See times moved on so surely the tie interceptor should be the standard fighter now not the LN, but no he's instead messed with a classic design just because he can.

I'd rather a new generation of fighters to rehashing what was already a solid design.

Because it's a different craft, with different strengths and weaknesses, not simply an advanced replacement.

it's a metal box on four wheels, not seeing much progress there.

I fail to see how you can play XWM, being a blind man...

When I was a kid I saved someone from being hit by a truck and got splashed in the eyes with water.

it's a metal box on four wheels, not seeing much progress there.

I fail to see how you can play XWM, being a blind man...

When I was a kid I saved someone from being hit by a truck and got splashed in the eyes with water.

Irrelevant fact is irrelevant.

It's probably a reference.

See times moved on so surely the tie interceptor should be the standard fighter now not the LN, but no he's instead messed with a classic design just because he can.

I'd rather a new generation of fighters to rehashing what was already a solid design.

Because it's a different craft, with different strengths and weaknesses, not simply an advanced replacement.

Only in X-Wing. Canonically it's a faster, more maneuverable and more heavily armed TIE fighter. The only reason TIEs are used after the Interceptor is brought out is because they haven't replaced them with Interceptors yet, and in the Legends canon the TIE fighter dies out and is fully replaced by the Interceptor. The Empire's 40 ABY TIEs in Legends (Starhunters) are based off the Interceptor.

Likewise, the new white TIEs in canon probably make the TIE interceptor similarly obsolete and replace it. The difference between the TIE/in and TIE/ln in appearance is the shape of the wings, and they're just Rule of Cool appearance things. The internals are better in the /in than the /ln, but the internals of the new TIE probably beats the TIE/in similarly.

I figured they were simply a different ships for different uses. Why should the Empire only have one kind of fighter craft?

They don't only have one kind of fighter craft, even by just the films you've also got the TIE bomber.

But I'll put this a different way: which different uses? What is a TIE fighter for that a TIE interceptor is not?

People complain that the Tie fighters have not changed. The US Air force still uses bombers from the 50's and fighters designed in the 70's.

but they have changed.. early B-52D http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-52_Stratofortress#/media/File:Boeing_B-52D-40-BW_(SN_56-0695)_and_GAM-72_Quail_decoy_missile_and_trailer_061127-F-1234S-010.jpg

Late B-52H http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-52_Stratofortress#/media/File:Usaf.Boeing_B-52.jpg

look at the nose. Its also got new engines and they got rid of the tail gun. also during its history it went from a quad 50 cal to a gatling gun to now no gun..

Also just look at the F-4 it has several variations. from the F-4A all they way down to the F-4S model.. some of the changes are only internal but google and look at the difference between the D and the E versions.. Even the F-15 and 16 have changed externally over the years but not quite as drastic.. Bigger intake and rear stabilizers for the 16. Different engines/radar avionics for both of them etc... ecm "Bumps" on the 15..

people that have worked them can spot the differences..lol also google pictures of the F-18A vs F-18C... Also along those lines each single seat fighter also has a two seat combat capable trainer version that is also slightly different. except for the F-15E and all of them are two seaters, thats the "Bomber" variant of the F-15. An aircraft originally designed for Air superiority only.

However that said "I have a bad feeling about this" I think its more change for change's sake.. going by JJs history..lol but I actually like the new star trek loo, and i like the new look of the X-wing and ties and It would be great if they were simply newer versions. Tie fighter "E" model...etc.. from the trailer I am guessing the falcon wasn't touched because it IS the same old falcon... I am thinking when he says "we are home" is when He is reunited with his old ship??? just my 2 cents...

The splashed eyes thing you'd get if you watched 'daredevil'

Tie int still have the chin cannon mountings as other have said, the main guns are in the wings but they can have them fitted to the chin also but its a power drain.

essentially it has six weapon 'hard points' and i imagine if you're an interceptor ace like fel you can choose which ones of them you want fitted with guns... if you sacrifice engine power you probably have that call.

Think of it as a modification card

On a side note as a tie pilot cosplayer i cant say i like the new look of pilots at all, no where near as cool

And lastly, military kit takes a lot longer than 30 years to phase out. The British SLR rifle went into service in 1956 and stopped being used in first line units in 1990!

The AK47 went into service in 1949 and its still being used across the world.

The TIE fighter is the Ak47 of spaceships, cheap, simple to use and mass produced.

And the new TIEs are jet back with bright white panels, the cockpits have been reconfigured a bit, and some of them have the cog shapes on the wings and turrets on the bottom. The TIEs have changed a bit too as you'd expect from 30 years.

I think Far Wanderer was getting more at people complaining that the TIEs don't look ground up different.

The splashed eyes thing you'd get if you watched 'daredevil'

Figured it was Daredevil. Haven't gotten around to watching that yet though so couldn't say for certain.

And the new TIEs are jet back with bright white panels, the cockpits have been reconfigured a bit, and some of them have the cog shapes on the wings and turrets on the bottom. The TIEs have changed a bit too as you'd expect from 30 years.

I think Far Wanderer was getting more at people complaining that the TIEs don't look ground up different.

The splashed eyes thing you'd get if you watched 'daredevil'

Figured it was Daredevil. Haven't gotten around to watching that yet though so couldn't say for certain.

Im watching daredevil out the corner of my eye while writing for work or painting toy soldiers while my mate watches it on my netflix account.

Given im only paying it about 15 per cent of my attention im finding it quite good....

it's a metal box on four wheels, not seeing much progress there.

