The 5 Most Brutal Battles Of The Clone Wars
The Clone Wars was a galaxy-wide conflict between the forces of the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. So named because of the clones that fought on behalf of the Republic against the droid armies of the separatists. Over the course of three long years, the battle spread like wildfire across the galaxy, engulfing worlds on both sides of the conflict and even those that tried to remain neutral got caught in the crossfire.
Needless to say, it wasn’t pretty, but some battles were more gruesome than others. The Confederacy had the luxury of fielding droids, but the clones of the Republic weren’t so lucky. And despite coming out as the eventual victor on the other side, the war took its toll on the clone soldiers. Even battles that ended in their favor were no less brutal. Here are five of the more devastating encounters of the Clone Wars.
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The Battle of Geonosis
The first major conflict of the war, the Battle of Geonosis took place in 22 BBY, and was the result of a rescue operation to save prisoners from a gladiatorial arena on the planet. A task force of Jedi dispatched by the council were the first to land on the planet. After rescuing Padme, Anakin, and Obi Wan, all Jedi involved would go on to lead the first wave of clones sent to engage the local garrison of battle droids on the planet. The encounter soon devolved into a full-scale assault that only ended when the Separatist leadership, including head of state Count Dooku, fled, resulting in a win for the Republic.
The clones may have secured their first win in this conflict, but it came at a heavy cost. Both the soldiers and their Jedi generals had little to no applied experience in warfare. Mistakes were made all down the chain of command as avoidable losses began to skyrocket. To add insult to injury, the enemy leadership was even allowed to slip away. Their capture or elimination would have ensured an early victory and a swift end to the war that was to come. This was only one of many in the war that took place on Geonosis. As a stronghold for the confederacy, many more battles took place there before the fighting was done.
The Battle of Ryloth
Also known as the Ryloth Campaign, this particular battle began after the Separatist army invaded the planet and destroyed the previously established republic garrison. Led by the head of the Techno Union, the Separatists occupied the planet after their victory, enslaving the natives, and set up a blockade around the planet. Reclaiming the planet for the republic was no easy feat, numerous Jedi and their battalions were deployed across many different battlefields. First they had to breach the planetary blockade, from there they were able to land on the planet. Once planet side, the republic was able to link up with the native resistance, and with their help they eventually took back the planet.
Many clone lives were lost in the initial invasion and many more died in the following stages of the conflict. But what makes this battle notably brutal, was the Techno Union’s despicable tactics of using the native Twi’leks as hostages and shields. Many key separatist outposts employed slaves, including the anti-air emplacements. As a result, the ground forces of the republic had to mount risky assault and rescue strikes against the installations as opposed to simply bombing them from a distance. Fortunately, they were successful in their efforts, and very few if any hostages were lost in the fray.
The Battle of Sarrish
First appearing in the comic Routine Valor in Star Wars Legends, the Battle of Sarrish was eventually made canon by The Clone Wars TV show. The battle is first mentioned in the episode “Missing in Action,” and as the name implies, the event is recounted by one of the survivors. Presumed dead, clone commando Gregor tries to piece the events back together. Now suffering PTSD induced amnesia, he is eventually able to remember that the battle ended as a loss for the republic along with nearly every clone present perishing in the conflict. This ending does contradict the comic source material which listed the battle as a victory.
Regardless of what source you draw from, both versions of the battle had incredibly high casualties. That being said, in Legends, the battle was the result of the 212th Clone Battalion pursuing the retreating separatist forces following the latter’s loss at the Duro. This led them to a separatist stronghold and droid manufacturing site. The fleeing forces regrouped with the planet side forces and were able to mount a devastating counter offensive. And whether you count it as a legendary win or a canonical loss, the battle was no less devastating to the clones on the battlefield.
The Battle of Umbara
Following the assassination of their representative in the Galactic Senate, the governing body on Umbara formally announced their secession from the republic and their intentions to join the Separatist Alliance. The planet was deemed too valuable to lose, so in an effort to reclaim the system, the republic mounted an invasion. The opening battles of the conflict largely favored the invading forces. Local resistance was intense and the perpetual darkness that shrouded the planet gave them the homefield advantage. Despite this, the Republic was well on its way to victory before command of the ground forces was transferred to Jedi general Pong Krell.
A decorated war hero, Krell was notorious amongst the rank and file of the clone troopers that served under him. A rapid departure from the unorthodox methods of the previous general, Anakin Skywalker, Krell favored a direct approach to combat. Heedless of the loses his tactics accrued, Krell would continuously send his troops directly at the enemy until victory was achieved. If not for the intervention of clone captain Rex, the 501st legion likely would have lost all of their men. It was later revealed that Krell was a traitor, and his suicidal tactics were intentionally done to win the approval of Count Dooku in the hopes of becoming his new apprentice.
The Battle of Anaxes
Among the battles that took place in the final year of the Clone Wars, the Battle of Anaxes was among the most taxing to the army of the Republic. Though technically part of the Core Worlds, Anaxes was among the planets in the Outer Rim Sieges, as it served as a supply line to the Republic war effort. It was a pitched battle, with the republic nearly suffering a devastating loss of its shipyard. As the battle raged it seemed as though the separatists had somehow managed to see through every strategy the republic employed on the battlefield.
At the behest of clone captain Rex, a reconnaissance team, Clone Force 99, was sent to ascertain the source of the confederacy’s intel. They soon discovered the separatists had imprisoned the ARC Trooper Echo and had probed his brain for his insight into the republic’s tactics. The strike team rescued Echo, and with his help they turned the separatists most valuable asset against them. This would go on to win them the war, but not before mounting a distressing number of casualties. If not for his rescue and subsequent intervention, Echo’s unwilling aid could have spelled defeat for the Republic in the battle.
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Written By Micah Mitchells
Syndicated From Culture Slate