My gaming group has a standing joke about my “Imperial efficiency” whenever we play Star Wars: Rebellion. It started three years ago when I managed to find the Rebel base on turn two—a combination of good deduction and, frankly, dumb luck that I’ve never replicated since. But Jeff and Tony still give me suspicious looks whenever I reach for the Imperial faction tiles, as if I’ve got some dark Force power that helps me hunt down Rebels.
Truth is, finding that hidden base is part science, part art, and yes, occasionally blind luck. After 40+ games (heavily weighted toward playing as the Empire because, let’s face it, nobody in my group wants to be the bad guys except me), I’ve developed a methodical approach that consistently narrows down the search area by mid-game. It’s not foolproof—a clever Rebel player can still misdirect and delay—but it’s far better than the random probe droid deployments I see many Imperial players resort to.
So, I’m sharing my process. Not because I want more efficient Imperials out there (Rebel players, you might want to stop reading now), but because a well-played cat-and-mouse game makes Rebellion sing. Nothing’s worse than an Imperial player who can’t find the base or a Rebel who gets discovered immediately.
First principle: the base location is almost always a strategic choice, not a random one. Good Rebel players select their hideout based on specific criteria—distance from Imperial starting systems, access to resources, proximity to systems they want to subvert early. Understanding these motivations immediately narrows your search.
In our regular group, Linda (my wife) almost always places the Rebel base in a system that’s exactly two jumps away from a starting Imperial system. Not one (too dangerous) and rarely three (too remote from early mission opportunities). Knowing this, I can immediately eliminate large portions of the board in our games. Your own opponents will have their patterns—watch for them.
Second principle: probe droid action efficiency trumps all. New Imperial players make the mistake of spreading probe droids across the galaxy randomly. Bad move. Every probe action should eliminate multiple potential hiding spots, preferably an entire region. I’ve developed what I call the “quadrant method” for this.
Mentally divide the galaxy into four rough quadrants. Your first probe droid should target the most system-dense quadrant, but not randomly. Choose a central system that will reveal the maximum number of adjacent systems. If you find nothing, you’ve just eliminated perhaps a quarter of the board with one action. Your next probe similarly targets the center of the second-densest remaining quadrant.
This might sound obvious, but I’ve watched countless Imperial players waste actions by probing one system at a time without a coherent pattern. The math simply doesn’t work—you’ll run out of turns before finding the base.
My friend Charlie (who’s scary-good as the Rebels) once told me after a game: “I knew you wouldn’t find me because you wasted your first three probe droids on systems that only revealed two other systems each.” He was right, and I’ve never made that mistake again.
Third principle: fleet movement is part of your search strategy. Many Imperial players treat fleet movement as separate from probe droid deployment—a mistake that costs precious actions. When moving your Star Destroyers for tactical reasons, always position them to reveal systems you haven’t checked yet. Sometimes revealing a single strategic system through fleet movement is better than a probe droid action that would reveal that same system plus one more, if the fleet movement also accomplishes other objectives.
This doesn’t mean rushing Star Destroyers to the edges of the galaxy on turn one. But it does mean being thoughtful about which systems you move through. I track every system I’ve revealed through any means, and always look for movement paths that uncover new possibilities.
My most effective searches combine these principles into a “constricting net” approach. I start with broad probe droid sweeps that eliminate whole regions, then use fleet movement to check questionable systems while establishing presence in likely target areas. As the game progresses, I deploy more targeted probe droids in the remaining likely regions.
Let’s talk about timing. The most common mistake I see is Imperial players getting distracted by early Rebel provocations. Yes, that Rebel attack on Corellia is annoying, but if you divert your probe droids to chase Rebel forces, you’re playing into their hands. The first three turns should focus almost exclusively on methodical searching unless absolutely prevented.
I’ve developed a rough timing guide:
– Turns 1-2: Broad elimination of regions
– Turns 3-4: Targeted searching in likely areas
– Turns 5+: Surgical precision based on all available intelligence
But how do you determine “likely areas” after your initial broad sweeps? This is where the art comes in. Beyond looking for patterns in your specific opponents’ choices, there are general tendencies worth noting:
Rebel players often choose systems with planets that offer mission icons they want to leverage early. If you notice early Rebel missions focusing on gaining Diplomacy icons, look for systems with planets offering those icons. If they’re building units rapidly, they might be near production icons.
Remote systems are attractive to beginners but rarely chosen by experienced players. Why? Because while they’re harder to find, they also limit the Rebel player’s early options. The most dangerous Rebel bases are those in mid-tier systems that balance security with operational flexibility.
Pay attention to timing of Rebel movement too. If Rebel forces suddenly appear in a region you haven’t searched yet, around turn 3 or 4, that’s often a misdirection. The base is probably elsewhere. But if Rebel ships start appearing in a region around turn 5 or 6, they might be getting desperate and moving to defend their base.
One counterintuitive approach I’ve found effective: sometimes I deliberately delay probing systems where I strongly suspect the base might be. This seems crazy, but hear me out. If I find the base too early, the game shifts immediately to an assault I might not be prepared for. By focusing first on systems I’m confident do NOT contain the base, I can build up my forces while narrowing the search area. When I finally do check my prime suspects, I’m ready to strike immediately.
My most effective game using this approach was against my son Alex, who’s become frustratingly good at Rebellion. I had narrowed his base to one of three systems by turn 4 but didn’t probe any of them. Instead, I amassed a tremendous fleet nearby while continuing to check obviously wrong locations. By turn 6, I was ready, found his base with my first targeted probe, and launched an overwhelming assault he couldn’t counter.
The look on his face was worth every deliberately wasted probe droid.
Of course, probe cards and captured Rebel operatives can dramatically accelerate your search. But I find it’s better to build a strategy assuming you won’t get lucky with these, then treat them as fortunate accelerants when they do appear.
My final piece of advice might be the most important: maintain a physical or mental map of eliminated systems. The game state gets complex, missions are happening, fleets are moving, and it’s shockingly easy to forget which systems you’ve already cleared. I use a simple notation system on a piece of paper, but even just mentally rehearsing “these systems are clear” after each turn helps.
I once lost a game I should have won because I forgot I’d already cleared Dantooine through fleet movement on turn 2, then wasted a probe droid confirming it on turn 5. That single wasted action delayed finding the base by one critical turn.
Finding the Rebel base in Star Wars: Rebellion isn’t just about luck or even game mechanics—it’s about understanding human psychology and decision-making patterns. The best searches combine methodical elimination with insight into your specific opponent’s tendencies. Master these aspects, and you’ll have Rebels on the run consistently.
Just don’t tell my gaming group I shared these tips. I still enjoy the reputation of having mysterious Imperial powers when we play.
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