Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga - Databank Civilizations

This guide contains the History of the Civilizations contained in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds. From Star Wars Episodes 1, 2, 4, 5 & 6.

1. Confederacy of Independent Systems

The Confederacy of Independent Systems is a collection of thousands of systems
and corporate entities united by former Jedi Master Count Dooku against the
rule of the Galactic Republic. Dooku, who had abandoned the Jedi Order around
thirty-two years before the Battle of Yavin, returned from his self-imposed
exile twenty-four years before the Battle of Yavin to begin organizing groups
that opposed the Galactic Republic, which he viewed as corrupt and ineffective.
After quickly gathering thousands of systems to his cause, Dooku began
negotiating with various corporations, such as the Trade Federation, in the
hopes of using their private armies to bolster the secessionists’ military
might.

In just two years, Dooku had built a powerful secessionist movement backed by
the financial support; both privately and publicly; of many powerful
institutions, including the Corporate Alliance, InterGalactic Banking Clan,
Commerce Guild, Trade Federation, and Techno Union. Twenty-two years before the
Battle of Yavin, Dooku held a meeting between leaders of these groups on
Geonosis, where they officially founded the Confederacy of Independent Systems
and began mobilizing a massive droid army. This meeting was interrupted by the
appearance of Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, his apprentice Anakin Skywalker, and Senator
Padmé Amidala, all of whom were captured by the Geonosians and sentenced to
death by Count Dooku.

But just as the three traitors were about to be executed, Mace Windu led one
hundred Jedi into the Geonosis Arena in a daring rescue mission. Dooku gave the
order to kill the Jedi, and his military secession from the Republic truly
began. Just as the Jedi were on the brink of total defeat, the clone army of
the Republic arrived and engaged the surprised CIS forces. The secessionists
were quickly scattered and were ultimately ordered to retreat by Dooku himself.
This conflict became known as the Battle of Geonosis, which was the start of
the Clone Wars.

Though the first battle of the Clone Wars was a defeat for the Confederacy, it
was a victory for Count Dooku, who started the war with ulterior motives. He
was in fact working secretly for the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious. So
the mighty corporate powers and the numerous disgruntled systems of the
Galactic Republic were actually just tools, used by the Sith during the war to
weaken the Republic and destroy the Jedi.

2. Galactic Empire

For thousands of years, the Old Republic ruled the galaxy, attempting to bring
together hundreds of star systems under a democratic rule. Unfortunately, the
massive Republic became bloated and corrupt over time, leading to discontent
and suspicion among its subjects. Unable to maintain control in the galaxy, the
Republic found itself at odds with the massive Trade Federation and other
groups. Capitalizing on this discord and conflict, Emperor Palpatine rose to
power. He took complete control of the government and instituted the so-called
New Order, under the pretense of ending the Old Republic's corruption. However,
his true agenda focused on total domination of the galaxy. Under Palpatine's
rule, the Old Republic was transformed into the Empire, a tyrannical and
oppressive government that attempted to enforce order and loyalty through force
and fear. Alien races were eradicated or enslaved, entire industries and star
systems were nationalized, and terror became a way of life. Slavery was rampant
throughout the Empire, and social injustice flourished. Even the Jedi Knights,
the last beacon of light in a rapidly darkening galaxy, were pursued and
murdered during this dark time.

To further solidify his position, Palpatine surrounded himself with powerful
minions, including the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader. Eventually,
Palpatine even abolished the Imperial Senate, allowing his loyal Moffs to rule
portions of his domain as regional governors. Imperial stormtroopers, anonymous
soldiers totally loyal to the Emperor, became his shock troops and enforcers on
rebellious worlds. Entire systems were frightened into compliance by the
massive Star Destroyers, Super Star Destroyers, and orbital battle stations
produced by Imperial forces. Most terrifying were the Death Stars, mobile
superweapons capable of destroying entire planets.

The Empire began to falter at the Battle of Yavin, when the Alliance forces
managed to destroy the first Death Star. Imperial forces enjoyed a brief
revenge at the Battle of Hoth, but the combined might of the Rebels brought an
end to Palpatine and his government at the Battle of Endor.

Unfortunately, small remnants of the Empire remained scattered throughout the
stars. Five years after the Battle of Endor, Grand Admiral Thrawn gathered
these forces for an assault on the New Republic. He failed, but a year later,
the reborn Emperor threatened galactic peace. Again, the villain was defeated,
but the last factions of the Empire remain a constant danger in the age of the
New Republic.

