It's true! Raiders are mentioned in the new Thrawn novel and can now be considered hard canon.

Too bad they still ugly.

Good on FFG!

Is there any description or anything that would solidly indicate that the mention specifically refers to the FFG ship and not just a reuse of a very imperial sounding name?

Thats beautiful, now it just needs to be put on a screen - high fidelity digital models should be easy to make, after all, on the basis of FFGs files.

I think X-Wing making a splash on actual Star Wars lore is a thrilling milestone for the game.

Oh, god, no.

M-maybe it's a different Raider? Just a similar name, like nu-canon Eclipse not being the same as the old one?

Or maybe it will be completely forgotten after a throwaway mention in a novel, just like another terrible design, the Lancer-class?

The Mouse still don't believe in Raiders. You must convince the Mouse that the Raider belongs in the cartoon Rebels and are not just some lame extended universe to be thrown in with all that legends garbage, kabish?

Still don't get the Raider hate from a lot of people. I love both the concept and the design!

Perhaps Palpatine is part of this Hate. The Raider must be there as the CR 90 Nemesis. If you are a LGS player you can hate Jumpmasters or X7s... But I see no point hating Epic ships.

I hate surf. So I avoid surf.

The Raider is an example of a well-designed and balanced ship. Packaging it with the TIE Advanced fixes and Palpatine might be why some players dislike it.

However, that's why I was able to pick up a second (and third) one cheaply, so I like it .

18 minutes ago, Gilarius said:

The Raider is an example of a well-designed and balanced ship. Packaging it with the TIE Advanced fixes and Palpatine might be why some players dislike it.

However, that's why I was able to pick up a second (and third) one cheaply, so I like it .

Micro star destroyer but with ******* TIE Interceptor solar panels, because LOOK GUYS, IT'S SO STAR WARS!

It might show up in the sequel trillogy because that's Jar Jar Abrams style.

15 minutes ago, eMeM said:

Micro star destroyer but with ******* TIE Interceptor solar panels, because LOOK GUYS, IT'S SO STAR WARS!

Yeah, that's the kind of thing I don't get. You don't like it because it's trying too hard? It's too Star Wars? It's too integrated with Imperial stylistics?

Often Raider complaints, like yours, are so emotive too. It makes it hard to understand exactly what is being objected to...

To be fair aesthetic preference is subjective. Sure it looks like a pocket stat destroyer with solar panels. But it's better than slapping a turret/ordnance tube/tracks/new paint job to a ball cockpit and calling it a tie.

The thing I find slightly weird about the aesthetic is that the 'ball and solar panels' and the 'pointy spear' design aesthetics are in-canon different coprporations - sienar fleet systems vs kuat drive yards - so it's a little weird when the two aesthetics get kitbashed together.

But I do like the look of it a lot so IDGAF really.

7 minutes ago, banjobenito said:

Yeah, that's the kind of thing I don't get. You don't like it because it's trying too hard? It's too Star Wars? It's too integrated with Imperial stylistics?

Yes, it's trying waaaay too hard.

Designers just decided to throw Star Wars elements onto it without thinking what they are supposed to be. It's unimaginative and stupid.

For examples of Imperial aesthetics done right watch Rebels and late TCW.

1 hour ago, eMeM said:

Micro star destroyer but with ******* TIE Interceptor solar panels, because LOOK GUYS, IT'S SO STAR WARS!

I love those panels! I love them on the Deciraider mod someone did a while back too.

Also they're radiator panels not solar panels.

6 hours ago, DarthEnderX said:

Too bad they still ugly.

What?!!?!?

I'm still waiting to see someone put the Raider panels on a Tie Interceptor. Make it so...

1 hour ago, thespaceinvader said:

The thing I find slightly weird about the aesthetic is that the 'ball and solar panels' and the 'pointy spear' design aesthetics are in-canon different coprporations - sienar fleet systems vs kuat drive yards - so it's a little weird when the two aesthetics get kitbashed together.

But I do like the look of it a lot so IDGAF really.

Yep, about the Raider I feel like this:

1 hour ago, eMeM said:

Yes, it's trying waaaay too hard.

Designers just decided to throw Star Wars elements onto it without thinking what they are supposed to be. It's unimaginative and stupid.

For examples of Imperial aesthetics done right watch Rebels and late TCW.

Oh, well...

:/

20 minutes ago, Sasajak said:

I love those panels! I love them on the Deciraider mod someone did a while back too.

Also they're radiator panels not solar panels.

They are definitely solar panels, R1 Visual Guide calls them that.

Old cross sections had them either as solar panels or a mix between solar and radiator.

6 hours ago, DarthEnderX said:

Too bad they still ugly.

You spelled "beautiful" wrong.

14 minutes ago, gamblertuba said:

I'm still waiting to see someone put the Raider panels on a Tie Interceptor. Make it so...

There is a pretty amazing looking mod job someone did, putting the Raider panels on a Decimator. I was sceptical when I heard about it, but it's pretty striking in the pictures.

Star Wars fans are a fickle bunch. You can throw some ordnance tubes and a couple extra wings on a mini Lambda shuttle and get a cult following that spams these forums wanting the ship in the game while others, like myself, think it's butt-ugly. You can have Prequel Era ships looking sleeker and more well designed than OT ships and have some people clamoring for them while others claim they'll quit the game if they're introduced.

I get it. I used to be a purist. Now, however, I just enjoy Star Wars - all of it, Legends, canon material, the more the better. I've been loving Star Wars since I saw it as a 7 year old in 1977 ( yeah, I'm old). I played the TIE FIghter game when it was released and loved it, though I never liked the look of the gunboat. For whatever reason, I like the look of the Raider and I'm happy it's a canon ship now. Remember, it was designed by FFG in collaboration with Lucasfilm Ltd. It's not like FFG just winged it on their own. Yeah, it's a kitbash of an Interceptor and a Star Destroyer but that's like chocolate and peanut butter to me - two great tastes that go great together.

Any non-spoiler reviews of the book itself?

Still need more Imp ships in the 100-200 meter range. IPV is lonely and ARGH KITTENS is just too big for our little game.?