Blockade of the Hydian Way

The Blockade of the Hydian Way was an offensive action against the Galactic Republic by the Mandalorian warrior clans in the final decade of the Great Galactic War. The blockade was orchestrated by the Sith Empire, which had spent years investing in the resurrection of the then-disbanded Mandalorian clans. The Empire's efforts culminated with the rise of a new Mandalore, who was little more than a puppet for the Sith government. Disaffected Mandalorians from across the galaxy rallied to the man regardless and acquiesced to Imperial demands for support in their decades-long war against the Republic. In 3,661 BBY, Mandalorian cruisers seized control of the Hydian Way, a vital trade and supply route used by the Republic for military and civilian purposes alike.

The blockade choked commerce in the Republic's private sector and prevented military wares from reaching battlefields along the Hydian Way. The Core Worlds were thrown into an economic crisis, and the Galactic Senate was deadlocked on a proper course of action. The Jedi Order eventually consented to give aid; however, their attempt at breaking the blockade resulted in a resounding failure. The blockade continued for sometime afterward until the Mirialan smuggler Hylo Visz recognized it as an opportunity for profit. Together with a band of her fellow smugglers, Visz ambushed the Mandalorian cruisers with a fleet of smuggling vessels that was soon joined by Republic reinforcements. The blockade was ultimately broken in the engagement, and Hylo Visz was able to bring her goods to Coruscant, where she was greeted as a hero. Despite the victory, the Republic was irreparably inundated following the blockade and continued to suffer heavy losses throughout the war as a result.

Prelude
"The whispers of Imperial Agents became cheers in the arena. The ancient title of ultimate warrior-king was thrust upon the young gladiator. His infamy grew, and when he called, the Mandalorians rallied to their new master."

- Gnost-Dural, on the rise of the new Mandalore

In the aftermath of the massacre at Bothawui in 3,671 BBY, the Galactic Republic adopted new tactics and strategies that resulted in their first string of victories in the Great Galactic War. With the Republic's banishment of the Sith Empire from the Mid Rim, Republic morale soared for the first time since the war had begun, and the Sith Emperor was forced to reconsider his own tactics. Until that point in the war, the Emperor had ignored the need for allies, instead blazing a path of conquest across the galaxy with Sith forces alone. By 3,667 BBY, the Empire had accepted that this approach was no longer feasible and began to actively solicit criminal organizations, assassins, and bounty hunters for assistance in the war. While the various criminal empires and Hutt Cartels debated over whether to support the Republic or the Empire, Imperial diplomats were repeatedly rejected by the galaxy's most notorious mercenaries.

Soon, the Empire set its sights on the Mandalorian warrior clans. The clans had been scattered across the galaxy for centuries, with their members taking jobs as bounty hunters and assassins. A number of Mandalorians agreed to sign on with the Empire, but most remained neutral. In an effort to bring a unified Mandalorian army under the command of the Empire, the Sith Imperial Intelligence agency singled out a young Mandalorian gladiator on Geonosis who would be their champion. After rigging his duels for him, Imperial agents began to spread the word that this gladiator was the new Mandalore, leader of the Mandalorians. Accepting the title, the gladiator rallied his warriors to him and reorganized the Mandalorian people, all while under the command of his Imperial benefactors.

Devastating the Republic
"Long-standing hold-outs in the Outer Rim began folding to the Empire and critical supplies vanished from the Core Worlds almost overnight."

- Gnost-Dural

At the behest of the Empire with whom they were now allied, the Mandalorians flooded the Hydian Way with cruisers and support ships in 3,661 BBY. The Hydian Way was an essential trade and supply route for the Republic, and the Mandalorian vessels prevented any goods or military wares from moving along it. Battlefronts in the Outer Rim Territories thus went uncontested, and long-standing Republic worlds quickly fell to the Empire. The Republic's bastion in the Core Worlds suffered heavily as well, as raw goods were unable to be imported from the Colonies. What goods were available disappeared rapidly, worsening the Republic's already considerable state of economic depression.

The Republic's Galactic Senate repeatedly petitioned the Jedi Order for assistance; however, the Order was hesitant to abandon the fight in the Outer Rim to engage the Mandalorians on the Hydian Way. The Jedi eventually acquiesced to the Senate's overtures and planned an assault on the Mandalorian fleet. Jedi pilots flew Aurek tactical strikefighters into battle against the cruisers but were totally annihilated without hindering the blockade whatsoever. The conditions in the Core Worlds continued to worsen as the blockade persisted. The supply crisis left Coruscant with a severe food shortage while prices skyrocketed. Famine and starvation swept the capital's lower levels, leading to riots across the city-planet. Desperate, the Senate began to debate whether or not to simply surrender to the Sith Empire.

Broken by smugglers
"Distracted by suspicious freighters, the Mandalorians never knew what hit them. A motley fleet of small starships dropped out of hyperspace and opened fire. A massive space battle ensued. The smugglers' light freighters ran rings around the Mandalorian cruisers&mdash;even so, Hylo Visz and her band were outmatched. Fortunately, Republic Strategic Information Systems was tipped off and starfighters were scrambled from nearby systems. With their assistance, the Mandalorians were quickly overcome."