3. Galactic Republic/Old Republic

A democratic union of millions of star systems that lasted for more than 25,000
years, the Galactic Republic spread peace and prosperity throughout the known
galaxy. However as time passed and the Republic’s size grew, it eventually
became too unwieldy for the Senate to oversee and the Jedi Order to protect.
Corruption spread wildly, weakening the Senate and causing dissent among many
systems and corporate interests.

Thirty-two years before the Battle of Yavin, the first signs of the Senate’s
ineffectiveness surfaced when it proved unable to protect peaceful Naboo from
the Trade Federation. The corporation blockaded the planet, followed soon after
by a full-scale invasion of the pastoral world. During the subsequent political
maneuverings, Supreme Chancellor Valorum was quickly ousted, and replaced by
Senator Palpatine from Naboo. Despite Palpatine’s leadership, over the next
decade Senators became more and more corrupt and in response, the Confederacy
of Independent Systems was born. The ranks of the CIS quickly grew, causing the
Senate to endlessly debate the idea of forming an army to protect those systems
that remained loyal to the Republic.

But it wasn’t until Senate Representative Jar Jar Binks from Naboo put forward
a motion to give Supreme Chancellor Palpatine emergency powers that the first
army of the Republic was organized. Led by Jedi Master Yoda, the clone army of
the Republic descended into an arena on Geonosis to save the last surviving
members of a Jedi strike force led by Mace Windu, thus starting the Clone Wars.

In the turbulent years following the Clone Wars, the Galactic Senate lost a
great deal of power to the Supreme Chancellor’s office, paving the way for the
eventual rise of the Emperor. Under the Emperor’s rule, the Republic became the
Galactic Empire, an oppressive government designed to rule the galaxy through
fear. Although the Senate remained in place for some time after the Emperor’s
ascent to power, it was eventually disbanded shortly before the Battle of
Yavin. Following the Empire’s defeat at the Battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance
founded the New Republic in an attempt to recapture the ideals of the galaxy’s
original ruling body; since that time, the former Galactic Republic has become
more generally known as the “Old Republic.”

4-1. Gungans 1-2

The original inhabitants of Naboo, the Gungans are a secretive species found in
the thick swamps of their homeworld. An amphibious species with flexible,
cartilaginous skeletons, Gungans are generally adept warriors and skilled
artisans. They place great emphasis on personal responsibility, loyalty, and
courage.

Gungans have several distinct races. Boss Nass, for example, is an Ankura
Gungan, while Jar Jar Binks is an Otolla Gungan. Long before the Battle of
Naboo, the rare and ancient Ankuran lineage allied with the Otollans, who had
constructed Otoh Gunga. Although the Ankura Gungans, such as Boss Nass, have
unique features, most Gungans are tall and lanky. They have long, muscular
tongues, partially retractable eyestalks, and four-fingered hands. Their large,
strong teeth are designed for crushing tough shellfish, which form a staple of
the Gungan diet. Two long earlobes, known as "haillu," are used for displays of
aggression, friendship, and fear. The amphibious Gungans have nostrils that
seal when they enter the water and nictating membranes covering their eyes.
They also boast compound lungs, allowing them to breathe both air and water,
along with well-padded kneecaps and powerful calves and legs for increased
swimming speed. However, because they are so well-adapted to their watery
environment, their skin dries easily in hot and arid climes. A Gungan's
skeleton is composed of resilient hard cartilage, which is far more flexible
than bone and allows for a wide range of physical movements. Standard family
units consist of a mother, father, and several children, which hatch from eggs.

Gungan settlements can be found throughout the Naboo swamps, although many are
constructed underwater in large lakes or bayous. Outside of the sprawling Otoh
Gunga, Gungans live in a variety of settlements, all united by treaties and
agreements. Because of their long isolation, they are suspicious of the Naboo,
who have a much different culture. Although traders on the fringe of Gungan
society interact with the Naboo, many Gungans have never encountered humans.

The Gungans worship a pantheon of deities, many of which preside over nature.
According to Gungan mythology, these gods live in Ossorus, a beautiful
underwater city protected by enchanted sando aqua monsters and giant Gungan
warriors astride their loyal kaadu. The principal Gungan deity is Oma-Oma, who
is revered in legends as the creator of all life on Naboo.

Often considered primitive by outsiders, the Gungans have actually achieved a
level of technology that far outstrips many other cultures. Gungan technology
is founded on the use of organic materials and they "grow" many of their
vehicles, weapons, tools, and even structures. Almost everything the Gungans
manufacture is hand-crafted to some extent, so that no two bongos look alike.

