Bleakbane (Re-)Plays: TIE Fighter! For the glory of the Empire, destroy everything!

[pendell]

Furball. The easy way is the boring way, even if that means we can't complete all the bonus goals.

T/A Training mission 2: Is that this one?

(NF) Historical Combat 5 Mission 2: Rocket Attack
Summary: This is one of few truly historical simulator
missions. Observation of a supply cache caught a Rebel
frigate during a refit. It was ambushed and quickly
destroyed. A Rebel cruiser showed up to help, and was
severely damaged, but not destroyed, before fleeing into
hyperspace.
Pilots would practice using heavy rockets against enemy
warships.
Commentary: The name of Tiger held by a single ATR in this
mission is also seen in B8M2 as a group, so the two may be
related.
Ship List: Inamo, Mule (also seen in B3M1), Nav/B1 NB-73,
Argus, Ardent (See also H2M3); groups: Tiger (see also B3M2
(no relation) and B8M2 (possible relation); these are Z-
95s), Shark (see also B3M6; no relation), and Demon.
[E.E.: In the goals summary, the container groups are
called Prongeds, but they are seen as Pi, Chi, and Xi in
the mission.]

I don't recall having super difficulty with this one. I think the reason why is that I carefully shot out the turrets and laser guns on the cruiser, turning it into a gigantic target balloon in space. Then plinked it to death.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Aotrs Commander]

Furball. The easy way is the boring way, even if that means we can't complete all the bonus goals.

T/A Training mission 2: Is that this one?

Yup/

I don't recall having super difficulty with this one. I think the reason why is that I carefully shot out the turrets and laser guns on the cruiser, turning it into a gigantic target balloon in space. Then plinked it to death.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

The difficulty is killing the *&£$#@& shuttle in the scant seconds between it launching and going to hyperspace... And another attempt meaning another five minutes of doing nothing but sat still holding the fire button down. Completing the primaries is [urine]-easy, even on hard.



I had another crack at XWA over the weekend. Dear FRAG it is so much less fun and harder than TIE! (Granted, I am playing on hard mode, but...) I took five or ten attmepts to get through the third or forth mission, because pootling around in a fraggin' transport where you can't dodge makes you easy prey for a concerted fighter attack. I kept getting killed by the planetary fighters. Eventually, I realised the only way to do this was to bugger your paltry two lasers and bang the shield rehargeto max (and dump the cannon energy in for the little fgood it does when you get hit0, since actually that gave you some moderate more power back.

Mission five is even worse, though. It's a "you must protect 66% of these ships" mission from an ISD plus T/F plus T/B attack. Best I managed was 57% - and the really annoyign thing is is doesn't give you a mission failure if they detroy the ships, so you'll be killing the dozens of TIEs and then realise you're the only bugger left. The biggest pain in the arse is that re-flying this mission means you have to fly out, fly through one sector and sit on you arse for two or three minutes before the ISD shows up. I think the only way to do it is to somehow managed to kill ALL the T/Bs more or less as they launch. I tried that the last time I played it, and the Empire managed to destroy all but 7% of the targets. I was like "what the fracking... Right, bugger this, thenm I'm going to play Zeus instead!"

Notably, there appears to be exactly one - fairly bare-bones and unhelpful - walktrough for XWA from around the interwebs, as opposed to the two or three more in-depth ones for TIE. Which is strange, sicne XWA is that much harder.

[pendell]

I had another crack at XWA over the weekend. Dear FRAG it is so much less fun and harder than TIE! (Granted, I am playing on hard mode, but...) I took five or ten attmepts to get through the third or forth mission, because pootling around in a fraggin' transport where you can't dodge makes you easy prey for a concerted fighter attack. I kept getting killed by the planetary fighters. Eventually, I realised the only way to do this was to bugger your paltry two lasers and bang the shield rehargeto max (and dump the cannon energy in for the little fgood it does when you get hit0, since actually that gave you some moderate more power back.

There is a better way. Set your turret laser to shot at your currently targeted ship, then fly an evasive pattern. The YT-2000 is the toughest ship in the game, properly handled. I've taken out fully shielded VSDs with them, simply by using the turret lasers set to automatic fire on targeted ship.

And yes, the front lasers are pointless on a transport.

As it turns out, I happen to have the official strategy guide for XWA in my house. If you ask, I can look it up and post a sentence or two on any specific mission you have trouble with.

But yes, XWA is MUCH harder. I'm trying to remember how I passed that mission -- so far as I recall, it was just a matter of smashing the bombers as quickly as I could, paying special attention to any bomber firing on an unarmed ship. Warheads are much less useful against armed ships in XWA, because corvettes and above can just shoot them down.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Eldariel]

But yes, XWA is MUCH harder. I'm trying to remember how I passed that mission -- so far as I recall, it was just a matter of smashing the bombers as quickly as I could, paying special attention to any bomber firing on an unarmed ship. Warheads are much less useful against armed ships in XWA, because corvettes and above can just shoot them down.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

I recall you could dumbfire to avoid this.

[factotum]

There is a better way. Set your turret laser to shot at your currently targeted ship, then fly an evasive pattern.

I recall doing that as well. I also recall that the turret guns don't use any of your laser energy, so you can set your laser recharge to zero and get some more speed out of your engines--that helps too!

[Aotrs Commander]

There is a better way. Set your turret laser to shot at your currently targeted ship, then fly an evasive pattern. The YT-2000 is the toughest ship in the game, properly handled. I've taken out fully shielded VSDs with them, simply by using the turret lasers set to automatic fire on targeted ship.

And yes, the front lasers are pointless on a transport.

Yeah, the turrets are the only weapons worth spit on the transports. (It's worth noting I was dying in the YT1300, rather than the YT2000, and that was because I was trying to keep my shields charged with the lasers. I managed much better once I stopped trying to do that...)

The YT-2000 is waaaay better, though. Hell, the in-mission debrief says "run away when the advanced missile assault Gunboats come out!" Yet I absolutely creamed then easily every time.

In fact, if I ever get to the point of y'know, completing the mission objectives, I'm going to seriously have a crack at taking the ISDII down.

(There's a point you might stick some energy back into the cannons - to use the ion cannons once you take the shield generator components down...)

As it turns out, I happen to have the official strategy guide for XWA in my house. If you ask, I can look it up and post a sentence or two on any specific mission you have trouble with.

But yes, XWA is MUCH harder. I'm trying to remember how I passed that mission -- so far as I recall, it was just a matter of smashing the bombers as quickly as I could, paying special attention to any bomber firing on an unarmed ship.

If it has any specific advice on this particular mission (other than "attack the bomber to the exclusion of everything else"), I certainly could use it!

Warheads are much less useful against armed ships in XWA, because corvettes and above can just shoot them down.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

Yeah, I will never forget learning that! One of the first things I did when I first started playing it first time around was to jump in the skirmish and say "right then, let's see how we fare: I know, I'll start with something easy like a Missileboat verses a CRV!" Finding out it shot the missiles down was an unpleasant surprise.

Finding out the Missileboat didn't have its SLAM was a worse one...!

I recall doing that as well. I also recall that the turret guns don't use any of your laser energy, so you can set your laser recharge to zero and get some more speed out of your engines--that helps too!

*skulldesk*

Dammit, so stupid! If I'm not putting any charge in the cannons, why am I keeping them at normal recharge after I empty them into the shields? I can afford to dump all the cannon energy into the shields, put the recharge to maximum and go back to a sensible speed and at the very least I can run down the T/B can't I?

There really is a big difference between flying a transport and a fighter, isn't there?

[factotum]

There really is a big difference between flying a transport and a fighter, isn't there?

There is, and that's one of the things I liked best about XWA. Really must get around to downloading the patch thing and see if it will work on my machine, but at the moment I'm not starting any lengthy games because of Pillars of Eternity coming out Thursday.

[Aotrs Commander]

I hear ya!

I'm putting around on Zeus mainly, myself: XWA I'm really only playing to get to the tech room!

[Crow]

I kicked the crap out of that mission.

I dumped all my laser energy into engines and when the gunboats got within missile range I hopped in the turret and flew a straight line. This let me unleash a barrage on easy-to-hit gunboats while shooting down their missiles in the process.

That said, I couldn't bring myself to finish XWA. I just didn't like the asthetic of the game. The rendered environments probably looked great when the game first came out, but every time I play I feel like I've stepped into an episode of Max Headroom. I much prefer the drawn styles of TIE and Xwing.

[pendell]

If it has any specific advice on this particular mission (other than "attack the bomber to the exclusion of everything else"), I certainly could use it!

Right. We're talking about the 'defend the medical station' mission, yes?

The important thing in this mission is not to rush things. You can win the mission if you jump the gun, but that's doing it the hard way. Don't head toward the Corrupter and the Lancer-class frigates until after you're asked to join the fighter screen. Unless you wait, the fighting gets very heavy very quickly, and you're likely to lose too many rebel ships.

Prioritize the bombers. Remember, it's faster to disable them than it is to destroy them. It wouldn't hurt to have Emon attack that target type.

The assault gunboats' arrival is your signal to leave. Defeating them takes amazing skill: You must dodge madly while using E to determine which gunboats are attempting a lock. Break the lock by passing them or by using F to get them to veer off (preferably both) . It's vital you don't get hit by a missile; the time you spend spinning out of control will earn you many more in rapid succession. It's possible -- but not probable -- to survive one such barrage if you were near maximum shields when it happened. If you manage to defeat the gunboats, you can get the ISDII and the assault transports .

So that's probably what it is -- there's a hidden trigger which will dump fighters on you if you approach the Imperials too quickly. That must be why I had no trouble and you did -- I stayed near the platform on point defense until ordered to join the fighter screen. Unless I miss my guess, you're charging the Impies right away and getting more bombers dumped on you than you can handle.

That may be a more long-lasting clue towards this sort of game as well; when in doubt, role-play what a starfighter pilot would be reasonably expected to do and make the mission triggers work for you, rather than against you.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Aotrs Commander]

I kicked the crap out of that mission.

I dumped all my laser energy into engines and when the gunboats got within missile range I hopped in the turret and flew a straight line. This let me unleash a barrage on easy-to-hit gunboats while shooting down their missiles in the process.

That said, I couldn't bring myself to finish XWA. I just didn't like the asthetic of the game. The rendered environments probably looked great when the game first came out, but every time I play I feel like I've stepped into an episode of Max Headroom. I much prefer the drawn styles of TIE and Xwing.

Yeah, oddly the GUNs didn't give me any problems.

Ah, this is was the XWA Upgrade project (or Darksabre's Ultimate Craft Pack) is for. It's been around since back in the day, actually, but it's just got better and more refined. The latest thing is they've figured out how to replace the backdrops. It certainly DOES look phenominal. I'll try and grab some screenshots, though of course it's not like TIE where there's a conveniant button...!

Right. We're talking about the 'defend the medical station' mission, yes?

So that's probably what it is -- there's a hidden trigger which will dump fighters on you if you approach the Imperials too quickly. That must be why I had no trouble and you did -- I stayed near the platform on point defense until ordered to join the fighter screen. Unless I miss my guess, you're charging the Impies right away and getting more bombers dumped on you than you can handle.

That may be a more long-lasting clue towards this sort of game as well; when in doubt, role-play what a starfighter pilot would be reasonably expected to do and make the mission triggers work for you, rather than against you.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

Interesting... Well, I try that next time, too.

Though the GUNs might be more of a problem at range, when they have more time to thoow missiles...

Well, with realising I can dump my cannon energy to shields, I might be able to do better anyway!

Tomorrow, though back to TIE!

Probably have another shot at T/A 2, maybe do GUN 3 and have a stab at T/D 1.

[Crow]

Once I realized that I could switch my turrets from firing on their own to linked with the cockpit at will, things became much easier. If the target isn't in my sights at that instant, I'm letting that puppy fire at will until I'm ready to take a shot, then I take over.

[Aotrs Commander]

Bonus Round!

I finished the campaign I was on Zeus really quickly, so rather than start something new (with Pillars coming out), I did a bit of TIE!

I had another go at T/A mission 2, and even kept a heavy rocket to trhow at the shuttle, but once again, unless you are precisi#ely and exactly magically in the right spot, nope.

I had a couple of attempts and GUn mission 3, but after the third or so time I died to the frigate, I decided to leave that one.

I then attempted T/D Mission 1...

Spoiler

Show

TIE Defender Mission One: Dogfighting!

No screen shots, because a) dogfighting shots are not all that interesting and there's no "story" to tell and b) I just couldn't be bothered by the time I was done to see if I'd gotten any anyway.

So, as agreed, I started off by shooting all the conainters and startiung a massive furball.

It took two attempts - the first one some rebel bugger actually hypered out!

The second , fortunately successful one took two-and-a-half hours.

You'll have to forgive me, but when it cam to the TIE Defenders, I gave up. I fought properly until all the rebels were dead and I was out of missiles. And after a hour and forty minutes, trying to shoot down T/Ds with lasers - seeing as the rebels got virtually none of them (three out of FIFTY), I just was not going to try that. - especially as TIE had hit the point where the text started to go all distort-y and I was frightened it might crash out or something and I did NOT want to do that again! (And the CUV had been destoryed long before.) So I told them all to wait, and took them out one-by-one.

This still took fifty minutes. If you didn't hit them from exactly the rear, they'd just accelerate off and it was a bugger to catch them.

Once I'd finally - FINALLY - killed the last one, I mopped up the containers.

