Why make the DS2 so big?

[Kurgan]

Freudian Overcompensation.


On a more serious note, wouldn't it have been interesting if the Death Star(s) and had been a massive Job-creation program to jump start the economy? I can just see Palpatine selling that idea to the Senate.

; )

[Ghost Rider]

You have GOT to be fucking kidding. When was it even implied that the Emperor needed the DS2 to lure Skywalker to him? He knew that Luke would eventually seek out Vader and that Vader would bring Luke before him, so what difference does the venue make?

To destroy the rebel fleet, thus as well as luring Luke's friends.

Or did you think he gave out those plans for shits and giggles?

And a great much of Eu indicates that all the DS2 project was...DE supports this and in fact supports most of Palpatine ignoring the thought that he had foreseen his own demise in a more spectacular fashion. His only problem at that time was he didn't expect such a complete loss in such a short amount of time.

[SCRawl]

I know that I don't lend the argument a lot of credibility with my amazing post count, but, yeah, the whole point of building the DS2 was to use it as bait. Looking backwards from RotJ, you might even be able to make the argument that the DS1 was built for the same purpose. After all, if it hadn't been built, Luke wouldn't have been brought out of hiding in the way that he was. Imagine if there had been no DS1 -- Obi-Wan would have brought Luke along, possibly bringing him to Yoda for additional training, in his own good time, without cutting corners.

We know that Palpatine is incredibly far-seeing, and has the patience of a saint. It isn't a stretch to believe he's capable of this kind of scheme. The only thing he didn't count on was the ability of Luke to turn the Chosen One back to the light side at the final moment.

[Cyborg Stan]

So the guys who designed the LAAT's were Executor-sized?

I was wondering what that 'Space Worm' in TESB was all about.

[Kurgan]

If that theory is true then Palpatine literally saw at least 20+ years into the future...

I know the DS2 was said (in the film) to have been used as bait to (take a fully operational station and use it to lure in then destroy the entire Rebel fleet). Baiting Luke would have just been part of it.


But the original Deathstar? Nah... Why was it built? To setup the new system for ruling the galaxy (regional governors have direct control of their territories, Senate disolved, "fear will keep the local systems in line.... fear of this battlestation...").

The plans were available at least 20 years before ANH, but somehow I doubt he had Dooku steal the plans because he foreso that someday Anakin would secretly have a son who would be a great Jedi and thus he should build the weapon in order to lure him out as he destroyed it.

[The Kernel]

To destroy the rebel fleet, thus as well as luring Luke's friends.

Or did you think he gave out those plans for shits and giggles?

And a great much of Eu indicates that all the DS2 project was...DE supports this and in fact supports most of Palpatine ignoring the thought that he had foreseen his own demise in a more spectacular fashion. His only problem at that time was he didn't expect such a complete loss in such a short amount of time.

If Palpatine had been able to turn Luke as he had thought he could have, he wouldn't have needed to lure the Rebels anywhere, Luke could have delivered them on a silver platter.

In any case, there are far better methods of luring out your enemy besides building a ridiculously large raygun. If that was all they were trying to do, they could have built another DS1 instead of building one as big as DS2.

[Ghost Rider]

To destroy the rebel fleet, thus as well as luring Luke's friends.

Or did you think he gave out those plans for shits and giggles?

And a great much of Eu indicates that all the DS2 project was...DE supports this and in fact supports most of Palpatine ignoring the thought that he had foreseen his own demise in a more spectacular fashion. His only problem at that time was he didn't expect such a complete loss in such a short amount of time.

If Palpatine had been able to turn Luke as he had thought he could have, he wouldn't have needed to lure the Rebels anywhere, Luke could have delivered them on a silver platter.

In any case, there are far better methods of luring out your enemy besides building a ridiculously large raygun. If that was all they were trying to do, they could have built another DS1 instead of building one as big as DS2.

He wanted Luke's friends and the Alliance slaughtered to force him over since that what he essentially needed to make Luke give into his anger. When Vader failed on Bespin, the Emperor realized he needed a bigger reason.

And that big raygun meant nothing to the Empire and thus why it was just a tack on. If it worked...hey cool, if not. He has a thousand more where that came from.

And the DS1 failed because it's size demarcated a certain level of power and ability that he found lacking thus the DS2 size and power.

[The Kernel]

He wanted Luke's friends and the Alliance slaughtered to force him over since that what he essentially needed to make Luke give into his anger. When Vader failed on Bespin, the Emperor realized he needed a bigger reason.

And this requires a Death Star how?

And that big raygun meant nothing to the Empire and thus why it was just a tack on. If it worked...hey cool, if not. He has a thousand more where that came from.

Pardon? Every EU source we've seen and even the most outlandish estimates put the Imperial fleet size at somewhere around 2-3 million ships, with only 25,000 of those being Star Destroyers (most being much smaller). What makes you think that the Death Star was a trivial construction job? EU sources are totally against you and there is nothing in canon to suggest that the Empire could build such a thing on a whim.

And the DS1 failed because it's size demarcated a certain level of power and ability that he found lacking thus the DS2 size and power.

Which has WHAT TO DO WITH DESTROYING THE REBELS? The first DS was destroyed because of a design flaw, but it should have never been deployed in such a manner in the first place. A fleet of Star Destroyers is far more mobile and can still overwhelm any Rebel target. Are you telling me that if the Emperor had brought a huge fleet of Star Destroyers to Endor (instead of the handful that he did) that the engagement would have ended worse for them?

[Ghost Rider]

He wanted Luke's friends and the Alliance slaughtered to force him over since that what he essentially needed to make Luke give into his anger. When Vader failed on Bespin, the Emperor realized he needed a bigger reason.

And this requires a Death Star how?

Well let's see how do assemble the Alliance and get them out into one place again?

And that big raygun meant nothing to the Empire and thus why it was just a tack on. If it worked...hey cool, if not. He has a thousand more where that came from.

Pardon? Every EU source we've seen and even the most outlandish estimates put the Imperial fleet size at somewhere around 2-3 million ships, with only 25,000 of those being Star Destroyers (most being much smaller). What makes you think that the Death Star was a trivial construction job? EU sources are totally against you and there is nothing in canon to suggest that the Empire could build such a thing on a whim.

Six months and one shipping company from SoTE supports this thought, unless you want to find a source that says other wise.

And the DS1 failed because it's size demarcated a certain level of power and ability that he found lacking thus the DS2 size and power.

Which has WHAT TO DO WITH DESTROYING THE REBELS? The first DS was destroyed because of a design flaw, but it should have never been deployed in such a manner in the first place. A fleet of Star Destroyers is far more mobile and can still overwhelm any Rebel target. Are you telling me that if the Emperor had brought a huge fleet of Star Destroyers to Endor (instead of the handful that he did) that the engagement would have ended worse for them?

Let's see the First one had a flaw the second didn't have, and the second had better fire control and vastly better recharge rates for the Super laser.

Let's see with a huge fleet that the Rebels could detect and see movements from other sources pray tell why would they actually enter combat?

[The Kernel]

Well let's see how do assemble the Alliance and get them out into one place again?

Easy, give them a chance to obtain the one thing they want the most. They could have easily baited the trap with say, The Emperor, considering that he was at Endor anyways. A chance to capture or kill the Emperor isn't something the Rebels could afford to back down from. He is much more valuable to them then a Battlestation.

Six months and one shipping company from SoTE supports this thought, unless you want to find a source that says other wise.

The problem with this is that just about every other source says otherwise. The EU has always taken a minimalist approach (fucking KJA said that the Executor nearly bankrupted the Empire in Darksaber) so it is very difficult to rationalize this with canon facts.

Even if the SoTE was taken at face value, it doesn't suggest that a DS2 is disposable.

Let's see the First one had a flaw the second didn't have, and the second had better fire control and vastly better recharge rates for the Super laser.

So what? What can the damn thing do towards destroying the Rebels that the Imperial Fleet can't?

Let's see with a huge fleet that the Rebels could detect and see movements from other sources pray tell why would they actually enter combat?

No they couldn't. They were able to hide a small fleet behind the shadow of Endor, it stands to reason that they could hide a bigger one as well.

Even if they couldn't, the hit-and-fade attacks carried out in Heir to the Empire proved that fleets of ships could sit 3/1000'ths of a light-year from a target system without being detected for long periods of time (even heavily defended areas like the Sluis Van Shipyards which should have an excellent sensor screen).

[Ghost Rider]

Well let's see how do assemble the Alliance and get them out into one place again?

Easy, give them a chance to obtain the one thing they want the most. They could have easily baited the trap with say, The Emperor, considering that he was at Endor anyways. A chance to capture or kill the Emperor isn't something the Rebels could afford to back down from. He is much more valuable to them then a Battlestation.

And why would they send their Entire Fleet for that?

You do understand that was another part of the plan...to elimanate Alliance in one fell swoop instead of picking them off.

You send in an assassination team not a Sector fleet to kill one man.

Six months and one shipping company from SoTE supports this thought, unless you want to find a source that says other wise.

The problem with this is that just about every other source says otherwise. The EU has always taken a minimalist approach (fucking KJA said that the Executor nearly bankrupted the Empire in Darksaber) so it is very difficult to rationalize this with canon facts.

Even if the SoTE was taken at face value, it doesn't suggest that a DS2 is disposable.

Oh I see you take an official resource that has been refuted by other offical sources and canon as a rebutall. If the Executor was bankrupting the Empire then they would've never been able to construct the World Devastators, the Death Star 1, The Death Star 2, or Galaxy Gun.

And you've yet to dispute SoTE level saying that in six months they were able to construct in secret an operational battle station.

So if he let them know of this indisposable Battle station while it wasn't completed...must mean he didn't really give a hoot.

Palpatine knew it would either work or fail...either way didn't matter to him as long as he got Luke.

Let's see the First one had a flaw the second didn't have, and the second had better fire control and vastly better recharge rates for the Super laser.

So what? What can the damn thing do towards destroying the Rebels that the Imperial Fleet can't?

Once again why would the Alliance send an entire fleet to one sector again to face a far vaster opponent?

Oh right, they don't.

Let's see with a huge fleet that the Rebels could detect and see movements from other sources pray tell why would they actually enter combat?

No they couldn't. They were able to hide a small fleet behind the shadow of Endor, it stands to reason that they could hide a bigger one as well.

Even if they couldn't, the hit-and-fade attacks carried out in Heir to the Empire proved that fleets of ships could sit 3/1000'ths of a light-year from a target system without being detected for long periods of time (even heavily defended areas like the Sluis Van Shipyards which should have an excellent sensor screen).

Let's see the hid a Sector group.

So you're saying that the Alliance would never have detected prior to the battle fleet movements that altered from the regular New Order routines?

[Kurgan]

I thought the Executor was constructed for Vader AFTER the DS1 was destroyed?

That would imply the Empire was very close to bankrupcy after the DS1 and this was just the straw that almost broke the camel's back.

Of course that theory would get thrown out the window as soon as you realize they built the DS2 in ROTJ.

Then again, maybe by that time the Empire had a huge deficiet and they were collapsing?

The Emperor being totally insane and not caring about anything but punishing the rebels execution style (in his crazy villian fashion) and getting Luke and Vader to fight each other.


Of course the EU rules this out, since they were building new Super Weapons every week (oddly enough most of them they DIDN'T USE until long after the Empire had fallen). ; p

[The Kernel]

And why would they send their Entire Fleet for that?

You do understand that was another part of the plan...to elimanate Alliance in one fell swoop instead of picking them off.

You send in an assassination team not a Sector fleet to kill one man.

They would send the whole fleet if he was say visiting a well guarded strategic target yes.

Oh I see you take an official resource that has been refuted by other offical sources and canon as a rebutall. If the Executor was bankrupting the Empire then they would've never been able to construct the World Devastators, the Death Star 1, The Death Star 2, or Galaxy Gun.

And you've yet to dispute SoTE level saying that in six months they were able to construct in secret an operational battle station.

So if he let them know of this indisposable Battle station while it wasn't completed...must mean he didn't really give a hoot.

Palpatine knew it would either work or fail...either way didn't matter to him as long as he got Luke.

Wait, I must be confusing your source with something else. What is SoTE and what is the specific reference?

Once again why would the Alliance send an entire fleet to one sector again to face a far vaster opponent?

Oh right, they don't.

They will risk it all if the gain is big enough. The Emperor realized that, which is probably why he was at Endor in the first place (like Mon Mothma said, he was the most important fact to the operation).

Let's see the hid a Sector group.

So you're saying that the Alliance would never have detected prior to the battle fleet movements that altered from the regular New Order routines?

Come on, the Imperial Fleet is massive and they had months to prepare. If Palpatine can hide from his own Fleet Command that he was funneling troops and ships to Thrawn in the Unknown Regions (enough to conquor 30 sectors worth) I'm sure he could manage to divert a few dozen extra Star Destroyers (which would have been more than enough).

[Ghost Rider]

And why would they send their Entire Fleet for that?

You do understand that was another part of the plan...to elimanate Alliance in one fell swoop instead of picking them off.

You send in an assassination team not a Sector fleet to kill one man.

They would send the whole fleet if he was say visiting a well guarded strategic target yes.

And this target is again?

Oh I see you take an official resource that has been refuted by other offical sources and canon as a rebutall. If the Executor was bankrupting the Empire then they would've never been able to construct the World Devastators, the Death Star 1, The Death Star 2, or Galaxy Gun.

And you've yet to dispute SoTE level saying that in six months they were able to construct in secret an operational battle station.

So if he let them know of this indisposable Battle station while it wasn't completed...must mean he didn't really give a hoot.

Palpatine knew it would either work or fail...either way didn't matter to him as long as he got Luke.

Wait, I must be confusing your source with something else. What is SoTE and what is the specific reference?

Shadows
of
The
Empire

Once again why would the Alliance send an entire fleet to one sector again to face a far vaster opponent?

Oh right, they don't.

They will risk it all if the gain is big enough. The Emperor realized that, which is probably why he was at Endor in the first place (like Mon Mothma said, he was the most important fact to the operation).

Not if you can't have a hope in winning. Which is only a sector group was in the area along with a supposedly non functional DS2.

Let's see the hid a Sector group.

So you're saying that the Alliance would never have detected prior to the battle fleet movements that altered from the regular New Order routines?

Come on, the Imperial Fleet is massive and they had months to prepare. If Palpatine can hide from his own Fleet Command that he was funneling troops and ships to Thrawn in the Unknown Regions (enough to conquor 30 sectors worth) I'm sure he could manage to divert a few dozen extra Star Destroyers (which would have been more than enough).

Let's see the Empire does have more concerns then the Rebel Alliance, and the Alliance would've noticed Fleet movements of a size greater then a Sector group along it's normal path that were funneled into a specfic area.

Also when he funneled his Deep Core movements the Alliance, then NR took notice...he was able to keep where they went in secret not their movements into that area.

[The Kernel]

And this target is again?

Would work with just about anything, which is why I imagine that the Emperor doesn't like to leave Coruscant much. If say he went on an inspection tour of a new military project (kinda like the reason he was supposed to be on the Death Star as far as the Rebels knew) and he spread a little false intel, that would work nicely.

Shadows
of
The
Empire

When
Was
This
Declared
Canon?

Not if you can't have a hope in winning. Which is only a sector group was in the area along with a supposedly non functional DS2.

...which according to GAT, outgunned the Rebels 10-to-1.

Let's see the Empire does have more concerns then the Rebel Alliance, and the Alliance would've noticed Fleet movements of a size greater then a Sector group along it's normal path that were funneled into a specfic area.

He didn't need more than a few dozen more Star Destroyers to ensure victory (maybe not even that if they had actually engaged the Rebels).

Also when he funneled his Deep Core movements the Alliance, then NR took notice...he was able to keep where they went in secret not their movements into that area.

He could divert a single Star Destroyer from every TEN sectors and come up with a sizeable force to crush the Rebels easily. How exactly are you so sure they would notice this?

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Official is Canon unless contradicted.

[The Kernel]

Official is Canon unless contradicted.

So that means it is on equal footing with the rest of the EU right?

[Spanky The Dolphin]

EU is Official, and Official = Canon unless contradicted by Canon.

[Ghost Rider]

And this target is again?

Would work with just about anything, which is why I imagine that the Emperor doesn't like to leave Coruscant much. If say he went on an inspection tour of a new military project (kinda like the reason he was supposed to be on the Death Star as far as the Rebels knew) and he spread a little false intel, that would work nicely.

And why would they send a Fleet to kill one man.

Oh wait mythical unknown guarded facility.

Shadows
of
The
Empire

When
Was
This
Declared
Canon?

Official
is
Canon
unless
refuted.

Not if you can't have a hope in winning. Which is only a sector group was in the area along with a supposedly non functional DS2.

...which according to GAT, outgunned the Rebels 10-to-1.

And they lost...because of why again?

Oh that's right the Emperor was dead thus they began to devolve into confusion.

And then they lost the Executor.

Let's see the Empire does have more concerns then the Rebel Alliance, and the Alliance would've noticed Fleet movements of a size greater then a Sector group along it's normal path that were funneled into a specfic area.

He didn't need more than a few dozen more Star Destroyers to ensure victory (maybe not even that if they had actually engaged the Rebels).

And he's diverting these resources how again without alerting the Alliance?

Also when he funneled his Deep Core movements the Alliance, then NR took notice...he was able to keep where they went in secret not their movements into that area.

He could divert a single Star Destroyer from every TEN sectors and come up with a sizeable force to crush the Rebels easily. How exactly are you so sure they would notice this?

He's diverting these resources how again?

A sector Fleet looks normal.

A Sector fleet of 54 ISD is not normal.

[McC]

Kernel, I'm not following your logic.

The Rebels attacked the DS2 because it was both important (Emperor, superweapon) and vulnerable (no apparent defense forces, still incomplete). They would never have attacked an entire Imperial escort fleet housing the Emperor, which while certainly important would never be vulnerable. If they were simply interested in attacking the Emperor every time he left Coruscant, surely there must have been opportunities to do so at other times during Imperial reign. Their choice to attack him when he was overseeing DS2's construction indicates (at least to me) that they considered this their most likely opportunity, given that their target would be big, relatively undefended, and "not yet operational."

[The Kernel]

And why would they send a Fleet to kill one man.

Oh wait mythical unknown guarded facility.

Becuase it would have brought down the Empire obviously. I was suggesting the guarded facility for two reasons:

1) The Emperor does not travel to lightly guarded places.
2) The burden of blasting through and killing him would necessitate the bulk of the Rebel fleet.

Official
is
Canon
unless
refuted.

Yes, but what if it does not jive with other official sources that are also not contradicted by canon?

And they lost...because of why again?

Oh that's right the Emperor was dead thus they began to devolve into confusion.

And then they lost the Executor.

They lost because the Emperor was no longer directing their will and because they made the stupid mistake of not fully engaging the Rebels (the fact that they didn't immediately gun for Home One with the Superlaser would be a good example).

And he's diverting these resources how again without alerting the Alliance?

You made the claim that it would alert the Rebels. Justify it.

]
He's diverting these resources how again?

A sector Fleet looks normal.

A Sector fleet of 54 ISD is not normal.

Yes, I am sure that a Star Destroyer leaving a sector fleet is soooo unusual (considering that all their ships seem to come from that pool). The Emperor funneled enough ships to expand into a huge chunk of the Unknown Regions without even other Imperial Commanders knowing! What makes you think that the Rebels will be so keenly aware of such events?

[The Kernel]

Kernel, I'm not following your logic.

The Rebels attacked the DS2 because it was both important (Emperor, superweapon) and vulnerable (no apparent defense forces, still incomplete). They would never have attacked an entire Imperial escort fleet housing the Emperor, which while certainly important would never be vulnerable. If they were simply interested in attacking the Emperor every time he left Coruscant, surely there must have been opportunities to do so at other times during Imperial reign. Their choice to attack him when he was overseeing DS2's construction indicates (at least to me) that they considered this their most likely opportunity, given that their target would be big, relatively undefended, and "not yet operational."

Did they expect it to be totally undefended with the Emperor there? Mon Mothma said "virtually undefended" but that could mean anything. And even if the Superlaser was out of comission, it stands to reason that they expected resistance from independently powered surface guns and fighters.

[Ghost Rider]

And why would they send a Fleet to kill one man.

Oh wait mythical unknown guarded facility.

Becuase it would have brought down the Empire obviously. I was suggesting the guarded facility for two reasons:

1) The Emperor does not travel to lightly guarded places.
2) The burden of blasting through and killing him would necessitate the bulk of the Rebel fleet.

You have yet to provide proof why they would send a fleet to kill one man in an unknown facility less then something the siz e of the Death Star 2 which necessiataed the need of said fleet.

Official
is
Canon
unless
refuted.

Yes, but what if it does not jive with other official sources that are also not contradicted by canon?

Proof of burden is upon you to show this.

I have shown how Pelleon's statement of the Executor bankrupting the Empire was false. He was a Lt at the time of Executor's construction.

You yet to show how it isn't.

And they lost...because of why again?

Oh that's right the Emperor was dead thus they began to devolve into confusion.

And then they lost the Executor.

They lost because the Emperor was no longer directing their will and because they made the stupid mistake of not fully engaging the Rebels (the fact that they didn't immediately gun for Home One with the Superlaser would be a good example).

What did I say that you didn't tack on the DS2 not shooting down Home One again?

And he's diverting these resources how again without alerting the Alliance?

You made the claim that it would alert the Rebels. Justify it.

