Battle of Balmorra (Great Galactic Wars)

"We will not bow, to these invaders or any other. We have our pride. We have our weapons. We will have our freedom."

- Ardon

The Battle of Balmorra was a major conflict between the Galactic Republic, the Sith Empire, and the people of Balmorra during the Great Galactic War and the period of Cold War that followed. Balmorra was a historically violent, yet ardently independent world that was renowned for its highly developed military manufacturing sector. This reputation, along with the world's strategic positioning, attracted the attention of the Sith upon their return to the known galaxy in 3,681 BBY. Early in their war against the Republic, the Imperials resolved to take control of Balmorra's manufacturing capabilities, and so launched an invasion of the world that killed numerous citizens and displaced hundreds of others as refugees. In response, the Balmorrans organized a resistance group to fight against the invaders and maintain their political independence.

Recognizing the threat posed by a Sith-controlled Balmorra, the Galactic Republic dispatched military and Jedi forces to aid the Balmorran Resistance. Although the relief effort was maintained for a length of time, the continuing war elsewhere in the galaxy forced Republic Military leaders to reassign the units that were fighting on the world. As their allies gradually pulled out of the conflict, the Balmorran freedom fighters were left to battle the Empire largely on their own&mdash;a battle that resulted in the Empire gaining control of the planet's industries. Even as the Great Galactic War came to a close with the Treaty of Coruscant, the Resistance continued to fight the Sith, and even did so with the covert aid of an illegally operating Republic contingent. After several years of this guerrilla warfare, the Republic began to once again ramp up its military presence on Balmorra, thereby pushing the limits of the Treaty of Coruscant in an effort to free the world's workers from Sith servitude.

Prelude
In the aftermath of the Great Hyperspace War of 5,000 BBY, the remnants of the original Sith Empire established a new Sith Empire in the galaxy's Unknown Regions. Led by the mysterious Sith Emperor the Empire resided in the shadows, building a mighty war machine, covertly inciting various galactic conflicts (Mandalorian Wars and Jedi Civil War) and planning its long-desired revenge against the Galactic Republic and its protector, the Jedi Order. Around three hundred years later the Sith were ready for a war of unrivaled proportions. In 3,681 BBY the Sith, controlling massive Imperial Army and Navy, returned to the known galaxy and began the crushing military campaign, receiving support of Chiss Ascendancy, Mandalorians and installed puppet governments in the following years. The Great Galactic War proceeded very successfully for the Sith. After capturing and securing many worlds across the Outer Rim Territories the Empire decided to attack the Core consisting of many prestigious, economically strong and historically loyal planets which made up so called Republic's Bastion.

Great Galactic War (3,670 BBY—3,653 BBY)
Balmorra, an independent and leading corporate, industrial and manufacturing world, was not an official member of the Republic, but its many years'trading partner with a close relationship, so the Sith treated the planet as a threat which had to be eliminated. Wishing to seize Balmorra due to their weapons production facilities, droid manufacturing factories and strategic location close to the Core Worlds the Empire began its invasion, launching a two-pronged attack on the world. At first they turned Balmorra's defenses against itself by slicing and reprogramming all security systems (including orbital defense towers and satellites), then started direct bombardment of the surface. This meticulously planned attack annihilated the planet's primary military forces, vaporized the central government and destroyed many waste processing plants which caused releasing the toxic byproducts of Balmorran industry into the environment and pollution of huge swathes of land.

With such a great destruction the Empire landed a full invasion force, but unexpectedly faced immense opposition. Many former members of Balmorra’s army and rebellious simple citizens waged an guerrilla war on the invaders. The Balmorran Resistance which would be a thorn in Empire's side, were born. However, with the birth of the resistance movement, first collaborators crawled out - opportunistic businessmen like Maverse Pontilo or Cavill Arin and immoral civilians began more or less openly supporting the Imperials forces. Their demeanor were damnable in the eyes of people, taking into account that the Sith raid on the planet killed numerous citizens, including a Mirialan droid designer and forced hundreds of Balmorrans from their homes and made them refugees from the war.

