Even though I share a lot of the frustrations with the Legacy of the Force series, I do think the Stealth-X is a fun idea. I was actually just sharing possible ways to make one in X-Wing with a friend the other day - I like this approach as well!

And yes, Stealth is not the same as Cloak, but the Cloak rules are more fun.

The cloak/decloak mechanics mimic the the Phantoms from the Rebel Assault 2 PC game, in the game the Phantoms would cloak and then decloak across the screen, I think FFG nailed it. I would love to see a stealth-X model, but I don't think the cloaking mechanics would fit for them. I would think maybe an X-Wing dial with an added boost action, an added agility die, and one less shield.

A shadow bomb mechanic could be cool, where you can use any movement template to place the bomb ahead of you, using the same timing as normal bombs. Either Seismic or proton bomb damage mechanics would be fine.

From what I've read they didn't cloak like a phantom they just had low visibility to sensors and were black on black, so one extra agility would be what they get.

Of course, against a cold, insulating background even an all-black fighter is going to light up like a Christmas tree to anything that can see in (probably) the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but let's pretend blackbody radiation isn't a thing in Star Wars!

I have no idea why this bothers me so much, but it does.

From what I've read they didn't cloak like a phantom they just had low visibility to sensors and were black on black, so one extra agility would be what they get.

Of course, against a cold, insulating background even an all-black fighter is going to light up like a Christmas tree to anything that can see in (probably) the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but let's pretend blackbody radiation isn't a thing in Star Wars!I have no idea why this bothers me so much, but it does.

I feel your anger embrace it!

From what I've read they didn't cloak like a phantom they just had low visibility to sensors and were black on black, so one extra agility would be what they get.

Of course, against a cold, insulating background even an all-black fighter is going to light up like a Christmas tree to anything that can see in (probably) the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but let's pretend blackbody radiation isn't a thing in Star Wars!I have no idea why this bothers me so much, but it does.

But I know where you are coming from. When they were developing the SR71 Black Bird the Russians were able to see the shadow of the craft because of the difference in heat on the concrete and thus knew what it looked like but had no clue what it was.

Of course, against a cold, insulating background even an all-black fighter is going to light up like a Christmas tree to anything that can see in (probably) the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but let's pretend blackbody radiation isn't a thing in Star Wars!I have no idea why this bothers me so much, but it does.

To be honest it wasn't painting it black that kept it undetected by sensors. The Black paint job was for obscuring it from the naked eye and the fighter itself had many unexplained jamming and other systems to render it electronically invisible.

So, two kinds of sensors: active and passive. Active sensors, like radar, send out a wave and analyze the return--the stuff that bounces back--in order to figure out if anything's out there. You can jam that, and you can also engineer your ship to minimize the return. I have no trouble believing the StealthX does that.

But there's also passive sensing, like a microphone (we use a network of underwater microphones, for instance, to detect submarines approaching the US). That doesn't depend on sending anything out, but rather looks for stuff the target is sending out. And that's what bugs me here: spacecraft all require an engineering solution to the problem of dissipating waste heat. They're always a higher temperature than the background, and in fact--due to the blackbody radiation effect--they're actually producing electromagnetic radiation.

The hotter the spacecraft, the more radiation it produces. And even more importantly, it also produces more radiation as the spacecraft's body becomes increasingly opaque and nonreflective--so if you paint a ship matte black, you actually increase the amount of radiation it produces even if all of its electronics are completely silent.

So painting the StealthX black is cool, because it makes it look all ninja-ey, but it actually makes it easier to detect it by just pointing a reasonably high-resolution camera in its direction.

Stealth-X is part of the New Jedi Order.

Legacy of the Force, actually. That was Highlander 2 levels of total disaster; the NJO was fine.

I've never read Legacy of the Force, but I thought it was well recieved? What was so bad about it iyo?

I prefer the Legos Jedi Stealth Fighter. Looks like a black E wing.

http://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Star-Wars-Stealth-Starfighter/dp/B00CNBS40M

'Stealth-X', Title Upgrade, 2 points. X-Wing Only. Ship gains the Cloak Action.

New life into the X-Wing, sells an X-Wing repaint. Could come in a Jedi Aces pack featuring Jaina Solo, Jacen Solo, Kyp Durron, Saba Sebatyne, Ganner Rhysode etc. I'm pretty sure this is planned some time in the next couple of years.

I wouldn't be so sure. Vong and post-Vong is number one on the list of Things Disney Axed.

Of course, against a cold, insulating background even an all-black fighter is going to light up like a Christmas tree to anything that can see in (probably) the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but let's pretend blackbody radiation isn't a thing in Star Wars!I have no idea why this bothers me so much, but it does.

To be honest it wasn't painting it black that kept it undetected by sensors. The Black paint job was for obscuring it from the naked eye and the fighter itself had many unexplained jamming and other systems to render it electronically invisible.

So, two kinds of sensors: active and passive. Active sensors, like radar, send out a wave and analyze the return--the stuff that bounces back--in order to figure out if anything's out there. You can jam that, and you can also engineer your ship to minimize the return. I have no trouble believing the StealthX does that.But there's also passive sensing, like a microphone (we use a network of underwater microphones, for instance, to detect submarines approaching the US). That doesn't depend on sending anything out, but rather looks for stuff the target is sending out. And that's what bugs me here: spacecraft all require an engineering solution to the problem of dissipating waste heat. They're always a higher temperature than the background, and in fact--due to the blackbody radiation effect--they're actually producing electromagnetic radiation.The hotter the spacecraft, the more radiation it produces. And even more importantly, it also produces more radiation as the spacecraft's body becomes increasingly opaque and nonreflective--so if you paint a ship matte black, you actually increase the amount of radiation it produces even if all of its electronics are completely silent.So painting the StealthX black is cool, because it makes it look all ninja-ey, but it actually makes it easier to detect it by just pointing a reasonably high-resolution camera in its direction.

I understand all that Vorpal but the starwars explanation is it just works. Which is terrible. And in an environment like space your right, passive sensors would light this thing up like a Christmas tree.

It's a shame they didn't have better technical understanding when writing this X Wing into the EU....

Yeah

How do you justify two points for Cloak when a SD is three?

Probably because without an advanced cloaking device it will restrict the ship to only firing half the time.

Personally, to me the stealth x is just an x-wing with a stealth device.

I agree with Forgottenlore. A Stealth X is just an Xwing with a stealth device and painted black.

With weaker weapons, inability to use comms and lighter armour.

Stealth-X is part of the New Jedi Order.

Legacy of the Force, actually. That was Highlander 2 levels of total disaster; the NJO was fine.

LotF wasn't too bad. Fate of the Jedi was the train wreck.

Of course, against a cold, insulating background even an all-black fighter is going to light up like a Christmas tree to anything that can see in (probably) the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, but let's pretend blackbody radiation isn't a thing in Star Wars!I have no idea why this bothers me so much, but it does.

To be honest it wasn't painting it black that kept it undetected by sensors. The Black paint job was for obscuring it from the naked eye and the fighter itself had many unexplained jamming and other systems to render it electronically invisible.

So painting the StealthX black is cool, because it makes it look all ninja-ey, but it actually makes it easier to detect it by just pointing a reasonably high-resolution camera in its direction.

Have to slightly disagree with black paint makes it easier to detect. Depends on the chemical composition of the paint. Some paint out today can hide vehicle from thermal sensors. I would assume that in a galaxy far far way that there would be paint that could hide a radiation singnature or what ever is being given off.

I'd just say it uses hybridium cloaking, the type from the Thrawn Trilogy. (Phantoms have Stygium which is far more powerful but needs a rare resource to make.)

Mass Effect nailed stealth in space. The game took seriously the idea of heat and other radiation, and designed its space craft in a way that dealt with the issue.

If you note the "fins" on all Mass Effect ships, those are the heat disapation devices. Spreading those fins was actually a sign of surrender.

Star Wars, of course, uses its own conception of physics. For instance: momentum and inertia work differently in that universe than ours.

Star Wars, of course, uses its own conception of physics. For instance: momentum and inertia work differently in that universe than ours.

But at the end of Empire is that not the Milky Way Galaxy in the window. So they are in the same universe as us, just a different galaxy.

No, it isn't.

It is either the main galaxy of the SW universe (meaning they are far outside the galaxy in the picture), or it is one of the satellite galaxies that orbit the primary SW galaxy (such as the Rishi Maze). Depending on which source you want to believe. Both options have their logical/physical fallacies.

I'd just say it uses hybridium cloaking, the type from the Thrawn Trilogy. (Phantoms have Stygium which is far more powerful but needs a rare resource to make.)

Are you sure it's not transformium or unobtainium?

I'd just say it uses hybridium cloaking, the type from the Thrawn Trilogy. (Phantoms have Stygium which is far more powerful but needs a rare resource to make.)

Are you sure it's not transformium or unobtainium?

Or strontium?

Er, wait....

Let me begin by saying that I hate myself for being drawn into a scientific debate referring to fantasy sci-fi material. That said;

But there's also passive sensing, like a microphone (we use a network of underwater microphones, for instance, to detect submarines approaching the US). That doesn't depend on sending anything out, but rather looks for stuff the target is sending out. And that's what bugs me here: spacecraft all require an engineering solution to the problem of dissipating waste heat. They're always a higher temperature than the background, and in fact--due to the blackbody radiation effect--they're actually producing electromagnetic radiation.

The hotter the spacecraft, the more radiation it produces. And even more importantly, it also produces more radiation as the spacecraft's body becomes increasingly opaque and nonreflective--so if you paint a ship matte black, you actually increase the amount of radiation it produces even if all of its electronics are completely silent.

So painting the StealthX black is cool, because it makes it look all ninja-ey, but it actually makes it easier to detect it by just pointing a reasonably high-resolution camera in its direction.

In reference to microphones (I assume it was used as an example of passive sensors, but if not) - sound doesn't do so well in space - of course we can hear the thrum of a star destroyer or whine of a TIE fighter, but that's mostly for audience enjoyment as opposed to actual science.

In reference to electromagnetic radiation and heat signature, your statement is only true if the "paint" was standard pigment adjustment. If this "paint" had a electromagnetically damping nature (see 21st century stealth aircraft) then it would reduce the emanations naturally. Add to this "science fantasy material" the ability to absorb heat as well and you have a substance that would reduce the visual and electronic signatures to both passive sensors and alien species naturally able to view said signatures. As the star wars universe if full of said species, it can be assumed that any competent galaxy spanning military force (especially one who is primarily comprised of these various species) would take the R&D actions to ensure their "stealth paint" was really doing it's job and not just "killerz kewl" to look at.

We're giving an awful lot of credit to an author who probably didn't think twice about these things when he/she wrote them, much less have a background in science that would warrant these kinds of justifications.

It's Star Wars. Suspend disbelief or don't.

Star Wars, of course, uses its own conception of physics. For instance: momentum and inertia work differently in that universe than ours.

But at the end of Empire is that not the Milky Way Galaxy in the window. So they are in the same universe as us, just a different galaxy.

No, it's actually the Star Wars galaxy they are looking at - the Rendevous Point the rebels used was an area just outside the galactic disc so as to be secure from the Empire. As we know from the opening crawl, the galaxy they inhabit is far, far, away.

Could be a protoplanetary disc...

If we were to do that I'd make the stealth X its own ship rather than an upgrade, just because defensive biggs would be so stupid if it were a title.

Outer Rim Smuggler + Tactical Jammer (28)

Biggs Darklighter + R2-F2 + Experimental Interface (31)

Green Squadron Pilot + Chardaan Refit + Wingman (19)

Blue Squadron Pilot (22)

Only because it could be a Biggs rolling 5 evade dice and have a focus to boot.

You can probably swap the A and B wings out for Kyle with Wingman, giving Biggs two focus per turn for defense. That's ridiculous. But will it fly?

Could be a protoplanetary disc...

That could just be orbital wobble.

(will anyone get the reference)

No, it's actually the Star Wars galaxy they are looking at - the Rendevous Point the rebels used was an area just outside the galactic disc so as to be secure from the Empire. As we know from the opening crawl, the galaxy they inhabit is far, far, away.

That's one of the problems with it not being a satellite galaxy. They aren't "just outside" that galaxy. Assuming it is about the same size as the milky way (some sources say it is larger), then they are something like several hundred thousand LIGHT YEARS outside of that galaxy.

Also, there are too many background stars for them to be in an inter-galactic void.