Venator-class Star Destroyer Mark II

A very rare ship to see even in its own day, the Venator Mark II served as an intermediary design between the Venator Mark I and the later Imperator class. It was more of a test-bed to try out new design ideas than as a dedicated warship of the Republic. Only a handful of the ships were manufactured before the Clone Wars ended and the new Empire began construction on the Imperator Star Destroyers.

The Venator Mark II would reflect many of the design choices that would soon be commonplace in the Empire. Although more heavily armed and armored, the Venator Mark II still dedicated most of its resources as a carrier-type ship. It held fewer fighters than the Mark I to make room for the increased power, but still managed to support an impressive 17 squadrons. Like the Mark I, it carried little, if any, ground troops for surface attacks.

There are still a few Mark II Venators that survive in the present day Empire, but because of their rarity most don’t see active service. At least one notable example has become a museum ship orbiting Kuat.