Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 167-169 - Strategic Direction (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

“There are five highly probable directions of attack,” the Supreme Commander snapped his fingers, and the galactic projection zoomed in. “First, and most likely, is the new territory theater of war. The Republic’s Eighth Sector Army recently captured Dantoin. Their supply lines are secure, and their morale is high.”

The General Staff assessed that their next objective was most likely to be to encircle and capture Mijito, and then advance eastward, aiming for Agamal.

Agamal, the capital of the Lahara Sector.

It's easy to imagine that Congresswoman Tereker Bremark would be furious if she knew her constituency was about to become a battleground.

"The second front is in Peremian." Tann's finger moved eastward, pointing towards the Confederate core industrial region. "Intelligence indicates that the Republic is unlikely to launch a new offensive in this area in the near future, as its fleet is showing signs of fatigue from continuous combat."

Conversely, the Second Main Fleet, commanded by Admiral Trench, will seek an opportunity to liberate the star systems we have lost in this region.

The third front, which is less likely, is Yugoslavia, where we are located.

Our allies from Enberon, the Mistriel Shadow Guard, recently successfully drove the Republic's army out of Nansri and encircled the main force of the Republic's Fourth Sector Army at Atahox and Miban.

Note: Mistriel is a female warrior organization in the Star Wars Legends universe.

"The fourth front, with the highest risk factor, is the region along the Corellian trade route."

The projection quickly shifted, focusing on the densely populated and industrially developed planetary chain in the central area, extending from Arantorn to Christophersis.

"As you all know, our victory in Christophersis at the beginning of the war dealt a heavy blow to the Republic's ambition to seize this route, but it did not stop them from taking over the key shipyard in the Arantern system."

The General Staff anticipates that the Republic's 16th Sector Army intends to advance along the flight path into the expansion area, with the ultimate goal of controlling the entire '77th Sector.'

The Seventy-Seventh Sector is a network of seventy-seven important subsystems that the Corellian trade route traverses through the expansion region, extending from Arantern-VI and Tinner to Baclana and Thales in the south.

If the Tion Cluster and the area surrounding Peremian are the industrial heart of the Confederation, then Sector 77 and the Corellian Route are the Confederation's indispensable commercial lifeline.

For this reason, the Confederation invested heavily in connecting the two regions.

Cutting off this lifeline has always been one of the core strategic objectives of the Republic's Great Republic Army.

With the effective containment of Emberon's forces on the South Sri front, the Great Republic appears to have shifted its main offensive focus.

"The last front, the Rimma trade route."

The Supreme Commander turned his gaze to the south of the star map.

"The Southern Group forces, under the command of Commander Ventress, recently carried out a devastating attack on the main shipbuilding facilities of Eliadur, severely weakening the long-term war potential of the Seswinner Sector."

Tann raised his head, his voice heavy, “However, we have also suffered a series of setbacks in this direction, against the Republic’s 20th and 18th Sector armies, the core of which is the force led by Jedi General Rhys Alrix.”

“Ventress? Isn’t she also a pawn that Dooku planted in the army?” Rael Hathor asked with disdain.

“She is far from an ordinary pawn,” Diderich Greshad added in a low voice, “She is said to be one of the core members of the so-called ‘New Jedi Order’ that Dooku secretly formed.”

“If all the Jedi veterans were as skilled in battle as General Aleks,” Hogo Schiff commented in a low voice, “their fighting prowess would indeed be formidable.” “But the Republic has also paid a heavy price,” Trench’s jaw clicked slightly, signaling for silence. “According to reliable intelligence, at the beginning of their ‘Hundred Days Offensive,’ the Republic amassed approximately eight hundred capital ships along the Rimma trade route. Our ‘defense in depth’ strategy, through a series of attrition warfare, has successfully reduced their available forces to a little over one hundred and thirty ships, who are currently mainly entrenched in the star system near Salust and Eliadu.”

"A casualty rate of over 80 percent..." Major General Mele's voice was a mixture of disbelief and a hint of professional admiration. "A rational commander would have chosen to withdraw before the casualties reached such a horrifying level."

"The key figure holding this battered Republic fleet together is their Jedi commander," Tann nodded in agreement. "General Alrix's 'talent' for turning the tide of battle and securing victory from extreme disadvantages has made her almost legendary in the eyes of her troops and even the people of the Republic's core world. Now, with only about a hundred warships besieging Salust and the Eighteenth Sector Army continuing to nibble away at the Seswinner Sector, there is no better time than now to shatter this myth."

From the moment the Supreme Commander's gaze finally and clearly fell upon him, Rein had a premonition of the answer.

As expected, Trench used his signature metal scepter to precisely point at a holographic marker floating above the South Sri Lanka system:
28th Mobile Fleet.

"This is the core deployment of 'Operation Stormgate'," the Hatch admiral solemnly stated. "In the direction of the new territory, the First Fleet will establish a solid forward defensive position in Agamall to resolutely block the Republic's advance towards the Serranon branch. At the same time, the Third Fleet, which is currently being formed, will take on the heavy responsibility of protecting the Corellian Seaway, relying on Novokov and Drukenwell to construct a defensive line."

“The scale of the operation is quite large,” Ryan noted thoughtfully. “Can we be sure the Republic hasn’t learned from the failure of Operation Trident? We successfully thwarted their raid on Katonemodia back then.”

“Such a large-scale mobilization of strategic reserves cannot be completely concealed,” Tann said, crossing his arms. “In fact, the Republic’s Supreme Command is likely to view Operation Trident as a tactical success to some extent, as they are increasingly investing resources in it.”

On one hand, their Seventh Army has set off from the northern territories to reinforce the Eighth Sector Army; the Second Army has also been fully mobilized and is advancing along the Correlia Channel toward its designated assembly point.

To fill the defense vacuum left by the transfer of the Seventh and Second Armies, the Republic even redeployed its core world homeland defense fleet to the colonial star sectors and the inner ring.

All signs point to a two-pronged offensive in the new territory and towards Corellia.

"With an out-of-control fleet still wreaking havoc in the star system near Coruscant, how dare they leave the core world so empty? What are the Republic's decision-makers thinking?!" In shock, Renn almost jumped out of his seat.

“If this doesn’t prove that the Republic’s top brass is overconfident to the point of arrogance,” Vinok said thoughtfully, stroking his chin, “then I’m afraid we can’t find a more fitting example.”

“Or perhaps, in the next few weeks, we will witness a fundamental reversal of the situation,” Greshad suggested cautiously.

Tann waited quietly until all eyes were on her again before speaking: "In any case, we will wait for the Republic to commit its main forces to the aforementioned offensive."

At that time, the second phase of Operation Stormgate will officially begin.

Admiral Trench's Second Fleet will launch a full-scale counterattack aimed at retaking the system we lost in Peremian.

Meanwhile, the Fourth Fleet will carry out the same counter-offensive mission along the Rimma trade route.

“Let me ask a question—” Diederich drawled.

"Brigadier General, please speak."

"Have the commanders of the Third and Fourth Fleets been selected?"

"The Third and Fourth Fleets are still in the process of being formed," the Supreme Commander replied decisively. "Once they are formed, General Atticus Fasta will act as commander of the Third Fleet, and General Horn Ambigine will act as commander of the Fourth Fleet."

(End of this chapter)