Liberation of Camp Four

"My family could be in that camp, I'm going in!''" "''Hollis! Stay in formation."

- Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes and Lutin Hollis, at the start of the battle

The Trade Federation prison Camp Four was liberated during the Invasion of Naboo in 32 BBY. The Federation had enslaved most of the planet and put them into camps such as Camp Four. Naboo's Bravo Squadron wanted to liberate the camp to add to the Naboo Resistance as they prepared to retake their planet from the Trade Federation. The Bravo Squadron pilots infiltrated the camp, fighting through droid starfighters to reach it. Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes stole a Federation speeder to sneak into the camp. The other pilots provided cover while he freed the prisoners.

Prelude
The Trade Federation invaded and occupied the planet Naboo in the year 32 BBY and enslaved much of the planet. Many of the planet's leaders were put into Camp Four. Naboo's Queen, Padmé Amidala, was forced to escape to the planet Tatooine. As the battle for control of Naboo wore on, the fight became increasingly desperate. Members of the Security Forces' Bravo Squadron, having dealt with a traitorous smuggler, Borvo the Hutt, needed to get back to the offensive. To do so, the squadron set out to liberate prison camps and gain new recruits. Kol Kotha, a former employee of Borvo, had previously scouted the camps, and he suggested they head to Camp Four.

The valley
"Look at the size of that camp!"

- Lieutenant Sykes

The squadron first had to locate the camp. Under cover of darkness, Bravo Squadron infiltrated the area. Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes, the flight lead, ordered the pilots to listen to Kotha's recon report. Kotha said they had information that Camp Four was located in an area north of the valley they were in. The Trade Federation had completely stripped the area for their own purposes. One of the pilots, Lutin Hollis, broke formation to look for the camp because he suspected his family was in there. He gave away the squadron’s position when he flew into a Federation installation. The base launched many droid starfighters, as well as a landing craft. Sykes ordered the flight to break and attack, and the squadron had to escape under heavy fire from the base and from a missile turret. The landing craft continued its voyage through the valley to drop off speeders at processing centers.

Skyes followed and shot down the landing craft, which tried to fight back by launching airborne mines from a rearward launcher. Sykes dedicated its destruction to the planet of Naboo.

Meanwhile, more starfighters and bombers attacked local farmhouses. Kotha said they didn’t have time to help, but the Naboo pilots shot down the attackers anyway. With that threat eliminated, they continued the search for the camp, flying over three gunboats patrolling the waters. The sensors on Sykes' N-1 starfighter located Camp Four in the valley below them, and he reported it to the squadron and warned them to watch for anti-air emplacements. Flying through a canyon, the squadron found a Trade Federation hangar which was releasing troop carriers. Kotha proposed that they find a way to get in from the ground. Kotha also proposed that the Federation was using the speeders to transport prisoners from across the planet and Sykes realized the speeders were heading straight into the camp. After shooting down the starfighter defenders, Sykes landed in the hangar and took a Heavy STAP. He programmed several unoccupied troop carriers to enter the base and followed them in.

The Camp
"Halt! Where are your prisoners?&hellip;Enemy in the compound!"

- A battle droid challenges Sykes at the front gate

Once inside the gates, however, the battle droids scanned the carriers and noticed they were unoccupied. They ordered Sykes to stop, but when he continued to head into the camp, the base went into high alert. Tanks and Heavy STAPS poured out of their hangars, but Sykes managed to destroy them. He traveled up the nearby cliff and found the first cell blocks. Kotha tried to strafe the power generator in his starfighter but missed and subsequent fire from laser turrets drove him off, forcing Sykes to destroy it himself. Once inside the block, the prisoners called to him. He told them to stand back so he could blow the door. The prisoners ran to nearby civilian speeders, and he escorted them uphill to the next set of cell blocks, destroying turrets and droids. They hid behind a security hangar while Sykes switched to a Gian speeder. He came out into a maelstrom of fire from the defense turrets. Hollis strafed the camp, blowing a hole into a wall so Sykes could destroy another generator and take the laser fencing off-line. Sykes freed the prisoners and had to go up another cliff to take down the generators powering the entrance to the next section of camp.

Endgame
"I couldn't let you guys have all the fun!"

- Lutin Hollis, as he attacks the camp

As he escorted the prisoners downhill into the last group of cell blocks, they were ambushed and trapped by more tanks and fighters. Hollis flew in and took out several tanks, and also blew a hole in the wall. The breach allowing Sykes to take down the last generator. Sykes freed the last prisoners and went up a separate hill to destroy the generator, which powering the rear gate. After Hollis' strafing run, Sykes told him to get clear and that they would handle it from there.

On the way down from the generator, Sykes found advanced laser technology, which was useful to the resistance.

Once the gates were down, the rescued prisoners were able to leave. Lieutenant Sykes led them out while firing at the last droids.

Aftermath
"Everyone to the speeders. Hurry!"

- One of the prisoners

With the camp liberated, the resistance gained new recruits, including several seasoned officers. With an expanded force, they set their sights next on retaking the capital after Naboo's Queen returned home and forged an alliance with the Gungan Grand Army.

Behind the scenes
The rescue of the Camp Four prisoners was a mission appearing in the 2000 video game Star Wars: Battle for Naboo. The mission took place in two parts: in a starfighter searching for the camp and in a speeder rescuing the prisoners. The mission would not proceed until the starfighters near the hangar were destroyed. In the course of the mission, it was possible to find an upgrade. Picking it up fulfills the bonus objective. Switching speeders mid-mission was an option, and it was possible to play using the Heavy STAP. Shooting down the landing craft was also optional; its flight path can be traced to the camp, and if left alone, the ship will fly into the camp. Additionally, the player is not required to release the prisoners, only destroying the power generators in the camp, although failing to do so affects the "friendlies rescued" score. This article assumes 100% completion.

The event was also mentioned in the Gavyn Sykes' entry in 2008's The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia and was later discussed in the 2011 magazine Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 62.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Battle for Naboo