The Battle of Selsor, also known as the 300 Day Siege, was an engagement during the Galactic Civil War. The Alliance to Restore the Republic controlled an Expansion Region ice planet called Selsor, having over ten thousand recently recruited guerrilla fighters from the planet and other worlds in the sector entrenched there. The Galactic Empire learned of their presence, and worried that the Rebels were planning on making a base on Selsor, attacked immediately. The battle raged for almost a year between the Alliance and Imperial Army, with heavy casualties on both sides, before winter came. At that point, the Stormtrooper Corps deployed the Snow Hawks, an elite snowtrooper unit. They engaged the Rebel forces in what was known as the winter campaign.
Prelude[]
In 2 ABY, the Umbaran Rebel, General Ennodius, and his comrade Colonel Farr-Nees, who both fought in the Clone Wars for the Confederacy of Independent Systems, led an army of recently recruited insurgents to the planet of Selsor by orders from the Alliance High Command. They were instructed to construct a field post there, to hold the planet in case the base on Hoth was not completed for any reason. The planet did not have an Imperial garrison, so they were able to establish a series of small camps and outposts over a couple of continents on the planet. However, Imperial Intelligence found out about the Rebel plans, and soon the Imperial Army sent several corps-sized units to destroy the Rebel forces there.
The battle[]
Stalemate[]
However, General Ennodius and his men were well encamped in their positions. The Army managed to defeat some units initially, and had a foothold in Rebel-held territory. They also had units dispersed on other parts of the planet, such as at the capitol and major spaceports. The Rebels were besieged, but were fighting well from their strategically-advantageous positions. The Imperial Army was soon also entrenched, and the daily skirmishes between Rebel and Imperial troops got them no where. But, fortunately for the Imperials, the Alliance was unable to deliver supplies, both out of needing it on Hoth and because the Selsor system was under control of the Imperial Navy, making supply runs too risky and costly. As a result, many soldiers of the Rebellion died from starvation and disease.
Breaking the Siege[]
Finally in 3 ABY, the Imperial Central Command grew tired of the battle and wanted it over with. The Stormtrooper Corps was called in, specifically, an elite snowtrooper unit known as the Snow Hawks. Their four battalions attacked the forward guard posts of the Rebel army, taking over all of them, including Outpost Beta, following a lengthy firefight with the defenders. After all four outpost were secured, they then were selected for the final assault on the main Rebel base.
The Navy had several TIE/sa bombers make runs on the base, to weaken defenses. After a briefing by Major Kalima (since the commanding general decided to manage the main force near the captured outposts), the small task force attacked. Imperial Army troopers, covered by AT-ATs and AT-STs, advanced on the Rebel defensive lines, killing most of them but taking heavy casualties themselves, as a result of the human wave attack. The snowtrooper units were transported aboard the walkers, and after the Army cleared the area, they broke into the base, covered by their comrades. They quickly overran the Rebels, killing both of the Umbaran Rebel officers.
However, for unknown reasons, Major Kalima betrayed the Empire and defected to the Alliance. Several of his men did as well, and attacked the loyalist forces outside and inside of the base. They were quickly killed off, and ultimately did nothing to change the tide of the battle. The Imperial troops were confused by the small internal fight that occurred, and had to be debriefed by Colonel Vandalor. The elite 501st Legion of stormtroopers was deployed on the planet hours later to relieve the Army and snowtroopers, and easily mopped up remaining Rebel and traitorous forces.
Aftermath[]
The battle saw high losses of life on both sides, but particularly for the Rebellion. They were short on supplies, so during the siege, nearly a thousand starved to death or from disease. Despite the hardships, they were dedicated and fought to the death, something which the Rebel leader later commended. The Empire propagandized the victory (except for Kalima's betrayal) and it made a good prelude to the Battle of Hoth.
Behind the scenes[]
The nickname of the battle, '300 Day Siege', is a reference to another franchise the author is a fan of, Avatar: The Last Airbender, where there is a battle known as the '600 Day Siege'. The background, and battle itself, were mostly ideas of the author, as the battle is only implied in canon. The elite snowtrooper unit Snow Hawks was said to have preformed well in the battle, and that was it. So the author decided to expand on it in his book.
Appearances[]
- Unknown Soldier (First appearance)