Greetings Troopers!
The head Imperial starfighter test pilot slid open his locker and placed his shiny jet black helmet onto the shelf within, then proceeded to unbuckle his armoured life support chest plate and harness. the day's trials had gone well. With the weapons load out finalized for the standard model the research station had outfitted an entire wing of the new craft to his specifications. These ships were ready to go out in the field and see real combat. He appreciated the unparalleled array of firepower and defensive systems these new TIE Fighters afforded them, making them much more survivable assets than a standard Imperial TIE Fighter, but he couldn't help but feel that something had been lost. As a veteran of countless TIE Fighter missions he knew that a key part of what made a great TIE pilot was an all too clear awareness of the vulnerability you feel in that tiny unshielded duralsteel sphere whizzing at breakneck speed through the vastness of space. It gives you an edge, that knowledge that you are a hair's breadth from oblivion. By comparison flying one of these new TIEs would feel almost as comfy as a desk job. As a result would that edge be lost? As he tugs off his flight gloves a piercing alarm goes off and the standard cabin lighting switches to an emergency crimson. The station was under attack? The pilot quickly retrieves his gear from the locker and turns for the exit. Looks like the new TIE Defenders are going to see real combat a little earlier than planned. As for that edge? Only one way to find out.
With the fifth round of battles for the campaign completed, lets see how goes the war this week.
ROUND 1: ENDOR STRIKE TEAM
This week saw a return to the Sanctuary Moon. Defeated in their last attempt, the Rebels seemed to have deemed the Imperial Bunker on the Moon of Endor just too high value a target to give up, and have sent a second commando unit to the location to knock out Imperial operations there. Weakened by the previous attack, the Imperial forces stationed there were slow to react to the renewed Rebel assault, losing a lot of ground including key installations before they managed to put up a more effective defence. This was however too little too late, and this time the Rebel forces were victorious in capturing the Shield Generator complex.
ROUND 2: ENDOR CLEARING
Having lost their main installation on the Forest Moon, a platoon of Imperial Stormtroopers are making plans to evacuate, but encounter a scouting party of Rebel Commandos investigating a downed Rebel Transport nearby. Needing to salvage components from the wreckage vital for their escape, not to mention itching for a little payback for their recent defeat at the Shield Generator Complex, the Imperial forces engage the Rebels taking them by surprise. The firefight is fierce as the Imperials methodically advance through the forest taking down the Rebel troops and forcing them back away from the downed Transport and all the way back to the ship they had deployed from before managing to successfully wipe out the Rebel presence in at least this particular region of the forest.
ROUND 3: STRIKE AT PARMEL
Receiving word of the development of experimental advanced TIE Fighters at an orbital installation in the Parmel system, a massive Rebel starfighter based strike force was dispatched to attack and capture, or if necessary destroy the Imperial operation before the new TIE Fighters go into full mass production. Unfortunately the Rebel forces find when they jump into the system that they might already be too late as they find themselves faced with an entire wing of the new TIE Defenders as they launch to protect the station. The space battle is intense and lengthy as massive numbers of fighters swarm in a brutal engagement around the station. At the end of the fierce space battle the new TIE Defenders proved their worth by seeing off the Rebel forces and protecting the station, ensuring another victory for the Empire.
With the fifth round of battles over we have had some interesting games. A lengthy and intense space battle over Parmel, and an Endor based scrap across that world's two maps resulting in a sector victory for the Empire, and a few fresh faces. So some good games and fun had all in all, with a fair few playing further games into the night, but still the numbers could be better, come on you Rebels, where are ya?
With one victory for the Rebels, and two for the Empire we have a score this week of 20 for the Rebs, minus 2.5 for unregistered players. And the Empire gains a score of 25, minus 0.5 for an unregistered player for one round. So adding that to the overall scores we now have:
Imperials - 129.5
Rebels - 86.5
This leaves the Empire in their strongest position yet with two sectors under their control they are free to attack Yavin and go for the endgame if they so choose. Once again the Rebel faction is suffering from a lack of registered players and the penalties that come with having to fall back on unregistered players to bolster their numbers. If you have signed up as a Rebel please turn up and support your chosen faction.
Next week, due to the sector victory the numbers of maps left to fight over are dwindling fast. However as a result of some swift sector victories earlier in the campaign, some maps never got the chance to be played. So that our players are not denied the chance to experience these maps we shall make an executive decision to play these maps, call them border skirmishes or uprisings in these already controlled sectors. So these battles won't effect the sector shape of the galaxy, but factions will be able to gain valuable points from these battles, so gaining victory here is still important. The full list of battlefields for next week are as follows:
Tatooine: Bestine
Lok Wastelands
Space Map?
For the space map either of the two space maps from the taken sectors can be played, and will be put to a vote on the night. So that will result in either:
Escape from Hoth
or:
Strike at Parmel
With two sectors under their control and a commanding score for the Empire, these are desperate times for the Rebellion. Who will help them in their darkest hour?
If you feel you have the skills to help out either faction in its quest to rule the galaxy, head on over to:
Rebel Defiance Campaign Registration
To register for the campaign and restore order/freedom to the galaxy.
Until next time...
See you on the Battlefield Troopers!
