Lit Books Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy -Jason Fry, Amy Ratcliffe, Cole Horton, & Chris Kempshall

Not sure if anyone's seen it already, but Amazon's Look Inside function is available for this. The entire table of contents is included, as well as a map/timeline and the Naboo section.

 

The map page is unfortunately low-res, but it does appear to have a map placement for...Anaxes.

 

Saw the First Look, looks neat.

Spoiler

Saw a bit of the First Look, doubt it's there but there is room for Rogue Squadron to be Post TROS

 

We must get a high res!

 

Looks like someone on Wookieepedia got their hands on the book as well (or maybe they're just going by the preview), because some articles are currently being updated with information from it. Only notice 'cos there are lots of new first names for characters who previously only had one name (which is a weird niche interest of mine for some reason).

 

Examples please!!


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Implying that the original is NOT the one that got a-sploded, yes? One-Canoners will love that!

 

Spoilered just in case

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New names:
Alayus Bolandin (Imperial officer who Beckett initially sells Han out to on Mimban)
Dors Urtya (Mon Calamari Grand Admiral from SW 2015 comic)
Pysk Lila (another Mon Cal from the same comic)
Tyrus Meori (Imperial officer from same comic)

Also, one of the Xyston Star Destroyers at Exegol is identified as the Sutta, commanded by Captain Strok.

All I've noticed so far on the Wook

 

Cool, thanks!


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The Amazon preview reveals this is as big a deal as I'd hoped for - and it looks like it will be a major resource for timeline / chronology buffs, to boot. Very good stuff!

 

We technically have a picture of Brendol Hux, from Star Wars: Galactic Atlas.

 

My copy arrived this morning and I've been progressively chipping at it whenever I can. I'll have some more notes later on, but, for the time being, I know how much everyone was looking forward to Exegol.

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Sadly, this section feels like a bit of a missed opportunity. With the exception of the Xyston-class Star Destroyer Sutta (which appears to have been an ancient Sith word for "spear" in Legends), not a single other ship or class is named. I'm genuinely quite surprised by this, given that it's such an obvious area of interest for fans and the availability of space to do so. However, there were some details that I hope prove of interest:

• The text makes a point of noting that the Empire hadn't learned the lessons from close-range fleet engagement at battles like Endor. The Star Destroyers had to limit themselves to using only their ion cannons for fear of hitting each other. Similarly, despite their overwhelming numerical advantage, the TIE Daggers had to restrain themselves.
• The TIE Daggers' restraint was only reinforced when Resistance air support strafed the Steadfast to assist their boarders, causing damage to the ship. They were concerned about causing similar damage as Resistance fighters flew close to the hulls of Star Destroyers.
• The Sith troopers were the children of cultists on Exegol, inducted with flash-training similar to that employed by the Kaminoans. However, while they had been training their whole lives, they were overly dependent on old Imperial tactics, which incorrectly led them to believe that the enemy lines would crumble in the face of their advance.
• Ironically, Palpatine himself was the reason that the galaxy showed up at Exegol when no one came to Crait. His broadcast announcing his return reminded everyone of the tyranny they endured under his reign and galvanised them against the threat.
• Crashing Star Destroyers destroyed the underground shipbuilding infrastructure, while Palpatine's death caused enormous damage to the Sith Citadel and dispersed much of its dark side energy. The text notes that the planet is far more remote than Jakku, so it remains to be seen if the starship graveyard will attract scavengers or those seeking Sith secrets.

I'm slightly miffed that so much of the battle hinged on the Final Order not having learned its lessons, given that much of the First Order's design was specifically based on those lessons (Star Destroyers with more protected bridges; walkers with a less rigid gait; shielded starfighters, etc.). However, I suppose it is in keeping both with Palpatine's arrogance and the way we see the battle unfold on-screen.

 

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That's the trouble with cults. They tend to see the world in a very specific way that doesn't always line up with reality.

 

They server their purpose. But only that purpose.

 

Can you give us the books index or table of contents so we know what else is in there of interest?

thx for these bits so far!

 

Both of those are in the Amazon Look Inside preview.

 

Thx!

How is the book regarding maps, preview had one but too tiny to decipher for the Clone Wars. Any others?

Or any Art at all or just screenshots from movies/tv?

 

I'm not sure if I need to spoiler tag this, but I will just in case.

