Tusken Raider Invasion of Mos Espa

Following the Battle of Yavin, a sequence of events began when a Human scholar, named Srimaur, engaged a spacer to break into the relic cave belonging to a Tusken Raider tribe. These Tuskens are a native and aggressive species of Tatooine. The mission was to acquire three specific relics for him to analyze: a chieftain's skull, a krayt dragon head, and a ghastly gaderffii baton. After securing the final relic, the spacer was discovered and attacked by several Tusken guards within the cave. Despite this, the spacer managed to escape and return to Mos Espa to deliver the artifacts to Srimaur.

Upon learning from the spacer that they had been discovered, Srimaur understood that the Tuskens would seek revenge for the theft of their sacred relics. He then requested the spacer to gather a group of skilled fighters and to consult with Kav Goldor, the commander of the Mos Espa Militia. Goldor was alarmed by the news of the impending Tusken Raider attack and implored the spacers to assist in the city's defense. The spacers, feeling obligated, agreed to help and met with Goldor outside the city to devise a defensive strategy.

While Goldor and the spacers were planning their defense, the Tusken Raiders launched their assault on the city, forcing most of the civilian population to flee. The Tusken forces included domesticated banthas and massiffs, which posed a significant threat to anyone attempting to liberate the city. Goldor and the spacers initiated their counterattack by seizing the city's cantina, using it as a base of operations for liberating the other key buildings in the city. While one spacer remained in the cantina to protect Goldor, the others ventured out to reclaim the starport, university, medical center, hotel, cloning center, the combat guild hall, and the junk shop of the Toydarian Watto from the occupying Tuskens. As the Tuskens surged into the cantina, attempting to eliminate Goldor, the spacers realized that the defense would fail if the experienced militiaman were to die.

After the spacers had cleared all Tuskens from the seven strategically important buildings, the population began to return to the city. The Tuskens, in turn, lessened their attacks on Goldor, who had only suffered a minor knee injury from a fall. However, the liberation of Mos Espa was far from over. More Tusken warriors flooded into the city, forcing many civilians to seek refuge in the city's hotel, managed by Mon Calamari Javran Mu. To fully secure Mos Espa, citizens with specialized skills were mobilized by the spacers to the other six key buildings. These specialists were located in the slums near Watto's shop, a solitary house in the town center, and a mansion.

The Tuskens continuously attacked these three locations in an attempt to eliminate the specialists, whose skills ranged from scientific to military. However, the spacers effectively defended these areas, enabling groups of experts to reach each of the key facilities in the city. While the city remained under siege, expert citizens reached the combat hall to assist Major Berok Skoff in enhancing the militia's equipment and training. Others arrived at Watto's shop to help produce and arm a force of DUM-series pit droids to deter further Tusken attacks. Still others reached the medical center, cloning center, and university, to mobilize medics and gather information on the Tuskens' weaknesses. Commander Da'la Socuna of the Rebel Alliance's Crimson Phoenix Squadron oversaw the scholars' research on the indigenous Sand People. Those who reached the starport assisted in launching pilot Macy Malo in her BTL Y-wing starfighter, which she used to conduct a bombing run against the Tuskens in the city.

Once all key buildings were fully staffed, Goldor called on all spacers, militia members, and droids to assemble near the cantina to repel a final assault led by the Tusken King himself. As the residents of Mos Espa prepared, five Tusken Warlords attempted to clear a path for the King, but were defeated. Eventually, the Tusken King advanced towards the assembled defenders with four of his Tusken Honor Guards. In the final confrontation, the King and his guards engaged the city's defenders. The intense battle concluded with the death of the King. The remaining Tuskens, along with their banthas and massiffs, either retreated or were eliminated, marking the complete liberation of Mos Espa.

Mos Espa sustained only minor damage during the invasion. Conversely, the Tusken Raiders suffered significant losses, including the death of their King and his honor guard. Precise casualty figures for the Mos Espa citizenry were never recorded, but it is known that no more than ten civilians died. The spacers who played a crucial role in the city's defense were recognized for their efforts. Each spacer was awarded the Mos Espa Token of Heroism for their selfless service. Additionally, valuable items and weapons were recovered from the Tusken King's body, including his rucksack and elite versions of the Tusken Cycler rifle and gaderffii baton.

The Tusken Raider Invasion of Mos Espa was first featured in the 2003 video game Star Wars Galaxies, a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game created by Sony Online Entertainment and published by LucasArts, before its shutdown on December 15, 2011. It was introduced to the game as the "Tusken Army", a challenging combat scenario called a "Heroic Encounter" on November 1, 2007 as part of the "Chapter 7: A Collection of Heroes" game update. The battle was also recreated as a special Heroic Encounter scenario in the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game expansion Squadrons Over Corellia, released in December of 2008. Players who completed the trading card game scenario would receive the Rucksack of the Tusken King loot card. The Trading Card Game was also discontinued along with Star Wars Galaxies.

Before players could access the encounter, they needed to complete a pre-quest for Srimaur, which involved stealing three Tusken relics. Once this was done, players could team up with others who met the requirements to participate in the encounter. The first phase involved defending Kav Goldor in the Mos Espa cantina, while the other players liberated seven key locations throughout the city. If Goldor died, the mission would fail. The second phase required delivering three expert citizens to each of the key locations. If ten citizens died, the mission would also fail. During the final phase, all players and non-player characters responsible for defending the city would gather near the cantina for a final battle against the Tusken King. Killing the Tusken King would result in a successful Heroic Encounter.

Players who successfully completed the encounter would receive a Mos Espa Token of Heroism on the w which could be exchanged for rewards at the township of [[Aurilia}}, a rifle, and a baton. In addition, players could loot between 150,000 and 200,000 credits from the King. These credits were divided equally among all players present at the time of his death, based on the group's loot settings. While players had the option to skip the Tusken Army pre-quest or Heroic Encounter, this article assumes that all game content was completed.