Battle of Kashyyyk

Around 19 BBY, during the final year of the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Confederacy orchestrated an invasion of the Mid Rim world of Kashyyyk. During their occupation, Confederacy-aligned Trandoshan species members established permanent enslavement camps on the planet for the native Wookiee population. This occupation involved numerous incursions and probing attacks by the Confederacy.

Furthermore, in the war's concluding year, the Confederacy initiated a large offensive across the Outer Rim Territories under the command of Supreme Commander General Grievous. Despite the Republic's military forces facing immense pressure, the offensive eventually became a war of attrition for the Confederacy. Increased military spending, requisition bills, and the full utilization of the government's industrial capacity for the war led to the Confederacy's apparent entrapment as the Republic's victory seemed inevitable. Consequently, the Republic forced the Confederacy from the Core Worlds and Colonies into the Mid and Outer Rim regions.

During the Outer Rim Sieges, Kashyyyk became a desirable target for the Confederacy due to its strategic location at the intersection of four major hyperspace routes and its proximity to the Foundry of the Confederacy, a region of Separatist factory worlds targeted by the Republic's 12th Sector Army in the offensive. In addition to housing a critical HoloNet relay station, the Confederacy sought to capture the planet to access the data vaults of the ancient Claatuvac Guild of Wookiee cartographers and navigators in the Kachirho tree-city. These vaults contained information about secret hyperspace lanes discovered by the guild's scouts. Initially, the Wookiees attempted to remain neutral despite being Republic members, but the planet's significance led both sides to negotiate with Kashyyyk's royal families, seeking their allegiance.

General Grievous was interested in the Claatuvac Guild Archives because they held the locations of many unknown space lanes. Growing impatient, Grievous launched a large-scale attack on the Wookiee homeworld, hoping the threat would force the inhabitants to accept the terms of Separatist leader, Count Dooku, and his allies. However, this decision proved to be a significant mistake for the Confederacy. The failed attack on Kachirho's refinery began with an invasion following their occupation, aiming to reverse their declining fortunes with the Claatuvac Guild's information. The Confederacy's deployment of a secret force of battle droids and warships lit up Kashyyyk's night sky as they arrived, visible to the Wookiee natives on the surface. Simultaneously, Tarfful was captured by the Trandoshans during an independent mission.

However, in the final days of the war, the Republic could not afford to lose the Kashyyyk system as the Confederacy's potential capture of Kashyyyk and its hyperspace routes threatened to prolong the conflict. Consequently, the Republic reassigned Jedi General Quinlan Vos and his clone troopers from their engagements on Boz Pity to reinforce Jedi General Luminara Unduli and her 41st Elite Corps on Kashyyyk. Before Vos's arrival, Unduli had spent several months on the planet, preparing and consulting with the Wookiee warriors, while also establishing a staging area for Republic walkers and HAVw A6 Juggernaut.

Following the Republic's decisive victory over Grievous's attack on Coruscant by a few days, the Jedi Order's leading council learned of ST-series military strategic analysis and tactics droid General Linwodo's impending attack on Kachirho. Grand Master Yoda was then dispatched to reinforce the Wookiee homeworld due to his friendly relations with the natives, earning him the title "Defender of the Home Tree" for preventing several Separatist attacks on the city. As Yoda arrived with a battalion of clone troopers and a single Venator-class Star Destroyer, General Linwodo studied the battlefield records of Generals Unduli and Vos, confident in his ability to defeat them.

Separatist droid forces set their sights on the planet's oil refinery. While Yoda's Republic taskforce successfully pushed back the Separatist invasion fleet, droids managed to occupy the Wawaatt Archipelago. Besides the Grand Army of the Republic, the Wookiee Army was also present in Kachirho, with Wookiees arriving from across the planet to defend the city. After clone troopers and Wookiee warriors established a perimeter on the beach to face the incoming enemy, the droid army mobilized and traversed the Wartaki Sea to reach Kachirho.

As clones and Wookiees exchanged fire from the beach, other Wookiee warriors swung from the cliffs along the archipelago, strategically placing mines on the NR-N99 enforcer tanks. Concurrently, clone scout troopers provided cover fire from trenches and along the branches of Tree Kachirho. On the vehicle front, Wookiee Oevvaor Jet Catamarans received support from HAVw A6 Juggernauts, AT-RTs, AT-APs, and other assault vehicles. They encountered formidable opposition from Separatist NR-N99 droid tanks, Dwarf Spider Droids, and HMP droid gunships. Atop the seawall were two concussion turrets and a contingent of clone troopers. Red Company and another company were among the 41st units actively participating in the battle. The combined Republic and Wookiee forces successfully defended the beach against the attacking Separatist air and sea forces.

As the battle intensified, Yoda sensed a significant disturbance in the Force as Anakin Skywalker was turned to the dark side and transformed into Darth Vader, followed by an even more profound disturbance as Order 66, being executed across the galaxy, commenced. Clone Commander Gree received a communication on his comlink from Darth Sidious, instructing him to carry out the order. Clone Captain Jek of the Ranger Corps joined Gree in the attempt to assassinate Yoda. As the clones prepared to execute him, the Grand Master, sensing the impending betrayal, ignited his lightsaber and swiftly decapitated his would-be assassins. Yoda then fled into the nearby jungle accompanied by the still loyal Wookiee warriors Tarfful and Chewbacca as the battle continued below. The chaos resulting from Order 66 briefly allowed the Separatist military to breach the line, but they were pushed back once more.

With the rise of the Galactic Empire, Yoda and the Wookiees retreated into the nearby mountains. Later that evening, Chewbacca and Tarfful escorted Yoda to an escape pod. After bidding farewell, Yoda departed the planet in the pod.

Yoda successfully reunited with Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had also escaped Order 66, and together they infiltrated the Jedi temple to reverse the message being transmitted to Jedi, warning them to stay away. He then attempted to assassinate Palpatine, but failed, and exiled himself to Dagobah.

Although the clone troopers emerged victorious in the Battle of Kashyyyk, they soon replaced the Separatists as an invading force, successfully conquering the world during the so-called pacification of Kashyyyk launched by the Galactic Empire, the successor state to the Republic. With the Imperials besieging Kashyyyk, the Wookiees were ultimately unable to resist the "pacification" operation, leading to an Imperial occupation. The Empire also legalized slavery, prompting many, particularly the Empire itself, to enslave Wookiees due to their exceptional strength, as suggested by Trandoshan slavers who were given command over slaving raids across the planet.

Chewbacca was among those enslaved by the New Order from Kashyyyk, enduring many years of servitude until he was liberated by a defecting Imperial soldier named Han Solo. Master Unduli was captured by the Empire and taken to the Spire on Stygeon Prime. There, she was executed by the Grand Inquisitor, and her remains were kept there to lure other Jedi survivors. Master Vos also survived Order 66. He escaped from Kashyyyk after he killed Commander Faie and escaped with his lover, Khaleen Hentz.

Regarding the Separatists, the remnants of the B1-series battle droids that fought in the battle were abandoned and left to rust on Kashyyyk by 14 BBY.

The battle was initially depicted in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.