There we go.

It's like I didn't play Rebel Assault 2.

I can't ever say I missed it. (I regret playing 1).

Eh, it was called TIE Interdictor in previous canon, we have to accept that. It's the Punisher now though. Interdictor to me is also the Immobilizer 418 cruiser, also known as "the Objective" as it was in at least half the bloody missions in TIE, XVT and XWA (yeah I'm exaggerating, but come on, the interdictor got it a lot of times, or else you had to protect the sod).

"Me neither. I cringe inwardly every time I look at the model, to be honest; welding multiple TIE Bombers together to create a TIE SUPAR-BOMBAH is one of the laziest, least inspiring designs I've ever seen."

This times 1000.

I might come to like the ship eventually, but it competes overtly for the bombers slot, and yeah you're right, lazy, uninspired design.

The sort of thing we'd see in Galactic Battlegrounds (see the heavy Y-wing for another example).

Not any more though. And to me, Interdictor will always mean this:

Me too.

I look at it with the same philosophy that I look at all other TIEs. That there are two kinds of TIEs. Those without shields, meant for the countless Imperial cannon fodder. And those with shields. Meant for the elite and the aces, important enough to be worth protecting. And ships can have the same role, when they're for a different class of pilot.

Regular Pilots - Elite Pilots - Role
TIE Fighter - TIE Advanced - Line fighter
TIE Interceptor - TIE Avenger - Agile interceptor
TIE Bomber - TIE Punisher - Capital ship/surface bomber
TIE Aggressor - TIE Oppressor - Missile boat

It's why if we ever get the Hunter, I kinda hope they go against the lore and don't give it shields, because it would be the perfect ship to be the cheap equivalent of the Defender.

The Bombers asymmetry is why I think it's so cool! I can kinda sorta see your logic with the regular and elite pilot TIE's, that's very imperial, this said it's not that clear cut. Avengers were a further evolution of the TIE Advanced, the TIE Advanced spawned the TIE Interceptor and Bomber, (And aggressor, and oppressor) the Oppressor and Aggressor had completely different folios.

Avengers were a further evolution of the TIE Advanced, the TIE Advanced spawned the TIE Interceptor and Bomber, (And aggressor, and oppressor) the Oppressor and Aggressor had completely different folios.

It's more a matter of role than intent of the designers.

The Avenger has the four lasers and ridiculous maneuverability of the Interceptor. Two things the Advanced lacks. This makes it a better option for elite Interceptor pilots.

In my mind, I see those ships being deployed the way Black Squadron was deployed. A squadron of the regular ships, let by one elite pilot in the more advanced, shielded ship. As opposed to entire squadrons of just the elite ship.

So you'd have a squadron of TIE Fighters, with a squadron leader flying a TIE Advance(like Black Squadron), or a squadron of TIE Bombers, led by a TIE Punisher. etc.

Eh, it was called TIE Interdictor in previous canon, we have to accept that. It's the Punisher now though. Interdictor to me is also the Immobilizer 418 cruiser, also known as "the Objective" as it was in at least half the bloody missions in TIE, XVT and XWA (yeah I'm exaggerating, but come on, the interdictor got it a lot of times, or else you had to protect the sod).

"Me neither. I cringe inwardly every time I look at the model, to be honest; welding multiple TIE Bombers together to create a TIE SUPAR-BOMBAH is one of the laziest, least inspiring designs I've ever seen."

This times 1000.

I might come to like the ship eventually, but it competes overtly for the bombers slot, and yeah you're right, lazy, uninspired design.

The sort of thing we'd see in Galactic Battlegrounds (see the heavy Y-wing for another example).

FFG RPGs call it the Interdictor though, so technically both names are valid.

Hence why DariusAPB said "most" - you're one of those rare exceptions that proves the rule.

I'm a pretty big TIE fanboy, and I'd never even really heard of the TIE Punisher until the model was announced, because I missed Galactic Battlegrounds.

Missed is a bit of a strong word there... I have it, but if i want to play AOE2 I just play AOE2...

Bbbut it's STAR WARS AoE2!!! The AI is also improved in Battlegrounds. It really depends on the mood I'm in, for which game I play.

Been playing TIE-Fighter all day long on my XP machine that I keep maintained as well as possible just for THAT game.

And I absolutely love the Gunboat! It's such a cool craft. Got 6 of the from Mel in the meantime and couldnt be happier with my Tau, Nu and Rho Squadron Gunboats.

Good news for you then Good old games has a windows 7/8 compatible version for sale on their site and it's under a tenner.

Been playing TIE-Fighter all day long on my XP machine that I keep maintained as well as possible just for THAT game.

And I absolutely love the Gunboat! It's such a cool craft. Got 6 of the from Mel in the meantime and couldnt be happier with my Tau, Nu and Rho Squadron Gunboats.

Good news for you then Good old games has a windows 7/8 compatible version for sale on their site and it's under a tenner.

With modern graphics, I'd play it again!

I dunno, Generally i'm used to seeing flight groups of Avengers, with gunboats. not an avenger leading 5 interceptors, this is because of one painfully obvious reason.

The interceptors lack hyperdrive, as do bombers and fighters.

Congrats mate, you just failed your mission because your TIE Punterdictor only had the warheads to kill off 1 freighter, wheras the 20 TIE Bombers you left 6 lightyears to the left are kinda stuck there.

