Skirmish over Tatooine

"Warning! Incoming Imperial fighters!"

- The Falcon's sensors

The Battle of Tatooine was a battle involving Han Solo and Chewbacca in the Millennium Falcon against the Empire. En route to Jabba's Palace, Solo was discovered by Imperial forces. The Empire sent in two Star Destroyers, three Imperial Shuttles, and several squads of TIE Fighters to attack Solo. Once a space battle ensued between Solo and the Empire, Solo was able to evade both Star Destroyers and all three Imperial shuttles, along with several of the TIE Fighter squads.

Prelude
"Approaching the Tatooine system."

- The Falcon's sensors

After Han Solo was forced to dump contraband as the Empire boarded his ship, Jabba the Hutt, a notorious criminal and leader of a large criminal empire, called Solo back to Tatooine, his throneworld. On his way back to Tatooine in the Millennium Falcon, his heavily modified YT-1300 light freighter, two Imperial-I class Star Destroyers scanned and discovered the Falcon with Solo and his Wookiee partner, Chewbacca.

The Galactic Empire recognized Solo as a popular bounty and immediately sent TIE Fighters and Imperial shuttles to assault the Falcon. Han, realizing his only choice was to fly through the blockade, prepared himself for a long battle with the Imperial forces.

Battle
"Destroy the fighters before landing at Mos Eisley spaceport!"

- The Falcon's sensors

As the Falcon entered the Tatoo system, Han and Chewbacca armed their AG-2G quad laser cannons and Concussion missile tubes in preparation for the TIE Fighter assault. The TIE Fighters attacked immediately in squads of four or five fighters at a time. Captain Solo managed to shoot several of them, making wise use of his 4 Concussion missiles to complement his cannons. However, as the first Star Destroyer opened fire on the Falcon, Han and Chewie realized this wasn't going to be an easy fight.

Following the advice of the Falcon's sensors, Solo concentrated fire upon certain exposed arms installations on the Star Destroyer. Once the Star Destroyer was out of the fight, two Lambda-class T-4a shuttles arrived, which Solo managed to destroy. After more TIE Fighters, another Star Destroyer arrived and was disabled in the same way as the first, and when a third Lambda shuttle then arrived, it fell to the Falcon's weapons. After this, the Falcon finally passed the blockade and its crew flew down to meet Jabba the Hutt in Mos Eisley.

Aftermath
"Koona t'chuta, Solo? (Going somewhere, Solo?)"

- Greedo to Han Solo

When the Falcon landed in Docking Bay 94, Han Solo went to Chalmun's Cantina, a popular cantina establishment in Mos Eisley. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker then arrived to ask for a lift to the Alderaan system. Han Solo agreed, but was then found by Greedo, a bounty hunter that worked for Jabba the Hutt. Han shot Greedo and left to go to the Falcon and take off. After evading more stormtroopers, they finally blasted their way out of Mos Eisley.

After evading two more Star Destroyers, they jumped into hyperspace and arrived at Alderaan approximately two standard hours after it was destroyed by the Galactic Empire. The Falcon arrived in what was left of Alderaan, making them think they were in an asteroid field.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Flight of the Falcon
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope