The Star-Galleon-class Frigate takes the place of two ships, thus saving the Empire credits. Previous Imperial transports were unarmed or lightly armed cargo ships that could not compete against starfighters or powerful capital ships. They needed the protection of escort Frigates or some other type of combat craft.

However, the new Star Galleons can carry equivalent amounts of goods while protecting themselves from the ravagers of the space lanes. A combination of concussion missiles and turbolasers creates a decent fire perimeter. In addition, the vessels are designed to repel invaders intent on capturing their store of goods.

Up to 300 troopers are stationed aboard a Star Galleon. The interior of these ships bristle with anti-intruder defences. The troopers, for example can make use of fortress-like emplacements that line the inner hallways and corridors from which to defend their ship. Individual sections can be sealed and held by the defenders, creating pockets within a Star Galleon.

One of the more interesting features of a Star Galleon is the cargo hold. Placed in the very center of the craft, the hold is actually a seperate vessel that can detach and be jettisoned into hyperspace for collection at a later time. A built-in homing device allows Imperial agents to track the hold as it randomly jumps across the hyper-lanes.

Sources:Gorden, Greg. Imperial Sourcebook. West End Games. June 1994