Why were there so few ships at the Battle of Endor

[Kazuaki Shimazaki]

The 25,000 ship figure is not canonical.

Under the new canon rules actually it is (thanks for the correction on Han's team, btw.) The 25,000 Star Destroyer figure is mentioned in the novels and therefore is whatever level canon they are. C level, IIRC.

Which in reality is no different from where it was, only with a different name.

So, the rebell ineligence would have detected that one ISD had disappeared from every tenth sector group (still 100 or more ships), but they did not recognize that a whole sector fleet (actually the fleet of the sector into which the attack was planned) was missing completely.

The entire sector fleet can be disguised as a routine, periodic Sectorwide maneuver. Transferring ships inter-sector requires the message to go through more bureaucracies.

[vakundok]

So, the rebell ineligence would have detected that one ISD had disappeared from every tenth sector group (still 100 or more ships), but they did not recognize that a whole sector fleet (actually the fleet of the sector into which the attack was planned) was missing completely.

The entire sector fleet can be disguised as a routine, periodic Sectorwide maneuver. Transferring ships inter-sector requires the message to go through more bureaucracies.

The entire sector fleet? On a periodic sectorwide maneouver, during which it is nowhere near the habitated worlds? I have never heard about such things, but it makes more sense now. Except that I still do not know why the hell the group of that sector was used. I would keep its activities slightly even lower than normal level.
And I do not think it (mobilizing ships from around the galaxy) would have really involved that much bureaucracy. According to the order of battle, the smallest group that can leave its sector is the fleet, which is only one level lower than the Sector Group. I do not know the exact chain of command, but it seems to be a very effective way of force concentration. To the b (base) sector group command: "The fleet x will be transferred to sector z to assist in the search for the rebellls. They will receive their orders from Lord Vader when they arrive." To the z sector group command: "A fleet from sector b will work in your territory, under orders from Darth Vader (emperor/high command). Assist them when they require but otherwise do not interfere." The actual command chain will be even shorter than with the activation of a whole sector grup (no sector group command staff will be aware of the actual situation), and the enemy will have to keep an eye on the actual ships, not just gaining information from any administrators.

If one fleet is transferred from every tenth sector to seek the unknown region (for example) and one tenth of these is redirected to Endor, they could easily make up the fleet we saw.

[Kazuaki Shimazaki]

The entire sector fleet? On a periodic sectorwide maneouver, during which it is nowhere near the habitated worlds?

For certain ops, it is better the maneuvers are held in the boonies. Such as "simulated planetary bombardment." It has been said that the Soviets spend the last two weeks of every 5-month Conscript Training cycle on large maneuvers of up to Strategic Direction/TVD strength.

I have never heard about such things, but it makes more sense now. Except that I still do not know why the hell the group of that sector was used. I would keep its activities slightly even lower than normal level.

If you don't use the local Sector Group, you would have to get someone else.

To the b (base) sector group command: "The fleet x will be transferred to sector z to assist in the search for the rebellls. They will receive their orders from Lord Vader when they arrive." To the z sector group command: "A fleet from sector b will work in your territory, under orders from Darth Vader (emperor/high command). Assist them when they require but otherwise do not interfere." The actual command chain will be even shorter than with the activation of a whole sector grup (no sector group command staff will be aware of the actual situation), and the enemy will have to keep an eye on the actual ships, not just gaining information from any administrators.

Actually, life isn't that simple. The commander of Fleet X1 would undoubtedly have to report to the Moff of Sector Group X that it will be unavailable for duty. He also has a very dispersed fleet, with individual squadrons garrisoning various troublesome worlds. So he has to transmit reels of orders informing his System Forces to prepare for an inter-sector sortie. They in turn tell their Squadron Commanders. Meanwhile, the Moff of Sector Group X wakes up his entire staff because he now has to cover the same area with 25% of his force gone. Orders go out to the 3 other Fleets. Those commanders wake up their staffs to recompute patrols for their new, expanded AORs. Those staffs in turn give orders to expand their System Forces' AORs, which forces those Commanders to get their staffs out of bed. They would have to lessen control of some areas to retain control of the most important regions ... by the end of all this, the Fleet has gone through a complete shuffle, and hundreds of disgruntled, exhausted staff officers are in the bars, cursing the newest shuffle that occurred for no reason at all. Some Rebel spy posing as a bartender overhears this, or at least notices the massive increase of disgruntled senior Imperial staffers...

If one fleet is transferred from every tenth sector to seek the unknown region (for example) and one tenth of these is redirected to
Endor, they could easily make up the fleet we saw.

Oh Lord, you are mobilizing one Fleet from every 10th Sector? All of which had to reshuffle. Or lord, the Rebels would simply be alerted!

[PainRack]

The entire sector fleet? On a periodic sectorwide maneouver, during which it is nowhere near the habitated worlds? I have never heard about such things, but it makes more sense now. Except that I still do not know why the hell the group of that sector was used. I would keep its activities slightly even lower than normal level.

Considering that Moddell sector was considered backward, although one of the death star sourcebooks also similarly gave it oversector status so as to hide the existence of the Death Star construction project, this does make sense.

The increased amount of forces assigned there, as designated by the Oversector status might had easily been enough to conceal movement intra-sector, and the non-importance of the region made it unlikely that Rebel intelligence would had made that significant a penetration.

And I do not think it (mobilizing ships from around the galaxy) would have really inators.

If one fleet is transferred from every tenth sector to seek the unknown region (for example) and one tenth of these is redirected tovolved that much bureaucracy. According to the order of battle, the smallest group that can leave its sector is the fleet, which is only one level lower than the Sector Group. I do not know the exact chain of command, but it seems to be a very effective way of force concentration. To the b (base) sector group command: "The fleet x will be transferred to sector z to assist in the search for the rebellls. They will receive their orders from Lord Vader when they arrive." To the z sector group command: "A fleet from sector b will work in your territory, under orders from Darth Vader (emperor/high command). Assist them when they require but otherwise do not interfere." The actual command chain will be even shorter than with the activation of a whole sector grup (no sector group command staff will be aware of the actual situation), and the enemy will have to keep an eye on the actual ships, not just gaining information from any administr Endor, they could easily make up the fleet we saw.

True. However, the Imperial fleet was supposed to be spread out in an futile attempt to engage the Rebellion. The concentration of assets at Endor , especially in the numbers suggested(1 ISD from every sector) would had been very noticeable.

Supplies to the Death Star project must already have been quite difficult to hide. Attempting to sustain such a defensive posture over a period of time might have become neigh impossible.

[vakundok]

Kazuaki Shimazaki: I know training is important, I just cannot imagine a task/exercise that would require a whole sector fleet. It sounds like, I don't know, the whole US Navy in a single maneuvers leaving its normal duties behind.

... large maneuvers of up to Strategic Direction/TVD strength.

I think its purpose was to prepare for a war against a similarly powerfull opponent. How this could be similar to the exercises of a sector group where the usual force to deal with the largest possible threat was one level lower (ICS - industrialized worlds are dealt by six star destroyers plus escort ~ basicly one fleet)?

If you don't use the local Sector Group, you would have to get someone else.

Of course, but it would be far less prominent.

Actually, life isn't that simple. The commander of Fleet X1 would undoubtedly have to report to the Moff of Sector Group X that it will be unavailable for duty. He also has a very dispersed fleet, with individual squadrons garrisoning various troublesome worlds. So he has to transmit reels of orders informing his System Forces to prepare for an inter-sector sortie. They in turn tell their Squadron Commanders. Meanwhile, the Moff of Sector Group X wakes up his entire staff because he now has to cover the same area with 25% of his force gone. Orders go out to the 3 other Fleets. Those commanders wake up their staffs to recompute patrols for their new, expanded AORs. Those staffs in turn give orders to expand their System Forces' AORs, which forces those Commanders to get their staffs out of bed. They would have to lessen control of some areas to retain control of the most important regions ... by the end of all this, the Fleet has gone through a complete shuffle, and hundreds of disgruntled, exhausted staff officers are in the bars, cursing the newest shuffle that occurred for no reason at all. Some Rebel spy posing as a bartender overhears this, or at least notices the massive increase of disgruntled senior Imperial staffers...

Wait for a moment! I was talking about the knowledge referring to what ships do actually what (especially the transferred ships). It would be very clear for anyone that the imperial fleet is concentrating its assets to outlying territories, but it would be far more problematic to find out that some of those assets are actually redirected and concentrated at a single point.

Oh Lord, you are mobilizing one Fleet from every 10th Sector? All of which had to reshuffle. Or lord, the Rebels would simply be alerted!

Yes, the rebells would be allerted that I use even greater forces to find them. And this fits to the evidence, doesn't it? "With the Imperial fleet spread throughout the galaxy in a vain effort to engage us ..." I think it would really look like a vain effort to engage them, while its real purpose would only to conceal some units.

[vakundok]

... although one of the death star sourcebooks also similarly gave it oversector status ...

Really? Shouldn' t be Jerjerrod grand moff then? Or are the oversectors still divided into normal sectors with moffs? But you are right. One third or one fourth of the local forces is (much more) beleivable to take part in an exercise (while I still cannot image a task that would require a whole sector fleet) or to be hidden somehow. So, was it an oversector or not?

True. However, the Imperial fleet was supposed to be spread out in an futile attempt to engage the Rebellion.

If what I suggested (moving around much more ships than just those that would be concealed) does not look like a futile attempt, than I do not know what would.

The concentration of assets at Endor , especially in the numbers suggested(1 ISD from every sector) would had been very noticeable.

Well, it was one from every tenth, but never mind. Why do you think it would be very noticable when the whole fleet is spread out?

Supplies to the Death Star project must already have been quite difficult to hide. Attempting to sustain such a defensive posture over a period of time might have become neigh impossible.

The supplies of the ISDs can last a few months long, don't they? And actually, they needed only to arrive around the same time as the emperor. The period you are referring was really short.

[Isolder74]

Of course the more ships being moved the higher the chance that some disgruntled junior officer to say the wrong thing and tip off a Rebel spy. If the ships are pretending to be on a search pattern in one sector that implies that they are looking for Rebels away from Endor, then that can be a way to further fool the Rebels. Perhaps on purpose the Emporer used this sector group to be the ones searching the galax to allow for the Rebels to think there was no Imperial presence in this whole sector at the time they are planning to attack.