Empire at War Ships: Will we see them in X-Wing?

By OneKelvin, in X-Wing

...

...

... So Disney will push their products out before the prequels or any other EU ships.

Sure, nothing wrong with that, but there won't be enough material to fill all the waves so there is still going to be some EU stuff.

Maybe, for now I see Episodes VII-IX > Disney Star Wars Shows like Rebels > Other EU stuff and prequels. for the releases.

And don't forget things that might pop up in the Anthology movies.

I'd like to see the TIE Scout as an imperial small based utility/support ship - similar to the rebel HWK.

I as well, however, i suspect the special Forces TIE from the force awakens is a contender for that spot - though likely with a better dial than the Hwk-290

We know nothing about the Tie Cog - besides the cog and the turret. Why should this thing be a support ship???

The Tie Scout would just be perfect for this job.

That is why i suspect. It is a gut feeling more than based on any quantifiable info. I believe the ship will be a TIE/FO with a few extra tricks. I don't see an imperial ersatz hwk-290, which the TIE scout would be in my opinion.

Probably none of them because empire at was is now part of the discarded EU and future releases will include models from the movies made by JJ Abrams because Disney is going to push their brand of Star Wars.

Expect Wave IX to be no ships from anything but Episode VII and Rebels or from any other show that has been produced under Disney's name.

It is a fairly probable scenario. However, Star Wars will be Star Wars, and many popular ships from the EU (Like my dear TIE Defender, *Contented sigh*.) have been and will be appropriated by Disney for rebirth in the new canon. That, and FFG has nothing against using whatever kind of ship they want if they think it will sell. The Raider for example, was built from the ground up in-cahoots with LucasFilm Ltd.; and while it is not canon in the Abramsverse (JJ. does have this habit of creating parallel universes wherever he goes.), in Legends they gave it an entry and outright stated that it was designed by established EU characters.

Look at it this way, in the beginning there was Maarak Stele. (Read, Marek STEEL.) And it was incredibly cool, and the cool was with him. But Maarak, son of Kerek, was a video game character, and many though he would be forever confined to his own game. But all was not fair in the land of X-Wing; for the Rebels had many named action heroes and pilots amongst them, and the Empire had Darth Vader. So the cry went out among the heroes of the Expanded Universe, and many answered the call of the Empire. Soontir Fel, Juno Eclipse, Howlrunner, Rexler Brath, and many more came; none of them were credited in the films, many of them existed in only one or two works total, all of them came because it was their duty and privilege to serve the Empire. And Maarak, son of Kerek, was with them, and is with them even now on the tables, fighting the fight of the player-character in this new plastic medium.

Moral of the story - if there are not enough pilots or ships for a specific faction in the movies, FFG will find material from the EU; and while the Empire looks like it will get a new character or two, most of the straight EAW ships are Pirates or Scum.

Edited by OneKelvin

The EU hasn't been discarded. If I may quote the page from Starwars.com:

"While the universe that readers knew is changing, it is not being discarded. Creators of new Star Wars entertainment have full access to the rich content of the Expanded Universe. For example, elements of the EU are included in Star Wars Rebels. The Inquisitor, the Imperial Security Bureau, and Sienar Fleet Systems are story elements in the new animated series, and all these ideas find their origins in roleplaying game material published in the 1980s."

So, nothing has been discarded. The story slate has been wiped clean, but technology, locations, even characters can be used again. Besides, we already have EU ships that were released well after the new story team was created.

Possibly, but Punishing One and Mist Hunter. If Disney can provide decent starfighters I'm sure FFG will come up with some rules and models (probably an easier sell for them, too), but if not, they'll look to the EU. Generally Star Wars films and TV shows only feature a couple of relevant ships each, certainly not enough to cover two years worth of releases.

Looking at the raider, I could definitely go for a few more FFG home-brew ships.

Possibly, but Punishing One and Mist Hunter. If Disney can provide decent starfighters I'm sure FFG will come up with some rules and models (probably an easier sell for them, too), but if not, they'll look to the EU. Generally Star Wars films and TV shows only feature a couple of relevant ships each, certainly not enough to cover two years worth of releases.

Looking at the raider, I could definitely go for a few more FFG home-brew ships.

Kinda makes me wonder if the raider will pop up somewhere in the stories now that FFG made it. Would be really cool to see one on Rebels or in Rogue One.

Fairly sure the Oppressor beats it.

Well you're mistaken. The Oppressor may have more wings than it needs, but at least it doesn't have a crate for a body.

If Disney would care about the advanced ships of the EU...

The Tie Interceptor is the successor of the Tie Fighter. Tie Fighters should have been completely replaced by Interceptors by that point Episode 7 takes place.

And the Tie Defender should be the 'Special Forces' Tie ... or even a more advanced form of the Tie Advanced...

And what do we get?

Its different but its still the same thing.

The Empire is dead, long live the Empire ... or should I say the First Order?

The TIE/ln is dead, long live the Foofighter.

I hope they have a really good explanation about what is going on in the movies.

Before the new core set came out, we've talked about ships that were there for years, if not for decades. Im a huge fan of the original trilogy, and the computer games and I loved every single ship that came out in X-Wing. Now we got ships we haven't seen before. I don't know if I should like them, to be honest. Maybe I need to watch the movies first. And for the SW Rebels ships, for me its .... agh ... I tried to like the series ... but its just not my style. I don't like it. Why should I like the ships? The ghost in X-Wing to me looks so comicish ...

...

...

... So Disney will push their products out before the prequels or any other EU ships.

Sure, nothing wrong with that, but there won't be enough material to fill all the waves so there is still going to be some EU stuff.

Maybe, for now I see Episodes VII-IX > Disney Star Wars Shows like Rebels > Other EU stuff and prequels. for the releases.

And don't forget things that might pop up in the Anthology movies.

If Disney publishes it you can be certain about that. If it is not from Disney then there is no guarantee.

...

...

... So Disney will push their products out before the prequels or any other EU ships.

Sure, nothing wrong with that, but there won't be enough material to fill all the waves so there is still going to be some EU stuff.

Maybe, for now I see Episodes VII-IX > Disney Star Wars Shows like Rebels > Other EU stuff and prequels. for the releases.

That is right. I would guess (and this is unfounded, pure guesswork) that episode 7 gives us nothing new on the fighter front that we haven't seen in the trailers, since the new X-Wing and TIE seem to be the stars of the movie in that department with the COG thing being only slightly different for those who don't look closely. The next season of Rebels has as far as we know just the weird proto B-Wing and that might not be different enough to justify another release. I also wouldn't assume there are more fighters coming, since my guess is that one of the major plot points will be the aquisition of the X-Wing inspired by the old EU, although that might be saved for a later season.Then we have another year of nothing new with trailers appearing again in the later half for episode 8. In that time frame there will most likely be 1.5 waves, one of which draws from the rest of episode 7 and the fully released season of Rebels. Part of that is likely to be EU based. Episode 8 isn't likely to introduce a lot of new ship designs, 4 at max and that would already be a bit iffy.

Of course that leaves large based ships out of the picture, but I don't see Disney introducing them in the new movie in masses. On the Resistance side it is clear that the Falcon is the star that is there to harvest nostalgia. First Order might get the weird shuttle thingy, but I am not sure if it even fits scale. As far as I can tell we won't see much of the scummy side in the new movies. Rebels however might deliver here. With Bounty Hunters entering the scene there is some room for new ships, especially for Cad Bane. I don't quite see a flood there either, though.

So bottom line Scum is unlikely to get new canon material that can statisfy the release cycle, while for the Rebellion and Empire there will still be holes to be filled. The EU ships aren't out of the picture for a while.

Edited by Admiral Deathrain

The Tie Interceptor is the successor of the Tie Fighter. Tie Fighters should have been completely replaced by Interceptors by that point Episode 7 takes place.

And the Tie Defender should be the 'Special Forces' Tie ... or even a more advanced form of the Tie Advanced...

While I completely agree, it can simply be explained with the fact that Interceptors never fully replace Fighters because Fighters are always the design used for cheap expendable ships. And over time, a few refinements are made to that basic design as newer, smaller components come out and are cheap enough to be part of a basic Fighter.

But if that's the case, then there should likewise be equally advanced Bombers, Interceptors, etc.

But yeah, there's absolutely no excuse for the FO's special forces to just be using a TIE Fighter with more **** on it when the Empire had so many other, far more advanced TIE designs. If they wanted a 2-seater TIE with a turret for a scene, they should have made a First Order Aggressor.

