After spending quite a bit of time doing research I was hoping to find more information on the relationship between the Empire and the fringe (hutts, black sun, pirates, bounty hungers). While there are examples in the book - I'm asking did the Empire try to control the outer rim through these fronts? Were there battles? Who cooperated? Was there a war by proxy?

I was hoping to do a campaign in which the PCs indirectly fight the Empire through who they hire and use (hutts and pirates). Does anyone have any more information when it comes to this?

Thanks.

It's whatever you want it to be. The Empire is always looking to expand its influence. Proxy wars in the fringe sounds great. Put a face on it: a big Moff is secretly backing some up-and-coming Hutt looking to takeover the action of his rivals. Now make with the pew pew!

The Empire seemed willing to use bounty hunters (Empire Strikes Back) it posts bounties of rebels and other criminals.

The Hutts control Hutt Space (a fair size chunk of the Outer Rim) and generally seem independent of the Empire and Republic. Neither governments seemed willing or able to take on the Hutts.

Black Sun is tricky. It is a criminal organisation, but it's leader at this time Prince Xizor, according to Shadows of the Empire, seems to involved in Palpatine's court and sets himself up as a rival to Darth Vader. I don't believe (although I could be wrong, it has been a long time since I read SoE) the Empire actively uses Black Sun, and most Imperial law enforcement types would probably want it shut down.

You mention pirates, the Imperial Navy actively hunts down pirates.

Hope this helps.

Wookiepedia is your friend. There's a fair bit of information as to how/what the Empire's relationship with the Edge is. The Hutts weren't separate from the Empire, but they certainly exercised far more control in their territories than the Empire did. In many respects, it was business as usual for them. Black Sun operated much more closer to the core both with and against the Empire as it suited them. After all, the Empire was the law, and by their very nature criminal organizations look to make a profit despite the law. Even so, Palpatine's new order was such that the temptation for corruption amongst Imperial officials was high, and the further from core they were the more strained for resources they would be.

I think building the kind of campaign you're looking at will be very easy to do. There is enough Imperial material in the EotE book that you would most likely come in contact with.

"That's impossible! How will the Emperor maintain control without the bureacracy?"

"The regional governors now have direct control over their territories. Fear will keep the local systems in line."

I'm sure that imperial military intelligence would be more than happy to turn a blind eye to a crime syndicate or pirate group in exchange for information or cooperation with less than legal operations... that being said, the empire itself is no doubt infiltrated at some level by the criminals to accomplish their own agendas as well.

I would say that a kind of symbiosis would occur between the empire and any criminal group with wide sweeping power such as the black sun or the hutts, and we have of course seen them work side by side with bounty hunters

As mrvander said, the regional governers are the ones in charge of the day to day dealings. Perhaps the one in this area is strict but fair, this one over here is corrupt as a boil on a rancor's backside, this one is a stickler for the Empire's rules but still has his tastes for finer things. Because the Empire is so large, even the regional governers' bureacracy is huge.

Narratively, it can go however you want it. There is no set list as to which local imp rep believes and enforces what.

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Awesome, I wanted scenario in which the PCs are fighting the Empire through those who cooperate with them (think of Garm Bel Iblis but on the fringe side). Thanks for the feedback guys!