 |  |
- "The Twi'leks on that planet can't wait forever, Master. The longer the Techno Union keeps control of Ryloth, the more difficult it'll be to free them."
"I agree. We don't have much time." - ―Anakin Skywalker and Mace Windu
The Battle of Ryloth, also known as the Ryloth campaign, was a major conflict that took place on the planet Ryloth early during the Clone Wars. The battle pitted the Galactic Republic and the Twi'lek Resistance against the Confederacy of Independent Systems, which conquered the planet and enforced an occupation of Ryloth as an operation undertaken by the Techno Union, a component of the CIS. The battle commenced with an invasion that overwhelmed the local Republic garrison, and, despite humanitarian efforts via the nearby planet Toydaria to reestablish supply lines past the Separatist blockade, the invasion was followed by a Separatist occupation and subjugation of Rylothians.
Following several months of inaction by the Republic's Galactic Senate, a strike force of multiple components was conjured to retake Ryloth and free its people. In the meantime, Foreman and Emir of the Techno Union took the opportunity to plunder Ryloth's treasures and resources. A task force of three Venator-class Star Destroyers – the flagship Resolute, Defender, and Redeemer – from the Open Circle Fleet under the command of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Admiral Wullf Yularen was dispatched to destroy the blockade and pave the way for the Republic invasion fleet of three Acclamator-class assault ships led by High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi General Mace Windu.
In the liberation of Ryloth, Skywalker's task force carried the 501st Legion and Blue Squadron while the invasion fleet of the Open Circle Fleet's Fifth Fleet carried Kenobi's 7th Sky Corps and Windu's 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps. Despite losing the Defender and Redeemer, the blockade was crushed by the Republic, paving the way for the invasion fleet to land on Ryloth's surface after clearing a gap in Separatist air defenses in the city of Nabat.
Subsequently, Kenobi's forces liberated villages throughout the planet, and eventually took control of the Jixuan desert, effectively liberating Ryloth's southern hemisphere. In the meantime, Windu's forces pushed towards the capital of Lessu. The final conquest of Lessu was known as the Battle of Lessu, and the recapturing of the capital would be known as the Hammer of Ryloth in songs. With the fall of Lessu and the capture of Emir Tambor, the Separatist forces were defeated on Ryloth. Following the campaign, a battalion under the leadership of Clone Captain Howzer remained through the end of the war to aide Twi'lek Resistance General Cham Syndulla with the security of the planet. Following the end of the war, the clone trooper forces transitioned to serve the Galactic Empire and occupied the planet, leading Syndulla to launch the Ryloth Insurgency to liberate Ryloth once again.
Prelude[]
After Executive Separatist Council member and Foreman of the Techno Union Emir Wat Tambor discovered that fellow Separatist Alliance councillor Passel Argente, Magistrate of the Corporate Alliance, kept all his wealth on the Outer Rim planet of Ryloth, Emir Tambor made invading Ryloth his top priority. Additionally, the Separatist Alliance was already interested in Ryloth's resources.[9] It also had a special hyperspace location, with the Corellian Run and Mumble's Turnaround[10] being hyperspace routes nearby.[11]
Although the planet and its Twi'lek citizens were part of the Galactic Republic with represenation in the Galactic Senate, they attempted to avoid involvement in the Clone Wars and communicated to both the Republic and the Separatists that they sought to remain neutral and free. Despite these attempts, a small Republic garrison was maintained on Ryloth. The Separatists did not consider the wishes of the Rylothians, and an invasion was launched.[12]
The battle[]
Separatist invasion[]
Main article: The Separatist invasion of Ryloth began under the order of Emir Wat Tambor,[12] who began with the bombing of the surface by Hynea-class Droid Fighter/Bombers and contingents of C-9979 landing craft[1] deploying battalions of battle droids. The battle droids attacked people and towns, burned crops and destroyed Twi'lek infrastructure.[9] The Republic's Outer Rim garrison and its defenses were dwindling as the Separatist Alliance imposed a blockade fleet under the command of Neimoidian Captain Mar Tuuk.[1] The Galactic Senate dispatched Jedi General Ima-Gun Di to aid the Twi'leks of Ryloth fight against the Separatist occupation.[9] Created with the belief that the Republic had abandoned Ryloth, the Twi'lek Resistance was established by General Cham Syndulla to combat the Separatist occupiers.[12] However, the clone troopers and Twi'lek forces came to fight side-by-side during the invasion.[1] At some point during the battle, a group of clone troopers in white armor fought alongside several Twi'lek freedom fighters against an enemy force.[13]
The Separatist Droid Army pushes against the entrenched Republic and Twi'leks.
Eventually, the Outer Rim garrison engaged Separatist forces in a forest. Republic and Twi'lek forces emassed near a city as the Separatist Droid Army closed in. Using trenches lined with blaster cannons and supported by two AT-TE walkers, clone troopers and Twi'lek resistance fighters under General Di and Clone Captain Keeli defended against an offensive of battle droids, along with supporting Armored Assault Tank Mk Is and Hyena-class bombers.[1]
Two droid bombers conducted a low-level flight towards Republic forces, but were shot down by an AT-TE. The action resulted in both bombers crashing into buildings next to a cliffside behind the walkers, and the debris fell on the AT-TE. Subsequently, the second AT-TE was destroyed by Separatist fire as General Syndulla arrived from a canyon to brief General Di on the situation. With supplies such as food, water, and ammunition running low, General Di contacted Republic Admiral Dao in orbit for aide and supplies. Dao and his fleet of at least two Venator-class Star Destroyers had engaged Tuuk's Separatist blockade, but were critically low on fuel and ammunition. During the transmission, a Venator suffered a large explosion near its engines. General Di ordered Admiral Dao to contact the Jedi High Council again and inform them that reinforcements had to be sent immediately.[1]
Admiral Dao thereafter contacted the Jedi Council to inform them of the battle, stating that if help did not arrive soon, the entire Republic garrison would be wiped out. With High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi expressing faith that Admiral Dao could continue to assist, Dao was informed that his flagship's reactor had been hit and that systems were shutting down. Admiral Dao declared that his fleet could no longer provide support to Ryloth, and soon after his flagship's deflector shields were deactivated and his ship was destroyed. With the Republic fleet destroyed, General Di and his forces were trapped on Ryloth.[1]
Toydarian negotiations[]
Following Dao's transmission, Generals Mace Windu, Kenobi, and Yoda contacted Republic Senator Bail Prestor Organa who was travelling aboard his CR90 corvette, the Tantive IV. After pleasantries, the Jedi informed Senator Organa of the Republic's dire situation on Ryloth, including that supply lines have been cut and the civilian population was starving. Windu informed Organa that although Republic blockade runners would be able to penetrate the blockade, they did not have the range to reach Ryloth. If a supply base could be established on Toydaria, which was 2,000 parsecs closer than the nearest Republic fleet, supplies could be sent in time. The Republic had already dispatched a starship with the shipment to Toydaria, with Junior Representative Jar Jar Binks accompanying the shipment. Senator Organa understood this assignment, and travelled to Toydaria to negotiate a treaty to allow the Republic to send the supply ships to Toydaria.[1]
This transmission was intercepted by the Separatist Alliance and partially unscrambled, and the information was brought before Separatist Head of State Count Dooku aboard his flagship by TA1313. Dooku ordered the tactical droid to contact Senator of the Trade Federation Lott Dod.[1] Officially, the Toydarians were led by the Hutts, though Toydaria was independent on the condition of ignoring the Hutts' trade deals. To maintain neutrality King Katuunko of Toydaria had to receive Senator Lott Dod, who had made it clear to him that it was not in Toydaria's best interests to support the Republic.[9] Feeling betrayed by the Republic,[1] Syndulla continued to lead his resistance as the droid occupation settled in.[4]
Defeating the blockade[]
After Ryloth had suffered under occupation from some time, the Republic found it had a chance to finally liberate the world. Anakin Skywalker, along with his apprentice Commander Ahsoka Tano, Admiral Wullf Yularen, Clone Captain Rex, and his forces, were sent to break through the Separatist blockade under the command of Captain Mar Tuuk. General Skywalker dispatched his apprentice and Blue Squadron to engage the blockade's droid fighters. On their attack run Tano and her squadron initially broke through the droid fighters, but Captain Tuuk outflanked them by summoning surprise reinforcements. Skywalker and Yularen called back Blue Squadron, but Tano disobeyed direct orders and pressed her attack. Tuuk's forces successfully counterattacked, launching suicide runs against the Resolute, Defender, and Redeemer. Tano reluctantly called a retreat, losing all but two members of her squadron in the battle. Admiral Yularen was severely injured when a droid fighter impacted with the bridge of his command ship. After Tano's broken squadron returned to Resolute and the Redeemer was destroyed, Skywalker retreated into hyperspace, then contacted Masters Windu and Kenobi to inform them of his lack of progress and the casualties.[2]
Defender advancing towards the enemy command ship
Windu warned Skywalker that if he could not break the blockade the invasion would have to be postponed. Skywalker recognized that they could not afford to postpone the invasion any longer, and assured them he would break the blockade. Skywalker impressed upon his apprentice the critical urgency of their mission, but Tano insisted there was no way to blast through the blockade with the one remaining battleship. Heeding the words of his apprentice, Skywalker evacuated the Defender's crew and hatched a plan to use the Defender, which was beyond repair, to ram into the droid command ship, with only himself and R2-D2 piloting the cruiser. Skywalker placed Ahsoka in command of the Resolute and their remaining forces, urging her to devise a strategy by which to finish off the remainder of the blockade. After Skywalker departed with the Defender, Tano and Rex discussed a maneuver to entrap the remaining droid forces and send BTL-B Y-wing starfighter/bombers to finish them off. Though Rex and one of the bridge officers questioned the viability of this tactic, Ahsoka impressed upon them the critical urgency of the situation. Yularen, still recovering from his injury, concurred with her bold and unorthodox strategy.[2]
Republic ships damaged by enemy fire
As Skywalker arrived at Ryloth, he hailed Captain Tuuk and offered to surrender himself, his crew, and his ship to the Separatist forces in exchange for delivery of relief supplies to the Twi'leks. When the droids' scans indicated only Skywalker onboard, Tuuk flatly rejected Skywalker's offer, but Skywalker quipped that the captain could still have his ship, then powered the cruiser's impulse engines and abandoned the battleship with R2 as it plunged toward the droid command ship. The firepower of all the Separatist frigates was insufficient to destroy the Defender, and it slammed into the droid command ship, destroying it as Tuuk fled in an escape pod. Ahsoka then deployed her stratagem, confident that the droids would never realize the deception until it was too late. As the Resolute followed Ahsoka's plan, it rotated ninety degrees on its axis, exposing its bow and drawing enemy fire to create cover for the emerging bombers. The droids were slow to take the bait, but eventually concentrated all firepower on the Resolute as Ahsoka launched her bombers to destroy the frigates. Tambor attempted to contact Tuuk, but realized the blockade had been broken when he learned that Tuuk had fled. Ahsoka made contact with Masters Kenobi and Windu, who were both accompanying the Republic's invasion fleet, confirming that they may begin their landing on Ryloth.[2] Skywalker and his forces then completely secured the space around Ryloth.[4]
Landing at Nabat[]
As the Republic forces made their descent, General Kenobi, Commander Cody, and the troopers of Ghost Company were sent in by General Windu to secure the landing area near the city of Nabat. As Kenobi and his troopers made their way to Nabat aboard their gunships, the droid commander TX-20 received orders from Tambor, who was now the Emir of Ryloth, to repel the Republic's landing. TX-20 assured Tambor that the proton cannons would prove sufficient, and that the Jedi would not risk a ground assault with Nabat's inhabitants acting as a living shield. As Kenobi and his gunships closed in, Kenobi and Cody made clear that they would not use rockets or detonators in the city. TX-20 opened fire on the gunships and assault ships, destroying the right engine of one of the assault ships. Windu and Commander Ponds contacted Kenobi, informing him that they could not risk landing the larger transports until Kenobi had destroyed the cannons. Finally Kenobi and his gunships successfully landed on the outskirts of Nabat.[6]
Kenobi and Ghost Company were greeted with heavy fire from the outer defenses, which they subdued by tossing droid poppers into the machine gun nests. Kenobi sent Cody and his "best men" to scout ahead and report on the droids' plans. Cody, along with troopers Wooley, Waxer, and Boil split into two teams: Waxer and Boil found a young Twi'lek girl called Numa hiding in the ruins, while Cody and Wooley located the cannons and discovered that the battle droids were using Nabat's survivors as hostages. Meanwhile, TX-20 dispatched recon droids to ascertain the clones' plan of attack. Cody and Kenobi informed Windu of the weaponry and hostage situation, and Windu made clear that moving the hostages out of harm's way was top priority. Kenobi assured him that he would still be able to take out the cannons. Upon learning that Kenobi was leading the attack, TX-20 unleashed a captured herd of starving gutkurrs upon the clones. As Kenobi and Cody were preparing to commence their attack, Waxer and Boil had decided to bring Numa with them and were late for the rendezvous. As they received a message from Cody, they came under attack by two gutkurrs, but escaped through the tunnels in Numa's home. As Kenobi, Cody and their troopers moved their positions forward, they came under attack by the gutkurrs, which killed and ate several of the troopers before Kenobi use a mind trick to lure them away from his troopers and trap them in an alleyway. Kenobi and Cody then regrouped Waxer, Boil and Numa emerging out of a tunnel. Kenobi asked Numa to show him any tunnels through which he could sneak past the droids and free the prisoners, and ordered Cody to create a diversion.[6]
As Cody, Wooley and the remainder of Ghost Company prepared to attack the droids, Kenobi, Waxer, Boil, and Numa made their way through the tunnels to the Gutkurr's cages. Kenobi waited while Cody and his men attacked the droids, leaving only a few guards and the gun crews left. As TX-20's battle droids and tanks took on the clones, Kenobi, Waxer and Boil freed the prisoners. With the prisoners were safe, Kenobi, Waxer and Boil seized control of one of the cannons, using it to destroy all the others. TX-20 learned that Kenobi had freed of the prisoners and turned his tank around, destroying the cannon Kenobi was using and holding him and Numa at gunpoint. However, the liberated Twi'leks rallied, ripping TX-20 out of his tank and tearing him to pieces.[6]
With the proton cannons destroyed and the prisoners released, General Windu and his transports were then free to land. As Kenobi and Windu regrouped, they recognized that they would have to take the capital in order to free the rest of Ryloth.[6]
Additional action[]
Kenobi and his forces continued liberating other villages from the droids, eventually securing the Jixuan desert and Ryloth's southern hemisphere.[4] A member of Roon's military defense forces,[14] Commander Mekedrix served on Ryloth and displayed valor as he fought.[13]
Republic forces under attack
On the march to liberate Lessu, Windu and Ponds' forces came under attack by a group of AATs while exposed on a cliffside. The droids forced the Republic forces to halt briefly, but were overtaken by Windu's Lightning Squadron. Windu lost 32 men in the attack, including command crews of three walkers. Windu attended a hologram conference with Chancellor Palpatine, Senator Orn Free Taa of Ryloth, Grand Master Yoda, and Admiral Yularen. Anakin Skywalker also briefly joined, informing the group that his forces had the remains of the Separatist fleet in retreat. Windu lamented that his forces would be unable to capture Ryloth without reinforcements, leading him to seek out and recruit the resistance fighters led by Cham Syndulla. Palpatine and Taa warned Windu that Syndulla was a political radical and untrustworthy. Yularen reported that there were no Republic reinforcements available, wherein Windu insisted they could not win without Syndulla's help.[4]
In Lessu, Tambor and his tactical droid TA-175 observed as Windu and his forces moved towards Lessu. Despite TA-175's suggestion that they prepare for evacuation, Tambor refused, knowing full well that Windu lacked the troops to take Lessu. Tambor ordered his forces inside the city and to secure the bridge. Dooku learned from TA-175 of Tambor's "pitiful job" of protecting the Separatists' investment on Ryloth, though Tambor insisted that the droid exaggerated as he had not yet been defeated. Recognizing that Tambor was no match for Windu, Dooku ordered him to retreat with what valuables could be taken and to destroy everything else on Ryloth as a message demonstrating "the cost of a Republic victory." TA-175 prepared Hyena bombers for a fire-bombing campaign and Tambor's shuttle for evacuation. Tambor still refused to leave, sending the bombers to destroy every village within range. Ponds noticed how they destroyed the villages after the droids pulled out of them.[4] The bombers completely incinerated at least two of Ryloth's villages.[15]
Windu and two of his troopers encountered Syndulla and his men after the latter took out a droid patrol. Syndulla was initially skeptical of Windu's overtures and hesitant to join forces, fearing another possible occupation by the Republic; but upon learning that the Separatists were bombing Twi'lek villages, he softened his position and requested an audience with Taa. Taa promised him that once the Separatists were expelled, the Republic would also leave as long Syndulla did not pursue political power. Syndulla agreed to these terms and organized his fighters to retake the capital. Meanwhile, Skywalker and Ahsoka were in the air, chasing down and destroying as many of the bombers as they could.[4]
Battle of Lessu[]
As the Republic pressed onward towards Lessu, Tambor gathered the remaining valuables. Dooku, growing increasingly impatient with the Emir, ordered him to leave immediately before the Republic arrived, and also ordered TA-175 to bomb the capital after he and Tambor had left. Tambor refused to leave, waiting for his last two MTTs filled with Twi'lek treasure. As the Republic moved into the outskirts of Lessu, Tambor then had city inhabitants brought outside the city walls, hoping their presence would slow down Windu.[4]
