Deckard2 said:So the Empire's main attack is striking the base from the North and the escaping rebels are located on the South side of the base. The Shield generator and Command center are both located on the North side.
I'm not sure that's correct, but I've just realised I've gotten something confused in my earlier reply to you -
It's a little unclear, but it seems that the area where the last Rebel troop carrier leaves from (we can make out it already has 2 accompanying X-Wing escorts), before Luke gets into his X-Wing, is also referred to as being somewhere at the NORTH side....because we initially hear Leia telling the assembled X-Wing Fighter Pilots that "All troop carriers will assemble at the north entrance", before she then goes on to tell them that there will only be 2 fighter escorts per ship, and that they will have to stay very close to them because the Energy Shield can only be opened for a short time. (They are all standing near some X-Wings somewhere inside the Base during this discussion, and we can also see the Millennium Falcon and a snowspeeder in this same area...and I presume that all X-Wings in this area are meant to start grouping nearer to the area where the 'transports' are located at, from this point onwards).
A bit later on, when it's announced that the first 'transport' is successfully away, we see Luke and some other Snowspeeder Pilots prepare to meet the AT-AT's, and can see more X-Wings in their departure area at this point. (It's not known how many X-Wings are scattered throughout the expansive Base) Presumably there are also OTHER unseen 'transports' leaving during the ensuing battle (accompanied by 2 fighters every time), as the ION Cannon continues to clear a path for them through the Stardestroyer 'blockade'. (It's not known how many Stardestroyers are destroyed during this period, or how many transports and X-Wings take off, although it seems that 2 'transports' at a time have to start going at the same time mid-way through the battle)
However, later on yet, shortly before the last remaining 'transport' takes off, Han has travelled an unknown distance from where the Falcon is, to reach the 'Command Centre' where Leia is. During this scene she says "Send all troops in Sector 12 to the south slope to protect the fighters". This is the 'south slope' area I previously thought as being the area where Luke heads to get into his X-Wing, and where the last 'transport' is seen taking off from. I think I got that wrong, and the 'fighters' mentioned by Leia as being at the 'south slope' are NOT the likes of Luke's X-Wing in the area of the last 'transport', as I originally thought. So the area that Luke heads for, and takes off from, must be the NORTH area that was initially mentioned by Leia! I think....