It is believed that the Gungans first mobilized for war when threatened by the
semi-intelligent bursas, monstrous creatures that attacked Gungan settlements
on a regular basis, long before the Naboo arrived. The Gungans assembled a
"grand army" to meet this threat, eventually driving the bursas into
extinction. Later wars were fought between various Gungan tribes led by
power-hungry warlords. The most notorious Gungan warlord was Rogoe, who was
ultimately defeated by Gallo. With the defeat of Rogoe, Gallo was able to unite
all of the Gungan tribes, becoming the first true "Boss."

Because the Naboo are entirely peaceful, the Gungans now have no real enemies.
However, they maintain a large army for protection against large predators and
out of tradition. The army utilizes several weapons based on the strange,
Gungan energy balls. The energy balls, which are composed of electrified goo
encased in an organic membrane, can be launched from Gungan catapults, atlatls,
and cestas.

The Gungan Grand Army is the species' primary fighting force. Composed of
soldiers from all of the Gungan settlements on Naboo, the Grand Army can only
be rallied by the reigning Boss. In battle, several well-trained generals
command their own groups of soldiers.

The majority of the Gungan Grand Army's troops are militiagungs, or part-time
soldiers. They are relatively inexperienced, but fight with conviction and
courage. Because the Grand Army is only loosely organized, the militiagungs
supply their own gear and clothing. They are trained to use cestas and atlatls
to hurl energy balls at the enemy, and they can defend themselves with personal
shields. The cavalry units sit astride trained kaadu. On the battlefield and
during maneuvers, the Grand Army's generals use horns, whistles, and gestures
to convey orders and commands. Although certainly assembled to fight, most of
the Grand Army's fantastic technology revolves around defending the troops. The
army utilizes large shield generators, mounted on fambaas, which combine to
protect several legions from blaster fire and heavy artillery.

The Gungan Grand Army had not been called to battle for almost 100 years when
the Trade Federation decided to invade Naboo. After forming an alliance with
Queen Amidala, Boss Nass agreed to organize the army to help the humans battle
the droid forces. However, the conflict posed a major threat to the Gungans:
When Queen Amidala warned Boss Nass that many Gungans could die during the
battle against the Trade Federation, she was not underestimating the Gungan
Grand Army. Rather, the Queen realized that the Gungans would need to place
themselves in harm's way in order to create a convincing diversion. With its
advanced technology, expendable droid troops, and staggering firepower, the
Trade Federation should have overwhelmed the Gungan diversionary force on an
open battlefield. That the Gungans were able to resist capture for quite some
time is a testament to their prowess.

As many Gungan generals are quick to point out, the Battle of Naboo is not
typical of Gungan tactics. Very few Gungan commanders would have attacked the
Trade Federation forces head-on. In fact, before Queen Amidala arrived to plead
for a Naboo-Gungan alliance, leaders like General Ceel and Captain Tarpals
were already planning retribution for the Trade Federation's attack on Otoh
Gunga. According to their schemes, the Gungans would start a campaign of
guerrilla warfare, launching hit-and-run strikes on Trade Federation forces and
then vanishing into the swamps. These plans were scuttled when Boss Nass agreed
to provide the Queen with a significant diversion.

In order to attract the Trade Federation's attention, Nass called upon all
available members of the Gungan Grand Army. Two thousand soldiers came from
every Gungan village and city, with only a few militiagungs remaining behind to
protect Gungan territory should the Queen's plan fail. Nass also rolled out
heavy Gungan catapults, which he hoped would stall approaching Trade Federation
forces, and authorized the deployment of the large Gungan shield generators.
With the Grand Gungan Army assembled, Boss Nass ordered a steady march toward
Theed.

General Ceel planned to position much of the army atop Shaak Ridge , a row of
hills south of Theed and north of the Gallo Mountains. From this tactical high
ground, Ceel hoped to decimate enemy vehicles with the army's catapults and
take out advance troops using squads of trained atlatl and cesta snipers.
Unfortunately, the Trade Federation reacted more quickly to the approaching
army than the Gungans had anticipated. When the Gungan army entered the valley
of the Great Grass Plains, Ceel's scouts spotted a mile-long line of Trade
Federation AATs advancing over the hills. The general ordered an early halt.
Although remaining in the valley meant that the catapults would have reduced
effectiveness, Ceel knew that the Gungans' proximity to the swamps would at
least allow for a quick retreat .

4-2. Gungans 2-2

In fact, the Trade Federation had planned to pin the Gungans in the valley. Led
by OOM-9, the droid army moved quickly from Theed with the express purpose of
capturing Shaak Ridge. Once AATs and support MTTs secured the Ridge, the main
body of the army prepared to descend into the Great Grass Plains valley.
Meanwhile, additional Trade Federation forces attempted to flank the Gungans
from the east and west. OOM-9 calculated that the flanking maneuvers would wipe
out the Gungans. Fortunately, the pirate Nym and the mercenary Vana Sage routed
one flanking group, while a unit of RSF resistance soldiers under the
leadership of Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes destroyed the other.

Once the Trade Federation army neared, the Gungans made every effort to keep
the attackers at bay. At General Ceel's command, Captain Tarpals ordered the
activation of the Gungan energy shields, which protected the Grand Army from
AAT attacks. When it became obvious that the AATs could not penetrate the
shields, OOM-9 pulled the tanks out of catapult range and deployed his foot
soldiers. Arranged into units of fifty-six, the battle droids emerged from the
MTTs and advanced on the shields. Behind the battle droids, AATs, droidekas,
and reserve transports crept closer.

The moment the droids passed through the shield bubble, General Ceel launched a
counterattack. Using cestas and atlatls, the Gungans disabled wave after wave
of battle droids. Unfortunately, the Trade Federation forces concentrated their
fire on the shield generators, eventually destroying the Gungan equipment and
disabling the shields. OOM-9 pushed his AATs forward to finish the Gungan Grand
Army.

While catapults slowed the AATs, the militiagungs clashed with the battle
droids in close-quarters combat. Wielding their cestas as staffs and their
atlatls as clubs, the Gungans clobbered dozens of droids. But General Ceel
quickly realized that the battle had been lost. The advancing AATs would soon
bear down on the Gungans, and the dangerous droidekas had already claimed many
lives. Ceel reluctantly ordered a full retreat. Gungan cavalry mounted on kaadu
rescued the wounded, while the most courageous Gungans stood their ground to
provide others time to escape. Amid the chaos, the Gungans managed to destroy a
few additional AATs, but these victories came too late.

OOM-9 assumed that his flanking forces would stop any retreat, but these
smaller armies never arrived and over half of the Gungan Grand Army managed to
reach the swamps. Battle droids and droidekas surrounded the remaining Gungans,
including General Ceel, Captain Tarpals, and General Binks. By this point, the
Grand Army's command structure had completely collapsed. While some Gungans
realized that surrender was their only option, others braced themselves for a
final fight. In the end, neither would be necessary: Just as the Trade
Federation closed around the last of the Gungans, and PK units scoured the
battlefield to recover blaster rifles and droid parts, Anakin Skywalker
destroyed the Droid Control Ship. Without the ship's signal, OOM-9 and the rest
of the battle droid army became inert.

Although Boss Nass and General Ceel would not call the Great Grass Plains
Battle a stirring victory, all Gungans are proud of the Army's efforts on the
battlefield. Five hundred and forty-three Gungans lost their lives, but the
"distraction" ultimately led to the liberation of Naboo.

Since the Battle of Naboo, the Gungans have become a much more open society.
They now interact with the Naboo and are even beginning to become involved in
matters outside of their homeworld. Under Boss Nass' leadership, the Gungans
have also reached the stars and colonized the Naboo moon of Ohma-D'un.

5. Rebal Alliance/New Republic

Founded in the early days of Emperor Palpatine's rule, the Rebel Alliance (more
properly known as the Alliance to Restore the Republic) was a small band of
idealistic and heroic soldiers who joined together to oppose the Empire's
tyranny and ultimately bring peace and freedom to the galaxy.

The resistance movement against the Empire can trace its roots to the Imperial
Senate, where a handful of politicians began plotting in secret to topple
Palpatine's rule. Eventually, Palpatine exposed these "rebels" and launched a
campaign of terror against them. Many dissidents were arrested or murdered, but
Senators Mon Mothma and Garm Bel Iblis, both influential and vocal opponents of
the Emperor's "New Order," managed to escape. They disappeared into hiding,
only resurfacing briefly to meet with Senator Bail Organa on Corellia. At the
clandestine meeting, the trio agreed that only an armed insurrection could stop
Palpatine. Soon after, Mothma drafted the Declaration to Restore the Republic,
which officially founded the Alliance.

