Separatist dreadnought. After the Jedi freed Master Piell from the Citadel, the stolen shuttle in which the Republic arrived on was destroyed while trying to make their escape, resulting in the Republic dispatching a task force of four Venator-class Star Destroyers led by Jedi Master Plo Koon to extract the trapped rescue team, forcing the dreadnought and the rest of the planetary defense fleet to engage the Republic task force. At some point during the Clone Wars, the Kaleesh cyborg General Grievous and his fleet of Separatist cruisers launched a surprise attack on Jedi Master Adi Gallia and her flagship near the planet Patitite Pattuna aboard his personal Providence-class cruiser-carrier, and successfully managed to capture her after engaging one another in a lightsaber duel aboard her Star Destroyer. Some time after her capture, Grievous aboard his Providence crossed paths with the Weequay pirate ship Marauder, and immediately ordered the bridge crew to use it for target practice and destroy it. And while still being held captive aboard the dreadnought, a fleet of Republic Star Destroyers led by Jedi Master Plo Koon entered the system and began to fusillade the Separatist dreadnought, and successfully managed to retrieve Master Gallia while Grievous made his escape from the heavily damaged cruiser. Around the second year of the war, the Umbaran government seceded from the Republic after the death of Senator Mee Deechi, who had represented the planet in the Galactic Senate, and aligned themselves with the Separatist Alliance. The Separatists established a blockade, led by a dreadnought when the Republic forces undertook a planetary-wide invasion to reclaim the planet. As the battle raged on, the Separatists dispatched a DH-Omni Support Vessel to reinforce the crumbling Umbaran forces in hopes of defeating the Republic troops led by Jedi Generals Kenobi, Skywalker and Pong Krell. To ensure that the supply ship reached its destination, the Separatists defended the vessel with a fleet including at least three Separatist dreadnoughts, four Recusant-class light destroyers, and eight Munificent-class star frigates. After Asajj Ventress' failed attempt to kill her former master Count Dooku and the betrayal of his new apprentice Savage Opress, and upon learning that his former assassin had returned to the planet Dathomir, Dooku ordered General Grievous to launch an invasion on the planet with the intent of exacting revenge on Ventress and Mother Talzin and wiping out the entire Nightsister clan. Commanding his fleet of four Munificent-class star frigates, two Recusant-class light destroyers, two Separatist supply ships, and his personal Separatist dreadnought, Grievous and his forces traveled to the Dathomir system. Upon their arrival, Grievous ordered the Separatist forces to begin landing their droids on the surface below, successfully killing the Nightsister clan. Later on in the war, the Republic, fearful of a major Separatist offensive on the verge of occurring after a secret transmission of General Grievous was cut off, dispatched a squad of droids led by Zilkin Colonel Meebur Gascon to infiltrate a Separatist dreadnought commanded by the super tactical droid Aut-O which was carrying an encryption module that would allow the Republic to learn of the Separatists' plans. Sometime later, General Kenobi and his task force were ambushed by the Separatist fleet of General Grievous. The fleet consisted of two Providence-class Dreadnoughts, one Recusant-class destroyer, and three Munificent-class star frigates, one of which was destroyed in the battle. The ambush resulted in the destruction of much of Kenobi's fleet, including his flagship Negotiator. In the final year of the war, the Separatists invaded the Trade Federation planet of Cato Neimoidia, but were met with a Republic defense led by Skywalker, his Padawan, Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano, and the 501st Legion. After punching through the Separatist fleet in orbit, the two Jedi led a squadron of Z-95 Headhunters to the surface to engage the command ship and its accompanying cruisers. During the Battle of Ringo Vinda, Separatist forces commanded by Admiral Trench used five Providence-class vessels while trying to repel the Republic forces on and outside the planet's ring-shaped space station. The dreadnoughts were paired with two Recusant-class vessels, and suffered severe damage from the Republic's fleet of twenty Venator-class Star Destroyers, one Arquitens-class light cruiser, one Acclamator-class assault ship and three Consular-class cruisers during the battle. During the invasion of the InterGalactic Banking Clan world of Scipio, Count Dooku commanded the battle from his personal Providence-class Dreadnought. After he had completed his mission to trick Rush Clovis into raising interest rates on the Republic and not the Separatists, with the arrival of a Republic fleet commanded by Anakin Skywalker, Dooku and his flotilla fled the system, allowing the Republic to gain control of Scipio. During the Confederacy's campaign against the Shadow Collective, a criminal organization founded by the former Sith Lord Maul, Grievous commanded a large Separatist fleet in a battle on the moon of Zanbar after the Zabrak managed to escape from the Spire prison on the planet Stygeon Prime. The fleet consisted of Grievous' Providence-class Dreadnought, at least two Recusant-class warships, at least eighteen Munificent-class star frigates, at least five DH-Omni Support Vessels, and at least five C-9979 landing craft. Following their defeat at Zanbar, Maul and Mother Talzin, who had suspicions that the Sith and Separatists were attempting to draw her out, devised a plan to lure Count Dooku and Grievous to the planet Ord Mantell where they set a trap to capture both. The Separatists, after landing their droid forces on the surface, were immediately engaged by the Shadow Collective, while Maul made his way onto the dreadnought, where Grievous was ordered to deactivate his army or be killed, to which the cyborg chose to shut down his army, allowing himself to be captured. Dooku, meanwhile, who had engaged and defeated the Nightbrothers on the surface, was also captured by the Collective forces. During the Outer Rim Sieges, the Separatists, under Trench's command, launched an assault on the planet Anaxes in an attempt to secure the Republic's shipyards that were instrumental to its navy. The Harch commanded the battle from aboard his new flagship, the Invulnerable in an orbiting fleet with two other Providence-class Dreadnoughts, seven Munificent-class star frigates, two Recusant-class light destroyers, and six DH-Omni Support Vessels. In the initial phases of the battle, the Republic managed to keep Trench's forces contained, but after weeks of endless fighting, the Separatists were able to gain the upper hand by using a strategy algorithm designed by Clone Captain Rex, which had been extracted from clone trooper CT-1409, who was thought to have been killed during the Battle of Lola Sayu earlier in the war, on Skako Minor, the Techno Union headquarters. Later in the Outer Rim Sieges, Grievous commanded a fleet of six Providence-class vessels against a fleet of six Republic Star Destroyers. During the battle, at least two Separatist dreadnoughts sustained heavy damage to their hulls as clone Z-95 Headhunters and droid tri-fighters engaged in dogfights around them. As the end of the war neared, the Republic sought to capitulate the planet Cato Neimoidia, seeing it as an instrumental goal that would help bring an end to the conflict. The Jedi Council dispatched Plo Koon to lead the 442nd Siege Battalion and ensure the planet's capture. Koon and Clone Captain Jag led starfighter squadrons against a trio of Separatist dreadnoughts and droid tri-fighters in the skies of Cato Neimoidia. Nearing the end of the war, the Confederacy—under orders of Darth Sidious, the secret persona of the Republic's Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, and the CIS' shadow leader—launched a massive and unanticipated assault on the Republic's capital of Coruscant in the Core Worlds to capture Palpatine in order to bring Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker closer to the dark side of the Force. Despite the high belief that the Separatists would never make such an attempt, Grievous made his move on the Republic's capital with a fleet of over 1,000 starships aboard the Separatist navy's flagship, the Providence-class Dreadnought Invisible Hand, which managed to catch the ill-prepared Coruscant Home Defense Fleet off guard and quickly overwhelm them, with the Chancellor, after a lengthy chase through the Federal District, taken captive aboard the flagship. Despite being outnumbered, the Home Fleet attempted to prevent the Invisible Hand from escaping with the Chancellor. Before the Separatists could escape from Coruscant, the Republic's Open Circle Fleet and Jedi Generals Kenobi and Skywalker arrived and immediately engaged the Separatists' Munificents, Recusants and Lucrehulks, which were escorting the Invisible Hand, and allowed the two Jedi to enter the heart of the chaos of turbolaser fire and starships. After a brief struggle to reach the flagship, Skywalker deactivated the ships deflector shields, which allowed the pair to land inside the vessel's main hangar. While aboard the Invisible Hand, the Jedi released the Chancellor from captivity and killed Count Dooku. Shortly after, the dreadnought came into a brief broadside battle with the Venator-class Star Destroyer Guarlara. The dreadnought took extensive damage from the Venator, which sent it plummeting towards the planet below before the crew regained control. Despite the Chancellor's rescue and a third of the fleet being destroyed, Grievous escaped from his doomed flagship aboard an escape pod, which was retrieved by the Lucrehulk-class Battleship Profusion. As Grievous fled, Skywalker and Kenobi still aboard the Invisible Hand, managed to land the dreadnought on Coruscant's surface, with half of the vessel breaking off in the process. Following the end of the Clone Wars and the transition of the Republic into the Galactic Empire in 19 BBY, the Providence-class Dreadnoughts were decommissioned and sent to the junkyard world of Bracca to be dismantled. While on Bracca, the dreadnoughts began to deteriorate as their hulls became rusted. Later during the Empire's reign in 14 BBY, a rebel cell led by Berch Teller made use of a modified and downsized version of a former Separatist Providence-class Dreadnought well-known for jamming signals and destroying HoloNet relays during the war. The dreadnought was an amalgamation of several of dreadnoughts used by the Separatists, including the Lucid Voice, which made up the vessel's sensor array tower, and the Invincible, the former flagship of Admiral Trench during the Battle of Christophsis, which were recovered and put on the market after the battle, and used as part of the warship's modules. The dreadnought participated in the cell's attack on the Imperial Sentinel Base during Moff Wilhuff Tarkin's stay at the base. The Lucid Voice later participated in a battle near the Gulf of Tatooine, where it was destroyed by Imperial forces led by Tarkin. Another Providence found its way into the naval forces of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, taking part in a battle against the Imperial Navy.
Providence-class is also known as; The Invisible Hand, Providence-class Dreadnought, Providence-class Carrier/Destroyer
