Battle of Hoth: Index: Initial Engagements

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B001
Mountains beyond the North Ridge. Five AT-AT walkers appear on the horizon. The mist rising in the background may have come from the heat of vaporised ice at the landing zone.

B002

B003

B004
View of AT-AT walker through macrobinoculars held by a rebel observer in one of the forward positions. Echo Station 3T8?

B005

B006
A passage inside the Rebel Base. Ice from the ceiling falls on R2-D2. This implies that the whole base is affected by the battle. This may be due to walkers penetrating deeply into the ice.

B007
Snowspeeders preparing to launch from the northern hangar.

B008
Snowspeeder crew enter their craft, preparing for battle.

B009
Snowspeeder crew enter their craft, preparing for battle.

B010
Front end of a snowspeeder taking off. The pilot has a simple helmet design with blue logo, similar to the helment worn by Dack. Soldiers (distinguishable by their backpacks and white jackets) stand in the left background.

B011
Gunner in the closing cockpit of a snowspeeder.

B012
Snowspeeders launching near the north entrance.

B013
Launching snowspeeder. The pilot has a complicated helment pattern, mostly red. This may be the snowspeeder to the starboard side of Luke's.

B014
Launching snowspeeder. The pilot's helmet has one of the complicated designs, but isn't either Skywalker or Antilles.

B015 A straggler snowspeeder crewman runs for his vehicle, in the north hangar.

B016
Five AT-AT walkers on the North Ridge. High mountains are visible in the far background.

B017

B018

B019

B020

B021
Snowspeeders fly past a rebel turret. The camera appears to be facing NE or ENE. The turret is pointing approximately south. The snowspeeders head approximately SE. Why? They came from the north entrance. Is there an obstruction between there and the walkers on the North Ridge? Do they take a circuitous route?

B022
Snowspeeders fly over rebel trenches, with soldiers apparently facing northwest. Note the lumpy foothills to the west, especially the round-edged hill that will be identifiable from other scenes in the battle.

B023
Rebel snowspeeders fly approximately east towards 5 AT-AT walkers marching west between snowy foothills.

B024
Luke Skywalker's Rogue Leader speeder flying in formation with at least three other speeders, heading in a SE or ESE direction.

B025
View from cockpit of Rogue Leader, as Luke flies to the group of AT-AT walkers, still between the snowy hills. Luke swerves in a slightly evasive approach.

B026
View out the port side of the cockpit of Rogue Leader.

B027
Inside cockpit of Rogue Leader, at Dack's gunnery station. The snowspeeders are flying towards Imperial blaster fire.

B028

B029
At least three snowspeeders fly past an AT-AT walker: one on the starboard side and one on the port side. The walker is illuminated on the portside, therefore it is heading south.

B030
Four snowspeeders have flown past an AT-AT towards northern mountains. The walker is headed south or southwest.

B031
Inside cockpit of Rogue Leader, initially heading east and turning slightly towards southeast.

B032
From the cockpit of a snowspeeder as it swoops towards a group of AT-AT walkers. The walkers are heading almost directly away from the sun: WSW. Initially headed northeast, the snowspeeder flies down and turns towards the north. A range of rough mountains stands to the west.
The 'speeder flies through the legs of one walker, and fires at the upper hull of a more distant AT-AT. The armour absorps blaster fire with little effect. The brief spherical flash is probably due to absorption of some heat in surface dust or frost, which must instantly vaporise.

B033
Cockpit of Rogue Leader. The speeder is turning, but the direction is undetermined.

B034
Two snowspeeders fly towards the sun: to the east. The plain is wide and open. Mountains are visible on the far horizon to the northeast or ENE.

B035
Three AT-AT walkers headed southwest, near western foothills and steeper mountains.

B036
Rebel troops in trench within sight of foothills. These particular men show only diffuse lighting. They are in shadow, probably due to a slope, hill or turret behind the camera. The sky is saturated in this image and the sun's location cannot be seen.
Pillars of smoke rise towards camera and to right (at about 4 or 5 o'clock relative to camera). Blasts from Imperial weapons come from the right side of the picture.

B037
Another area of the rebel trenches. This one is lit from a direction behind the camera. This implies that the camera is facing west, and the troops are looking generally northwards.

B038
Near a rebel trench and laser cannon turret. Smoke and mist fills the air. The round-edged hill is visible in the near background. Camera is relatively close to this group of hills.

B039
Closeup of 2 AT-AT walkers firing their blasters. The background includes high, rough mountains: possibly part of the western range.

B040
Closeup of AT-AT walker feet. The walker is moving south. To the north we see a shield-shaped mountain, and beyond it a northern ridge or range. Very nearby to the west there is a snowy hill.
A snowspeeder circles in an anticlockwise fashion.

B041
Closeup of AT-AT head. The sunlight falls from the starboard side, implying that this particular walker is facing north. A snowspeeder flies past in the background.

B042
Two snowspeeders flying over low hills. One 'speeder is shot and goes down. The sunlight direction is difficult to distinguish.

B043
General Veers' walker faces the western end of the Base Range. Rebel turrets are visible, but the shield generator is still out of view.

B044
General Veers, seated in his AT-AT walker.

B045
View from the cockpit of Veers' walker, as a pair of snowspeeders make a futile frontal attack. The steep mountains of the Base Range are visible in the background to the left. A rebel turret appears on the plain in the far right distance; another one is in the center of the view, near the west edge of the Base range. The horizon beyong the Base Range is dominated by shallow-sided hills or mountains. The generator does not appear to be visible.

B046
Rear view of AT-AT walker, with snowspeeder approaching from the front. The walker's side guns are aiming towards the the 'speeder.

B047
Rouge Leader cockpit. At first the sunlight falls from the front, implying that the snowspeeder is flying approximately towards the east at this moment. As this shot progresses, the 'speeder has turned: the sunlight eventually comes from the portside, implying that the 'speeder is flying south.

B048
AT-AT walker is heading towards the WSW. Two snowspeeders circle it from the north side, circling anticlockwise (as viewed from above).

B049
Rogue Leader cockpit, near Luke's seat. Sunlight direction is indeterminate.

B050 Rogue Leader cockpit, near Dack's seat. Sunlight direction is indeterminate.

B051

B052
Inside cockpit of Rogue Leader. The snowspeeder passes an AT-AT walker. The sunlight appears to fall from the front or front-right of the speeder, meaning that it flies E or NE. If so then the walker would be heading W or SW.

B053
Dack, in Rogue Leader. Mountains pass in the background, but the direction of sunlight is difficult to determine.

B054
Cockpit of Rogue Leader. Another snowspeeder follows Luke at low altitude through hills.

B055
Rogue Leader is now flying over flatter terrain, towards AT-AT walkers. Snowy hills in the background behind the walkers.

B056

B057

B058

B059
An AT-AT walker facing SW fires into the air, presumably at a snowspeeder off the left side of the picture. During the distraction another snowspeeder, Rogue Leader, passes between the walker's legs. The snowspeeder is headed W or NW.

B060
Luke looks back towards his unresponsive gunner, Dack.

B061
Dack, slumped over the sparking and flaming gunner's controls in the cockpit of Rogue Leader.

B062
Rogue Leader cockpit: Luke notes Dack's loss, and turns back to his piloting.

B063
Two AT-AT walkers heading SW, among knobbly hills and mountains. A shadow falls upon the foreground walker, presumably from a hill that lies behind camera to the right side.

B064
Trenches with a view towards the pass between Base Range (left side) and the western knobbly hills (right side). The generator is visible in the centre background. Imperial blaster shots come from the right side. Rebels troops face towards camera and slightly to the right.
This is a special location on the battlefield, because it has a clear line of sight to both the generator and some approaching walkers, but the generator is out of sight from the walkers. If it the generator were visible to any walkers then the battle would have ended before now. What is the obstruction between the generator and walkers? It could be a corner formed by the western hills and southern mountain range. It could be that these trenches are on a rise, with the generator and walkers at lower elevations on opposite sides. A corner, due to the narrow pass, seems more likely.
The sunlight appears to be slightly behind the rebels on their right sides. Thus they must be facing northwest. This position is probably at the eastern end of the rebels' trench system.

B065
Rebel turrets endure fire from the Imperial walkers. The mountain range containing the base is to the left. The southern extreme of the western hills is to the right. The gap between them is invisible because of the visual overlap of the hills; this part of the battlefield is too far north or west to see directly into the gap.

B066
Blaster fire passes around and between rebel infantry in this trench. There are not enough clues in the sunlight or landmarks to deduce where on the plains this trench is situated.

B067
A region of the rebel trenches close to a dish-shaped laser cannon. These weapons appear to be pointing away from the sun, towards the west. They may be either: one of the most forward, northerly trenches on the plain, where the Imperial walkers have already passed; or a position near the eastern end of the trench system.

B069
Blaster from a dish-shaped artillery piece is ineffectually absorbed by the front-right leg of a walker (closest to camera). The foreground is in shadow, presumably due to a hill off the right side of the picture. The background AT-AT shows that the sunlight falls from the right side. The walkers are headed SW. A smoking snowspeeder descends in the far background at the left of the picture.

B070
General Veers and AT-AT crewman, inside AT-AT cockpit.

B071
View from the interior of General Veers' walker. In the left there is a high range of mountains, probably the one that contains the rebel base. On the right there is a light of lower hills. In the middle the flat plain converges to a narrow pass. At least two rebel turrets can be seen in that direction. Snowspeeders cross Veers' path from right to left. Sunlight falls from the left: General Veers is heading generally south or southwest.

B072
A group of AT-AT walkers striding in a SW direction.

B073
One of the dish artillery pieces explodes. The light falls from the left side of the picture; the rebel guns are pointed generally northwards or northwest.

B074
Holographic transmission from Lord Vader to Lord Vader's AT-AT walker. The transmission medium is probably radio or some other light-speed energy, since supraluminal hyperwave transmissions are supposed to be blocked by shields.

B075
General Veers reports that he is close to the power generator and Vader can start his own landing. Veers then pulls down a periscope-like rangefinder.

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shot	preview	description
B001		Mountains beyond the North Ridge. Five AT-AT walkers appear on the horizon. The mist rising in the background may have come from the heat of vaporised ice at the landing zone.
B002


B003


B004		View of AT-AT walker through macrobinoculars held by a rebel observer in one of the forward positions. Echo Station 3T8?





B005
B006		A passage inside the Rebel Base. Ice from the ceiling falls on R2-D2. This implies that the whole base is affected by the battle. This may be due to walkers penetrating deeply into the ice.


B007		Snowspeeders preparing to launch from the northern hangar.
B008		Snowspeeder crew enter their craft, preparing for battle.
B009		Snowspeeder crew enter their craft, preparing for battle.
B010		Front end of a snowspeeder taking off. The pilot has a simple helmet design with blue logo, similar to the helment worn by Dack. Soldiers (distinguishable by their backpacks and white jackets) stand in the left background.
B010
B011		Gunner in the closing cockpit of a snowspeeder.
B012		Snowspeeders launching near the north entrance.
B013		Launching snowspeeder. The pilot has a complicated helment pattern, mostly red. This may be the snowspeeder to the starboard side of Luke's.
B014		Launching snowspeeder. The pilot's helmet has one of the complicated designs, but isn't either Skywalker or Antilles.
B015		A straggler snowspeeder crewman runs for his vehicle, in the north hangar.
B016		Five AT-AT walkers on the North Ridge. High mountains are visible in the far background.



B017



B018
B018
B019


B020



B021		Snowspeeders fly past a rebel turret. The camera appears to be facing NE or ENE. The turret is pointing approximately south. The snowspeeders head approximately SE. Why? They came from the north entrance. Is there an obstruction between there and the walkers on the North Ridge? Do they take a circuitous route?





B022		Snowspeeders fly over rebel trenches, with soldiers apparently facing northwest. Note the lumpy foothills to the west, especially the round-edged hill that will be identifiable from other scenes in the battle.



B023		Rebel snowspeeders fly approximately east towards 5 AT-AT walkers marching west between snowy foothills.
B023
B024		Luke Skywalker's Rogue Leader speeder flying in formation with at least three other speeders, heading in a SE or ESE direction.



