Next Battle of Barkhesh[1] Ambush at Mos Eisley Conflict Galactic Civil War[1] Date Six months after the Battle of Yavin[2] Place Mos Eisley, Tatooine[1] Outcome Rebel Alliance/Tatooine victory[1] Combatants Rebel Alliance[1] Tatooine Galactic Empire[1] Commanders Commander Luke Skywalker[1] Strength 3 T-65 X-wing starfighters[1] 6 TIE bombers[1] 21 Viper probe droids[1] 2 Sandtroopers[1] 2 Dewback troopers[1] Casualties 1 X-Wing shot down (pilot not killed)[1] All of the attack force[1] Civilian casualties Civilian casualties and homesteads damaged[1] [Source]

The Ambush at Mos Eisley happened between the Galactic Empire and Rebel over the Tatooine spaceport Mos Eisley. The event occurred six months after the Battle of Yavin. That morning, members of the elite Rebel starfighter group Rogue Squadron were taking an off-duty morning run through the infamous Beggar's Canyon outside of Mos Eisley. The Empire deployed detachments of TIE Bombers and Viper probe droids to Tatooine to bomb the spaceport and the surrounding areas to root out Luke Skywalker. The X-wings of the fighter squad provided support for the homesteads and Jawas under Imperial fire. The team then made a run through Mos Eisley, shooting down the six TIE bombers before the city was destroyed.

PreludeEdit

Ever since Luke Skywalker became a thorn in its side, the Galactic Empire kept an eye on his homeworld of Tatooine. Acting on a tip from an unsavory bounty hunter, the Empire dispatched probe droids and bombers to root out Skywalker's squadron by terrorizing civilians and searching for clues to Skywalker's whereabouts.^[2]

The battleEdit

Cleanup of Imperial patrolsEdit

Six months after the Battle of Yavin, the newly formed Alliance to Restore the Republic starfighter unit Rogue Squadron visited Mos Eisley on the planet Tatooine. Commander Luke Skywalker, the Rogue Leader, initially planned to simply patrol the outskirts of the spaceport. As three squadron members flew in an early moring run through the area, Wedge Antilles spotted several Viper probe droids opening fire on a number of homesteads. As the pilots were caught off guard, one member of the squadron was shot down near Jabba's Palace, but he survived the crash-landing. Rogue Squadron fanned out and destroyed most of the 18 probe droids in the area.^[1]

As Skywalker neared the last of the homesteads, he veered off to the area around Great Pit of Carkoon and knocked out the 4-member stormtrooper and dewback trooper patrol there. The Rebel pilot then destroyed the last three Probe droids, saving a nearby Jawa Sandcrawler.^[1]

Bombing of Mos EisleyEdit

After the probe droids were taken out, a six-fighter squadron of TIE Bombers began an attack on the city, flying in a circular pattern to drop proton bombs on vital parts of the city. Skywalker ordered Rogue Squadron to assist, and they quickly flew overhead; the bombers were no match for Rogue Squadron's T-65 X-wing starfighters, and all the bombers were shot from the sky.^[1]

Two civilian T-16 skyhoppers were flying through Beggar's Canyon at the time.^[1]

AftermathEdit

After the ambush force was destroyed, Skywalker thought that the newly formed Rogue Squadron will go on to make a name for itself. After the success of their mission, the Rogues were assigned to escort supplies on the planet Barkhesh shortly afterward.^[1]

Behind the scenesEdit

This battle appears in the first mission in the 1998 video game Star Wars: Rogue Squadron. Due to the gamemechanics, it is possible to destroy Jabba's Palace and other civilian targets, although this is non-canon; if enough civilian targets are destroyed by the player's actions or lack thereof, the mission will end in failure. To achieve the gold medal on this mission, it is necessary to veer over to the side by the Great Pit of Carkoon and take out extra stormtroopers, although such an action is optional. The X-wing is the default craft for the mission.

The game's official guide suggests the players prioritize attacking the probe droids which target the civilian structures to keep a high "friendlies saved" score. After the droids are destroyed, the guide tells the player to activate the speed boost by closing the S-foils on the X-wing. Once the player reaches Mos Eisley, the guide suggests targeting the second group of bombers first, as it is closer and the first group targets the player's wingmen.

AppearancesEdit

• Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (First appearance)

SourcesEdit

• Rogue Squadron: Official Nintendo Player's Guide

Notes and referencesEdit