Pilot Archive

Looking at the descriptions, i figured maybe we can make some educated guesses as to what we're getting here.

From other threads i think we know that all the new ships are teir 4, and i think i read the royal guard is a quest reward. (anyone confirm?)



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Rebels:

Z95:
"cross-body strakes which reduce overall heat and allow the chassis to support more mass"

Xwing:
"Increased mass capacity and better heat-handling."

in theme are getting "cross-body strakes". Sounds like a structural reinforcment to the chassis. From the descriptions its obvious they increase mass, but what's better heat handling about? Is this some other bonus or just wordsmithing for PR? What would require heat managment in a ship? engines? Blasters?

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Imperials:
T/F:
"updated solar panel design,.... provides a significant improvement in the recovery times for all internal systems."

T/A:
"incorporates solar-strakes increasing power distribution."

Royal guard:
"rumored to be commissioned by the Emperor himself"
"is a more powerful and more maneuverable version of the TIE Interceptor."

On the T/F, it didnt mention varient, but i would assume it would be a modded T/ln and not a T/F. Just makes more sense as a 40K mass tie at teir 4 is alot more useful than a 20K mass. It sounds like its going to have a bonus to droid command speed to it.

The T/A, is "increasing power distribution". Sounds like it's just a reactor bonus to this chassis. That would make EO4 easier to run in this ship.

As to the Royal guard, skies he limit on guesses. More powerful and more manuverable are the keys here. 2nd gunmount for sure. Probably a .5 to .10 increase in the YPR and spdx modifers im guessing. But will it get more mass?



Place your bets

I'm expecting much of the content of the quotes to be PR-speak. I don't say that because I'm cynical about added content, I sat it because I do not expect a new set of ships to be introduced that are obviously better than the current ships and thus un-balancing space combat against people with JtL but not RotW.

There is a rough scale of:

Better Handling--------------Worse Handling
Less Mass-------------------------More Mass

If you go right on one line, you should go right on the other line, or you produce an un-balanced ship. Players quickly spot unbalanced ships (the Krayt's decent handling and enormous mass comes to mind) and typically stay away from ships that don't perform as strongly (Not too many Aces in Kimogilas).

I like the idea of variety, especially when it means several equally as useful ships for Ace-level content, but creating a new X-Wing with the same general stats, but a higher mass, simply replaces a ship, rather than adding a new viable option to the mix.

So because of all of that, I expect the new ships to be placed somewhere on that scale, in line with other ships, so that you have more choices but are not led into deciding between just a few from each faction.

Shona

Well if the descrptions are not entirely PR speak, i think what we're seeing here is a extention of a theme.

Rebels tend to have poor to averge handling ships with decent mass. Generally speaking the ships are multipurpose. A wing being the much needed exception to both charactristics.

Imperial ships tend to be lighter and highly manuverable and more specalized.

But theres a question of intent here.
What are these ships intended to do? Add more choices to the pilot? Address imbalnces between factions while remaining in theme to said faction? Or just just simply fluff from ppls wishlist?

As to the Xwing, i have a feeling its going to be only like 5K to 10K more mass. Id be surpised if it was anymore than that. Given an example like the krayt, i dont see them altering the handling much, if at all. That said, i would expect to see the handling on the heavy95 toned down. Its YPR rates are exceptionally high as are all starter ships.