# Why were the Empires ships so shit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607 "2003-07-24T13:03:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [July 25, 2003, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/41 "2003-07-25T07:44:23Z")
I’m just curious as to what sort of reaction **Duderdude** expected to get. “My God! He’s right! Why am I wasting my time with this, when I could be out curing cancer?” For fuck’s sake, we take the movie seriously and have these nitpicky conversations _because it’s fun to do!_ This seems like such an obvious and simple answer to this question, and yet there is always, without fail, some fucking moron who can’t figure out that people are _talking_ about a subject because they are _interested_ in the subject, and have to show up to save us all from our hobbies. Christ! How hard is this to figure out? How many times were you dropped on your head as a child that you can’t make the mental connection of “Hey, they’re talking about Star Wars. _I guess they really like Star Wars!_” Now will you please shut up and go away? ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/42 "2003-07-25T07:45:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*I’m just curious as to what sort of reaction **Duderdude** expected to get. “My God! He’s right! Why am I wasting my time with this, when I could be out curing cancer?” For fuck’s sake, we take the movie seriously and have these nitpicky conversations _because it’s fun to do!_ This seems like such an obvious and simple answer to this question, and yet there is always, without fail, some fucking moron who can’t figure out that people are _talking_ about a subject because they are _interested_ in the subject, and have to show up to save us all from our hobbies. Christ! How hard is this to figure out? How many times were you dropped on your head as a child that you can’t make the mental connection of “Hey, they’re talking about Star Wars. _I guess they really like Star Wars!_” > > Now will you please shut up and go away? \*\* Whoa, dude, this isn’t the pit, so watch your mouth. I never directly insulted you. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/43 "2003-07-25T07:46:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > Try: “Look! A mob of short natives wielding primitive weapons that outnumber us a hundred to one and have the home-field advantage! Return to the bunker that _we’re trying to protect_!” I didn’t see any hundred-to-one mobs in the movie, did you? And besides, even with 100-to-1 odds, one decent minefield and a few automatic weapons with good spray would have done the job. As **Rhum Runner** said, not even a clearing… ---
**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:** [July 25, 2003, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/44 "2003-07-25T07:49:16Z")
Your attitude is insulting enough. If you don’t have anything to contribute, piss off. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/45 "2003-07-25T07:50:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*Your attitude is insulting enough. If you don’t have anything to contribute, piss off. \*\* It’s not my problem if you lack the mental competence to neglect me. Seems you’re just angry at yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Grousser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Grousser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grousser)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/46 "2003-07-25T08:02:44Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Duderdude2_ > **At least you were nicer about it than Grousser.** Poopy Pants is nicer than being a natural predator in a kind of existence? Well… you could play a villain very well in the SDMB, but there’s no intention to suggest that you are that way in real life… :dubious: I’m curious that in every thread discussing about real issues from fictitious universes, it comes up an entity, not partisan of the _SoD_, who tends to try convincing everyone that everything they’re talking about of is fictional… as if they didn’t know. Check the post of **pjd** in [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=187175&highlight=trek). You’ll see what I mean. Btw, do you know where my lines come from? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/47 "2003-07-25T08:03:45Z")
> [@](#): > > I didn’t see any hundred-to-one mobs in the movie, did you? So the only thing that exists is what is shown onscreen? Nope, read the novelisation. The ewoks won through sheer force of numbers. > [@](#): > > And besides, even with 100-to-1 odds, one decent minefield and a few automatic weapons with good spray would have done the job. Assuming conventional defense tactics. The Empire, despite anticipating the Rebel’s arrival, had to maintain the appearance of not expecting anyone to get on the planet. Why would they mount such insane defenses if all they had to worry about was the occasional ewok? It’s obvious that it wasn’t until AFTER the Rebels arrived that the native population posed no serious threat to the Empire… hence the lousy defense. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/48 "2003-07-25T08:04:59Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s obvious that it wasn’t until AFTER the Rebels arrived that the native population posed no serious threat to the Empire Rather, “It’s obvious that it wasn’t until AFTER the Rebels arrived that the native population posed _a_ serious threat to the Empire”… Shut up, I’m tired. ---
**Author:** ![Grousser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Grousser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grousser)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/49 "2003-07-25T08:10:03Z")
**Mods** : Please don’t ban trolling entities like **Duderdude2**. They are exposing themselves enough, and they are vital for the evolution of healthy discussions: _preys who seems predators, and they only prey themselves_. Think about it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/50 "2003-07-25T08:21:14Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mtroll.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mtroll.html) I do not see myself as a troll. I was merely making a point, one that you could have chosen to ignore (but decided against, apparently), but instead followed up with insults and accusations. I did not pull a random-post-and-leave tactic, but instead stayed and supplied details to back up my thesis. I fail to see how anything I said in regards to Star Wars personally offended you, it’s not as if it was a racist joke, which of course would be unacceptable. It seems if anyone takes a stance opposite of yours, you define them as a “troll”. I find that behavior very interesting. This is my message board just as much as it is your’s. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/51 "2003-07-25T08:22:36Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mtroll.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mtroll.html) I do not see myself as a troll. I was merely making a point, one that you could have chosen to ignore (but decided against, apparently), but instead followed up with insults and accusations. I did not pull a random-post-and-leave tactic. You instead stayed and supplied details to back up my thesis. I fail to see how anything I said in regards to Star Wars personally offended you, it’s not as if it was a racist joke, which of course would be unacceptable. It seems if anyone takes a stance opposite of yours, you define them as a “troll”. I find that behavior very interesting. This is my message board just as much as it is your’s. ---
**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:** [July 25, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/52 "2003-07-25T08:23:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duderdude2 \* > \*\*It’s not my problem if you lack the mental competence to neglect me. Seems you’re just angry at yourself. \*\* I’m too stupid to ignore you, is that it? Yeah, that’s the sort of attitude I expected from someone like you. “Hey, it’s not my fault you got pissed at me for acting like a dick. You should have better control of your emotions!” Riiiight. Hey, **Grousser** , where is that quote from, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/53 "2003-07-25T08:23:44Z")
Damn, didn’t hit stop fast enough to prevent the first post. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/54 "2003-07-25T08:25:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*I’m too stupid to ignore you, is that it? Yeah, that’s the sort of attitude I expected from someone like you. “Hey, it’s not my fault you got pissed at me for acting like a dick. You should have better control of your emotions!” Riiiight. \*\* Whoever said I was pissed? I quite enjoy responding to your posts. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/55 "2003-07-25T08:29:30Z")
And here I was expecting that _I_ would be causing all the trouble. Ah well, another “good” Star Wars thread, down the drain. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/56 "2003-07-25T11:48:01Z")
Heck, it’s not over til it’s over, or until Lucas runs out of money. I remember one essayist criticizing the original Death Star’s destruction as equivalent to “a bunch of rock-throwing kids overrunning the Pentagon.” Heck, you’d think a major battlestation would have a permanent contigent of major support ships, any of which could blow a bunch of X-Wings away. _Babylon 5_ handles some of these things a little better, especially when you see one capital ship launching missiles at another, and the target ship casually shooting those missiles with some kind of energy weapon, or missiles of its own. Defense _should_ be much easier than offense in any kind of space battle. ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/57 "2003-07-25T13:31:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > \*\*Assuming conventional defense tactics. The Empire, despite anticipating the Rebel’s arrival, had to maintain the appearance of not expecting anyone to get on the planet. Why would they mount such insane defenses if all they had to worry about was the occasional ewok? It’s obvious that it wasn’t until AFTER the Rebels arrived that the native population posed no serious threat to the Empire… hence the lousy defense. \*\* I am in no position to doubt your SW lore, but, a mine field, a clearing, a few machine gun nests type things = “insane defenses”? Come on! If they wanted to be really crafty about it, they would have laid out the mines, and left the jungle, then once Luke is captured, they could have blown all the furries to hell. Option two, call in some fighter support from the GIANT SPACE STATION IN ORBIT when things start to look bad.! The way they constantly leave massive gaps in their defenses helps move the stroy, no doubt, but it is hugely annoying. ---
**Author:** ![mske](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@mske](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mske)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/58 "2003-07-25T13:37:47Z")
Hey **duderdude2** , please list some of your favourite things so we can piss all over them. As for the Empire, why does everything involve “lure them into this trap” (second Death Star, freezing people, let the Falcon get away). Just use your overwhelming numbers and “Shock and Awe” the whiny rebels out of existence. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/59 "2003-07-25T13:44:38Z")
Double-D 2, It’s obvious you have some sort of opinion on the subject, otherwise your passions wouldn’t have been stirred so much so that it made you open the thread, wait for it, read it and then post here. I’m guessing that you have anger which comes from being unable to create a coherent view of this Lucas universe. My advise is simply don’t try because it’s impossible. Lucas is a very fallible person so there are many contradictions and out right stupid things going on. But it’s still fun to try and come up with a reason. Heck trying to create logical solutions to odd situations is a very fun game. Didn’t you ever play those games at college? Somebody says something wacky and you take and try and form a complete picture. For instance there was a rat on “Last Comic Standing” and Rich Vos composed an entire dossier on the rat. Doesn’t mean anything, it’s just fun. It _should_ be Bryan, although I wonder how many lives were lost because in our military because some General wanted to do something this way or viewed as Admiral in another branch as a rival. It’s a great out for these kinds of arguments. Even though it was Lucas’ mistake to make them that way in the first place once you delve into the fantasy world you can just assign most faults to general human stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607/60 "2003-07-25T13:49:29Z")
The Living Force made em design stuff stupid and make bad decisoins . . . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-empires-ships-so-shit/190607.md?page=4)