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2
RETURN TO HOTH
RULEBOOK
COMPONENT LIST
3 Hero Sheets37 Map Tiles 1 Skirmish Map Sheet16 Plastic Figures
2 Recon Tokens
8 ID Tokens with
24 ID Stickers
HealthEndurance DefenseSpeed
Close Quarters
2C: Use when an
adjacent hostile figure is
defeated to interrupt to
perform an attack using
that figure’s attack type
and attack pool. The
attack gains:
B: +2 Accuracy, +1H
Cunning Operative
Verena Talos
12
3
4
©LFL ©FFG
HealthEndurance DefenseSpeed
Close Quarters
2C: Use when an
adjacent hostile figure is
defeated to interrupt to
perform an attack using
that figure’s attack type
and attack pool. The
attack gains:
B: +2 Accuracy, +1H
Duck and Weave
While defending, if you
are adjacent to a hostile
figure other than the
attacker, apply +1F to
the defense results.
Cunning Operative
Verena Talos
12 45
©LFL ©FFG
17 Deployment Cards
(4 decks)
Health Speed Defense Attack
Snowtrooper
Trooper
A Environmental Recovery Gear: You and
each adjacent friendly Tr o o p e r may
either recover 1H or discard 1 Harmful
condition.
B: We a k e n B: Pierce 1
B: +2 Accuracy
44
7
2
©LFL ©FFG
8 Story Mission Cards
Zotho Benex expresses his concern
regarding the defensive capabilities of
his settlement, but thus far the Empire
has shown no signs of interest.
However, their operations are
expanding outward, and Benex fears
that their minimal defenses will mean
very little to the might of the Empire…
Stor y Mission: “Home Front”
(page 20, Return to Hoth)
Home Front
©LFL ©FFG
4 Threat Mission Cards
Reward: “Invigorated by Success” Reward card
Nearby scout patrols picked up a faint distress signal from Hoth. By
all appearances, someone left behind
during the evacuation has survived.
High Command wants you to join a
small rescue team, desperate to save
this poor lost soul.
Side Mission: “Survival of the Fittest”
(page 15, Return to Hoth)
While this card is in play, the
Imperial player claims the
“Weary from Toil” Reward card.
Hoth - Wilderness
Survival of the Fittest
© LFL © FFG
3 Side Mission Cards
Reward: “Battle Vision” Reward card
Mon Eron - Wilderness - Facility
Constant Vigilance
Before joining the Rebellion, Loku
Kanoloa performed several missions
as a member of the Mon Cala
Special Forces.
Recently, he received word that several
of his former brothers-in-arms had
been captured. They’re being kept in a
holding area, and little time remains
before they’re to be transferred.
Side Mission: “Constant Vigilance”
(page 26, Return to Hoth)
Loku Kanoloa
© LFL © FFG
6 Agenda Cards
The Empire has the resources to prepare its troops for any natural
conditions they may encounter
throughout the galaxy. The Rebels
are not always so well-equipped.
Keep this card secret. Play it
during any mission at the start of
a round.
Each hero on a Desert or Snow
space tests K. Each figure who
fails suffers 2C and becomes
Weakened.
Then, either discard this card
or shuffle it back into your
Agenda deck.
Exposed to the Elements
NATURAL WARFARE
1 Influence
©LFL ©FFG
28 Hero Class Cards
(3 decks)
©LFL ©FFG
“His armor is weak at the
neck. Aim higher.”
1 xp
While performing “Set Your Sights,” you may ignore figures when determining line of sight.
Friendly figures may
ignore figures when
determining line of sight
to a figure with a recon
token.
Combat Spotter
18 Imperial Class Cards
(2 decks, 9 in each)
©LFL ©FFG 1 xp
Deplete this card while an Imperial figure is attacking to apply -1E to the defense results.
Pinpoint Accuracy
PRECISION TRAINING
9 Item Cards
(3 decks, 3 in each)
© LFL
© FFG
Attack
Blaster - Pistol
550 credits
Fast can be better than strong.
B: +1H
B: +1 Ac., Weaken
AA: Perform 3 attacks
with this weapon.
DDC Defender
4 Supply Cards
©LFL ©FFG
Consumable - Energy
Power Generator
Discard this card and a crate token in your play area while attacking. Apply +2H and Pierce 2 to the attack results.
11 Reward Cards
©LFL ©FFG
REWARD - BANE
At the end of each
mission, if the Imperial
player received fewer
than 3 influence, the
Imperial player receives
1 additional influence.
Constant Advantage
©LFL ©FFG
Enhancement
REWARD
+2 Health
Deplete this card during
your activation to search
the Supply deck for a
Medical card and gain
that card. Then, shuffle
the Supply deck.
Systems Upgrade
9 Command Cards
© LFL © FFG1
Use after your opponent plays a Command card with a cost of 0. Discard
that card and cancel its
effects.
Negation
4 Condition Cards
©LFL ©FFG
While attacking, apply -1B to the attack results.
While defending, apply
-1F to the defense results.
Discard this condition at
the end of your activation.

results 11 Reward Cards LFL FFG REWARD BANE At the end of each mission if the Imperial player received fewer than 3 influence the Imperial player receives 1 additional influence Constant Advantage LFL FFG Enhancement REWARD 2 Health Deplete this card during your activation to search the Supply deck for a Medical card and gain that card Then shuffle the Supply deck Systems Upgrade 9 Command Cards LFL FFG1 Use after your opponent plays a Command card with a cost of 0 Discard that card and cancel its effects Negation 4 Condition Cards LFL FFG While attacking apply 1B to the attack results While defending apply 1F to the defense results Discard this condition at the end of your activation

“You want the impossible.”
-Luke Skywalker,
The Empire Strikes Back
Harmful
Weakened
4 Skirmish Mission Cards
©LFL
©FFG
A
RETURN TO HOTH
Four Player Free-For-All
Doors are locked. Open all doors at the end of the
first round.
End of each Round: Each player scores 5 VPs
for each terminal he controls in an opponent’s
deployment zone.
Hoth Battlefield
Blood on the Snow
5 Ally and Villain Tokens
5 Condition Tokens
14 Damage Tokens
(8 1’s and 6 5’s)
13 Strain
Tokens
SKIRMISH MISSION
RETURN TO HOTH
ECHO BASE
Skirmish Map
SKIRMISH MAP SHEET
Retur n to Hoth includes two new skirmish maps to expand your
options for Imper ial Ass ault skirmishes. The “Echo Base” map
(see below) corresponds to the “Safe and Sound” and “R apid
Adaptation” Skirmish Mission cards found in this expansion. The
“Hoth Battlefield” map (see reverse) corresponds to the “Blood on
the Snow” and “A Battle for Hoth” Skirmish Mission cards. These
missions also follow the new rules for four-player skirmishes
found on page 6 of the Retur n to Hoth Rulebook.
For more information on playing a skirmish, players should
consult the Skirmish Guide and Rules Reference Guide, both of
which are found in the core game.
0 1b, 0 3b, 0 5b, 0 6a, 0 8a, 0 9b, 1 1b, 1 3b, 1 5a, 1 6b, 1 7b( 2 ) , 1 8b, 1 9b, 2 0a, 2 0b( 2 ) , 2 1b, 2 2a,
2 3
b( 2 ) , 2 4b
3 6b
0 1b
Me d i c a l ba y
ba c t a in f u s e r
A
B
ta u n t a u n
13 13 13 1414 14
1413 1413 1413
13 13 13 14 14 14
13 13 13 14 14 14

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3
RETURN TO HOTH
RULEBOOK
INSIDE THIS EXPANSION
The Return to Hoth expansion includes new content to expand
all elements of your Imperial Assault experience. There are
new heroes, classes, items, figures, and much more to enhance
your campaigns and skirmishes. In addition, this expansion
contains the Return to Hoth campaign, whose story missions can
be combined with the side missions from the core game, this
expansion, and other expansions to create an entirely new story.
BEFORE YOU PLAY
If you are new to Imperial Assault, make sure to read the Learn to
Play guide found in the core game. There you will find a tutorial
mission and all the information needed to begin playing both
Imperial Assault and Return to Hoth.
EXPANSION SETUP
Each Imperial Assault expansion is designed to seamlessly
integrate into your collection. Before using this expansion for the
first time, carefully punch out all tokens and map tiles from the
cardboard frames. Then, perform the following steps:
• Add the Agenda, Command, Side Mission, and Skirmish
Mission cards to their respective supplies. Players may choose
these cards when building each of these respective decks when
playing a campaign or a skirmish.
• Add the Condition, Class, Deployment, Item, Reward, and
Supply cards to their respective decks.
• Add the Hero sheets, plastic figures, tokens, and map tiles
from this expansion to their respective supplies.
• Set aside the new Story Mission and Threat Mission cards.
These will be used in the Return to Hoth campaign.
Players should finish any active campaigns before incorporating
the components from Return to Hoth into the core game.
Note: In a campaign, players are limited to the number of figures
included in this expansion. For example, the Imperial player is
limited to three regular and three elite Snowtrooper figures, even
if he owns multiple copies of this expansion.
EXPANSION ICON
All cards, sheets, and map tiles found in this
expansion are marked with the Return to Hoth
expansion icon to distinguish these components
from those found in the core game and other
expansions.
MISSIONS
Return to Hoth features sixteen new campaign missions and four
new skirmish missions for Imperial Assault.
CAMPAIGN MISSIONS
The new campaign missions can be used in one of two ways.
• Missions corresponding to a Side Mission card can be
incorporated into any campaign as a side mission.
• The story and threat missions are featured in the Return to
Hoth campaign and are used exclusively in that campaign.
SKIRMISH MISSIONS
Return to Hoth contains four new skirmish missions to be
shuffled into your Skirmish Mission deck. These missions use the
“Hoth Battlefield” and “Echo Base” maps, found on the included
Skirmish Map Sheet. One of these maps allows four players
to compete in a skirmish at once. New rules for four-player
skirmishes can be found on page 6.

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5
RETURN TO HOTH
RULEBOOK
SKIRMISH ATTACHMENTS
Some skirmish upgrade Deployment cards list the word
“Attachment” above their abilities. These cards can be attached to
other Deployment cards as follows:
• When deploying units during skirmish setup, if a player has one
or more “Attachment” cards included in his army, he places each
of these cards on one of his non-upgrade Deployment cards.
• Each Deployment card can have only one “Attachment.”
• Abilities on “Attachment” cards apply to all figures in the
corresponding group.
• Many attachments require the group to have a specific trait,
such as “Trooper.” Attachments with these restrictions cannot
be played on a group that does not have the trait.
When a group with an “Attachment” card is defeated, the
opposing player scores VPs equal to the deployment cost of the
“Attachment” card, in addition to the VPs he scores from the
defeated group’s Deployment card.
NEUTRAL DEPLOYMENT CARDS
Deployment cards with a Neutral icon and card back do not
belong to an affiliation. When creating an army for a skirmish, a
player may choose to include Neutral Deployment cards as if they
belonged to his affiliation.
Neutral Deployment cards cannot be used in a campaign.
Skirmish Upgrade
Targeting Computer
a t t a c h m e n t
Vehicle, Droid, or Heavy Weapon only
While attacking, figures in this group may
reroll 1 attack die.
“Stay on target.”
-Gold Five, A New Hope
1
© LFL © FFG
Neutral Deployment Card
Back and Front

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6
RETURN TO HOTH
RULEBOOK
FOUR-PLAYER SKIRMISHES
The “Hoth Battlefield” skirmish map, found on the Skirmish
Map Sheet, allows four players to compete in a massive Imperial
Assault battle. Depending on which mission is played, the players
could all compete against each other in a Free-For-All or in a
Team Battle.
SETUP AND GAMEPLAY CHANGES
During a four-player skirmish, apply the following changes to the
rules of setting up and playing a skirmish, found on page 4 of the
Skirmish Guide in the core game:
• In step 3 of Skirmish Setup, “Determine and set up Skirmish
Mission,” players do not use their standard Skirmish Mission
deck, but rather, use a deck that includes only Skirmish
mission cards corresponding to four-player skirmish maps.
• Two additional deployment zones, yellow and green, are
available for players to deploy figures. In step 4 of Skirmish
Setup, “Deploy Units,” the player who has initiative chooses
one of the four available deployment zones and deploys all of
his figures in this deployment zone. The player to his left does
the same, choosing from the remaining deployment zones, and
so on until all players have deployed.
• During the Activation Phase, instead of play passing back
and forth between two opponents, each player in clockwise
order activates a group.
• During the Skirmish Status Phase, all players ready all of their
Deployment cards and the player who has the initiative token
passes it to the player on his left.
GAME MODES
There are two different modes of play for four-player skirmishes:
Free-For-All and Team Battle.
FREE-FOR-ALL
When playing a Free-For-All skirmish, all other players are
opponents, and all of their figures are hostile figures.
A Free-For-All skirmish ends immediately when at least one
player has gained 40 or more VPs, at which point the player with
the most VPs wins the game. The game will also end when three
players have been eliminated, at which point the remaining
player wins the game.
TEAM BATTLE
During a Team Battle skirmish, the players on your immediate
left and right are your opponents and the remaining player is your
teammate. All figures belonging to opponents are hostile, and all
figures belonging to your teammate are friendly.
A Team Battle skirmish ends immediately when one team has
collectively gained 60 or more VPs, at which point the team with
the most VPs wins the game. The game will also end when a
pair of teammates have both been eliminated, at which point the
remaining team wins the game.

