Confederacy of Independent Systems/Legends

The Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS) was an organization that existed in the latter years of the Republic. The organization was made up of organizations and star systems that wanted to leave the Republic, numbering "thousands" and with at least "ten thousand ready to join", in the words of Count Dooku. Several quasi-governmental corporations such as the Trade Federation, Techno Union, Commerce Guild, Corporate Alliance, and InterGalactic Banking Clan also joined. The organization's main goal was to split from the Republic and form a new government on grounds that the Republic had become too corrupt. The members of this organization were called Separatists. Tensions between the Republic and the Separatists eventually led to the Clone Wars.

The political heads of the Confederacy are Darth Sidious and Count Dooku, his new apprentice and former Jedi Master. The military leader of the Confederacy is the mysterious General Grievous, a Kaleesh cyborg droid.

Key Members of the Confederacy

 * Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, Master of Tyranus, de facto secret leader
 * Count Dooku of Serenno, aka Darth Tyranus, Head of State
 * Nute Gunray, Viceroy of the Trade Federation
 * Wat Tambor, Foreman of the Techno Union
 * Shu Mai, Presidente of the Commerce Guild
 * San Hill, Chairman of the InterGalactic Banking Clan
 * Passel Argente, Magistrate of the Corporate Alliance
 * General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies
 * Poggle the Lesser, Archduke of Geonosis
 * Tikkes, former senator and leader of the Quarren Isolation League
 * Po Nudo, Senator from Ando, head of the Hyper-Communications Cartel
 * Toonbuck Toora, Senator from Sy Myrth
 * Asajj Ventress, Dark Jedi, Separatist Commander
 * Durge, Gen'Dai mercenary and bounty hunter
 * Sev'rance Tann, Chiss Dark Jedi, Separatist Commander
 * Cydon Prax, bounty hunter, Count Dooku's bodyguard
 * Alto Stratus, rebel leader on Jabiim
 * Commander Merai, Mon Calamari Naval Commander
 * Sora Bulq, Dark Jedi Master
 * Jango Fett, former Mandalore, bounty hunter, Count Dooku's bodyguard, and progenitor of the Grand Army of the Republic
 * Mandalore the Resurrector, Jango's clone, rogue ARC trooper, and leader of the Mandalorian Protectors

History
The military forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems - (also known as the Droid Army and the Separatist Army) - was a massive mix of weapons of war, security droids, organic forces and local warriors. While far greater in numbers than the Grand Army of the Republic, the forces of the Separatists were inferior and doomed to failure from the beginning.

The CIS was controlled mainly by business beings like Nute Gunray, San Hill, and Wat Tambor. These cowardly individuals were interested only in credits, and were ill-equipped to lead troops into battle. They however believed their superior numbers and advanced droid designs would win the Clone Wars. Though the Separatist Army achieved a number of victories, its droids were flawed and weak, and its leaders were little better.

The Army consisted mainly of droid forces, and was often referred to as the Droid Army. The various commercial entities joined under the banner of the Confederacy pledged their forces to the Separatist Army, creating one sprawling group of droids. These ranged from the Trade Federation's battle droids to the security forces maintained by the Commerce Guild, InterGalactic Banking Clan and Corporate Alliance. One of the largest contributions was by the Techno Union, which donated not only its new Super Battle Droids, but numerous foundries capable of producing thousands more droids for the Confederacy. Other companies that supported the Separatists included Colla Designs, Phlac-Arphocc Automata, Baktoid Industries, Haor Chall Engineering, Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps, Republic Sienar Systems and Feethan Ottraw Scalable Assemblies

Other allies were quick to offer help. The Confederacy controlled countless worlds across the galaxy, and was able to recruit many of their local forces to the cause. The Jabiim Separatist leader Alto Stratus's Nimbus warriors, the Quarren Isolation League and many more aided the CIS and fought the Galactic Republic. Many of these forces were not droids, but sentient beings. Though largely a Droid Army, the Separatist Army also used a number of organic forces. From Gossam commandos to Corporate Alliance Troopers, they brought new tactics onto the field. Unlike droids, these soldiers were capable of independent thought, and many could rival even the Republic's Clone troopers.

Bridging the gap between organic and automaton was one being: General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Separatist Army. A cyborg with a brilliant tactical mind and a powerful armoured body, Grievous turned the war in favour of the Confederacy. He led his troops to a number of victories across the galaxy including the conquest of Duro and destruction of Humbarine, the attacks of 26 strategic Loyalist worlds and spearheaded an assault towards Coruscant itself. He also targeted the Jedi Knights - particuarly problematic to the Droid Army - and killed many in single combat. He had ultimate power over his troops, able to command them with but a gesture.