Edited by DarthEnderX

Thats a bit of a We-are-Disney-and-we-know-it-better-how-to-entertain-you factor?!

Thats a bit of a We-are-Disney-and-we-know-it-better-how-to-entertain-you factor?!

No, that is more We-are-Disney-and-know-how-to-appeal-to-a-mainstream-audience. Of course we know the array of TIE designs, but the average person who has maybe seen the OT once isn't all that likely to even know the Interceptor, although that was on screen. TIE Fighters however, being in all 3 movies, he will know and he wants to see those when he goes to the cinema for a new Star Wars movie. Thats what draws the masses, recognizability, not logical technological evolution in a fictional universe.

Thats a bit of a We-are-Disney-and-we-know-it-better-how-to-entertain-you factor?!

No, that is more We-are-Disney-and-know-how-to-appeal-to-a-mainstream-audience. Of course we know the array of TIE designs, but the average person who has maybe seen the OT once isn't all that likely to even know the Interceptor, although that was on screen. TIE Fighters however, being in all 3 movies, he will know and he wants to see those when he goes to the cinema for a new Star Wars movie. Thats what draws the masses, recognizability, not logical technological evolution in a fictional universe.

And the masses are amazed by completely illogical technical designs that feels like magic, like

Lightsabers

Laser-slings attached at armwrists

white solar panels ...

But yeah ... I guess you are right.

Most ppl know the standard TIE/ln design only. So it is mandatory for Disney to give the ppl what they already know to create the Star Wars feeling, just looking a bit more advanced.

No, that is more We-are-Disney-and-know-how-to-appeal-to-a-mainstream-audience. Of course we know the array of TIE designs, but the average person who has maybe seen the OT once isn't all that likely to even know the Interceptor, although that was on screen.

Again, I don't have a problem with them bringing back the TIE Fighter. I have a problem with the Special Forces TIE.

Because, yeah, people like to see the ships they recognize. But they also like to see new ships. Especially when it's a new type of one they already like.

If the Special Forces TIE had been ALL of the FOs TIEs, and that was just the stuff that came on a standard TIE 30 years in the future, it would have been cool.

But the fact that there's maybe only 2 types of badguy starfighters in the movie, and they're almost identical is just ****.

You would have thought that nostalgia would have caused them to AT LEAST give the Special Forces TIE Advanceds.

I wonder if we'll see whatever Etahn is shooting at in the game. As far as I know it's the only depicted ship with no in-game representation. If I remember correctly the Scyk was also featured on a card that came with the Decimator.

No, that is more We-are-Disney-and-know-how-to-appeal-to-a-mainstream-audience. Of course we know the array of TIE designs, but the average person who has maybe seen the OT once isn't all that likely to even know the Interceptor, although that was on screen.

Again, I don't have a problem with them bringing back the TIE Fighter. I have a problem with the Special Forces TIE.

Because, yeah, people like to see the ships they recognize. But they also like to see new ships. Especially when it's a new type of one they already like.

If the Special Forces TIE had been ALL of the FOs TIEs, and that was just the stuff that came on a standard TIE 30 years in the future, it would have been cool.

But the fact that there's maybe only 2 types of badguy starfighters in the movie, and they're almost identical is just ****.

You would have thought that nostalgia would have caused them to AT LEAST give the Special Forces TIE Advanceds.

I'm in the very small minority (actually, it's probably just me with this opinion) that thinks the TIE Interceptor wasn't a very logical thing to include in the OT. I thought that, hey, all they did was make the wings pointy and slap more guns on it. How is this an improvement? There's no way it could be faster, tougher and have more firepower if the central part housing the reactor is the same, feeding identical engines to the standard TIE. And if there was an improved generator or improved engines, then why continue to build the old fighters? Is ROTJ taking place in the exact time of changing over the fleet to me fighters? (Turns out this is the way the EU portrayed it).

I was not a fan of the Interceptor when it debuted in 83 because to me it broke the conventions that had been established in the TIE series... Guns on the wings, foward swept wings, nearly identical to the standard Fighter save the wings. I would have much preferred an update of Vader's TIE or a more radical change than what I saw as just lazy design from ILM, just making a 'scarier' TIE fighter when the classic design was just fine. So I'm glad the FO doesn't appear to have any squints.

