Battle of Ryloth

"*The Twi'leks on that planet can't wait forever, Master. The longer the Techno Union keeps control of Ryloth, the more difficult it'll be to free them.*"

## Battle of Ryloth

### Combatants

Galactic Republic & Twi'lek Resistance vs Confederacy of Independent Systems

### Location

Ryloth

The **Battle of Ryloth** was a major campaign during the Clone Wars.

## Prelude

#### Previous: ...

For the early portion of the Clone War, Ryloth had made it known to both factions that the planet wishes to remain neutral in the conflict. Despite this, the Confederacy of Independent Systems plotted to invade the planet to take it's valuable resources and strategic position near the Corellian Run. Foreman of the Techno Union Emir Wat Tambor discovered that his fellow Executive Separatist Council member Passel Argente, Magistrate of the Corporate Alliance, kept all his wealth on the Outer Rim planet, Tambor made invading Ryloth his top priority.

## Recount

#### Invasion of Ryloth

Wat Tambor began an invasion of Ryloth. The Separatists sent intense bombing runs across the surface of the planet with *Hyena*-class Droid Fighter/Bombers. They targeting civilian pockets to intimidate and disperse the population. The battle droids attacked people and towns, burned crops and destroyed Twi'lek infrastructure. The Republic presence on the planet was quickly dwindled and overrun as the Separatists established their dominance over the planet with a blockade lead by Neimoidian Captain Mar Tuuk. Jedi General Ima-Gun Di was dispatched with an Outer Rim garrison of clones to hold Republic ground while they waited for greater reinforcements. The initial invasion also saw the creation of the Twi'lek Resistance that continued to fight and evolve for the freedom of Ryloth for years to come. The Twi'lek Resistance was lead successfully by General Cham Syndulla who fought alongside the Jedi and Republic.

Admiral Dao lead a fleet of Republic *Venator* star destroyers to attack the Separatist blockade. Their attack was widely unsuccessful, suffering large damage to their ships. The Republic forces on the ground. were caught in a retreat, pushed into defending their ground in a forest that lead to an unidentified city. Clone Captain Keeli lead the clones Using trenches lined with blaster cannons and supported by two AT-TE walkers to fend off the Separatist advance. Their AT-TE defense was able to shoot down a pair of *Hyena* bombers that threatened the entire Republic defense. Amid the chaos of battle Cham warned General Di that their food and water supplies were almost empty and their heavy power weaponry had run dry. General Di called to Republic Admiral Dao above the planet that supplies were in desperate need. Admiral Dao was unable to help Di, his own ships in critically low amounts of ammunition and fuel. General Di ordered Dao to reach out to the Jedi High Council and demand reinforcements be sent immediately. Dao did as instructed, patched through to Master Windu, Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi on Coruscant. During his conversation with the Jedi, Dao's ship lost it's main reactor. The transmission cut short as his ship was destroyed and Dao was killed.

##### Mission on Toydaria

The Jedi reached out to Senator Bail Organa who returned from another trade mission. They instructed him to travel to Toydaria where they had organized for him to find supplies with which to load onto his blockade runner. The position of Toydaria was close enough to Ryloth that it would be able to allow Organa to travel to the starving world of Ryloth and deliver the supplies within the needed time-frame. They would however require Organa to organize a treaty with the Toydarian government to allow Republic ships to take off from the neutral world of Toydaria to provide Republic aid during the war. They had sent Junior Representative Jar Jar Binks to Toydaria with the relief supply shipment. Unknown to the Republic, their transmission had been intercepted by the Separatists and the information of the Senator's mission reached Count Dooku. He sent Trade Federation Senator Lott Dod to disrupt the discussions.

On Toydaria Bail Organa met with Jar Jar Binks. Together they went to their audience with King Katuunko. Moments after making their initial plea, Senator Lott Dod entered the chamber to argue with Organa's statements. King Katuunko was aware that by helping Ryloth it would destroy Toydaria's neutrality. He decided to convene with his ministers before hearing further arguments from either Senator. When King Katuunko reopened discussions, Bail Organa pressed the matter from a humanitarian angle. He allowed Senator Orn Free Taa of Ryloth to speak on his behalf in a transmission from Coruscant. Senator Lott Dod tried to convince Katuunko that he was being deceived by Organa, and that it wouldn't be a humanitarian base but a military one that would force the Separatists to end the Toydarian neutrality and therefore cause the Trade Federation to end it's commerce with the planet. After another pause in the conversation, Katuunko officially refused the Republic's request, unable to sacrifice Toydaria's neutrality. In secret however he approached Organa, telling him that he would allow the Republic to send their relief supplies they brought with them but no more on the condition the Trade Federation would not link the mission to Toydarian involvement.

##### The Final Stand

On Ryloth, the Republic forces were overrun. The trenches were shelled and reached by the advancing battle droids, becoming a kill zone for the clones inside. Cham Syndulla needed to retreat his fighters to safety with their families. General Di formed a plan to turn one of their final LAA/i gunships into a bomb that would collapse a ravine, directing the Separatists to attack from a specific direction from which the Republic would make a grand stand while Syndulla's forces retreat over a mountain for safety. The Twi'leks began their retreat as the Republic finished their preparations. The LAA/i gunship was detonated, causing widespread destruction that directed the Separatist forces towards where General Di and Captain Keeli's forces waited. As the Separatists approached and the time to make a final stand came, General Ima-Gun Di called for the Republic attack in the name of the Twi'leks. The final attack began. The Republic forces ambushed the Separatists, but were once again quickly pushed pack and destroyed. The clone numbers dwindled quickly. Captain Keeli was caught in a blast of a thermal detonator, throwing off his helmet and knocking him down. Ima-Gun Di quickly became the last man standing, rushing the enemy and facing them alone. He cut down the final droids that made up the first wave, only to watch as an entire droid army advanced on his position with C-9979 landing craft. As he prepared to face them alone, a shot fired from behind him, hitting one of the B2 Battle Droids. Captain Keeli got to his feet, joining the Jedi General in their final push. The pair were quickly surrounded. They took as many of their enemies down with them as they could. Keeli was shot and killed by the approaching droids. Only moments after Keeli's death, Ima-Gun Di was also shot in the gut. He survived long enough to hear the Republic reinforcements from Toydaria arrive on the planet. Knowing the Twi'leks would live to fight another day, Ima-Gun Di took four more blaster shots before he collapsed and was killed on the battlefield.

Cham Syndulla and his freedom fighters rushed to catch the supply drops made by Organa's blockade runners passing over the planet. The freedom fighters cried out in joy as they uncovered the food and medicine supplies. On Toydaria, Lott Dod was outraged to hear the news of the successful breaking of the Separatist blockade across Ryloth. He accused Organa of breaking their treaty, however was unable to provide proof. After Dod's disappearance, King Katuunko admitted to Senator Organa that he thought perhaps it was time to reconsider Toydaria's neutrality in the war. Katuunko told Organa to tell the Jedi he was open to meeting with them.

## Appearances

1. Star Wars: The Clone Wars S3.E3 - "Supply Lines"