As Windu and Syndulla searched for a way across the energy bridge, Syndulla spotted the two MTTs en route. Windu, despite the risk of being scanned and discovered, took two of his troopers to infiltrate an MTT in order to cross the bridge. After destroying one of the STAPs, Windu and his two troopers hid inside one of the MTTs. Windu then ordered Syndulla and Ponds to commence the attack as soon as the bridge was activated. The battle droids scanned the cargo on the bridge, and discovered Windu and his men. After subduing the droids, Windu pushed his two troopers across the bridge as it was being turned off by the droids. As he fell, Windu was able to jump on one of the STAPs and ride it to other side of the bridge, then held off the battle droids as Stak and Razor ascended to the control room.[4]
Syndulla orders the attack to re-take Lessu
Syndulla, Ponds and their forces commenced their attack, charging towards the bridge to Lessu. Stak and Razor reached the control center and took out the droids and the commander stationed there. They were then able to turn the bridge on and hold it against a few droid reinforcements, including a pair of commando droids. Syndulla and his men fought the battle droids as Windu pursued Tambor, who was skulking away toward his ship with an escort of two super battle droids. However, TA-175 evacuated without Tambor and informed Dooku, who ordered the immediate bombing of the capital. As Windu subdued the super battle droids, Tambor attempted to negotiate, despite the fact that he was in no position to. He then laughed as they would all die for the glory of the Separatist Alliance, but the four Hyena bombers sent to bomb the capital were destroyed by Skywalker and Tano. Syndulla then demanded that Tambor unconditionally surrender, and the Skakoan quickly agreed.[4]
The Republic forces, as well as the resistance forces, were then joined by Senator Taa to throw a parade in honor of the combined victory over the Confederacy.[4]
Aftermath[]
Post-battle[]
After the successful collaboration between local fighters and Republic forces, Republic High Command experimented with sending commando squads to Separatist-occupied worlds and coordinating with local fighters. A degree of success was achieved on worlds like Aridus and Tynna, but this policy drew controversy in that the Republic was exposing civilians to punishment by Separatist forces.[16] Chopper's Y-wing bomber was later left as a war memorial near the Syndulla residence in the Tann Province.[17]
Legacy[]
- "Master Windu spoke highly of your heroics at the Battle of Lessu."
"Ah. Mace Windu. Outnumbered 100 to one, we charged across Lessu's energy bridge to certain doom. We would not be stopped. They named that attack in songs, 'The Hammer of Ryloth.'" - ―Kanan Jarrus and Cham Syndulla
Padmé Amidala later told Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet Commander Thrawn about Ahsoka Tano's maneuver during the campaign.[19] During his time as Grand Admiral in the Galactic Empire, Thrawn employed that very maneuver against species such as the Grysk.[20]
During the early rebellion against the Galactic Empire, the people of Ryloth—now classified as a protectorate, pillaged for slaves and spice by their Imperial overlords—would remember Windu's exploits during the Battle of Lessu, immortalizing both his and Cham Syndulla's name in songs, where the battle was referred to as "The Hammer of Ryloth."[18]
Anakin Skywalker leads clone troopers and Twi'lek forces in a vision of the Battle of Ryloth.
Around 9 ABY,[21] Tano, by that point a Force-Sensitive Outcast, fell into the World Between Worlds after her duel with fellow former Jedi Baylan Skoll. Within the realm, she found her former master Anakin Skywalker, who promised he would finally finish her training: as part of her final trail,[22] she relived the Battle of Ryloth, after also reliving the Battle of Teth, as if she was still a teenager.[23] In her vision of Ryloth, herself, her master, Rex, and their clone forces were allied with local Twi'lek fighters on the ground, where Tano lost many of the clones under her command. Skywalker urged her to keep going despite her regret over their loss. As Skywalker then led their forces into battle against incoming Separatist forces, he flashed between his appearance as a Jedi Knight and his appearance as the Sith Lord Darth Vader.[22]
Behind the scenes[]
The Battle of Ryloth first appeared in the newsreel of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "Jedi Crash"[24] before serving as the primary focus of a three episode arc later in the The Clone Wars: Season One: Storm Over Ryloth,[2] Innocents of Ryloth,[6] and Liberty on Ryloth.[4] Its appearance in "Part Five: Shadow Warrior" of Ahsoka was confirmed by the Databank after it was updated with Ahsoka information.[23]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
- LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation (Mentioned only)
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
