On a completely different and not too terribly serious note.

Is it just me, or is the appearance of the E-Wing rather disappointing now that we have it in hand? Looking at the art, and the pictures before it arrived I had expected to like it. But now that I have it, I cannot help but think it is a seriously ugly ship and the model (while good) does nothing to make me love it.

I compare this to the HWK-290. The art and pictures of the HWK prepared me for an ugly, blocky junker of a ship I would put on the table reluctantly. But when I actually received it, the model looked great and I found myself liking the ship much more than I anticipated I would.

It's odd how different my impressions of the two ships are.

I've always thought the e-wing looked absolutely horrible, can't imagine what they were thinking. I am wondering if putting a small vertical fin on the back might not improve it a bit (and make it look more than a bit like a Battlestar Galactica Viper.)

It DOES look like a Viper! Holy crap my avatar is an E-Wing!

E-wings predate the modern BSG, Dark Empire was in 1995.

E-wings are like marmite, you either love them or hate them. I love mine !

E-wings predate the modern BSG, Dark Empire was in 1995.

But the real BSG predates E-Wings.

I love the look of the E-Wing. It's sleek! The cannon above the cockpit is a little odd, but doesn't really bother me.

Along a similar vein, I thought that I would hate the TIE Phantom model. While I still don't really get how one of the smallest ships in the game is able to pack an extra crew member, shields, a hyperdrive, FIVE laser cannons, and a friggin' cloaking device, let alone a big enough power plant to keep it all running , the ship itself makes a lot more sense as a space superiority fighter than most ships in the game.

For instance, the Phantom has an extended cockpit, and indents into all of the wings - this would theoretically give the pilot excellent visibility (which, as any real pilot can tell you, is incredibly important, even in an age where you push a button and something 100 miles away blows up). Compare the Phantom to the TIE/ln, Advanced, or Bomber, all of which have huge blindspots to the left and right.

The Phantom's dagger wings also give it an extremely small profile, which would make it very difficult to hit. Not like the TIE/ln, which might as well have giant bulleyes painted on its solar panels.

The E-Wing, weird cannon placement aside, reminds me a lot of modern fighters, which has a certain appeal.

I don't dislike any of the models. They're all well done. I'm not so big a fan of the Defender's design theory, but the sculpt is still good.

I don't get the E-wing hate. It looks like a diving hawk. The design conveys speed and has a small profile that packs a lot of power. The stats are kind of meh for the cost, but I'm Ok with that.

Looks like a Cartoony Bird, maybe a Toucan Bird, and the above cockpit cannon makes no sense. However, I'm sure whoever designed her (E-wing) was WAY under paid, so we get what "they" got paid. The detail of the model is very impressive though, and the pilots are pretty cool!

Where I live the E-wing is kinda like the tropical Durian fruit, either you love it or hate it. I and a few friends love it though most seem to hate around here.

The HWK 290 is also a great looking ship although its looks doesn't match up with the way it actually flies.

I think the opposite. I think the E-wing in pictures looks dull but the model looks great in person.

I love the look of the E-Wing. It's sleek! The cannon above the cockpit is a little odd, but doesn't really bother me.

Along a similar vein, I thought that I would hate the TIE Phantom model. While I still don't really get how one of the smallest ships in the game is able to pack an extra crew member, shields, a hyperdrive, FIVE laser cannons, and a friggin' cloaking device, let alone a big enough power plant to keep it all running , the ship itself makes a lot more sense as a space superiority fighter than most ships in the game.

I was pondering that yesterday. I don't think the designers thought that one through.

...kinda like the E-Wing, heh. The gun above the cockpit is dumb, and the engines being bolted onto the bottom of the wings probably wouldn't even work (they'd tear the wings off the fuselage ... they need to be closer to the ship's center of mass).

My 5 and 7 year old nephews loved the HWK and always picked one just because they liked the way the model looked, so I guess that's two votes for the HWK.

I am gonna have to mod both the defender and the e-wing I think. There is just something wrong about them.

The defender is impressive for sure, but it just kinda looks dumb. I think the wings being so far from the body make it look round and stubby. I think bringing the wings in closer should help.

The e-wing I'm just not sure what to do. Moving the engines might work. I'll also move the dumb laser cannon from the top. I think ratios seem to be all off. I certainly doesn't look like it uses the best features of an x-wing and an a-wing.

I have never liked the E-wing, ever since I saw it in Dark Empire. But this version is growing on me. Its just subtly different enough from the comic version that it looks pretty good, to me anyway.

As for the Defender, I like it, but I wish the panels had been that same size as the Interceptors. I think that's what makes it look stubby.

and the engines being bolted onto the bottom of the wings probably wouldn't even work (they'd tear the wings off the fuselage

In space?

I love the look of the E-Wing. It's sleek! The cannon above the cockpit is a little odd, but doesn't really bother me.

Along a similar vein, I thought that I would hate the TIE Phantom model. While I still don't really get how one of the smallest ships in the game is able to pack an extra crew member, shields, a hyperdrive, FIVE laser cannons, and a friggin' cloaking device, let alone a big enough power plant to keep it all running , the ship itself makes a lot more sense as a space superiority fighter than most ships in the game.

I was pondering that yesterday. I don't think the designers thought that one through.

...kinda like the E-Wing, heh. The gun above the cockpit is dumb, and the engines being bolted onto the bottom of the wings probably wouldn't even work (they'd tear the wings off the fuselage ... they need to be closer to the ship's center of mass).

My take (note the comments are based on aesthetics and balance, not realistic ship design)

The E-Wing is off visually. Its the top cannon mostly. If they removed it and put two cannons on the sides just behind the cockpit, it would be fine. Even if they moved it back a bit, it would be fine. Where it is now is just not visually balanced. They also should have something behind the top cannon (isn't that where the droid goes?), but if they just moved it back, they wouldn't need to.

The Defender is funky, but I still love the crazy design and it is visually balanced.

The Phantom also has issues. A better design would be if they moved the three wings back so the vertical line matches up with the back of the ship and the "fins" hang off the back.

None of this is FFGs fault. Its the fault of the people that designed these ships.

The defender is impressive for sure, but it just kinda looks dumb. I think the wings being so far from the body make it look round and stubby. I think bringing the wings in closer should help.

yeah, the defender has this sort of perpetually surprised look about it. like a surprised ... space artichoke.

One more Defender story.

I first encountered the Defender in the tie fighter game in the early 90s. I thought it was a stupid and ugly design. I stopped playing and then 5 years later I saw a picture of one. I thought, hmm actually that does look kinda cool.....

So for people who do not like the design of the Defender, just give it 5 years, it will grow on you.

When my Ewing arrives tomorrow I plan to move the top laser to the bottom and do something with the rear, the ass end of that ship looks like someone didn't finish designing it.

Paint a Hawk White.

Play it with an E-Wing dial and Card.

Mod done, Problem solved.

E-wings predate the modern BSG, Dark Empire was in 1995.

But the real BSG predates E-Wings.

Please do not say, "Real" BSG.

They're both real.

Sorry. The Defender is by far the dumbest SW design. So unoriginal it's absurd. Crap, why not make an even badder arse TIE by putting FOUR interceptor-like wings on a ball? Why stop at three?

I really like the E-Wing model. Heck, all of the models in this wave are more detailed (look at the Z-95. Seriously. Detail everywhere!)