Imperial Scouts

The Imperial Scouts started out as the Old Republic's exploratory and scientific organizations. Upon their transformation into Imperial Scouts, their primary function became intelligence gathering. Their data collections held maps and records for almost every known planet, possessing all the necessary information to plan clandestine operations. When additional information was required, the Scouts commonly infiltrated regions by posing as merchants, pirates, or—especially after the rise of the Rebel Alliance—Rebels. A significant number of their operations served as the initial phase of an impending invasion.

Compared to other Imperial groups, the Scouts seemed to have more autonomy and frequently had little contact with their commanders for extended durations, with the expectation that they would faithfully serve the Empire. The majority of Scouts received substantial compensation, leading to high levels of motivation. Their teams usually comprised of four to six agents who traveled in an unremarkable small vessel, generally a standard light freighter lacking military identifiers. These vessels often included hidden storage areas and weaponry. A common story suggested that the Millennium Falcon was originally constructed for this role by the Old Republic's equivalent of the Imperial Scouts, because very few civilian builders could produce a ship with such a large number of undetectable compartments.