Primary Objectives:
At least one of X-Wing group Novice must be destroyed
At least one of Y-Wing group Novice must be destroyed
At least one of B-Wing group Novice must be destroyed
Secondary Objectives:
At least one of X-Wing group Officer must be destroyed
At least one of X-Wing group Veteran must be destroyed
At least one of X-Wing group Ace must be destroyed
At least one of X-Wing group Top Ace must be destroyed
At least one of Y-Wing group Officer must be destroyed
At least one of Y-Wing group Veteran must be destroyed
At least one of Y-Wing group Ace must be destroyed
At least one of Y-wing group Top Ace must be destroyed
At least one of A-Wing group Officer must be destroyed
At least one of A-Wing group Veteran must be destroyed
At least one of A-Wing group Ace must be destroyed
At least one of A-Wing group Top Ace must be destroyed
At least one of B-Wing group Officer must be destroyed
At least one of B-Wing group Veteran must be destroyed
At least one of B-Wing group Ace must be destroyed
At least one of B-Wing group Top Ace must be destroyed
Bonus Objectives:
CN/E Challenge must be destroyed
100% of T/D group Novice must be destroyed
100% of T/D group Officer must be destroyed
100% of T/D group Veteran must be destroyed
100% of T/D group Ace must be destroyed
100% of T/D group Top Ace must be destroyed
100% of X-Wing group Novice must be destroyed
100% of X-Wing group Officer must be destroyed
100% of X-Wing group Veteran must be destroyed
100% of X-Wing group Ace must be destroyed
100% of X-Wing group Top Ace must be destroyed
100% of Y-Wing group Novice must be destroyed
100% of Y-Wing group Officer must be destroyed
100% of Y-Wing group Veteran must be destroyed
100% of Y-Wing group Ace must be destroyed
100% of Y-Wing group Top Ace must be destroyed
100% of A-Wing group Novice must be destroyed
100% of A-Wing group Officer must be destroyed
100% of A-Wing group Veteran must be destroyed
100% of A-Wing group Ace must be destroyed
100% of A-Wing group Top Ace must be destroyed
100% of B-Wing group Novice must be destroyed
100% of B-Wing group Officer must be destroyed
100% of B-Wing group Veteran must be destroyed
100% of B-Wing group Ace must be destroyed
100% of B-Wing group Top Ace must be destroyed

221/255 kills. The rebel got a laughable three T/D, while they apparently got 7 A-Wings, 7 Y-Wings, 6 B-Wings and 11 X-Wings.

Mission score 373977

Well, funnily enough after that, I have had plenty enough for today!

Tomorrow will probably another stab at some of those missions I've no cracked yet and maybe one or two of the ones I haven't yet - I want to get at least a few mnore done before I get on to Battle 7!

Spoiler: Training Mission Status

Show

TIE Fighter

Training Mission 1: Gunnery (Attempted, up to X-Wing Dodec (four bonus goals failed))
Training Mission 2: Flight Leaders and Wingmen (Attempted, one bonus goal failed)
Training Mission 3: Destroy Depot
Training Mission 4: Destroy Probe (Attempted, one bonus goal failed)

TIE Interceptor
Training Mission 1: Threat Display (Attempted, two bonus goals failed)
Training Mission 2: Ambush![/COLOR]
Training Mission 3: Clear Minefield
Training Mission 4: Combined Attack

TIE Bomber

Training Mission 1: Proton Torpedoes (Attempted, two bonus goals failed)
Training Mission 2: Space Bombs
Training Mission 3: Torpedo Run
Training Mission 4: Bombers Armed with Missiles

TIE Advanced

Training Mission 1: Concussion Missiles
Training Mission 2: Rocket Attack (Attempted, one bonus goal failed)
Training Mission 3: Preemtpive Strike
COLOR="#DAA520"]Training Mission 4: Hyperdrive Upgrade (Attempted, one bonus goal failed)[/COLOR]

Assault Gunboat

Training Mission 1: Shields
Training Mission 2: Teamwork
Training Mission 3: The Challenge (Attempted, completed and then progress lost because the game crashed out because I tried saving the flight camera...)
Training Mission 4: Escort Duty

TIE Defender

Training Mission 1: Dogfighting!
Training Mission 2: Tractor Beam
Training Mission 3: Inspect & Disable
Training Mission 4: Disable and Capture

Missile Boat

Training Mission 1: Dual Warheads
Training Mission 2: Anti-Warhead Defense
Training Mission 3: Disabling Minefield
Training Mission 4: Missile Boat vs. TIE Defender

[pendell]

This still took fifty minutes. If you didn't hit them from exactly the rear, they'd just accelerate off and it was a bugger to catch them.

Once I'd finally - FINALLY - killed the last one, I mopped up the containers.

Odd. You should be able to outrun them. Once you hit them a few times they should have to divert power to recharging shields. With lasers at max and shields at 0 recharge you should still have a velocity of 156.

Though I agree the little dude are fast, maneuverable, and a pain in the center of gravity to shoot down.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[factotum]

Yeah, for me, taking on TIE Defenders without having a tractor beam and missiles available is just Not Happening.

[Aotrs Commander]

Odd. You should be able to outrun them. Once you hit them a few times they should have to divert power to recharging shields. With lasers at max and shields at 0 recharge you should still have a velocity of 156.

Though I agree the little dude are fast, maneuverable, and a pain in the center of gravity to shoot down.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

It was still a nuisence!



Somebody on ponythread linked this: seven=and-a-half minutes of glorious Imperial triumph. I'd seen the work-in-progress before, but this what a two-minute short. This full version apparently only was put up yesterday.

I want what that lass in the TIE Bomber was using!

[factotum]

Somebody on ponythread linked this: seven=and-a-half minutes of glorious Imperial triumph.

That was *awesome*. However, if that mission had been in the actual game it would have been the easiest one ever--two SDs and an Interdictor versus a Nebulon-B and a corvette?

[pendell]

It was still a nuisence!



Somebody on ponythread linked this: seven=and-a-half minutes of glorious Imperial triumph. I'd seen the work-in-progress before, but this what a two-minute short. This full version apparently only was put up yesterday.

I want what that lass in the TIE Bomber was using!

AWESOME. And that is quite clever use of interdictor grav cones. Why doesn't anyone else do that?

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[mangosta71]

I want what that lass in the TIE Bomber was using!

I don't watch a lot of anime so I don't know how often targeting systems like that pop in general, but I recognized it from the various Macross series. And yes, it would be amazing to have something like that in a game. Imagine unloading every warhead a Missile Boat carries in a single volley...

[factotum]

If you want missile spam on that scale, play Freespace 2--there are small swarm missiles in that which look very similar to what the TIE Bomber did. Plus, it's an awesome game, so there's that too.

[pendell]

At 2:24-2:27 is that everyone's favorite flight officer in the briefing room looking quietly satisfied as all the TIE flights launch according to plan? You know, the one who briefs us on every mission in TIE fighter?

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[russdm]

The guy who made it mentions that it is supposed to be a homage to TIE Fighter. We so need an animated version of TIE Fighter, with dialog and everything. The whole game.

Thrawn in Anime....Just sounds so wonderful.

Disney, remake TIE Fighter and X-Wing so we can play them again. (own both games in collectors edition, plus strategy guides for both. I even bought a joystick to play, an usb one) I loved the games.

Regarding the first TIE Defender mission:

If you inspect the container, the craft from that container will (should) arrive one at time thereby allowing you to blow them up one by one (I think, been a while since I played). If you shot the container, all the craft show up one right after the other and you get to fight them all off.

[Aotrs Commander]

AWESOME. And that is quite clever use of interdictor grav cones. Why doesn't anyone else do that?

Respectfully,

Brian P.

Oohhh! Oohhhh! I missed that! i just thought it was some sort of jamming field, but you're right! That's so much more awesome!

If you want missile spam on that scale, play Freespace 2--there are small swarm missiles in that which look very similar to what the TIE Bomber did. Plus, it's an awesome game, so there's that too.

Yep! I played that a year or two ago (and got about 75% of the way through the mod that allowed you to play Freespace 1 in 2. I didn't finish 'cos when I felt like going back to it, my joystick had had it.)

At 2:24-2:27 is that everyone's favorite flight officer in the briefing room looking quietly satisfied as all the TIE flights launch according to plan? You know, the one who briefs us on every mission in TIE fighter?

Respectfully,

Brian P.

Pretty sure it is! I loved the nod in the icons of all the fighters on his giant display, too!

Regarding the first TIE Defender mission:

If you inspect the container, the craft from that container will (should) arrive one at time thereby allowing you to blow them up one by one (I think, been a while since I played). If you shot the container, all the craft show up one right after the other and you get to fight them all off.

Oh, I know.

That doesn't make it any quicker to the the mission, though. Hell, you can inspect the container, fight them one at a time and order the others to halt one after the other and kill all 250 one at a time, pausing for reloads in the case of the T/Ds. (Or order them all to wait and shoot 250 sitting ducks.)

I think I may have done that once... I wouldn't care to hazard a guess how long it took me, but it was probably hours...



Right, on with it then!

We'll start today with TIE Interceptor mission 3.

Spoiler

Show

TIE Interceptor Mission Three: Clear Minefield

Fly T/I Gamma 1 from FRG Lightning immortalised in my tabletop fleet!) and destroy some mines around a quartet of containers.

Well, this mission is going to be quick but messy...

Shock, horror, the first few times I died horribly (well, actually the first two times, they took out the radar, so I quit).

