Battle of Liinade III

The forces of the New Republic selected Liinade III as their primary objective in their campaign against the self-proclaimed 'Prince-Admiral' Krennel. Admiral Gial Ackbar determined that the capture of this world would significantly undermine Krennel's authority. Krennel promoted his Hegemony as a secure refuge; Liinade was a desirable and thriving world. The downfall of Liinade III would not only shock the citizens of the Ciutric Hegemony, but the planet also maintained strong commercial connections with Corvis Minor and Vrosynri 8, which would suffer setbacks due to the planet's loss.

The task force designated for this mission largely remained consistent throughout the campaign's initial phases. Admiral Kir Vantai and Commander Sair Yonka commanded the Imperial II-class Star Destroyers Moonshadow and Freedom, while Admiral Areta Bell led the Swift Liberty, a Victory II-class Star Destroyer. Additionally, General Wedge Antilles' Rogue Squadron and Horton Salm's squadron of B-wings were involved. Following the neutralization or destruction of any capital ships defending Liinade, Assault shuttles from the Freedom would seize control of the planet; ground operations were projected to last at least two weeks.

Only the Direption, under the command of Commander Vict Darron, defended Liinade III. Darron had requested additional troop reinforcements, anticipating an attack on Liinade III, but Krennel only granted him a single Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser. At some point during the day, Lieutenant Harsis, his sensor officer, informed Darron that the Moonshadow and the Swift Liberty had emerged from hyperspace and begun deploying their fighters. In response, Darron launched his mixed wing of TIE/LN starfighters and TIE/IN interceptors to mount a defense.

Admiral Bell's Swift Liberty prioritized targeting the Direption's starboard guns, recognizing that even if her less powerful ship engaged in a direct confrontation with the Hegemony Star Destroyer, the Moonshadow would overwhelm it. Darron's decision to engage both ships suggested the arrival of additional support; however, the Hegemony Commander failed to realize that the New Republic also had reinforcements en route. As the starfighters clashed between the capital ships, Darron shifted his focus entirely to the Moonshadow, temporarily ignoring the Swift Liberty.

While Rogue Squadron swiftly dealt with the TIEs, the Moonshadow concentrated its firepower on the Direption's port side, unleashing a devastating barrage that collapsed the shields protecting that section of the ship. Simultaneously, the Swift Liberty maneuvered beneath the Hegemony ship, targeting the ventral shields and the already damaged port side. As the Victory Star Destroyer's assault continued, a fragment of the Direption detached into space. Darron then requested reinforcements.

The Dreadnaught materialized from hyperspace behind the Swift Liberty, unleashing a barrage on the ship's aft section. Fortunately for Bell, her crew had anticipated this and redirected power to reinforce the shields. Disregarding the Dreadnaught, the Swift Liberty persisted in its assault on the beleaguered Direption. Darron rotated his ship, exposing the unshielded port side away from the Moonshadow to provide the Dreadnaught with an opportunity to disable the Swift Liberty. Unfortunately, Bell and Vantai coordinated their attack, with the Moonshadow targeting the aft shields and the Swift Liberty attacking the unshielded port side.

Just as the Dreadnaught breached the Swift Liberty's aft shields, concentrating its firepower on her engines, Sair Yonka's Freedom entered the system. Cutting between the Direption and the Dreadnaught, Yonka's starboard broadside inflicted significant damage on the failing Hegemony ship, in some areas penetrating both sides of the ship's stricken port side. The Freedom's port gunners targeted the Dreadnaught, and a sustained barrage beyond the forward superstructure overwhelmed the shields. Yonka maintained the pressure; the smaller ship was swiftly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of fire and split in half following a massive explosion.

Commander Darron accelerated deeper into the system, but salvos from the Moonshadow and Swift Liberty overwhelmed both the starboard and aft shields. Thankfully the Hegemony commander was realistic enough to view the engagement as a loss and surrendered his ship.

Following the surrender of the Direption, the New Republic forces initiated the deployment of troops to strategic locations on Liinade III. Although Lieutenant Horn was shot down during his raid on a dam, operations were otherwise successful. A squad of four AT-AT walkers emerged to defend Valleyport spaceport facility against Antilles' X-wings, but were no match for the nimble starfighters. One by one the walkers were destroyed and Valleyport was secured for troop landings.

Lieutenant Horn's discovery of a secret lab near where he crashed revealed troubling evidence; records of a superweapon Krennel was allegedly planning to construct. High Command treated the information with utmost seriousness; plans were formulated to scout the systems of the Ciutric Hegemony. The findings were actually planted by the real Ysanne Isard; the subsequent ambush at Distna resulted in a devastating defeat for the pilots of Rogue Squadron.

In the context of the campaign against the rogue warlord, Liinade III served as a staging area for incursions into the Hegemony. Liinade III was a trade hub; the New Republic's foothold would prove costly to Krennel. In response to General Airen Cracken broadcasting the news that Krennel was constructing a superweapon, the Prince-Admiral intensified his propaganda campaign, while continuing to attack convoys bound for the planet as he could not risk a costly full-frontal assault.