Spoiler

The book is divided into four sections, and each of them features a map and timeline for each of the battles that it covers. The maps are all like the one you saw in the preview, so they provide a rough idea of where everything is but it's tricky to be precise. I'll provide rough placements for systems as I go through the book.

As for art, they didn't commission anything new. In fact, if they cover a commander who doesn't have art, they slot their faction's logo in instead.

As promised, here's all the new lore that I could find in the Clone Wars section. I'm taking notes as I go and I'll provide them when I can.

Spoiler: The Clone Wars

• Two previously unnamed tactical droids are given designations. TN-123 commanded Separatist ground forces at the Battle of Malastare, while TM-171 commanded the DH-Omni supply ship at the Battle of Umbara.
• I can confirm that Anaxes has been moved to the Outer Rim, with the text stating as much multiple times. While I can see an Anaxes/Anaxes Minor retcon coming, the Rim planet is directly stated to be home to the "revered Republic Navy War College." Based on the map, I would put it on the Perlemian in the Antermeridian sector (R-7). It could possibly be in the Meridian sector, but the text states that it's on the Coreward edge of the Outer Rim.
• Trench's flagship during the Battle of Anaxes is the Invulnerable. Between that and the Invincible he used at Christophsis, the Harch has a taste for irony. His attack on Anaxes is intended to blunt the Outer Rim SIeges.
• As the Outer Rim Sieges pick up, the Republic's 12th Sector Army targets the Foundry of the Confederacy, including Boz Pity, Metalorn, Saleucami, and Felucia.
• When Kenobi goes to investigate Utapau, his fleet stages itself in the remote Ak-Hurst system while it waits for his signal.
• The Separatist forces at the Battle of Kashyyyk are commanded by General Linwodo, a super tactical droid that defended Metalorn and Boz Pity during the Outer Rim Sieges. At the conclusion of the battle, Ranger Corps scouts track him down and blast him to scrap.
• During the Battle of Cato Neimoidia, the Republic's 442nd Siege Battalion is led on the ground by Commander Verd. The Separatists are led by General Baik Raaorn (no details are given on him, but I assume he's the head of the Neimoidian Home Defence Legion). Plo Koon is shot down on Tarko-se (it apparently already goes by that name), where Separatist forces have staged in a one-time arena.
• The entry on Saleucami grapples with the fact that the planet is no longer the Techno Union mechworld depicted in Legends. Instead, it's a part of the Triad of Evil because the Separatists use it as a transshipment hub for fronts along the Salin Corridor. There is a wink-nod to the Siege of Saleucami comic arc, with rumours that the planet hides a secret lab working on superweapons, plagues, or even a rival cloning program. The Republic is actively looking for it.
• During the Battle of Felucia, Shu Mai kidnaps Ormo Hyn, the daughter of the pro-Republic Felucian leader. She hopes to pressure the Felucians to defect to the Separatists, but leaves for Mustafar before then. The 327th Star Corps are dispatched for their expertise in extraction operations.

 

Any thing on the relationship between the 2015 Star Wars comic series and the Mid Rim Offensive/Retreat?

 

I'm very interested in what the book has to say about the 19 AFE - 23 AFE timeline. I've been wrestling with the chronology there for a while, and it will be useful to see things like how close Cymoon I really is to the battle of Yavin, Vrogas Vas to Cymoon I, that sort of thing. Also will be interesting to see if any oddities, like the Han Solo or Chewbacca Marvel series, are placed on the timeline somewhere. You never know!

 

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This is one of the first things I looked for. Sadly, the Mid Rim Retreat doesn't get covered. I'm really let down by that fact.

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The book does include a timeline of the battles it covers, but only lists the year AFE without any greater specificity. Cymoon, Vrogas Vas, and the Mutiny at Mon Cala all occur in 19 AFE. Mako-Ta occurs in 20 AFE. There's nothing on the timeline after that until Hoth. I hope that helps.

I've finished reading through the book. Here are the rest of my notes.

