# Sci-fi geek poll, best "one man snub fighter" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413 "2005-10-02T02:36:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/1 "2005-10-02T02:36:36Z")
i’m watching my DVD of BSG '04, and it still amazes me how manuverable the Vipers are in that show, esp. considering that 99% of the power comes from the 3 main engines to the aft of the pilot, those little RCS thrusters certainly pack a punch, able to flip the ship end for end in seconds (and yes i know that in space all you need are the RCS thrusters for maneuverring, and the main engines are there for acceleration only…) still, got to thinking about what the coolest “Space Superiority Fighter” is, and i’ve narrowed it down to the following… the X-wing/A-Wing/Y-Wing/B-Wing fighters the TIE fighter series (standard/advanced/bomber/interceptor/Vader’s custom ride) the Star furies from Bab-5 the Vipers (Mark 2 and mark 7) Cylon Raiders (original “frisbee” model and '04 “Flying Wing” meatbag) Peacekeeper Prowler for coolest looking, i’d have to say the winners are; Mark 2 Viper Meatbag Raider Peacekeeper Prowler all have that cool, agressive “pointy” look to them… for most maneuverable; Bab5 Star fury Mk. 2 Viper Meatbag Raider most firepower (projectile/laser) X-Wing ?Star Fury? PK Prowler most firepower (missile) Meatbag Raider (the thing can carry _nukes_ for Og’s sake) X-Wing (when equipped with proton torpedos, loses points on being only able to carry 2 PT’s) fighter i’d like to fly myself (if they were real) Mk. 2 Viper PK Prowler TIE Interceptor how would you rate these fighters, any ones i’ve missed? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/2 "2005-10-02T02:51:21Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > still, got to thinking about what the coolest “Space Superiority Fighter” is, and i’ve narrowed it down to the following… > > the X-wing/A-Wing/Y-Wing/B-Wing fighters > the TIE fighter series (standard/advanced/bomber/interceptor/Vader’s custom ride) > the Star furies from Bab-5 > the Vipers (Mark 2 and mark 7) > Cylon Raiders (original “frisbee” model and '04 “Flying Wing” meatbag) > Peacekeeper Prowler To be fair, the Y-Wings are bombers (though they are apparantly decent fighters in a pinch) and the B-Wings are “Assault Fighters”. Like if an A-10 and an F-16 had babies. Also for B5, I’d include the Thunderbold Starfuries as well. Not as maneuverable as a regular starfury, but they can fly in atmo, much more heavily armed, and they’ve got SHARK TEETH painted on their nose. SHARK TEETH. And don’t go excluding the Viper mk.1 from BSG’79 Gotta love a classic. I’d also include the Excalibur from Wing Commander 3. THAT was a sweet ride. > [@](#): > > for coolest looking, i’d have to say the winners are; > Mark 2 Viper > Meatbag Raider > Peacekeeper Prowler > all have that cool, agressive “pointy” look to them… For coolest looking, it’s a tossup between the Thunderbolt Starfury and the Mark 2 Viper. The Thunderbolt has a sharp, yet militaristically choppy look to it, as if aesthetics were an afterthought, and lest I forget: SHARK TEETH. > [@](#): > > for most maneuverable; > Bab5 Star fury > Mk. 2 Viper > Meatbag Raider Starfury has these in the bag. Neither the Viper nor the Raider can actively accelerate in reverse like the Starfury can. most firepower (projectile/laser) X-Wing ?Star Fury? PK Prowler most firepower (missile) Meatbag Raider (the thing can carry _nukes_ for Og’s sake) X-Wing (when equipped with proton torpedos, loses points on being only able to carry 2 PT’s) fighter i’d like to fly myself (if they were real) Mk. 2 Viper PK Prowler TIE Interceptor how would you rate these fighters, any ones i’ve missed? [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/3 "2005-10-02T02:58:10Z")
The Delta Flyer, _Star Trek: Voyager_’s überwank shuttle, doesn’t get a nomination? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/4 "2005-10-02T02:58:59Z")
Well, that was weird. Didn’t think I hit anything to make it send. 😕 > [@](#): > > most firepower (projectile/laser) > X-Wing > ?Star Fury? > PK Prowler For most heavily armed, in terms of beam/projectile weaponry, I’d have to lean towards either the Excalibur in WC3 (Particle cannons and Tachyon guns) or the Minbari fighter from B5 (three rapid firing beam cannons, slicing even small warships into ribbons) > [@](#): > > most firepower (missile) > Meatbag Raider (the thing can carry _nukes_ for Og’s sake) > X-Wing (when equipped with proton torpedos, loses points on being only able to carry 2 PT’s) X-Wing’s proton torpedos (and if the games are to be believed, it carries six of them) only seem to be about as powerful as any other fighter-mounted missile. It’s just that they were being used on a major weakspot on the Death Star that took it out. I’m leaning towards the Cylon raiders with their nukes. I’d go for the Excalibur with it’s Temblor bomb, but that was a specially modified example, and nothing close to the norm for that model. > [@](#): > > fighter i’d like to fly myself (if they were real) > Mk. 2 Viper > PK Prowler > TIE Interceptor Heh, totally the X-Wing. Failing that, I wouldn’t mind a Viper MkII. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/5 "2005-10-02T03:21:55Z")
It’s hard to beat the X-Wing. I think it could hold its own in any space superiority mission. (Wouldn’t that be fun? A game that took all the ships from all the space sims over the years and put them together?) The Rapier kicks ass in context. Still not a bad ride when I play it ten years later. Still use the mouse. (Use the mouse for Privateer too.) Or maybe the Morningstar. Three particle cannons, a couple missiles, but, most importantly, a nuke. Why a nuke could penetrate the missile shields that required torps and take out a Fralthi or a starbase (tried it a few times in Academy) that required a couple torps I have no idea. But still, it was a nuclear missile on your ship. Flew like a Rapier too. Sticking with WC2, the Wraith. Fast refire with the reaper cannons, lots of speed and acceleration, and those weird Leech missiles. Speaking of Wing Commander, how about the Centurion from WCP? Throw all the upgrades on it (especially in Righteous Fire) and you can fight and run. Constant burn for 1000 kps and can still do some firing if need be. Heck, I got so good at using the torpedoes that I stopped loading missiles. So four powerful guns, lots of speed, 40 torpedoes. Why didn’t the Confeds use loadouts like that? I took out so many more Kilrathi than I ever did in WC. And I’ve had kill records of 100+ in WC1. How about, only playable in WC:Academy and WC:Armada, some of the Kilrathi ships? The Stakha or the good old Dralthi? I’ve had my butt kicked several times by a group of stealthing Strakha or a swarm of Dralthi. Does the Y-Wing really count? That can be loaded as a two-man fighter, with one guy manning the guns. ---
**Author:** ![Sengkelat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Sengkelat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sengkelat)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/6 "2005-10-02T03:45:40Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Also for B5, I’d include the Thunderbold Starfuries as well. Not as maneuverable as a regular starfury, but they can fly in atmo, much more heavily armed, and they’ve got SHARK TEETH painted on their nose. SHARK TEETH. Yeah! For me, the Thunderbolt combines the sensible (but ugly) design of the Star Fury with some very nice aesthetics. Thunderbolt all the way. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/7 "2005-10-02T03:49:19Z")
Are fighters from books allowed, or only movies / games ? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/8 "2005-10-02T04:11:14Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > It’s hard to beat the X-Wing. I think it could hold its own in any space superiority mission. Except that the X-Wing’s weapons placement SUCKS. Too easy to straddle your target with the wingtip lasers. Putting a couple of laser cannons in the nose instead would have been more useful. That said, in the novels, the lasers are supposed to converge at 500 meters (or whatever the pilot sets them to), and in the movies, they seemed to have a small degree of auto-tracking, at least in RoTJ. Only the X-Wing games seemed to have them all shooting straight forward. > [@](#): > > Speaking of Wing Commander, how about the Centurion from WCP? Throw all the upgrades on it (especially in Righteous Fire) and you can fight and run. Constant burn for 1000 kps and can still do some firing if need be. Heck, I got so good at using the torpedoes that I stopped loading missiles. So four powerful guns, lots of speed, 40 torpedoes. Why didn’t the Confeds use loadouts like that? I took out so many more Kilrathi than I ever did in WC. And I’ve had kill records of 100+ in WC1. OK, for the record, WCP is Wing Commander: Prophecy. What you’re thinking of is Privateer, which I’m not sure has an abreviation. In Prophecy, my favorite space superiority fighter was the Devestator. What do you MEAN I can’t use it as a space superiority fighter just because it’s the superheavy torpedo bomber from hell? That BFG the thing carried in the nose RAWKED. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/9 "2005-10-02T04:12:42Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > Are fighters from books allowed, or only movies / games ? And more importantly, would the Super LACs from the Honor Harrington series be fighters or just The Corvettes From Hell™? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/10 "2005-10-02T04:28:05Z")
that thing from the last starfighter omg!!! cant think of anything else that hasnt already been mentioned ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/11 "2005-10-02T04:34:47Z")
ahh yes, the GunStar, overall pretty weak in standard configuration, however, the 360-degree gunnery chair was a nice touch, badly positioned lasers though Death Blossom, on the other hand, well, that’s gotta be the coolest (and most inneficcient, lets be honest, how much ordinance was simply fired into empty space, there’s no way the computer could target every opposing ship…) weapon of last resort out there… ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/12 "2005-10-02T05:01:21Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Only the X-Wing games seemed to have them all shooting straight forward. After the first couple games, X-Wing laser cannons converged. In X-Wing Alliance you can turn convergence on or off, and in the X-Wing and B-Wing it calculated the convergence distance depending on the distance to what you had targeted. In the Z-95 you cycled through 3 fixed convergence distances, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/13 "2005-10-02T06:06:07Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > And more importantly, would the Super LACs from the Honor Harrington series be fighters or just The Corvettes From Hell™? 🙂 I believe Weber himself has compared them to torpedo boats, not fighters. Since I haven’t got an answer yet, I’ll go ahead and post two. Starfire fighters ( from the Starfire books by David Weber and Steve White ) : inertialess drive; can be armed with various weapon packs including lasers, missles ( ranging from small antifighter missles to heavy antimatter missles ) and primary beams ( punches a small hole through _anything_ ). Speed is .1 lightspeed or so IIRC. In numbers these fighters have sterilized planets. Here’s a quote on that last : > [@The Shiva Option](#): > > Irma locked in her targeting solutions—or rather, instructed the F-4’s narrowly specialized but highly effective computer to do so. In turn, it signaled her as she swept into launch range. > Her FRAMs flashed away, and as they screamed downward, she pulled up, vision graying as she went to full power and sought the reuniting formation. Ahead there were only the clean, uncaring stars . . . and Armand’s face against them, smiling as she remembered him while her weapons shrieked downward at the same monsters who’d murdered him. She stared upward at the memory of the man she’d loved, and the memory of that love only made the anguish and loss—and hatred—burn even hotter at her core. > Behind and below her, bits of antimatter were released from their nonmaterial restraints and the planet rocked to energy releases beyond the dreams of any gods human minds had ever imagined. For an instant, an entire planetary quadrant was one vast, undifferentiated glare. Then as it faded, enormous fireballs were seen to swell, often touching each other and merging, growing until their tops flattened because they’d reached altitudes where there was insufficient air to superheat. > Irma became aware that the sound she was hearing as she stared down at that Valkyrie’s-eye view of Hell was that of her own teeth, grinding together in a grimace of fulfilled hate. > “Out-fucking-standing, people!” Togliatti yelled. “If everybody did that well, we may not need a second strike!” > Irma felt like a kid who’d been told it might not be necessary to miss another day of school because of snow. > As it turned out, they did go back. Nevertheless, and despite having started their attack later, they finished it before TF 61 was done with Planet I. If 2-seaters are allowed, there’s the 4th Imperium fighter from _Mutineer’s Moon_. It can turn invisible, and is armed with ( at least ) nuclear missles ( for other fighters ), “mass missles” ( unguided kinetic kill weapons that strike at 60 % of lightspeed ), and “energy guns” ( gravity weapons ). It also has an inertialess drive. ---
**Author:** ![sleeepy2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@sleeepy2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeepy2)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/14 "2005-10-02T06:19:40Z")
Help! Gimme links to pics and specs of any non-Star Wars/ Battlestar Galactica spacecraft! I _so_ want to join the debate, but I’m not up on the latest SF developments! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2005, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/15 "2005-10-02T15:45:08Z")
> [@sleeepy2](#): > > Help! Gimme links to pics and specs of any non-Star Wars/ Battlestar Galactica spacecraft! I _so_ want to join the debate, but I’m not up on the latest SF developments! Your wish is my command. [Jeff Russell’s STARSHIP DIMENSIONS](http://www.merzo.net/) From B%, Minbari fighters had good firepower and maneuverablilty. They were also based upon Vorlon technology. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/16 "2005-10-03T05:38:24Z")
> [@The Mad Hermit](#): > > From B%, Minbari fighters had good firepower and maneuverablilty. They were also based upon Vorlon technology. Don’t know about the Minbari fighters being based on Vorlon tech, but they are very fast, very stealthy (no Earth-built sensor suite can detect them unless they want to be detected), and very impressively armed. As for some pics of B5 fighters, here are a few: [Aurora Starfury, bearing the color scheme of EarthForce One’s fighter escort](http://www.isnnews.net/babylon5/gallery/sf/starfury5.jpg) [Another example of the Starfury, this one utilizing it’s reverse-thrusters to allow it to shoot at an enemy persuing it from behind.](http://www.isnnews.net/babylon5/gallery/sf/starfury3.jpg) [A Thunderbolt Starfury, also using it’s reverse thrusters, and SHARK TEETH!](http://www.angelfire.com/geek/dffqi/DFFQI_b5tek_EAthunder.JPG) [A Minbari fighter firing one of it’s three beam weapons](http://www.kramer-digital.de/kramer/babylon5/mf-gros01.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/17 "2005-10-03T05:52:46Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > [A Thunderbolt Starfury, also using it’s reverse thrusters, and SHARK TEETH!](http://www.angelfire.com/geek/dffqi/DFFQI_b5tek_EAthunder.JPG) This link doesn’t work for me; I get a “This link hosted by angelfire” logo. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/18 "2005-10-03T06:18:55Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > how would you rate these fighters, any ones i’ve missed? I am gonna add one more fighter to the mix thats seems to have gone astray, the valkries from robotech. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/19 "2005-10-03T06:33:46Z")
In terms of cool looks, I always liked the jagged, asymmetrical Kilrathi fighters from Wing Commander III. I’ve also heard that Star Trek has something called “Peregrine Fighters”, but I haven’t kept up with the francise. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2005, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413/20 "2005-10-03T06:47:34Z")
Peregrines are one-man fighters that were mostly used to spice up the visual appeal of the DS9 Dominion War battles. Not much is known about them and I imagine they’re probably less powerful than the Danube class runabouts and less well-rounded as well. They’re [pretty](http://ditl.org/gpns/GPeregrine3.jpg), though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-geek-poll-best-one-man-snub-fighter/324413.md?page=2)