Battle of Nimban

Combatants| Mandalorian Empire* Clan Varad
* Clan Beumaryn
* Clan Rau

Commanders| * Brallon Varad
* Darlyn Beumaryn
* Vaes Beumaryn
* Unknown Rau commander

The **Battle of Nimban** was a battle fought in 20 ABY during the Mandalorian Hutt Space Campaign. Launched in conjunction with attacks on Sleheyron and Cyborrea, Nimban was attacked by Mandalorian forces led by Brallon Varad.

## **Prelude**

Entering the third year of Ulrik Krisk's Hutt Space Campaign with little to show for it, the *Cabur'alor* ordered a series of simultaneous attacks on high profile Hutt targets, Nimban among them. This task fell to Clans Varad, Beumaryn and Rau who were still recovering from their losses at the Battle of Boz Pity two years prior. By this time, however, the clans had been reinforced by a second cohort of Varad clansmen led by Varad Chieftain, Brallon.

Torren Varad, longtime rival of the chieftain, was remiss to have his command stripped from him. Conversely, Darlyn Beumaryn, still busy with training and learning more about his new recruit, Vaes Beumaryn, welcomed the arrival of another clan leader he trusted.

The joint taskforce departed Boz Pity early in the year, entering Hutt Space and engaging in skirmishes at Alee, Tal Nami and Ilos Minor. Torren Varad noticed a pattern of Hutt feints from each of these worlds, and anticipated an ambush to be laying in wait at Nar Kreeta. Instead of walking into the ambush, Torren slipped legitimate information to the Hutts that an attack on Nimban was imminent. The Hutts chose to redeploy the forces waiting on Nar Kreeta on Nimban instead, leaving Nar Kreeta open for the Mandalorians to take.

While Brallon planned to lead his cohort into an ambush at Nimban, Torren offered to remain on Nar Kreeta to defend the vital Pobol Kreeta hyperlane. Brallon agreed to this, and departed.

## **The Battle**

When the Varad vanguard arrived over Nimban, the trap was sprung. The joint defense forces from Alee, Tal Nami, Ilos Minor, and Nar Kreeta emerged from hyperspace at the flanks of the Mandalorian forces using a tactic similar to the Thrawn Pincer. Several Hutt ships collided with their enemies, causing heavy casualties in the opening moments of the battle. Brallon Varad's flagship was surrounded and destroyed, killing him in the process.

The Beumaryn and Rau forces had managed to avoid the initial ambush and regrouped at the edge of the system. Nevertheless, they were faced with the problem of dealing with a naval squadron significantly outnumbering their own. Vaes Beumaryn devised a strategy to defeat their enemies, using their new *Keldabe II*-class Battleships which were equipped with gravity wells. Luring the Hutt forces away from Nimban's orbit, the Mandalorians were able to pull several of their warships out of hyperspace behind the Hutt force with a clear shot to Nimban's surface. With Hutt commander Mordo's life on the line, he ordered his men to surrender.

## **Aftermath**

Despite his role in orchestrating the death of Brallon Varad, few ever suspected the amiable Torren of treachery. This reinforced Torren's military and political strategy of leading his forces into "tactical defeats", intentionally losing military engagements, or incurring heavy casualties in order to get rid of his political opponents.

The Battle of Nimban was also one of the first displays to the Mandalorians of Vaes Beumaryn's military strategy. This victory earned Vaes the respect of Darlyn's daughter Glyn who was initially distrustful of the Chiss. They would go on to form a close partnership in later years.