Confederacy of Independent Systems/Legends

"The Republic cannot be fixed, m'lady. It is time to start over."

- Count Dooku

The Confederacy of Independent Systems, CIS for short, was the government formed by various planetary and sectorial governments, as well as some corporations, that declared intentions to leave the Galactic Republic during the Separatist Crisis and Clone Wars.

The rise of the Separatist movement


In the decades prior to the Clone Wars, the Republic was seen by many as a failing government, plagued by corruption and mindless bureaucracy that stifled the voices of many constituents represented in the Galactic Senate. Secession grew during the period following the Battle of Naboo, and the commerce guilds became disillusioned with the Republic after the law was passed to place taxation on all trade routes to outlying star systems.

Into this critical situation stepped Count Dooku, a former Jedi Master who had become disillusioned with the Republic and the Jedi Order that served it. This charismatic figure stirred up anti-Republic sentiments on many worlds, paving the way for a rebellion against the government. A loose affiliation of separatists was formed, with Dooku at their head, pushing for a new government to take the place of the stagnant Republic. Eventually, this Separatist movement established itself as the Confederacy of Independent Systems, a body formally opposed to the Galactic Republic.

Although the Republic recognize that many of its member worlds were in rebellion, it refused to formally acknowledge the existence of the CIS as their common government, deeming that doing so would legitimize it.

The Clone Wars
The Confederacy marshalled armed forces to its cause, to be eventually used to topple the Republic and take the capital planet of Coruscant. The Trade Federation, commanded by the Republic to downsize its Droid Army after the Naboo incident, instead expanded its forces in secret, adding its battle droids to the Separatist arsenal steadily growing with input from other factions, such as the Techno Union. Foundries on Geonosis, Hypori, and elsewhere created countless billions of battle droids ready to fight for the Separatist cause, all while Dooku continued to recruit more star systems to his cause.

The Hunt for the Decimator
The Hunt for the Decimator was a campaign led by General Sev'rance Tann against Jedi Master Echuu Shen-Jon. Sev'rance led CIS troops into a battle that resulted in the capture of a secret weapon of the Republic, the Decimator, from the research facilities on Eredenn, and the stealing of the activation codes for the machine from Alaris Prime. Sev'rance then used this weapon to take the planet Sarapin, which she left under the control of CIS officer Zian Finnis, although Echhu soon retook the world. From Sarapin, Echuu led his forces in pursuit of Sev'rance, eventually tracking her to Krant. There, he seized a Trade Federation facility on one of the moons of Krant. Naat Reath was captured by Sev'rance, and Echuu pursued Sev'rance to Krant itself, Echuu fought his way through several large CIS bases, taking the Decimator facilities, and reaching the stronghold of Sev'rance herself. The Separatist general issued an ultimatum&mdash;Echuu would fight her alone, or Naat would be terminated. Echuu accepted the challenge, and succeeded in defeating Sev'rance, putting an end to the campaign.

Operation Durge's Lance
Operation Durge's Lance was one of the major Separatist campaigns, launched in 20 BBY. Under the command of General Grievous, with new and precise maps of the Core's hyperroutes, the operation's goal was to prepare for the Separatist invasion of the Core Worlds. It began with the Separatist conquest of Duro.

The fall of the Confederacy


Despite this powerful weapon, the Confederacy of Independent Systems was eventually defeated, though this was not completely its fault. Suffering losses&mdash;and victories, for that matter&mdash;right from the beginning of the war, and despite the might of General Grievous and its vastly superior numbers, the droid forces were often defeated by the Republic. However, as Darth Sidious manipulated the war, influencing some of the defeats of the CIS as well as some of its victories, the Separatists had lost before they had even started fighting&mdash;Sidious wanted the Republic to win. At the end of the war, Count Dooku was struck down on the bridge of Invisible Hand, General Grievous was slain on Utapau, the CIS leadership was murdered by Darth Vader on Mustafar, 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.

Confederate Remnant
Eight years after the Clone Wars, in 11 BBY, Gizor Dellso attempted to revive the Confederacy and restart the conflict. However, he and his forces were defeated in the Battle of Mustafar when the 501st Legion invaded the planet.

Government and politics
Several quasi-governmental corporations, such as the Trade Federation, Techno Union, Commerce Guild, Corporate Alliance, and InterGalactic Banking Clan, also joined. The Separatist Council was the ruling body of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The head of state of the Confederacy was Count Dooku, Sidious's second apprentice and a former Jedi Master. The real head of the Confederacy was Darth Sidious. The military leader of the Confederacy was Qymaen jai Sheelal, a Kaleesh cyborg better known as General Grievous.

The organization's main goal was to secede 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.

Military

 * For main articles, see Separatist Droid Army and Confederate Navy.



