In the last decade of the Great Galactic War, the Mandalorian warrior clans launched an offensive against the Galactic Republic: the Blockade of the Hydian Way. The Sith Empire's Ministry of Intelligence, which had spent years funding the revival of the disbanded Mandalorian clans, masterminded the blockade. These Imperial efforts resulted in the rise of Mandalore the Lesser, who was essentially a Sith puppet. Despite this, Mandalorians from across the galaxy flocked to his banner and agreed to support the Empire's decades-long conflict with the Republic. Following several clashes between Mandalorians and Jedi, the Mandalorians initiated their main operation in 3661 BBY. In that year, Mandalorian cruisers seized control of the Hydian Way, a crucial trade and supply artery used by the Republic to transport goods and resources from the Outer Rim Territories to population centers in the Core Worlds, and military supplies destined for various battlefronts.
The blockade proved highly effective, crippling commerce within the Republic's private sector and preventing military supplies from reaching battle zones along the Hydian Way. The Core Worlds plunged into an economic crisis, and the Republic's Galactic Senate became paralyzed, unable to agree on a suitable response. After much debate, the High Council of the Jedi Order decided to intervene, dispatching squadrons of Jedi pilots to confront the Mandalorian warships. However, despite their tactical acumen and Force abilities, the Jedi fighter squadrons suffered a decisive defeat, widely considered a major failure. News of this defeat sparked widespread panic and rioting on Coruscant, the Republic's capital world, where the impoverished in the lower levels of the planet-spanning Galactic City began to experience starvation due to the supply shortages.
The blockade persisted for a year, until 3660 BBY, when Hylo Visz, a Mirialan smuggler, saw an opportunity for profit. With funding from the Hutt Cartel and the support of a band of fellow smugglers, Visz organized a fleet of freighters loaded with essential goods from the Outer Rim Territories. As the smugglers approached the blockade, the Mandalorians were caught off guard by the seemingly defenseless ships. Visz and her allies then attacked with their smuggling vessels. Republic reinforcements soon joined the fray, helping to overwhelm the Mandalorian cruisers. The blockade was ultimately broken, and Hylo Visz was hailed as a hero upon her arrival on Coruscant. Despite this triumph, the Republic remained weakened by the blockade and continued to endure significant losses throughout the war.
Following a highly successful campaign to dominate the Outer Rim Territories early in the Great Galactic War, the Sith Empire was unsuccessful in their attempt to seize the Mid Rim world of Bothawui in 3671 BBY. The near annihilation of 50,000 Imperial Army soldiers at Bothawui, combined with the Sith's defeat in the Battle of Alderaan in 3667 BBY, compelled the Empire to reassess its war strategy and re-evaluate previously effective tactics. The Sith Emperor himself was surprised by the resilience of the Galactic Republic's defenders, having anticipated a swift victory in the Great War following the Empire's return to the galaxy. To his dismay, the war had already lasted three decades without a clear end in sight, despite earlier Imperial victories prior to the Battles of Alderaan and Bothawui.
Up to this point, the Emperor had largely disregarded the need for allies, relying solely on Sith and Imperial forces for conquest. This independent approach became a primary focus of reform as Imperial tacticians revised their strategies in 3667 BBY. In that year, representatives from the Imperial Diplomatic Service began actively seeking assistance from crime lords, criminal organizations, assassins, and bounty hunters. These groups, including the Hutt Cartel, had been weighing whether to support the Republic or the Empire since the war's beginning, and the Imperial diplomats's efforts did little to sway their indecision.
Simultaneously, the Imperial Diplomatic Service attempted to recruit individual mercenaries from the disbanded Mandalorian warrior culture to serve the Sith. Although the Mandalorians were scattered and divided at the time, many harbored long-standing resentment towards the Galactic Republic and Jedi Order due to their harsh treatment at the end of the Mandalorian Wars three centuries prior. This made them ideal tools for the Sith. While some Mandalorians, such as the bounty hunter Shae Vizla, agreed to serve alongside Imperial forces, most rejected the Sith's offer, preferring to remain independent. Despite Vizla and her comrades' loyalty, the Imperials sought to secure the allegiance of all Mandalorian warriors.
The task of integrating the resistant Mandalorians into the Sith's ranks ultimately fell to the Empire's Ministry of Intelligence, a highly skilled espionage agency staffed by non-Force-sensitive Imperials. Imperial Agents focused on a young Mandalorian working as a gladiator in the arenas of Geonosis, an Outer Rim world. The operatives used their influence to manipulate the gladiator's fights by bribing or drugging opponents, or even entering the arena themselves. As the young man's fame grew, they spread rumors in cantinas and kennels that the champion was destined to become the next Mandalore, the legendary warrior-king of the Mandalorian people. Despite the absence of a Mandalore for decades, the agents' whispers quickly spread, becoming chants in the arena crowds. By doing so, the Imperials ensured that the young man's rise was indebted to them, making him a puppet for Sith interests.
In 3665 BBY, shortly before his forced retirement from arena combat, the gladiator voluntarily resigned. He then formally accepted the title of Mandalore and summoned his people to Geonosis to rebuild the Mandalorian armies. Driven by ancient traditions, Mandalorians from across the galaxy flocked to the Outer Rim, eager to fight as one against their long-time adversaries: the Jedi and the Republic. One year later, the new Mandalorian army departed Geonosis and engaged in a series of skirmishes and battles with the Jedi and Republic Military over the next three years.
After three years of minor battles between Jedi and Mandalorians, the warrior nomads launched their main operation. Under the direction of the Imperials, the Mandalore assembled a small armada of war cruisers and support ships in 3661 BBY. The warrior-king led his fleet to the Hydian Way, a super-hyperroute connecting the far northern reaches of the galaxy in the Tingel Arm to the southern Outer Rim via the Core Worlds. The Republic heavily relied on this hyperlane to transport goods and resources from the Outer Rim Territories to support its key worlds in the Core, including its capital of Coruscant. The Republic Military also used the lane to move war supplies from the Core to battlefronts in the deep Outer Rim. With his new fleet of war cruisers and shock troops, Mandalore initiated a blockade of the Hydian Way in the southern section of the route, between the planet Devaron in the Colonies and the Minos Cluster in the southern Outer Rim.
The blockade surprised Republic officials, who had been uncertain about the exact size and strength of the Mandalorian forces. Although the Republic Navy would typically have been able to handle the relatively small blockade, the fleet was still recovering from a devastating engagement with the Imperial Navy above Hoth four years prior. With its commercial and military lifeline under Mandalorian control, the Galactic Republic began to weaken after years of success in the war. Assets in the Outer Rim that had resisted Imperial subjugation for years began to collapse under the combined pressures of Sith attacks and supply shortages. Republic forces in the Minos Cluster lost significant ground, and the Empire's Rim Campaign made considerable progress on Ord Radama, as reinforcements were unable to reach the local forces battling Sith invaders. Furthermore, critical supplies from the Outer Rim and Colonies were prevented from reaching the Core, disrupting shipping ports and causing a severe food shortage on worlds like Coruscant.
The limited supplies available within the Core quickly depleted, exacerbating the economic depression that the Republic had been experiencing since the war's start. As starvation spread through the planet's lower levels, the Galactic Senate appealed to the High Council of the Jedi Order for action against the Mandalorians. The Jedi were hesitant, wary of diverting their Knights from conflicts with the Sith. Furthermore, their history of conflict with the Mandalorians led them to believe that the blockade was a ploy to provoke them into a fight. The Councilors had moral concerns about rewarding the Mandalorians with the battle they desired, but felt obligated to alleviate the crippling famine on Coruscant. Recognizing the economic crisis, civilian suffering, and the advantage the blockade gave the Imperial war effort, the Jedi agreed to launch an attack.
Under the leadership of Jedi Masters, including the Kel Dor Jedi historian Gnost-Dural, a group of Jedi pilots attacked the blockade in Aurek-class tactical strikefighters. The battle was brief but intense, resulting in an embarrassing defeat for the Jedi Order. As the survivors retreated to Devaron, the blockade continued. News of the Jedi defeat sparked mass riots on Coruscant, with starving residents demanding food and economic aid. The situation persisted for weeks, with famine worsening and rioters becoming increasingly desperate. Seeing their Republic starving and divided, many senators, even ardent war hawks, began to suggest surrendering to the Sith as the only option. During the blockade, the Mandalorian ship Beskad vanished, presumed lost in a black hole, but was later discovered to have crashed elsewhere.
