Launched at some point between 21 BBY and 19 BBY during the Clone Wars, the massive invasion of Saleucami was undertaken by the Confederacy of Independent Systems on the Outer Rim planet Saleucami. The planet had previously been the site of a battle between the Confederacy and Galactic Republic in 21 BBY, but the Confederacy returned to Saleucami with a massive military force after realizing the world could be useful as an outpost, staging area, and trans-shipment point for the Salin Corridor hyperspace route. Toward the end of the Clone Wars, the Republic initiated the Siege of Saleucami as part of the Outer Rim Sieges to claim Saleucami from its enemy faction.

Prelude[]

Despite being a quiet, backwater planet in the Outer Rim Territories^[7] without much strategic value, in part due to its lack of natural resources,^[8] the world of Saleucami came to be of great importance in the Clone Wars between the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Galactic Republic,^[7] even though the small community^[9] of settlers on Saleucami wanted to avoid the conflict.^[10] In fact, those who moved to the isolated planet often wanted to avoid the attention of the Confederacy^[11] or the Republic.^[6] Although it would remain untouched through most of the war,^[10] the Separatist General Grievous sought to take over the world^[12] in 21 BBY,^[3] beginning a battle between Republic and Separatist forces above^[12] and on the surface of the planet.^[6]

Although Jedi Master Eeth Koth was rescued from Grievous's custody,^[12] the cyborg general himself managed to escape after a chase on the world.^[6] Following the event, it seemed as though Saleucami would return to its peaceful status, but Separatist officers had other plans;^[7] Grievous's journey on Saleucami had convinced him that the planet would be decent,^[9] but successful, as an outpost^[5] and staging area.^[9] Indeed, as the Perlemian Trade Route grew increasingly contested, Separatist convoys needed a safer hyperspace route for travel. As Saleucami happened to be close to the regional Salin Corridor, Separatist commanders realized Saleucami could be useful as a stockpile for materiel produced in the Foundry of the Confederacy, a grouping of factory worlds in the Mid and Outer Rims.^[7] Between 21 BBY and 20 BBY,^[13] the Republic was involved in another battle on Saleucami.^[14]

The invasion[]

After realizing the planet's usefulness as a potential trans-shipment point,^[7] the Confederacy launched a massive invasion of Saleucami^[4] with a large military force under the command of Grievous^[5] at some point between 21 BBY and 19 BBY.^[3] As the Separatist force was large enough to confront a fleet of starships blockading the planet and landed on Saleucami,^[5] the invasion of Saleucami^[2] brought widespread fighting to the planet.^[1]

Aftermath[]

Escalating the fighting for Saleucami, the invasion brought the Clone Wars back to the planet,^[4] where the Confederacy would station its large force with the support of a blockade fleet.^[9] Dressellian smuggler Has Obitt, whose missions with Lieutenant Commander Orson Krennic of the Republic Special Weapons Group had left him unwelcome in Separatist territory, narrowly missed the invasion, but he later found himself amid the sneak attack on Roche.^[2] Sometime after the Separatists took control of Saleucami and made it into a factory world, the Republic, fearing the secrets the Separatist-controlled world held, besieged the world in the final months of the Clone Wars^[7] during the Outer Rim Sieges campaign.^[15] Like the Separatist invasion before it, the Republic siege brought widespread conflict to the world.^[1] Following the war, the Galactic Empire,^[16] successor state of the Republic,^[2] remained interested in Saleucami^[16] and attempted to bring Imperial order to the previously peaceful planet.^[10]

Behind the scenes[]

The invasion of Saleucami was first mentioned in James Luceno's 2016 novel, Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel.^[2] The invasion was further expanded upon in the French release of the booklet "Mustafar and Other Planets in the Outer Rim,"^[5] which was released in France on April 8, 2022^[17] as part of De Agostini's Star Wars Encyclopedia line.^[5] However, when the booklet was released in English in 2023, the section on Saleucami was removed.^[18] It had been moved to the booklet "Scarif and Other Planets in the Outer Rim," which released in 2022.^[9] Instead, the English Mustafar encyclopedia contains two pages on the Fortress Inquisitorius.^[18] Additionally, mentions of the invasion of Saleucami^[5] were removed from and alerted in the English release of the Saleucami passage.^[9] This article assumes both language releases can be taken as canon, but cites information found only in one release to that specific language version.

Appearances[]

• Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel (First mentioned, simultaneous with Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel audiobook)
• Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel audiobook (Mentioned only)

Sources[]

• Collapse of the Republic
• "The Clone Wars" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
• Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy (Indirect mention only)
• "Mustafar and Other Planets in the Outer Rim" — Star Wars Encyclopedia (French edition)
• "Scarif and Other Planets in the Outer Rim" — Star Wars Encyclopedia (English edition) (Indirect mention only)

Notes and references[]