Okay...how about they knew the fleet movements in both RoTJ and in DE.

Nothing indicated in RoTJ that there was anything abnormal around the DS2 aside from a command ship leading them.

And in DE they tracked the fleet movements of sector groups and ships going into the Deep Core while engaging in elements of the former New Order.

He's diverting these resources how again?

A sector Fleet looks normal.

A Sector fleet of 54 ISD is not normal.

Yes, I am sure that a Star Destroyer leaving a sector fleet is soooo unusual (considering that all their ships seem to come from that pool). The Emperor funneled enough ships to expand into a huge chunk of the Unknown Regions without even other Imperial Commanders knowing! What makes you think that the Rebels will be so keenly aware of such events?

Now I ask you to prove this assumption given in DE they were able to track said movements into the Deep Core.

And what also was the said compliment of Thrawn's forces?

If you can show it's greater then a Sector Group...good doesn't show them not realizing that over said Sector Group in Endor has now over their regular complimentary system units.

[McC]

Did they expect it to be totally undefended with the Emperor there? Mon Mothma said "virtually undefended" but that could mean anything. And even if the Superlaser was out of comission, it stands to reason that they expected resistance from independently powered surface guns and fighters.

Sure, but the capital ships can stay out of range of the surface guns ("our cruisers will create a perimeter...") while the fighters flew inside the DS2 to take it out. They were expecting to deal with DS2 fighters, I'm sure, given the overwhelming number of fighters they sent in (four 'wings' worth, which equates to about two dozen squadrons or nearly 300 fighters if you interpret the dialogue literally); they were expecting some kind of furball to occur. You don't need over 300 fighters to do the work of, what, five? I think that's the number that actually flew inside the DS2. So I'd guess they were prepared to deal with DS2 fighters, via their (the Rebels') large contingent of fighters and their intent to use capital ships to create a "perimeter" (perhaps a fighter screen? or a support action for the starfighters?).

I'm fairly certain that Mon Mothma's remark about "the weapons systems of this Death Star are not yet operational" specifically refers to the superlaser rather than any other secondary weaponry (i.e. turbolaser towers), as you suggest. But we saw in ROTJ how easily the fighters evaded DS2's surface guns -- much as they did in ANH. The only appreciable way to deal with fighters in SW is with other fighters, hence the above paragraph about the numbers of Rebel fighters involved.

However, DS2 presents a fixed target that cannot evade in any appreciable fashion and thus cannot engage the support vessels (capital ships) so long as they remain outside of its range. A fleet of Star Destroyers, on the other hand, can close with the Rebel capital ships and engage them directly. Further, the concentration of surface guns on a Death Start seems to be lower than that of a Star Destroyer. I'm being purely subjective here, but it seemed that there were only a very few towers for the distance crossed by Wedge and Lando, whereas a Star Destroyer has over 200 or so guns across its much smaller surface, right? So, relatively speaking, a single fixed-position Death Star without a superlaser is a significantly lesser threat than a fleet of mobile Star Destroyers with high concentrations of weaponry and as such a much more tempting target. Once you factor in the superlaser (especially one that can appreciably affect a battle due to quick refire rates), the odds turn in favor of the Empire. Indeed, as soon as they saw that they had Star Destroyers to deal with they began to waver. Once the superlaser was involved, Ackbar's decision to retreat was almost instantaneous.

"That blast came from the Death Star...that thing's operational! Home One, this is Gold Leader..."
"We saw it. All craft prepare to retreat!"

So, to reiterate again -- a superlaserless, fixed-position DS, even with its full contingent of fighters, is an easier target than a fleet of Star Destroyers.

[Kurgan]

The Rebels thought the DS2 was not yet operational and the Emperor himself was overseeing the final stages.

So, Alliance goals:

1) Prevent the Death Star II from becoming operational (it was that serious a threat).

2) Assasinate the Emperor (might be a chance to end the war for good).

Of course the Emperor was planning to trap the fleet then wipe them out with his weapon, which was operational, and get Luke to turn to the darkside (or else force Vader to kill his own son and prove his loyalty that had been wavering lately).

Vader does mention the "reports of the Rebel fleet assembling near Sullust" which perhaps was a diversion (or true, depending on how big you think the Alliance was I suppose). Mon Mothma said that the Empire was searching the galaxy "in a vain effort to engage us." So that must mean the Empire was spread out, the entire fleet wasn't there to protect the station.