Battle on the Frontier The Battle on the Frontier described a campaign undertaken by Grand Admiral Thrawn , that took place after the Battle of Hoth , and more specifically following Admiral Harkov ' s success in ending the Sepan Civil War . During this campaign , Thrawn succeeded in establishing a new Imperial installation in the Pakuuni system , a system in the Outer Rim which had trade routes which were considered extremely important for the Empire . A high amount of pirate activity prior to this campaign resulted in intergalactic trade there being extremely dangerous . Despite heavy resistance from local Pirates aided by the Rebellion Thrawn managed to install the installation and bring Imperial order to the system . The campaign . Loading base equipment . Thrawn , Vice Admiral at the time , began his pacification of the Pakuuni system by assessing the remnants of an abandoned manufacturing plant near the planet Argoon . Imperial forces suspected the abandoned cargo area was the result of transmissions from Rebel forces voicing their intent to destroy the loading area . Thrawn oversaw this operation from his flagship Victory - class Star Destroyer " Stalwart " , initially launching a single TIE Bomber to inspect the five groups of abandoned Cargo containers . TIE Bomber " Alpha 1 " discovered various useful station parts among the containers , resulting in the launch of Heavy Lifter group " Mule " . As the Heavy Lifters began to arrive to collect useful containers , Rebel Y - wings entered the area , heading for the " Stalwart " . TIE Fighter flight group " Gamma " was launched in response to the impending bombing runs , aided by TIE Bomber " Alpha 1 " having completed its inspections . Soon additional Rebel starships joined the battle , CR90 corvettes " Dragon " and " Beecon " , later followed by " Viper " . The " Stalwart " launched additional TIE Bombers and Interceptors to counter the increasing rebel threat . The new arrivals succeeded in quelling the enemy corvettes , only to be answered by rebel B - wings and X - wings emerging from hyperspace . As Imperial starfighters finished off the last of the Rebel raiders , all five Heavy Lifters from Mule had completed their mission and returned to the " Stalwart ' s " hangar . A single A - wing arrived as a last ditch effort to inflict Imperial casualties , however Thrawn ' s mission was already complete . Destroy the Pirate outpost . Having collected left over station parts from the abandoned depot , Admiral Thrawn assigned Commander Buckeye and Nebulon - B2 frigate " Ludwick " the task of destroying a local Pirate installation . The Pakuuni Pirates had massed a sizable armada of supplies , Corvettes , Y - wings , and Z - 95 Headhunters . Imperial intelligence suspected that local pirate groups had been receiving aid from Rebel starships ; members of the Secret Order also suggested that searching the containers may reveal contraband , consequentially requiring capture . Frigate " Ludwick " began the assault by launching three groups of TIE Bombers . The Bombers began attacking Corvettes " Leach " , " Clavier " , and " Grapler " as pirate Z - 95s and Y - wings moved to intercept . TIE Fighter group " Theta " was launched in response to TIE Bomber loses , more apt to dogfight with the enemies ' shielded fighters . Maarek Stele , flight leader of TIE Bomber group " Alpha " , swung by the pirate containers during the battle . Stele discovered Rebels hiding among the containers ; Assault Transport " Tiger " launched from the " Ludwick " to capture the Rebel fugitives . As predicted Rebel starfighters arrived just as the last of the containers exploded , having completed their primary mission Imperial Bombers returned to the hangar , leaving Rebel fighters to deal with interceptor craft and the " Ludwick ' s " turbolasers . Hold position . Grand Admiral Thrawn ' s task force had succeeded in eliminating the pirate outpost , establishing a foothold on the Pakuuni system . Following the initial attack , Frigate " Ludwick " patrolled the system until Imperial convoys carrying parts and construction crews could arrive to build a new space installation . Imperial intelligence reported high probability of enemy counter attack . The " Ludwick " deployed two flight groups of TIE Fighters and a group of Interceptors to patrol the system until the convoys arrived . Less than fifteen minutes before to the convoy arrived , Alliance Nebulon - B frigate " Huntress " emerged from hyperspace , launching B - wings and Z - 95 Headhunters , rapidly joined by Y - wings from " Gold " group to bomb run the Frigate " Ludwick " . Imperial fighters bested the initial fighters fronted by the Rebel Alliance , swiftly replaced by fresh X - wings . Imperial Fighters fought vigilantly against the Rebel attack , however their Rebel rocket and torpedo attacks succeeded in heavily damaging the " Ludwick ' s " hull . As the " Ludwick ' s " condition deteriorated , Assassin - class corvette group " Horvus " arrived , along with Victory - class star Destroyer " Stalwart " and the rest of the convoy . With the might of the " Stalwart " and its combined task force , Frigate " Huntress " fled to the safety of hyperspace . Guard Space Station " NL - 1 " . Having secured the system for the arriving convoy , construction finally began . Platform " NL - 1 " neared completion just