Star Wars for Dummies Thread

[Talon Karrde]

Here's an interesting question. If Hoth was the Rebel Alliance's primary base, where was their fleet? Did they have none whatsoever at this time, save for their Medium Transports and Rogue Squadron? I find this unlikely, other wise they would pose no threat to the Empire. It would also seem impossible that the Rebels could mass a fleet as large as the one they staged at Sullust if they had none just a standard year before.

Why would you not protect your base with some capital ships? I know you need ships elsewhere as well, but surely you can spare some to protect your base.

[Master of Ossus]

Perhaps there are problems associated with using torpedoes for ground attack. You are potentially correct, in that they might cause serious damage to friendly troops, even if most of the blast is directed into the target.

BTW, congratulations on your promotion to Jedi Knight, Sir Nitram (takes on new meaning, now). Sorry, I know you got promoted a long time ago, but I haven't seen you in a while.

[Darth Yoshi]

Umm ... Having a fleet orbiting your base kind of gives its position away to probots.

[Talon Karrde]

Umm ... Having a fleet orbiting your base kind of gives its position away to probots.

That thought occured to me as well, however, a small fleet would not exactly give away your position. It's known that many pirate and smuggling bands could amass a small fleet or group of ships together. Just as Admiral Ozzel pointed out that the shield generator could be smugglers, a small fleet of orbiting ships could also be considered pirates or smugglers.

Also, were probots able to deploy and monitor and record activites in space? In ESB the probe droid does not deploy itself until it lands on Hoth.

Don't take my response in the wrong way, I actually think your answer is probably correct, this is what I assumed myself. However I'm just trying to find alternative ways to figure that a fleet "could" protect their base.

[Master of Ossus]

Remember that smuggling ships tend to be no larger than bulk freighters. Most smuggling ships are smaller, still. It would be VERY suspicious if there was a group of smugglers operating out of Hoth that maintained a fleet of such size that it would pose even a minor threat to a single ISD. Such a fleet would both arouse suspicion and be no match for Death Squadron.

[Talon Karrde]

Remember that smuggling ships tend to be no larger than bulk freighters. Most smuggling ships are smaller, still. It would be VERY suspicious if there was a group of smugglers operating out of Hoth that maintained a fleet of such size that it would pose even a minor threat to a single ISD. Such a fleet would both arouse suspicion and be no match for Death Squadron.

True, but what about pirates? Often time pirates could amass a fleet of somewhat larger vessels.

Once again, your point is probably correct. In no way could a fleet match up to the Imperial Navy.

[Master of Ossus]

With pirates the matter is different. Pirates tend to have much more powerful ships and fleets than smugglers, but here again there is a problem (though it is not nearly so easy to see).

What the rebels were trying to do by building a base on Hoth was hide. They needed a place where they could store their ships and equipment, and gather strength for the day when they would eventually need all of their resources to battle the Empire. Thus, they were trying not to attract attention until their base was well established. This would mean that they would be looking for a relatively remote area, which was fairly difficult to access through normal hyperspace routes.

Pirates, on the other hand, prey upon relatively unarmed shipping. They look for fairly lucrative but under-protected shipping areas, and establish bases there in an effort to make money. Thus, pirate bases need to be located within a reasonable distance of a major shipping lane, or some navigational hazard that forces ships out of hyperspace frequently (making them easier to attack). This is exactly what the Rebels were trying to get away from. The last thing the rebels wanted was to be setting up a base near a shipping lane, or something that would potentially force many ships out of hyperspace, where they might take a closer look at the Hoth system, or even attempt a landing there in a desperate effort to effect repairs on their ships. Thus, the Hoth location would likely be a strange place to find a group of pirates, as it would likely be relatively distant from important shipping lanes.

Also, while larger than smuggling fleets, most pirate groups are still not large enough to pose any threat to an ISD, and certainly not Death Squadron. In TIE fighter (the game), ISD's are never dispatched to fight off ordinary pirates. Only smaller ships, like frigates are. It would also be very unusual for a pirating fleet this large to be around an area as remote as I believe Hoth to be. Remember that pirates need consistent shipping in order to pay for their considerable operating expenses. It would be very strange, indeed, to find a large pirate fleet located so far from jump lanes, as powerful pirating fleets require massive amounts of shipping to prey upon in order to pay for their considerable expenses in maintaining such a large fleet.