Forward command center

"To the forward command center, take me."

- Yoda, during the Battle of Geonosis

A forward command center was a mobile command station used by the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars. Republic clone troopers established a command center on the front lines of the planet Geonosis during the first battle of the war. As the Jedi adopted the role of de facto generals of the clone army, leading thousands of soldiers onto the battlefield against the droid army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the overall battle was overseen from the Forward Command Center by Grand Master Yoda of the Jedi Order.

Characteristics
A Forward Command Center was a small command center used by the Galactic Republic. The center had a circular base, and contained several computer screens, which allowed clone troopers to give orders to other locations, such as the clone crews commanding Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery Turbolasers.The centers were staffed by a commanding officer, who could be a Clone Commander, a Jedi General, or even a senator. During the battle of Geonosis, a Clone Captain was also stationed at the center.

From a Forward Command Center, a clone commander and their Jedi superiors could command their forces against the enemy, or it could be used as the command center for a Senate relief mission.

Forward Command Centers also possessed small ramps, that could be raised off the ground to reach a Republic gunship so those who needed to get off could, and the gunship wouldn't need to land.

Battle of Geonosis
"Master Yoda, all forward positions are advancing.''" "Very good&hellip; Very'' good."

- A Clone Commander and Yoda

In 22 BBY, the newly-formed Grand Army of the Republic deployed thousands of clone troopers to the Separatist planet of Geonosis. Led by a cadre of de facto Jedi generals, the Galactic Republic's forces issued orders and coordinated strategy from a Forward Command Center staffed by a Clone Commander, a Clone Captain, and several clones during the Battle of Geonosis. After delivering the survivors of Jedi Master Mace Windu's assault team to the front line of the battlefield, a Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry gunship transported Grand Master Yoda, leader of the Jedi Order, to the Republic mobile command station.

As the Republic troops advanced on the enemy, establishing air and ground supremacy under the skillful leadership of the Jedi High Council, Yoda ordered the Republic Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery Turbolasers to concentrate all of their firepower on the nearest Trade Federation core ship. After the commander informed Yoda that the Separatist Droid Army had begun a full withdrawal from the battle, the Grand Master departed from the command center to pursue the Separatist Head of State, Count Dooku.

Organs's mission
"They're heading for Bail Organa and the command center! They're going to bomb it!"

- Wullf Yularen

Shortly after the Battle of Geonosis, a Republic Forward Command Center was established on the Outer Rim world of Christophsis. At the time, the planet was blockaded by the Separatist navy, effectively cutting Christophsis off from the greater galaxy. In an effort to aid the native Christophsians, the Galactic Senate sanctioned a relief mission to Christophsis led by Bail Organa, the galactic senator of Alderaan. Organa oversaw the Republic's relief efforts from the Grand Army's mobile command station, but had to contend with the battle droids of General Whorm Loathsom.

As the Republic's supplies on Christophsis dwindled, Organa beseeched Coruscant to send aid but the Separatist fleet, under the command of Admiral Trench, was able to prevent the Republic Navy from breaking through the blockade. Therefore, the Republic deployed an experimental stealth ship to Christophsis under the command of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Admiral Wullf Yularen. Trench dispatched a squadron of Hyena-class bombers to obliterate Organa's command center in an effort to draw out the cloaked vessel, causing Skywalker to go on the offensive. Organa contacted Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi and informed him of the imminent attack on his command station, knowing there was little chance of survival from a bombing run. However, Skywalker was able to outmaneuver the admiral, resulting in the destruction of his flagship Invincible. With the loss of the Separatist command ship, Skywalker and Yularen completed their mission by delivering supplies to Organa and the Republic forces on Christophsis.

Kenobi and Skywalker on the ground
The destruction of Trench's flagship allowed the Republic fleet to break through the Separatist blockade, and finally allowed the Republic to land it's troops on the ground. Sometime after Kenobi and Skywalker landed their soldiers to engage the enemy however, the CIS were able to reinforce their blockade once more, and trapped the Jedi on the ground with dwindling supplies. On the planet, Skywalker, Kenobi, and their Clone troopers had to deal with the approaching droid army commanded by Loathsom. During this time, the Jedi used a Forward Commander center to help command their troops. Later in the battle, Skywalker was assigned Ahsoka Tano as his Jedi Padawan, and Skywalker, Kenobi, Tano, and Clone Captain Rex discussed their plan to combat the Confederacy's deflector shield nearby this command center. The group created a plan where Kenobi, Rex, and the rest of the clones would draw the droids into the city, while Skywalker and Tano went behind enemy lines to take out the Deflector shield generator. Through this plan the Republic was able to take out the shield, and their AV-7 Anti-vehicle Artillery Cannons were then able to destroy the enemy battle droids and armored cavalry.

Behind the scenes
The Forward Command Center was first introduced and identified in the 2002 film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars film
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars film