Base Delta Zero was the naval code used by the Sith Empire, Galactic Republic, Galactic Empire, and Confederacy of Independent Systems to order the complete surface destruction of a planetary target, eliminating all life, industry, and natural resources and could be executed by a single Star Destroyer in less than a day.

CharacteristicsEdit

It denoted the most severe of several levels of destruction that could be directed against a center of resistance, and involved laying waste to an entire planet by orbital bombardment, reducing the upper crust of a planet to molten slag^[1][2] or in some cases atomize the planet's top-soil.^[3]

A Base Delta Zero fleet bombardment was regarded as one of the most devastating operations that the Imperial military was capable of, and unlike other Imperial military codes, the designation was not subject to change, so that there was never any confusion when it was issued. Due to its effects, BDZs were considered a last resort.^[4][5]

HistoryEdit

Devastating planetary bombardments were recorded from the earliest millennia of Galactic history. For instance, the Infinite Empire laid waste to Tatooine before the dawn of the Old Republic,^[6] and around 4,000 BBY, Yavin 4 was devastated by firestorms created by Force energy,^[7] while the Sith forces in the Jedi Civil War obliterated Taris and Telos IV.^[6] But these atrocities paled before the power of a Base Delta Zero operation. Even hardened Imperial officers who were well versed in invasion operations found the tactic unsettling. Some saw it worse than destroying the planet outright.

It is not known when the Republic Navy introduced the Base Delta Zero code, but during the Clone Wars, the order gained new notoriety when Republic fleets were used to destroy Separatist armies entrenched deep underground.^[2]

Under the New Order, Base Delta Zero operations continued to be mounted primarily against targets that the Imperial Army had failed to gain control of by direct assault, but such missions acquired increasingly punitive overtones, being used against rebellious planets where the Empire judged a ground assault would incur too many Imperial casualties, or simply where forces were not available to mount a direct attack.

In 19 BBY, Imperial warships used the BDZ tactic on the planet Caamas.^[8] In 4 BBY, Moff Sarn Shild gave a Base Delta Zero command targeting the smugglers' haven of Nar Shaddaa.^[9] The torpedo sphere was developed largely as a dedicated bombardment platform, in keeping with the Tarkin Doctrine. Other notorious Imperial-era atrocities, such as the bombardment of Emberlene, were often grouped with Base Delta Zero missions. The Rebel Alliance was even blamed for the attack, despite having nothing to do with it.^[10] At one point, the Assertor-class Star Dreadnought Wrath led a Base Delta Zero operation, which involved various TIE/D Defender squadrons, some Imperial-class Star Destroyers, and at least one Interdictor-class Star Destroyer.^[11]

In addition to naval bombardment, army missions with the same objective as a Base Delta Zero command were undertaken to combat the enemies of the Empire. The mercenary unit First Sun Mobile Regiment was often hired by the Galactic Empire to destroy all enemy assets similarly to a BDZ bombardment.^[12]

The Empire continued to use devastating bombardment tactics, for instance at Milagro, and some of these may have been Base Delta Zeroes;^[13] but the New Republic rejected planetary bombardment missions outright, until Operation Emperor's Hammer during the Battle of Borleias in 28 ABY.^[14]

AppearancesEdit

• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Indirect appearance)
• Labyrinth of Evil
• Star Wars: Battlefront II
• Star Wars 74: The Iskalon Effect (Indirect appearance)
• The Hutt Gambit (First appearance)
• Specter of the Past
• Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream

SourcesEdit

• Attack of the Clones: Incredible Cross-Sections
• Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections
• The Imperial Sourcebook (First mentioned)
• Galaxy Guide 9: Fragments from the Rim
• "A World to Conquer"—Star Wars Adventure Journal 2
• The Essential Chronology
• Starships of the Galaxy (Saga Edition)
• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
• Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 35
• The Essential Guide to Warfare

Notes and referencesEdit

External linksEdit

• Base Delta Zero discussion at Star Wars Technical Commentaries
• Base Delta Zero essay at Stardestroyer.net