Hylo Visz, a Mirialan smuggler captain seeking to capitalize on the galactic crisis, entered this environment. Recognizing the Republic's willingness to pay any price for essential goods, Visz assembled a band of criminals and miscreants, including the young Human Zale Barrows, Visz's Devaronian partner Tyresius Lokai, and his friend Quan, on Nar Shaddaa to form a small fleet and break the Mandalorian blockade of the Hydian Way. Hylo's band recruited pirates and mercenaries, and with financial backing from the Hutt Cartel, assembled a fleet of massive freighters loaded with cargo from across the Outer Rim Territories. This convoy, destined for Coruscant, approached the Mandalorian blockade. The unarmed freighters stopped within a parsec of the picketed cruisers, puzzling the Mandalorians. The Mandalorian cruisers demanded they turn back, but receiving no response, moved to intercept the freighters.
Visz and her allies then executed their plan. As the Mandalorians were distracted, hundreds of small vessels and transports dropped out of hyperspace and launched a surprise assault on the blockade. Visz's band initially succeeded, their small starships outmaneuvering the large Mandalorian cruisers. However, despite the element of surprise and speed, the smugglers were outgunned. The Republic's Strategic Information Service learned of the battle and dispatched elements of the Republic Navy and the Jedi Order's starfighter fleet to ensure success. Among the ships dispatched was the Valor-class cruiser Fortitude, which gained fame for its role in the fighting. The combined forces of the smugglers, the Republic, and the Jedi overwhelmed the Mandalorians, forcing them to flee. With the cruiser fleet routed, the Hydian Way was freed from the blockade.
Shortly after the battle, Hylo Visz and her band landed on Coruscant with the freighters and were hailed as heroes. They sold their goods to the Republic at inflated prices, which the government accepted as both payment and reward. Visz earned immense wealth and was honored by the Galactic Senate, though she fled Coruscant with her riches before the ceremony. With the blockade broken, the Republic resumed its war effort against the Sith Empire, albeit weakened. Naval forces reached Ord Radama, reinforcing the local defenders. The battle turned in the Republic's favor, allowing them to pursue the fleeing Sith back to Korriban, Ziost, and Ashas Ree.
As after Bothawui and Alderaan, the Republic rallied following the victory on the Hydian Way. Smuggler captain Zale Barrows, a veteran of the attack, became a freelance naval commander for the Republic. As admiral of the privateer Free Spacers Fleet, Barrows defeated the Sith Empire's Third Fleet at the Battle of Dantooine and later removed the Seventh Fleet from Imperial service. However, the success was overshadowed by the blockade's damage and other Republic defeats. The breaking of the blockade only prolonged the Republic's survival, not its victory.
Following the blockade, the defeated Mandalorians scattered, some pursuing solo careers while others remained with their new Mandalore. Despite their failure, the Mandalorians and Sith maintained their alliance for decades. However, the Sith reached a breaking point regarding the Great Galactic War. In response to the blockade's failure, the Emperor and his Dark Council sought a quick end to the conflict, leading to desperate Imperial tactics, such as a peace ruse on Alderaan and the Sacking of Coruscant.
The Blockade of the Hydian Way was created as part of the Great Galactic War, which serves as the backstory for LucasArts' and BioWare's 2011 massively multiplayer online video game, Star Wars: The Old Republic. The Blockade was first mentioned in the second Galactic Timeline installment, an in-universe account of galactic history prior to the Treaty of Coruscant. This installment, titled The Mandalorian Blockade is Broken, introduces Hylo Visz and first brings the Mandalorian warriors into The Old Republic media. The timelines are narrated by Lance Henriksen as Jedi Master Gnost-Dural and are available on the Holonet feature on the Star Wars: The Old Republic official website.
The Hydian Way was originally established as charted around 3000 BBY; however, this was later changed to 3700 BBY to allow its use in The Old Republic.