Battle of Ryloth/Legends

The Battle of Ryloth took place on the Twi'lek homeworld of Ryloth during the Clone Wars. Emir Wat Tambor ordered the invasion, which resulted in the planet-wide subjugation and internment of the Twi'lek people. Tambor blockaded the planet and made headquarters out of the conquered capital of Lessu.

Jedi Masters Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and Padawan Ahsoka Tano were dispatched by the Jedi Council, along with a contingent of the Grand Army of the Republic, to liberate the planet. Emir Tambor commanded the defense from Lessu - a defense which included the use of living shields and indiscriminant bombings. The planet was freed from Confederacy control following General Windu's enlistment of the Twi'lek Freedom Fighters and the raid on Lessu and capture of Wat Tambor.

Prelude
"...I'm certain those are Separatist battle droids." "The War's coming here? To Ryloth?" "We'd best prepare. You know we can't rely on Coruscant to take notice of what happens out here."

- Cham Syndulla and Voyla



Prior to the battle, Techno Union Foreman Wat Tambor came to distrust fellow Separatist Council member and Corporate Alliance Magistrate Passel Argente. Tambor used droid dealer Gha Nachkt to place a spy RA-7 protocol droid close to the Koorivar, and was able to track his movements across the galaxy. When Argente arrived on Ryloth to meet with Artruk, a broker hired to conceal Argente's treasures pilfered from conquered worlds, Tambor witnessed the meeting, and ordered that Ryloth be moved to the top priority position for a Confederacy invasion.

Tambor seized control of Ryloth, placing a blockade over the planet under the command of Neimoidian Captain Mar Tuuk. On the surface below, the Twi'leks were forced from their homes and starved. Tambor placed tactical droids in command of the defenses while he took up residence in the capital city of Lessu. However, from Tambor's iron grip slipped Numa, a young Twi'lek girl who would later be of assistance to General Kenobi, and a group of freedom fighters, lead by Cham Syndulla.

Shortly after the invasion, the Jedi Council received a plea from the Senate for assistance. Ryloth Senator and Loyalist Committee member Orn Free Taa requested that his planet be freed from Confederate oppression, and remained by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's side during the conflict. The Jedi Council devised a plan to invade and liberate Ryloth, with General Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Commander Ahsoka Tano to breach the Separatist blockade surrounding the planet in order to allow Generals Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi to land with the invasion force.

The Twi'lek resistance
Folllowing Tambor's subjugation of the planet, Cham Syndulla organized and lead the Twi'lek Freedom Fighters- a resistance movement focused on liberating Ryloth from the invaders. Syndulla had been a political rival of Orn Free Taa's prior to the Clone Wars, and retained a strong reputation with the Twi'lek people. His resistance was the first force to combat the Confederate droids, and they suffered heavily in the confrontation in the Cazne flatlands. The battle resulted in the land being scarred and cratered and the destruction of many Confederate ships and transports. However, Syndulla's forces were forced to go into hiding as the droids continued to hunt them down. The Freedom Fighters created hideouts within downed C-9979 landing craft and destroyed MTTs. These bases not only housed soldiers, but refugees as well, making them into a safe haven for any Twi'lek fortunate enough to escape capture.

Very few were that fortunate in the town of Nabat, where the people were taken from their homes and forced into imprisonment. The tactical droid in charge of the town was TX-20, who took it upon himself to order the Twi'leks be placed near heavy anti-air cannons. The prisoners would act as living sheilds, preventing any liberating force from attacking the guns. The Twi'lek child Numa was able to avoid capture however, and hid in the empty town and the tunnels beneath it. TX-20 planned to use Gutkurrs to defend against any attack, and kept the animals starved in cages, so as to make them more vicious when released.

Breaking the blockade
"It was a trap, Snips. It wasn't your fault." "I lost so many of my pilots." "Take heart, little one. That's the reality of command."

- Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano



The Venator-class cruisers Resolute, Defender and Redeemer emerged out of hyperspace and engaged the blockade, consisting of a Lucrehulk-class battleship commanded by the Neimoidian Captain Mar Tuuk flanked by two Munificent-class frigates. Commander Ahsoka Tano led Blue Squadron in an attack against the advancing Vulture droids. However, after four more Munificent-class frigates arrived out of hyperspace, Ahsoka disobeyed a direct order from both Admiral Yularen and General Anakin Skywalker and attempted to continue toward the blockade, as she and her squadron had a clear path. However, Ahsoka finally complied, and started to head back toward the Resolute, but lost more than half of her battle group along the way. The Resolute meanwhile was plundered by suicidal Vulture droids, and one such droid hit the bridge, severely injuring Admiral Yularen. The Redeemer was also heavily damaged, splitting apart and unable to retreat, but the Defender and the Resolute managed to escape to hyperspace.



After consoling a severely dejected Ahsoka, Anakin proceeded to confer with Generals Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi. After delivering the report of their disastrous failure, Anakin was given one planetary rotation to breach the blockade, even with only half his original forces remaining. Anakin devised a plan to ram the heavily damaged Defender into the control ship, thereby leaving only easily-outmaneuvered droids in charge of the blockade. He left with R2-D2 aboard the now-empty cruiser, leaving Ahsoka in charge of the remaining forces and responsible for the completion of the mission.

The Defender re-emerged from hyperspace over Ryloth. However, Captain Tuuk, having read all the archives on Skywalker's exploits, was expecting a counterattack. Anakin appeared to surrender himself and his vessel, along with his crew, in exchange for safe passage to deliver goods to Ryloth, and Tuuk complied. But after a complete scan of the Defender, Tuuk discovered that there was only one life-form aboard, and thereby discovered Anakin's deception. Anakin then sent the Defender straight into the center sphere of the droid control ship and escaped in an escape pod. Tuuk escaped himself and left the droids in charge.



Meanwhile, Ahsoka had devised a plan to angle the Resolute's hull toward the blockade, protecting the bridge and main hangar and drawing the Separatist forces in with a classic Marg Sabl maneuver. The Resolute came out of hyperspace and began to move into position. More confident thanks to the support of a revived Admiral Yularen, Ahsoka proceeded to lead a squadron of BTL-B Y-wing fighters and V-19 Torrent fighters against the Munificent-class frigates, and they managed to successfully eliminate the Separatist blockade. Three Acclamator-class assault ships appeared out of hyperspace, with Obi-Wan and Mace Windu aboard, and prepared to land for the invasion. Captain Rex then sent a shuttle to retrieve Anakin's escape pod.

Landing on the planet
"We can’t risk landing the larger transports until you take out those guns!” ”Pull back. We’ll take care of it."

- Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi



As General Obi-Wan Kenobi landed in the city of Nabat with Ghost Company, proton cannons attacked the ‘’Acclamator’’ assault ships above, and General Mace Windu tasked Obi-Wan with destroying the cannons and allowing the transports to land. Although their mission was to retake the city, Ghost Company was forced to utilize only blasters and droid poppers so as not to destroy the Twi’leks’ home.

After utilizing the EMP grenades and taking out the droids in a bunker on the outskirts of the city, Obi-Wan and his clone forces entered the village and set up a temporary camp. Clone Commander Cody went to scout ahead with Wooley, Waxer and Boil. After discovering that the Twi’leks were being held hostage, Cody and Wooley returned and reported their findings to Obi-Wan and Mace. Unfortunately, a recon droid sent by tactical droid commander TX-20 was spying on them and overheard their conference. Soon after, the tactical droid ordered his captured and starved gutkurrs released to destroy the Republic forces.



Waxer and Boil, who had meanwhile stumbled across the young Twi’lek girl Numa, were the first to encounter the creatures, and managed to escape into a secret underground passage in Numa’s home. Obi-Wan and Ghost Company then encountered the creatures, but Obi-Wan managed to lure the gutkurrs into an alley with the Force, and they were trapped after Cody and his men blasted the bridge above the entrance. Waxer and Boil then appeared out of the tunnels with Numa. Obi-Wan conversed in Twi’leki to Numa and learned that she could lead them to the prisoners. Cody and his men went to create a diversion, while Obi-Wan headed through the tunnels with Waxer and Boil.

After the droids were distracted by the rest of Ghost Company, Obi-Wan and the two clones managed to free the Twi’lek hostages, and the now-free prisoners escaped into the tunnels. Obi-Wan then took control of one of the proton cannons, and with the help of Waxer and Boil, he managed to take out the rest of the cannons. However, a shot from TX-20’s tank blasted the three aside, and Numa ran over to the clones, and after they had recovered, she ran over to Obi-Wan. As the tactical droid aimed his cannon at Obi-Wan and Numa, the former Twi’lek hostages retaliated against the droid for all the suffering he caused them and to help Kenobi and Numa, and pulled him apart piece-by-piece. With the cannons no longer harassing them, the transports were then able to land, and after Waxer and Boil said goodbye to Numa, the Republic forces headed to the capital city of Lessu to retake it and free the planet.

Appearances

 * The Clone Wars: The Ballad of Cham Syndulla
 * The Clone Wars: The Ballad of Cham Syndulla
 * The Clone Wars: The Ballad of Cham Syndulla