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Sunday, 11 September 2022

Star Wars – Escape From Tatooine Campaign, Mission 4: Rebels Hire Off-Planet Transport (Part 2)

This is a continuation of the mission for the Rebels to escape from Tatooine on the Millennium Falcon with the stolen Death Star plans. To achieve this, they must first break Han Solo and Chewbacca out of prison.

So far, several Rebel squads have advanced towards the prison, killing/routing the prison guards and preparing to order R2-D2 to open the prison cells to release the prisoners. More Rebels have advanced towards the market area and are holding back several Stormtrooper squads.

The Empire’s crack Death Trooper squad are yet to deploy. Their presence will improve the Empire’s failing morale, but will they be sufficient to enable the Empire to achieve victory.

 
OBJECTIVE

The objectives have still not been achieved, and remain as:

Part A: The Rebels must rescue Han and Chewbacca from their cells in the Prison.

Part B: All named characters must then reach the Hanger containing the Millennium Falcon. The hanger must then be defended until the Falcon has been readied for take-off (requiring a Task Roll of 12).

However, the Rebels appear to be ignoring these objectives, and are instead just trying to kill as many Empire troopers as possible. Not very Rebel like. Has Leia become bitter and twisted?

FORCES

So far in the mission:

The Empire have lost 6 troopers, one Junior Leader has been wounded, and the Security team (6 troopers + Junior Leader) guarding the prison have been killed/routed.

The Rebels have lost 2 troopers, and one Junior Leader has been wounded.

BATTLE REPORT

The Empire started by deploying their last Senior Leader (Stormtrooper Lieutenant), the Death Troopers (gaining them a Force morale point), and their Incinerator Team, to provide much needed firepower and morale support to the dwindling Empire force. The Stormtrooper Lieutenant and the Incinerator Team moved north to support the defence of the prison, whilst the Death Troopers headed towards the market.
 
[It should be noted that the Empire had actually changed their Support Option choice from an Incinerator Team to a Green Stormtrooper Squad, so the Incinerator Team was not in play, and should not have been deployed, but that’s the Empire for you, no morals!]

 
Before the Death Troopers could be brought into play, the Rebels advanced Leia and her Rebel Trooper Squad south into a position allowing them to both protect the entrance to the Millennium Falcon’s hanger, and to fire into the market targeting the rear of the Stormtroopers hiding behind the market wall, forcing them to retreat south.

The remaining off-table Rebel Officer, fearing that he, Luke and C-3PO, might get left behind, deployed behind the houses north of the market.

With casualties and shock mounting the Stormtroopers were eventually forced to retreat south into the market, becoming pinned. Meanwhile the Death Troopers advanced towards these troublesome Rebels.


Back at the prison, the Stormtroopers continued to take heavy fire from the Rebels in the cacti to the north, being reduced to a Senior Leader, a wounded Junior Leader, and one heavy weapon trooper. This enabled the Rebels to order R2-D2 to open the prison cells, allowing Han & Chewbacca to escape and join the Rebel’s Incursion Team.

The Empire’s morale had started to fall again, resulting in the loss of Command Dice.

Having rescued the prisoners, the Rebels started to move slowly along the north edge of the battlefield, towards the hanger, still being covered by Rebel Troopers in the cacti.

The Empire decided to use their Chain of Command dice to end the turn, and unpin two of their much-needed squads.

Both sides then decided to re-enact the “Gunfight at the OK corral”, moving their troops into the open for a bloody exchange of blaster fire. The busy streets suddenly emptied of civilians.

 
Although the Death Troopers have a reputation of being formidable fighters, luck was against them this time, and their fire was relatively ineffective, and another stand-off ensued.

Meanwhile the Rebels escorting Han & Chewbacca continued to move towards the hanger.

 
The Empire’s morale had now dropped to 2, causing them to lose a Jump off Point and a nearby team (consisting of a lone surviving Stormtrooper, but technically, still a team).

The Empire decided to try one last attack on the Rebels guarding the entrance to the hanger, but without any noticeable success.

With the Empire’s losses having increased from 13 to 32 (including 2 Death Troopers), compared to Rebel’s losses now having risen to 6 (yes SIX), the Empire concluded that the “Force” had deserted them on this occasion, and decided to retreat from the battlefield, leaving the Rebels with free access to the hanger, and the Millennium Falcon inside.

In conclusion, an easy victory for Leia and her Rebels. Or is it?

A warning has reached Leia that whilst the battle raged within Mos Eisley, a second Empire force has advanced through the desert to the west, armed with a mobile ground-to-air weapon. It would be suicide for the Falcon to try and take-off with this in position. The Rebels must therefore neutralise this weapon quickly, before Darth Vader has time to take control of these reinforcements and launch an attack on the hanger in a final bid to recover the Death Star plans (and of course kill all the Rebels – because that’s what Dark Lords do).

Hopefully, the long-awaited lightsabre fight in the hanger between Obi Wan and Darth will eventually take place. And if struck down, will Obi Wan “become more powerful than you could possibly imagine”?

Don’t forget to tune in to the next (and last?) instalment of “Escape form Tatooine”.

Rob

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