This is the second mission of a mini campaign based on Star Wars Episode IV. Having managed to capture the Droid R2-D2 with the Death Star plans, Princess Leia, and a squad of Rebel Troopers, the Empire is now transporting their captives to their nearby Imperial Fortress where Lord Vader will personally carry out their “interrogation”.
The Rebels must attempt a rescue before the Empire transport reaches the fortress. The prisoners are being transported on a TX-225 GAVw Occupier Combat Assault Tank with a 74-Z Speeder Bike escort. The Empire must reach the safety of the Fortress with their prisoners. The Rebels must intercept the convoy and rescue all prisoners.
THE PATROL PHASE
The terrain was based around a desert road winding through a hilly landscape to the Empire’s Imperial Fortress. The Rebels started with three Patrol Markers in a stack between F8-H8. The Empire started with two Patrol Markers at the location of their TX-225 GAVw Occupier Combat Assault Tank (A1), and two in the Fortress gate (L3). These were moved as independent pairs. At the end of the Patrol Phase the Rebels placed three Jump-Off Points on the table as shown on the map. The Empire placed one JOP inside the Fortress, one on the TX-225 at the road entry at A1, and a third as shown on the map.
The Speeder Bikes and Tank started the game already deployed on the table. The Speeder Bikes deployed as two Teams, both within 6” of the Tank.
FORCES
Both sides use the remainder of their Platoon from Mission 1. The Empire fielded an Imperial Officer, Stormtrooper Lieutenant and four Stormtrooper Squads. In addition, the Empire had a TX-225 GAVw Occupier Combat Assault Tank, being used to transport the prisoners, with an escort of four 74-Z Speeder Bikes. The Empire have no support points (the Tank & Bikes used all the Empire’s Support Points). The Rebels fielded Obi-Wan Kenobi and a Rebel Officer as Senior Leaders. Luke accompanied Obi-Wan (to learn the ways of the force from the Jedi master). He had no weapons or force powers and could not take part in combat. The Rebels force consisted of three Rebel Trooper Squads and two RPS-6 Rocket Launcher teams. The Rebels started with a Force Morale of 9, the Empire with 8.
OBJECTIVE
The Empire must reach their Fortress with the plans, &/or any captured named Rebel character. Is successful, the Rebels must then fight Mission 3.
The Rebels must recover the plans and rescue all Rebel prisoners, and hold them until the end of the Turn. If successful, they may proceed to Mission 4.
BATTLE REPORT
The Empire prisoner convoy (TX-225 Tank plus a Speeder Bike escort) transporting Princess Leia, R2-D2 and five Rebel Troopers was travelling along a dangerous stretch of winding desert road towards the Imperial Fortress. Rebels could be hiding around the next bend or in the palm and cacti groves edging the road. Would the Empire make it to the Fortress or would the Rebels ambush the convoy and rescue the prisoners?
The Rebels deployed Obi-Wan, two Squads of Troopers, and two Rocket Launcher Teams in a cacti grove in the south, waiting for the convoy to appear. As soon as it came into view, the Rebels opened fire with the Rocket Launchers and the Trooper’s Ion Rifles. One Speeder Bike was quickly eliminated, and the Tank was forced to retreat.
The Rebels and Empire then both deployed a Squad in the West, with the Empire immediately charging into close combat against the Rebel position on a hill. This went badly for the Empire, with all but two men wiped out, the survivors being forced to flee.
The Empire then deployed two further Squads in the West, and redirected their Speeder Bikes south to try a flank attack on the Rebels, quickly forcing the remaining Rebel force on the hill to break and flee, leaving their JOP unprotected.
Gaining confidence, the Empire’s Tank with its prisoners started to advance again, this time off-road. Unfortunately, a Rebel Rocket Launcher team, in the cacti grove, achieved a lucky hit, taking out the tank, killing the crew and three of the Rebel prisoners. (The Rebels are obviously not concerned about fratricide.)
A Rebel squad raced towards the tank wreckage to try and rescue the surviving prisoners.
But before they could make it, one of the Empire squads in the West charged the surviving prisoners, killing the Troopers, stunning Leia, and disabling R2-D2.
Unfortunately, before the prisoners could be recaptured, the advancing Rebel Squad opened fire, forcing the Stormtroopers back behind cover of the tank hulk, empty handed. The Empire quickly deployed more Stormtroopers to support those trying to recapture the prisoners. Meanwhile, the Speeder Bike teams had advanced south, closing on the Rebel flank. The Rebels responded by sending Obi-Wan (with Luke in tow) and half of their force from the cacti grove to meet this Empire advance.
The Empire’s Speeder Bikes captured the Rebel JOP on the hill, but lost their Speeder Bike Junior Leader to Ion Rifle fire in the process.
At this point the Empire’s Force Morale had dropped to 2, and, although the prisoners were still only an arm’s length away, they decided to abandon the mission, and retreat. Lieutenant Threlfall (RIP?) would have to explain this decision to Lord Vader, who was expected to arrive imminently at the Imperial Fortress to interrogate Princess Leia. He will not be pleased!
CONCLUSION
A Rebel victory, with Leia and R2-D2 (and the Death Star plans) rescued, and the Empire’s forces retreating from the battlefield after one Squad was virtually wiped out, and their Tank and two Speeder Bikes were destroyed. Unfortunately, the Rebels took heavy losses in their rescue attempt, with a Senior Leader wounded, and the Blue Squad prisoners either killed when the Tank exploded (firing a Rocket Launcher at a vehicle carrying prisoners was maybe not Obi-Wan’s best decision), or caught in the subsequent crossfire.
Questions are being asked as to whether Obi-Wan is still fit to command. Luckily, Leia can now take back the helm of command. Having recovered the Death Star plans and freed the Rebel prisoners, the Rebels must find off-planet transport to escape Tatooine. They believe they will find such transport, plus a “trustworthy” pilot, in the spaceport town of Mos Eisley. Leia has been advised to seek out a rogue smuggler called Han Solo who owns a converted freighter called the Millennium Falcon. Rebel informants have discovered that Han, and his co-pilot Chewbacca, have recently been accused of smuggling and imprisoned by the Empire Commander governing Mos Eisley.
To escape Tatooine, the Rebels must just jailbreak Han and Chewbacca, then fight their way to the Millennium Falcon.
Mission 4 beckons.
Rob
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