Interceptor upgrade idea....

By Gadge, in X-Wing

Looking at film shots of TIE interceptors and reading the published background in a few books it occured to me that we're flying the int with 4 lasers on the wings tips...

But some of them have six cannons, as the original tie 'chin' cannons are used as well (you can see this in ROTJ)

Perhaps a cool upgrade to interceptors would be to give them a chin gun 'upgrade' that increased firepower to 4 dice.. but perhaps with a risk of taking a critical from burning out the capacitors/generators?

Certainly make the falcon problem less of an issue if you had the opportunity to wang five red dice at it at range 1 or 4 at longer ranges.. albeit with a risk to yourself.

You have a card called Opportunist.

Yeah i suppose so but it doesnt really reflect the fact that these could have more firepower (and do) quite easily all the time.

What the Interceptors really need is some upgrade that increases their damage out put (and cost) while at the same time reduces their survivability.

(I was using the sarcasm fount)

Upgraded Cannons, 6 points, Modification, TIE Interceptor only. Increase your primary attack value by 1.

That basically turns the interceptor into a TIE phantom without a cloak, though, so it's a little redundant.

As long as we're doing the remaining stuff from the movies, how about a modification for the TIE bomber that makes it into a TIE shuttle?

TIE shuttle, 0 points, Modification, TIE bomber only. Your upgrade bar loses all missile, torpedo, and bomb upgrade icons and adds a crew upgrade icon.

Edited by kraedin

What the Interceptors really need is some upgrade that increases their damage out put (and cost) while at the same time reduces their survivability.

(I was using the sarcasm fount)

I approve the use of comic sans font as universal sarcasm font

What the Interceptors really need is some upgrade that increases their damage out put (and cost) while at the same time reduces their survivability.

(I was using the sarcasm fount)

its a risk option though isnt it. You chance piling into a falcon with a lot more hit dice and hope it doesnt burn out the lasers.

Lets be honest there are worse ideas for upgrades already in print.

It would give for example a three interceptor build 15 red dice at range 1 but have a fair chance of badly damaging one of them. But it would mean your high hit point falcon or high defence cloaked phantom was less of a threat?

Upgraded Cannons, 6 points, Modification, TIE Interceptor only. Increase your primary attack value by 1.

That basically turns the interceptor into a TIE phantom without a cloak, though, so it's a little redundant.

As long as we're doing the remaining stuff from the movies, how about a modification for the TIE bomber that makes it into a TIE shuttle?

TIE shuttle, 0 points, Modification, TIE bomber only. Your upgrade bar loses all missile, torpedo, and bomb upgrade icons and adds a crew upgrade icon.

Tie ground attack/surface attack which is halfway between an LN and a Bomber would be cool.

Lore wise its got one less cannon but rocket slots.

what the shuttle we do have needs is a rear arc given their is a **** turret on the back of the model!

Yeah i suppose so but it doesnt really reflect the fact that these could have more firepower (and do) quite easily all the time.

Ints aren't capable to produce enough power for 6 laser cannons to operate.

You have to use Opportunist or Expose ... or upgrade to a Phantom.

If they didn't risk burn out in the movies and canon then it shldnt be a potential side effect of using all 6 lasers

Trying to think of some game balance and something to make them a bit more fun than 'just add a red dice for four points'.

Ints can fire six cannon, read the background on them published in several places.

Most just have four but you can see in the movies that both sets of mountings (wings and chin) are used.

Edited by Gadge

Orrr we could just chalk it up to some lazy ILM guys who decided to reuse some TIE/Ln cockpits and didn't take off the chin lasers and pretend they dont friggin' exist like sane people, or if really bothers you that much just pretend they're part of the targeting array.

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Trying to think of some game balance and something to make them a bit more fun than 'just add a red dice for four points'.

Ints can fire six cannon, read the background on them published in several places.

Most just have four but you can see in the movies that both sets of mountings (wings and chin) are used.

In the movies they have 2 cannons.

In the computer games they have 4 cannons.

In some comics and novels and other stuff they have 6 cannons.

FFG sais: Computer games win!!!

TIE shuttle, 0 points, Modification, TIE bomber only. Your upgrade bar loses all missile, torpedo, and bomb upgrade icons and adds a crew upgrade icon.

That would be money on Jonus.


You have a card called Opportunist.

Also, Expose.

TIEs are mass-produced on an unprecedented scale, even for the Star Wars Galaxy. Lots of TIE Interceptors ended up with the "chin" cannons because they were built using off-the-shelf TIE Fighter command pods. They don't usually have the energy to fire all six without degrading their maneuverability, so many were stripped, but some pilots would have them linked back up to the power feeds.

You have a card called Opportunist.

