Timeline Analysis

By evanger, in X-Wing

This has been done before, but I am doing it again.

Here is a list of some starfighters that might warrant inclusion in this game. They all fit within the generous swath of time utilized thus far (YT-1300 from 72 BBY on up to K-wing from 16 ABY). I have deliberately left out the Jedi starfighters and the Naboo N1, which I think are too tied to their respective (and polarizing!) era for FFG to want to utilize them in this game.

The bold red entries have something neat going for them that make them stand out as candidates, in my mind.

Prequel Era (Before 19 BBY) (all are newer than even the Millennium Falcon named YT and the Z-95, similar age to Slave-I)

Cloakshape fighter

Tri-Mark VII Heavy Starfighter (Scum, Large base) [turret, 2 crew, bomb, missile, astromech x 2(!), Meeko Ghintee pilot, "Longshot" title)

Gauntlet-class Starfighter (Scum, Large base) "Splendor" title, Mandalore tie-in

Ginivex-class fanblade starfighter. Asajj Ventress pilot. "Last Call" title; looks distinctive, at least. Only six made, though

Empire Formed (19 BBY)

Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing

GAT-12h Skipray Blastboat

A New Hope

XG-1 Star Wing (ion cannon native, missile, tractor beam, bomb, could add SLAM)

TIE Avenger (shields, missile, tractor beam)

Empire Strikes Back

TIE Hunter (ion cannon native, first TIE with torpedo)

Return of the Jedi

SoroSuub Personal Luxury Yacht 3000, "Lady Luck" title, Large base Rebel, Lando pilot, crew slot, ion cannon native)

Miy'til Starfighter (Scum, astromech, missile, SLAM) "Storm" title, Prince Isolder pilot

Preybird-class starfighter (Scum, could be Large base), missile, crew, "Raptor" and "Skyclaw" titles

Talon Karrde's almost one-of-a-kind Alpha-52 starfighter (looks horrible, but they could fix it) "Shrike" title, Mara Jade also piloted it. Could be neat

TIE droid. Too interesting not to do, in my opinion.

10 ABY

Unless any of those are slated to appear in the upcoming stand-alone films, I'd think it's a pretty safe bet that they're all dead and buried.

Unless any of those are slated to appear in the upcoming stand-alone films, I'd think it's a pretty safe bet that they're all dead and buried.

I disagree.

But I have been wrong before.

It might make some sense that we already know about everything they plan to release for the game as we know it.

The Gozanti and other Rebels stuff being a kind of capstone to the "known" SW universe.

Everything moving forward could be brand new stuff.

I guess.

I would have thought they'd treat the new stuff as just another source of material, and keep wedging it in right alongside the existing stuff. None of it (until now) has referenced its source material directly on the package.

One thing of note re: Talon/Mara pilots - they'd actually fit in the Skipray. There's enough pilots for that to actually do a 3-faction set (assuming a minor timeline jump to get Big Eye/Tenel Ka for the Rebel version)

Kader Tentrata, named, named, generic

Tenel Ka, named, named, generic

Talon, Mara, Irackant, generic

(5 minutes of searching, I'm sure there's 2 more Reb/Imp named)

I like the idea of more tractor beam ships and ion cannons as primary weapons in some cases.

Seems neat to me.

Might need to add both the N1 and Jedi starfighters to keep Rebel faction numbers up.

Wave 9, if there is one, will be eye opening, particularly as relates to Rebel faction ships.

I expect some Scum ships to be pulled from other sources. Rebel and Empire or whatever will be sourced from the films for the marketing sales appeal.

Wave 9 obviously will be the Chiss Clawcraft in 4 different paint schemes. With 5s in all stats and all actions including cloak.

Or the Vong.

Actually, still holding out for TIE Avenger, Gunboat, T-wing and R-41 (or V-wing if that's too obscure). Seems like a great wave to me, has all 3 factions, theme of 90s space sim. What's not to like?

You have forgotten Missile Boat :P

You have forgotten Missile Boat :P

No, FFG did when they brought out the K-wing and not its SLAMing counterpart.

Speaking of timelines, why do we still use the battle of Yavin (BBY and ABY) as the zero point? Shouldn't it be something like the founding of the empire, or even the battle of Naboo to avoid any 'negatives' on the timeline when discussing the actual movies? Or do we hate the prequels that much? I know it's been 'established' since the earliest reference works like the Star Wars encyclopedia in the early 90s, but it's not a very handy reference point any more.

Just saying.