Edited by GrimmyV

The Tie Interceptor is the successor of the Tie Fighter. Tie Fighters should have been completely replaced by Interceptors by that point Episode 7 takes place.

And the Tie Defender should be the 'Special Forces' Tie ... or even a more advanced form of the Tie Advanced...

While I completely agree, it can simply be explained with the fact that Interceptors never fully replace Fighters because Fighters are always the design used for cheap expendable ships. And over time, a few refinements are made to that basic design as newer, smaller components come out and are cheap enough to be part of a basic Fighter.

But if that's the case, then there should likewise be equally advanced Bombers, Interceptors, etc.

But yeah, there's absolutely no excuse for the FO's special forces to just be using a TIE Fighter with more **** on it when the Empire had so many other, far more advanced TIE designs. If they wanted a 2-seater TIE with a turret for a scene, they should have made a First Order Aggressor.

Here is a possibe reason for having a special forces TIE look remarkably similar to the line model fighter. If the ship visually is extremely similar, and has a sensor/drive/transponder signature to the standard fighters, the enemy can't easily identify and target the "cog". This allows the "cog" to surprisre an enemy, this could be landing behind enemy lines, attacking a special target, transporting an important asset (personnel or intel).

If the ship is also good for a commander to coordinate his squad for similar reason, possibly cant easily distinguish which ship has the leader. Perhaps the cogs on the wings are also a hologram emitter so it can look like other ships. We don't know yet.

No, that is more We-are-Disney-and-know-how-to-appeal-to-a-mainstream-audience. Of course we know the array of TIE designs, but the average person who has maybe seen the OT once isn't all that likely to even know the Interceptor, although that was on screen.

Again, I don't have a problem with them bringing back the TIE Fighter. I have a problem with the Special Forces TIE.

Because, yeah, people like to see the ships they recognize. But they also like to see new ships. Especially when it's a new type of one they already like.

If the Special Forces TIE had been ALL of the FOs TIEs, and that was just the stuff that came on a standard TIE 30 years in the future, it would have been cool.

But the fact that there's maybe only 2 types of badguy starfighters in the movie, and they're almost identical is just ****.

You would have thought that nostalgia would have caused them to AT LEAST give the Special Forces TIE Advanceds.

It's still possible that there may be unsoiled ships in the movie, but I doubt it. I'm actually surprised they used TIE fighters nearly identical to the OT models. It would have been logical to just go with something that had the TIE feel to it, like the Vulture droids in the PT, but they chose to not just faithfully recreate the classic fighters but also update them.

I'm in the very small minority (actually, it's probably just me with this opinion) that thinks the TIE Interceptor wasn't a very logical thing to include in the OT. I thought that, hey, all they did was make the wings pointy and slap more guns on it. How is this an improvement? There's no way it could be faster, tougher and have more firepower if the central part housing the reactor is the same, feeding identical engines to the standard TIE. And if there was an improved generator or improved engines, then why continue to build the old fighters? Is ROTJ taking place in the exact time of changing over the fleet to me fighters? (Turns out this is the way the EU portrayed it).

I was not a fan of the Interceptor when it debuted in 83 because to me it broke the conventions that had been established in the TIE series... Guns on the wings, foward swept wings, nearly identical to the standard Fighter save the wings. I would have much preferred an update of Vader's TIE or a more radical change than what I saw as just lazy design from ILM, just making a 'scarier' TIE fighter when the classic design was just fine. So I'm glad the FO doesn't appear to have any squints.

Ok, you dislike the design of The Interceptor, fair enough.

Providing more firepower to existing basic designes IS a logical approach for improvements.

Moving the cannons from the center to the outer frames of the ship may or may not be questionable. In the Star Wars universe, the X-Wing was known for superior firepower not only because it had 4 laser cannons, but also because of the larger hitting field, which is created through the relative large distance between its cannons. This in general increases the to-hit chance, and thus the X-Wing is considered to be deathly even in the hands of not so skilled pilots. Having the cannons in the center is more accurate, but this also requires more experienced and better trained pilots, or a better targeting system to hit.

In other words, use more barrels for more bullets or aim better. The development could go either way.

Hence how many cannons and MGs WWII fighters got and how many they got today.

