Stateless strategy The stateless strategy was a space warfare strategy utilized throughout galactic history . Properly used , it allowed a smaller power to defeat a larger , militarily - superior one . The strategy . The stateless strategy relied on decentralization and the sheer vastness of space to allow a smaller belligerent to beat a larger one . A power with a defined homeworld and colonies could be reduced and defeated with numerical superiority . However , a decentralized power without a clearly - defined homeworld or territory would have to be overcome everywhere it existed before it could be defeated . The vastness of space meant that throughout history , even the largest militaries found controlling space impossible . In contrast , this gave an advantage to the decentralized belligerent : since the larger opponent could not defend everywhere , the smaller power could choose its battles and strike where its opponent was not . This would force the larger power into making the choice between heavily - defending a handful of key " fortress world s " , thus allowing the enemy a free hand elsewhere , or dispersing their forces and so risking the loss of a key planet through defeat in detail . Economic considerations and public pressure tended to force states to adopt the fortress world strategy . History . The various Sith Empires throughout history used the stateless strategy in their wars against the Galactic Republic . The Confederacy of Independent Systems used the strategy during the Clone Wars . However , since they possessed territory , the CIS was vulnerable to the stateless strategy in its own right , and by 19 BBY had been forced on to the defensive in the Outer Rim Sieges once the Republic ' s superior industrial base had produced enough warships to both defend their territories and take the offensive . The Alliance to Restore the Republic made use of the stateless strategy during the Galactic Civil War . The Galactic Empire ' s response was a policy of reprisal , a system of state terror that was institutionalized in the Tarkin Doctrine . However , the policy of overwhelming force in an effort to deny the Rebels safe haven did more to foment resistance than eliminate it . The creation of the Death Star was intended to reverse such a state of affairs by introducing the possibility of a reprisal so terrifying - namely , the destruction of entire planets - that no world would risk aiding the Rebellion . In the aftermath of the Battle of Endor , the Empire retreated to the " fortress world " strategy , effectively giving the Rebellion a free hand over much of the galaxy and dooming it as a galactic power . Grand Admiral Thrawn ' s final campaign against the New Republic in 9 ABY was considered to be a classic example of the stateless strategy . Making use of high - profile raids against poorly - defended targets , Thrawn panicked the New Republic ' s citizens and made it look weak when it could not defend all its worlds . Thrawn made a series of feints at Ando , Filve and Crondre that forced the New Republic fleet at Ord Pardron to sortie . Thrawn then destroyed the undefended military base at Ord Pardron , in turn allowing him to capture Ukio . The campaign totally reversed the strategic geography of the Galactic Civil War , forcing the New Republic to adopt the fortress world strategy , with rapid reaction fleets deployed to defend Coruscant , Bothawui , Kashyyyk and Mon Calamari , until it was abruptly ended with Thrawn ' s assassination at the Battle of Bilbringi .