My group is beginning an Edge of the Empire game next week and we are trying to decide on a planet that's not controlled by either the Hunts or the Empire. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Technically you could argue that nearly all planets are "controlled" by the Empire. However, there should be lots of world where the Empire's control is more of a hands-off sort of management; along the line of "make sure everything runs smoothly here or we'll send troops to ensure it does". It would be perfectly believable to come up with a world where there isn't a single Imperial trooper or ships stationed permanently.

If you're looking for canon worlds where the Empire hold no sway whatsoever it gets a little trickier. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is Mon Cal/Dac/whatever its name currently is. Seing as how it's an overt member of the Rebel Alliance. You have also worlds in the Corporate Sector, and the Hapes Cluster.

Alderaan.

Alderaan.

Too soon.

Alderaan.

Too soon.

More like, "too late".

I have to second what Krieger22 said about while all known planets are nominally "controlled" by the Empire, the sheer size of the galaxy means that maintaining direct control borders on the impossible.

Consider that the Death Star was created as an ultimate threat; if your world gets out of line, it won't exist once the Death Star shows up. That alone says that the Empire's control of the galaxy, particularly in the outlying reaches, isn't absolute.

For a lot of Outer Rim worlds, it's quite likely a case of "pay lip service to Imperial laws, pay the necessary taxes and tithes, don't raise a fuss," at which point the greater Imperial bureaucracy just lets the planet be.

A good one, and my personal favorite, is Socorro.

I think the Hapes Consortium was able to remain completely neutral.

The books actually tell us that the vast majority of inhabited systems are not under Imperial control.

If a planet is very remote, sparsely-populated, and has little of value on it then the Empire will probably ignore it. That has to describe most of the planets in the Outer Rim. The Empire isn't going to waste its time watching a planet that doesn't have anything they care about on it.

Also, keep in mind that even if a planet isn't ruled by the Empire or the Hutts, it's probably ruled by somebody . Mon Cala, for example, may not be ruled by the Empire (it depends on your timeline, the Empire did subjugate it at first before the inhabitants rose up and rebelled). But the local authorities may have just as stern a hand against the kind of nonsense that your EotE crew might want to engage in. So if you're just looking for some planet where anything goes, you might have to reconsider your criteria.

Given the size of their respective empires, neither the Imperial Armies nor Hutts can personally oversee anything but necessary obligations. Emperor Palpatine personally visited the Death Star because of its single-minded purpose. Jabba the Hutt has his palace on Tatooine, but has his grubby hands extended into a lot of criminal activity elsewhere. Since the Emperor cannot be everywhere at once, he delegates (as do Hutts). Vader was responsible for eliminating the Jedi. Vader defers to Inquisitors when not personally slashing heroes. The trend shows responsibility for oversight rolling downhill, like we see in real-life, too.

I cannot spend your money, but I think some great value can be had by referencing Suns of Fortune. This sector sourcebook offers various locations, new species, some great starships, and all under the guise of lip-service to Imperial control. Players may see an Imperial freighter and possibly some TIE Fighters merely check boxes on their daily To-Do list. Sure, something BIG will get their attention, but it's just as easy to fish out retirement by reporting "No New Problems, today" on their reports to the Empire.

Without buying the books, harness your inner Google-fu about the Corellian sector of space. Failing this, there is always Weik, that would thrust your party into a very familiar fantasy style RPG experience.

Well planets where "everything goes" do exist, Nar Shaddaa, Socorro, parts of Ord Mantell and Abregado-Rae (according to Zahn's novels) fall in that category.

I also think that the farthest sectors of the galaxy are quite free from empire control in everyday life even if not formally. I think the Minos Cluster, the Baros or the Kathol sector are more or less free zones.

The Corporate Sector is free from Imperial control. Now, that doesn't make any of those planets free, just not under Imperial rule.

A planet to start on? To visit?

By definition, all shadowports are outside of any official Imperial presence. There might be an ISB spy or three there, but no official presence.

That would certainly include The Wheel, but there are many others as well.