Battle of Bespin (Clone Wars)

The Battle of Bespin was a battle during the Clone Wars. Led by Jedi Master Glynn-Beti, it was a devastating loss for the Galactic Republic. The Confederacy of Independent Systems had launched an invasion force upon Bespin as its Tibanna gas refineries were the main source of energy for the Republic's turbolasers aboard capital ships and were considered a Republic weapons factory by the CIS.

CIS attack on the floating defense platforms
Not expecting an attack, the Republic had a small line of defense around Bespin, with only around 1,000 clone troopers and a small squadron of Aethersprite-class light interceptors. The attack came swiftly, with thousands of B1 battle droids aided by Droidekas, and Super battle droids. They managed to capture the southern landing platforms with little difficulty and secured a number of laser turrets, proceeding to overwhelm the Republic troops and capture the Eastern and Western landing platforms and eventually the main control room.

Republic pilots barely had time to get in the air to engage the incoming vulture droid fighters, and the now Separatist-manned blaster turrets were able to take down many of the Republic fighters with ease. The remainder of the clone forces fell back to the Northern landing platform; this is where they took their last stand against the advancing horde of battle droids. The Separatists managed to kill the last remaining troops just over three hours after the initial attack.

The fall of Cloud City
The CIS proceeded to advance on Cloud City itself and in turn gain a foothold on the planet. The Republic garrison here had heard of the impending attack from the doomed forces on the defense platforms a few miles away and were prepared, but were ultimately defeated as they had underestimated the sheer size of the droid forces. Once inside the city, the CIS and Republic engaged in a vicious gun battle that spanned the entire settlement.

Many hundreds of civilians were caught in the crossfire as evacuation plans were implemented too late, and vulture droids managed to bring down any escape craft that were able to leave the planet. The CIS managed to capture the carbon freezing complex undetected by Republic forces. This proved to be the Republic's downfall, as the capture of the facility allowed Separatist forces to attack from the intricate tunnel system that spanned the bowels of the city.

Jedi Master Glynn-Beti personally led a legion of clone troopers into the heart of the invasion but had to pull back once she realized defeat was imminent. Eventually, several LAAT gunships carrying wounded troops, civilians and the surviving Jedi managed to blast their way through CIS aerial forces and make it to the orbiting Star Destroyer and escape.

Within 12 hours of the initial attack on the city, the last remaining battalion of clone troopers that had been cut off from the main group made a desperate fight to the last man within the city's courtyard and were destroyed by the droid forces that converged on them.

Estimates for the battle rated the Republic to CIS forces as one clone trooper for every 50 battle droids.

After the battle
Thanks to the capture of Bespin the CIS gain resouces to build the Dark Reaper in Thule later destroyed in the Battle of Thule

Appearances

 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars game