During the New Sith Wars, a significant conflict unfolded: the Battle of Phaseera. This battle saw the Brotherhood of Darkness clash with the forces of the Galactic Republic. The year was 1002 BBY when the Brotherhood turned its attention to Phaseera, a Republic world known for its manufacturing capabilities. To spearhead their assault, an elite unit named the Gloom Walkers received orders to neutralize a Republic outpost. This outpost served as a crucial defense, guarding a valley that provided access to the Republic's main base camp, located in Phaseera's capital city. However, before the Gloom Walkers could execute their mission, Sergeant Dessel, a member of the unit, initiated a mutiny. He incapacitated Lieutenant Ulabore, the unit's commander, and seized control. Remarkably, Dessel, despite being temporarily blinded by a flash canister, demonstrated extraordinary marksmanship, leading the Gloom Walkers to a successful capture of the outpost. This victory proved pivotal, setting the stage for a Brotherhood triumph. News of Dessel's exceptional abilities spread rapidly after the battle. Consequently, he was brought to the Sith Academy on Korriban. There, he underwent training in the ways of the dark side of the Force, eventually rising to become the formidable Dark Lord of the Sith known as Darth Bane.
For a millennium, the Galactic Republic and the Sith engaged in a prolonged war, referred to as the New Sith Wars. In 1010 BBY, Lord Skere Kaan, formerly a Jedi Master, restructured the Sith forces into a massive army known as the Brotherhood of Darkness, boasting over 20,000 warriors. This Brotherhood of Darkness initiated a renewed offensive against the Republic, achieving numerous victories. The year 1002 BBY saw the Brotherhood setting its sights on Phaseera, a Republic world renowned for its production capabilities. Thousands of Sith troopers, including the esteemed Gloom Walkers—a unit celebrated for its distinguished service in the battles of Kashyyyk and Hsskhor—were dispatched to conquer the planet.
Upon their arrival on Phaseera, the Sith forces established a stronghold within a jungle bordering a narrow valley. This valley represented the sole access route to Phaseera's capital city, where the Republic's military had established a base camp. To safeguard this approach, the Republic had erected an outpost atop a hill overlooking the valley. This strategic placement allowed the outpost to detect any Sith troops attempting to traverse the valley, providing early warning to the base camp and enabling them to fortify their defenses. Furthermore, the outpost was equipped with three flatbed gunships, which posed a significant threat to any daytime movement by the Sith through the valley. In response to these challenges, the Gloom Walkers received the assignment to advance ahead of the main force and seize control of the outpost before the Sith army launched its assault on the capital. However, the Gloom Walkers voiced their opposition when Sith commanders ordered them to capture the outpost during daylight hours, deeming it a suicidal endeavor. When Lieutenant [Ulabore](/article/ulabore], the Gloom Walkers' commander, declined to reconsider the orders, Sergeant Dessel intervened, incapacitating Ulabore and assuming command of the unit.
Under Dessel's leadership, the Gloom Walkers opted to wait for nightfall before launching their attack on the outpost. Utilizing the cover of darkness, they navigated the valley silently, successfully evading detection by the Republic soldiers stationed at the outpost. Upon reaching their target, the Gloom Walkers divided into four squads, each employing interference boxes to jam all transmissions within the outpost's perimeter, effectively isolating it. Despite this coordinated approach, the Gloom Walkers faced a two-to-one disadvantage in terms of numbers, and the Republic flatbed gunships stood ready to eliminate the Sith troopers. Faced with seemingly insurmountable odds and the prospect of heavy casualties, a frustrated Dessel launched a solo assault on the gunships. With astonishing speed and precision, he eliminated all the Republic soldiers, even after being blinded by a flash canister. This display of extraordinary skill galvanized the unit to storm the outpost. After three hours of intense fighting, the Gloom Walkers emerged victorious, having inflicted forty-six deaths upon the Republic soldiers while sustaining nine casualties of their own. With the outpost neutralized, the Republic forces remained unaware of the main Sith force advancing through the valley towards their camp. Consequently, the Republic forces were caught off guard, and the Sith successfully conquered the planet.
Following their victory, the Gloom Walkers—minus a detachment led by Senior Trooper [Adanar], tasked with securing the captured outpost—returned to their camp, where they were met by a bruised Ulabore and a contingent of Sith enforcers. Dessel was brought before them to face a court-martial for his act of mutiny. However, news of Dessel's remarkable marksmanship during the outpost assault had spread. It became apparent that Dessel's Force-sensitivity had guided him during the battle. This revelation prompted Sith Lord [Kopecz] to transfer Dessel to the Sith Academy on Korriban, where he would receive training in the ways of the dark side of the Force. After completing his training at the Korriban academy, Dessel would transform into Darth Bane, one of the most pivotal and influential Dark Lords of the Sith in galactic history.
Following this incident, the Gloom Walkers developed a deep-seated resentment towards Ulabore, having grown fond of Dessel. Just a month later, during an ambush by Republic forces on Alaris Prime, one of the unit's troopers, Lucia, betrayed the Lieutenant. Ulabore was killed during the battle, shot in the back by Lucia, a fact that the remaining Gloom Walkers chose to conceal.
The Battle of Phaseera was initially introduced in Darth Bane: Path of Destruction, a 2006 novel penned by Drew Karpyshyn. The battle received its first visual depiction in The Essential Reader's Companion, a reference book published in 2012.