B025		View from cockpit of Rogue Leader, as Luke flies to the group of AT-AT walkers, still between the snowy hills. Luke swerves in a slightly evasive approach.




B026		View out the port side of the cockpit of Rogue Leader.



B027		Inside cockpit of Rogue Leader, at Dack's gunnery station. The snowspeeders are flying towards Imperial blaster fire.



B028
B028
B029		At least three snowspeeders fly past an AT-AT walker: one on the starboard side and one on the port side. The walker is illuminated on the portside, therefore it is heading south.
B029
B030		Four snowspeeders have flown past an AT-AT towards northern mountains. The walker is headed south or southwest.



B031		Inside cockpit of Rogue Leader, initially heading east and turning slightly towards southeast.
B031
B032		From the cockpit of a snowspeeder as it swoops towards a group of AT-AT walkers. The walkers are heading almost directly away from the sun: WSW. Initially headed northeast, the snowspeeder flies down and turns towards the north. A range of rough mountains stands to the west. The 'speeder flies through the legs of one walker, and fires at the upper hull of a more distant AT-AT. The armour absorps blaster fire with little effect. The brief spherical flash is probably due to absorption of some heat in surface dust or frost, which must instantly vaporise.







B033		Cockpit of Rogue Leader. The speeder is turning, but the direction is undetermined.
B033
B034		Two snowspeeders fly towards the sun: to the east. The plain is wide and open. Mountains are visible on the far horizon to the northeast or ENE.


B035		Three AT-AT walkers headed southwest, near western foothills and steeper mountains.
B035
B036		Rebel troops in trench within sight of foothills. These particular men show only diffuse lighting. They are in shadow, probably due to a slope, hill or turret behind the camera. The sky is saturated in this image and the sun's location cannot be seen. Pillars of smoke rise towards camera and to right (at about 4 or 5 o'clock relative to camera). Blasts from Imperial weapons come from the right side of the picture.


B037		Another area of the rebel trenches. This one is lit from a direction behind the camera. This implies that the camera is facing west, and the troops are looking generally northwards.
B037
B038		Near a rebel trench and laser cannon turret. Smoke and mist fills the air. The round-edged hill is visible in the near background. Camera is relatively close to this group of hills.
B038
B039		Closeup of 2 AT-AT walkers firing their blasters. The background includes high, rough mountains: possibly part of the western range.
B040		Closeup of AT-AT walker feet. The walker is moving south. To the north we see a shield-shaped mountain, and beyond it a northern ridge or range. Very nearby to the west there is a snowy hill. A snowspeeder circles in an anticlockwise fashion.



B041		Closeup of AT-AT head. The sunlight falls from the starboard side, implying that this particular walker is facing north. A snowspeeder flies past in the background.
B041
B042		Two snowspeeders flying over low hills. One 'speeder is shot and goes down. The sunlight direction is difficult to distinguish.


B043		General Veers' walker faces the western end of the Base Range. Rebel turrets are visible, but the shield generator is still out of view.
B044		General Veers, seated in his AT-AT walker.
B045		View from the cockpit of Veers' walker, as a pair of snowspeeders make a futile frontal attack. The steep mountains of the Base Range are visible in the background to the left. A rebel turret appears on the plain in the far right distance; another one is in the center of the view, near the west edge of the Base range. The horizon beyong the Base Range is dominated by shallow-sided hills or mountains. The generator does not appear to be visible.
B045
B046		Rear view of AT-AT walker, with snowspeeder approaching from the front. The walker's side guns are aiming towards the the 'speeder.
B047		Rouge Leader cockpit. At first the sunlight falls from the front, implying that the snowspeeder is flying approximately towards the east at this moment. As this shot progresses, the 'speeder has turned: the sunlight eventually comes from the portside, implying that the 'speeder is flying south.


B048		AT-AT walker is heading towards the WSW. Two snowspeeders circle it from the north side, circling anticlockwise (as viewed from above).


B049		Rogue Leader cockpit, near Luke's seat. Sunlight direction is indeterminate.


