Experimental ships. just musing

By Gosric, in X-Wing

I was watching Gundam MS Igloo the other night (which is about a Zeon experimental weapons corp and the Gundam style versions of weapons the Nazis tried) And was thinking that it is almost a pity that SW is on such a huge scale.

It would have been interesting to see a desperate Empire (or rebellion, which i suppose would be a little more likely) against the ropes making last ditch WW2 style disposable experiments.

Or maybe that is just me.

Well the realm of experimental TIE designs and variant versions of Rebel fighters are actually a fairly common thing. For example, even the humble Y-Wing has a number of variants, including the Y-Wing Recon, the version with only forward facing ion cannons (as opposed to a turret), Y-Wings with bomb chutes instead of torpedoes, and so-on and so-forth. The thing is that the Empire liked to think big with ships, as we can see with the abundance of Star Destroyer classes, with their fighters being seen as expendable at best for a long period of time up until the Battle of Yavin.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that we already have flavours of that in this game, with the different modification and ordnance options we have at this point. What precisely were you looking for to have though? Like purely an experimental ship type in the game?

Doesn't the TIE phantom qualify?

I think the TIE-droid was built in response to the shortage of pilots/resources for the fleet after the New Alliance started to turn the tide of war.

Not so much variation as desperation. Things like escape pods with multi rocket systems attached launched at the enemy along the same lines as the Natter. But it doesnt really work with SW as is

If you're talking of zany unconventional designs, like the Ba349 Natter or Me163 Komet, then I think the TIE Experimentals from XW:A qualify. Remote-control eyeballs with everything from Turbolasers and Missile Launchers to Engines and Bombs glued on. The TIE/D from the E-Wing's era is another example of a disposable fighter.

The Phantom would be like the Me262 jet fighter; a radical departure from convention that went into full production.

I think though that the truest form of hasty, disposable, and experimental [in that they prey it works] fighters would be Uglies.

Well the realm of experimental TIE designs and variant versions of Rebel fighters are actually a fairly common thing. For example, even the humble Y-Wing has a number of variants, including the Y-Wing Recon, the version with only forward facing ion cannons (as opposed to a turret), Y-Wings with bomb chutes instead of torpedoes, and so-on and so-forth. The thing is that the Empire liked to think big with ships, as we can see with the abundance of Star Destroyer classes, with their fighters being seen as expendable at best for a long period of time up until the Battle of Yavin.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that we already have flavours of that in this game, with the different modification and ordnance options we have at this point. What precisely were you looking for to have though? Like purely an experimental ship type in the game?

Little off on Y-wings.

There is the BTL-A4 a single seater which can either be loaded with torps or bombs. The S3 has a gunner seat. The A4 Longprobe has locked Ion cannons and better sensors. And there are about 5 other variants that are basically the same.

Well the realm of experimental TIE designs and variant versions of Rebel fighters are actually a fairly common thing. For example, even the humble Y-Wing has a number of variants, including the Y-Wing Recon, the version with only forward facing ion cannons (as opposed to a turret), Y-Wings with bomb chutes instead of torpedoes, and so-on and so-forth. The thing is that the Empire liked to think big with ships, as we can see with the abundance of Star Destroyer classes, with their fighters being seen as expendable at best for a long period of time up until the Battle of Yavin.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that we already have flavours of that in this game, with the different modification and ordnance options we have at this point. What precisely were you looking for to have though? Like purely an experimental ship type in the game?

Y-Wing variants

• BTL Y-wing starfighter

The BTL Y-wing starfighter, built by Koensayr Manufacturing, was a mainstay of the Alliance Starfighter Corps. It was often used as an assault bomber to attack enemy capital ships directly in conjunction with the later B-wing starfighters.

Armament

Taim & Bak IX4 or KX5 laser cannons[4] (2)

Light ArMek turreted SW-4 ion cannons (2)

Arakyd Flex Tube proton torpedo launchers (2)

4 torpedoes each

Proton bombs

• BTL-S3 Y-wing starfighter

The BTL-S3 Y-wing, a variant configuration of the BTL Y-wing starfighter, was the most common Y-wing configuration. A two-man strike starfighter, the first crew member piloted the craft, while the second acted as a gunner and controlled the two swivel-mounted ion cannons, located right on top of the cockpit.

Armament

Taim & Bak IX4 or KX5 laser cannons (2)

ArMek turreted SW-4 ion cannon (1)

Aratech Flex Tube proton torpedo launchers (2)

10 torpedoes

20 proton bombs

• BTL-A4 Y-wing starfighter

The BTL-A4 Y-wing starfighter was the one-man version of the BTL-S3 starfighter model.

Armament

Taim & Bak IX4 or KX5 laser cannons (2)

ArMek turreted SW-4 ion cannons (2)

Arakyd Flex Tube proton torpedo launchers (2)

8 torpedoes or 20 proton bombs

• BTL-A4 LP "Longprobe"

An additional (though less common) BTL-A4 variant known as the "LongProbe," designated BTL-A4 (LP), was equipped with a nav computer, backup hyperdrive, advanced scanners, and an extended fuel supply in place of the weapons systems officer.

Armament

Laser cannons

Ion cannons

8 proton torpedoes

• BTL-S3 Courier variant

Alliance Intelligence utilized specially modified Y-wings for long-range courier duty. This variant of the BTL-S3 had no ion cannons, which were removed for baggage space, a larger main cockpit area able to carry up to five people,...

BTL-S3B Y-wing starfighter

The BTL-S3B Y-wing starfighter was a variant of the S3 Y-wing, with twin blasters.

Light Y-wing

The Light Y-wing was a light bomber, which lacked the support pylons on the engine.

Heavy Y-wing

The Heavy Y-wing was a bomber with heavier ordinance and four engine pods.

This interesting list I found is going to keep me researching.

The Y-wing mark I

The Y-wing mark II (Unofficial)

BTL-P1 Y-wing "Prototype"

BTL-F1 Y-wing "Fighter"

BTL-T2 Y-wing "Trainer"

BTL-T2mod Y-wing "Intel Courier"

BTL-T2W Y-wing "Early Warning"

BTL-T2KC Y-wing "Tanker"

BTL-S3 Y-wing "Fighter-Bomber"

BTL-A4 Y-wing "Recon"

BTL-E5 Y-wing "Wild Weasel"

BTL-A6 Y-wing II "Recon"

BTL-S7 Y-wing II "Fighter-Bomber"

BTL-M2 "Medium Bomber"

BTL-U8 Y-wing "Pinnace"

BTL-E9 Y-wing II "Wild Weasel"

BTL-T10 Y-wing II "Trainer"

BTL-D11 Y-wing "Drone"

So with all these variants,

as I read through the differences,

I see a lot of ideas for upgrade cards.

• BTL-A4 title card, maybe like the Charadaan refit (-2) for the A-wing, locking the turret backwards (-2), or removing it completely (-4), adding the Boost ability or evade.

• Longprobe title card that adds the system upgrade.

• BTL-S3 Courier title card that removes the turret, and adds a crew, with restrictions against attack related crew.

Light Y-wing title card, another Charadaan-like refit that removes both Torpedo slots. perhaps adding boost or evade instead of the negative cost.

Heavy Y-wing title card that allows for two bomb upgrade slots.

• Veteran title card, the obvious one, that gives the Y-wing an EPT slot.

• Ace title card, not the obvious one, but rather one that gives the Y-wing the Boost or evade ability.

• Astromech upgrade, a droid that will share target locks, like Dutch Vander's ability, but with two other ships like Fleet Officer.

• BTL-T2 Y-wing title card, removes the two proton torpedo slots for two extra shield.

• BTL-T2W title card, extends the range of target locking for self and other ships.

• BTL-A6 Y-wing II "Recon" title card, like the long probe adds the system upgrade, but twice.

• BTL-E5 Y-wing title card, an ability that allows the removal of target locks within a range of 2.

• BTL-U8 "Easy Eight" Y-wing title card, heavily modified with two crew, more hull, less shields, and only the turret as the primary weapon.

• BTL-M2 "Medium Bomber" title card, adds two crew and an extra torpedo slot, making the turret the primary weapon.

• BTL-E9 Y-wing title card, a ship capable of performing a Jam action, same range as the Rebel transport.

• BTL-T10/FO Y-wing title card, if this ship is within range of a huge ship it doubles all target lock actions of the huge ship.

• BTL-TD11 Y-wing drone title card... not even going there, until they introduce Kamikaze ramming rules.

...Yes I know most of the later where unofficial ships created by Urban Lundqvist for use with the Star Wars role-playing game made by West End Games.

Edited by gabe69velasquez

The ship we have is the A4 I'm pretty sure, look at the GSP flavor text. Also, none of the ones starting with Y-wing mk1 down are canon I believe.