From the TIE Striker preview:

...so what we're looking at, here, is a pilot able to maneuver high fighter so hard that it takes frame damage ...while dodging an enemy's entire attack.

Best maneuver other (human) pilots have in the game? Just taking an 'evade' action to block one damage.

'Countdown', though, can dodge so hard he blocks all damage in a maneuver so extreme his fighter cannot handle the stress ...but he's alright. Just gets a bit stressed as a result, no harm done.

Conclusion? Clearly, 'Countdown' isn't a human pilot. Have to be someone more stout than humans - smaller, stronger.

Headcanon? 'Countdown' is an Ugnaught...

I want to know how 'Countdown' got their name.

In game mechanics, it's easy to see we're counting down to 4 attacks that proc his ability.

In real life, does he eject every battle after 4 attacks?

I think FFG is taking a page out of the Mynock pagebook (shudder) and giving the pilots evocative names that describe the ability rather than generic Theta Ace baloney.

I want to know how 'Countdown' got their name.

In game mechanics, it's easy to see we're counting down to 4 attacks that proc his ability.

Presumably, someone looked down on his tiny little Ugnaught body and was all...

"You know those fighters were designed for human tolerances, right? Man, you keep flying it like that, and your ship is gonna be on a countdown until it explodes on you..."

His fighter gets dealt damage and stress, stress is not always a pilot thing, it quite often is structural stress due to hard turns.

Secretly it's porkins before he got fat and defected.

Or he counts down until the perfect moment to evade

I doubt the racist Empire would let an Ugnaught become a TIE Striker Pilot....

Secretly it's porkins before he got fat and defected.

Are you implying that the empire threw him out because he didn't fit imperial regulations anymore and that's why he joined the rebellion to keep on flying ?

I doubt the racist Empire would let an Ugnaught become a TIE Striker Pilot....

'Racist Empire' is old EU.

No evidence of the Empire in nuCanon being 'specist'. (Note that the First Order may well be, but the Empire doesn't recognize their legitimacy, anyway...)

No evidence of the Empire in nuCanon being 'specist'.

...aside from the total absence of non-humans in their ranks, you mean? Which you could argue was an oversight except Lucas made a point of including non-humans in the Rebellion , so.

I doubt the racist Empire would let an Ugnaught become a TIE Striker Pilot....

'Racist Empire' is old EU.

No evidence of the Empire in nuCanon being 'specist'. (Note that the First Order may well be, but the Empire doesn't recognize their legitimacy, anyway...)

Er, they're definitely a Human centric empire.

Yup - lots of newcanon sources specifically make a point of mentioning it. They might be less prejudiced toward near-human aliens in particular, but Wookiees they classified as "non-sapient" specifically to excuse their exploitation of them.

No evidence of the Empire in nuCanon being 'specist'.

...aside from the total absence of non-humans in their ranks, you mean? Which you could argue was an oversight except Lucas made a point of including non-humans in the Rebellion , so.

...and, indeed, right by the Emperor's sides...

Yup - lots of newcanon sources specifically make a point of mentioning it. They might be less prejudiced toward near-human aliens in particular, but Wookiees they classified as "non-sapient" specifically to excuse their exploitation of them.

Well, yeah, but, I mean... wookies . C'mon, now. You gotta have SOME baseline standard. What next - rocks and trees?

Sounds more like a force sensitive person attuned to the dark-side, who may use his force connection to see a glimpse of the near future and dodge every attack. However due to the dark-side nature of this connection this leaves the pilot stressed and damages the ship with every use.

Have you considered that maybe the frame on the TIE Striker is just really weak?

Maybe it just means he pulls out of the way in the last second and takes only a glancing hit instead of whatever was going to hit him..? Makes more sense to me..

Maybe it just means he pulls out of the way in the last second and takes only a glancing hit instead of whatever was going to hit him..? Makes more sense to me..

Except he's not "hit" at all for purposes of:

• Losing his stealth device (nobody can knock it off him...well, except Blount...until he blows up)
• Avoiding an enemy gunner (suffering damage isn't being 'hit', so technically the entire attack missed and gunner will trigger)
• etc

Have you considered that maybe the frame on the TIE Striker is just really weak?

Maybe not a bad idea, if this applied to any other pilot for the fighter. Rather, the TIE Striker has the evade action which works fine for everyone...but 'Countdown' can still knock out a more powerful evasive maneuver that literally damages the fighter.

Seems like he's just pushing the fighter harder than it was designed to handle... for humans ...

LT. Ketch finally gets the ship he deserves. Ewok pilots for all the empire ships!

You think we'd let a gross little pigman fly one of our beautiful Imperial Fighters?!?