I've been wondering this for a while now, I can certainly understand from this games point of view as it making the B-wing over powered in some regards but as to the actual design of the B-wing, why didnt it have a droid? If anything with the complexity of the craft i'd have thought it would need one.

Anyway, just a thought.

The B-wing had all the computing power an astromech provided already built in. Essentially all the astromech was there for on the older ships was to calculate hyperspace jumps.

Then why does the e-wing have one?

Because it is the spiritual successor to the X-wing.

Apparently the engineers were lazy.

Seems pretty poor from a design standpoint. The astromech surely is ridiculously inefficient mass (motive systems, self-contained power) and if all the astromech's mass could be done away with for a nav computer, the fighter would be that much more efficient. Maybe that's why B-Wings are a relatively efficiently costed Rebel ship at 22 vs the relatively overcosted E-wings and X-Wings.

But let's not apply logic and science to space laser fighters.

I think it has more to do with design style and philosophy. There are many distinct styles and philosophies of ship creation in the Star Wars universe. Incom likes doing things a certain way, Siener Fleet another, Soro Suub another, etc. Incom and Koensayr Manufacturing seem to favor ship designs using astromechs. But the Mon Cal and Siener Fleet seem to prefer integrated systems.

I think it comes down to a few things:

First, astromech's weren't simply just portable nav-computers, they also were in-flight repairmen, and co-pilot all rolled in to one. They did help with hyperspace jumping, but they also provided a better way to control the energy systems. Look at how often in the movies, books, tv shows, etc. that a pilot told his/her astromech unit to switch power to thrusters, shields, or guns. They made it so a pilot could just focus on flying, and tell his astromech when he/she needed something else done.

Second, astromech's make a ton of sense for a force that is not steadily funded or supplied. Depending on mission parameters astromech's can be moved between ships much more efficiently then totally reprogramming an on-board computer system. For example, a flight of X-Wing pilots that has been active flying sorties in their X-Wings need to use Y-Wings for a bomber run. Moving an astromech droid that you're comfortable with can greatly ease the transition to a ship you haven't flown in the past few months. Not the greatest example, but a fairly valid one.

Finally, by the time the B-Wing came around, the Rebellion was much better funded and supplied. It made sense to create an expensive ship that could do it all without an astromech. As far as the E-Wing is concerned, I think you hit the nail on the head. It was the direct descendent of the X-Wing, and as such it was designed to be much closer to that particular system.

Seems pretty poor from a design standpoint. The astromech surely is ridiculously inefficient mass (motive systems, self-contained power) and if all the astromech's mass could be done away with for a nav computer, the fighter would be that much more efficient. Maybe that's why B-Wings are a relatively efficiently costed Rebel ship at 22 vs the relatively overcosted E-wings and X-Wings.

But let's not apply logic and science to space laser fighters.

The ability of the droid to remove itself from the fighter to provide ground based technical support was a major advantage given that the Alliance routinely used their fighter pilots as commandos and spies.

Do note however, that the R7 could only work with the E-Wing. This is significant because this restricted its abilities bigtime, and that kinda' helped kill the E-Wing.

Because Admiral Ackbar didn't design it that way.

Do note however, that the R7 could only work with the E-Wing. This is significant because this restricted its abilities bigtime, and that kinda' helped kill the E-Wing.

I recall reading that the e-wings complexity and advanced systems required an r7, not the other way around.

In universe I recall a noted drawback of A's and B's was their lack of astro mech.

Think of it like this. You're driving your car. You then need to change gear, switch radio station, turn your lights on and put the window whippers on but you can only use one hand. Solution the astromech. B-wings and A-wings were both very hard to fly because of how complex they were.

In the various RPG the A-Wing and B-Wings had limited navcomps that could only store two jumps. The Astromech droids could typically hold more and were available for other things.

As for the E-Wing I seem to recall it basically be designed for/around the R7 Astromechs so which needed what could be argued either way. In any case I believe the R7s were supposed way over priced and furthermore many pilots didn't like the new droids and would have prefered flying with their astromechs from older ships.

I can seem to remember Luke burying his E-Wing and the R7 to make it work in one of the books.

The astromech slot on some ships is like a half-sized crew position that doesn't require the associated bulk required for a living crew member, like life support systems, etc. Astromechs did add versatility to some ships that enabled them to become multi-role ships. And for a rebel force with limited resources, the more options, the better.

Much like R2-D2 and C-3PO are droid counterparts, Astromech droids work much more efficiently with their ship after lots of flying. Artoo-Detoo become so used to Luke's X-wing that efficiency between the ship and Astromech increased by around 50% if I remember correctly. That's one reason why Rogue Squadron preferred the X-wings to other ships.

Much like R2-D2 and C-3PO are droid counterparts, Astromech droids work much more efficiently with their ship after lots of flying. Artoo-Detoo become so used to Luke's X-wing that efficiency between the ship and Astromech increased by around 50% if I remember correctly. That's one reason why Rogue Squadron preferred the X-wings to other ships.

True, but it was also indicated that droid memories were routinely wiped to prevent that level of inter connectedness. The flight crew guys were sort of passive-aggressively annoyed with Luke's x-wing because they always needed R2 before they could do any work on it.

Much like R2-D2 and C-3PO are droid counterparts, Astromech droids work much more efficiently with their ship after lots of flying. Artoo-Detoo become so used to Luke's X-wing that efficiency between the ship and Astromech increased by around 50% if I remember correctly. That's one reason why Rogue Squadron preferred the X-wings to other ships.

True, but it was also indicated that droid memories were routinely wiped to prevent that level of inter connectedness. The flight crew guys were sort of passive-aggressively annoyed with Luke's x-wing because they always needed R2 before they could do any work on it.

Oh right, I forgot about that. Luke's X-wing eventually required Artoo because of how many times they flew together without a memory wipe.

Which, because of the improved performance, could have led to the idea of designing a ship with the intention of it being mated to a droid brain. Either by including the droid brain as an integrated component (B-Wing) or by designing the ship with a special, advanced droid in mind so that it can only be flown with a certain model of droid (E-Wing).

From stuff I read (that date all the way back to the WEG role playing game) the B-wing was designed by a group of rebel technical geniouses(headed up by Admiral Ackbar), that had never designed a fighter before. That is why it has such an unconventional design. They basically reinvented things, they didn't use other systems common in many starfighters (this obviously could include the use of astromech droids)

As for why any one would want an astromech droid in say an E-wing, Droids is Star Wars are people, fully artificially intelligent people. Some are stupid, but some like R2D2 are awesome. X-wings and such may have been designed to use astormech droids as nav-computers, but they also act as copilots.

Seems pretty poor from a design standpoint. The astromech surely is ridiculously inefficient mass (motive systems, self-contained power) and if all the astromech's mass could be done away with for a nav computer, the fighter would be that much more efficient. Maybe that's why B-Wings are a relatively efficiently costed Rebel ship at 22 vs the relatively overcosted E-wings and X-Wings.

But let's not apply logic and science to space laser fighters.

One advantage to an astromech droid is, unlike a navigation system, it also does field repairs.

Its akin to lugging a technician / mechanic around with you in addition to a navigator.

On a a large-scale logistics level, that still introduces some inefficiencies, but for semi-itinerant guerrillas...

...it has advantages.

Because Admiral Ackbar didn't design it that way.

Good thing he didn't design it at all.

Because Admiral Ackbar didn't design it that way.

Good thing he didn't design it at all.

Heresy! Confound your new Rebels Canon! EU 4 life!

Engine Upgrade for life?

... yes I know EU (expanded universe) funnier to think engine upgrade though.

Boostwing=EU 4 life