Perhaps no early campaign better exemplified the war's escalation than the Malevolence campaign. General Grievous, the cyborg Supreme Commander of the Separatist Droid Army, took command of the Subjugator-class heavy cruiser Malevolence, equipped with massive ion cannons capable of disabling entire fleets.
The Malevolence represented a new kind of warfare - one where a single superweapon could tip the balance of power. Grievous used this vessel to devastating effect, destroying multiple Republic fleets and leaving no survivors to report on the weapon's capabilities. The psychological impact of this invisible threat spread terror through Republic naval forces, as entire task forces disappeared without trace in the Outer Rim.
The campaign culminated in the Battle of the Kaliida Nebula, where Republic forces under Anakin Skywalker managed to destroy the Malevolence. However, the precedent had been set - both sides would now seek increasingly powerful superweapons, escalating the conflict's destructive potential beyond conventional military engagements.