So while we wait for any new Armada news I thought we could talk about the whole book line of Star Wars: Aftermath which is supposed to take place from right after rotj all the way up to the start of Episode 7. Its a group of 20+ books that are set to be released in September. One was a ships of the galaxy which I'm thinking will have loads of great ideas for FFG to use in subsequent waves over the next few years. The other was aftermath itself which shows the Imperials trying to consolidate power right after the death of Vader and the Emperor. I think this settles once and for all that the Empire will still be alive and well in episode 7. Also puts the last nail on the coffin for the EU stuff which (outside the Thrawn trilogy) I didn't care too much for.

When I was a kid, the essential guide to starships was a personal favorite of mine. I would love to see something like that resurrected... even better if it looks like something I could keep on the coffee table. I've discussed my waning interest in purchasing any new x-wing ships in other threads, and a *good* book that has new fighters in it coupled with the film would totally direct my wallet back into the warm embrace of FFG.

I'm pretty excited to see what new things are added to the EU in the coming books and films, although I will admit I'm slightly disappointed to think that we might never see other ships from the old EU. I would have loved to see Chiss Clawcraft or Stealth X-Wings in X-Wing, not to mention the possibility of other factions being introduced to both X-Wing and Armada like the Hapes Consortium

I think a lot of the star ships will remain, but I doubt we will ever see them in a movie (Z95,Victory, ect)

Factions on the other hand... I think they are largely gone for good.

Ships I agree will have no trouble as tech is always changing. Factions are right offs. Still hope for a dreadnought though.

Yeah I'd love to see the katana fleet dreadnoughts, also any new capital ships we see in the new movies of course.

All I hope is that Thrawn happened, because that was the best Trilogy in the EU, full stop. Everything after that was fun, but the Thrawn trilogy really felt 'Star Wars' to me.

Plus Captain Pallaeon adds some much needed proper Imperial Perspective.

Yeah I loved the Thrawn books. I hope they at least keep some form of thrawn too but either way I'm excited for all the new star wars coming out. Its a great time to be a star wars fan!

Thinking on my comment, the assault frigate II is a dreadnought variant so good chance we may see it.

I also hope Thrawn makes it out of the EU write off. Maybe throw him in a movie. That would be cool.

We will like see a dreadnought, as it is a fan favorite, thanks to the Thrawn trilogy.

However, now that I am older, I don't quite understand how the addition of 200 dreadnoughts are actually that much of a game changer, given 5 dreads = 1 ISD. Sure 40 ISDs is a powerful fleet, but didn't the Empire have at least 10,000 ISDs?

And most of the EU was poorly written dross. The only ones that were actually good were the Thrawn / Zhan books and the X Wing series for essentially being the video game.

**** I hope we get a new game like X Wing /Tie Fighter.

I, too, am holding out hope for a new X-Wing/Tie Fighter game. I think it is actually encouraging that gog.com got permission to re-release the original games from LucasArts/Disney earlier in the year, as I would bet they are testing the waters for demand.

Yes, they also need to incorporate Thrawn somehow. I started on the extended universe with those books oh so many years ago and I loved the character!

We will like see a dreadnought, as it is a fan favorite, thanks to the Thrawn trilogy.

However, now that I am older, I don't quite understand how the addition of 200 dreadnoughts are actually that much of a game changer, given 5 dreads = 1 ISD. Sure 40 ISDs is a powerful fleet, but didn't the Empire have at least 10,000 ISDs?

And most of the EU was poorly written dross. The only ones that were actually good were the Thrawn / Zhan books and the X Wing series for essentially being the video game.

**** I hope we get a new game like X Wing /Tie Fighter.

The Katana fleet is a big buff because the Imps were fractured at that point. Thrawn was 5 years after Endor, the Rebels had already taken Coruscant, the Imps were being pushed back across the board and many Admirals were declaring themselves independent warlords. Plus the majority of any sides fleets (Alliance, Imperial, or Warlord) had to stay in the home systems to keep order. So even if the Imps had 5k Imp-2s quite a few of those would have had to stay in a defensive or peace keeping posture. So adding 40 Imperial Class ships to an offensive fleet (especially one commanded by Thrawn) was a big boost.