And also: allied fighters tend to have their weapons spread over the length of the wings, German fighters initially and generally had their main guns in the center.

So, the development MAYBE was like, hey better get a shield generator and only 2 guns, and include a targeting computer for more possible hits.

A big part of it may have been "alright, our manufacturing is crippled, but we got a load of TIE Fighter Hulls and wings..., and a load of spare bomber flight computers that we ordered from space-ebay".

Edited by DariusAPB

The Tie Interceptor is the successor of the Tie Fighter. Tie Fighters should have been completely replaced by Interceptors by that point Episode 7 takes place.

And the Tie Defender should be the 'Special Forces' Tie ... or even a more advanced form of the Tie Advanced...

While I completely agree, it can simply be explained with the fact that Interceptors never fully replace Fighters because Fighters are always the design used for cheap expendable ships. And over time, a few refinements are made to that basic design as newer, smaller components come out and are cheap enough to be part of a basic Fighter.

But if that's the case, then there should likewise be equally advanced Bombers, Interceptors, etc.

But yeah, there's absolutely no excuse for the FO's special forces to just be using a TIE Fighter with more **** on it when the Empire had so many other, far more advanced TIE designs. If they wanted a 2-seater TIE with a turret for a scene, they should have made a First Order Aggressor.

No excuse?

Here is a possibe reason for having a special forces TIE look remarkably similar to the line model fighter. If the ship visually is extremely similar, and has a sensor/drive/transponder signature to the standard fighters, the enemy can't easily identify and target the "cog". This allows the "cog" to surprisre an enemy, this could be landing behind enemy lines, attacking a special target, transporting an important asset (personnel or intel).

If the ship is also good for a commander to coordinate his squad for similar reason, possibly cant easily distinguish which ship has the leader. Perhaps the cogs on the wings are also a hologram emitter so it can look like other ships. We don't know yet.

I bet those cogs have no further meaning but making the Tie looking different and maybe more interesting.

I bet those cogs have no further meaning but making the Tie looking different and maybe more interesting.

At first.

then someone will release a technical manual retconning their use, making an unseen special ability canon.

I'm in the very small minority (actually, it's probably just me with this opinion) that thinks the TIE Interceptor wasn't a very logical thing to include in the OT. I thought that, hey, all they did was make the wings pointy and slap more guns on it. How is this an improvement? There's no way it could be faster, tougher and have more firepower if the central part housing the reactor is the same, feeding identical engines to the standard TIE. And if there was an improved generator or improved engines, then why continue to build the old fighters? Is ROTJ taking place in the exact time of changing over the fleet to me fighters? (Turns out this is the way the EU portrayed it).

I was not a fan of the Interceptor when it debuted in 83 because to me it broke the conventions that had been established in the TIE series... Guns on the wings, foward swept wings, nearly identical to the standard Fighter save the wings. I would have much preferred an update of Vader's TIE or a more radical change than what I saw as just lazy design from ILM, just making a 'scarier' TIE fighter when the classic design was just fine. So I'm glad the FO doesn't appear to have any squints.

How I view TIEs.

1989.jpg

I'm in the very small minority (actually, it's probably just me with this opinion) that thinks the BT-52 wasn't a very logical thing to include in the Formula One. I thought that, hey, all they did was make the sidepods angular and slap a turbocharger on it. How is this an improvement? There's no way it could be faster, tougher and have more horsepower if the engine housing is the same, feeding identical tires to the standard car.

I was not a fan of BT-52 when it debuted in 83 because to me it broke the conventions that had been established in the FO series... Turbocharger, forward swept sidepods, nearly identical to the standard car save the pods. I would have much preferred an update of the ground effect cars from previous season or a more radical change than what I saw as just lazy design from BMW, just making a 'scarier' FO car when the classic design was just fine. So I'm glad the new FO doesn't appear to have any squints.

Edited by OneKelvin

I bet those cogs have no further meaning but making the Tie looking different and maybe more interesting.

At first.

then someone will release a technical manual retconning their use, making an unseen special ability canon.

I'd say its fuel tanks ... with hyper fuel for the hyper drives. Special Operations Craft should have be able to act independent while having a long range.

That's a logical assessment. given it's close to the solar arrays i'd add the possibility of capacitors.