The military forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems&mdash;also known as the Droid Army or the Separatist Army&mdash;was a massive mix of weapons of war, battle droids, organic forces, and local warriors.

The CIS was controlled mainly by business beings like Viceroy Nute Gunray, Chairman San Hill, and Foreman Wat Tambor. These individuals were not warriors or generals, but merchants, more interested in commerce than battle, and thus were ill-equipped to lead troops into battle. Of the entire political leadership, only Count Dooku, Poggle the Lesser, and Nute Gunray had any experience in warfare. However, they believed their superior numbers and advanced droid designs would win the Clone Wars. In some ways they were right, as droidekas were good enough to kill Jedi, and overwhelming amounts of droids won many battles for the CIS. However, the uselessness of some droids, like the B-1 battle droids, lost the CIS many battles.

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 B-2 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 Jabiimi Separatist leader Alto Stratus's Nimbus Warriors, the Quarren Isolation League, the Separatist Commandos, 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&mdash;literally&mdash;was one being: General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies. A cyborg with a brilliant tactical mind and a powerful armoured body, Grievous turned the war in favor 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 strategic Loyalist worlds, and spearheaded an assault towards Coruscant itself. He also targeted the Jedi Knights&mdash;particuarly problematic to the droid army&mdash;and killed many in single combat. He had ultimate power over his troops, able to command them with but a gesture. The one thing that made a difference in his fighting pattern which caused him to prevail among his victims was his use of lightsabers, which caught his opponents off guard. With this ability, he was able to crush all in his path, leading to countless victories for the CIS.

The Separatist Army was not merely comprised of ground troops. It also deployed much larger weapons of war during the Clone Wars. Commerce Guild homing spider droids were a common sight on Confederate frontlines, and tank droids, 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.

Astrography
Confederacy of Independent Systems's territory varied in size a great deal during the course of its short history. As of 22 BBY, the Confederacy of Independent Systems numbered ten thousand star systems, as well as the various commercial factions allied under its banner.

Separatist-aligned worlds

 * Aargonar
 * Abrion Major
 * Agamar
 * Alliga
 * Ando
 * Ando Prime
 * Atraken
 * Axion
 * Bakura-5
 * Bassadro
 * Bestine IV
 * Bimmisaari
 * Boz Pity
 * Cadinth
 * Castell
 * Cato Neimoidia
 * Caramm V
 * Clak'dor VII
 * Colla IV
 * Corlax 4
 * Cyphar
 * Dac
 * Dagu
 * Deko Neimoidia
 * Donovia
 * Druckenwell
 * Elrood
 * Emberlene
 * Enarc
 * Falleen
 * Felucia
 * Foerost
 * Geonosis
 * Haruun Kal
 * Halowan
 * Hypori
 * Jabiim
 * Kabal
 * Kalee
 * Kooriva
 * Korriban
 * Koru Neimoidia
 * Kromus
 * Lethe
 * Mandalore
 * Metalorn
 * Mirial
 * Moorja
 * Murkhana
 * Mustafar
 * Muunilinst
 * Mygeeto
 * Neimoidia
 * New Plympto
 * Nivek
 * Null
 * Omwat
 * Ord Cestus
 * Ord Janon
 * Pammant
 * Qiilura
 * Queyta
 * Rattatak
 * Raxus Prime
 * Riflor
 * Saleucami
 * Serenno
 * Skako
 * Sluis Van
 * Sullust
 * Sy Myrth
 * Tarhassan
 * Thaere Privo
 * Thule
 * Thyferra
 * Tibrin
 * Togoria
 * Toong'l
 * Trandosha
 * Troxar
 * Ukio
 * Utapau
 * Virujansi
 * Vjun
 * The Works on Coruscant
 * Yag'Dhul
 * Zaadja

Behind the scenes

 * The naming of the Republic's enemy as a Confederacy, and of the Republic's military as a Grand Army of the Republic, are clearly inspired by the American Civil War, when the government of the South and the army of the North, respectively, were so named. This parallel could imply deeper allegory, possibly of high-ranking figures.  Some fans have theorized that Lucas was making a statement concering similarities between Palpatine and U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.


 * The name "Confederacy of Independent Systems" is likely 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).

Appearances

 * The Approaching Storm
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars: Battlefront
 * Star Wars: Battlefront II
 * Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns
 * Star Wars: Clone Wars
 * Star Wars: Republic Commando
 * Republic Commando: Hard Contact
 * Shatterpoint
 * The Cestus Deception
 * The Hive
 * Republic Commando: Triple Zero
 * The New Droid Army
 * Reversal of Fortune
 * MedStar I: Battle Surgeons
 * MedStar II: Jedi Healer
 * Jedi Trial
 * Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Republic HoloNet News Special Inaugural Edition 16:5:24 in Star Wars Insider 84