A Forward Command Center was a mobile command station used by the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars. Republic clone troopers established a command center on the front lines of the planet Geonosis during the first battle of the war. As the Jedi adopted the role of de facto generals of the clone army, leading thousands of soldiers onto the battlefield against the droid army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the overall battle was overseen from the Forward Command Center by Grand Master Yoda of the Jedi Order.
Bail Organa used a forward command center to command his relief effort on Christophsis.
A Forward Command Center was a small command center used by the Republic Military. The center had a circular design and contained several computer screens, which allowed clone troopers to give orders to other locations, including the clone crews commanding artillery like Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery Turbolasers. The centers could be staffed by a commanding officer, who could be a Clone Commander, a Jedi General, or even a senator. During the First Battle of Geonosis, a Clone Captain was also stationed at the center. Higher ranking clones and officials were not always at command of the stations, however. During the Battle of Christophsis and Second Battle of Geonosis, Forward Command Centers were staffed only by several regular clone troopers.
From a Forward Command Center, a Clone Commander and their Jedi officer could command forces of the Galactic Republic against their enemies, or it could be used as the command center for a Galactic Senate relief mission. The command centers also possessed small ramps that could be raised off the ground to reach Republic Gunships for easier disembarkment.
A Forward Command Center was established on Geonosis during the push against the droid army.
In 22 BBY, the newly-formed Grand Army of the Republic deployed thousands of clone troopers to the Separatist planet of Geonosis. Led by a cadre of de facto Jedi generals, the Galactic Republic's forces issued orders and coordinated strategy from a Forward Command Center staffed by a Clone Commander, a Clone Captain, and several clones during the Battle of Geonosis. After delivering the survivors of Jedi Master Mace Windu's assault team to the front line of the battlefield, a Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry gunship transported Grand Master Yoda, leader of the Jedi Order, to the Republic mobile command station.
As the Republic troops advanced on the enemy, establishing air and ground supremacy under the skillful leadership of the Jedi High Council, Yoda ordered the Republic Self-Propelled Heavy Artillery Turbolasers to concentrate all of their firepower on the nearest Trade Federation core ship. After the commander informed Yoda that the Separatist Droid Army had begun a full withdrawal from the battle, the Grand Master departed from the command center to pursue the Separatist Head of State, Count Dooku.
Bail Organa oversaw a relief mission on Christophsis from a Forward Command Center.
Shortly after the Battle of Geonosis, the Outer Rim world of Christophsis was invaded by the Separatists. The planet was blockaded by the Confederacy navy, effectively cutting Christophsis off from the greater galaxy. In an effort to aid the native Christophsians, the Galactic Senate sanctioned a relief mission to Christophsis led by Bail Organa, the galactic senator of Alderaan. Organa oversaw the Republic's relief efforts from a Forward Command Center, but had to contend with the battle droids of General Whorm Loathsom.
As the Republic's supplies on Christophsis dwindled, Organa beseeched Coruscant to send aid but the Separatist fleet, under the command of Admiral Trench, was able to prevent the Republic Navy from breaking through the blockade. Therefore, the Republic deployed an experimental stealth ship to Christophsis under the command of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Admiral Wullf Yularen. Trench dispatched a squadron of Hyena-class Droid Bombers to obliterate Organa's command center in an effort to draw out the cloaked vessel, causing Skywalker to go on the offensive. Organa contacted Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi and informed him of the imminent attack on his command station, knowing there was little chance of survival from a bombing run. However, Skywalker was able to outmaneuver the admiral, resulting in the destruction of his flagship Invincible. With the loss of the Separatist command ship, Skywalker and Yularen completed their mission by delivering supplies to Organa and the Republic forces on Christophsis.
The Forward Fommand Center used by the Jedi's forces.
The destruction of Trench's flagship allowed the Republic fleet to break through the Separatist blockade and finally let the Republic to land its troops on the ground. Sometime after Kenobi and Skywalker landed their soldiers to engage the enemy, however, the CIS were able to reinforce their blockade once more, trapping the Jedi on the ground with dwindling supplies. In addition to this, Skywalker, Kenobi, and their clone troopers had to deal with the approaching droid army commanded by Loathsom. During this time, the Jedi used a Forward Command Center to help command their troops. Later in the battle, Skywalker was assigned Ahsoka Tano as his Jedi Padawan, and Skywalker, Kenobi, Tano, and Clone Captain Rex discussed their plan to combat the Confederacy's deflector shield nearby this command center. The group created a plan where Kenobi, Rex, and the rest of the clones would draw the droids into the city, while Skywalker and Tano went behind enemy lines to take out the deflector shield generator. Through this plan the Republic was able to take out the shield, and their AV-7 Anti-vehicle Artillery Cannons were then able to destroy the enemy battle droids and armored cavalry.
In 21 BBY, due to vital intelligence about a droid factory on Geonosis gained by Senator Padmé Amidala during the Mission to Cato Neimoidia, the Republic launched a second invasion of Geonosis. The Republic were able to break through the defenses and destroy the primary foundry. After that victory, the Republic set up a Forward Command Center nearby the destroyed factory and staffed it with by several clone troopers. The command center was surrounded by LAAT gunships and Consular-class cruisers. Nearby were several Acclamator-class transgalactic military assault ships, and one of the Acclamators were also used as a command center by the Jedi.
A Forward Command Center nearby several Republic vehicles
After the Command Center and surrounding vehicles had been set up, Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and clone trooper Buzz set out on BARC speeders to hunt Poggle the Lesser, leader of the Geonosians. This lead to an encounter with Karina the Great, the current queen of the Geonosians, but Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and a group of clones from the 212th Attack Battalion arrived to reinforce Luminara. This group rescued her, captured Poggle, and defeated Karina the Great. A command center was set up by the wreckage of the Progate Temple and nearby the Pelta-class frigate TB-73. This Forward Command Center was staffed by a group of clone troopers.
The Forward Command Center first appeared in the 2002 film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
- Star Wars: On the Front Lines