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Onscreen evidence shows IIRC 20-27 SDs of various kind (Communications ship, Armoured up ISD, Executor) Of course some sources state a SECOND group, which would bring it up to 50+ but that may be unlikely

Sokar wrote:

Isolder74 wrote: Also would be alot harder to hide that many ships entering the system fom potential Rebel Spies.

Given that thoes self same 'Rebel Spies' managed to fail to report to the High Command the presence of over 30 ISD's and the goddamed Executor,

Most of the ISDs were either hidden or not brought in until the known Rebels spies left or even when the Rebels entered hyperspace. The Rebels knew Vader was there and were probably expecting Death Squadron (1 Executor plus 5 ISDs) and could handle them with 24+ cruisers and a bunch of small ships (including even explosive laden ram ships)

Ender wrote:1) Yes it is based off the niovel's statemetn of "dozens"
2) We did not see alot of the battle. The novel mentions a number of ships and events that did not appear onscreen.

Reinforcements in the form of a secondary fleet could be a factor in the apparently conflicting numbers between movie and novel. IIRC, the number of engine glow we can see when the Falcon was flying out did seem to be quite a lot.