B050		Rogue Leader cockpit, near Dack's seat. Sunlight direction is indeterminate.
B051
B051
B052		Inside cockpit of Rogue Leader. The snowspeeder passes an AT-AT walker. The sunlight appears to fall from the front or front-right of the speeder, meaning that it flies E or NE. If so then the walker would be heading W or SW.
B052
B053		Dack, in Rogue Leader. Mountains pass in the background, but the direction of sunlight is difficult to determine.
B053
B054		Cockpit of Rogue Leader. Another snowspeeder follows Luke at low altitude through hills.


B055		Rogue Leader is now flying over flatter terrain, towards AT-AT walkers. Snowy hills in the background behind the walkers.
B056
B057
B058
B059		An AT-AT walker facing SW fires into the air, presumably at a snowspeeder off the left side of the picture. During the distraction another snowspeeder, Rogue Leader, passes between the walker's legs. The snowspeeder is headed W or NW.


B060		Luke looks back towards his unresponsive gunner, Dack.
B061		Dack, slumped over the sparking and flaming gunner's controls in the cockpit of Rogue Leader.
B062		Rogue Leader cockpit: Luke notes Dack's loss, and turns back to his piloting.
B062
B063		Two AT-AT walkers heading SW, among knobbly hills and mountains. A shadow falls upon the foreground walker, presumably from a hill that lies behind camera to the right side.
B063
B064		Trenches with a view towards the pass between Base Range (left side) and the western knobbly hills (right side). The generator is visible in the centre background. Imperial blaster shots come from the right side. Rebels troops face towards camera and slightly to the right. This is a special location on the battlefield, because it has a clear line of sight to both the generator and some approaching walkers, but the generator is out of sight from the walkers. If it the generator were visible to any walkers then the battle would have ended before now. What is the obstruction between the generator and walkers? It could be a corner formed by the western hills and southern mountain range. It could be that these trenches are on a rise, with the generator and walkers at lower elevations on opposite sides. A corner, due to the narrow pass, seems more likely. The sunlight appears to be slightly behind the rebels on their right sides. Thus they must be facing northwest. This position is probably at the eastern end of the rebels' trench system.


B065		Rebel turrets endure fire from the Imperial walkers. The mountain range containing the base is to the left. The southern extreme of the western hills is to the right. The gap between them is invisible because of the visual overlap of the hills; this part of the battlefield is too far north or west to see directly into the gap.


B066		Blaster fire passes around and between rebel infantry in this trench. There are not enough clues in the sunlight or landmarks to deduce where on the plains this trench is situated.
B066
B067		A region of the rebel trenches close to a dish-shaped laser cannon. These weapons appear to be pointing away from the sun, towards the west. They may be either: one of the most forward, northerly trenches on the plain, where the Imperial walkers have already passed; or a position near the eastern end of the trench system.
B067
B069		Blaster from a dish-shaped artillery piece is ineffectually absorbed by the front-right leg of a walker (closest to camera). The foreground is in shadow, presumably due to a hill off the right side of the picture. The background AT-AT shows that the sunlight falls from the right side. The walkers are headed SW. A smoking snowspeeder descends in the far background at the left of the picture.




B070		General Veers and AT-AT crewman, inside AT-AT cockpit.
B071		View from the interior of General Veers' walker. In the left there is a high range of mountains, probably the one that contains the rebel base. On the right there is a light of lower hills. In the middle the flat plain converges to a narrow pass. At least two rebel turrets can be seen in that direction. Snowspeeders cross Veers' path from right to left. Sunlight falls from the left: General Veers is heading generally south or southwest.


B072		A group of AT-AT walkers striding in a SW direction.


B073		One of the dish artillery pieces explodes. The light falls from the left side of the picture; the rebel guns are pointed generally northwards or northwest.



B074		Holographic transmission from Lord Vader to Lord Vader's AT-AT walker. The transmission medium is probably radio or some other light-speed energy, since supraluminal hyperwave transmissions are supposed to be blocked by shields.
B075		General Veers reports that he is close to the power generator and Vader can start his own landing. Veers then pulls down a periscope-like rangefinder.