SWTOR Hidden Chain Invasions Guide

Hidden Chain Invasions are a type of level 80 Dynamic Encounter quest that can occur on Tatooine, Hoth, Rishi and Ilum, and are the only way for players to earn the Hidden Chain armor set. These encounters are tied in to the story of Legacy of the Sith, and with it coming to a close, these events will be removed from the game in Update 8.0.

Hidden Chain Invasions

Hidden Chain invasions are faction-specific – there’s only ever up to one on either Imperial-side or Republic-side.

The Hidden Chain Invasion Dynamic Encounter quest can happen on a few different planets, including:

• Tatooine
• Hoth
• Rishi
• Ilum

You can see if a Dynamic Encounter is active by visiting the world map.

If there is one active, you will see the icon of an aqua-colored diamond over a yellow double arrow on the main map, unless you have a main quest on that planet.

The Hidden Chain Dynamic Encounters seem to follow this pattern:

• One encounter takes place on either Republic or Imperial side, and lasts an hour.
• Then, there is a half hour break where no Hidden Chain event happens.
• After the break, another encounter happens on either Imperial or Republic side, also lasting an hour, and repeating the cycle.

So if you don’t see a Hidden Chain active, check the other faction, and if you still don’t see one, come back on the next half-hour (so :00 after the hour or :30 after the hour.)

(I have not figured out if whether it is Imperial or Republic is random, or if what planet is next is random. It does also seem to be different per-server.)

Rewards

Hidden Chain encounters reward the same as other Dynamic Encounters – at level 80, you get some Tech Fragments, some Conquest Commendations, and some credits.

The more interesting reward is the Hidden Chain armor set. Each piece is a rare drop from the enemies in the Hidden Chain encounters – I’ve personally only seen it drop from the Lieutenant.

Most of the time you just get junk, but if you get lucky, you get one of the rare Hidden Chain armor peices, which you can either keep, or sell on the GTN.

Hidden Chain Encounter

Hidden Chain Encounters are shared – that means you do not need to be in a group to get credit for participating, and everyone who participates helps complete the encounters together.

Each Hidden Chain Dynamic Encounter follows the same pattern on every planet:

• Part 1:
  • Alert the Allied Forces with the glowing-blue ground disc object (just once)
  • Right-click 20-ish glowing-blue objects
  • Defeat Hidden Chain enemies until it reaches 100%
• Part 2:
  • Click the glowing-blue with a red light Hidden Chain Extraction Beacon(just once)
  • Defeat the Hidden Chain Lieutenant

Ilum

Alert Allied Forces – Only one person needs to do this objective once, and then it disappears from the list of objectives. Look for the glowing blue disc on the ground with an animated grene arrow over it, and right-click the blue disc to alert the allied forces to come help fight against the Hidden Chain.

It will be marked on the map with the Hidden Chain icon of an aqua-colored diamond over a yellow double arrow.

Repel the Hidden Chain – Fight any of the nearby Hidden Chain enemies until the objective reaches 100% together with anyone nearby.

Recover Crystal Shipments – This is the objective unique to Ilum. Right-click the glowing blue crystals crates. Together you and anyone nearby need to click 20 total.

Defeat the Hidden Chain Lieutenant – You must first complete the other three steps before this objective shows up. To summon the Hidden Chain Lieutenant, one player must first right-click the glowing-blue pole with a red light called the Hidden Chain Extraction Beacon – it will be nearby, and should also be marked on the map. Then, together with anyone nearby, fight the Hidden Chain Lieutenant.

Rishi

Alert Allied Forces – Only one person needs to do this objective once, and then it disappears from the list of objectives. Look for the glowing blue disc in the grass with an animated green arrow over it, and right-click the blue disc to alert the allied forces to come help fight against the Hidden Chain.

It will be marked on the map with the Hidden Chain icon of an aqua-colored diamond over a yellow double arrow.

Repel the Hidden Chain – Fight any of the nearby Hidden Chain enemies until the objective reaches 100% together with anyone nearby.

Recover Stolen Exonium – This is the objective unique to Rishi. Right-click the glowing blue barrels. Together you and anyone nearby need to click 20 total.

Defeat the Hidden Chain Lieutenant – You must first complete the other three steps before this objective shows up. To summon the Hidden Chain Lieutenant, one player must first right-click the glowing-blue pole with a red light called the Hidden Chain Extraction Beacon – it will be nearby, and should also be marked on the map.

Then, together with anyone nearby, fight the Hidden Chain Lieutenant.

Hoth

Alert Allied Forces – Only one person needs to do this objective once, and then it disappears from the list of objectives. Look for the glowing blue disc in the snow with an animated green arrow over it, and right-click the blue disc to alert the allied forces to come help fight against the Hidden Chain.

It will be marked on the map with the Hidden Chain icon of an aqua-colored diamond over a yellow double arrow.

Repel the Hidden Chain – Fight any of the nearby Hidden Chain enemies until the objective reaches 100% together with anyone nearby.

Scavenged Munitions – This is the objective unique to Hoth. Right-click the glowing blue triangular missile containers. Together you and anyone nearby need to click 20 total.

Defeat the Hidden Chain Lieutenant – You must first complete the other three steps before this objective shows up. To summon the Hidden Chain Lieutenant, one player must first right-click the glowing-blue pole with a red light called the Hidden Chain Extraction Beacon – it will be nearby, and should also be marked on the map.

Then, together with anyone nearby, fight the Hidden Chain Lieutenant.

Tatooine

Alert Allied Forces – Only one person needs to do this objective once, and then it disappears from the list of objectives. Look for the glowing blue disc in the sand with an animated green arrow over it, and right-click the blue disc to alert the allied forces to come help fight against the Hidden Chain.

It will be marked on the map with the Hidden Chain icon of an aqua-colored diamond over a yellow double arrow.

Repel the Hidden Chain – Fight any of the nearby Hidden Chain enemies until the objective reaches 100% together with anyone nearby.

Unearthed Czerka Tech – This is the objective unique to Tatooine. Right-click the glowing blue triangular missile containers. Together you and anyone nearby need to click 20 total.

Defeat the Hidden Chain Lieutenant – You must first complete the other three steps before this objective shows up. To summon the Hidden Chain Lieutenant, one player must first right-click the glowing-blue pole with a red light called the Hidden Chain Extraction Beacon – it will be nearby, and should also be marked on the map. Then, together with anyone nearby, fight the Hidden Chain Lieutenant.

Achievements

There’s an achievement for each Hidden Chain planet, once on Imperial side and once on Republic side. There are no rewards for any of these achievements except achievement points.

Hidden Chain Quest Removal in 8.0

The developers have fixed Hidden Chain encounters so they show up in-game again in Update 7.9.1c after they went missing for a while – but they said they will also be going away in 8.0.

They also answered a question about the Hidden Chain armor.