After the Imperial initial invasion of Balmorra, the Republic came finally to Balmorran Resistance's aid, commiting large military forces to protect its ally. For many years the Republic Army's troops and ships fought alongside Balmorra's people and strong bonds between some Republican soldiers and resistance fighters were formed. However, as the Great Galactic War continued and the Sith Empire's control continued to spread, the strained Republic began removing forces from Balmorra for redeployment to more important conflicts. The final blow in Republic relations with Balmorra came with signing of the Treaty of Coruscant which forced the Republic to officially withdrew its forces from all battlefronts and leave the contested worlds under the Imperial control. The commander of all Republic forces, General Buryn stationed at Base 11A wanted to fulfill the terms of the Treaty, however the Jedi Knight Fortris Gall insisted that the Republic team, Demolitions Squad 419 that had been captured by Sith forces on the planet around the time of the Alderaan peace conference, had to be freed first. The Jedi traveled to the Troida Military Workshop, where the soldiers were held hostage, without the permission of Buryn. Having liberated the squad, he then launched an attack on Imperial Forward Outpost XT-23. Gall's actions forced the Republic military under General Buryn to remain on the planet past the deadlines set forth by the Treaty. Buryn waited for Fortis's mission completion, despite the Treaty's enforced deadline. As a result, the Empire resumed their attack, and the battle was put back into full swing. Jedi Master Orgus Din soon joined the General and Jedi Fortis, to convince them both to leave the planet in an attempt to prevent further battles with the Sith, and to begin following the terms of the Treaty.

Cold War (3,653 BBY—3,642 BBY)
"Few places in the galaxy have seen the peace promised by the Treaty of Coruscant so thoroughly cast aside as the world of Balmorra."

- A HoloNet dossier on Balmorra

Galactic War (3,642 BBY)
During the early days of the Galactic War, the Republic sent a military force to Balmorra, which had been occupied by the Empire since the first Great Galactic War. Together with the Balmorran Resistance, the Republic was able to force the Empire offworld and reclaim the planet, giving the Republic access to Balmorra's weapons factories. Amongst the Balmorran Resistance members was a Twi'lek named Zenith. When a powerful Jedi Consular that was the third Barsen'thor of the Jedi Order arrived on the planet to assist the Rift Alliance and free the planet from Imperial control to convince the Rift Alliance to join the Republic, Zenith allied with the Barsen'thor and together they journeyed through the planet, slaying Imperial forces everywhere. At last, the duo reached Darth Lachris, the Sith Lord in control of Balmorra. As the governor of Balmorra, Lachris was supported by other Sith and Balmorrans. The Sith Lord Darth Minax, also with Lachris, would suffer the same fate when Lachris was slain by the Barsen'thor. With Lachris, Minax and the Imperial forces destroyed, Balmorra was safe from Imperial power once again.

Galactic Republic
The Galactic Republic was the democratic government which ruled a large portion of the known galaxy until the Sith Empire returned from its exile and started the galactic conquest at unprecedented scale. Although Balmorra was not an offical member of the Republic, it was a very important trading partner, so when the Empire began its invasion of the planet, the Republic offered troops and ships to support its ally. The republic forces fought a bitter battle alongside Balmorran citizens to drive off invaders, but when the Great Galactic War ended with signing of the Treaty of Coruscant the Republic was forced to officially withdrew its forces from all battlefronts, including Balmorra. Not all soldiers agreed with the terms of the treaty - small contingents of Republic troops left behind on the planet and secretly and illegaly joined the Balmorran Resistance. However, when the new conflict erupted in the galaxy, the Republic military returned to Balmorra, commiting very large forces to recapture the planet and liberate the oppressed Balmorrans once and for all.

