The Battle of Hoth

Year: 3 ABY

The Battle of Hoth was a battle between Imperial forces and the rebels in Echo Base, stationed on Hoth. The Empire sent AT-ATs (All Terrain Armoured Transports) to defeat the rebels.

Darth Vader had been sending out hundreds of probe droids all over the galaxy to find the rebels. The probe droid on Hoth was destroyed by rebel forces, but it was too late. The droid had already sent a transmission to Darth Vader's ship.

Princess Leia gave the pilots their orders. The energy shield surrounding the rebel base could only be opened for a short time at intervals, and when it was opened, an ion cannon would fire through it to give the rebel transports time to escape. There could only be two fighters escorting each transport.

The rebels' ion cannon.

Side view of a rebel transport.

The rebels prepared for battle in the trenches outside Echo Base. After a few minutes, AT-ATs were spotted in the distance, coming slowly closer. The rebels opened fire on the walkers, but their armour was too thick. Snowspeeders came to assist them. Luke Skywalker was piloting one of them. The speeders tried to blast the walkers, but it was no use.

AT-ATs approaching Echo Base.

Rebel troopers in the trenches.

The speeders fired grappling hooks at the walkers' legs, and flew around the legs several times, wrapping them in cables. When the walker tried to walk, it tripped over the cables, and toppled.

While this was happening, the first transport was preparing to be launched. The shield was opened, and the ion cannon fired several shots, disabling the Star Destroyer Tyrant. This gave the transport the time it needed to escape.

The first rebel transport evacuating Hoth.

Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker's speeder had been shot down. His gunner, Dak Ralter, had been killed before this. Luke stumbled out of the speeder with his lightsaber and the grappling gun, narrowly avoiding the foot of a walker that crushed his speeder just after he exited it. He ran after the walker, and when he was directly below it, he fired a grappling hook into it and hoisted himself inside it. He used his lightsaber to cut open the bottom of the walker, and threw a grenade onto its floor. Then he cut his cable and fell down to the snow below. The walker stopped short. Flashes of light could be seen inside it. Suddenly, the cockpit exploded, and it fell on its side.

Meanwhile, Han Solo and Chewbacca were inside Echo Base attempting to fix the Millennium Falcon. Just then, Princess Leia gave the order to retreat. The rebels in the trench climbed out and ran for their life away from the walkers, with a trooper falling, killed by a blast from the walkers. All the transports had been launched, and it was a good thing that they had been, because just then, Darth Vader entered the damaged base, escorted by snowtroopers.

Han Solo, Chewie, and the Princess were still in the base. Han Solo flew them all out in the Falcon. The Empire was victorious in the Battle of Hoth, but the Rebellion lived to fight another day.

Map of Echo Base.