Garm Bel Iblis and Mon Mothma began actively recruiting individuals, planets,
and even entire systems for the Rebellion. The Rebels were joined by hundreds
of pilots, soldiers, technicians, and officers who wished to see the Empire
fall. Meanwhile, Bail Organa and his daughter, Princess Leia Organa, covertly
aided the Alliance while maintaining their positions within the Senate.
Princess Leia eventually secured the plans to the Death Star, a dangerous
superweapon capable of vaporizing an entire planet. Darth Vader, the Emperor's
Sith apprentice, pursued and captured Leia, but the princess had already set
events in motion that would ensure the Death Star plans reached the Rebel
Alliance.

Charged with locating and crushing the Rebels, Vader interrogated Princess
Leia, to no avail. Grand Moff Tarkin, the mastermind behind the Death Star,
then threatened to destroy Leia's homeworld of Alderaan unless she revealed the
location of the Alliance's secret base. Princess Leia seemingly relented, but
Tarkin unleashed the Death Star anyway in order to test the battle station's
superlaser and engender fear in all who would oppose the Empire. Billions died
with Alderaan, including Bail Organa. This proved a serious setback to the
Alliance, as Organa was instrumental in mediating disagreements between the
militant Garm Bel Iblis and more subtle Mon Mothma. After Bail Organa's death,
a rift divided the two remaining leaders and Bel Iblis soon abandoned the
Alliance. In hindsight, however, the destruction of Alderaan may have also been
the Empire's greatest mistake for it galvanized the Rebels; previously
unaligned systems, now horrified at the Empire's wanton evil, flocked to join
the Alliance.

The first major conflict between the Alliance and Imperial forces occurred at
the Battle of Yavin. During the clash, Rebel pilot Luke Skywalker succeeded in
destroying the Death Star, killing Grand Moff Tarkin and many other Imperial
leaders in the process. The Empire would have its revenge three years later at
the Battle of Hoth, when a contingent of Imperial forces led by Darth Vader,
General Veers, and Admiral Piett invaded the ice planet Hoth and overtook the
Alliance's secret Echo Base. Numerous Alliance soldiers and pilots lost their
lives during the clash, but the bulk of the Alliance personnel managed to
escape.

A year after the Alliance's defeat on Hoth, the Alliance organized a massive
offensive in order to attack the Empire's new Death Star. As the Alliance fleet
massed near Sullust, a small strike team led by General Han Solo descended to
the forest moon of Endor to destroy the second Death Star's shield generator.
Although it was soon discovered that the Death Star attack was part of an
elaborate plan by the Emperor to ambush the Rebels, the timely intervention of
Endor's Ewoks and brilliant leadership ensured an Alliance victory. Palpatine
perished aboard the second Death Star and his death crippled the Empire. The
Rebel Alliance quickly evolved into the New Republic, the galaxy's current
ruling body.

During the height of the Galactic Civil War, the Rebel Alliance was composed of
several informal divisions that included pilots, technicians, and others who
aided the cause. Perhaps no other group sacrificed more for the Alliance than
its highly-trained infantry, who fought bravely against impossible odds and in
every conceivable terrain. Throughout the Civil War, the Alliance ground troops
were called upon to defend their fellow Rebels with only outdated artillery and
a handful of well-used BlasTech DH-17 blasters. Yet the Rebel infantry units
managed to strike major blows against the well-armed Imperial troops during
both the Battle of Hoth and the Battle of Endor.

The soldiers assigned to the Rebel infantry served a variety of functions
during the Galactic Civil War. First and foremost, they were stationed at every
Rebel base as a last line of protection against invading Imperials. On Hoth,
for example, they established defensive trenches equipped with Golan Arms DF.9
anti-infantry batteries and Atgar 1.4 FD P-Tower antivehicle artillery units to
stall an onslaught of AT-ATs and other Imperial forces. Rebel infantry members
also served aboard some Rebel starships to protect important crew members. In
some instances, they were assigned patrol, scout, and sentry duties. The most
skilled Rebel troops became elite commandos. Under the leadership of General
Crix Madine, these commandos attacked sensitive Imperial installations to
further the Alliance's cause.

6. Royal Naboo

Heralded as one of the galaxy's most enlightened human cultures, the Naboo
built their great civilization from humble beginnings. Over the centuries, the
Naboo have evolved from simple colonists to artists, scholars, and inventors.

The Naboo's history begins about 3,950 BBY , on the planet Grizmallt, with the
rise of Queen Elsinoré den Tasia. To begin her reign, Tasia introduced a new
age of exploration and colonization. Under her rule, Grizmallt spent the next
several decades launching hundreds of expeditions into the wilds of space. Most
of these missions failed, the colony ships destroyed or lost as they searched
for habitable worlds far beyond the known hyperlanes. In the final days of her
life, Queen Tasia personally sponsored the last such expedition. With the
blessing of a famous Jedi Master, the colony ship Beneficent Tasia and its
support starships, Constant and Mother Vima, left Grizmallt in search of
fortune and glory. The expedition targeted the galaxy's dangerous southern
quadrant, then home to a handful of settlements. On Grizmallt, Queen Tasia's
dying wish was that this last expedition would find a home deep within
undiscovered space. Shortly after she perished, however, the Beneficent Tasia
also went silent.

The inhabitants of Grizmallt assumed that the Beneficent Tasia had been lost,
but the starship did, in fact, survive the many hazards of unknown space.
Although severely damaged and unable to contact Grizmallt, the expedition
eventually reached Naboo's orbit. As if guided by Tasia's last wish, the
settlers discovered that Naboo was a pastoral, peaceful world rich in natural
resources and quite capable of supporting human life. In approximately 3,900
BBY, the Grizmallt colonists officially landed on Naboo.

Within weeks of their arrival, the settlers encountered the Gungans, the
planet's native sentient species. Although immediately distrustful of one
another, neither species attacked the other, and the humans were allowed to
establish their first settlement without incident. Over the next several
decades, the settlers slowly spread across the planet's largest landmass,
building cities and villages to support their growing numbers. The human
colonists kept to the grassy plains and ocean coastlines, only occasionally
treading into Gungan territory. Despite this, tension between the humans (who
had now taken to calling themselves the Naboo after their new homeworld) and
the Gungans remained strong.

Life on Naboo did not prove particularly difficult and the colonists soon found
that they had a great deal of time for the arts and sciences. They established
an electoral monarchy, built beautiful cities such as Theed, and maintained a
peaceful culture that advocates education, the arts, ecology, and scientific
achievement. The planet is a respected member of the Republic and its leaders
are viewed as well-educated and socially adept.

The Naboo are rigid pacifists. As a result, conflicts between Naboo communities
and with the Gungans are non-existent. And, while the Naboo research and invent
a wide range of new technology, this rarely extends into weapons of war. The
Naboo recognize the need to defend themselves, but most combat vehicles and
weapons have been imported from other systems; the Naboo then modify this
equipment to suit their needs and protect the environment.

Unfortunately, although generally well-educated, the Naboo are somewhat naïve
and consider their comfortable way of life as a birthright. In addition, many
Naboo once viewed the planet's other sentient species, the Gungans, with some
suspicion and prejudice. Specifically, the Naboo believed that the Gungans are
barbaric and less intelligent because they maintain a warlike culture.
Fortunately, most of these prejudices dissolved when Queen Amidala and Boss
Nass brought the two species together during the Battle of Naboo.

While the Naboo were not nearly as active in the Republic as other systems,
they did maintain a presence in the Senate before the rise of the Empire. In 52
BBY , the Naboo elected Senator Palpatine to the Galactic Senate; in time, he
would become Supreme Chancellor and one of the most powerful men in the galaxy.

Naboo and its populace were thrust into the galactic consciousness in 32 BBY
when war erupted with the Trade Federation. Angry over the Republic's new
policy to tax the Free Trade Routes, the Trade Federation singled out peaceful
Naboo, Palpatine's homeworld, for a devastating blockade. Under the leadership
of Nute Gunray and Rune Haako, the Trade Federation held Naboo captive, finally
launching a full-scale invasion of the planet. The Naboo were ill-equipped to
defend themselves against such an attack, although several resistance groups
did emerge to fight the Trade Federation forces.

Despite the efforts of the Royal Security Forces, the Trade Federation easily
captured the capital city of Theed. However, Gunray could not imprison Queen
Amidala, who was rescued by Jedi and taken to Coruscant. Appearing before the
Galactic Senate, Amidala called a Vote of No Confidence in Supreme Chancellor
Finis Valorum; soon after, Valorum was deposed and Palpatine was elected in his
place.

