So everyone has their favourite ship, that they really like. I'd like you to indulge your inner 10yr old for a moment and want to know how you'd change the configuration (if at all?) and what kind of paint job you'd do if you could.

I'd love to fly a TIE Defender, swapping out the munitions for life support systems, negating the need for the full life support gear, but keeping the Ion and Blaster cannons as standard. The paint job would be bone all over, with sets of 4 dark purple harlequin diamonds on each long front 90 degree triangle solar panel section, with two concentric purple rings around the cockpit.

/regression

Hrmm, I think it would depend on what my job is.

Assuming I'm the RPG Fighter pilot who wants to kill people and has an open wallet...

If a Freelancer with access to Imperial Tech, it would be the TIE Defender. Keep the Twin Ion Cannons, and Quad Lascannons. Upgrade the Power array. Fit it with an extended Cockpit for Droid Support, Advanced Systems, Cloaking, Stealth, Slicer Array, System Jammer, Tractor Beam, and Particle Shield. And for support a Cloaked Support vessel.

If I was Imperial Pilot, then an Interceptor. Hopefully earn my Blood stripes and have access to Aveenger Program specialist mods.

As a rebel then it'd be the B-wing. As a heavy Assault fighter its the champ. Comes off the shelf with Blasters, 3 Ion Cannons, and 4 Lascannons. Has Torpedo Launchers for attacking Capital Ships. It has advanced Fire Control Systems, Hyperdrive, Great Shields, Life Suppport, Power to spare for additional systems and because of its shield array can basically hang anything of it for custom jobs.

As for Paintjob, Black, Just Black. If I have to have Insignia, its my Skull and Crossbones in Compass reticle, Harlock Style. (Love the Z-wings and Arcadia)

Decimator I would use it like a "space camper/RV and tour the galaxy!!! fighters are great but they suck for camping on distant worlds!!! Paint job would be Olive drab or Russian splinter..

Corellian corvette loaded with cookies

I'd have the Corvette. I would boost its engines further and remove all escape pods and replace them with turbo laser batteries.

No one is getting off this boat alive, we either fight to the death or run for it.

Paint scheme would be stock.

I'll take command of the new imperial Raider. Boost the power output as much as possible.

Though if limited to things released, the decimator would be it. Maybe with some extra shields.

An A-wing painted in dark gray and dark green. You can have a lot of fun with speed and maneuverability... aaaand blowing stuff up with missiles.

As a fighter pilot I would love the interceptor. For general life a heavily modified yt 1300 in gloss black with handling and engine upgrades And cruise the Galaxy.

Actually the death star but id put chicken wire over the exhaust port this time

YT-1300: Because I always wanted a fast moving house with blaster turrets.

****!

I'd get a heavily modified firespray, and I'll work for the Empire. They are more reliable when paying big amounts of credits. Also, of course, I'd have a cloaking device, so imagine that thing decloaking from nowhere and beating you with its twin cannons. I'll fly with some sidekick which was funny and useful. Nothing romantic, a bromace is much better.

The ship will be painted in carbon grey, with black window and a bone mandelorian skull in the front, so, hard to see in space even without stealth mode. Also, it would be comfortable. I don't care if its a combat vessel, I want a big black seat and the best money can buy.

Corellian Corvette would take a CR90. I would swap out the single turbo lasers with those dual ion cannons. I would also have a quad gun for anti-fighter point defense. Instead of the dish and the other thing on the hard point below it, I would have those be another pair of dual turbo lasers. The engines would be modified with the sundered heart refit, with the goal to increase reactor size instead of just speed. I would leave the 2 rear docking pylons alone so I could dock with freighters still.

The underside of the corvette would be modified as well, with the "wing" excape pods being replaced with docking clamps to hold 3 rebel fighters on both sides, and some cargo/crew space replaced with a very small hanger that allows the repair and refit of craft, one at a time. The radar dish would be located up front under the bridge.

Paint job would be the standard but with dark green instead of red.

Now I'm browsing shape ways for corvette modifications.

Tie bomber. Take out the dumb missiles and bomb slots and put in life support and living area.

Maybe try and boost the maneucerability a bit in case of need to run.

TIE fighter. fast, reliable, cheap, easy to get replacement parts, roomy comfortable interiors, easy to find parking

Carrack-class cruiser. A little big, and not a ship currently released (though I certainly hope to see one in Armada). Retrofits would be primarily to make it legal(ish) in the outer rim. Retrofit the external racks to allow multiple fighter types to dock, though I would necessarily have one rack reserved for a thoroughly modified and enhanced TIE Interceptor (unless I manage to find a Defender of course).

Paint scheme would be ramshackle. Superficial burns and pitting, that kind of thing.

Only problem with most TIEs is the lack of hyperdrive. Need one of those.

This is gonna sound crazy, but HWK all the way. Lose the blaster turret, replace it with one of the yt-1300 quad cannons. outfit her with some better shielding, and enhanced avionics for better maneuverability, and set a course. As for color, gunmetal with the classic "shark mouth" over the nose cone.

