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Outer Rim Sieges

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this was the name used to describe the series of battles and skirmishes that took place at the edges of the Old Republic's scope of galactic control, during the last stages of the Clone Wars. The Outer Rim Sieges took a heavy toll on both the Grand Army of the Republic and the Jedi Knights, as both bodies were stretched exceptionally thin in order to counteract the actions of the Separatists. At the height of the fighting, nearly half of Coruscant's own home fleet was dispatched to the Outer Rim. Unknown to the Jedi and Army, the Outer Rim Sieges were actually part of a much larger plan established by Darth Sidious, and executed by Count Dooku and the Separatists. After nearly three years of fighting, the Old Republic had managed to drive the Separatists out of the Core Worlds, forcing the Separatists to regroup in the Outer Rim. Believing the Core to be safe, Chancellor Palpatine and the leaders of the Jedi Order pursued the Separatists to far-flung worlds. Often, entire fleets were dedicated to a single mission, such as the hunts for Count Dooku on Tythe and the Separatist leaders at Belderone. These sieges were part of Sidious' plan to spread the Grand Army of the Republic as thin as possible, and the Jedi Order even thinner. Then, when the moment was right, Sidious ordered General Grievous to launch an all-out attack on Coruscant itself. Despite the Republic's victory at Coruscant, Grievous managed to escape to the Outer Rim, and the Republic was forced to continue fighting in order to prevent Grievous from being able to regroup for another attack. This continuation of fighting only served to further the plans of Darth Sidious, who knew that the Jedi who were leading the battle groups would be scattered and unable to return quickly. After Palpatine issued the command to execute Order 66, clone commanders across the Outer Rim turned on their Jedi Generals and executed them. Thus began the Jedi Purge, solidifying Palpatine's control of the galaxy.