SPONSORED / AMAZON
Shop this game
Related games, collectibles and accessories. Check platform and availability on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
60-SECOND GAME BRIEF / START HERE
Know the game in three moves
- 01 / YOUR ROLEWho you play
New Republic and Imperial pilots
- 02 / INFORMATIONWhat to know next
Begin with the basic handling and objectives rather than chasing maximum speed.
- 03 / GAME STYLEWhat to expect
Space combat
FIELD MANUAL / START PLAYING
Your first mission briefing
Practical orientation for this particular title. Instructions are not presented as a verified step-by-step walkthrough or as a substitute for edition-specific controls.
Use the briefing and target selection to clarify whether the objective is intercepting fighters or damaging a capital ship.
Divert power between engines, weapons and shields (on shield-equipped craft) as the fight changes.
Practice with one craft class first, then compare the Imperial and New Republic approaches to the same task.
PLAYER ORIENTATION / YOUR FIRST SESSION
How to approach the game
Know your next objective
Begin with the basic handling and objectives rather than chasing maximum speed. Learn the HUD, orientation, throttle or boost controls, and the route to your next checkpoint or target.
What to pay attention to
Look at how routes, craft classes, hazards and mission rules decide which maneuvers are worthwhile. Progress depends on understanding the specific mode, not just steering faster.
Your role
The playable perspective recorded for this title is New Republic and Imperial pilots. Its story context is Vanguard Squadron versus Titan Squadron.
Controls and available objectives can vary by game version.
PLAYER GUIDE / GAME-SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS
Star Wars: Squadrons — two prologues and 14 story missions
Find the exact campaign mission and learn which faction, ship and objective to follow. Squadrons alternates between New Republic and Imperial pilots. This index explains objectives rather than assuming the reader's controller or HOTAS button mapping.
- 01 / READ YOUR ORDERS
Find the mission-critical target
Read the briefing and identify whether you are escorting, intercepting, disabling or attacking a larger vessel. Use the targeting controls to cycle enemies and select threats to the objective. The nearest fighter is not always the one that needs to be eliminated first.
- 02 / MOVE POWER
Engines, lasers and shields serve different needs
Shift power toward engines when pursuing or escaping, weapons when firing for an extended attack, and shields when taking damage in a shield-equipped fighter. Not every starfighter has shields. Unshielded craft use power conversion rather than shield focusing. A setup suited to one faction's craft may not work the same way in another.
- 03 / HANDLE THE COCKPIT
Practice throttle, boost and drifting safely
Learn throttle control and the cockpit radar before complex maneuvers. Experiment with boost and drift away from mission-critical allies or obstacles. Review the control mapping for your platform or HOTAS setup rather than trusting a keyboard command from another player's configuration.
- 04 / COMPLETE THE OBJECTIVE
Reevaluate after every battle phase
Capitals ships, bombers, fighters and defense targets require different priorities. If a new wave appears, inspect the updated objective and squad instructions instead of pursuing a damaged enemy away from the battle. Protecting a friendly target can matter more than your personal kill count.
The complete 16-part story route in campaign order
Prologues I and II lead to fourteen numbered missions. The game assigns ships for most early missions; some later missions allow limited craft choices. Follow the mission debrief and faction hangar between sorties. The B-wing and TIE Defender additions are not available in the original campaign.
Showing 16 of 16 missions
No missions match. Try a shorter title or clear your search.
- MISSION 1 OF 16
Prologue I · Lord Vader's Command — Empire
Follow Captain Javes to Fostar Haven in the TIE fighter and approach each flagged freighter to scan it. When a vessel tries to escape, follow the ordered interception rather than attacking all ships. Learn target cycling and throttle control before the mission changes.