Two-seater Y-Wing. I'll pilot, and take a gunner to keep the flies off. Upgrade the engines/thrusters for better maneuverability, and replace the nose guns with CIC equipment. Definitely upgrade the avionics, too. Basically, run it as a flight leader, to coordinate other fighters.

As for the paint scheme, I'm thinking dark blue and gray. Definitely nose art, but what is up for debate.

It's tempting to pick something in the corvette-class size ship, but it's not something that just one person could pilot. So, I think that I'd have to pick a starfighter. That being said...

I'd have to choose the TIE Defender. Ever since I climbed into the cockpit of one during those TIE Fighter missions, I've been hooked. I'd remount the ordnance launchers to instead carry and launch countermeasures, should I ever need them. Second, I'd hard wire an R7 astromech into the flight matrix to assist with ship operations. Kael's modifications would double the size of his defender, so I'll keep mine more simple. I would upgrade the sensor array, as well, given I had the funds to do so. As far as the paint scheme, I'd go with a gunmetal grey coat overall, with two crimson stripes down each solar panel array and across the central pod hull.

I'd do a hwk-290 it's my favorite looking ship do far. I'd add a cloak to it with blaster turrets with chewy and moldy crow.

Context matters, and the OP sadly lacks any conditionals to give context. Therefore I'll just assume it's current Earth and this ship is just for my personal use to do whatever I happen to feel like at the time.

I'd go for a Firespray. I'd want something with solid cargo capacity that still has really beefy shields, VTOL capability, tough armor, plenty of firepower, cushy living space, and lots of room for surprises (pop-out Ion, Heavy Laser, etc., cannons, for instance).

I'd make sure that it's chock full of whatever fuel I might need, so I can keep the thing flying indefinitely. I'd also try to get a couple of maintenance droids to keep it ship-shape and running. If I could cram them in there I'd throw in either a Stealth Device (for free roaming of the various state-controlled air spaces) or a Shield Upgrade (boost the shield strength even further and you don't have to care if people know you're there or not, since they can't hurt you). Between the crew quarters and the prison you'd got plenty of space for living and room to host guests (or maybe a pet; I'd bring my dogs with me I think).

As for colors, I'm partial to a black (glossy), purple (imperial), and gold (metallic) scheme. Black base, purple trim, and gold highlights.

For Star Wars purposes: Tie defender with as many high powered laser and maneuverability upgrades as I could fit on it. I would play hit and run space sniper like I do in most video games.

If it was a modern use hypothetical, and assuming I could refuel/repair the ship somehow, then I would haul freight in a yt-1300. You would be able to enter the upper atmosphere and achieve incredible speed. Assuming that flying these ships is extremely safe, you make a few cross-world cargo runs a day. Companies would pay very good money to say, have you fly from Hamburg to Shanghai to Atlanta and make deliveries over about 2 hours total time. Furthermore, because you would be just working your own airspace and have vtol, you could promise an extremely short delivery window.

Actually, I would just take a Decimator and turn it into an Uber taxi. Wake up in Chicago and decide you and your posse of incredibly rich friends want to be in Paris in an hour? Sure, no problem, that'll be $5 grand a person.

Context matters, and the OP sadly lacks any conditionals to give context. Therefore I'll just assume it's current Earth and this ship is just for my personal use to do whatever I happen to feel like at the time.

I'd go for a Firespray. I'd want something with solid cargo capacity that still has really beefy shields, VTOL capability, tough armor, plenty of firepower, cushy living space, and lots of room for surprises (pop-out Ion, Heavy Laser, etc., cannons, for instance).

I'd make sure that it's chock full of whatever fuel I might need, so I can keep the thing flying indefinitely. I'd also try to get a couple of maintenance droids to keep it ship-shape and running. If I could cram them in there I'd throw in either a Stealth Device (for free roaming of the various state-controlled air spaces) or a Shield Upgrade (boost the shield strength even further and you don't have to care if people know you're there or not, since they can't hurt you). Between the crew quarters and the prison you'd got plenty of space for living and room to host guests (or maybe a pet; I'd bring my dogs with me I think).

As for colors, I'm partial to a black (glossy), purple (imperial), and gold (metallic) scheme. Black base, purple trim, and gold highlights.

Sounds like you want a falcon!

Okay, context:

It is any era in-canon that you choose, 20,000 BBY to 100 ABY, whatever. You can be a member of any faction, of any rank if you choose.

You may purchase 1 ship of any size, but must run it yourself - i.e. if you pick an SSD you're responsible for crew, upkeep, maintenance etc. Which would be extremely boring. So think what you would actually WANT to spend your time doing.

It does not have to be released. Show your EU knowledge!

Physics applies for the mods, so I'm not sure a Defenders power plant would support all the bling someone mentioned early on. So far I've really liked the TIE Bomber/Living quarters concept, and the Corvetter life pod/fighter switch. Reminds me of a wraith squadron book... :-)

A pimped out Lambda would be sweet too - hot tub, giant bed, big holoproj and various other 'recreational equipment'. That one would be navy blue with gold trim, and body mods would be removal of the laser cannons for more speed, better shields, and a concealed rear facing missile tube...