Also, Expose.

TIEs are mass-produced on an unprecedented scale, even for the Star Wars Galaxy. Lots of TIE Interceptors ended up with the "chin" cannons because they were built using off-the-shelf TIE Fighter command pods. They don't usually have the energy to fire all six without degrading their maneuverability, so many were stripped, but some pilots would have them linked back up to the power feeds.

Can you give me a source for that reference?

You have a card called Opportunist.

Also, Expose.

TIEs are mass-produced on an unprecedented scale, even for the Star Wars Galaxy. Lots of TIE Interceptors ended up with the "chin" cannons because they were built using off-the-shelf TIE Fighter command pods. They don't usually have the energy to fire all six without degrading their maneuverability, so many were stripped, but some pilots would have them linked back up to the power feeds.

Thats exactly what Expose does

Can you give me a source for that reference?

Star Wars: The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels. The page on the TIE Interceptor points out the disconnected "chin" laser cannons in the standard TIE Fighter command pods used in TIE Interceptors. I'll double-check this evening when I get home, and post an excerpt if you're curious about the details.

Thats exactly what Expose does.

Yep! I was just explaining why it fit.

So make Expose as a 6 laser mod for the Interceptor, not an EPT.

Bam. Done

How about a 1 point Modification that you discard after using it? Have it read "Discard this card to use this attack. Increase your attack value by 1 for this turn."

Tie ground attack/surface attack which is halfway between an LN and a Bomber would be cool.

Lore wise its got one less cannon but rocket slots.

what the shuttle we do have needs is a rear arc given their is a **** turret on the back of the model!

True, but the TIE/gt (Ground Targeting) lacked the fire control to target those missiles, relying, instead, on the TIE/fc (which is basically a TIE/Ln, w/ 1 laser but with the ability to TL and pass those TLs to the TIE/gts).

Could do either/both as title cards for basic TIE Fighters or create new cards for each.

Gosric makes a great TIE/gt, by the way :) , and they make for some interesting tactical challenges/lists, as you basically have a cheap ordnance carrier but you are also dependent on others to designate (TL) targets for you. Cooperation is essential.

How about a 1 point Modification that you discard after using it? Have it read "Discard this card to use this attack. Increase your attack value by 1 for this turn."

That would be a very cheap ordnance "like" upgrade. I really don't see the need to upgrade the interceptors firepower. If it does need a buff, its in its survivability. I have a feeling that Autothrusters is going to be a nice buff.

I hope it makes the non-EPT named interceptor pilots actually useable.

Can you give me a source for that reference?

Star Wars: The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels. The page on the TIE Interceptor points out the disconnected "chin" laser cannons in the standard TIE Fighter command pods used in TIE Interceptors. I'll double-check this evening when I get home, and post an excerpt if you're curious about the details.

Yeah im not counting a 3rd tier canon reference that's notorious for glaring errors and made up info at best. Really? They "upgraded" to 4 wingtip blasters and 2 chin lasers? That's an even trade at best, and considering blasters have less range and power that lasers, probably a downgrade overall.

Looking at film shots of TIE interceptors and reading the published background in a few books it occured to me that we're flying the int with 4 lasers on the wings tips...

But some of them have six cannons, as the original tie 'chin' cannons are used as well (you can see this in ROTJ)

Perhaps a cool upgrade to interceptors would be to give them a chin gun 'upgrade' that increased firepower to 4 dice.. but perhaps with a risk of taking a critical from burning out the capacitors/generators?

Certainly make the falcon problem less of an issue if you had the opportunity to wang five red dice at it at range 1 or 4 at longer ranges.. albeit with a risk to yourself.

Now I'm wondering what you were reading that you missed the Canon Cannon variant:

TIE/IN Interceptor - http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/TIE/IN_interceptor

Production information

Manufacturer: Sienar Fleet Systems

Product line: TIE series

Model: Twin Ion Engine Interceptor

Class: Starfighter

Technical specifications

Length: 9.6 meters

Maximum acceleration; 4,240 G or 21 MGLT/second

MGLT: 111 MGLT

Maximum speed (atmosphere): 1,250 km/h

Engine unit(s): SFS P-s5.6 twin ion engines(rated 175 KTU)

Hyperdrive system: None standard, can be equipped as upgrade

Power plant: SFS I-s3a solar ionization reactor

Shielding: None standard; can be equipped as upgrade

Hull: Titanium alloy hull (16 RU)

Sensor systems: SFS S-c4.1 multi-range TAG

Targeting systems: SFS T-s9a targeting computer

Navigation system: SFS N-s6 Navcon

Avionics: SFS F-s4 flight avionics system

Armament

Original design:

Later refit:

Edited by gabe69velasquez