The Separatist Army was not merely comprised of ground troops. It also deployed much larger weapons of war during the Clone Wars. Commerce Guild Spider Tanks were a common sight on Confederate frontlines, and Tank Droids, Manta droid subfighters and Federation AATs provided heavy firepower in countless conflicts. Even larger machines were used, including the powerful Protodeka, the massive Seismic tank and the terrible Dark Reaper.

Despite this powerful weapon, the Confederacy of Independent Systems was eventually defeated. Suffering losses right from the beginning of the war, and despite a brief resurgeance with the cyborg General Grievous, the droid forces were destroyed by the Republic. Count Dooku was struck down on the bridge of the "Invisible Hand", General Grievous was slain on Utapau, the CIS' corrupt leadership was murdered by Darth Vader and the commerce guilds faded quietly into oblivion.

Since both sides of the war were controlled by the Sith, the Confederacy also laid the foundations of the Galactic Empire and its legacy lives on in the form of their Death Star project, which became the Empire's feared superweapon and the Imperial battle droids. The logo of the CIS was also incorporated into the design of the TIE fighter's panels.

Battle Droids

 * B-1 battle droid
 * B-2 battle droid
 * Droideka
 * IG Lancer Droid
 * Chameleon droid
 * Protodeka
 * Buzz Droid
 * JK-thirteen
 * Octuptarra Droid

Organic Forces

 * Quarren Isolation League
 * Gossam Commandos
 * Corporate Alliance Troopers
 * Nimbus
 * Neimoidian Warriors

Transport Vehicles

 * PAC Platoon Attack Craft
 * MTT Multi Troop Transport

Ground Vehicles

 * Dwarf spider droid
 * OG-9 Spider Droid
 * IG-227 Hailfire Droid
 * Tri-droid
 * LM-432 Crab Droid
 * NR-N99 Persuader-Type Droid Enforcer
 * Ground Armoured Tank
 * Armoured Assault Tank
 * Multi Unit Transport
 * Heavy Artillery Gun
 * Single Trooper Aerial Platform
 * Heavy STAP
 * Seismic Tank
 * Heavy Missile Platform
 * Tsmeu-6 personal wheel bike
 * Vulture-class Droid Starfighter (Walker-mode}

Starfighters

 * Vulture-class Droid Starfighter
 * Scarab-class Droid Starfighter
 * Nantex-class Territorial Defence Starfighter
 * Tri-Droid Fighter
 * Ginivex-class Starfighter
 * Mankvim-814 Interceptor
 * Belbullab-22 starfighter

Aquatic Weapons

 * Trade Federation Gunboat
 * Trade Federation Mini-Sub
 * Trade Federation Sub-Carrier
 * Manta-class Droid Subfighter
 * Crab Cannon
 * AAT-W
 * MVR-3 Speeders

Capital Ships

 * Droid Control Ship
 * Lucrehulk-class Battleship
 * Lucrehulk-class Core Ship
 * Munificent-class Star Frigate
 * Recusant-class Light Destroyer
 * Providence-class Carrier-Destroyer
 * Geonosian Dreadnaught

Support Craft

 * Punworcca-116 Interstellar Sloop
 * Sheathipede-class Lapiz Cutter Shuttle
 * C-9979 Landing Craft
 * Hardcell-class Starship
 * Banking Clan Transport
 * Diamond-class Cruiser

Important Member Worlds

 * Ando Prime
 * Belderone
 * Castell
 * Cato Neimoidia
 * Dac
 * Felucia
 * Geonosis
 * Jabiim
 * Metalorn
 * Mustafar
 * Muunilinst
 * Neimoidia
 * Ord Cestus
 * Raxus Prime
 * Serenno
 * Skako
 * Sy Myrth
 * Thule
 * Vjun

Quotes

 * "Our friends from the Trade Federation have pledged their support and when their battle droids are combined with yours will shall have an army greater than any in the galaxy. The Jedi will be overwhelmed. The Republic will agree to any demands we make."


 * - Count Dooku


 * ''"With these new battle droids we've built for you, you'll have the finest army in the galaxy."


 * - Wat Tambor

Behind the Scenes

 * The naming of the Republic's enemy as a Confederacy, and of the Republic's military a Grand Army of the Republic, have made some fans question whether Lucas was making a statement concering similarities between Palpatine and US President Abe Lincoln.
 * The name "Confederacy of Independent Systems" could also be inspired by the real-world Commonwealth of Independent States (also shorthanded as CIS), which consists of almost all of the former republics of the Soviet Union (excepting only the three Baltic nations).