The Third Battle of the Jedi Praxeum was the very first battle of the Dark Order War, began by an Imperial Remnant faction known as the Dark Order of Korr.
Prelude[]
In the aftermath of the Battle of Korriban, former Jedi Jaden Korr took control of a Sith cult known as the Disciples of Ragnos. After reorganizing the cult into the Dark Order of Korr, Jaden set out to conquer the New Republic. While his subordinates went about with the planning stages of their own campaigns, Jaden assembled a ground assault force on his flagship to attack the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. Rather than simply the eradication of the Jedi, however, the purpose of the assault was to spread fear of the Dark Order and simultaneously capture a number of Jedi apprentices for conversion to the dark side of the Force. Therefore, the attack force was transported on a single Star Destroyer.
Yavin 4 itself did not possess an orbital defense fleet or a planetary shield, and as such the Jedi Praxeum relied on its secluded location to avoid being attacked. It did possess sensors capable of detecting most starships in the system, but the Star Destroyer Dark Hand managed to avoid detection by exiting hyperspace behind the moon Yavin 8, whose orbit took itself close to Yavin 4 at the time. Afterward, the Star Destroyer launched a small convoy of transports to the moon's surface. The Imperial forces landed without incident several miles from the academy and split into two groups. The first, personally led by Jaden Korr, moved through the jungle under cover of night toward the northern academy courtyards and meditation grounds. The second group moved to the western grounds, and neither arrived until morning the next day.
The Battle[]
After taking positions, Imperial infantry attacked the northern and western academy grounds. The element of surprise allowed the swamp troopers to kill several unsuspecting Jedi from a distance as soon as the battle began. Imperial infantry immediately advanced on the Jedi lines, supported by AT-ST walkers. The Jedi, consisting mostly of apprentices with a handful of Knights, fell back to the outdoor training grounds, where they took defensive positions as other Jedi moved to assist from the Great Massassi Temple. As the Jedi regrouped, the Star Destroyer Dark Hand, which had moved into orbit of Yavin 4, launched a squadron of TIE Fighters and Interceptors, which performed a strafing run on the training grounds, inflicting moderate casualties.
Jaden Korr led the northern Imperial assault, breaking the defensive perimeter as the walkers advanced, forcing the Jedi to fall further back toward the Great Temple. Despite heavier infantry casualties than the northern force, the western assault managed to breach the defenses as well. After regrouping again, the Jedi spread out into the surrounding forests. Since their primary objective was to capture a number of Jedi, the Imperial troops were forced to split up into squads in order to cover more ground. Several AT-STs moved to support the infantry, but most of the walkers continued to move toward the Great Temple.
To prevent further losses, all battle-trained Jedi met at the Great Temple and organized into groups, which prepared to counter-attack the advancing Imperial forces. As the Jedi moved out, they also launched X-wing starfighters to deprive the Imperials of their air support.
The Jedi forces then pushed outward. Utilizing anti-armor weaponry kept in the academy's armory, they managed to down several Imperial walkers in both the north and eastern fronts. The stormtroopers then began to sustain heavy losses, even as Armored Personnel Carriers arrived to deliver reinforcements. The eastern Imperial infantry, lacking sufficient armor support and cohesion, were forced back. The northern attacking forces fared somewhat better, primarily because of Jaden's presence leading it, but even they soon began to lose what they had for armor support. Meanwhile, their TIE Fighters had been totally destroyed by Jedi starfighters, and soon the Imperial forces were taking losses from strafing runs.
By this time, approximately two dozen Jedi apprentices had been captured by the Imperial troops. Jaden, deciding that his goals had been accomplished in the attack, ordered all forces to an extraction point northwest of the academy. To cover their departure, two squadrons of TIE Interceptors were launched from the Dark Hand to protect their transports. After all ships had returned to the Star Destroyer, it left the Yavin system, ending the battle.
Aftermath[]
Although the Imperial forces took heavy losses, they succeeded in capturing a number of Jedi, who would later become members of the Dark Order. One of the Jedi captured was Jorus Kuun, who would become an important figure in the course of the war years later. The attack also demoralized the Jedi, but the Dark Order would not be regarded as a major threat to the New Republic until later. After the attack, the Jedi Order decided to outfit the academy with superior defensive systems, including longer-range sensors, anti-air turrets, and a theater shield. They also requested that the New Republic station a fleet in the system to protect the academy. Their request was granted.
The means by which Jaden's forces were able to take the Jedi by surprise is unknown. Some speculated that Jaden somehow used the Scepter of Ragnos to permeate the area around the Jedi academy with dark side energy which dulled the Jedi's ability to sense danger. Others theorized that because the Disciples of Ragnos had drained most of the Force energy from the Massassi temples, the Jedi found their abilities weakened by the energy's absence, allowing them to be caught unawares.