Third Recon Group

Third Recon Group was a reconnaissance regiment of the New Republic Defense Force. It was led by group commander Major Ranz, and prior to combat during the Battle of Jakku had a full company of New Republic soldiers, which included group command, a squad directly under Major Ranz. Sergeant Agarne was also part of Third Recon Group. The group was equipped with blaster rifles, explosive power packs, rockets, anti-personnel grenades, and communication devices.

In 5 ABY, after large amounts of loyalist Galactic Empire forces were discovered on Jakku and the New Republic Senate's approval to intervene, the New Republic Defense Fleet attacked the Western Reaches planet and the Imperial forces stationed there, commencing the Battle of Jakku. Major Ranz's Third Recon Group was deployed to Jakku's surface, and was tasked with destroying a heavily armored Imperial supply convoy that was reinforcing Imperial positions at Golga Station. Managing to infiltrate 100 kilometers behind Imperial lines, and having thousands of Imperial ground forces between their position and Base Alpha, Third Recon Group was eventually reduced from a full company the day prior to only one dozen soldiers. Thirty minutes prior to their planned ambush on the convoy, six of Third Recon Group's soldiers, including Sergeant Agarne, encountered New Republic pilots Lieutenant Gina Moonsong of Blade Squadron and Temmin Wexley of Phantom Squadron.

Sergeant Agarne shouted the challenge code, to which Moonsong responded with "Thunder" while Agarne confirmed with "Lightning." Agarne introduced himself and brought the pilots over several sand dunes to group command, who had placed themselves in a trench. After introductions, Moonsong requested a comlink from Ranz, but was rejected as Third Recon Group was to maintain strict radio silence until they made contact with their enemy objective. Ranz further clarified that there was too much electromagnetic interference to even attempt to contact other forces. Ranz then briefed Moonsong and Wexley on their objective, and that they were expecting a reinforced stormtrooper company to protect the supply convoy comprised of six K79-S80 Imperial Troop Transports, which would travel through a pass. Moonsong managed to convince Ranz that once contact with the enemy had been made, they were allowed to break radio silence.

By this time, many of the remaining dozen soldiers were wounded. Eventually, the convoy travelled to the pass and New Republic forces ambushed the convoy after Ranz gave the order. The scouts detonated rigged power packs that were buried in the sand, destroying the second transport in the column. The third transport crashed into the wreckage, while the remaining troop transports created a triangular perimeter and fired on the New Republic forces. Ranz and the troopers leapt from their holes and fired on the rear of the ITTs with rockets, destroying the back of the transports and eliminating stormtroopers that had not yet disembarked. Soon after, however, the remaining stormtroopers regrouped and formed a skirmish line returning fire. The Imperials also deployed a heavy weapons team that struggled to set up their position while the stormtroopers from the front of the column ran towards the rear to reinforce it.

At that time, Ranz ordered the two Republic pilots and three troopers to attack from the front, throwing anti-personnel grenades and firing at the command ITT. Moonsong entered the transport to gain access to its communication gear, and ordered Wexley to re-align the communications dish that was damaged. Moonsong subsequently contacted New Republic Starfighter Command, gaining access to Fleet Admiral Gial Ackbar's command ship, the Home One. By this moment, Third Recon Group's soldiers were being overwhelmed by Imperial forces, with the heavy weapons team firing at New Republic positions as stormtroopers made flanking maneuvers. At that time, a large explosion occurred where Major Ranz and his soldiers were. Moonsong believed that Ranz must have detonated the remaining explosives to prevent the Imperial troops from overruning his position. A few of the remaining New Republic troopers who attacked the front of the column retreated to Moonsong's position.

Running low on ammunition, the New Republic forces were then engaged by TIE fighters from the air, eliminating most of Ranz's troops as well as several stormtroopers that were too close to the New Republic soldiers. At that point, the Third Recon Group soldiers near Moonsong believed that they would not survive and that they would have to surrender. At that moment, A/SF-01 B-wing starfighters of Moonsong's Blade Squadron arrived and destroyed the TIE fighters, then turning to the scattering Imperial ground troops and firing as they retreated, thus eliminating most Imperial forces. The squadron then landed around the battlefield once it was secure, completing Third Recon Group's objective.

Third Recon Group appeared in the short story "Blade Squadron: Jakku," which was written by David J. Williams and Mark S. Williams. It was released on April 12, 2017 and published in Star Wars Insider 172 as a tie-in to Aftermath: Empire's End, a novel by Chuck Wendig that completed Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy.