Star Wars: Empire at War Rebel and Imperial technology differences
Plan production around the two factions of the base game.
Edition covered
Original Empire at War campaigns and mechanics. Steam Gold Pack also includes Forces of Corruption; its Zann Consortium and expansion units are outside these base-game guides.
Learn the Imperial research model
The Empire advances technology through its research options. Protect the economy and required infrastructure so unlocking better units does not leave you unable to build them.
| System | Empire | Rebels |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Research advancement | Technology theft through droids |
| Galactic goal | Control and defend key planets | Build a sustainable resistance network |
| Space force | Imperial ship roster | Rebel ship roster |
| Ground force | Imperial infantry and walkers | Rebel infantry and vehicles |
Use Rebel theft deliberately
The Rebel strategic game uses droids to steal Imperial technology. Choose an accessible enemy world and the desired unlock, then keep enough resources for production after the theft succeeds.
| Step | Purpose | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Check unlocks | Know the next useful unit | Research without a production plan |
| Secure credits | Pay for research or theft and units | Spending the entire reserve |
| Protect infrastructure | Keep recruitment available | Exposed production planets |
| Inspect the roster | Build answers to enemy roles | Assuming expansion units are available |
Do not expect identical rosters
Imperial heavy ships and walkers do not have one-for-one Rebel equivalents. Build around the strengths of each available unit and cover its weakness with another role.
Separate Forces of Corruption
Gold Pack contains a second game layer with the Zann Consortium and additional mechanics. These base-game tables do not treat corruption or expansion technology as part of the original Rebel-versus-Empire campaign.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Publisher game and edition listing | store.steampowered.com |
| LucasArts original manual transcription | pdfcoffee.com |