TIE Corps Battlegroups
The TIE Corps Battlegroups was a former Battlegroup unit within the TIE Corps originally consisting of the ISD Challenge, the ISD Relentless, the ISD Colossus, and the ISD Immortal.
Origins[edit]
The TIE Corps Battlegroups were created as part of then-Flight Officer AD Kawolski's reorganization of the TIE Corps, into four distinct battlegroups: the Sovereign Task Force, the TIE Corps Battlegroups ("TCBG"), the Aggressor Strike Force ("ASF"), and the Avenger Task Force.
The name TIE Corps Battlegroups (emphasis on plural) came from the fact that the previous units were part of other battlegroups (the historical Battlegroup I featuring the Colossus, the historical Battlegroup II featuring the Relentless, and the Aurora Home Guard featuring the Challenge), which were then being merged into a single Battlegroup - thus, "Battlegroups".
As originally founded, and for most of its lifetime, the TIE Corps Battlegroup was made up primarily of four ships: the ISD Challenge, the ISD Relentless, the ISD Colossus, and the newer ISD Immortal. The Immortal was decommissioned twice during its lifetime (primarily in 2004, and later in 2005), with the Colossus and the Relentless closing sometime after.
Later on, the closure of the Aggressor Strike Force and Avenger Task Force battlegroups, resulted in the addition of the the MC80B Redemption, the ISD Subjugator, and the ISD Vanguard. These ships would slowly drop off until the closure of the Battlegroup, with only the Challenge remaining as an active ship throughout.
Assignment and Role[edit]
As originally conceived, the TIE Corps Battlegroups were intended to be a destination for pilots interested in Single Player gaming. While all pilots of the TIE Corps were welcome to participate in any activity they would like, competitions and activities within the TIE Corps Battlegroups typically revolved around single player gaming, and custom missions in particular.
Furthermore, each ship within the TIE Corps Battlegroups was designated with a specific platform. This would enable the Training Office to send new pilots to a squadron based on any gaming (SP vs. MP) and platform (TIE vs. XvT vs. XWA) preferences they provided upon enlistment.
At the time of its creation, platform designations for ships were as follows:
| Ship | Platform |
|---|---|
| ISD Challenge | TIE Fighter |
| ISD Immortal | X-Wing Alliance |
| ISD Colossus | X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter |
| ISD Relentless | TIE Fighter (later X-Wing Alliance) |
Later on, these platform designations would be deprecated, although the designation of the TIE Corps Battlegroups as a location for primarily single player gamers would continue until the arrival of ships from the closed Aggressor Strike Force and Avenger Task Force battlegroups.
Flagship[edit]
The designated flagship of the TIE Corps Battlegroups would change yearly, based on a competition created by its original BGCOM, Kessler: Exercise Cantina Run, or ECR for short.
While the tasks and categories for ECR would change over its many iterations, it consistently challenged members of the TIE Corps Battlegroups to perform various tasks, with points being awarded based on both performance and participation.
The following table lists each flagship and its approximate reign as flagship of the TIE Corps Battlegroups.
| Year | Ship |
|---|---|
| 1999 - 2000 | Challenge (?) |
| 2000 - Spring 2001 | Immortal |
| Spring 2001 - Fall 2001 | Relentless |
| Fall 2001 - Fall 2002 | Immortal |
| Fall 2002 - Winter 2003 | Challenge |
| 2004 - Fall 2004 | Relentless |
| Fall 2004 - closure | Challenge |
Legacy[edit]
TIE Corps Battlegroups continues to live on through the active service of two of its founding ships. The ISD Challenge was returned to service in 2020, eventually becoming the flagship of a new battlegroup, Battlegroup III. Meanwhile, the ISD Relentless was returned to active service in 2024, now part of a different battlegroup, as a unit within Battlegroup II.
Former Battlegroup Commanders[edit]
- VA Kessler
- VA Jarak Maldon
- VA Adrenaline
- AD Mell Kerrigan
- AD Krax Tarnisar
- AD BubbaX
Inactive Ships[edit]
The following ships may have at times been assigned under the TIE Corps Battlegroups for story purposes, but were never active during its time as an active battlegroup:
