When the Galactic Empire looked like it would devour all hope, the MC80 Star Cruiser, or Mon Calamari Cruiser, was the backbone of hope.
Though the Rebel Alliance may be vaunted for its scrappy use of X-Wing Starfighters, Corellian Corvettes, and of course, even Nebulon-B Medical Frigates, the backbone of the Rebel Fleet was the MC80 Star Cruiser. These capital ships allowed the Rebel Alliance to hold their own against the Imperial Navy, striking at Blockades, repelling invasions, and even breaking through the superstructure of an even more terrifying superweapon than the DS-1 Death Star.
Known colloquially as Mon Calamari Cruisers in honor of their world of origin, these starships played a pivotal role in the Galactic Civil War. But, they were almost in the hands of the Empire. For though the MC80 was designed by Mon Calamari hands, their world of Mon Cala was occupied in a brutal invasion in the early days of the rise of the Empire.
And so it is that the tale of the MC80 Mon Calamari Star Cruiser begins with a bombardment.
The Invasion of Mon Cala – Origins of the MC80
The rise to prominence of the MC80 Star Cruiser within the Rebel Alliance is linked inextricably to the Imperial Invasion of Mon Cala in 18 BBY. In the aftermath of the Clone Wars, after the disastrous execution of Order 66, which nearly wiped out the Jedi throughout the galaxy, one survivor, the Iktotchi Padawan Ferren Barr took six disciples to the world of Mon Cala. There, conspiring with the Mon Calamari king, Lee-Char, Barr and his disciples took refuge in a hidden cave.
Investigating possible Jedi influence, the Emperor sent Darth Vader and a sizable fleet to Mon Cala. And after the Imperial Ambassador was killed in an explosion, the Empire launched its invasion in earnest. Though the Mon Calamari, as a people, had an advantage. Since they had settlements both on the surface and below.
During the invasion, two Mon Calamari admirals, Gial Ackbar and Raddus proved themselves to be more than a match for Imperial forces. Their unorthodox techniques did not beat back the Empire, but did make enough time and space for the Mon Calamari who opposed the Empire, who would go on to be key figures in the Rebel Alliance to escape. Several MC80 Cruisers and, to the surprise of the empire, several spaceworthy structures that had appeared to be mere underground facilities launched and escaped to join the Alliance to Restore the Republic.
The MC80 Mon Calamari Cruiser – Design and Capabilities
The MC80 Star Cruiser was the backbone of the Alliance Fleet. It was quite a gift to the Rebels when the Mon Calamari arrived, fleeing the occupation of their homeworld. And a big part of their strength was in the heavy armor that was designed for both the depths of space and the depths of turbulent seas.
These cruisers were a marked contrast to the knife-like Imperial Star Destroyers. Each cruiser was sleek and smooth, almost organic in design. And each Mon Calamari Cruiser was unique, thanks to modular pods that could contain turbolasers, sensor arrays, and viewing ports.
Their smooth silhouette belied heavy weaponry. While each design was different, a typical Mon Calamari loadout came with:
- Anywhere from 29-36 quad heavy turbolaser batteries
- Twin SW-7 battleship class ion cannon batteries
- 80 quad laser cannon batteries
- 6 hull mounted heavy tractor beam projectors
- Shield generators and projectors capable of linking shields together
And on top of that, each MC80 was also a carrier in its own right. At the height of the Rebel Alliances readiness against the Galactic Empire, an MC80 could be expected to carry up to 10 squadrons of 12 starfighters, as well as a small complement of shuttles and other landing craft.
These heavy cruisers not only provided the Rebel Alliance with a new hope, they helped strike back against the Empire, and ultimately ushered in a return of the Jedi from the brink of extinction.
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