So I'm a 3D modeler, and among the projects I've been working on is Star Wars ships for use in Star Citizen mods whenever it becomes possible to create custom content. One of those models is an E-wing.
The E-wing and I have a LONG history together, as it's one of the first 3D models I ever made (way way way way WAAAAAAAAAY back in my X-Wing Vs. TIE Fighter / X-Wing Alliance days. If any of you were around those communities, I used to go by The Saxman, and still do when I pop up on the XWAU boards). I actually have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. I loved the ship, but I really couldn't stand the Essential Guides design that's become "canon." Back when the Expanded Universe was exploding in the middle/late-90s and early-2000s, there was a GLUT of badly-designed and poorly researched material released alongside the various novels and comics (don't even get me STARTED on the K-wing. It's like whoever came up with the specs didn't even READ the friggen books). The EGVV design of the E-wing was one of them.
To put it mildly, it had problems. A LOT of problems. To start with, at a canon length of 11.2 meters, the hull would have been so narrow that you wouldn't have even been able to fit a pilot in the cockpit (properly scaled, the ship was only 3 feet wide)! Additionally, it ignored several features of the original Dark Empire artwork (for one, it appears in DE that the E-wing had two torpedo launchers in the nose, as in the X-wing). So, as I started working on the E-wing for Star Citizen, I decided to remodel it from scratch.
As I was getting started, Disney bought Lucasfilm, and The Force Awakens was released and the old Expanded Universe was relegated to "Legends" (it was never truly canon to begin with; LFL kept a clear delineation between what was hard canon, and what was merely "official." It was only under Disney that the new EU became full canon). So I decided, what better time to redesign the E-wing for the new canon? I'm still working on a lot of details, but here is how my new E-wing looks:
Ignore the funky shading on the main gear doors, that's since been corrected. The model is an amalgamation of a number of sources and ideas. Some of it was inspired by the pencil sketch accompanying the EGVV schematics, which presented a much sleeker, and more aggressive-looking design. I took some inspiration from the Fate of the Galaxy model, as well. The two torpedo launchers and landing gear boxes come from Dark Empire. Some design elements (particularly the cannon) came from the T-70 X-wing, while a lot of the markings and insignia draw off the T-65 (depicted here is "Red Twelve" with six red double-tabs. Since it's unclear how the ID tabs on the T-70 worked I went with the T-65's). The cooling system dominating the rear flanks, as well as the aft bulkhead (not visible here) is taken from my T-65 model (also in progress).
I envision a number of fundamental changes beyond just appearance. There's a third engine in the fuselage (Based on incidental artwork in Dark Empire, as well as explicitly established in the Crimson Empire comics) that solves one of the MAJOR flaws of the design: The engines slung below the center of mass would mean the ship was CONSTANTLY going to loop because of how thrust differential would work in space. The third engine nozzle angles slightly downward to counter the torque. The ship would also NOT have an astromech droid. There's simply nowhere it could physically FIT inside the fighter (a BB unit might, but there's still the problem of how you would even access the socket). As a compromise I was considering the idea of it having an astromech logic center integrated directly with the flight computer.
As for the lore of the design, what I was toying with is:
After the destruction of the Republic capital and fleet at Hosnian Prime, the remnants of the Republic scrambled to regroup against the First Order (this could explain why the Republic didn't come to Leia's aid in The Last Jedi: they're so occupied with their own survival they were physically incapable of responding). Although dependable machines, the T-85 X-wings were expensive and complex to manufacture. Desperate to replenish a depleted starfighter corps, legendary starfighter pilot Wedge Antilles consulted with Incom-FreiTek on a new design that could match or exceed the X-wing's performance, while at the same time being cheaper and faster to build. The S-foil system was eliminated, as was the astromech socket. The result was a sleek, compact new fighter designed to fill the Space Superiority role abandoned by the X-wing as later models evolved more and more into the multi-role niche formerly occupied by the ancient Y-wing. It was fit with the heaviest cannon that could be mounted on its wings, and in order to bring firepower back up as close to the X-wing as possible, a third cannon on a hinged mount was positioned above the cockpit. Armament was rounded out with two proton torpedo launchers in the forward hull, each with a magazine of eight torpedoes.
Dubbed the T-95 E-wing, the new starfighter quickly proved superior to the X-wing in numerous respects. It's small, narrow, low-profile hull made it much more difficult to target, and the considerable reductions in mass by reducing its size and eliminating the heavy and complex S-foil system resulted in considerable gains in maneuverability and speed.
I'm finishing off enough of the mesh that I can modify it for 3D printing as an X-Wing miniature for anyone who loves to play the E-wing, but is dissatisfied with the EGVV design. Once that's been done I'll make sure to make it available here.
I've also whipped up some custom cards and Maneuvering Dial for it:
White Squadron is one of the two E-wing squadrons in the original Dark Empire (the other being Knave Squadron).
Adds Wedge to the Resistance, reflecting my Lore that he's one of the designers. I knocked a few points off his PS because...well...he's old by the time of the Sequel Trilogy, so his skills aren't what they once were. I've left his pilot ability as-is for now.
Title card that knocks a couple points off the cost by giving it some teething problems to reflect its rushed entry into service.
To match it with the with the T-70 I gave it the Talon Roll, but off a 2-turn, rather than a 3, to further reflect its greater maneuverability. To clear up space on the dial I added Boost and removed the 5 straight and 4 K-Turn, both of which can be made up for in other ways (IE Advanced Sensors allowing a Boost before a K-Turn). A lot of this is all provisional, and I'd be interested in hearing recommendations for further tweaks on point cost, etc. I'm especially looking for ideas on how to utilize some of my Lore. One thought I'd had was to make the on-board astromech a Tech or System card that adds an astromech slot, with a restriction that it can't be used with Integrated Astromech.
Edited by Ambaryerno
