"a comprehensive star wars "history"?" Topic

I've been working on a rebel alliance fleet and imperial fleet to battle each other using BFG rules and I've come to realize there is ALOT more to the star wars universe than I ever knew from just watching the movies.

Can anyone recommend a good source or 2 to provide a "historical" overview of the major events, factions etc from the start to finish of star wars history? I was clicking around wookiepedia but I was reading random stuff and not getting a coherent timeline and understanding.

Also, can anyone recommend capital ship types that the rebels would field (besides mon calamari cruisers and B-nebulon frigates)?

Wookiepedia is a good source. link

Rebels used a lot of random stuff. Full scale battles are hard because the Rebels couldn't stand and fight against the imperial war machine. They gathered most of their rag tag fleet at Endor just as a distraction to kill the second death star. The emperor's death was just a convenience. He used the force to manipulate his soldiers so his death left most of them confused and unmotivated. That is why the rebel fleet survives that engagement.

Here is a good overview and list. link

BTW welcome to the EU :)

As far as a good overview of Star Wars history, I'd say it's just about all up for grabs here now that Disney bought the franchise.

Probably a safe bet that the 6 movies will still stay 'canon' (unless Disney decides to got the reboot route), but everything else is probably (my guess) going to be mined for marketable ideas, then discarded.

Any history right now is probably going to be like a 'Comprehensive History of the 20th Century" that was printed on December 6, 1941.

Just my thoughts.

I just got a copy of "Star Wars: Essential Guide to Warfare".

link

Haven't given the book enough time yet, but it sure is pretty. Hand drawn artwork, brief histories of the evolution of the rebellion, the republics, the empires, and stuff that certainly didn't pop out of the movies. It's sweeping, though, so I'm not expecting to find fleet lists for particular battles. But there are sections on "this and that sorts of ships were common in this era."

(unless Disney decides to got the reboot route)

Which is a good chance seeing how JJ Assbrahams is directing…

As above, Wookiepedia is as good as any, although SW history goes back a lot further than just the stuff in the films. The various games and many of the books are also 'canon'.

Does anyone make Old Republic ships? plenty of scope for truly epic space battles vs the Mandalorians and Revans Sith fleet.

In reading the title, I thought that there WAS a comprehensive history – I guess there is no such thing.

There is a great Itunes podcast ( Star Wars the Expanded Universe ? ) that deals exclusively with the SW universe EU and they recently did an episode where for one hour all he did was give us a timeline of events going back 30,000 years before the Battle Of Yavin. It was quite well done and informative. I actually base all my SW games on events of the EU and this podcast is a wealth of information Please check back here later today and ill provide the name of the podcast when I get home .
cheers Tom

I think thabear is refering to the podcast Star Wars Beyond the Films. He's right, it is a nice podcast if you're looking for EU and such.
thosmoss also mentioned Star Wars: Essential Guide to Warfare, like him,I've not read it thru, but it gives some overviews of the warring sides during the timelines of the Rebellion before and beyond.
Kind regards
Anthon

yep that's the one , "The Star Wars Report , Beyond the Films " podcast dated from 3-4-2013 gives an excellent overview of the events you might be looking for. Allot of other sci fi "stuff" can be subbed in for these events. Ive been busy myself collecting 28mm pieces that can be used to play games set before the prequel films .
cheers Tom

Thanks everyone for the great advice- I've ordered the Essential Guide to Warfare from amazon and I'll listen to that podcast this weekend.