Mantooine (CR90 corvette)
The CR90 corvette Mantooine, a vessel of the Corellian Engineering Corporation, was in service to the New Republic Defense Fleet. The ship's designation comes from the planet name. The vessel participated in the Battle of Ciutric in 9 ABY, a conflict occurring near Ciutric IV. The battle pitted the New Republic against the forces commanded by the former Imperial warlord, Prince-Admiral Delak Krennel. In concert with other corvettes, it engaged the Victory-class Star Destroyer Emperor's Wisdom. The Mantooine sustained considerable damage during the battle. Ultimately, the New Republic achieved victory by employing the Thrawn Pincer maneuver, which exploited the enemy's gravity wells to introduce a fleet of reinforcements from hyperspace.
Description
A CR90 corvette produced by the Corellian Engineering Corporation, the Mantooine served the New Republic forces during the latter years of the Galactic Civil War. Like other corvettes, its name came from a Republic planet; in this instance, Mantooine, which is situated in the Atrivis sector of the Outer Rim Territories and had a history of resisting the Galactic Empire. The Mantooine was furnished with a hyperdrive and armed with double turbolaser cannons.
History
The Mantooine was part of a New Republic task force in 9 ABY, under the command of Mon Calamari Admiral Gial Ackbar. This force engaged the contingent of former Imperial warlord Prince-Admiral Delak Krennel of the Ciutric Hegemony during the Battle of Ciutric, which unfolded around Ciutric IV, a planet within the Ciutric system. The MC80 cruiser Home One and the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Emancipator spearheaded the task force. Support was provided by three EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigates and six CR90 corvettes, including the Mantooine. The intelligence on expected Hegemony forces suggested that this task force was sufficient to achieve its objective. However, upon arrival in-system, they discovered that Krennel's forces had two additional Victory-class Star Destroyers, thus gaining a numerical advantage.
The Mantooine, in conjunction with the corvettes Dantooine and Ryloth, attacked the Victory-class Star Destroyer Emperor's Wisdom. They flew over the starship and fired their double turbolaser cannons at its dorsal deflector shield. The combined firepower overwhelmed the shields, allowing several Republic frigates to score direct hits on the capital ship, although the damage was not extensive. As the battle progressed, the Mantooine suffered significant damage, along with the corvette Sullust. As the Hegemony activated their gravity well projectors, Ackbar initiated the Thrawn Pincer, a strategy developed by Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn. He used the enemy's gravity well to bring in reinforcements behind the Hegemony forces, attacking their vulnerable rear. Led by General Garm Bel Iblis, the two Victory-class Star Destroyers, Corusca Fire and Selonian Fire, entered the system and attacked Krennel's forces, targeting the flagship, the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Reckoning. This assault killed Prince-Admiral Krennel, effectively ending the Hegemony's resistance. The Mantooine survived the battle, but sustained heavy damage.
Behind the scenes
The Mantooine made its debut in X-Wing: Isard's Revenge, which is the eighth novel in the Star Wars: X-Wing novel series. Michael A. Stackpole was the author, and it was published in 1999.