I'm pretty excited to see what new things are added to the EU in the coming books and films, although I will admit I'm slightly disappointed to think that we might never see other ships from the old EU. I would have loved to see Chiss Clawcraft or Stealth X-Wings in X-Wing, not to mention the possibility of other factions being introduced to both X-Wing and Armada like the Hapes Consortium

I think a lot of the star ships will remain, but I doubt we will ever see them in a movie (Z95,Victory, ect)

Factions on the other hand... I think they are largely gone for good.

Yeah a lot of EU ships classes have already become canon and I'm sure more will follow. The Z-95s, Cloakshapes, Victory class Star Destroyerss, and almost every GCW era Interdictor are already canon, and we have seen a Z-95 variant on screen in The Clone Wars so we might see them again. Even The Tikiar class fighters which only appeared in a couple of EU novels are now canon.

I hold Zahn's Thrawn trilogy and the Hand of Thrawn duology as on par if not better than the original trilogy itself. So while I'm looking forward to the new movies and anticipate them to be better than the those things... That were before... But came after... Ah well can't remember. I'm gonna be in two minds about this "new beginning", it should be pretty awesome, but I'm gonna be stuck comparing and thinking of what could have been if they simply turned the Thrawn trilogy into the sequels.

In any case, back in my day, when we actually read from paper books and a 14k modem was lighting fast, GET OFF MY LAWN!

Clawcraft was in the latest novel, Heir to the Jedi, being flown by pirates. The same book also rewrites B-Wing history though, as the pirates are also flying them as well, and the book takes place, at most, 1 ABY. And we know the A-Wing is going to show up in Rebels season 2, so it looks like a lot of ships are getting older in the new canon.

I don't mind that really. Never made sense that in a universe that large the rebels relied on a couple designs. When your fractured and wanting, anything is better then nothing.

In a galaxy as wide as Star Wars I would find it shocking if the Alliance didn't have some in house ship and fighter design capacity really . All it takes is some designers or design firms who are disgruntled with the Empire, time for them to work and shipyards or factories to produce their work.

3D printed Star fighters.

I don't mind that really. Never made sense that in a universe that large the rebels relied on a couple designs. When your fractured and wanting, anything is better then nothing.

True. Though using "any old thing" creates logistical issues regarding acquisition and storage of spare parts, hiring and training of technicians, and so on. Could the Alliance could rely on "just in time" manufacturing?" Likely, they had to count on warehousing, etc.

And having a number of types of fighters means you have to stock a greater variety of parts. It also means the techs have to be able to work on a wider array of stuff. So keeping the number of ships "manageable" would have been a good idea.

Granted, some of the less well connected Rebels likely used what-ever kit they could get ahold of. Leia's group was connected -- financially, militarily, etc. They got the "good" toys.

True there would be mainstream users, and also disconnected cells. The equipment quality and standards would be quite variable. It really shows in the the odd collection of capital ships the Rebellion employs.

True there would be mainstream users, and also disconnected cells. The equipment quality and standards would be quite variable. It really shows in the the odd collection of capital ships the Rebellion employs.

Are you watching Rebels? ( The Rebels book A New Dawn is pretty good, too.)

Anyway, I believe the following is spoiler free: One of the themes in Rebels is scouting the galaxy looking for folks with both the inclination and the talent needed to oust the Empire. The implication is that the nascent Rebel leadership was trying to get the little, scattered groups to bide their time and amass their strength.

Granted, that would make a boring story, so their isn't very much biding of time in the show.

Watching it for sure. I have a feeling it is very directed at getting people ready for the new movies and contains things we will see on the big screen. Inquisitors anyone?