Galactic Empire

One of the two major factions in Star Wars Galaxies, the Empire has broad control and power throughout the galaxy. Its immense size makes it vulnerable, however, and the Rebel Alliance takes advantage of this at every opportunity.

Imperials exist in game as both players and as NPC's in controlled cities, battlefields or bases.

In order to join the **Galactic Empire**, you must gain at least 200 Imperial faction points. This can be done by either completing a mission from an Imperial Mission Terminal as well as defeating any NPC's or player characters in open PvP Combat of the Rebel Alliance faction.

When you have gained 200 Imperial faction points, you may talk to an Imperial recruiter to join the Galactic Empire and gain the rank of a private. By earning GCW Points, you can advance in rank. As you become higher in rank, you gain access to more items for you to purchase with credits (See Imperial faction items for details). You will be automatically be promoted to your next rank only when you have enough GCW Points to acquire the next rank. Note that even if you only need one more point to advance and you obtain that point, you have to wait until 12:00 PM PST on Thursday in order to become the next rank.

Imperials of Combatant and Special Forces Faction setting may openly attack Rebel NPC's, and will be attacked by them on sight. Special Forces Imperials may also attack and be attacked by Rebel players who are also Special Forces. Special Forces players may not attack Combatants of either faction, regardless of whether they have a TEF.

Note: With Publish 26, faction pets have been turned off. Remaining faction pets will continue to function, but recruiters no longer sell them.

* Imperial NPC's
* Imperial Mission Terminal
* Imperial Pilot Trainers
* Imperial recruiters
* Faction Bases
* Faction Rank
* Imperial faction items

Why place bases?

* The Galactic Civil War
* The Planetary Control Game

Imperial related Quest and Themeparks

* Emperor's Retreat - The Imperial Themepark
* Cries of Alderaan Story line

Imperial Strongholds in the Planetary Control Metagame

* Corellia: Bela Vistal
* Naboo: Dee'ja Peak
* Tatooine: Bestine

## The Movies

From the bloated carcass of the Old Republic, an ambitious politician carved the Galactic Empire, a New Order of government meant to sweep away the injustices and inefficiencies of its predecessor.

Rather than offer the people of the galaxy newfound hope, the Empire instead became a tyrannical regime, presided over by a shadowy and detached despot steeped in the dark side of The Force. Personal liberties were crushed, and the governance of everyday affairs was pulled away from the senate, and instead given to unscrupulous regional governors.

Accompanying the growth of the Empire was an unprecedented military buildup. The many shipyards in the Emperor's domain churned out immense fleets of Star Destroyers and TIE Fighters. The Imperial starfleet maintained order in the galaxy, a role previously undertaken by the Jedi Knights, an august order of protectors wiped out during the Emperor's ascent.

It was through fear that the Empire ruled. Its power hungry lieutenants and technocrats developed greater and greater instruments of destruction to cow a rebellious populace. This philosophy culminated in the creation of the Death Star, a mobile space station with a prime weapon of unspeakable power. When fully charged, the Death Star's superlaser had the ability to destroy a planet.

Despite such shows of strength—indeed, because of them—the flames of rebellion fanned higher. Small pockets of resistance banded together to form the Alliance to Restore the Republic. At first, the pitiable number of freedom fighters seemed no match for the oppressive Empire. Nonetheless, they managed to score an impressive victory with the destruction of the Death Star at the Battle of Yavin.

Having proved itself a viable threat, the Rebel Alliance found itself under Imperial counterattack. The core group of Rebels spent three years relocating their hidden headquarters, before being routed in a crushing attack at the Battle of Hoth. A few short months later, the Rebels discovered that the Death Star was but the first of many Imperial superweapons in development. A second Death Star was nearing completion over the distant moon of Endor. Intelligence gathered by Bothan spies informed the Rebel planners that Emperor Palpatine himself would be present to oversee the final stages of construction.

Thus an irresistible target was in place over that peaceful green moon: the Empire's next great weapon, incomplete and vulnerable, and the head of the Empire himself, both in one place. The Alliance took the bait—the Battle of Endor was entirely designed by the prescient Emperor Palpatine to be the final confrontation in the Galactic Civil War. Palpatine failed to foresee the resourcefulness of the Rebels or the treachery of one of his most trusted aides, however.

Palpatine died at Endor, and the second Death Star was destroyed. With this crippling blow, the Imperial reign of terror over the galaxy ended. The Rebellion began forming a New Republic, and worlds across the galaxy celebrated their newfound freedom.

## Expanded Universe

The galaxy has known empires in the past: systems and fiefdoms of space controlled by ambitious autocrats. All pale in comparison to the New Order that Palpatine built from the Republic's rotted foundations. During his ascent, some spoke of the remembered glories of empires past, of the Kitel Phard Dynasty that united the Atrisian system ages ago, or of Empress Teta's unification of the Koros system. These wistful recollections never foretold the despotic turn the Empire took

Palpatine disbanded the senate during the Galactic Civil War, citing the Rebellion as an emergency situation that required direct intervention. He formally handed over power to regional governors and sector moffs—roles these power-hungry officials had already been enjoying for years under his rule.

To ensure control over the populace, the Empire dismantled the galaxy-spanning HoloNet. With this public forum of information exchange now in the hands of the military, the Emperor was able to funnel the immense taxation revenue required to keep the HoloNet active into building his war machine. Furthermore, Imperial control of free information ensured that only the New Order agenda propagated throughout the galaxy, and dissenting voices were all but silenced.

Immense corporations aided and abetted the Empire's rise, in exchange for unprecedented freedom of operation. Many of these companies were nationalized—Imperialized—in the process, resulting in a huge influx of capital resources for the Empire.

The results of the military buildup soon became apparent, as the first Imperial-class Star Destroyers lumbered out of the Kuat Drive Yards. This was just the start, as new and more potent weapons of war and subjugation were developed by the Emperor's cronies. Upon suggestion of Grand Moff Tarkin, a ruthless governor, the Empire adopted its "doctrine of fear." Rather than expend the resources required to subjugate every planet in the galaxy, the Empire would instead make visible its power in one potent display that could be targeted towards any treasonous world. Fear would keep the systems in line, posited Tarkin. The outcome of his vision was a terrifying era of superweapon development, the first of which was the Death Star project. Legacies of this mindset included such weapons of war as the Tarkin, the second Death Star, the World Devastators, the Sun Crusher and the Galaxy Gun.

The Empire's structure was a bewildering array of crossed authorities, all ultimately answerable to Palpatine himself. This ensured that only Palpatine could speak with absolute authority, while his underlings carefully watched their words and actions. The Imperial advisors and COMPNOR (the Coalition for the Preservation of the New Order) effectively controlled the massive Imperial bureaucracy. The Imperial moffs and grand moffs wielded authority over their sectors and regions, including control of the military in their various areas of influence. The local systems governors reported directly to their moffs, and had control of all Imperial forces garrisoned within their system. Imperial Intelligence reported directly to the Emperor, as well as to specific sector moffs.

The Emperor had devised his perfect vision of government with himself as Supreme Ruler of the galaxy. However, he also designed a system that could not function effectively without him. Through the Force, his dark will drove the Imperial starfleet, unifying it in combat, and through his political machinations, he created a system that left no obvious heir to the Empire. As a result, the Empire splintered after Endor, breaking apart into smaller groups that warred amongst themselves in bids for power.

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