Spoiler: Rebellion and Resistance Eras

• I'll start off with map placements. Just a reminder that the maps in the book are very basic and lack sector placements or grid coordinators. My attempts at providing specific placements are the result of me eyeballing it with reference to the Atlas' sector maps from Legends. That disclaimer out of the way, the remaining unplaced systems are as follows: Cymoon 1 is definitely in the Bes Ber Bikade sector (L-15); Mako-Ta looks like it's most likely in the Noonian sector (N-6); the Zavian Abyss appears to be at P-10, likely the Ghost Nebula but possibly the Couronne sector; I peg both Oetchi and Crait as being in the Grumani sector (N-17); and Barabesh looks like it's either in the Marzoon sector or the freestanding subsectors of I-16. However, the text describes it as being in the Outer Rim, so my assumption is the latter.
• If anyone remembers the Rogue One VR tie-in, they might recall a Star Destroyer showing up at Wobani to stop Extraction Team Bravo from fleeing. That ISD is the Tenacious, commanded by Captain Adre L'Mendi. The Red Squadron X-Wings that show up to save the extraction team were led by Samala Loene.
• Draven's rogue actions in ordering the assassination of Galen Erso were preserved on Alliance war records. Under the New Republic, hackers aligned with the Centrists break into classified databanks and leak this fact to paint the Rebellion as intolerant and violent.
• The Imperial fleet that tries to stop the Mutiny at Mon Cala is led by Admiral Tyrus Meori, who was promoted for victories at Hargawi and the Narrant Shoals. His flagship is the Aquilifer. He manages to survive its destruction, but his career is in shambles as a result of his failure.
• Vanden Willard's flagship at Mako-Ta is called Yavin's Hope. Sadly, no other ships get named and no class is given.
• We get a newish roster for Death Squadron. It consists of the Executor and five ISDs: Tyrant, Avenger, Devastator, Conquest and Ultimatum. However, it presumably continues to draw on other ships as needed, since the Stalker is confirmed as the ship that launches the probe that discovers Echo Base.
• During the Battle of Endor, Yellow Squadron – under the command of Captain Ribeiro and her second-in-command, Lieutenant Malena – form a rearguard, trying to screen Imperial fighters pursuing Rebels heading for the reactor.
• The Galactic Concordance left a legitimate Imperial remnant in parts of the Core, Colonies, and Inner Rim. This was centred on “ancient, conservative worlds that had supported Palpatine,” including Commenor, Humbarine, Tinnel, Rendili, and Denon. Commenor is surprising, given that it was a target of Operation Cinder. However, these fragmented survivors struggled to coalesce into a viable state, squabbling over everything from their diplomatic relationship with the New Republic to which Imperial ideals they wanted to preserve. This inner system remnant eventually disintegrated, but its key worlds joined the New Republic and became leaders amongst the Centrists - who are confirmed to be sabotaging the NR from within.
• While much of the legitimate remnant’s military was decommissioned under the Galactic Concordance, many ships and troops escaped to be snapped up by warlords such as Moff Gideon. His flagship is confirmed to be an Arquitens-class light cruiser that was modified under the Class 456 program for greater speed. No length is given.
• Surviving Imperial bases such as those on Nevarro and Morak continued to provide desperately needed resources to warlord factions, with a “bewildering array of pocket states” emerging on the Rim.
• The New Republic’s military disarmament called for 90% of its fighting force to be disbanded, with even newly minted vessels forced to undergo decommissioning. Caps on personnel also led to widespread automation, with some functions, such as prisoner transfer and cargo hauling handled entirely by droids.
• In the absence of a Jedi Order to fill the role of peacekeepers, systems were forced to turn to local defence forces, civilian law enforcement, and New Republic marshals. However, in many outlying systems, criminals, warlords, and Imperials took over right under the New Republic’s nose.
• Eventually, the First Order emerged as a true successor to the Empire on a string of industrialised systems stretching from Bastion to Yaga Minor. Though much of its territory is hidden in the Unknown Regions, it is joined by seceding Centrists.
• The in-universe term for the First Order's political ideology is Neo-Imperialism.
• The Resurgent-class Star Destroyer used by Commander Pyre and Agent Tierny is called the Thunderer.
• The various allies gathered in the novel Resistance Reborn are brought to a safe house maintained by the anti-authoritation Collective on Helmaxa before continuing on to Resistance bases like Ajan Kloss.
• The chief seamstress for the Resistance uniforms is Hapl’n Pichem. It may be a minor detail, but it seems new as far as I can tell.

 

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This makes so much sense.

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I remember this from the TFA visual dictionary