I'd like to think of 0 BBY as when the Galactic Civil War was joined in earnest.

One sided hide-and-seek before that, probably dismissed by many in the Empire.

Full attention given by Imperials after that, based on the destruction of an enormously expensive superweapon, and tons of movement, politically speaking, based on the naked evil represented by the destruction of Alderaan.

It really is a siesmic shift point in the timeline, for all involved.

Wave 9, if there is one, will be eye opening, particularly as relates to Rebel faction ships.

I fully expect that Wave 9 will be ships from Episode VII since that wave will likely hit while the movie is still in theaters (or between the theatrical release and the DvD/BlueRay release).

Speaking of timelines, why do we still use the battle of Yavin (BBY and ABY) as the zero point? Shouldn't it be something like the founding of the empire, or even the battle of Naboo to avoid any 'negatives' on the timeline when discussing the actual movies? Or do we hate the prequels that much? I know it's been 'established' since the earliest reference works like the Star Wars encyclopedia in the early 90s, but it's not a very handy reference point any more.

Just saying.

We don't do it. Star Wars does it. Until Disney/Star Wars releases a calendar other than BBY/ABY that is what everyone will use.

Speaking of timelines, why do we still use the battle of Yavin (BBY and ABY) as the zero point? Shouldn't it be something like the founding of the empire, or even the battle of Naboo to avoid any 'negatives' on the timeline when discussing the actual movies? Or do we hate the prequels that much? I know it's been 'established' since the earliest reference works like the Star Wars encyclopedia in the early 90s, but it's not a very handy reference point any more.

Just saying.

We don't do it. Star Wars does it. Until Disney/Star Wars releases a calendar other than BBY/ABY that is what everyone will use.

We the fans can do whatever we want. But I guess we can use the 'official calendar since ANH does mark the end of the Senate and The last organ of th Rupublic being taken off of life support.

You weren't kidding about the Alpha-52

400px-HuntersLuck.jpg

I believe the astros on the Tri-Mark VII Interceptor are not astromech slots crew but just regular old crew. Like R2-D2 on Amidala's ship. (I also think it should should really be classified as an interdictor but oh well.)

The Alpha-52 is an odd choice. I'm not sure it's even got weapons.

Unless any of those are slated to appear in the upcoming stand-alone films, I'd think it's a pretty safe bet that they're all dead and buried.

You assume that the upcoming movies will introduce new X-Wing scale ships at such a high rate that they meet FFG's new wave goals. I find this unlikely.

Unless they greatly increase the number of ships introduced per movie we will get at most one wave per movie in X-Wing.

The Alpha-52 is an odd choice. I'm not sure it's even got weapons.

Yes. The picture looks terrible and there were only two made. The reason I include it is for the cool pilots: Talon Karrde and Mara Jade. An extremely long shot, no doubt.

I think we all need to get together and send an email to Dave Filloni and explain that if he could put most of the Early TIE fighter stuff (Like the Avenger, XG-1, and if the show continues past Episode 4, the TIE defender/Phantom/Punisher) That we would be extremely grateful. Sure the lore would be changed, BUT, most of the EU ships we know and love would be cannon.(Yes I know the Defender is already technically cannon, but I would like a more solid reference than a tablet game.)

Now I do like what Filloni is doing so far, but giving us a reference here and there would be nice.

Edited by FlyingAnchors

I seriously doubt we'll see the Avenger pre-Episode IV but the XG-1 might happen if we are lucky.

Unless any of those are slated to appear in the upcoming stand-alone films, I'd think it's a pretty safe bet that they're all dead and buried.

Except the Skipray. NEVER bet against the Skipray!

Oh, yes... there will be the Skipray.

right now this is what the timeline looks like.

  • 70s-80s Star Wars movies, it's in the past and we already got all the models from those shows
  • 90s-early 2000 Star Wars movies lets pretend we and everyone else never saw them
  • 2000 Star Wars cartoons and post 2010 Star Wars movies welcome to second edition X-wing, be ready to sell your old models

As for everything else just see the 90s-early 2000 star wars movies

right now this is what the timeline looks like.

  • 70s-80s Star Wars movies, it's in the past and we already got all the models from those shows
  • 90s-early 2000 Star Wars movies lets pretend we and everyone else never saw them
  • 2000 Star Wars cartoons and post 2010 Star Wars movies welcome to second edition X-wing, be ready to sell your old models

As for everything else just see the 90s-early 2000 star wars movies

Brush your teeth.