War for Gazaan

War for Gazaan
Date	Year 22 Day 276 — Day 297
Location	Gazaan Planet
Result	Decisive Zann Victory
Belligerents
Zann Consortium Void Wolves Dark Star Hellions Crimson Dawn	Rebel Alliance Rogue Squadron Blue Star Dominion Sanctuary Prime DOM Arsenal Stryker Military Services
Commanders and Leaders
Bork Shalas Kyota Navic Hrussk Hskar Lazarus Grimm Hondo Walker	Karl Hawkmoon Ily Zacri
Casualties and Losses
459 mercenaries, 106 military droids and 12 injured field commanders	2,543 soldiers/troopers, 270 military droids, 1 Rathar and 60 injured field commanders

The Battle for Gazaan was a major battle that took place on a small planet near the Derra system after a Zann Consortium led invasion that aimed at hindering the Rebellions' presence on the sector. Zann Consortium and its allies managed to amass a force of 6,000 armed mercenaries and 2,000 military droids while the Rebel forces estimates showed numbering over 9,000 in combined strength by the end of the war.

In total the war left between 3,031 soldiers dead, 800 military droids destroyed and 72 injured officers along with more than 200,000 civilian casualties as result of Rebel Alliance's orbital bombardments.

History

The Battle for Gazaan was a global war that took place in the small world of Gazaan in the Kira DW sector on Year 22 that lasted from day 276 to day 297. Among the Rebel groups that participated were Rebel Alliance, The Blue Star Dominion, Sanctuary Prime, Rogue Squadron, DOM Trading Company and Stryker Military Services. Zann Consortium’s participant allies included The Dark Star Hellions, Crimson Dawn and The Void Wolves.

Causes

The peace treaty between Zann Consortium and the New Republic ended on day Year 20 after the New Republic Intelligence director Adam Hughes led an operation against the consortium that resulted in Adam’s capture and subsequent execution by Zann Defilers. The introduction of the Blue Star Dominion (a long-time criminal rival of the Zann consortium) into the Rebellion further fueled the already tense relations between Zann and the Rebel Alliance.

On Year 22, Zann intelligence operators intercepted communications between Rebel groups which allowed the criminal consortium to locate a rebel garrison located in planet Gazaan. It is believed that Zann’s leadership considered an attack on Gazaan as an opportunity to cripple the Rebellions’ ground capabilities.

Casualties

Approximately 300,000 sentients died during the war, the majority of whom were civilians, making it perhaps the deadliest conflict of the Zann and Rebellion war.

Civilian

On Day 277 The Rebel Alliance and Blue Star Dominion launched an orbital bombardment to decimate Zann Consortium troops on Gazaan’s main cities. Two entire cities were destroyed causing around 297,000 civilian deaths, the survivors of the bombardment and residents of other cities fled to the planet’s highlands in fear of other orbital bombardments and to escape the violence caused by Zann and Rebel clashes. The Bombardment was launched by Mon Calamary Cruisers’ turbolasers with little to no notice to civilians to flee. Zann Consortium forces had already intercepted and deciphered Rebel communications and were aware of the bombardment a few minutes prior to the attack which allowed them to flee the cities on time not without warning as many residents as possible.

Military

The Rebellion suffered 2,579 military deaths, 529 military droids destroyed (several destroyer droids among them), 1 trained Rathar and 60 injured officers. The Zann Consortium reported 461 military deaths, 271 military droids destroyed and 12 injured commanders on their side.

Rebel unpreparedness for war

Zann officials documented several occasions on which rebel troops were not equipped with weapons and were used as sentient shields to protect the armed troops. This led to believe lack of equipment availability on the Rebellions' side. Rebel forces were mostly untrained and unprepared for different types of combat and were specialized mostly for long range assaults. This allowed Zann forces to easily exploit their lack of short and medium range. Communication among Rebels members were evidently an issue as Rebel attacks were not well coordinated until the last days of the war when an improvement on communication allowed them to launch a final but unsuccessful assault.

General features of the war

Mobilization and Equipment

Both Gallactic Alliance and Zann Consortium relied on large drop ships for troop mobilization and some vehicles as well. Civilian witnesses describe rebel Sabaoth Destroyers as their main means of mobilization. Zann Consortium forces used Sphyrna-class Corvettes, Arquitens-class Light Cruisers and Hammerhead-class Cruiser as main means of troop mobilization and air support. Rebel Alliance and Blue Star Dominion troops were mainly equipped with Rebel trooper and Battle armor, X-45 Sniper Rifle and E-11B Trooper Rifles except for several squadrons of Heavy Rebel Troopers equipped with Heavy battle armor and X-45 Sniper Rifles. Zann Consortium mercenary units were equipped with Battle armor and Bowcasters as their main configuration and amban rifles for their sniper units. The Rogue Squadron withdrew its two Ground Liaison Officers on Year 22 Day 285.

Tactics

Due to its nature of global war, Rebel and Zann Consortium forces implemented several warfare tactics to fight each other. Rebellion forces resorted to guerrilla tactics during most of the war. On the last days of the war, they launched a massive assault that can be labeled as a rapid dominance tactic. Zann Consortium forces successfully employed a charge style and planned attack warfare during the initial and final days of the war. However, the consortium relied on Ambush attacks during most of the war to counter rebel guerrilla tactics which consisted of segregated attacks on multiple positions.

War crimes

The orbital bombardment on Year 22 Day 277 is considered a war crime by many refugees who acknowledged not being warned nor evacuated before the attack.

Aftermath

The war concluded in a victory for the Zann Consortium and its allies over the Rebellion which resulted in the Rebel full retreat from Gazaan. Zann consortium consolidated its dominion on the Derra system which resulted on the Dark Star Hellions permanent presence and control of Derra IV.

Most Gazaan residents fled the planet to seek refuge on near systems.