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7
RETURN TO HOTH
RULEBOOK
SPECIAL RULES
In a four-player skirmish, some special rules come into effect.
• When a card effect targets your opponent (such as “Shadow
Ops”), you must choose one available opponent.
• If a player would claim the initiative token out of turn, such
as by playing “Take Initiative,” that player receives the first
activation on that turn, but does not claim the initiative token.
After the first activation resolves, play passes to the player with
the initiative token and then proceeds normally.
--The player with the initiative token cannot also use effects
that would claim the initiative token.
--If multiple players use effects that would claim the
initiative token, each of those players gain an activation
that they may use before the player with initiative resolves
his first activation. These activations are resolved in order
of initiative.
--A player cannot use more than one effect that
would allow him to claim the initiative token in the
same round.
• When the last figure in a group is defeated, the
player who defeated that figure gains the VPs for
that figure’s group.
--When the last figure in a group is defeated,
but was not defeated by an opponent, such
as when a Probe Droid becomes defeated after using
“Self-Destruct,” that figure’s player chooses one available
opponent to gain the VPs for that group.
• If all of a player’s figures are defeated, that player is eliminated.
He can no longer play cards, and his Skirmish Upgrade cards
no longer have any effect.
• If more than one player includes the Skirmish Upgrade card
“Devious Scheme” in his army, then all copies of “Devious
Scheme” have no effect.
CONFLICTS IN A FOUR-PLAYER SKIRMISH
During a four-player skirmish, mission rules are resolved first,
followed by effects from the player with initiative, and then effects
from each other player, proceeding clockwise around the table.
Also, when playing a team battle skirmish, conflicts that arise
during an attack resolve slightly differently than in other missions.
Mission rules are resolved first, followed by effects from the
attacker and the attacker’s figures, then effects from the defender
and his figures. After both the attacker’s and defender’s effects
have resolved, the attacker’s teammate may resolve effects,
followed by the defender’s teammate.

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8
RETURN TO HOTH
RULEBOOK
ATTRIBUTE TESTS
• Many attribute tests required by mission rules require the
figure performing the test to interact with an object (such as
a mission token, terminal, or door). These are referred to as
attribute tests on objects.
• Some missions allow any Rebel figure to perform attribute
tests on objects, instead of only heroes. If this occurs, allies
can interact to perform those tests in the same way a hero
would. Elite figures automatically receive 1 success when they
perform attribute tests. Regular figures automatically fail tests.
CLOSE QUARTERS
Verena Talos’s “Close Quarters” ability allows her to perform
attacks using an opponent’s attack type and attack pool.
• When using this ability, Verena does not gain access to surge
abilities on the targeted figure’s Deployment card, nor does she
gain access to that figure’s abilities (such as the Probe Droid’s
“Targeting Computer” ability).
• When “Close Quarters” is used in relation to a figure without
a specific dice pool, such as a figure with “Arsenal” or
“Epic Arsenal,” the dice pool is determined by that figure’s
controlling player by the same method as if the figure were
attacking. For example, if this occurred in relation to a figure
with “Arsenal,” the player controlling the targeted figure
determines which two dice Verena will use during “Close
Quarters.”
CONTROL
Some skirmish missions require players to control deployment
zones, in addition to tiles or tokens.
• A player controls a deployment zone if there is at least one
friendly figure in any space of that deployment zone and no
hostile figures in any space of that deployment zone.
RULE CLARIFICATIONS AND RULES
REFERENCE ADDITIONS
“You must unlearn what you have learned.”
-Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back
This section introduces new combinations and clarifications of
existing rules that are not included in the Rules Reference Guide
in the core game, particularly with relation to new components
found in Return to Hoth.
If an entry in this section has the same title as an entry in the
Rules Reference Guide, treat the information in this section as
augmenting that entry in the Rules Reference Guide.
As in the core game, if a rule in this section contradicts a rule in
the core game Learn to Play booklet or Skirmish Guide, the rule
in this section takes priority.
Additionally, if a rule in this section should contradict a rule
found the core game’s Rules Reference Guide, the rule in this
section takes priority.
ATTACKS
• Some abilities allow a figure to perform an attack with a
different attack type and attack pool than its normal attack.
--When a hero performs an attack using an attack pool
unrelated to his weapons (such as “Close Quarters” on
Verena Talos’s Hero Sheet), he cannot use any abilities from
his weapons during that attack.
--When a figure corresponding to a Deployment card
performs an attack using an alternate attack pool (such
as “Close Quarters” on Verena Talos’s Deployment card),
it may still trigger its surge abilities, unless the ability
triggering the attack states otherwise.

