These cruisers were quick, tough, hard-hitting ships which were intended to patrol remote systems without the immediate fear of destruction. The Guardian-class was quite capable of handling common freight and smuggler traffic, however, it was not well equipped for boarding actions as it lacked space for a boarding party. Guardian cruisers were totally outclassed when deployed against capital ships. These ships could be outfitted with external docking racks to carry TIE Fighters; however, this modification reduced the Guardian-class's maneuverability.