Protazk

Protazk was a terrestrial world^[3] located in the Protazk system, a part of the Kwymar sector of the Outer Rim Territories.^[1] It was the site of Spuma Flats,^[4] a region that shared its name with the Seswenna sector^[5] planet Spuma.^[6] The terrain there included a flat, dusty plain on which laser emplacement towers and trenches were at one point established.^[3]

As part of the Kwymar Suppressions campaign^[7] that took place by 17 BBY,^[8] the Galactic Empire carried out a ruthless assault on Protazk^[7] in order to suppress an insurgency.^[9] At one point in the engagement, a landing barge deployed the repulsortank Hammer 3:2^[3] of the Imperial Hammers Elite Armor Unit^[9] onto a plain of^[3] Spuma Flats^[4] where the insurgents had taken up defensive positions. During the tank's deployment, its driver Gortz looked out the vehicle's viewport and cursed, characterizing Protazk as "another dirt-ball world." Hammer 3:2 then joined other repulsortanks of Squad three in advancing on the trenches.^[3]

Behind the scenes

The name "Protazk" was introduced in the context of a mention of a battle in the first edition core rulebook for West End Games' Star Wars Miniatures Battles tabletop miniature wargame. The rulebook was written by Stephen Crane and Paul Murphy^[10] and was published in June 1989.^[11] "The Assault on Protazk," a short companion narrative included in Greg Gorden's October 1989 Imperial Sourcebook that was published by West End Games for use with Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, subsequently established that Protazk was a distinct world, with the narrative also featuring its first full appearance.^[3]

"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, How I Wonder Where We Are," a 1990 roleplaying game source article published in the thirteenth issue of the Voyages SF magazine, placed Protazk in the Fakir sector. Since that article was released outside of the Lucas Licensing process,^[12] it was considered non-canonical with respect to the Star Wars Legends continuity.^[13] Jason Fry's Wizards of the Coast Star Wars Miniatures scenario series The Hunt Within: Valance's Tale, published on Wizards.com between December 2, 2004^[7] and January 27, 2005,^[14] then instead placed the world in the Kwymar sector.^[7] The 2009 reference book The Essential Atlas subsequently placed the Protazk system, and therefore Protazk itself, in grid square Q-4,^[2] and the StarWars.com Online Companion to the book later confirmed the placement from The Hunt Within.^[1]

Appearances

• "The Assault on Protazk" — Imperial Sourcebook (reprinted in Second Edition) (First appearance) (First described)

Sources

• Star Wars Miniatures Battles, First Edition (First mentioned) (In Assault on Protazk's name)
• Star Wars Miniatures Battles, Second Edition (In Assault on Protazk's name)
• The Hunt Within: Valance's Tale: Part 1 on Wizards.com (backup link) (original site is defunct)
• The Hunt Within: Valance's Tale: Conclusion on Wizards.com (backup link) (original site is defunct)
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia

Non-canon sources

• "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, How I Wonder Where We Are" — Voyages SF 13 (Unlicensed)

Notes and references