First time I cleared the mines, it was going great, until TIE decided to be a little bastard. I just killed a B-Wing - from a safe distance, I might add, but it threw the debris simply miles directly at me and killed me.

Grr.

Died almost straight away the next two times...

Next time, I went striaght to it once more. This time, I got a better rhythm. I find it you can basically pull into one mine after another, you manage much better and I did this time!


With the out of the way, time to kill the TUG, inspect the containers and destroy all but Koss 1 (which this time is the target.)

Three TRNs now show up to attack Lightning, so off I went to intercept.


I got two, and Lightning's other fighters got the third.


I moved after the B-Wings next.


I killed the last one B-Wing, and completed my bonus goals. At this point, three shuttles had showed up and were attacking me. Ahrman 1 got awfully close and - as I was trying to get some space - the little fracker rammed me scant seconds after the screenshot.


Well, as I'd completed all the bonus goals, I figured, well, screw it, it's only a training mission. We'll call this one done: it's not like score really matters to the training room anyway, so...

Primary Objectives:
100% of all mines must be destroyed
Secondary Objectives:
None
Bonus Objectives:
CN/A Koss 1 must be boarded
TUG T-WF must be destroyed
100% of B-Wing Green must be destroyed

Let's stick with the T/I and have another go at T/I mission 1...

Nope, once again, B-Wing Red immediately start running to hyperspace the second you start shooting at them and you can't kill the fast enough. Maybe you have to fly behind them until they're much closer to the platform and let it help you...?

Welp, nevermind, let's try T/I mission four!

TIE Interceptor Mission Four: Combined Attack

Fly out of the Lightning in T/I Alpha 1 and destroy a rebel supply base and cover the TIE Bombers while they destroy the containers. TUGs are delivering rebel pilots to the fighters and transports, but are mostly well out of reach of you to stop them.

Frag me, this took a lot of attempt. Your wingmen are basically useless. despite my very best efforts, on all but a singler occasion, one dies int eh first pass, and the one time they both survived the first three X-Wings, the next Y-Wing got them BOTH. In sucession, a heartbeat apart. Bastard.

On my penultimate attmept, I came so very close, but a lucky hit had knocked out my radar. I still nearly managed it, but the TRN finally got another lucky hit in when iot was the very last ship to be killed...

Sucessful attempt then...

First off, in order to at least TRY to keep my wingmen, I ordered them to attack X-Wing Red 1 (who goes for me) while I went after Red 2 in the first pass (so at least they might just not quite go head-to-head... it didn't work well) and then Red 3 and finally Red 1.


I then headed towards the Y-Wings. I knew I needed to kill Container Transport Moth quite fast, but the Y-Wings always killed my surviving wingmen... Normally Gold 1 went for me, but this time it didn't and went right after my wingman and killed him before I could even find the Y-Wings (because they weren't attacking me, nor were closer than the TUGs). Blast them, the little buggers. right. time to die!


With the functional Y-Wings out of the way, I made a beeline at Moth.


I kept my speed low (I kept at the speed I matched the last Y-Wing at), as I had found last time I could nearly take it out in one pass and I was determined to this time. As I pummeld it and got closer, I matched speed to it so give me more time. It was at this point TRN Bultz got in range and started firing. Whoops! I slammed up to full throttle, but fortunately, I was just about done.


Right - not having this "shooting at me" lark, not after last time...


Especially not out of you, matey.

With that, it was now just mopping up... Killing the remaining stationary Y-Wing...


... and the last TUGs. I'd nearly forgotten, but TUGs are a right bastard to hit. If you aim right at them, you will nearly always miss, even at close range. I found this time, if I aimed slightly off-right, my left lasers would clip them. I managed to ram into the penultimate one, though... Fortunately, not doing too much damage this time...


Then home to Lightning!


Primary Objectives:
100% of SHU group Revt must be destroyed
100% of TRN group Bultz must be destroyed
100% of Tug group T-SE must be destroyed
100% of Tug group T-SF must be destroyed
100% of Y-Wing group Gold must be destroyed
Secondary Objectives:
CN/A Duce 1 must be destroyed
CN/A Duce 2 must be destroyed
CN/A Duce 3 must be destroyed
Bonus Objectives:
CTRNS Moth must be destroyed

13/22 kills, not bad... Another one dusted, then!

Well, go on then...! We'll have a quick stab at the only TIE Fighter mission I've not managed to fail at completing yet, TIE Fighter mission 3!

TIE Fighter Mission Three: Destroy Depot

Take a single TIE Fighter (albiet with 4 Concussion Missiles) and destroy a rebel supply depot. TUGs are delivering pilots to the rebel fighters again.