Congrats mate, you just failed your mission because your TIE Punterdictor only had the warheads to kill off 1 freighter, wheras the 20 TIE Bombers you left 6 lightyears to the left are kinda stuck there.

I prefer to think of it as the entire squadron launches from a ship that's in system already as normal. But if **** goes bad, the elite pilot is the only one equipped to escape on his own.

Like having shields, the hyperdrive is a tool to preserve the life of the more valuable pilot. Vader still gets to fly home if he lets the Death Star get blown up. Black 11 doesn't.

Been playing TIE-Fighter all day long on my XP machine that I keep maintained as well as possible just for THAT game.

And I absolutely love the Gunboat! It's such a cool craft. Got 6 of the from Mel in the meantime and couldnt be happier with my Tau, Nu and Rho Squadron Gunboats.

Good news for you then Good old games has a windows 7/8 compatible version for sale on their site and it's under a tenner.

And that one really works now on a 64bit architecture? Bought several games from GOG which were marked as "Works on Win7 64"...which then they obviously didn't :-(

With modern graphics, I'd play it again!

Screw modern graphics! Gameplay trumps graphics any day.

Been playing TIE-Fighter all day long on my XP machine that I keep maintained as well as possible just for THAT game.

And I absolutely love the Gunboat! It's such a cool craft. Got 6 of the from Mel in the meantime and couldnt be happier with my Tau, Nu and Rho Squadron Gunboats.

Good news for you then Good old games has a windows 7/8 compatible version for sale on their site and it's under a tenner.

And that one really works now on a 64bit architecture? Bought several games from GOG which were marked as "Works on Win7 64"...which then they obviously didn't :-(

It does. I play it quite often on my Windows 7 64-bit system.

Screw modern graphics! Gameplay trumps graphics any day.

Sure. But why not have gameplay AND graphics?

Congrats mate, you just failed your mission because your TIE Punterdictor only had the warheads to kill off 1 freighter, wheras the 20 TIE Bombers you left 6 lightyears to the left are kinda stuck there.

I prefer to think of it as the entire squadron launches from a ship that's in system already as normal. But if **** goes bad, the elite pilot is the only one equipped to escape on his own.

Like having shields, the hyperdrive is a tool to preserve the life of the more valuable pilot. Vader still gets to fly home if he lets the Death Star get blown up. Black 11 doesn't.

Meh. I feel like the explanation that the Vader's TIE fighter (the TIE Vader?) has a hyperdrive is more of an explanation for how it is that Vader escapes, instead of him having to avoid Rebel patrols until a capital ship can be tasked with retrieving him and protecting the largest chunks of the Death Star until a salvage team... salvage fleet, more like, can show up to haul away what they can.

Although, after the Season 2 opener of Rebels , I kinda have to wonder why Vader didn't do a one-man raid on the Rebel base on Yavin IV and destroy Luke, Wedge, Y-Wing pilot #5, and the Millennium Falcon. As much as I hate the idea, I kind of think that a remake of the OT might be needed. Or a Blade Runner -esque Ultimate Super Directors Final Cut (We Mean It This Time, Honest).

I kinda have to wonder why Vader didn't do a one-man raid on the Rebel base on Yavin IV and destroy Luke, Wedge, Y-Wing pilot #5, and the Millennium Falcon.

Well, his Advanced may have been damaged after Mithel ran into it.

Good news for you then Good old games has a windows 7/8 compatible version for sale on their site and it's under a tenner.

And that one really works now on a 64bit architecture? Bought several games from GOG which were marked as "Works on Win7 64"...which then they obviously didn't :-(

It does. I play it quite often on my Windows 7 64-bit system.

Picked up X-Wing Alliance in the Steam sale and I'm having a nightmare getting it to run (so much for the PC Master Race )

Good news for you then Good old games has a windows 7/8 compatible version for sale on their site and it's under a tenner.

And that one really works now on a 64bit architecture? Bought several games from GOG which were marked as "Works on Win7 64"...which then they obviously didn't :-(

It does. I play it quite often on my Windows 7 64-bit system.

Picked up X-Wing Alliance in the Steam sale and I'm having a nightmare getting it to run (so much for the PC Master Race )

There's a guide on moddb that shows you how to get it to work.

I'll check it out. I'm having multiple issues, both at mission start (which I can work around) and with the music getting stuck in a loop (which I can't). Hopefully the guide might help

My issue with Alliance is Graphics taring. Bleh when I put time into it I'll solve it. I always do.

I bought Tie Fighter, but I need a joystick to even start the game.

I bought Tie Fighter, but I need a joystick to even start the game.

You do for the 98 version, yes. So run the 95 collectors ed CD version, I beat that entire game with a mouse in one 12 hour session once.

God I was a nerdy teen.

Sure. But why not have gameplay AND graphics?

Because no one does good space sims anymore?

Because no one does good space sims anymore?

That's why you remake the old ones with the good graphics.

Because no one does good space sims anymore?

That's why you remake the old ones with the good graphics.

It's true, I don't think I've played a spacefighter game anywhere near as good as the X-Wing series since. In fact, I can't think of that many good ones full stop.

I'd be more than happy to see the X-Wing series fully rebuilt and remastered for modern technology. So long as they the gameplay exactly the same.