# Q about TIE fighters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 26, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789 "2016-10-26T16:52:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/81 "2016-11-01T20:28:54Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > I thought that the towers that were targeted in the first attack run were the ones that could fire down the length of the trench; the turret lasers in the trenches were transverse, meaning each could only target a fighter for a few seconds. Which is even stupider, because if they miss (which they obviously do!) they blow away somebody having a latte at the Starbucks on the other side of the trench. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/82 "2016-11-02T00:25:45Z")
Note–the Falcon has extensive ECM gear, according to the Owner’s Manual they published awhile back. This might explain why the Falcon could get close. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/83 "2016-11-02T01:22:51Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Note–the Falcon has extensive ECM gear, according to the Owner’s Manual they published awhile back. > This might explain why the Falcon could get close. Also, part of the attack plan was to degrade the defences around the area where they plan to enter the trench, which likely included sensors and suchlike. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/84 "2016-11-02T16:47:49Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > 2 X-Wings, the Falcon and a solitary Y-Wing. And the other X-Wing was piloted by Wedge Antilles, whose ship had been damaged as Luke started his attack run, and was likely not in a condition to provide any further assistance. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/85 "2016-11-02T17:07:39Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Which is even stupider, because if they miss (which they obviously do!) they blow away somebody having a latte at the Starbucks on the other side of the trench. I remember thinking that very thing as a 7 year old in 1977. If the turrets traverse even a little, they hit the side of the trench down the line. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/86 "2016-11-02T17:17:32Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Look, TIEs have no shields, no armour, no missiles, no hyperspace, no life support system, no targeting system beyond eyeballing it and guns that might as well be firing BBs. In the very first “Star Wars” movie, we see that TIE fighters have targeting systems and appear to be quite capable of blowing the larger, more powerful X-wing to smithereens. In deeper canon, the idea behind a TIE fighter is its engines are disproportionately powerful as compared to its size and weight, so it’s supposed to outrun and maneuver its way out of trouble. You could put a shield on it, but then it’s slower and easier to shoot. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/87 "2016-11-02T18:47:34Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > I know what you mean, but just wanted to point out the irony of calling someone a no-name and then immediately naming him. 🙂 Certainly memorable for his sweet, tangy BBQ: [https://www.offworlddesigns.com/porkins-bbq/](https://www.offworlddesigns.com/porkins-bbq/) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/88 "2016-11-02T20:49:19Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > In deeper canon, the idea behind a TIE fighter is its engines are disproportionately powerful as compared to its size and weight, so it’s supposed to outrun and maneuver its way out of trouble. You could put a shield on it, but then it’s slower and easier to shoot. Zero vs Hellcat reasoning! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/89 "2016-11-02T22:27:13Z")
Thank You! ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/90 "2016-11-03T00:58:19Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > No kidding. Where did R2 think he was going [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geD8HxtQ_lY)? Even in 1977 I knew it was the end of the line for poor little R2. My question is why would you ever design a droid that couldn’t speak English. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/91 "2016-11-03T01:04:25Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > What rebel pilots? After Luke fires his torpedoes, don’t we see like, maybe _four_ surviving fighters fly away? and considering the size of the thing there should have been about 25,000 tie fighters flying around when it blew up with angry pilots who would have wiped out the rebel base before wondering how they were going to get home. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/92 "2016-11-03T01:04:37Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > Thank You! Dozo! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/93 "2016-11-03T01:24:29Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Note–the Falcon has extensive ECM gear, according to the Owner’s Manual they published awhile back. > This might explain why the Falcon could get close. Yes but surely that’s like saying you could buy stuff off the shelf that could stop a awacs from seeing your cargo plane, which is basically what the falcon is. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/94 "2016-11-03T02:02:47Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > My question is why would you ever design a droid that couldn’t speak English. I’ve got tons of electronic devices in my house, and none of them speak English. Well, I guess my iPhone, technically. Anyway, R2 droids are meant to be autonomous repair units. They’re not really meant to interact with humans at all - R2-D2 is an exception in the SW universe, not the rule. > [@drewder](#): > > and considering the size of the thing there should have been about 25,000 tie fighters flying around when it blew up with angry pilots who would have wiped out the rebel base before wondering how they were going to get home. This one doesn’t even require a fanwank. The movie includes a scene of the Imperial commander explicitly dismissing any threat posed by the Rebel fighters. The only reason there were any TIE fighters in the battle at all is Vader got bored sitting around and decided he wanted to shoot something. Which makes sense. They’ve got a space station the size of a moon, the Rebels have maybe three dozen single pilot fighters. You don’t launch every fighter on the station to take care of that. You launch enough to keep them from scratching the paint while you blow up their planet. > [@drewder](#): > > Yes but surely that’s like saying you could buy stuff off the shelf that could stop a awacs from seeing your cargo plane, which is basically what the falcon is. The Falcon’s been specifically modified to function as a smuggler’s ship, so I doubt there’s a whole lot of “off the shelf” mods involved. More like “highly illegal custom modifications.” Granted, in the real world, no amount of black market modifications can change a C-30 into a stealth bomber, but tech in the Star Wars universe is thousands of years ahead of ours, so who knows how their sensors and ECM work? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/95 "2016-11-03T02:46:08Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > My question is why would you ever design a droid that couldn’t speak English. I tried to fanwank this as requiring specialized language ability, but then I realized that most droids appear to understand human speech. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/96 "2016-11-03T02:47:38Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And the other X-Wing was piloted by Wedge Antilles, whose ship had been damaged as Luke started his attack run, and was likely not in a condition to provide any further assistance. Is there official canon on who flew the surviving Y-wing? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/97 "2016-11-03T03:01:12Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Is there official canon on who flew the surviving Y-wing? [This guy, apparently.](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Keyan_Farlander) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/98 "2016-11-03T04:52:33Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > …tech in the Star Wars universe is thousands of years ahead of ours, so who knows how their sensors and ECM work? No, no, no. It’s a long time _ago_… ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/99 "2016-11-03T16:58:45Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > [This guy, apparently.](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Keyan_Farlander) Alas, from the EU deleted canon. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789/100 "2016-11-03T17:28:48Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > I tried to fanwank this as requiring specialized language ability, but then I realized that most droids appear to understand human speech. In the SW game I ran for years, my fanwank was that they can easily speak Basic with a software patch, but Artoo doesn’t because he’s the droid equivalent of a Black Panther. Or that culturally the society thinks that only specific models are worth communicating with, like 3P0. They just don’t see an astromech as worth having a conversation with. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/q-about-tie-fighters/769789.md?page=6)