Decimator ( war machine ) The Decimator was a war machine developed by the Galactic Republic at the start of the Clone Wars . Equipped with shields and a long - range turbolaser that could target air and ground vehicles , the Decimator could engage and defeat craft as large as the All Terrain Tactical Enforcer . They were also able to ferry infantry around the battlefield , protecting them within the confines of the Decimator , though the vehicle itself was slow . Developed at a secret testing facility located on Eredenn Prime and constructed at Alaris Prime by Wookiees , the Decimator was considered one of the most powerful combat vehicles of its era . However , before the Republic could use them , the Decimators were stolen by the Confederate General Sev ' rance Tann . Tann used them to capture the energy - producing world Sarapin , striking fear into the inhabitants of the Core Worlds due to the ensuing blackouts . Her campaign provoked the Republic to send Jedi Master Echuu Shen - Jon to hunt down Tann and her Decimators . Shen - Jon ultimately succeeded at the Battle of Krant , and the Decimators saw no further action in the Clone Wars . Characteristics . The Decimator ' s body was roughly rectangular in shape , save for a tower that rose from the rear of the vehicle along its midline . Just in front of the tower , in the center of the vehicle , was a large red orb that served a purpose in the firing mechanism . Even when not firing , energy circulated through the orb in green waves . When the weapon was activated , the energy would coalesce , causing the orb to glow a brilliant green , before launching a single , focused green beam toward its target . Decimators were described by historians as having " giant turbolaser cannons " as their main weapons . Each Decimator was comparable in size , armor , and firepower to the largest Republic vehicles in service at the start of the Clone Wars , such as the All Terrain Tactical Enforcer . It was also described as possessing tremendous destructive power . Besides their firepower , Decimators also possessed the ability to transport up to ten infantry and were sheathed in thick layers of armor , as well as protective deflector shields . However , for all their firepower and armor , Decimators were restricted to operating from land and could not float over water or lava , nor could they directly cross over cliffs or thick forests , despite possessing repulsorlifts for propulsion . Role . With its powerful shields , turbolaser , and thick armor , the Decimator was suited to front - line combat . It could easily defeat comparable vehicles in combat , relying on its shields to absorb damage . The Decimator ' s weapon was limited to firing at just one target at a time and had to charge before it could fire again , which meant that getting off the first shot against comparable vehicles was not assured . The unique weapon of the Decimator could traverse the beam itself electronically though without need to traverse the emitter to hit aircraft as well , though it still had to charge between discharges . The slow speed of the Decimator and low firing rate meant that it was better equipped to combat other front - line assault vehicles rather than greater quantities of swifter adversaries . In particular , opponents that could close inside the firing arc of the Decimator ' s main weapon , such as Jedi or close - range assault troops , were able to avoid its significant firepower . However , the ability to ferry ten additional infantry inside the Decimator meant that it could augment its defense by deploying these soldiers if the vehicle was threatened . History . The Decimator began as a weapons project by Wookiees for the Grand Army of the Republic . Testing of the weapons system was conducted in the Erediss system while the vehicles were actually manufactured on the Wookiee colony of Alaris Prime . The first non - Republic - affiliated person to discover the Decimator ' s existence was Bogeega Bu ' Daay , an operative who informed the Hutt Cartel of the weapon ' s existence after infiltrating the Republic Decimator research center on Eredenn Prime . Bu ' Daay passed his discovery on to Boorka the Hutt , who understood that the information would be fruitful if he gave it to someone who would be interested , namely the Confederacy of Independent Systems . However , Bu ' Daay was discovered by Wookiee personnel on Eredenn before he could divulge further information . In 22 BBY , one month after the First Battle of Geonosis , after constructing a sizable mechanized army on the Kaer Orbital Platform for use by the Confederacy , the Chiss General Sev ' rance Tann journeyed to Tatooine , the homeworld of Boorka , where the Hutt was willing to sell information about the Decimator project once Tann destroyed a Republic spaceport . Having learned from Boorka that the Republic was testing the Decimators on remote Eredenn , Tann raided the planet . She attacked both Shard Test Site and Facet Test Site , capturing their Decimators and several Decimator Facilities intact . However , she lacked the control codes to make them operational . Informed by Separatist leader Count Dooku that the codes were located in a nearby control center , Tann pushed on and seized a data droid possessing the codes from the Decimator Laboratory . Despite this victory , she still needed to unlock the fail - safe mechanism programmed into the Decimators in order to use them . From the Decimator Laboratory , Tann also obtained the location of the Decimator manufacturing center on Alaris Prime and headed there next to decipher the codes necessary to use her new weapons . Tann landed on Alaris Prime and attacked a Republic Decimator facility surrounded by Wookiee outposts . Bringing the captured data droid to the facility , she unlocked the Decimators by having the droid interface with the main computer , making the vehicles available to the Confederacy . Tann then destroyed the Decimator facilities on Alaris Prime and departed , ready to use the Decimators for the Confederacy . Tann used at least two of the vehicles to help her capture the Republic - controlled energy production world Sarapin . Having defeated the Republic defenders , Tann ' s Decimators also destroyed the geothermal generators . The loss of Sarapin ' s energy production facilities caused blackouts on numerous Core Worlds . The Separatists then established a new Decimator facility on Krant to continue production of the Decimators under Tann ' s supervision . To supply the facilities with raw materials , Tann employed a mining operation on the moon of Aereen that was under Trade Federation purview . The facility on Aereen was soon attacked and destroyed by Jedi Master Echuu Shen - Jon just as Tann was inspecting a new contingent of Decimators on Krant . Shen - Jon had been tracking Tann and had already reclaimed Sarapin ; now he was intent on stopping her from deploying more Decimators . Shen - Jon took his Republic army to Krant and destroyed the Decimator production facilities and the Decimators themselves , at least one of which was operational . Tann was slain by Shen - Jon in a subsequent engagement , ending the use of the Decimators . Behind the scenes . The Decimator first appeared in the PC computer game " " as the focus for both the Confederacy and Republic campaigns . Its in - game stats are comparable to a heavy assault mech , with the addition of shielding and the ability to target aircraft . The Decimator and the campaign in which Sev ' rance Tann employed them against the Republic were also mentioned in " The New Essential Chronology " , " The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia " , and " The Essential Atlas " . In the latest of these books , the Decimator is mistakenly referred to as the " Devastator . " " Essential Atlas " co - author Daniel Wallace has stated that the use of the term " Devastator " was a mistake ; the book should have said " Decimator . " Another point of confusion regarding the Decimator occurs in " The New Essential Chronology " , where the Decimators are described as " tanks with giant turbolaser cannons mounted atop . " In " Clone Campaigns " , Decimators only seem to have a single weapon , but it is possible that " The New Essential Chronology " implies they have multiple weapons , as " Clone Campaigns " has game mechanics that are rarely consistent with the rest of canon .