The Vandelhelm Combine was a criminal organization active at the time of the Great Galactic War between the Galactic Republic and the reconstituted Sith Empire. Considered an upstart by its rival, the Rath Cartel, the Combine was in the business of smuggling weapons and hired mercenaries in its efforts to compete with the Cartel.
However, sometime between 3667 BBY and 3661 BBY, the fighting—which became known as the Syndicate Wars—spilled over into a trade corridor controlled by the notorious gangster Nok Drayen, who swiftly retaliated against both groups in order to protect his profits; Drayen called in favors from Gank mercenaries, Hutts, and officials from the Sith Empire to destroy them. The Syndicate Wars ultimately ended when Drayen had the leader of the Rath Cartel assassinated while simultaneously storming the Combine's headquarters, and Drayen took all of their profits for himself in the aftermath.
The Vandelhelm Combine was first mentioned in several companion conversations in the 2011 video game Star Wars: The Old Republic. The Combine shares its name with the planet Vandelhelm; however, the 2004 Wizards.com article "Vandelhelm: Enemies and Alloys: Part 1: File Vandelhelm-LC/hsnn" establishes that the planet was not discovered until approximately 3053 BBY, six hundred years after the Syndicate Wars.
The Vandelhelm Combine was first mentioned in several companion conversations in the 2011 video game Star Wars: The Old Republic. The Combine shares its name with the planet Vandelhelm; however, the 2004 Wizards.com article "Vandelhelm: Enemies and Alloys: Part 1: File Vandelhelm-LC/hsnn" establishes that the planet was not discovered until approximately 3053 BBY, six hundred years after the Syndicate Wars.