Lothal campaign

"I will start my operations here, and pull the rebels apart piece by piece. They will be the architects of their own destruction."

- Grand Admiral Thrawn

The Lothal campaign was a campaign launched by Grand Admiral Thrawn after Governor Arihnda Pryce requested the Seventh Fleet during the early rebellion against the Galactic Empire. At the start of the campaign, Grand Admiral Thrawn made a number of changes to his flagship, the Chimaera, including renovations to his staterooms, moving his art collection to his private cabin, and constructing a gallery and study.

Prelude
Lothal fell under control of the Galactic Empire in 18 BBY when they dispatched an Imperial Planetary Occupation Facility onto the capital. In the following years, there was resistance to the Imperial forces from people such was Ephraim and Mira Bridger. The Empire dealt with these threats however and the Bridgers were arrested leaving their son Ezra Bridger parentless. In 5 BBY, Ezra was a pickpocket and discovered the Spectres following an attack on patrols in the city. Ezra became inspired by the Spectres and joined them in their fight against the Empire. One of the Spectres, a former Jedi Padawan called Kanan Jarrus, discovered that Ezra was Force-sensitive and began training him in the ways of the force.

The Spectres performed daring acts against the Empire on Lothal, including infiltrating the Imperial Cadet program on Lothal and stealing a TIE Fighter during a mission to collect fruit. Kanan and Ezra's force powers attracted the attention of the Grand Inquisitor who attempted to kill them many times. The Grand Inquisitor even captured Kanan with the help of Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. Ezra and the others infiltrated Tarkin's Imperial-class Star Destroyer to save Kanan, killing the Grand Inquisitor in the fight. The Spectres were then rescued by Phoenix Cell, led by Commander Jun Sato and another former Jedi Ahsoka Tano. The Spectres went on many missions for Phoenix Squadron including the mission on Lothal where they stole three Sphyrna-class corvettes. The Lothal resistance began under the former Governor Ryder Azadi. Kanan, Ezra and Ahsoka attracted the attention of two more inquisitors, Fifth Brother and Seventh Sister. The two inquisitors were killed hunting the trio at Malachor by Darth Maul who killed their subordinate Eighth Brother soon after. Ahsoka was lost in that fight.

Enter Thrawn
Lothal's Governor Arihnda Pryce returned to Lothal with Grand Admiral Thrawn following his decisive victory over the rebels on Batonn. Thrawn and his Seventh Fleet had been requested by Governor Pryce to destroy the rebels on Lothal with the blessing of Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. Thrawn's plan was to eliminate the rebels piece by piece and make them destroy themselves in the process. Thrawn then sent Admiral Konstantine, Governor Pryce and ISB agent Kallus to to Reklam Station. There, they attempted to stop the Spectres from stealing a squadron of Y-wing bombers. As Phoenix Squadron arrived to retrieve the bombers, Thrawn knew this was not the entire rebel fleet. He decide to let them go with their meager prize and await for the full rebel fleet.

Thrawn encountered one of the Spectres, Hera Syndulla, on Ryloth at her home in the Tann Province, after she and the Spectres aided her father, Cham Syndulla and the Free Ryloth movement. During the mission Thrawn captured Hera and sought to analyze and better understand her. Hera was rescued by the rest of the Spectres during an exchange and Thrawn deliberately allowed them to escape, claiming they earned it for their small victory.

Testing the Rebels
The Spectres and Phoenix Squadron helped the people of Mykapo during Imperial operations there. Thrawn decided to send Admiral Kassius Konstantine as a test for the rebels and challenged him into taking only an Arquitens-class command cruiser. Konstantine arrived in Mykapo to face the local rebel group known as Iron Squadron. Konstantine disabled their freighter and set a trap on it. A portion of Phoenix Squadron arrived to take rescue Iron Squadron and disabled the cruiser. Thrawn stepped in on his Star Destroyer the Chimaera before he could lose Konstantine. Thrawn eventually came to design and began constructing the TIE/D Defender on Lothal. The rebels got curious and infiltrated the factory where Thrawn was cracking down on faults in Imperial vehicles there and they discovered that one of Thrawn's agents Alexsandr Kallus was a spy for them. Thrawn caught neither of them and they got out with the plans for the TIE Defender.

Thrawn began committing resources to finding the location of Phoenix Cell's base. He sent out reconnaissance droids to many planets to search for it. However, one of them came back rigged with explosives and crippled one of Thrawns star destroyers. Thrawn took this as progress as he knew one of those planets he sent the droids to housed the rebel base. Thrawn soon became aware of a spy amidst his inner circle not realizing it was Kallus. He brought an old friend, Colonel Wullf Yularen, to question each high ranking officer. Ezra, posing as a bounty hunter, allowed himself be captured to extract Kallus and they would sabotage Thrawn's search for the rebels base. Kallus put evidence on Lieutenant Yogar Lyste, who Bridger impersonated, being the spy using his Code cylinders for access to rooms. He also told Lyste that Governor Pryce was the spy and the man became paranoid and attempted to capture Pryce as she intercepted Ezra in his escape. Thrawn then arrested Lyste but when discussing the situation with Yularen after, he deduced that Kallus was the spy all along.

The Spectres played a big part in starting the Alliance to Restore the Republic as they rescued the fugitive Senator Mon Mothma. After escaping the Empire at the Archeon Nebula, Mon Mothma declared the Alliance as an official faction and many rebel cells rallied at Dantooine. A short while later, a team of Imperial slicers under LT-319 almost discovered the location of the rebel base when they got control of the Spectres droid Chopper. Their attempt was thwarted when the rebels sent a power surge to the slicers destroying them and their vessel. Soon after Phoenix Squadron began preparing an attack on the TIE Defender factories on Lothal. They rallied former Governor Ryder Azadi's Lothal Resistance and General Jan Dodonna's Massassi Group to their base at Atollon. Thrawn however, predicted this attack and let Kallus know he knew. Kallus attempted to warn the rebels and Thrawn stepped in to stop him. Thrawn then traced Kallus's transmission back to Atollon.

Battle of Atollon
Thrawn took the Seventh Fleet to Atollon where he met the large flotilla of CR90 corvettes, Nebulon-B frigates, Dornean Gunships and many other ships owned by Phoenix Squadron and Massassi Group. He cut them off from the Lothal resistance and began destroying their ships with his TIE Bombers. Thrawn prevented the Rebel forces withdrawing from Atollon with two Interdictor-class Star Destroyers. Commander Sato then began attacking the Star Destroyers and Thrawn predicted the tactic and compromised his plan in order to thwart their attempts. When they got desperate, the rebels tried charging the blockade but Thrawn continued tearing them apart. As a last resort, Sato rammed his command ship into Admiral Konstantine's Interdictor vessel and Ezra used this window of opportunity to escape Atollon to get help. Unfortunately, Senator Mothma refused to commit anymore forces to Atollon, knowing this was what Thrawn wanted. Despite this, Bridger then decided to see aid from Clan Wren.

Thrawn began the ground assault on the rebels base and quickly threw their forces into chaos. He captured Hera, Kanan and the other main rebels there and ordered their surrender. But something happened that Thrawn could not predict: the Bendu, a force sensitive being, attacked both factions and the rebels flew out on their ships before Thrawn used his All Terrain Armored Transport to shoot down the Bendu. Ezra returned with reinforcements and destroyed the last Interdictor vessel, allowing all remaining rebels to escape. When Thrawn faced the injured Bendu, the being told Thrawn of his defeat and Thrawn shot at it before it disappeared.

Aftermath
Despite the heavy losses, the Massassi Group and what remained of the Phoenix Squadron were able to regroup at the Yavin IV's Great Temple. The Empire then initiated Protocol 13 on Lothal. Thus, in 1 BBY, Hera Syndulla was promoted to the rank of general and led Phoenix Squadron in attacking the TIE/D Defender factory. However, it failed and Syndulla was captured. However, General Syndulla was then rescued by Kanan Jarrus. Pryce attempted to stop their escape, but she inadvertently fired on the Capital's fuel depot resulting's in both it's destruction and Jarrus' death. Despite the loss of Jarrus, his actions were able to stop the Empire from using the factory to make more TIE/D defenders. Syndula, her forces, and Azadi's rebels were able to liberate Lothal.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Rebels: Steps Into Shadow