My players really have not cared to bother with the Rebellion or seek it out. They don't know it but they have already done a job for them, and without a rebel leader it was rather incompetent since it was also designed as combat 'practice' for a rebel cell.

I am trying to lead to a finale battle similar to what happens in the "Tramp Freighters" galaxy guide. Then that leads to a pre-RotJ version of Darkstryder

Hate to do what happened to Han, where he is offered lots of credits, never got it, and then had to be guilt tripped into fighting by chewie.

any ideas? Right now my players are wandering around the cluster from one plot hook to the next, and haven't really been actively doing much

At the end of my latest adventure (which im working on as i type) my Players are either going to be close to overwhelmed by enemies (imp or pirates, not sure yet), and a Rebel SpecForce squad is gonna rescue them, and the leader of the squad is actually gonna be a new PC that will be joining our group. Or at the end of the Adventure they will be approached by a SpecForce recruiter who is the new PC. not sure which one yet.

Have a nemesis for both the PCs and their new Rebel friend and make it clear their mutual enemy has no problems going after the PC loved ones or making it impossible for them to find work elsewhere unless they're dealt with?

My players really have not cared to bother with the Rebellion or seek it out. They don't know it but they have already done a job for them, and without a rebel leader it was rather incompetent since it was also designed as combat 'practice' for a rebel cell.

I am trying to lead to a finale battle similar to what happens in the "Tramp Freighters" galaxy guide. Then that leads to a pre-RotJ version of Darkstryder

Hate to do what happened to Han, where he is offered lots of credits, never got it, and then had to be guilt tripped into fighting by chewie.

any ideas? Right now my players are wandering around the cluster from one plot hook to the next, and haven't really been actively doing much

Have them associated with the Rebels because of their affiliation previously and declared enemies of the state. Whether they consider themselves Rebels or not the Empire now does and they're left with no real choice.

Most get involved with the Alliance/Rebels because they are politicaly motivated to get rid of the Empire and its dictatorship(s).

They might be a member of a species that gets suppressed by the Empire.

Or because they are wanted criminals who got caught helping the Rebels and therefore join them (like Han did).

Others join the Alliance since they got on the wrong side of an important politican/Moff and had to run for their lives.

I think I have an in for my players. Over on reddit someone did a story where Jabba "takes care"of Teemo, and calls in a BHunter to tie up his loose ends. Maybe this hunter is a rebel agent /sympathesizer. He offers them a choice. Join the rebellion or hell continue the hunt. Either way hecan make the characters "disappear". I'll have to play with this some more.

Do you really feel a need for the players to get involved in the Rebellion?

If the players themselves would rather play scoundrels than Rebels, is there a need to force the issue?

In our EOTE games, the party doesn't really side with either Empire or Rebellion, but the Empire has been making life difficult for them, because that's what they do.

I'm not really trying to push them toward the Rebels so much as trying to reflect a Galaxy in turmoil.

Let me explain a bit...

One of my Characters is a Politico from the core worlds who's father was accused his brother (players uncle), for searching and researching about the Jedi (it was false). The Uncle was a captain in the Imperial Navy and didn't want any fallout to affect his career. the player fled and has been going from job to job

Another one is a Thief, who has been been operating as a trader to make ends meet.

The last player is a Twi'lek hired gun, former slave. Also a Marxist. (Debts to pay was painfully ironic for him)

So the basics are these players are just honest traders/scoundrels, the Politico might have an axe to grind but the others really don't

I am trying to increase the scope of the game, also it would be easier for me to give them missions instead of having them stumble around from plot to plot

I tried that back in WEG Star Wars revealing my character had a nemesis but once the GM changed that was forgotten.

My point is throw in the occasional news of this nemesis, something that might be overlooked by the player in question but imagine the look on his face when he runs into that character and the penny drops.

What about the others?

Might want to have them recognise the same nemesis say he enslaved the Twilek?

Might make things more interesting if you combined some of the backgrounds they've established for themselves?

kinnison, have you asked the players outright if they'd like to move more toward a Rebellion-focused campaign?

If they say "sure we'd love to", then the players themselves might help by becoming more outraged when they see Imperial cruelty or being more responsive to seeking out Rebellion contacts on oppressed worlds.

If they say "we'd rather not, we like being neutral" then you've got answer there too.

How about having the party unknowingly acquire something during and adventure that is valuable to the Empire. Very valuable, so valuable in fact that they find themselves being relentlessly pursued by Imperial forces that want whatever this thing is (MacGuffin time). In one exchange, before the party escapes or even knows what the item is, the Imperial commander calls them out by name and accuses them of being "traitors and a members of the Rebel Alliance!"

The PCs are now in a position of either trying to clear their names with the Empire, good luck with that, or somehow get involved with the Rebels. This doesn't mean they have to join them but you have now dropped them directly into at least one adventure with the Rebels and if the Players like that adventure that may want to continue helping them. Or not, in either case you've exposed them to the possibility of a more Rebellion based campaign.

Is it a bit of railroading? Yes, but so was BBQing Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru...

@FuriousGreg: Sure, but since it drastically changes the theme of the game as a GM i would talk with my players about it like progressions suggested. Because if the players are not that could split the group. Never a good thing.

How would you handle the party dumping the MacGuffin into space?

Never force your players to do something... I'm running an Edge group right now... half the group wouldn't mind helping the Rebellion, the other half want to avoid it... so we don't split party, the party may help inadvertently, but not overtly. I have no reason to ever bring this group to the Rebellion until the players ask for it... This group is more of a "Firefly" campaign and that's what they want more or less.

The players really have had no interest in joining the Rebellion. But so far inadvertently aiding them seems to be the the best way. That is until they have it shoved into their face.

I don't want the McGuffin, because they WILL dump it

I rather have them want to join them, or hate the Empire so much they want to join and hurt the Empire

kinnison, I guess I am not understanding why you want to push the players into joining the Rebels if they're not interested in doing it.

All I can say is I'd recommend talking to them about it, and taking into account the game direction that everybody is most interested in. If all the players want to be scoundrels and criminals (or otherwise non-affiliated), IMO it's best to honor those desires.

The players really have had no interest in joining the Rebellion. But so far inadvertently aiding them seems to be the the best way. That is until they have it shoved into their face.

I don't want the McGuffin, because they WILL dump it

I rather have them want to join them, or hate the Empire so much they want to join and hurt the Empire

Probably need to focus sessions on having the Empire screw them over a lot. People join rebellions at different stages for different reasons, just have to get them sick enough of the Empire to want them to push back.

True, but one has to be careful that the screwing is making sense in the flow of the story and not just for the lulz or evulz.

True, but one has to be careful that the screwing is making sense in the flow of the story and not just for the lulz or evulz.

In our campaign, the players are on a planet with increasing Imperial influence, so they are hearing stories about roundups of refugees, and seeing Stormtroopers shaking people down and rounding them up in the street.

So far this hasn't had a HUGE impact on their own lives, but if the characters themselves had a stronger response to it, it might be the kind of thing that would get harder to bear over time.

This doesn't mean they have to join them but you have now dropped them directly into at least one adventure with the Rebels and if the Players like that adventure that may want to continue helping them. Or not, in either case you've exposed them to the possibility of a more Rebellion based campaign.

@FuriousGreg: Sure, but since it drastically changes the theme of the game as a GM i would talk with my players about it like progressions suggested. Because if the players are not that could split the group. Never a good thing.

Obviously you'd need to tailor the adventure to your group but my suggestion wasn't to force them into a Rebellion campaign but rather a single adventure that brings them directly into contact with the Rebels fighting the Empire, with some skin in the game. After this is resolved the party doesn't have to join the Rebellion but they could, or not. In either case you've given them the opportunity to play a "Rebellion" style adventure to test the waters and then talk to your player's and see if they'd like to continue down that route. If you design it so theres a way out for the PCs so they can get back to fringing then I don't see it as being a deal killer.

It's funny you mention that, FuriousGreg, because we had that exact scenario in our most recent session.

Our PCs are explorers and they're generally neutral in the Galactic Civil War, but to get the clue to their next destination they got mixed up in a fight between Imperials and Rebels.

It's another situation which gives the players the opportunity to become more affiliated with the Rebellion if they want to take it. However, if they'd prefer to just get what they need and move on, our story supports that option as well.

One of my players actually had to leave the game and we worked together on the final battle he'd take part in where he would sacrifice himself to save the group and allow them to get away from the Empire. So far it has seemed to inspire them, some have even requested an Obligation from it.