NEXT MISSION → Prologue II · A Call to Rebellion — New Republic↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 2 OF 16
Prologue II · A Call to Rebellion — New Republic
Continue the Fostar Haven incident from the opposing perspective. Follow your wingman's new waypoint and tutorial orders while learning combat targeting. This is the second introductory mission, not a replay of the previous Imperial pilot's objectives.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 1 · Form the Vanguard — New Republic← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 3 OF 16
Mission 1 · Form the Vanguard — New Republic
Search for the missing scouts in the X-wing, passing hyperspace gates in the indicated direction. When enemy forces appear, eliminate the Imperial jammers and then the highlighted escort forces and cruiser. Request repair and resupply from your wingmate rather than leaving the combat area.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 2 · The Skies of Yavin — New Republic← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 4 OF 16
Mission 2 · The Skies of Yavin — New Republic
Join the mission near Yavin and find the disabled Star Destroyer Victorum. Clear hostile fighters, use ion equipment when an objective calls for disabling a target, and scan indicated parts of the capital ship. Watch turret fire and redirect shields toward incoming attacks.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 3 · Through Enemy Lines — New Republic← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 5 OF 16
Mission 3 · Through Enemy Lines — New Republic
Protect the captured Victorum during its escape. Attack TIE bombers before ordinary fighters because they can destroy the ship you are escorting. Use squad orders against the Lambda shuttles, and slow your A-wing for reliable shots during short attack windows.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 4 · Secrets and Spies — Empire← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 6 OF 16
Mission 4 · Secrets and Spies — Empire
Fly with Titan Squadron in a TIE fighter and destroy missile platforms around the New Republic outpost. Approach defended structures from a less exposed angle, keep moving and redirect energy between weapons and engines. Imperial TIE fighters have no forward or rear shield focus.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 5 · The Trail from Desevro — Empire← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 7 OF 16
Mission 5 · The Trail from Desevro — Empire
Fly the TIE Reaper as support. Use ion cannon fire to disable the targeted GR-75 transports rather than destroying them with weapons you do not possess. Issue wingmate attack orders when regular enemy fighters threaten the interception, and protect the assigned craft from incoming missiles.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 6 · Signal to Noise — New Republic← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 8 OF 16
Mission 6 · Signal to Noise — New Republic
Use the Y-wing to attack the Imperial communications installation. Follow designated antennas and defensive targets instead of circling unrelated structures. Line up bombing passes with the ship's forward motion; the Y-wing turns more slowly than the fighter you used earlier. Protect the allied corvette when directed.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 7 · Into the Abyss — New Republic← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 9 OF 16
Mission 7 · Into the Abyss — New Republic
Escort the convoy through the Zavian Abyss using the fighter choices offered at launch. Stay close enough to respond to attacks on the transports, prioritize TIE bombers and incoming missiles, and turn back toward the convoy if an out-of-bounds warning appears.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 8 · Fractured Alliance — Empire← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 10 OF 16
Mission 8 · Fractured Alliance — Empire
Use the fast but unshielded TIE interceptor to defend Imperial control towers through successive attack waves. Listen for new radio calls and select the incoming formation rather than chasing fleeing fighters. Attack the Nebulon-B frigate's marked defenses when the mission objective changes.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 9 · Chaos at Mon Cala — Empire← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 11 OF 16
Mission 9 · Chaos at Mon Cala — Empire
Destroy the fuel depots first to lure Republic ships. Next attack the assigned cargo vessels and medical frigate while dealing with defenders. For the final Silver Coronet cruiser, approach vulnerable shield generators and marked subsystems in separate passes, avoiding its tractor beam.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 10 · Terisa's Vengeance — Empire← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 12 OF 16
Mission 10 · Terisa's Vengeance — Empire
Fly the TIE bomber to the Nadiri shipyards. Destroy missile launchers on nearby asteroids, then work through the yard shield generators. Handle corvettes during the evacuation phase. Use the Overseer's hangar for repairs and rearming before returning to the larger Starhawk objective.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 11 · Nowhere to Stand — Empire← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 13 OF 16
Mission 11 · Nowhere to Stand — Empire
In the debris field, scan volatile cores before attacking them. Follow Titan's timing orders and detonate cores when the Republic corvettes pass nearby. Repeat for later enemy waves and the frigate. Use engine power between the scan locations, and return to the Overseer to reload.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 12 · Rally the New Republic — New Republic← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 14 OF 16
Mission 12 · Rally the New Republic — New Republic
Rejoin Vanguard Squadron at the marked rendezvous in the Ringali Nebula. Follow the successive escort and combat prompts and stay near the allies being protected. After each wave, reacquire the newly designated enemies instead of following the previous target away from your formation.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 13 · Fire in the Heart — Empire← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 15 OF 16
Mission 13 · Fire in the Heart — Empire
Clear the escort fighters and attacking Republic reinforcements. Approach the Starhawk only after the hull entry is marked, then fly inside and destroy the gravity emitters. Keep to the center of the exit passage when launched back into space, and finish the encounter with Lindon Javes.
NEXT MISSION → Mission 14 · Last Flight of the Starhawk — New Republic← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX - MISSION 16 OF 16
Mission 14 · Last Flight of the Starhawk — New Republic
Disable the obstructing Star Destroyer, then defend the tractor-beam corvettes pushing the Starhawk toward the moon. Intercept TIE bombers first. Attack the Imperial cruisers threatening the Starhawk, then redirect power to engines and follow the escape markers through the collapsing debris.
