Game Overview

Star Wars: Battle of Hoth (often stylized as Battle of Hoth) pits the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire in a tense, asymmetric battle across snowy terrain. One player defends Rebel objectives and evacuation points while the other player leads a brutal Imperial assault with walkers and heavy firepower.

The game blends tactical movement, unit activation, weather and terrain effects (like deep snow and trenches), and scenario-based victory conditions. Typical playtime runs from 45–120 minutes depending on scenario complexity and player experience.

Setup & Components

Before you begin, confirm you have the following (common components across versions):

• Game board or modular tiles representing Hoth terrain (trenches, turrets, open snow).
• Unit tokens/miniatures (Rebels: troopers, snowspeeders, trenches; Empire: AT-ATs, AT-STs, infantry).
• Unit stat cards / reference sheets (movement, attack, health).
• Dice (usually six-sided) for attacks and special checks.
• Markers for suppression, objectives, and activation tokens.
• Scenario card — specifies objectives, deployment zones, and victory conditions.

Basic setup steps

1. Choose sides: one player is the Rebels (defender), the other the Empire (attacker).
2. Place the board/tiles according to the scenario. Add terrain features (trenches, turrets, wreckage).
3. Deploy units in their starting zones stated by the scenario (Rebels often occupy defensive positions; Empire deploys from the map edge or arrival points).
4. Shuffle any event or command decks and place them face down.
5. Decide first player if not specified (many scenarios give initiative to the Empire to simulate the assault).

Turn Structure (Step-by-step)

Most versions use a round-based system. A round typically contains these phases:

1. Initiative/Command Phase — Draw command cards or determine initiative. Some games use resource points to issue orders.
2. Activation Phase — Players alternate activating units or squads. Activated units move and perform one action (move, attack, use ability).
3. Combat Resolution — Resolve attacks immediately after activation using dice and modifiers.
4. End of Round — Check victory conditions, remove temporary effects (like suppression), and prepare for next round.

Pro tip: activate your most vulnerable units first if you expect enemy overwatch or reaction fire; reserve heavy hitters to respond to enemy moves.

Movement & Combat

Movement basics

Each unit has a movement allowance (spaces/hexes/inches depending on the system). Movement is affected by terrain:

• Open snow: normal movement.
• Deep snow / drift: movement reduced; may require a check or extra movement points.
• Trenches / cover: slow to enter but provide defensive bonuses.

Combat basics

Combat is usually resolved by rolling dice against a target number or comparing attack vs defense values:

1. Declare target and range (melee, short, long).
2. Apply modifiers (cover, line of sight, movement penalties, command tokens).
3. Roll the required dice and consult attack table or damage chart.
4. Apply damage—units may be suppressed, pinned, removed, or reduced based on damage.

Vehicle combat (AT-ATs, snowspeeders)

Vehicles are powerful but often have special weak points (e.g., the classic snowspeeder tow-cable trick). Focus fire, use terrain to limit line of sight, and target support units to avoid being flanked.

Special Rules & Abilities

Most Battle of Hoth scenarios include special rules that recreate the film’s moments:

• Evacuation timer: Rebels win by evacuating X units before a certain round.
• Reinforcements: Empire receives walker reinforcements after set rounds.
• Weather effects: Snowstorms can reduce visibility or modify initiative.
• Hero units: Characters (e.g., Luke, Leia) have unique abilities and can change tide of battle.

Always keep special rule cards visible and remind both players what they do at the start of each round.

Strategy: Rebels vs Empire

Rebel strategy (Defender)

• Hold choke points: Trenches, bunkers and narrow approaches are your friends—force walkers into kill zones.
• Delay and evacuate: Your objective often isn’t to win a slugfest but to survive long enough to evacuate key units.
• Conserve heavy weapons: Use turrets and artillery to whittle down armor before it reaches your lines.
• Harass with snowspeeders: Use speed and tow-cable tactics to immobilize walkers, then concentrate fire.

Empire strategy (Attacker)

• Coordinate pushes: Bring armor and infantry together. Isolated AT-ATs are vulnerable to focused fire.
• Suppress and pin: Use suppression to stop rebel evacuations and force mistakes.
• Use overwhelming force: Attack from multiple bearings to stretch Rebel defenses.
• Protect support units: Infantry and artillery support are important for cleaning up Rebel positions.

Tactical tip: when in doubt, think in terms of tempo. The Empire wants to control the tempo (advance quickly); Rebels want to disrupt and slow to buy time.

Sample Turn — Quick Playthrough

This short example demonstrates the flow of play in a classic scenario.

Round 1 — Initiative: Empire

1. Empire activates an AT-AT. It advances three spaces toward a trench line and fires at a Rebel bunker. Hit — bunker suppressed.
2. Rebel activates a snowspeeder: moves behind an ice ridge, attempts a tow-cable maneuver against the AT-AT (special check). Partial success — AT-AT slowed and loses an action next round.
3. Empire activates infantry to secure a flank objective. They move into cover and set up overwatch.
4. Rebels attempt an evacuation roll (scenario rule). They pass, evacuating one transport this round.

End of round: check victory — none yet. Remove temporary suppression markers as defined by the rules.

FAQ

Q: How many players?

A: Usually 2 players (Rebel vs Empire). Some editions allow cooperative play or solo scenarios with automated enemy activations.

Q: How long does a game take?

A: 45–120 minutes depending on scenario size and player familiarity.

Q: Can I adapt the cinematic feel?

A: Yes — add optional rules like “Hero Moments” or scripted events (AT-AT rampages, Ion cannon activations) to make the game feel more cinematic.

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