Alaris Prime colonial war

"The clouds of battle amass."

- Qui-Gon Jinn, aiding Wookiee resistance against the Trade Federation

Between 39 and 36 BBY, a colonial war was fought on the moon Alaris Prime between a group of colonists from the Wookiee species, the intergalactic company known as the Trade Federation and the moon's population of gundarks, a predatory species. Twenty years prior to the conflict Alaris Prime was rediscovered by Wookiee explorers, who petitioned the Senate of the dominant government body, the Galactic Republic for the rights to colonize the moon.

Prelude
Sometime between the years 59 BBY and 56 BBY, Alaris Prime, a moon of the gas giant Alaris, was rediscovered by Wookiee explorers from the planet Kashyyyk. The Wookiees, represented by chieftan Attichitcuk, petitioned the Senate of the Galactic Republic to give them the rights to lead a colonization effort on the moon. During the negotiations the Trade Federation, a galactic company, expressed interest in Alaris Prime, intending to use it as a trade center between planets like Kashyyyk, Kessel and Bimmisaari. However after two decades of slowly dispensing the rights the Republic gave Alaris Prime to the Wookiees, who began the colonization effort sometime between 39 and 36 BBY. Despite being denied the rights the Trade Federation, along with newfound allies, Trandoshan slavers led by Pekt, sent its forces to Alaris Prime, and began constructing bases on it. In honor of his success in claiming Alaris Prime for the Wookiees Attichitcuk became one of the leaders of the colonists along with his son Chewbacca and nephew Shoran. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn was also sent by the Jedi Council to oversee the Wookiees efforts on Alaris Prime. A large number of Wookiees, including workers and warriors, boarded the transport ship Thalmussen as well as three other ships, and headed for for Alaris Prime.

The war
"An unexplored world is a hostile world. I must help the Wookiee leader Attichitcuk to learn the lay of the land. Only then can we find an appropriate place to settle."

- Qui-Gon Jinn

Attichitcuk was one of the first Wookiees to arrive on Alaris Prime, and upon landing he began scouting the area and set up a small camp, leaving behind markers so that his fellow Wookiees could find him easily. Shoran landed on the moon a short time later and did some scouting of his own and leaft behind more markers, but he halted when he encountered a damaged power core that had been built by the Trade Federation and attacked by gundarks, a species of predators on Alaris Prime. Chewbacca then arrived on the moon and, while being guided by Master Jinn, followed Shoran's markers until he reached the power core. Acting on Jinn's advice, the two Wookiees attacked the power core until it was destroyed, and then followed Attichitcuk's markers until they reached his camp. At that time the camp was then attacked by four gundarks, which were swiftly defeated by the three Wookiees. Shortly afterwards Trade Federation B1 battle droid OOL-2 discovered the remains of the power core destroyed by Chewbacca and Shoran and reported its destruction to the Federation's Viceroy Nute Gunray, mistakenly blaming the gundarks for the loss of the power core. Gunray ordered OOL-2 to locate the gundarks and execute them with the help of the Trandoshans.

The Wookiees began building more bases, with their next one being a command center manned by three Wookiee workers. Jinn aided these workers by instructing them on how to gather resources such as food, carbon, nova crystals and ore. The Wookiees also practised a drill in case of an attack by the gundarks where they would retreat into the command center and use its turret to fire at any attackers. Two more workers also arrived at the base to assist in gathering resources, as well as Chewbacca. Four gundarks suddenly attacked the command center at that time, and the workers used the command centers turret as practised in the drill earlier to defend the base. Enough resources were eventually gained to sustain the command center.

Jinn eventually decided that the gundarks needed to be exterminated in order for the Wookiees colonization effort to succeed. At another base led by Chewbacca, Jinn had the workers gather resources for a short time before instructing them to build a troop center to train warriors to fight the gundarks with. The Trade Federation however, had also decided to eradicate the gundarks and sent a squad of battle droids to kill them. Once enough troopers had been trained Chewbacca led his soldiers to attack the nest, but discovered the Trade Federation finishing off the gundarks. One battle droid ordered its comrades to attack the Wookiees, however they were able to fight back and destroy all of the droids. The attack at the nest rendered the gundarks extinct on Alaris Prime, and also alerted the Wookiees to the Trade Federation's presence on the moon.

Attichitcuk later decided to explore Alaris Prime more along with two other Wookiees to try to learn more about the Trade Federation. At another base run by Chewbacca, Jinn instructed the Wookiees on further techniques on gathering food, mainly through building farms and animal nurseries, as well as helping them improve their level of technology.

Aftermath
Darth Sidious later reflected that it was the Trade Federation's incompetence which resulted in the discovery of their hidden manufacturing operation.

Behind the scenes
The battle of Alaris Prime appeared in the 2001 video game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds. The game's tutorial encompassed this scenario, and it was later included in the game's 2002 expansion pack.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
 * Darth Plagueis
 * Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns