While they were busy settling in on Hoth, the Empire were busy sending out hundreds of probe droids, scouring the galaxy for the Rebels. Eventually one lamded on oth, and it caught sight of the power generators the Rebels used for their fortress and planetary shield. It relayed the information back to Vader, who immediately set course for Hoth, much to Admiral Ozzel's concern. He said that the generators most probably belonged to smugglers, but Captain Piett was not so sure. Eventually Vader intervened, and left Ozzel shamed in front of a sub-ordinate.

Meanwhile the Rebels had discovered the probe droid, and Han and Chewie went to inspect it. When they found it, it fired a laser at them, but Han managed to return fire and hit its self-destruct mechanism. He looked at the wreckage and realised that he had destroyed an Imperial probe droid. The Rebels knew what the droid meant. The Empire had found them, and were on their way. The evacuation of Hoth was started. They had time enough to evacuate the necessary equipment and high-ranked officials of the Alliance, since the planetary shield they had installed would protect them from orbital bombardment.

Suddenly a fleet of star destroyers drop out from hyperspace, but too close to the Hoth system, allowing the Rebels to switch on the shield. But they surrounded the planet, making escape almost impossible. The star destroyers made up the Empire's most feared fleet, the Death Squadron. It was led by Vader's very own Super Star Destroyer, the Executor. Aboard this mammoth ship, Ozzel lay on the floor at Piett's feet. Vasder had used the Force to strangle him because he had let the Rebels mobilise their forces. Piett was promoted to Admiral and General Veers was ordered to ready a ground attack. The ground assault would be made up of AT-ATS and AT-STs. Snowtroopers would take the Rebel stronghold while the AT-ATs would take out the main power genrators, allowing Vader to land.

The Rebels, however, had to find a way of making sure their transports escaped. The star destroyers were blocking all exits from the planet, so the Rebels would have to use their ion cannon, which would disable the destroyer for a few minutes. This might give the transport and its fighter escort enough time to make the jump to hyperspace. But the main problem was that they would have to open a window in the planetary shield to allow the ships to exit the planet. It was possible that the Imperial could make use of this window, and somehow bombard the planet from space. General Reikaan knew that they would also have to deal with a ground assualt. He made preparations for this eventuality, and placed all available foot soldiers and gun turrets in positions that would give them the most time to evacuate. He also knew that the Empire's main target would be their power generators, and if they lost that, they lost the planetary shield, and then their lives. Luke led Rogue Squadron into battle. They flew snowspeeders, since X-Wings could withstand the freezing temperatures of Hoth. The Rebel foot soldiers were placed, and then they caught sight of the monsterous AT-ATs.

General Veers led his detachment of AT-ATs and AT-STs with one objective in mind. Take out those generators. Any Rebel scum killed in the process was a good bonus. His AT-ATs were huge, and extremely difficult to take down. He knew it was only a matter of time before Hoth came under Imperial rule, and he would be there, at the helm, ready to take the congratulations that would be bestowed upon him by Vader. The Rebel infantry fired their laser rifles and cannons, in the vain hope that they might find a chink in the Imperial armour. The snowspeeders made pass after pass at the machines, but the AT-AT armour was too strong for their cannons.

Luke saw this, and ordered Rogue Group to use their harpoons. Snag the AT-AT's legs, and watch them fall. He started to fly towards the first AT-AT, but his gunner, Dack Ralter was hit by a laser blast. This meant that Luke wiuld not be able to use his harpoon, but he could fly cover for the others. He told Rogue Two to make his shot. Rogue Two flew between the mighty legs, and the gunner, Wes Janson, managed to hook the harpoon on to a leg. The snowspeeder flew round and round the legs, and eventually the harpoon was released. The huge AT-AT tried to walk forward, but found it legs tied together. It began the long, terrible fall towards the snowy surface of Hoth. It hit it with a thunderous sound, and was blown up by a passing speeder. But although this caused the Rebels to gain some heart, it did not deter Veers whatsoever. He watched with satisfaction as his detachment blew away the Rebel turrets and soldiers, and the occassional speeder. One such speeder that was hit was Rogue One, Luke's ship. He lost control of the speeder and hit the ground. In front of him, an AT-AT raised a huge metal foot.

The first transport had made it through the window in the shield, and the ion cannon had managed to disable the waiting destroyers, but there were many more ships to evacuate. Leia was stillin the stronghold, giving out orders. She knew that they were going to lose, but still she perservered.

Luke scrambled out of his ship, taking the harpoon with him, seconds before the AT-AT crushed the speeder. He caught his breath, and ran underneath the AT-AT. Using the harpoon, he managed to hook himself on to the underside, and hauled himself up so that he could cut into the machine with his lightsaber. Having made a big enough hole, he threw a thermal detonator inside, and dropped. The AT-AT stood for a few moments, and the the head exploded, and its insides sprayed across the snow. But still this was not enough. Veers had sighted the power generators, and informed Vader that they would be down in a moment. He ordered maximum firepower, and watched with glee as the generators exploded spectacularly. The shield was down, and Vader was on his way.

The call over the intercom told Leia that the stronghold had been invaded, and that Imperial troops were on their way. Han found her and dragged her to the waiting transport. But the corridor ahead of them collapsed, and blocked their way. The only way he could get her out was on the Falcon. They rushed off, with Threepio trailing behind them calling for them to stop. He was glad at least that Artoo was safe. He had been placed in Luke's X-Wing, ready to take Luke off Hoth. Han, Leia and Threepio managed to make it to the Falcon, and after a couple of false starts turned her on. Just as Vader entered the hangar, with snowtroopers setting up blasters behind him, the Falcon took off.

The battle of Hoth was a victory for the Empire, and a heavy defeat for the Rebels. The Imperials had payed them back for the destruction of the Death Star, and would pursue them to the ends of the galaxy until they were wiped out. The Rebel Alliance could only regroup and think of a way to uproot the Empire. It was going to be difficult, and who knows what the Empire had planned for them. A second Death Star perhaps?