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Wired analyzes the Battle of Hoth, rips Vader's approach
- Thread starter XiaNaphryz
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The Lamonster
Member
The article suggests TIE Fighters in Hoth atmosphere. I doubt they were equipped for that sort of environment. They don't even have hyperdrive systems.
Kung Fu Jedi
Member
What would a hyberdrive system have to do with a TIE Fighter's ability to enter that atmosphere?
I doubt those TIE fighters would hold up in the cold, as they are weak as could be in space lol. One hit BAAM gone.
The Lamonster
Member
I'm just saying they are ultra-light ships, equipped for short-range space skirmishes. Truly the basic infantry of the Empire's arsenal. They have no shields or life support systems either. And Hoth has an extremely unforgiving atmosphere and plenty of Rebel ground defense.
You can be a minor player and still blow up the Death Star. They're not all that well made.
The surface of Hoth is much, much warmer than open space.
They have pilots and fly in space but have no life support systems? Oh ok.
If I'm not mistaken, aren't the TIE pilot suits/rebreathers functioning as their life support? Honest question
The TIE fighter pilot wears a suit that handles all life support. It's not actually part of the ship. The empire did this so that the fighter itself could sustain some systems damage and not kill the pilot.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/TIE_pilot
Could be. Wouldn't be a reason they couldn't fly on Hoth though. Everyone is looking past the most obvious answer. They are a sphere with two vertical wings. The things would fall out of the sky. They would generation zero lift to be able to fly in an atmosphere. Of course that doesn't really matter in the star wars universe. X-Wings wouldn't be able to fly either.
Good to know I guess. My point was if a TIE fighter can fly in space it obviously can support human life so not having a life support system wouldn't be a reason why it can't fly on Hoth.
damnit, in the Rogue Squadron games they're all flying around in atmospheres
Kung Fu Jedi
Member
I'll grant you that they aren't the sturdiest of ships and their form-factor doesn't probably make them all that maneuverable inside an atmosphere, but there is nothing to indicate that they couldn't enter one if they wanted to. Hell, what would be the point of a TIE Bomber if they couldn't enter an atmosphere? They couldn't have been designed just on the off chance they'd need to bombard astroids for missing Corellian Freighters.
And Hoth's atmosphere is harsh and cold, but if a TIE can survive in the cold of space, it certainly could inside the planet's atmosphere too. Hoth isn't that much different than visiting the North or South Pole on Earth, which I wouldn't think would be an issue.
Maybe, but air conducts heat a lot better than the void of space.
PhoncipleBone
Banned
Oh, no you didn't!
Even the ace pilot Wedge Antilles?
Phew. Matt C to the rescue.
PhoncipleBone
Banned
And is also the uncle to Ewan McGregor. Wedge is the unsung badass of the original series.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Not even the respite of a quoted pic will be given by this ship.
Good lord!
Yeah, the Extended Universe is filled with stupidity.
BattleMonkey
Member
The reasons why Ties were not used was because of the defense shield. Remember the rebels had to lower it to let their ships through. The shields prevented the use of fighter craft as it created a ceiling that constricted their flight room and entrance. This is also why the rebels used low flying ground speeders for combat instead of all those X-Wings they had parked at the base which had superior firepower including torpedoes that would have eaten those AT ATs for lunch. Fighter craft or anything with repulsorlifts can not penetrate shielding, that is why walkers and ground troops used, as they can penetrate shields.
Once the ground forces took down the shields they told vader they could land their shuttles for the reinforcements.
It's a joke, the Imperium class is not real. Not really any dumber than a Death Star still though.
Wait, how did they get the transports through then?
BattleMonkey
Member
The rebel transports? In the movie they lowered the shield for a brief moment when they fired the ion cannons. Leia even makes mention of it in the movie.
Walkers are popular because they work as assault vehicles in star wars. For example the trade federation tanks in Ep1 couldn't penetrate the gungan defense shield as they were repulsor operated and not walker or treaded vehicles. So walkers and such are used as a way to get past enemy defensive shielded positions.
No, the Imps.
BattleMonkey
Member
What transports are you talking of? If you mean the troops and walkers, they landed outside the shield. The article is wrong in making it sound like it was a planetary shield, in the movie they state the shield was around an area of the planet. The Imperial troops landed outside the shield area and used their walkers to assault the base. When the walkers destroyed the shields the commander tells Lord Vader that his troops can land.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
You mean like Bespin in ESB? ;P
No love for Porkins?
That quote of the comment reply in the op is God-tier.
So is MattKeil's post.
I'm dying here >_<
Fair point, but the collateral damage of the Empire's assault from employing TIE Bombers/Fighters could potentially place the life of Luke in danger. As stated earlier in the thread, the Battle of Hoth's main story focus was Vader's using it as a smokescreen to attempt to abduct and turn Luke.
He dead
dskillzhtown
keep your strippers out of my American football
I always felt Vader was going in to look for Luke, not destroy the Rebels. Sure he was told to crush the rebels, but that was a secondary goal in this battle. He wanted to capture and turn Luke. Was Leia a secondary target as well? Also, did Vader know that was is daughter in the first movie whe he had her captive?
At least they're better than AT-STs.
Two-legged (more unstable), and even worse, stationed them on a planet with pitfalls, rocks and logs.
Lol. Of course! How could I forget that.
Not even the respite of a quoted pic will be given by this ship.
This is killing me :lol
The Lamonster
Member
I think the reason Wired wrote this article is so their graphics guy could make those cool diagrams.
Mortimer Brewster
Member
That actually explains why Vader was so quick to kill Ozzel but continues to tolerate Admiral Piett's continued incompentence. It seems the only competent officer in Vader's fleet is General Veers, since he's the only who ever succeeds in accomplishing his orders.
Kitschkraft
Member
twinturbo2
butthurt Heat fan
Nerds.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Vehicles with legs never make any sense in a universe where hover technology exists.
But they look kinda cool.
But if they hadn't used walkers they wouldn't have had that tripping problem. Actually, all their problems with walking vehicles wouldn't have existed.
But they look kinda cool.
But if they hadn't used walkers they wouldn't have had that tripping problem. Actually, all their problems with walking vehicles wouldn't have existed.
As a kid, I thought this was SO cool:
Not even the respite of a quoted pic will be given by this ship.
The Tarkin. Essentially a ship built around a huge ionic cannon.
BattleMonkey
Member
Hover vehicles are not good as they are more vulnerable. They can't penetrate defensive shielding and they are left open to ion attacks. Walkers are more popular for assault purposes, but yea it would make more sense for them to use wheeled or tracked vehicles, though they might not have worked well in the snow, hence the use of walkers.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
I don't see how though. Anything that's put in a Walker can be put in a hover tank. There's nothing that a Walker has that a hover tank couldn't also have except slow trip-prone legs. And I'm pretty sure tracked vehicles are made to drive in snow.
I'm sure they used them to look cool and have fun with stop motion.
Marty Chinn
Member
Thus the name of the vehicle which is All Terrain Armored Transport.
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