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9
RETURN TO HOTH
RULEBOOK
CREDITS
Expansion Design: Paul Winchester
Additional Design and Development: Samuel W. Bailey,
Justin Kemppainen, Steven Kimball, Todd Michlitsch,
Jonathan Ying
Story Development: Daniel Lovat Clark
Imperial Assault Core Game Design:
Justin Kemppainen, Corey Konieczka, Jonathan Ying
Graphic Design: Michael Silsby
Cover Art: Michael Ivan
Hero Art: Jacob Atienza, Florian Devos, David Kegg
Map Tile Art: Henning Ludvigsen
Interior Art: Mark Behm, Joao Bosco, Anthony Devine,
Joel Hustak, Sam Lamont, Adam Lane, Jeff Lee Johnson,
Jessica Savard, Ryan Valle
Art Direction: Deb Freytag
Figure Sculpting: Jeff “Bexley” Andrajack, Benjamin Maillet,
David Richardson
Technical Editing: Jorgen Peddersen
Proofreading: Heather Silsbee and Autumn Collier
Plastics Management: Jason Beaudoin
Managing Art Director: Andy Christensen
Managing Graphic Designer: Brian Schomburg
FFG Licensing Specialist: Amanda Greenhart
Production Management: Megan Duehn and Simone Elliott
Board Game Manager: Steven Kimball
Assisstant Board Game Manager: Justin Kemppainen
Executive Game Designer: Corey Konieczka
Executive Producer: Michael Hurley
Publisher: Christian T. Petersen
Playtesters: Glen Aro, Kendon Bagley, Kathy Bishop, Frank Brooks,
Arthur Burt, Codi Butler, Robert Crandall, Mack Dalla Lana,
Amy Dekker, Kyle Dekker, Wes Divin, Edward Drake,
Richard A. Edwards, Nathan Ehlers, Mary Farrell, Ruth Farrell,
Ted Femrite, Christian Gindlesperger, Holly Gindlesperger,
Jacob Gulliver, Joe Hargaden, Richard Heck, Philip Hubert,
Jeffrey “Leech” Klein, Daniel Kluver, Trevor Kupfer, Mark Larson,
Kortnee Lewis, Scott Lewis, Bryan Livingston, Eric Montgomery,
Bryce Nielsen, Timothy S. O’Brien, Alexandar Ortloff,
Chad Reverman, Dan Schaefer, Andrew Schumacher, Zach Shay,
Kenneth Simpson, Tyler Soberanis, Daniel Stephens, Greg Sutton,
David Tan, Andrew Webb, Nick Willis, Robin Woods-Davis
Special thanks to all our Beta testers.
Lucasfilm Approvals: Chris Gollaher and Brian Merten
© &
TM
Lucasfilm Ltd. No part of this product may be reproduced without specific
permission. Fantasy Flight Games and the FFG logo are registered trademarks of
Fantasy Flight Publishing, Inc. Fantasy Flight Supply is a trademark of Fantasy Flight
Publishing, Inc. Fantasy Flight Games is located at 1995 West County Road B2,
Roseville, MN 55113, USA, 651-639-1905. Actual components may vary from those
shown. Made in China. NOT INTENDED FOR USE OF PERSONS AGES 13 YEARS
OR YOUNGER.
DAMAGE
• If an effect causes a figure to reduce its Health value, and it
has suffered an amount of H greater than the resulting
Health value, any H in excess of its Health is discarded and
has no effect.
DEPLETE
When a card is depleted, abilities on that card no longer have any
effect. For example, if MHD-19 uses the “deplete” ability on his
Reward card, “Systems Upgrade,” that card no longer provides the
“+2 Health” ability, and MHD-19’s Health value is immediately
reduced by 2.
KEYWORDS
• The following keywords are included in Return to Hoth, in
addition to those found in the core game: Habitat, Weaken.
• The Weakened condition is also used as a keyword to apply the
corresponding condition.
WOUNDED
• If a card or mission effect allows a wounded hero to flip his
hero sheet to the healthy side during the course of a mission,
that hero is no longer wounded.
“YOU”
Many cards use the word “you” to refer to a figure instead of the
player. For example, if a Deployment card reads “While attacking,
you may reroll 1 attack die,” any figure belonging to that card’s
group may reroll one die while it is attacking.
• If an effect corresponding to a figure instructs “you” to claim a
token, gain VPs, or manipulate cards, or refers to “your” army
or figures, “you” refers to that figure’s player.

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