The first time was perfect (I took all of the TUGs out in nearly one pass, and thus had a slaughter of the static targets) - right up until TIE decided to be a [female canine] again and killed me with one hit from the debris of the very first X-Wing. (I was fracking undamage, and it wasn't like I was even that CLOSE!)

I aborted the second try after realising the A-Wing moved off on their own after a minute or two.

Third attempt, I wiped all the TUGs, though, not before one of the X-Wings started moving. I killed it and the TUGs fast and the wiped the A-Wings. Then I inspected and destropyed the containers. X=Wing Gold showed up - three X-Wings. Which you have to destroy FOUR times. And, on the third wave, two A-Wings show up (and too close for me to be able to throw missiles at them). As I was beginning to have trouble - the CRV that had come to pick me up was doing its damnest, but it wasn't helping a couple of GUNs showed up. "Thank frack!" I thought. I managed to hunt down one A-Wing, but then - as usual for TIE Fighter missions - lucky hit = game over.

Well, that's it for time today then...

Primary Objectives:
100% of X-Wing group Blue must be destroyed
100% of Tug group T-XL must be destroyed
100% of A-Wing group Red must be destroyed
Secondary Objectives:
100% of CN/A group Vic must be destroyed
100% of CN/A group Limi must be destroyed
Bonus Objectives
100% of CN/A group Vic must be inspected
100% of CN/A group Limi must be inspected.
100% of X-Wing group Gold must be destroyed
100% of A-Wing group Blue must be destroyed
100% of B-Wing group Blue must be destroyed

Rather more productive than last week, at any rate...

I think the problem is with the missions I've been stuggling to complete, it basically comes down to luck, rather than skill. If you don't happen to be lucky, you'll fail the bonus objectives - some of them are absurbly narrow. (I may have plaed T/A mission 2 enough that I actually got that damn shuttle in the end, but it must have taken me loads of tries - and I would likely have been on medium!) This is ESPECIALLY true of the T/F missions, where you are so fragule, it is literally just luck as to whether not not you can survive.

I'd say I'd consider a reassessment of the training mission status to include whether or not they've at least have the primary/secondary missions completed... But some of them are so trivial it's not worth it...

Spoiler: Training Mission Status

Show

TIE Fighter

Training Mission 1: Gunnery (Attempted, up to X-Wing Dodec (four bonus goals failed))
Training Mission 2: Flight Leaders and Wingmen (Attempted, one bonus goal failed)
Training Mission 3: Destroy Depot (Attempted, three bonus goals failed)
Training Mission 4: Destroy Probe (Attempted, one bonus goal failed)

TIE Interceptor
Training Mission 1: Threat Display (Attempted, two bonus goals failed)
Training Mission 2: Ambush!
Training Mission 3: Clear Minefield
Training Mission 4: Combined Attack

TIE Bomber

Training Mission 1: Proton Torpedoes (Attempted, two bonus goals failed)
Training Mission 2: Space Bombs
Training Mission 3: Torpedo Run
Training Mission 4: Bombers Armed with Missiles

TIE Advanced

Training Mission 1: Concussion Missiles
Training Mission 2: Rocket Attack (Attempted, one bonus goal failed)
Training Mission 3: Preemtpive Strike
Training Mission 4: Hyperdrive Upgrade (Attempted, one bonus goal failed)

Assault Gunboat

Training Mission 1: Shields
Training Mission 2: Teamwork
Training Mission 3: The Challenge (Attempted, completed and then progress lost because the game crashed out because I tried saving the flight camera...)
Training Mission 4: Escort Duty

TIE Defender

Training Mission 1: Dogfighting!
Training Mission 2: Tractor Beam
Training Mission 3: Inspect & Disable
Training Mission 4: Disable and Capture

Missile Boat

Training Mission 1: Dual Warheads
Training Mission 2: Anti-Warhead Defense
Training Mission 3: Disabling Minefield
Training Mission 4: Missile Boat vs. TIE Defender

(Actually looked, spotted and corrected all the formatting typos this time...! Why you've let me post it without mentioning that for several sessions in a row without mentioning it...!)

[factotum]

Disney, remake TIE Fighter and X-Wing so we can play them again. (own both games in collectors edition, plus strategy guides for both. I even bought a joystick to play, an usb one) I loved the games.

You can already play them? Just get the GoG versions if the disc ones don't work.

Aotrs Commander: Yeah, you deserve a pass if you complete all the objectives before getting killed by the malicious hate of the RNG.

[pendell]

And that's why unshielded craft are so horribad; because no matter how skilled and maneuverable you are, it only takes one fragment of stray debris to end a promising career. Perhaps that's one reason the Rebels have better pilots; their pilots have a much better chance of surviving the first mission!

