Crimson Empire

The Crimson Empire was a breakaway state of the Galactic Empire founded in 5 ABY following the New Republic’s conquest of Naboo that same year. It was founded by Grand Moff Randd when he announced the the Galactic Empire could no longer be trusted to fend off the New Republic from conquering the mid rim. Its capital planet was Daiyu which at the time boasted a population of nearly a quarter of a trillion people. Its most populous planets besides Daiyu included Stewjon, Akiva, Vardos and Turco Prime. The Crimson Empire’s flagship for its entire reign was the Imperial Star Destroyer “Ravager” commanded by Randd himself. At its height the Crimson Navy boasted more than two dozens ISD-2’s, a similar amount of Victory Class Star Destroyers, and hundreds of smaller ships such as Imperial Light Cruisers and Acclamator Class Cruisers. It would see its first major victory of its founding after successfully invading and conquering Kashyyyk from the Greater Maldrood, putting down a major Wookie resistance movement in the process, furthering the Crimson Empire’s legitimacy and securing it as a powerful force in the mid rim.

Randd’s dreams of the Crimson Empire began soon after the Emperors death and the Battle of Endor when nations like the Pentastar Alignment and Greater Maldrood broke away from the Empire. Despite this, he lacked support among the local admiralty and governors. This changed 18 months later when the New Republic defeated Imperial forces at Naboo, occupying the planet and killing Admiral Garrick Versio, giving the New Republic a foothold in the Mid Rim. Grand Moff Rand used this to gain support and mere weeks after Naboo fell he declared the Empire unfit to defend the Mid Rim and the Crimson Empire’s foundation, putting down a rebel movement on Stewjon as a show of force. The breakaway of much of the Mid Rim led to self proclaimed Emperor Mas Amedda to be overthrown and executed by Director of the Imperial Security Bureau, Ysanne Isard. Isard would soon begin an open war against the Crimson Empire, declaring it “entirely illegitimate”. The war would be almost entirely de jure however, as after her loss at the Battle of Hosnian Prime, she primarily focused on the New Republic and the fleshing Zsinj’s Empire in which she despised.

Randd would personally lead an invasion of Kashyyyk in 6 ABY where he captured the planet from the Greater Maldrood and gained the loyalty of Captain Sels Izzet who commanded the ISD “Warrior”. Kashyyyk was swiftly occupied however Randd encountered fierce resistance from the native Wookiees population. This led to an orbital bombardment campaign that lasted six days, forcing the Wookiees into surrender after witnessing their holy sites, homes and forests burn and smolder. Kashyyyk would remain under Crimson control for over 3 years following its capture.

The Crimson Empire quickly became fierce rivals with the Greater Maldrood following its conquest of Kashyyyk. They would engage in dozens of skirmishes over the course of the following years, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides.

In 7 ABY eager to use his new firepower after Kashyyyk’s resources and Vardos’s industry produced Randd another ISD and several Victory Class Star Destroyers, Randd struck at the New Republic for the first time in the Crimson Empire’s short history. Believing himself fully capable of winning following a successful campaign against the Eriadu Authority, Randd struck the New Republic at Naboo, catching them off guard and using hit and run tactics very similar to those used by the Rebellion. In the attack several New Republic capital ships were destroyed including Vice Admiral Iden Versio’s flagship, the Raddus. Versio managed to escape on the Corvus, a small Imperial Light Frigate from her time in Inferno Squad. General Han Solo brought the attack up and demanded action be taken against the Crimson Empire (with the ulterior motive of liberating Kashyyyk from Imperial rule). Chancellor Mon Mothma rejected the proposal, citing the continued Nantz Doctrine to finish the core Empire and capture the Core worlds before engaging the relatively ”insignificant” Imperial warlords. Han Solo and his partner Chewbacca, as well as 23 other New Republic soldiers deserted from the New Republic to aid the Wookiees in resisting the Empire. Chancellor Mothma formally pardoned them hours after discovering they had left for Kashyyyk.