Imperial Elite Black Ops (IEBO) was a guild based in Dark Trench just north of the Imperial outpost on the planet Lok, a desolate backwater planet Lok within the Karthakk System and long considered a haven for pirates and deserters from the Imperial Army. Nearly all members of IEBO knew each other in real life, and entry into the guild was by invitation only and after careful vetting by the guild's counterintelligence branch. For these reasons, it is widely thought by historians that Imperial counterintelligence successfully frustrated every attempt by spies of the Rebel Alliance to penetrate IEBO. The guild enjoyed PvP, and organized themselves along military lines with a chain of command, an emphasis on teamwork, and the development of an espirit de corps. Members of the guild frequently - almost nightly, it seemed - went out to patrol the galaxy, assist other Imperial guilds and destroy rebel bases.
Its combat missions were usually led by Colonel Er'ik Striker, known across the galaxy for his exterminationist anti-rebel sentiment. IEBO, along with its allied guild in Dark Trench, SYN, typically maintained between two to four heavily-fortified Imperial bases at any given time defended by a group numbering at least [DELETED PER IMPERIAL SECURITY DIRECTIVE 3814.579(b)] fighters running missions at any given time. During its heyday, IEBO prided itself on enforcing solid Imperial rule on Lok, preventing the establishment of rebel bases anywhere on the planet. The guild's enthusiasm (some would say fanaticism) for combat, the visibility and style of its leaders, and its (perhaps overarching) pride, presented an inviting target for rebel forces.
Colonel Er'ik Striker
IEBO Kommandant
Dark Trench itself had a standing policy of banning all non-Imperial players on sight, although exceptions were made for those neutrals who journeyed to Dark Trench for the purpose of swearing allegiance to the Emperor (provided they were accompanied by a town resident for that purpose). For many new Imperial players, Dark Trench was often the first stop after being recruited in Mos Eisley. Dark Trench was a town where an Imperial - whether overt or covert - could almost always get healed and buffed.
As Lok had only one starport - at Nym's town - on the entire planet, this presented a daunting challenge for any rebel commander intent on mounting an offensive operation. It was understood that any raids on Dark Trench would require a significant force of rebels, and that mustering and deploying such a force would likely be detected by Imperial intelligence, and possibly subject to counterattack at Nym's starport. Since the Nym starport was always busy, the appearance of even one overt rebel would likely set off alarm bells in the Imperial network. The sudden appearance of a squad of overt rebels at Nym's starport would invariably be reported, giving the Imps on Lok precious minutes to prepare for any impending raid and alert friendly reinforcements off planet. Any rebel commander contemplating an operation against Dark Trench had to grapple with substantial problems inherent to attacking on Lok.
Despite these obstacles, rebels on a few rare occasions managed to win the element of surprise and raid Dark Trench during base vulnerability times, destroying some bases after fierce combat.
Dark Trench became a magnet for galactic tourists on 28 January 2005 with the sudden appearance of an AT-AT standing between two IEBO player Imperial Bases. It was with 16 Stormtrooper in two rows of eight. None of them had HAM bars, and they could not be attacked. After four days, they just as mysteriously disappeared. Thoughtful observers interpreted the event as a sign from above that despite all obstacles and recent losses to the enemy, Dark Trench was to remain a uniquely Imperial bastion.