The operation plan devised by Solo, Master Skute, Captain Ento Ragnos, and several Regimental Commanders, some of whom participated via holographic projection, was as simple as an unpolished slab of stone.
It wasn't that Solo favored simplicity; there was simply no time to refine complex tactical schemes. He lacked the expertise of the German General Staff during World War I, which could plan operations down to the actions of individual companies and platoons.
Moreover, commanding such a massive force was no easy task. Solo directly oversaw nine clone trooper regiments and over a hundred armored units. Combined with Master Skute's and his apprentice's forces, the total strength amounted to ten regiments, not counting the over a hundred V-19 fighter planes and various technical equipment.
Therefore, the finalized plan was clear and straightforward:
Solo's Hailfire-class amphibious assault ship would hover beyond the range of enemy base air defenses while simultaneously deploying ground forces.
At the same time, some clone troopers would board LAAT/i gunships and make an emergency landing closer to the Separatist positions to secure a landing zone for the main forces.
Meanwhile, reconnaissance platoons and Commandos would pilot BARC speeders to breach the enemy defenses and penetrate deep into their lines. Some would go to support the besieged troops, while the shield-equipped speeders would destroy or disable enemy heavy artillery.
Over a hundred V-19 Torrent fighters provided air cover for the ground forces.
Solo couldn't help but sigh inwardly again. *If only we had bombers,* he thought. *The V-19's firepower is simply inadequate against ground targets.*
In the next phase, Solo's nine regiments, supported by nearly a hundred AT-TE walkers and AAT tanks, launched a frontal assault on the enemy base to draw in their main forces.
Meanwhile, Scout led his troops to land in the area defended by his apprentices. Since one of Scout's Hailfire-class ships, severely damaged, couldn't enter the atmosphere and had to remain in orbit, the success of the landing depended entirely on the Commando's ability to neutralize the enemy artillery.
If the artillery was destroyed, Scout could land the remaining Hailfire-class ship directly in the combat zone, using its ship cannons for support.
Failure would force them to rely on gunboats for troop deployment, drastically slowing down the offensive.
Finally, both armies launched their final assault from two directions. The Kubaz forces under Scout were tasked with destroying the droid factory, while Solo led the charge to seize the Separatist's hidden warship.
The warship was the real headache.
The Separatist Commander had hidden it so well that neither the SPHA self-propelled heavy artillery nor the ship cannons could reach it.
Solo had originally planned to blast the enemy ship into scrap metal from a safe distance, but SPHA units could only target objects within visual range. The LH-1740 was not only hidden behind a mountain ridge, but half of its hull was buried underground, leaving no choice but to rely on ground forces for a direct assault.
This part of the plan included a "special operation."
Solo and Ahsoka were to lead a clone commando squad in gunboats to land directly on the enemy ship while clone infantry attacked from the ground.
By capturing the Separatist Commander and destroying the communication center, they could cut off the robots' connections. Before the robots could find new leadership, the battle would be over.
But reality proved different. Solo's "commando" forces, clad in elite Katana armor, were pitifully small—only three squads in total. One squad was tasked with destroying the anti-aircraft guns, another remained at the base to handle emergencies. That left only six soldiers to accompany Solo, along with Ahsoka and two waves of B-1 battle droids as disposable cannon fodder.
Fortunately, the planet's defenses proved weaker than expected. There were only about a hundred heavy guns, mostly clustered around the enemy ship, supplemented by the LH-1740's own armaments.
While the V-19 fighters drew enemy attention with harassing attacks, Solo's fleet successfully entered the planet's atmosphere.
After five minutes of turbulence, the fleet hovered thirty kilometers from the target.
From the bridge's observation window, vast ice plains stretched out, merging with mountain ranges. The Separatist base was concealed behind a ridge, and below it stood the Bucktoide automated factory and the Techno Union's manufacturing facilities, just as Scout had warned.
*Brilliant... Just brilliant... Of course, I mean the opposite,* Solo grumbled inwardly. *I'm out here fighting robots while they churn out new ones by the hundreds and thousands behind the scenes? How are we supposed to win this war? Good thing the factory is assigned to Scout. Otherwise, I'd lose my mind.*
Before the ship had fully landed, the hangar bay doors swung open, and LAAT/i gunships and the Reconnaissance Platoon's speeders swarmed out.
They had to reach the anti-aircraft gun emplacements as quickly as possible and destroy them.
Moments later, the ship's landing gear touched down on the frozen soil, and the boarding ramp slowly lowered.
Over seventy AAT tanks, each carrying clone troopers and robots, roared out, followed by the robot infantry running ahead and clone platoons in close support. The remaining AT-TE walkers lumbered forward with heavy steps.
Amphibious assault ships on both flanks simultaneously deployed their units, quickly filling the icy plain with Republic combat forces.
The battle ahead had already erupted. Real-time maps on the bridge observation panels and the Command Center's tactical tables clearly displayed the battlefield situation.
These maps were far superior to Earth's models. Not only did they update in real-time, but they also allowed commanders to adjust the scale with a simple gesture, making every detail of the combat situation instantly clear.
"General, everything is progressing according to plan," Commander Zillo reported. "All ship captains have confirmed successful landings, and the vanguard units have secured the defensive line. However, reconnaissance platoons have reported a large contingent of robots moving toward us from deep within the enemy defenses. Special Forces have successfully destroyed some of the anti-aircraft guns, and the rest have been disabled."
"General Skute's ships are now landing in the designated area," Captain Ragnos added. "He's encountering minimal resistance... most of the robots have been redeployed to deal with us, so his end should be relatively easy."
"Good. Proceed as planned."
Solo nodded, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the command desk as his mind raced with another thought.
*Alright, it's time to brandish my lightsaber and show some heroism!*
He was well aware of the risks. While the Clone Troopers wouldn't find it strange to see him seated at the command desk... he needed to do this. He needed to establish his authority.
Solo understood the unique nature of the Clone Troopers. During their training, Jango Fett and the Mandalorian instructors he hired had deeply ingrained Mandalorian ideals into the clones' very being. This was especially true for the command layer and Special Forces, but even ordinary clones absorbed Mandalorian culture like sponges soaking up water.
This influence permeated every aspect of their lives. Mandalorian was widely spoken among the clones, and even the Phase One clone armor incorporated elements of traditional Mandalorian armor.
At the core of Mandalorian culture lay the veneration of individual heroism and battlefield courage.
Even the most talented Commander would struggle to truly earn the respect of the clones if they couldn't demonstrate courage on the battlefield.
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