Agreed...sort of. I like the look of it and the concept makes sense.

I don't think the idea of dedicated atmospheric fighters would bug me at all (after all, that's essentially what Empire Strikes Back snowspeeders are) if you hadn't seen 'normal' TIEs (and First Order equivalents) operating in atmosphere so much in Rebels and The Force Awakens.

Agreed...sort of. I like the look of it and the concept makes sense.

I don't think the idea of dedicated atmospheric fighters would bug me at all (after all, that's essentially what Empire Strikes Back snowspeeders are) if you hadn't seen 'normal' TIEs (and First Order equivalents) operating in atmosphere so much in Rebels and The Force Awakens.

Though most of the time it's on outposts supported by a ISD. You rarely see the inner planets around Corruscant in any of the films or series after the Clone Wars. I would assume they would be used in places where the Empire has permanent bases.

As long as we get First Order Interceptors I'm happy :3

TIE Hunters! They could have Hunters instead of an Interceptor clone.

EDIT: and Kylo Ren piloting a Defender or Avenger?

Resistance A-Wings for Wave XII? Oh well... at least I hope there are some interesting upgrades I can put in my regular A-Wings...

Is this perhaps the ship Luke used to "disappear" between Ep's VII and VIII?... and when he returns to action he flies in this rather than hitching a ride in the MF??

Entirely possible. This might also explain why he left R2-D2 behind as IIRC the A-wing doesn't have an astromech slot.

Though most of the time it's on outposts supported by a ISD. You rarely see the inner planets around Corruscant in any of the films or series after the Clone Wars. I would assume they would be used in places where the Empire has permanent bases.

True, but whilst on the outer rim, Lothal isn't exactly a backwater outpost. It's got a major **** starfighter assembly works based there, so it has the capacity to build stuff locally, too.

Entirely possible. This might also explain why he left R2-D2 behind as IIRC the A-wing doesn't have an astromech slot.

That would.....actually make a lot of sense. Choosing to take an A-wing is a bizzare decision, but it would at least explain leaving R2 behind. Although one can assume he might have done so deliberately (since he obviously left a key bit of the map with R2).

So it may be more a case of "I want to leave R2 behind so they can find me if R2 decides it's important, so I need a fighter I don't need R2 to run the hyperdrive in" - which limits his choices to a B-wing (big, heavy, often a 2-seater) or an A-wing.

"...so I need a fighter I don't need R2 to run the hyperdrive in" - which limits his choices to a B-wing (big, heavy, often a 2-seater) or an A-wing.

Aaaaaand they're faaaaaaaast!

(and easier to hide in a cave...)

(...or in a swamp, if previous behaviour is considered)

Though most of the time it's on outposts supported by a ISD. You rarely see the inner planets around Corruscant in any of the films or series after the Clone Wars. I would assume they would be used in places where the Empire has permanent bases.

True, but whilst on the outer rim, Lothal isn't exactly a backwater outpost. It's got a major **** starfighter assembly works based there, so it has the capacity to build stuff locally, too.

Maybe that's why? They have a factory that manufactures TIE/ln (and TIE/v1), so they use a fighter that is not perfect for the job but good enough and locally produced instead of importing better Strikers.

They probably just use TIEs for patrols and security, and use TIE Strikers for the dedicated Close Air Support role. TIEs are just used to spook local civilians and shoot up scavenger camps.

Agreed...sort of. I like the look of it and the concept makes sense.

I don't think the idea of dedicated atmospheric fighters would bug me at all (after all, that's essentially what Empire Strikes Back snowspeeders are) if you hadn't seen 'normal' TIEs (and First Order equivalents) operating in atmosphere so much in Rebels and The Force Awakens.

I have no issue with the TIE Striker existing as an atmospheric fighter. That does make sense. I'd want it to seriously out-class TIE Fighters though in terms of what we've seen TIE Fighters do in atmosphere. I would also not want to see it in space, because if it can go into space and fly around in space just like all the other TIEs then it's just like all the other TIEs and becomes just another slightly-differently-shaped TIE. We're seeing it in X-Wing, which suggests it will be able to fly in space, which leads to my disappointment.