- Gnost-Dural

Into this climate stepped Hylo Visz, a Mirialan smuggler looking to profit from the galactic crisis. Recognizing that the Republic would pay any price for much-needed goods, Visz and her band of criminals conspired to break the blockade and deliver a convoy of freighters filled with supplies to Coruscant. The smugglers gathered cargo from across the Outer Rim and loaded it onto massive freighters before sending the vessels directly toward the blockade.

The freighters halted within a single parsec of the picketed cruisers, distracting the Mandalorians, who had become suspicious of the vessels' intentions. This distraction served as cover for Visz and her allies, who dropped out of hyperspace and assailed the Mandalorian ships. Using small and maneuverable freighters and smuggling vessels, Visz's band was widely successful in their attack. However, despite the element of surprise and the advantage of speed, the smugglers were still outgunned by the Mandalorians. This changed when Republic Strategic Information Systems was informed of the battle and scrambled starfighters, shuttles, and Thrana-class warships from nearby systems to reinforce Visz's forces. The Mandalorians were routed by the combined forces, finally releasing the Hydian Way from the grip of the blockade.

Aftermath
"A closer look, however, suggests the Sacking of Coruscant was not the crowning moment of the Empire's campaign, but rather a risky maneuver undertaken after all other efforts had failed. The Sith only considered turning to such measures after their efforts were undermined by an unlikely Republic ally&mdash;the criminal smuggling contingent that broke the Mandalorian blockade."

- Gnost-Dural

Hylo Visz landed on Coruscant with the freighters and was greeted as a hero. For her efforts, she earned incredible wealth and a medal ceremony that she neglected to attend. With the blockade broken, the Republic was able to continue the war with the Sith Empire, albeit in a diminished capacity. In response to the blockade's failure, the Emperor sought to bring a quick end to the war. This led to more desperate and risky Imperial tactics, such as a ruse on Alderaan and the Sacking of Coruscant that brought an end to the war.

The defeated Mandalorians scattered once more, with some pursuing solo careers, while others remained alongside their new Mandalore to seek new challenges. Despite their failure on the Hydian Way, the Mandalorians and Sith maintained their alliance well into the Cold War, even after the death of the Mandalore. Following the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant and the end of the Great Galactic War, Kel Dor Jedi Master Gnost-Dural made a series of holorecords that documented the Blockade of the Hydian Way, as well as the individuals and events surrounding it.

Mandalore
As a young gladiator on the Outer Rim world of Geonosis, this man was targeted by Imperial Intelligence agents to be the pawn that would pull the Mandalorian people into the Sith fold. After claiming the ancient title of Mandalore, this man rallied his forces to overwhelm the Hydian Way and strangle the Republic into submission. While his warriors were eager to engage the Jedi in battle, the Mandalore simply yielded to the will of his Imperial puppet masters. Only after a year of crisis for the Republic was the Mandalorians' blockade eventually defeated. The Mandalore continued to lead the Mandalorians after the blockade, but he was eventually killed and replaced by one of his followers. Nevertheless, the alliance that had been forged between the Mandalorians and the Sith Empire survived into the Cold War.

Hylo Visz
An opportunistic female Mirialan smuggler, Hylo Visz was looking for a quick profit. Hoping to capitalize on the Republic's state of crisis, she organized and led a motley crew of fellow criminals in an attempt to ambush the Mandalorians and break their blockade. Despite fighting for the Republic, Visz was only interested in the financial compensation that she would receive for her efforts. She did not involve the Republic military or government in her plan; however, she and her comrades were on the verge of failure before the intervention of the Republic Navy. Having succeeded where the Jedi had failed, Visz was revered as a hero by the people of Coruscant in the wake of the defeat of the blockade, but she abandoned them and all of their thanks after being payed. Visz's actions saved the Republic but also ultimately provoked the Empire to seek a swift conclusion to the war.

Behind the scenes
The Blockade of the Hydian Way was created as part of the Great Galactic War, which makes up the background story for the upcoming LucasArts massively multiplayer online game, Star Wars: The Old Republic. The events and individuals surrounding the Hydian Way were elaborated upon in the second, third, and fourth installments of the Galactic Timeline, an in-universe account of the history of the galaxy prior to the Treaty of Coruscant. The timelines are narrated by Jedi Master Gnost-Dural, voiced by actor Lance Henriksen; and are available on the Holonet feature on the Star Wars: The Old Republic official website.

It was originally established that the Hydian Way was charted around 3,000 BBY; however, this was later retconned to have taken place around 3,700 BBY so that the route could be used in The Old Republic.

Appearances

 * Timeline 1: Treaty of Coruscant
 * Timeline 2: The Mandalorian Blockade is Broken
 * Timeline 3: The Return of the Mandalorians
 * Timeline 4: The Empire Changes Strategy

Notes and references
Mandalorianische Blockade Bloqueo Mandaloriano de la Ruta de Comercio Rimma Blokada Drogi Hydiańskiej