Amidala returned to Naboo with a powerful entourage that included the Jedi
Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi; a former slave named Anakin Skywalker; Jar Jar
Binks, a Gungan outcast; the Queen's loyal handmaidens; and Captain Panaka,
Amidala's faithful and courageous personal bodyguard. With Jar Jar's help,
Amidala found the Gungans and forged a peace with their ruler Boss Nass. Under
Nass' leadership, the Gungan Grand Army marched against the Trade Federation
while the Queen's Royal Security Forces launched a raid on Theed. Amidala
herself captured Nute Gunray, while the Space Fighter Corps attacked the Trade
Federation's Droid Control Ship. Skywalker struck the final blow, destroying
the Droid Control Ship. The planet was finally free, and the Naboo and Gungans
had, at last, forged a powerful alliance.

Even after their war with the Trade Federation, the Naboo remain pacifists.
They maintain only a small army of volunteer soldiers known as the Royal
Security Forces. The RSF includes the Space Fighter Corps that employs sleek
N-1 starfighters as their vehicle of choice. The RSF's Security Guard is
largely responsible for keeping the peace in major cities, such as Theed, while
the Palace Guard is charged with protecting the King or Queen and the royal
court. During combat situations or emergencies, RSF ground forces deploy a
small cadre of vehicles, including the Gian and Flash speeders.

7. Trade Federation

Founded three hundred and fifty years before the Battle of Yavin, the Trade
Federation was originally intended to represent merchants and traders
throughout the galaxy. However, over time, it became one of the most powerful
forces in the galaxy and a dangerous threat to peace and freedom.

Composed of officials from numerous systems, the Trade Federation was always
considered greedy and immoral. Using its ever-increasing wealth, the
organization focused on seizing major trade routes, knowing that ownership of
these spacelanes gave the Trade Federation tremendous political and economic
power. By fourty years before the Battle of Yavin, the Trade Federation
effectively controlled every known Old Republic trade route and hundreds of
dependent systems.

Thirty-two years before the Battle of Yavin, at the urging of Senator Palpatine
of Naboo, Supreme Chancellor Valorum began a campaign to diminish the Trade
Federation's power. As a result, the Galactic Senate passed Resolution BR-0371,
a seemingly innocuous law that imposed a tariff on all major hyperspace trading
routes throughout the Outer and Mid Rims. The resolution was a resounding
success because all income from the taxation of the so-called "Free Trade
Zones" would be used for relief and development of the outlying systems. But
because the Trade Federation dominated the Free Trade Zones, the corporation
was the hardest hit by the new legislation. In the months after the
resolution's passage, the Trade Federation's profits decreased dramatically.

The Trade Federation responded immediately to the threat of BR-0371. While the
Trade Federation Senator Lott Dod argued vehemently against taxation, the
corporation's Executive Board began planning a bold counterstrike. Under the
leadership of Viceroy Nute Gunray and his lieutenant Rune Haako, the Trade
Federation began constructing a massive secret army. Striking deals with
Baktoid Armor Workshop, Haor Chall Engineering, and even the Colicoid Creation
Nest, the Trade Federation stocked its cargo vessels with powerful battle
tanks, deadly droid starfighters, hordes of battle droids, and menacing
droidekas. After testing this army on Lok and other Outer Rim worlds, the Trade
Federation prepared for war.

Six months after the passage of BR-0371, the Trade Federation struck at Naboo,
Senator Palpatine's homeworld. On Gunray's orders, a fleet of Trade Federation
battleships created a blockade around the peaceful world to prevent the import
and export of goods. The blockade lasted several weeks and the Naboo's plight
became desperate as necessary supplies dwindled. When the Senate still refused
to overturn BR-0371, the Trade Federation finally unleashed its secret army and
invaded Naboo. Gunray planned to capture the capital city of Theed and force
Queen Amidala to sign a treaty granting the Trade Federation ownership of the
planet.

Gunray's plan fell apart when the Jedi Knights intervened in the crisis and
rescued Amidala. Soon after, the Battle of Naboo erupted, pitting the Trade
Federation against the combined might of the Gungan Grand Army and the Naboo
Royal Security Forces. While the Gungans distracted the Trade Federation Army,
the Queen and her loyal RSF soldiers recaptured Theed. In the chaos, Naboo's
Bravo Flight managed to launch an attack on the Trade Federation's vital Droid
Control Ship. Anakin Skywalker destroyed the DCS, rendering the Trade
Federation's army harmless. Nute Gunray, the overseer of the invasion, was
taken into custody, but avoided any serious punishment and soon returned to his
prominent role within the organization.

In the years following the Battle of Naboo, the Trade Federation remained a
formidable power in the galaxy. Although most of its initial army had been
dismantled, the Trade Federation quickly formed new alliances and began
rebuilding its military might. At one point, the Trade Federation even formed
an elite assassination corps in a failed attempt to exact revenge on the Jedi.
Twenty-nine years before the Battle of Yavin, the Old Republic ordered the
Trade Federation to disband its military, but the corporation never fully
complied with this directive and maintained a secret army.

