Most Star Wars roleplaying campaigns center around the Rebel Alliance, smugglers, or freewheeling scoundrels opposing the Empire. But turning the table—putting your players in Imperial boots—can create one of the most unique and compelling Star Wars D6 experiences. Running an Imperial campaign offers opportunities to explore loyalty, duty, and moral compromise within the galaxy’s most powerful military machine.
Below we’ll walk through core considerations, approaches, and tips for running a successful Imperial-focused Star Wars D6 campaign.
Why Run an Imperial Campaign?
The Empire is the dominant force in the galaxy during the classic trilogy. By stepping into the role of Imperial soldiers, officers, or specialists, your players experience the other side of the conflict. Instead of being the hunted rebels, they are the enforcers of order, fighting piracy, insurgency, and treachery.
Some reasons GMs choose to run an Imperial campaign:
- Perspective Shift: Explore Star Wars from the “other side.”
- Moral Ambiguity: Let players wrestle with questions of loyalty, justice, and obedience.
- Military Focus: Imperial stories highlight chain of command, duty, and camaraderie under fire.
- Epic Scale: The Empire commands massive fleets, armies, and resources. Campaigns can range from stormtrooper squads to sector-level operations.
Campaign Styles
1. The Loyalist Campaign
Players are true believers in the Empire’s vision of galactic order. Missions focus on rooting out rebels, quashing uprisings, and enforcing Imperial authority. These games lean heavily into military discipline and chain of command.
Strengths: Consistent direction, military camaraderie.
Challenges: Risks feeling like propaganda unless you include shades of gray (e.g., corrupt Moffs, ruthless orders).
2. The Shades of Gray Campaign
Here, players begin loyal but slowly encounter cracks in the façade. Do they follow brutal orders? Do they help civilians caught in the crossfire? The campaign becomes a moral journey where allegiance is tested.
Strengths: Rich roleplaying potential, moral tension.
Challenges: Requires careful pacing to avoid premature defections.
3. The Climb the Ranks Campaign
From raw cadets to elite officers, the PCs experience life in the Imperial hierarchy. Start them at the Academy or in basic training, then follow their careers through campaigns, promotions, and rivalries.
Strengths: Long-term progression, character arcs tied to advancement.
Challenges: Balancing military duty with player freedom of choice.
4. The Secret Agenda Campaign
Not all Imperials are what they seem. PCs may be loyal to the Empire, secretly corrupted by crime syndicates, or even working as undercover agents. Tension lies in divided loyalties and hidden motives.
Strengths: Espionage, intrigue, mystery.
Challenges: Risk of intra-party conflict if not handled carefully.
Key Themes to Explore
- Duty vs. Morality: Obeying orders versus doing what’s right.
- Loyalty and Betrayal: Trust in your squad and superiors, or the sting of betrayal.
- The Machinery of War: Life aboard star destroyers, garrisons, and remote outposts.
- The Faceless Enforcer: The contrast between individuality and being “just another stormtrooper.”
- The Fragile Empire: As of 3 ABY onward, cracks in Imperial control widen—how do soldiers react?
Mechanical Tips for Star Wars D6
Templates Are Your Friend
Use Imperial-specific templates: Stormtrooper, Imperial Pilot, Navy Trooper, Imperial Officer, or Intelligence Agent. These reinforce the tone of the campaign.
Chain of Command as a Mechanic
Create simple rules for promotions, commendations, and punishments. A promotion can act like a “level up,” granting access to more resources and authority.
Squad/Unit Scale Combat
Imperial PCs will often be part of larger military actions. Use the Scaling rules (from character to walker to star destroyer) to showcase the Empire’s vast resources.
Imperial Resources as Rewards
Instead of credits, reward characters with equipment, authority, and influence—new ships, stormtrooper squads under their command, or the right to requisition advanced tech.
Adventure Hooks
- Rebel Boarding Action: The PCs must repel insurgents storming their transport.
- Suppression Duty: A city or colony has risen up; the PCs must restore order.
- Escort Mission: Guard an Imperial dignitary or prototype weapon.
- Espionage Hunt: Root out a suspected Rebel informant within their unit.
- Fleet Deployment: Participate in massive naval actions as TIE pilots or bridge crew.
- Operation Cinder (Post-Endor): Carry out devastating orders in the name of Imperial loyalty—or resist them.
Tips for the GM
- Keep It Star Wars: Even though the PCs are Imperials, focus on drama, action, and heroics. Don’t bog down in bureaucracy.
- Challenge Beliefs: Put the players in situations where they must weigh orders against conscience.
- Use Familiar Iconography: Imperial marches, stormtrooper armor, Star Destroyer bridges—these set the tone instantly.
- Plan for Divergence: Some PCs may stay loyal, others may question, and some may defect. Allow for different paths.
Final Thoughts
An Imperial campaign in Star Wars D6 is more than just “playing the bad guys.” It’s an opportunity to explore the inner workings of the galaxy’s most powerful military regime, to tell stories of loyalty, honor, and doubt within the ranks of the Empire.
Handled well, it gives your players a deeper appreciation of both sides of the Galactic Civil War—and a campaign they’ll remember long after the final credits crawl.
