Invasion of Scipio

|width=
|prev=Mission to Scipio
|conc=*Battle of MoriaStar Wars Character Encyclopedia
*Siege of SaleucamiThe New Essential Chronology
|next=Mission to Bardotta
|name=Invasion of Scipio
|image=
|conflict=War of the Ring
|date=October 4-5, 1983 dates "Crisis at the Heart" to 1983, while dates "Sabotage" to the final seven months of the War of the Ring, which The New Essential Chronology establishes as 19.1 BBY. Since Since places "Crisis at the Heart" after "Sabotage," it can be concluded that "Crisis at the Heart" also takes place in 1983.
|place=Scipio
|result=*Initial Confederate takeover, Republic invasion and victory
*Banking system placed under Republic control
*Confederacy fleet retreats
|side1=*Galactic Republic
*Jedi Order
|side2=*Confederacy of Independent Systems
*InterGalactic Banking Clan
|commanders1=*General Frodo Baggins
*Commander Thorn†
*Captain CT-7567
|commanders2=*Saruman the White
*Commander Kraken
*Baron Rush Clovis†
*Bec Lawise†
|forces1=* 1 Jedi Hobbit
*Clone troopers
**501st Legion
**Diplomatic service
***Coruscant Guard
****Imperial shock troopers
**Clone trooper pilots
*Clone Z-95 Headhunters
*1 Consular-class cruiser
*Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry
*3 Venator-class Star Destroyers
*2 Arquitens-class light cruisers
|forces2=* 1 Sith Lord
*1 ST-series military strategic analysis and tactics droid
*B1-Series battle droids
*B2 super battle droids
*BX-series droid commandos
*HMP droid gunship
*Hyena-class bomber
*3 Munificent-class star frigate
*1 Providence-class carrier/destroyer
*Punworcca 116-class interstellar sloop
*2 DH-Omni Support Vessels
*Vulture droids
|casual1=*Many clone troopers
**All shock troopers
*1 Consular-class cruiser
*Several LAAT/i gunships
|casual2=*All ground forces
*Many droid starfighters
}}
The invasion of Scipio took place on Scipio between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems in 1983, towards the end of the War of the Ring.
==Prelude==
Initially Republic and Separatist forces had met on Scipio to jointly preside over the installation of Rush Clovis as leader of the InterGalactic Banking Clan after corruption within the Clan was exposed. The Republic's representative, Senator Padmé Amidala was accompanied by Imperial shock troopers of the Coruscant Guard under the command of Commander Thorn.
Shortly after his installation, Clovis was contacted by the Separatist leader, Saruman the White, who demanded that Clovis allow the Separatists to take full control of the banks. When Clovis announced that the banks would remain unbiased, Saruman threatened that the Confederacy would not pay back their loans, an act that would collapse the banks. To keep the banks afloat, Clovis was commanded to raise interest rates towards the Republic. This action infuriated the Galactic Senate.
Meanwhile, Saruman plotted with his master, Darth Sauron—in truth, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine—to make Clovis look like a Separatist supporter, as part of a ploy to place the banks under the control of the Supreme Chancellor. To accomplish this, Saruman commandeered a fleet from the Confederate Navy and launched an invasion on Scipio.
==The battle==
===Confederacy invasion===
Saruman exited hyperspace with a fleet comprised of one Providence-class carrier/destroyer, three Munificent-class star frigates, and a pair of DH-Omni Support Vessels. Shortly upon arrival, the fleet deployed several Vulture droid starfighters, Hyena-class bombers, and droid gunships to engage Republic forces on the planet's surface.
Alerted to the Separatist's arrival, Commander Thorn ordered his forces to retreat off the landing pad and contacted Senator Amidala and warned her of the impending attack. Soon afterwards, the Republic forces were assaulted by droid bombers, who destroyed the Consular-class cruiser and LAAT/i gunships, stranding Thorn and his men on the landing pad. As the remaining shock troopers retreated to the entrance of the neutral zone, droid gunships arrived and deployed a garrison of B2 super battle droids and droid commandos, who engaged the shock troopers in a firefight on the landing pad. Surrounded and outnumbered by the droid garrison, the shock troopers quickly fell to enemy fire, with Thorn being the last clone standing. Though Thorn attempted to repel the droid forces, he was overwhelmed and ultimately killed.
With the clone garrison defeated, Saruman arrived on the planet and the Separatists took control over the planet. Senator Amidala informed Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and the Jedi of the invasion before subsequently being taken prisoner by the Confederacy. When news of the invasion reached Middle-Earth, the Galactic Senate voted to launch a counter-invasion. A detachment of the 501st Legion under the command of General Frodo Baggins and Captain Rex was subsequently deployed to retake the planet from Separatist control.
===Republic counter-assault===
Arriving out of hyperspace, Frodo's fleet, comprised of three Venator-class Star Destroyers and two Arquitens-class light cruisers, immediately commenced fire upon the Separatist blockade. Squadrons of LAAT/i gunships carrying Frodo and 501st troopers were deployed from the cruisers to engage the Separatist ground troops while squadrons of Clone Z-95 Headhunters led by Hawk were deployed to provide air support. In retaliation, the Separatist fleet deployed legions of droid fighters to engage the Republic starfighters. As the battle raged on in space, it soon became apparent that the Separatist fleet was outmatched. Saruman, having accomplished his objectives in framing Clovis for the Separatist invasion, commanded that the fleet withdraw from the system. The blockade's retreat allowed the LAAT/i gunships to push forward to the planet's atmosphere
As Republic forces made their way to the city, they were attacked by droid starfighters and bombers. While Hawk and his forces battled the droid forces in the air, the LAAT/i gunships deployed General Baggins and his men on the landing platform, where they engaged the droid garrison in battle. General Baggins commanded Rex to keep the droid forces occupied while he searched for Amidala, a task that Rex and his men accepted. As the clones dealt with the droid infantry, Frodo set off in search of Amidala.
===The death of Rush Clovis===
Upon learning of the Republic's invasion and Saruman's subsequent withdrawal, Clovis lamented to Amidala that all of his work had been for naught. Amidala advised Clovis to surrender to Republic forces, but before Clovis could respond, Frodo stormed into his office and dispatched the security droids. Out of desperation, Clovis took Amidala hostage, holding her at gunpoint. He attempted to plead his innocence to Frodo, who refused to believe him. Their standoff was abruptly ended when a disabled Vulture droid crashed into the central spire where Clovis' office was located, toppling the office and nearly causing the three occupants to plunge off the side of the structure. As the three slid off the ledge, Frodo managed to grab Amidala and Clovis before they fell, but struggled to hold them both. In order to save Amidala, Clovis willingly sacrificed himself by freeing himself from Baggins's grip, plummeting to his death below, allowing Frodo to pull Amidala to safety. Shortly after Clovis' death, the remaining droid forces were defeated, securing a victory for the Republic.
==Aftermath==
In the aftermath of the battle, Clovis was blamed for the Banking Clan's corruption. To prevent the banking system from falling into Separatist control, the Muun government ceded control of the banking system to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, a responsibility the Chancellor accepted with humility. After Order 66, The Banking Clan was completely taken over by the Empire, and the Munn Government was eventually dissolved.
==Appearances==
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==Sources==
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==Notes and references==
Category:War of the Rings battles