I fail to see how you can play XWM, being a blind man...

When I was a kid I saved someone from being hit by a truck and got splashed in the eyes with water.

Irrelevant fact is irrelevant.

It was a pop culture reference joke

But I'll put this a different way: which different uses? What is a TIE fighter for that a TIE interceptor is not?

Blocking.

I'm fairly sure that whole ISD junkyard exists entirely for the purpose of contrast.

Did you spot the crashed T65 in the foreground of that shot?

There is some early shots of a wrecked ATAT as wel isnt there, doesnt one of the characters allegedly live in it?

Put it this way if i was on tattoine i'd rather live in a downed star destoryer than a hole in the ground...

it's a metal box on four wheels, not seeing much progress there.

I fail to see how you can play XWM, being a blind man...

When I was a kid I saved someone from being hit by a truck and got splashed in the eyes with water.

Irrelevant fact is irrelevant.

It was a pop culture reference joke

Indeed it was sir.

They don't only have one kind of fighter craft, even by just the films you've also got the TIE bomber.

But I'll put this a different way: which different uses? What is a TIE fighter for that a TIE interceptor is not?

Cheaper for mass production.

it's a metal box on four wheels, not seeing much progress there.

I fail to see how you can play XWM, being a blind man...

Just as a side note, I had a friend who played a certain fantasy game with me. He was blind. It was quite impressive.

They don't only have one kind of fighter craft, even by just the films you've also got the TIE bomber.

But I'll put this a different way: which different uses? What is a TIE fighter for that a TIE interceptor is not?

TIE Fighters = cannon fodder, overwhelm by sheer numbers

TIE Interceptors = not so expendable, get the job done types

I'm fairly sure that whole ISD junkyard exists entirely for the purpose of contrast.

Did you spot the crashed T65 in the foreground of that shot?

It looks like an X-wing to me.

Ehh I wouldn't be so quick to label the TIE Fighters as cheap cannon fodder piloted by rookies that overwhelm targets. That is an EU thing.

In the ANH we see TIEs being flown by elite Black Squadron pilots to great effect. Also, being an Imperial pilot or stormtrooper was a great accomplishment and only the most skilled pilots would graduate - many of the Rebel aces were TIE pilots first.

In ESB the TIEs do not swarm the Falcon, they keep up relatively well but ultimately succumb to the asteroid field, which the Falcon survives at hugely disadvantage odds.

In ROTJ there are loads of fighters from both factions, it just seems like the Imperials are better at formation flying.

There is some early shots of a wrecked ATAT as wel isnt there, doesnt one of the characters allegedly live in it?

Put it this way if i was on tattoine i'd rather live in a downed star destoryer than a hole in the ground...

It isn't Tatooine in any of the trailers. Its Jakku (sp).

Yeah, the TIE fighters blow up in one shot pretty much in the movies, but so do the X-wings, more or less. While we know from dialogue that the X-wings have deflector shields, we don't know the same thing from the TIE pilots, largely because other than Vader they don't speak. I think the reason the TIE advanced was given shields is because Vader survives a bump with another TIE. Beyond that, why don't TIEs have shields again? I think the first real reference to it was the X-wing video games, closely followed by the Rogue Squadron novels.

Anyway, the idea that they are expendable doesn't work for me. I really view the TIE fighter as the Star Wars equivalent of the Japanese Zero, which, for much of WW2, was feared by pilots from other nations as it shot them down in droves. As the war progressed and American planes were introduced which had absolute speed advantages of fifty MPH and more, the Zero became obsolete, but the Japanese couldn't replace it effectively. That doesn't mean that the Zero was a poor design. At the time of its first introduction, an argument could be made that the Zero was the best fighter plane in the world. It was, without doubt, the best carrier fighter in the world.

Having little in the way of shields or armor is only a problem if you get hit - just ask the Soontir Fel players. So, the goal is to be fast enough and agile enough that nobody can hang on your tail. It's not a bad strategy. The issue is that without anything to help pilot survivability, attrition will eventually take its toll on your good pilots, and you'll be left with rookies. The Empire is actually better placed to absorb that attrition in the OT than are the Rebels, because they have large academies cranking out new pilots trained to a high level.

As to the fact that they're not using a new design, or new interceptors, I think the fact is they couldn't have made everyone happy no matter what they did. If they'd made all-new ships, there would be lots of people screaming that they didn't look nearly as good as what ILM came up with in the 1970s (those people are already saying that about the cosmetic alterations to the uniforms). If they'd kept them exactly the same, people would have been angry that nothing has changed in 30 years. So, it's impossible to make everybody happy. I think the new TIE design looks cool. For all we know, maybe it has shields or something. Or maybe the situation of this Empire is not as dominant politically as the old Empire, so it has to go with cheaper starfighters to maintain the numbers necessary to control whatever section of space it controls. We'll have to watch the movie to find out.

I'm fairly sure that whole ISD junkyard exists entirely for the purpose of contrast.

Did you spot the crashed T65 in the foreground of that shot?

It looks like an X-wing to me.

Incom T65 = X-wing

just like Koensayn BTL-A4 = Y-wing.

I'm fairly sure that whole ISD junkyard exists entirely for the purpose of contrast.

Did you spot the crashed T65 in the foreground of that shot?

It looks like an X-wing to me.

Incom T65 = X-wing

just like Koensayn BTL-A4 = Y-wing.

D'oh! I totally read that post as a T-16 Skyhopper. Need more caffine. Thanks for the correction.

NP, we all make those.