When the Confederacy of Independent Systems was formed twenty years before the
Battle of Yavin, the Trade Federation found a suitable place to align
themselves with others who opposed the rulings of the Galactic Senate. Using
Nute Gunray’s hatred for Queen Amidala of Naboo, the cunning CIS leader Count
Dooku lured the Trade Federation into joining the secessionists by promising
the assassination of Amidala, now serving as a Senator. Although they had not
yet publicly supported the CIS because the assassination attempts had failed,
the Trade Federation leaders and a considerable portion of its military forces
where present on Geonosis during the first battle of the Clone Wars. Now the
secret hand of the Trade Federation had been revealed and it had no alternative
but to join the CIS in the burgeoning war efforts against the Republic.

8. Wookies

One of the most respected; and feared; species in the galaxy, Wookiees are
towering, fur-covered humanoids native to Kashyyyk. Well-known for their
strength and bestial fits of rage, Wookiees are also intelligent, loyal, and
trusting. Among the species, bravery and honor are considered paramount.

Kashyyyk, the Wookiee homeworld, is a lush planet covered in trees. The
Wookiees occupy the upper reaches of these vast forests, building their homes
high atop the branches of towering wroshyr trees. Most Wookiee cities consist
of hundreds of huts connected by wooden platforms, bridges, and ropes. However,
while Wookiees may appear primitive, they are actually quite comfortable with
technology and can easily learn to pilot starships, repair machines, and wield
advanced weaponry.

An average Wookiee grows to more than two meters tall and lives several times
the lifetime of a human. Aside from their great strength and keen senses, they
possess regenerative powers and can recover from serious wounds within days.
They also have retractable claws, although these are used only for climbing
trees and are never exposed during combat.

Wookiees speak Shyriiwook, a language consisting of grunts, growls, roars,
hoots, and screeches. They can understand other languages, but have limited
vocal capability and can only speak their own tongue.

The Wookiee species is psychologically stable and has a deep connection to
nature. They love their homeworld and have a deep affinity for animals, plants,
and other components of the natural world. Wookiees can also be strongly
attuned to the Force.

Wookiees place great value on morality, courage, compassion, and loyalty. Very
few Wookiees willingly betray their friends or families, although Vargi,
Chewbacca's brother-in-law, once aided a group of slavers trying to enslave the
denizens of Kashyyyk. Typical of their beliefs is the Wookiee life debt, an
oath of fealty extended to anyone who saves the life of a Wookiee. When
Chewbacca was rescued from slavers by Han Solo, he extended this oath to his
savior and has risked his own life countless times to protect his friend.
Finally, Wookiees feel that they are honored by their own deeds, and thus they
do not care for medals or other material symbols of bravery or achievement.

Although not necessarily warlike, Wookiees can be fierce warriors and deadly
opponents, especially when angered or threatened. Kashyyyk does not have a
standing army, but Wookiees will rally to protect one another, and families
often join forces to repel various threats, including Trandoshan slavers.
Legendary are the stories of the Wookiee berserkers, who are capable of
single-handedly defeating a legion of Imperial stomtroopers or a cadre of
highly-paid mercenaries. While Wookiees are capable of producing and using and
wide range of weapons, they generally prefer to carry hand-crafted bowcasters
or ryyk blades into battle.

Unfortunately, the Wookiees' fabled strength became a commodity during the
Galactic Civil War. The Empire, hoping to use the Wookiees for slave labor,
tried to imprison the entire planet. Working with Tradoshan slavers, the Empire
captured thousands of Wookiees. Those Wookiees who escaped the Imperial slave
pens managed to form a resistance movement and launched several effective
counter attacks, ensuring that the Empire never took complete control of the
planet.

Throughout the Galactic Civil War, Wookiee innovation and desperation led the
species to invent several new weapons of war to combat the Imperial threat. As
with many other aspects of their technology, the Wookiees combined materials
from their natural surroundings with advanced technology to produce a number of
effective "deterrents," including catapults and battering rams. Mounted troops,
skilled assault soldiers, and the brave Wookiee berserkers continually
attacked Imperial installations on Kashyyyk, chased away slavers, and fought
valiantly to free their imprisoned brethren.

When the Rebel Alliance finally defeated the Empire, Kashyyyk, long a member
world of the Old Republic, became an important addition to the New Republic.