This appeared at the end of rebels season 2 episode2 it's smaller than a shuttle but bigger than a tie. It looks kinda folded up for transport here but seems to have similar panels to a raider. Anyone know anything about it?

Looks like some ground assault gunship.

They used them in the episode where Tarkin came for Kanan. They're pretty small and I don't know if they are armed.

Looks like some ground assault gunship.

Yeah I thought it looked designed for atmospheric combat rather than void based. The Imps are a little short on unique large based ships though, scum and rebels sort of have the monopoly on them at the moment.

It's a Police Gunship

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Police_gunship

(checked the episode guide on wookieepedia, it tells you what ships were in that particular episode.

They were used during the Clone Wars by the military police clones on Coruscant. Seem to be a variant on the gunship, still in use by the Empire.

Ah that's cool but also a shame, I was hoping to see a new imperial ship not born of some weird TIE incest.

It's a speeder and an ugly one at that.

It's a speeder and an ugly one at that.

It's not that bad, it's a bee buzzing over the city, looking for crime.

Kind of a pretty cool lego set actually.

It's a speeder and an ugly one at that.

Well, it can't JUST be a Speeder. It's on a Star Destroyer. How did it get there?

It's a speeder and an ugly one at that.

Well, it can't JUST be a Speeder. It's on a Star Destroyer. How did it get there?

It might be the series' go-to Stormtrooper transport. The new canon version of the Delta DX-9.

Ah that's cool but also a shame, I was hoping to see a new imperial ship not born of some weird TIE incest.

I do not like it when TIE panels show up on things that aren't TIEs.

Stardestroyers can operate in atmo they could be deployed then, what proof is there they are space worthy?

They're probably a descendant of the old Clone Wars gunships/dropships that could deliver a squad of clones from orbit to groundside and then stick around to provide close air support. They have similar lines, though they look a lot sleeker and more modern. I'd be rather surprised if they weren't space capable.

Edit: Maybe the solar arrays are meant to provide supplemental power to some kind of boosted offensive payload? My headcanon has always been that they're not solar arrays but instead for heat dissipation, but that is pretty conclusively not the case in approved lore.

I've always like the theory that the panels are just a set up for a dozen manuver jets, allowing for fast maneuvering.

Maneuver jets on thin sticks would be less of an obstruction to vision and easier to replace instead of one big honking panel. Unless the panels do more than just house thrusters. They could be a type of armor as well as functioning as radiative surfaces or other functions we haven't conceived of yet. About the only thing the panels can't be are solar power panels, because even inside Mercury's orbit sunlight would not provide enough power for the maneuvers and speed we see TIEs performing in the movies, much less powering the lasers for any length of time...the surface area just isn't great enough and the solar flux just isn't carrying enough total energy even if the panels were 100% effecient.

The old LAAT could be deployed from orbit as seen in the original cell animated Clone Wars cartoon. These Rebels gunships can probably do the same, but I doubt they are made for extended missions in orbit, and they almost certainly do not travel in interplanetary or interstellar space on their own.

what proof is there they are space worthy?

The same proof there is that they aren't.

what proof is there they are space worthy?

The same proof there is that they aren't.

Then why argue they can?

All I said was it's a speeder which we know is true from clone wars.

I never precluded space worthiness but as they've never been seen operating in the void but have been seen in atmo I said speeder as that's factually correct.

As soon as there is proof they are space worthy i'll alter my description not before.

It's a speeder and an ugly one at that.

Well, it can't JUST be a Speeder. It's on a Star Destroyer. How did it get there?

AT-AT's are also on ISDs.

I never precluded space worthiness but as they've never been seen operating in the void but have been seen in atmo I said speeder as that's factually correct.

Actually, calling it a speeder IS precluding space worthiness.

AT-AT's are also on ISDs.

True, but they're also carried to the surface by other ships that CAN fly through space.

Unless there's some kind of Imperial Patrol Transport...transport, that brings them down into the atmosphere, there's not much reason to keep a bunch of them on a Star Destroyer.

If it shows up, I'll take it but I am not going to cry if we never see this in game.

And on spaceworthiness, their predecessors were also spaceworthy. Seems wrong to have transport these into atmo to be able to then use them in atmo. Illogical.

If it shows up, I'll take it but I am not going to cry if we never see this in game.

I don't care if it does have TIE panels. Unless it gets renamed TIE Transporter or something, I don't have to buy it.

And on spaceworthiness, their predecessors were also spaceworthy. Seems wrong to have transport these into atmo to be able to then use them in atmo. Illogical.

Storm trooper armour is air tight and fully usable in space is it also illogical that they need a transport?

Star destroyers transport invasion forces why is it odd they would carry speeders as well as AT-AT's and other ground forces?

Tie fighters after all Arnt designed to support ground combat, a slower but heavily armoured speeder is better suited to support storm troopers than a fast space superiority fighter is.

Look at the modern military they task planes and helicopters to suit the mission an a10 will decimate enemy armour but not excel at Ariel dog fights because that's not it's role.

Hobojebus is bang-on-the-money right now, guys.

And on spaceworthiness, their predecessors were also spaceworthy. Seems wrong to have transport these into atmo to be able to then use them in atmo. Illogical.

Storm trooper armour is air tight and fully usable in space is it also illogical that they need a transport?

Star destroyers transport invasion forces why is it odd they would carry speeders as well as AT-AT's and other ground forces?

Tie fighters after all Arnt designed to support ground combat, a slower but heavily armoured speeder is better suited to support storm troopers than a fast space superiority fighter is.

Look at the modern military they task planes and helicopters to suit the mission an a10 will decimate enemy armour but not excel at Ariel dog fights because that's not it's role.

This is why it's so silly to see TIE Fighters in atmosphere (even in ESB), especially when we have ASSAULT GUNBOATS! Oh, and I guess these patrol ships too. But GUNBOAT!

Acutely there's a long line of TIEs designed for 'ground support' such as the /gt variant, as well as Bomber and Punisher, and the Scimitar bomber.