Pilots of the TIE Corps,

Imperial Storm VIII launches in just a few hours. This annual campaign once again pits our Battlegroups against a formidable enemy while advancing the wider narrative of the Emperor’s Hammer.

Picking up from the events of 2025, we continue our push through territory held by another Imperial remnant - the so‑called First Order.
Our forces now enter a new phase of the campaign. We’ve moved into a sparsely populated region of space dotted with several star systems. Early reconnaissance places the Eisvahn System directly along our route, presenting an ideal target for an intelligence raid. Two additional systems remain unscouted and may hold inhabited worlds, hostile forces, or nothing at all.

The first battle of this years Imperial Storm VIII begins at 00:01 on Saturday April 4th and runs until 23:59 on Sunday April 5th (GMT, per the TC Database), during which time all activity across Legions of Combat, Legions of Skirmish and performance in a quartet of specified battles (1 each for TIE Fighter, X-Wing vs TIE Fighter, X-Wing Alliance, TIE Fighter Total Conversion - including a fresh mission from COL Jagged Fel III) will dictate how we perform in our mission, our fate is truly in your hands!

Subsequent battles will occur on Wednesday-Thursday and Saturday-Sundays throughout the month.

Prepare your ships, ready your squadrons, and stand by for deployment.

The storm is nearly upon us.

Competition Entry and Guide: Imperial Storm Competition Entry
The Battle Centre with maps, briefings etc as the competition progresses: Imperial Storm Battle Centre

After months of hard work, and a breakneck month of remedial testing, the Tactical Office is pleased to announce that all Emperor’s Hammer Battles and missions for TIE Fighter Total Conversion have now been updated to v1.4!

With this update, all pilots who wish to fly any TFTC missions should have the latest version (v1.4) installed (do not use 1.3.4!). As a reminder, please make sure to install all hot fixes that the TFTC team have posted on their Discord server (if you do not have access to the TFTC Discord server, please contact the Tactical Office for the needed files) and ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT that you always update your hooks before flying!!

We in the Tactical Office have made every effort to make sure these missions are suitable for v1.4, but due to the sheer number of released missions, were not able to test every mission at every difficulty level. If you notice anything in a mission that doesn't seem right, or a mission that is too difficult, please reach out to the Tactical Office. We will address all reported issues as quickly as possible.

I want to also give special recognition to GN Master and AD Locke Setzer for their continued dedication to the Tactical Office and the Emperor’s Hammer’s as a whole for their impressive testing efforts over this last month.

For giving us a first insight into his character through the INPR, SL Anton Vanmel of Tempest Squadron has been promoted to full Lieutenant.

Congratulations, LT Anton Vanmel!

From Kappa Squadron CMDR GN Aardvark:

LT Dumnonius has proven to be a valued member of Kappa Squadron. He frequently participates in SW: Squadrons flight nights and has proven his bravery and skill by earning many Legions for victory in honorable multiplayer combat. Having earned two merit medals and scoring 100% on his TCORE examination, I am pleased to recommend that LT Dumnonius is promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Congratulations, LCM Dumnonius!

This promotion is enacted retroactively dated January 31st.

MAJ OL"Davy Jonez has been selected to be the next CMDR of Rho Squadron following COL Alexandre Morgan's promotion to BG2COM. Congratulations and good luck in your new role, MAJ Jonez!

Just in time for Imperial Storm VIII, longtime Rho CMDR and former Reconnaissance Officer AD Alexandre Morgan has been chosen to be the next Commander of Battlegroup II.

One of the primary duties of a BGCOM is supporting the squadrons assigned to the battlegroup and I know that Kappa, Rho, Sin, Spear, and Theta will be in good hands under AD Morgan. Other BGCOM duties include selecting new CMDRs, approving recommendations from the monthly squadron evaluations, and awarding achievement medals from FCHG and combat ratings.

It's an exciting time to be entering a new position as we ramp up the Corps-wide event schedule. Imperial Storm puts a lot of control in the hands of each of the BGCOMs between fleet maneuvers and strategic decision-making. Squadron (Re)Mobilization focuses on the squadrons but there are opportunities for the BGCOMs to set up each squadron for success. AD Morgan also will be leading BGII as the returning champions in Raise the Flag later this year.

Congratulations and good luck in your new role, AD Morgan!

The storm is coming... April 1st

The story so far:

Years ago, Grand Admiral Rapier sensed a dark calling from deep within the Unknown Regions. Conferring with the Grand Master of the Secret Order and the TIE Corps Commander it was decided to send a portion of the Emperor's Hammer Strike Fleet to seek out the source of this dark presence, and deal with any hostilities along the way.

It was a long and arduous journey, with many foes en route, but just one standard year ago the scouts of the Fleet discovered another, seemingly Imperial, faction within the area of the Chaos of the Unknown Region. This faction, who referred to themselves as the First Order, fielded craft of obvious Imperial extraction, upgraded TIE Fighters and Star Destroyers and the like. But they also were infected by the prideful rot that had consumed the Empire in the latter years. Without discussion, their commander, one Grand Marshal Hoshiko Takeda, had DEMANDED the complete surrender of the Emperor’s Hammer to her authority and claimed the leadership of the Fleet was illegitimate and illegal.

Needless to say, this did not sit well with the Grand Admiral, nor the pilots under his command, so the Emperor's Hammer went to war with the First Order. It started with a month-long campaign in the Gasriese System culminating in the capture of a Fuel Depot above the gas giant Zephyron, HydroStation 77. Grand Marshal Takeda escaped the system before the forces of the Emperor's Hammer took complete control of the system....

The Herald's Office is now accepting submissions for Dark Voice #3!

As always, submissions may include any previously submitted art, fiction, or media that could be published within an newsletter that has not previously been featured in an issue of the Dark Voice. New creations may be included as well, but this is not a requirement!

Submissions should be sent directly to the Herald, via email (locke.f.setzer@gmail.com), Discord (LockeSetzer) or the #herald-inbox channel on the Discord server.

Submissions will be open from now through March 30th, 2026. A Letter of Achievement will be awarded to each member whose submission is accepted for inclusion in the next issue of the Dark Voice.

Please reach out to the Herald with any questions you may have.

Thank you!

From Typhoon Squadron CMDR COL Jagged Fell III:

Since his last promotion on 11/21/2024, Lieutenant Commander GamerRat has flown 100 single player missions, earned 10 Legions of Combat and 8 Legions of Skirmish, participated in multiple different competitions, and contributed in a myriad of other ways. He also has earned 3 Palpatine Crescents and an Imperial Security Medal in that time. For these reasons I recommend the his promotion to full Commander.

Congratulations, CM GamerRat!

This promotion is enacted retroactively dated April 30th.

When TIE Corps admiral steps down and takes up a squadron position, we tend to call that a retirement but I suppose that's not quite accurate. VA fr0Zen has resigned as BG2COM but will still be on active duty and a contributing member of the Corps. He's got my appreciation for everything he's done for us and I hope things go well for him in his new assignment as a Flight Member in Theta Squadron.

Thank you for your service, COL fr0Zen!

From the Commander of Battlegroup II, VA fr0Zen:

Between the time of his prior promotion on the fourteenth day of the second month of Imperial Year ABY 34, and the 27th day of the second month of this Imperial Year ABY 35, Colonel Alexandre Morgan, the Rho Squadron Commander, led his crew to a second consecutive Escort Squadron title. He submitted eleven Squadron Reports for historical record, operated a fleet wide “Bucket Bash - TIE Edition” helmet design competition, a squadron focused “Get Your Ducks in a Rho” event, and provided operational expertise to multiple morale enhancing exercises in partnership with peers to expand community.

Colonel Alexandre Morgan has been an asset to the Battlegroup II Commander team by solving documentation system and process challenges through training and hands-on support. He created supplemental resource material to ease the journey for aspiring Squadron Commanders, and has been a consistent source of community building visibility in fleet wide voice communication channels. Through advice and support beyond his years to his Battlegroup Commander, Colonel Alexandre Morgan has been a foundational rock of support, chain of command diligence, and security in sensitive matters.

Colonel Alexandre Morgan continues to demonstrate admirable skills as a pilot - earning 53 Legions of Combat, and 593 Legions of skirmish across this time.

With broad efforts and participation, Colonel Alexandre Morgan has collected an array of Iron Stars of various Wings and Ribbons, received the qualification “Graduate of Letters and Arts” from the Imperial University, and contributed multiple works to the Imperial Library.

Colonel Alexandre Morgan has now reached the Elite 2nd and Ace Ranger 2nd Combat Ratings, placing him in the final 21st Echelon of Flight Certification.

Through the combination of the above details, a monthly merit medal earned every month since his prior promotion, and in honor of his steadfast leadership, we proudly recommend Colonel Alexandre Morgan be awarded the rank of General - with all rights, privileges, and responsibilities entailed.

Congratulations, GN Alexandre Morgan!

The 2nd place battle of the 2025 Mission Design Competition has been released. It was made by COL Brucmack.

XvT-TC 148: A Voice from the Past