Military command
General Buryn was the theater commander of all Republic forces until the Treaty of Coruscant was signed. When the troop withdrawal orders were issued some Republic veterans left behind on the planet and continued illegaly supporting the Resistance (General Aakars, Commander Hunn, Sergeant Tove Weylan and Imperial spy Commander Rylon). In the meantime offworld sympathizers for the Balmorran freedom from disobedient Republic army units arrived on the planet with reinforcements (General Tao, Captain Devsh) and joined the resistance movement. When the second war erupted officialy between the Republic and the Empire, military command passed on Commander Cassius Madine, who devoted much of his time to take control over the superweapon known as the Barrager and sought help by his envoy at the Republic Orbital Station, Lieutenant Hollis. The crucial role played also Colonel Finley, the leader of the Fifth Expeditionary Force who aided the Jedi Order in the search for a prototype cloaking device. During the final stages of the battle mopping-up operations were carried out by Colonel Hunt, who planned Republic actions to repel the Imperials’ final advance at the Balmorran Arms Factory with Major Garik tasked with sabotaging the Neutralizer and Sergeant Jojames responsible for destroying the Imperial drill digging the corridor to the factory.

Republic Special Forces Divsion
RSFD was represented by Major Triam who helped the Commander of Havoc Squad to contact demolitions expert Tanno Vik (this action allowed the Republic to destroy an Imperial superweapon, codenamed Gauntlet, later in the Galactic War) and Major Eldo, trainer of Republic troopers at Farnel Outpost Command Center. The operation of sabotaging Imperial starship development at the Balmorran Arms Factory was planned by Captain Nic'ala and his squad's tech, Private Derrik Reed.

Republic Intelligence
The intel collected by Republic Strategic Information Service operatives helped the Republic military win the battle eventually. Due to the activities of Agents like Jago, Protarius and Jaylla Noh, the Republic could take control of Balmorra's satellite system, locate and neutralize Sith war criminals and keep an eye on the Empire's equipment.

Diplomatic corps and humanitarian aid
The decades-lasting battle caused numerous citizens casualties and displaced hundreds of them as refugees, so Republic delegate Ambassador Alya Selray was sent to observe the human rights on war-torn Balmorra. To uphold justice Lieutenant Tamso was appointed to accept proofs of various crimes committed by the Republic personnel. However, some Republic representatives were willing to even sacrifice social good for the success of their military operations, for example Major Sarell, whose ideas almost destroyed the Balmorran farmlands.

Balmorran puppet government and Imperial collaborators
Not all of the Balmorran people agreed with the Resistance, and felt they were abandoned by the Republic and should accept the Empire and its governor. Therefore some of locals began actively collaborating with the Sith Empire when its home planet was occupied by the Imperial forces. They were mix people of various background and social status: governmental officials making up Imperial-allied government, corporate leaders controlling various branches of Balmorra economy (Brel Orus, Maverse Pontilo, Cavill Arin) or ordinary citizens believing that Balmorran Resistance cause was already lost and to survive it's necessary to support the new Imperial regime (Toybox, Kodai Burkan). Some collaborators included former resistance members (Gryffin Remus). The defectors were reviewed by Lieutenant Treshoda in her office in the city of Sobrik. During the Cold War and Galactic War there was spy network of secret collaborators working for the Sith Empire and its puppet government against the resistance movement. The list containing the names of these traitors was a vital objective for the Balmorran Resistance war effort. The most infamous collaborators who worked undercover fo the Empire in the Republic-aided Balmorran resistance were Colonel Marric and Commander Rylon, both loved by people for their many victories.

Mandalorians
Many Mandalorian Clans were allies of the restored Sith Empire during the war, so the Imperial forces hired some Mandalorian mercenaries to restore order on the occupied-planet of Balmorra. Those elite-warriors set up many camps around the world, disabling the Balmorran Resistance equipment and capturing villagers to sell them as slaves for the Empire. Their brutality, effectiveness in execution of plans and perfect training made them a great threat to the defenders forces and spread terror among the civilian population. Ruthless warrior Monta Drai was infamously known as a killer and slaver of innocent Balmorra civilians.

Appearances

 * The Old Republic: Smuggler's Vanguard
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic, Threat of Peace Act 1: Treaty of Coruscant
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic, Threat of Peace Act 2: New Galactic Order
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic