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The Open Circle Fleet, also known as the Open Circle Armada, was a major armada in the Republic Navy that participated in the pan-galactic conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems known as the Clone Wars. The Open Circle Fleet and its subordinate units participated in various campaigns and engagements throughout the war. Led by High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, the armada met the CIS Navy on multiple fronts at the start of the war, including the Battle of Christophsis and the Malevolence Campaign. The Open Circle Fleet's formations included numbered fleets, which were divided into multiple task forces and battle groups.
Subordinate units included the Fourth Fleet under Jedi General Plo Koon and his task force, as well as the Fifth Fleet and its vanguard. As a large naval force, the Open Circle Fleet ferried units of the Grand Army of the Republic across various battlefronts, such as the Kenobi's own 7th Sky Corps and Skywalker's command; the elite 501st Legion. Prominent starfighter squadrons were stationed aboard the fleet, such as Clone Flight Squad Seven. The Open Circle Fleet participated in the Battle of Coruscant, which saw a decisive blow against the Confederacy forces with the death of CIS Head of State Count Dooku. Beyond that, it fought in the Outer Rim Sieges as it attempted to eliminate the Confederate forces. Open Circle Fleet units located Supreme Martial Commander of the Separatist Droid Armies General Grievous on Utapau, and managed to deploy ground forces, successfully assisting in eliminating the droid army commander.
Description
Esteemed Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi had the emblem of the Open Circle Fleet on his armor during the Clone Wars.
The Open Circle Fleet, also identified as the Open Circle Armada,[9] was led by High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi[2] and Jedi General Anakin Skywalker.[3] As a large naval force, the armada was staffed by various Jedi Generals in command of their respective subordinate units, along with Republic naval officers and clone naval officers.[8] The Open Circle Armada contained at least two numbered fleets; the Fourth Fleet under the command of Jedi General Plo Koon,[30] and the Fifth Fleet.[9]
Koon's Fourth Fleet of the Open Circle Armada contained his own task force[31] centered on the Venator-class Star Destroyer Triumphant as the flagship and two other Venators.[12] A second fleet under General Koon was active following the destruction of his first task force.[4]
The Fifth Fleet of the Open Circle Armada had multiple subordinate naval formations, including the battle group under Jedi General Even Piell and Captain Wilhuff Tarkin,[2] the invasion fleet of Ryloth that consisted of three Acclamator-class assault ships,[23] a small fleet deployed under General Kenobi,[16] and the vanguard of the Fifth Fleet, which was the foremost grouping of naval forces of the Fifth Fleet[22] under Generals Kenobi, Skywalker, and Fleet Admiral Wullf Yularen.[32]
Other units under the Open Circle Fleet included a task force of three Venators under Jedi General Aayla Secura aboard the flagship Liberty,[19] a fleet of two Venators under the command of Admiral Dao,[20] a naval defense blockade of Kamino composed of ten Venators, an Acclamator, and two Arquitens-class light cruisers,[24] a task force of four Venators under Admiral Barton Coburn[25] a battle group commanded by Jedi General Luminara Unduli from the Venator Tranquility,[26] a task force of Venators and other warships under General Kenobi and centered around the Negotiator,[27] a task force commanded by General Skywalker from the Venator Resolute,[28] and a fleet under the leadership of Admiral Wurtz.[8]
Starfighter composition
The Open Circle Fleet deployed Venator-class Star Destroyers and Acclamator-class assault ships,[8] and these vessels were able to launch various starfighter forces and landing craft on behalf of the Open Circle Fleet.[33] With a single Venator having the capability of housing forty Low Altitude Assault Transports and ninety-two starfighters of differing types[34] and an Acclamator likewise having the ability to carry sixty-six assault transports,[35] the Open Circle Fleet had a large composition. One of the armada's most prominent starfighter squadrons was Clone Flight Squad Seven under Clone Commander Davijaan,[9] with another example of a starfighter unit being Red Squadron.[6]
Ground composition
Deployed throughout the galaxy, the Open Circle Fleet carried various ground forces to the various battlefronts. The 41st Elite Corps of Jedi General Unduli and Clone Commander Gree was deployed aboard various warships of the Open Circle Fleet. Kenobi's own 7th Sky Corps was also present aboard multiple Open Circle Fleet ships and subordinate units,[16] as was Skywalker's 501st Legion.[32] Members of the 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps were also stationed aboard the armada's ships, as was the 104th Battalion[4] and the 327th Star Corps.[19] The special operations battalion under Clone Commander Jet was also stationed aboard ships of the fleet,[6] and the Open Circle Fleet transported the Gungan Grand Army[17] and a Clone SCUBA company under Clone Commander Monnk in at least one instance.[18]
History
Outbreak of war
The Open Circle Armada was formed as a naval armada[9] of the Republic Navy by the time shortly after the First Battle of Geonosis[2] and included the task force of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker. Skywalker's task force participated in the Battle of Christophsis, where three of his Venators, including the flagship Resolute, and three Pelta-class frigates engaged the forces of the CIS Navy under Admiral Trench. Skywalker's forces were then joined by Kenobi and his Venator-class flagship, the Negotiator.[14] During the campaign, one Acclamator-class also participated and was engaged in orbital combat. With supplies dangerously low, Fleet Admiral Wullf Yularen was dispatched with a Venator to gather supplies and reinforcements and rejoin the besieged Republic forces. Yularen and his Venator were unable to break through the Separatist blockade, and so a second Republic effort, bolstered by three Open Circle Armada Venators from Admiral Wurtz and his fleet and four Acclamators, managed to break through the Separatist defenses and liberate the world.[8]
Ringo Vinda Campaign
Vessels of the Open Circle Fleet at Ringo Vinda.
The Open Circle Fleet participated in the Battle of Ringo Vinda, deploying at least twenty Venator-class Star Destroyers, including the flagship of Skywalker, at least three Acclamator-class assault ships, at least three Arquitens-class light cruisers, and at least two Consular-class cruisers, including medical frigate 517. During the Ringo Vinda campaign, Skywalker's task force blockaded the planet and its space station against Separatist Admiral Trench's forces. Republic naval forces deployed starfighters, and Republic ships suffered damaged during the engagement.[11] Clone navigation officers of the Open Circle Fleet were later in 79's on Coruscant during the hunt for Fives.[10]
Skywalker's task force later participated in the Battle of Scipio, and fought against the flotilla commanded by Separatist Head of State Count Dooku.[29] By the time of the Battle of Coruscant, which the fleet also participated in, many warships were part of the Open Circle Fleet.[36] The Fifth Fleet was also part of the naval group.[9] The Open Circle Armada proceeded to participate in the Outer Rim Sieges till the end of the war.[16] The fleet's Clone Flight Squad Seven was assigned to rescue Supreme Chancellor Palpatine from the Separatists, and escorted Jedi Generals Skywalker and Kenobi on their way to the Separatist flagship, the Invisible Hand.[1]
At least one cruiser of the Open Circle Fleet,[15] the Tribunal,[37] also participated in the Siege of Mandalore, deploying the newly created 332nd Division into battle against the forces of former Sith Lord Maul. Upon successful conquering of the planet, the cruiser then departed Mandalore for Coruscant with a captive Maul restrained onboard. En-route, however, Order 66 was enacted and the entire clone crew turned on Ahsoka Tano, who had left the Jedi Order but was acting as an informal advisor and commander of the division. In the ensuing skirmish, Maul was freed and tore the cruiser out of hyperspace by destroying its hyperdrive, causing it to crash on the surface of a nearby moon and killing all aboard save Maul, Ahsoka and Commander Rex, who managed to evacuate the doomed vessel shortly before it crashed.[15]
Behind the scenes
The Open Circle Fleet first appeared in the movie Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith,[16] and was first canonically identified in the 2016 edition of Star Wars: Complete Locations.[1] It was first identified as the Open Circle Armada in the 2018 edition of Star Wars: Complete Vehicles.[9]
Kevin Jenkins used the Open Circle Fleet symbol on concept art of Resistance RZ-2 A-wing interceptors he drew for Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker.[38]
Appearances
Sources
- Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 36 Starship Fact File: ARC-170 Starfighter (First identified as Open Circle Fleet)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection: Utapau Clone Trooper Weapons & Uniforms: Ready for Action (Emblem only)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection: Odd Ball Helmets: Odd Ball
- Star Wars Helmet Collection: Odd Ball Weapons & Uniforms: Republic Pilots
- Star Wars Helmet Collection: Commander Bly Highlights of the Saga: The Maridun Incident (Emblem only)
- Star Wars Helmet Collection: Biggs Darklighter Databank A-Z: Venator–Asajj Ventress (Emblem only)
- Star Wars: Complete Locations
- Star Wars Helmet Collection: 2-1B Surgical Droid Weapons & Uniforms: 2-1Bs in the Galaxy (Emblem only)
- Star Wars: Complete Vehicles (2018) (First identified as Open Circle Armada)
- Star Wars: X-Wing Second Edition — ARC-170 Starfighter Expansion Pack Card: Squad Seven Veteran — ARC-170 Starfighter
"Deal No Deal" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)- "Republic, Rebel, and Resistance Starfighters" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian — "Making of Season Two"
- "The Clone Wars Begin" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- "Anakin Skywalker" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- "Obi-Wan Kenobi" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
Non-canon sources
- Strap in Starfighter, Star Wars is Taking Over in Fortnite: GALACTIC BATTLE! on Fortnite's official website (backup link) (Picture only) (Emblem only)