before another rebel assault . Imperial intelligence suggested that patrols be on the lookout for more hit and fade attacks from the hyperdrive capable rebel fighters , along with corvette class starships . Unyielding to Imperial presence , Rebel forces staged their first assault on the platform itself with A - wings , Y - wings and two Assassin - class corvettes from group " Moori " . With shields functioning at only fifty percent , Platform " NL - 1 " stood severely exposed to the impending rebel assault . Imperial Gunboats , TIE Bombers and Interceptors from Frigate " Ludwick " rapidly found themselves engulfed in combat against Y - wings , A - wing and the newly arrived X - wing starfighters . A Portion of Assault Gunboat group " Tau " destroyed Corvettes " Moori " , resulting in the arrival of Shuttle " Shakker " . Prior to the attack , Secret Order agents had requested that trusted pilots arrange for the capture of such escape craft , in the hopes of extracting vital information concerning Rebel plans in the system . Maarek Stele himself saw to the identification of the " Shakker " , and its subsequent disabling . Transport " Soryi " launched from " NL - 1 " to capture the Officers found aboard . As Imperial fighters whittled down the remaining rebel forces Transports from group " Del " arrived to attempt another futile torpedo run on the platform . With the capture of Shuttle " Shakker " , and Victory Star Destroyer " Stalwart ' s " arrival from hyperspace , it was not long before the destruction of the remaining rebel forces . Thrawn inspects " NL - 1 " . Essentially completed , Admiral Thrawn was anxious to inspect the work of his subordinates on " NL - 1 " . Much of Frigate " Ludwick ' s " TIE Fighter and Interceptor stores could not be fielded as a fighter screen during Thrawn ' s inspection , due to repair and refurbishing necessities ; thus the " Ludwick " would suffice with heavily armed TIE Bombers to oversee the Vice Admiral ' s visit . Thrawn and his staff ferried from his command ship , to " NL - 1 " aboard Transports " Sigma " . No sooner had Thrawn began his journey to " NL - 1 " than another attack composed of Rebel A - wings and X - wings arrived . Imperial pilots moved to intercept as Thrawn ' s inspection team boarded the platform . Imperial fighters managed to finish off this low level assault just as Admiral Thrawn completed his inspection , returning to the " Stalwart " aboard Transport " Omega " . Moments after Imperial TIE Bombers moved to escort Thrawn back to the " Stalwart " , several groups of pirate shuttles arrived to add the disruption . Thrawn safely arrived aboard his vessel as Imperial fighters suppressed the last of the pirate nuisance . Wait for relief forces . Victory Star Destroyer " Stalwart " stayed on station for the last critical steps of the station construction effort . System Patrol Craft " Ranger " arrived not longer after the previous enemy engagement . The " Stalwart " then departed the system to aid the arrival of relief for the battle weary pilots of Frigate " Ludwick " . In the absence of a Star Destroyer , patrol frequency increased and pilots aboard the " Ludwick " anticipated additional enemy activity . In the hopes of gathering additional information , members of the Secret Order tasked pilots to be alert for any craft carrying high priority targets . Local Rebel forces spared no expense in yet another attempt to eliminate Imperial control of the Pakuuni sector . Assault Transports " Thunder " soon arrived , accompanied by B - wings , the rebels more advanced assault craft . Escorting Gunboats , TIE Bombers , and Interceptors moved to intercept , followed by the arrival of a suspicious shuttle . An Imperial Gunboat inspected and disabled this shuttle " Electra " ; revealed to be carrying Rebel Advisors . During this event , more Rebel forces arrived aboard Transports " Rover " , along with A - wing and X - wing fighters . Transport " Shark " , dispatched to capture Shuttle " Electra " , succeeded in its mission even amidst the heavy fighting . The rebel onslaught heavily taxed Imperial pilot abilities , and inflicted heavy damage to station " NL - 1 " and patrol craft " Ranger " . Despite this , Imperial starfighters wrestled the upper hand from the imposing rebels , just as Victory Star Destroyer " Stalwart " arrived with Frigate " Gaarni " , CR90 Corvette " Stallion " , and supplies aboard Bulk Freighters " Sivaa " , to relieve Frigate " Ludwick " . Aftermath . Following the final assault on Platform " NL - 1 " , Admiral Thrawn ' s forces saw to the final repairs resulting from the previous conflict . Thrawn anxiously observed the repair operations from his flagship , keeping his subordinates on a hasty schedule . With the establishment of " NL - 1 " , Vice - Admiral Thrawn moved onto other assignments , while Maarek Stele received yet another transfer to yet another vessel and task force . Behind the scenes . The " Battle on the Frontier " is Battle 3 of " " . During this campaign , Maarek Stele received the promotion to Commander . " THX 1138 " was the name of a group of type B cargo containers in this campaign . One of many places LucasArts used this call sign for various " Star Wars " objects and characters . For an unknown reason Platform " NL - 1 " changes from type " C " to type " A " in the final mission of the campaign .