Raid on the Roche Asteroids

"All flights, in we go, scatter formation."

- Commander Atton Juyode

The Raid on the Roche Asteroids was a small-scale strike, conducted by squadrons from the   and Marines, on the -occupied asteroid Cobalt J-27 and its shipyard and repair facilities. The 23rd Marine and 52nd Navy squadrons, executing a pincer infiltration of the Roche field's outer layers, successfully attacked and neutralized the facility, along with a battle-damaged and its escorting. With local space temporarily clear of enemy forces, the two Republic squadrons made good their escape, jumping to hyperspace to rendezvous with the task force under the command of Kedlis Hetton.

Prelude
After the and the subsequent lightning strikes of the  under Darths  and, the  was left with few reserves, and struggled to hold onto key sectors. In an attempt to seize the initiative, Marine Captain Laera Reyolé intended to mount a counterattack on the recently-lost homeworld of. In an attempt to draw attention away from the real target, Reyolé came up with a plan for a small-scale diversionary attack on the s' home system, which itself had recently been conquered by the Sith, who continued to use the facilities that had been abandoned by the Republic.

Believing that two squadrons of s would be sufficient to inflict crippling damage on one of the major shipyard and repair facilities located within the asteroids, Reyolé, with the blessing of Kedlis Hetton, dispatched the 23rd Marine Starfighter Squadron and the 52nd Starfighter Squadron. Staging from the Stalwart Defender, the two units were ordered to inflict all possible damage to the yards at Cobalt J-27, as well as any Sith forces that attempted to intervene.

The battle
Arriving at the outer edges of the, the two squadrons separated, going into scatter formation and penetrating the outer belt in a pincer that was intended to come together over the target. The Marine flyers, led by Atton Juyode, arrived at Cobalt J-27 undetected and unopposed, and began firing es into the facility before its defenses could be brought online. As a result, the dockyards were all but completely demolished, with at least one transport, then undergoing repairs, and a fully-laden bulk cruiser, destroyed.

The 52nd Squadron, meanwhile, had encountered a badly-damaged being shepherded toward the asteroid repair facility by a vanguard of six. After surprising and eliminating the escorting starfighters, the Navy fliers, under the command of Lt. Commander Veris Elli, engaged the now unprotected cruiser, finishing it off with proton torpedoes and repeated strafing runs with their Aurek fighters' laser cannons. After having done as much damage as they could in such a short time, the two squadrons retreated, rendezvousing at the edge of the asteroid belt before making the jump into hyperspace.

Aftermath
Having completed their mission without loss, the two squadrons arrived back at the Stalwart Defender. Admiral Hetton heaped praise upon the pilots and their commanders; when news of the mission's success hit the rest of the task force, morale increased dramatically. This was to be but a prelude to the next engagement, however, but since both units had lacked battle experience as a whole, it was to prove a key factor.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Saber Battalion