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Cristo Meyers]

Perhaps that's one reason the Rebels have better pilots; their pilots have a much better chance of surviving the first mission!

One of the Rogue Squadron novels (the first, I think), actually says that this is pretty much the case. Imperial pilots rarely get much experience because their craft are so fragile and attrition is so high compared to the Rebellion.

Of course, it also means that any Imperial pilot good enough to last is really, really good.

[hamishspence]

One of the Rogue Squadron novels (the first, I think), actually says that this is pretty much the case. Imperial pilots rarely get much experience because their craft are so fragile and attrition is so high compared to the Rebellion.

It gets repeated later - in, I think, Isard's Revenge - when TIE Defenders come into play.

[factotum]

One of the Rogue Squadron novels (the first, I think), actually says that this is pretty much the case. Imperial pilots rarely get much experience because their craft are so fragile and attrition is so high compared to the Rebellion.

Thing is, though, the whole "put thousands of cheap, fragile fighters out there" thing is Imperial doctrine. Presumably, if they care so little about the loss of a fighter, they care equally little about the loss of the pilot, so they probably don't even bother to give them much training. So long as they can launch from a mothership and identify which of the dots on their radar they should be firing at, job's a good'un!

[Cristo Meyers]

Thing is, though, the whole "put thousands of cheap, fragile fighters out there" thing is Imperial doctrine. Presumably, if they care so little about the loss of a fighter, they care equally little about the loss of the pilot, so they probably don't even bother to give them much training. So long as they can launch from a mothership and identify which of the dots on their radar they should be firing at, job's a good'un!

Quantity has its own quality

I never said that it didn't make sense for an entity like the Empire. It does on more levels than people give it credit for (i.e. actual economic/political realities instead of puppy-kicking).

Though the idea that the 'Imperial Academy' that Luke was so jonesing to get off to being some metal shack out on Kuat is a pretty hilarious image...

"Push this stick to go forward, this one to speed up, and this one to fire. Only shoot the red things. Congrats, you're now a TIE pilottrynottodie!"

[russdm]

You can already play them? Just get the GoG versions if the disc ones don't work.

I don't have a computer for playing them yet, will get and play until beaten. definitely doing x-wing first then tie Fighter.

And that's why unshielded craft are so horribad; because no matter how skilled and maneuverable you are, it only takes one fragment of stray debris to end a promising career. Perhaps that's one reason the Rebels have better pilots; their pilots have a much better chance of surviving the first mission!

Respectfully,

Brian P.

One of the Rogue Squadron novels (the first, I think), actually says that this is pretty much the case. Imperial pilots rarely get much experience because their craft are so fragile and attrition is so high compared to the Rebellion.

Of course, it also means that any Imperial pilot good enough to last is really, really good.

It gets repeated later - in, I think, Isard's Revenge - when TIE Defenders come into play.

Thing is, though, the whole "put thousands of cheap, fragile fighters out there" thing is Imperial doctrine. Presumably, if they care so little about the loss of a fighter, they care equally little about the loss of the pilot, so they probably don't even bother to give them much training. So long as they can launch from a mothership and identify which of the dots on their radar they should be firing at, job's a good'un!

Quantity has its own quality

I never said that it didn't make sense for an entity like the Empire. It does on more levels than people give it credit for (i.e. actual economic/political realities instead of puppy-kicking).

Though the idea that the 'Imperial Academy' that Luke was so jonesing to get off to being some metal shack out on Kuat is a pretty hilarious image...

"Push this stick to go forward, this one to speed up, and this one to fire. Only shoot the red things. Congrats, you're now a TIE pilottrynottodie!"

To be honest, I think it has the affect of making the average surviving TIE pilot simply better than his average surviving Rebel pilot, because good TIE pilot ended up getting really good which is not the case with Rebel pilots as much. More of the less capable pilots will survive as Rebels, and surviving a mission doesn't necessarily mean learning from your mistakes. When you can live or die to the smallest mistake, it forces you to up your game and try harder, as we have seen with our LPer on this thread when flying unshielded craft.

I think having shields on Rebel craft helped them get better pilots, but it also means they keep the ones that lack talent or are unable to improve their skills. If you really look at, the Rogues/Wraiths are elite pilots, but act in ways suggesting being that elite isn't actually that high from standard rebel pilots. More pilots survive, but apparently the overall average skill is way lower than it ought to be.

Baron Fel is extremely happy that X-Wings have shields, whereas it appears that most rebel pilots pay no attention to that fact and look down on TIE pilots for lacking shields while not appreciating their own. I think the shields help Rebel pilots make more fatal mistakes. In fact when wedge is flying in a TIE Fighter at points in the X-Wing novels, he flies better than when in an X-Wing.

The tactical doctrine doesn't help either.