Battle of the Circarpous system (Galactic Civil War)

|width=
|prev=Rescue of Biggs DarklighterStar Wars: X-Wing
|conc=
|next=Mission to MandaloreStar Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore
|name=Battle of the Circarpous system
|image=
|conflict=Galactic Civil War (Operation Skyhook)
|date=April 18-19, 2003X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide begins after the X-wing starfighter entered service with the Alliance to Restore the Republic, which The Essential Guide to Warfare places in 2003. X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide establishes that the capture of Minnie Mouse occurs at the end of Star Wars: X-Wing second tour of duty. Minnie's capture takes place on 35:3:3 under the Great ReSynchronization dating system, placing it at the beginning of 2004 according to the following explanation. Events in X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide before the end of the second tour of duty therefore take place in 2003.
|place=Circarpous Major system
|result=Alliance victory
|side1=Alliance to Restore the Republic
|side2=Galactic Empire
|commanders1=*Captain Samuel Raider (Red Squadron)
*Captain Keyan Farlander (Red Squadron)
*Captain Ernek Marskan (Blue Squadron)
|commanders2=
|forces1=*Red Squadron
**At least 2 T-65 X-wing starfighters
*Gold Squadron
**At least 2 R-22 Spearheads
*Blue Squadron
**BTL Y-wing starfighters
**1 T-65 X-wing starfighter
|forces2=*1 Imperial-class Star Destroyer
**Intrepid
*TIE/LN starfighters
*TIE/IN interceptors
*TIE/sa bombers
*Alpha-class Xg-1 Star Wings
*3 CR90 corvettes
**Viper 1
**Viper 2
**Viper 3
*5 BFF-1 bulk freighters
**Kiam 1
**Kiam 2
**Kiam 3
**Kiam 4
**Kiam 5
|casual1=*Moderate
|casual2=*Many fighters
*Kiam 3 & Kiam 5
*All corvettes
}}
The Battle of the Circarpous system was a series of raids conducted by Rebel forces from the MC-series star cruiser Independence that resulted in the destruction of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Intrepid.
==Prelude==
The Intrepid was witness when the Rebel Alliance freighter Phoenix stole some communications satellites from the Imperial base on Orron III and was unable to stop them. The next week the Intrepid attempted to destroy the Phoenix while it awaited the arrival of the MC-series star cruiser Maximus. The Imperial attack was interrupted by Keyan Farlander in an R-22 Spearhead who held off the Imperial fighters until the Maximus arrived. Shortly after the Maximus's arrival, the Intrepid fled leading the Rebels to conclude that it was suffering from a shortage of pilots or starfighters. Also, the Intrepid was the last 'witness' of the transmission of the Death Star plans to Rebel hands. Eventually the Alliance saw the opportunity when the Intrepid's hyperdrive was damaged in an accidental collision with an EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate, leaving the ship stranded in the Circarpous Major system.
==The battle==
===First phase===
Keyan Farlander flew an X-wing, escorted by twoX-Wing Collector's CD-ROM: The Official Strategy Guide R-22 Spearheads,The RZ-1 A-wing interceptor was introduced following the Battle of Yavin according to sources released before Star Wars: X-Wing, including the Rebel Alliance Sourcebook. C-3PO: Tales of the Golden Droid and The New Essential Guide to Characters introduced the R-22 Spearhead starfighter as the basis for the A-wing's design, retconning the A-wings seen in X-Wing before the Battle of Yavin. The Written Word established "A-wing" as an informal nickname for the older starfighter among Rebel pilots. in a raid against freighters from Kiam group which were delivering parts to repair the hyperdrive.
Despite the Intrepid launching TIEs, the Rebels were able to fight their way through to the freighters and Farlander identified those carrying the hyperdrive parts, destroying the first with proton torpedoes, before using laser cannons to take out the second while evading fire from the TIE defenders. With the hyperdrive parts destroyed, the Rebels jumped back into hyperspace.
===Second phase===
With the Intrepid still stranded and low on fighters, the Empire sent three CR90 corvettes from Viper group and several Assault Gunboats to reinforce it until repairs could be made. The Rebels decided to destroy the reinforcements before they could get close to the Intrepid. Farlander led a group of Y-wings, escorted by Ernek Marskan in an X-wing, in the mission.
The Rebels lured the Assault Gunboats away from the corvettes and eliminated them before moving in on the larger ships. Farlander ordered his wingmates to focus fire on the lead corvette, destroying it with a proton torpedo strike and leaving a gap in the formation. Farlander then targeted one of the remaining corvettes while his wingmates attacked the other. The Intrepid could do little but watch as its reinforcements were destroyed and the Rebels once more returned to hyperspace.
===Third phase===
The Intrepid was now laid defenseless, apart from the last few remaining TIE pilots. The Alliance decided that the time for a major attack had come. Two X-wings from Red Squadron, flown by Keyan Farlander and Sunnar Jan-lo, were tasked with shooting Intrepid's ISD-72x deflector shield generator domes ahead of a heavy torpedo bombardment from Blue Squadron's Y-wings. Samuel Raider flew one of two R-22s from Gold Squadron, which were to engage the TIE defenses and protect the other Rebel craft.
Though the Rebels lost some of their fighters, including Jan-lo's X-wing, which was destroyed by a concussion missile, the bombardment proved too much and the Intrepid was eventually destroyed. A patrol of Assault Gunboats arrived too late to save the Intrepid and the Rebels escaped into hyperspace.
==Aftermath==
The battle was the first successful destruction of a Star Destroyer due to a Rebel frontal assault. Jan-lo successfully ejected and was rescued following the battle and taken back to the MC-series star cruiser Independence for bacta treatment.
==Behind the scenes==
The battle first appeared in the 1993 LucasArts video game Star Wars: X-Wing, in the "Tour of Duty II: The Great Search" missions "Stop Hyperdrive Replacement," "Take Out Intrepid's Escort," and "Destroy the Intrepid."
==Appearances==
*Star Wars: X-Wing 
==Sources==
*X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide
*X-Wing Collector's CD-ROM: The Official Strategy Guide
*
*The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons 
==Notes and references==
Category:Galactic Civil War battles