Hmmmmm, so either an A-Wing Mk II or a Spearhead derivative that may have replaced the A-Wing post GCW.......

Hmmmmm, so either an A-Wing Mk II or a Spearhead derivative that may have replaced the A-Wing post GCW.......

To my eye it looks much more R-22 Spearhead than the A-wing we currently have.

That's because that's yet another design made by LFL "creative" team, ie copied from early McQuarrie. Spearhead was based on the same concept art too, and "funny" thing is that Filoni's team also based their A-wings in Rebels on the same concept art (this time for an actual reason other than "we are lazy **** with no imagination"), which means the "new" A-wing will be more similar to the pre-ANH A-wings than to the RotJ A-wings.

That's because that's yet another design made by LFL "creative" team, ie copied from early McQuarrie. Spearhead was based on the same concept art too, and "funny" thing is that Filoni's team also based their A-wings in Rebels on the same concept art (this time for an actual reason other than "we are lazy **** with no imagination"), which means the "new" A-wing will be more similar to the pre-ANH A-wings than to the RotJ A-wings.

I hope this one actually has a rear arc.

That's because that's yet another design made by LFL "creative" team, ie copied from early McQuarrie. Spearhead was based on the same concept art too, and "funny" thing is that Filoni's team also based their A-wings in Rebels on the same concept art (this time for an actual reason other than "we are lazy **** with no imagination"), which means the "new" A-wing will be more similar to the pre-ANH A-wings than to the RotJ A-wings.

Yeah, that's an intentional style choice because he was so influential for the look of Star Wars. And Disney wants its movies to look like Star Wars. Unlike the prequels which don't.

I hope this one actually has a rear arc.

I agree the prequels art style looks nothing like the OT, but JJ should had release "evolved" versions of the SW ships, not plain copies.

That's because that's yet another design made by LFL "creative" team, ie copied from early McQuarrie. Spearhead was based on the same concept art too, and "funny" thing is that Filoni's team also based their A-wings in Rebels on the same concept art (this time for an actual reason other than "we are lazy **** with no imagination"), which means the "new" A-wing will be more similar to the pre-ANH A-wings than to the RotJ A-wings.

Yeah, that's an intentional style choice because he was so influential for the look of Star Wars. And Disney wants its movies to look like Star Wars. Unlike the prequels which don't.

I hope this one actually has a rear arc.

I agree the prequels art style looks nothing like the OT, but JJ should had release "evolved" versions of the SW ships, not plain copies.

The 'evolved' ships are more directly based on McQuarrie's concept art then the models in the OT, the X wing is much closer to the original concept art for the t65 then the t65 is.

That's really bad. They can't design ships by themselves, so they copy the 40-year old concept art. Even in the OT the concept art was just that, concept art, and the designs were improved from there.

That's really bad. They can't design ships by themselves, so they copy the 40-year old concept art. Even in the OT the concept art was just that, concept art, and the designs were improved from there.

This.

BTW, by recycling the original concept art and the film's main plot they are not doing any service to the OT or the SW IP...

This looks more like those reboots that don't dare to be full reboots (see the awful sequels of Hulk, Punisher and Ghost Rider).

Well, considering the monstrosities ships they did design from scratch, I can take X-Wing and TIE Fighter repaints, thank you.

Well, considering the monstrosities ships they did design from scratch, I can take X-Wing and TIE Fighter repaints, thank you.

How can you say that, it looks so menacing, ...

I'm going to enjoy blowing it off the game board.

4 attack dice man.

• Compare the back of the cockpit - the RotJ A-Wing has a very long hull extension behind the cockpit, while the Ep 8 A-Wing the cockpit ends at the end of the glass.

This point may not be meaningful. Given how the cockpit is hinged, there may be another piece they put in place behind once the pilot is seated. Film props sometimes don't do what you'd expect.