The Space Battle within the Asteroid Field of Kessel unfolded as a rescue mission amidst the backdrop of the Galactic Civil War.
Following the events of the Battle of Fresia, where the Rebel Alliance successfully liberated four X-wing starfighter prototypes from an Imperial depot located on Fresia, the Galactic Empire responded by seizing a group of Incom scientists as hostages. The Imperial convoy, tasked with transporting these captives, traversed The Maw and prepared for a landing on Kessel to imprison the scientists within its notorious facilities.
News of this reached the Rebel Alliance swiftly. Under the command of Captain Raymus Antilles, the Alliance Fleet dispatched a strike force to Kessel, comprised of several Y-wings alongside the Sundered Heart. These bombers were crucial for disabling the Imperial Shuttles carrying the scientists, preventing their descent into the planet's atmosphere.
Within a confined passage of the asteroid field, the Rebels launched a surprise attack upon the Imperial Navy. As the corvettes and starfighters clashed with the Imperial vessels, the Sundered Heart, accompanied by a squadron of Y-wings, worked to immobilize the shuttles.
The Y-wings unleashed their ion cannons, crippling the initial transports. The Sundered Heart moved with haste, docking with the disabled shuttles. A small team of commandos infiltrated the shuttles, successfully extracting the scientists. However, the Empire, unwavering in its resolve, attempted to destroy the shuttles to prevent the scientists from falling into Rebel hands, even before the boarding process could be completed. The Imperial commander issued a distress call for reinforcements, and two Victory-class Star Destroyers were detected entering the system.
As the final shuttle was secured, Imperial reinforcements materialized, overwhelming the outnumbered Rebel contingent. With no time to spare, the Rebels navigated the asteroid field and initiated a jump to lightspeed.
The rescued Incom scientists proved incredibly useful to the Alliance later on. Thanks to the schematics they provided, the Rebellion was able to begin production of the X-wings.
This particular engagement served as the fourth mission within the Rebel campaign of the 2006 video game Star Wars: Empire at War.