END OF ROUTE← PREVIOUS MISSION↑ BACK TO MISSION INDEX
If you get stuck
- Cannot locate the correct target
- Use the targeting menu and mission indicators; look for the highlighted objective instead of visually scanning every distant contact.
- Energy feels depleted
- Check where ship power is allocated and whether your craft has shields or a conversion system. Rebalance before the next engagement.
- Controls do not match a walkthrough
- Use EA's text manual for your platform and confirm any remapped controller or HOTAS inputs.
GAMEPLAY / OFFICIAL SCREENSHOTS
See the game in action
Select an image to enlarge it. These are actual gameplay images from this game's official Steam store listing. Screenshots can reflect a later PC edition.
Source: Official Steam game page ↗. Images © their respective rights holders.
01 · Orientation
What the game is
Squadrons gives New Republic and Imperial pilots parallel perspectives during the post-Endor war. Cockpit instrumentation, squad commands, power management, and opposing campaign viewpoints make military culture and institutional loyalty tangible mechanics.
IDS places the game in the New Republic era and records its continuity as Canon.
02 · Publication file
Release, studio, and platform context
Star Wars: Squadrons was developed by Motive Studio and published by Electronic Arts. Its primary release platforms in the IDS record are PlayStation 4; Xbox One; Windows; VR supported.
Star Wars: Squadrons is cataloged as a released Star Wars game. Later ports, remasters, backward-compatible versions, or storefront reissues remain attached to this core record unless they substantially alter the underlying work.
IDS stores the game itself as one work rather than creating separate records for every port, storefront release, compatibility update, or remaster. Platform history still matters, but the archive avoids inflating a single game into several supposedly different titles.
03 · Story
Narrative and player position
The current IDS story label is Vanguard Squadron versus Titan Squadron. The playable role is recorded as New Republic and Imperial pilots.
Rather than reducing the game to plot summary, IDS tracks what position the player occupies in the galaxy. Playing as New Republic and Imperial pilots changes which institutions, conflicts, and social relationships the game can make visible.
04 · Gameplay systems
How Star Wars becomes playable
Flight systems make cockpit information, power management, targeting, squad coordination, and vehicle performance central to the player's understanding of military action.
IDS classifies the title as Space combat. That label is useful because genre changes what parts of Star Wars become legible: a strategy game foregrounds institutions and logistics, an RPG foregrounds identity and relationships, and an action game often foregrounds bodies, movement, combat, and environmental navigation.
05 · Place
Worlds, routes, and environments
Major locations in the current record include Yavin; Nadiri Dockyards; Esseles; deep space. Those places matter because games convert fictional geography into routes, obstacles, hubs, battlefields, workplaces, ruins, or social spaces the player must navigate.
Interactive scale can reveal details that screen media pass over quickly: how far locations are from one another, which areas are restricted, where people gather, what infrastructure connects spaces, and how movement is shaped by vehicles, architecture, terrain, enemies, or local authority.
06 · Institutions
Power, organizations, and social systems
The story context is Vanguard Squadron versus Titan Squadron. That places the player inside or alongside institutions whose authority is usually encountered through missions, ranks, restricted spaces, enemies, allies, contracts, or rules.
Games are especially useful for IDS because institutions become operational systems. A faction can control checkpoints, issue objectives, distribute equipment, reward loyalty, restrict movement, organize training, or shape reputation. Those mechanics make political power experiential rather than only descriptive.
07 · People
Characters and playable roles
The current playable-role record is New Republic and Imperial pilots. IDS uses this field as a route into the characters, crews, military roles, factions, or created player identities through which the game is experienced.
Games often make character identity interactive. Abilities, dialogue choices, party membership, equipment, reputation, and mission access can determine how a player experiences relationships that screen media presents from the outside.
08 · Anthropology
Anthropological analysis
The strongest IDS entry point is the relationship between space combat mechanics and the story context described as Vanguard Squadron versus Titan Squadron. The player does not only learn about the setting; the player is required to act through a particular set of rules.
That distinction matters anthropologically. Interactive media can make hierarchy, labor, mobility, violence, ritual, reputation, resource management, or identity into repeatable behaviors. IDS therefore reads games as designed social systems as well as narrative texts.
09 · Source record
Verify the game
IDS separates release facts from independently written summaries and analysis. External links are retained as verification sources, but the substantive game description now lives inside IDS instead of requiring the visitor to leave the archive.
GO DEEPER / CONNECT THE ARCHIVE
Keep exploring Star Wars games
Star Wars: Squadrons belongs to a wider catalog of interactive Star Wars stories. Follow a neighboring game or trace characters, places and factions through the IDS archives.
KEEP EXPLORING / MORE STAR WARS GAMES
