Echo Base

Echo Base is a geographical location from the science-fiction Star Wars universe that was featured in the opening sequence of the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back (later known as '. It is a series of tunnels and caverns cut from the icy mountain side of the planet Hoth. The Rebel Alliance established this base soon after evacuating Yavin 4.

Related Topics:
Star Wars - Empire - Hoth - Rebel Alliance - Yavin 4

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Echo Base was not designed with the means to repel an Imperial assault, but instead relied on its shield generator and its hidden location on a desolate planet in an unocupied system to protect it from the Empire. Because of this most of its equipment and machinery were able to be taken apart and evacuated at a moments notice, if the base was discovered.

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When the Empire's probe droids found the base, the Rebels fought a holding action to give the transports enough time to evacuate. They used the base's

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(misnamed) planetary defense shield to prevent an Imperial orbital bombardmant, and then used small landspeeders modified for the cold climate of Hoth, called Snowspeeders, and a small contingent of soldiers, to slow the advance of the Empire's AT-AT walkers. This holding action allowed the Rebels time to use Echo Base's Planetary Ion Cannon to open holes in the Imperial blockade, allowing many transports and their X-Wing escorts to escape.

Related Topics:
Snowspeeder - AT-AT - Ion Cannon - X-Wing

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Echo Base suffered a series of attacks by the shaggy and carnivorous wampas soon after Commander Skywalker's encounter with one of the creatures. This is not shown in Empire Strikes Back, but was described in the accompanying novelization.

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