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The Ships of Wing Commander Arena
Each side in Wing Commander Arena has three base designs, each of which have three visually and technologically distinct variants - a total of 18 flyable fighters. Various game modes also include capital ships and space stations! We've put together a brief description of where each ship originally appeared and then included images of both the original and Arena versions.
Arrow Light Fighter
The Arrow was the signature fighter for Wing Commander's 3D RealSpace engine. It first appeared in 1994 in both Wing Commander Armada and Wing Commander III. Wing Commander IV had three different Arrows - a green Confederation version, a red and blue pirate version and a special purple cloaking Black Lance Arrow. The Arrow has a cameo in the first episode of Wing Commander Academy and also appears in both game novelizations... last, but not least, it is a playable card in the Wing Commander CCG! The Arrow has always been a fast, light fighter: the Armada variant remains the fastest Wing Commander fighter ever available!
Rapier II Medium Fighter
The Rapier II was Wing Commander's first 'reward' ship: players who did well in the original game were assigned to fly the brand-new Rapier fighters. The ship went on to appear in Wing Commander II, where it remained an excellent dogfighter despite no longer being a cutting edge technology. Rapiers are especially popular in the novels - appearing in all but Heart of the Tiger. The Wing Commander movie offered tribute to the classic Rapier by making use of its predecessor, the CF-117 Rapier.
Variants in Arena include the Rapier II Blade.
Broadsword Heavy Bomber
The Broadsword was the original heavy bomber, introducing the concept of torpedo runs in Wing Commander II. Modeled after the B-17 Flying Fortress, the Broadsword bristles with turrets and munitions. They also appear in Privateer as the Confederation's heaviest fighter in the Gemini Sector. Broadswords were popular on screen - both the Wing Commander movie and the Wing Commander Academy include them among the Tiger's Claw's fighter complement. Finally, they appear in many of the novels - including End Run, Fleet Action, The Price of Freedom, Wing Commander, Pilgrim Stars and False Colors.
Variants in Arena include the Broadsword Executioner.
Darket Light Fighter
The Darket is Kilrah's most nimble fighter. It was introduced in Wing Commander III, where it was famous for operating in pairs. Since the Kilrathi war ended in Wing Commander III Darket are not as prevalent as Arrows... but they do manage to appear in three novels and the CCG!
DralthI IX Medium Fighter
The Dralthi is the most famous ship in Wing Commander history, appearing in some manner in every single game except Wing Commander II and Secret Ops. From the cover art of the original Wing Commander to the Kilrathi missions of Wing Commander Prophecy, bat-winged Dralthi are Wing Commander's signature fighter. Many Dralthi variants have been seen over the years, including the KF-100 in the movie, the Dralthi II in Secret Missions, the Dralthi VII in Privateer and the Dralthi IV in Wing Commander III.
Variants in Arena include the Dralthi IX Striker, Dralthi IX Shank and Dralthi IX Rhino.
Paktahn Bomber
The Paktahn is Kilrah's heaviest bomber, carrying even more torpedoes than the Confederation Broadsword. They are best known for destroying the TCS Behemoth in Wing Commander III, a gut-wrenching cutscene remembered by all who played the game. Paktahn also appear in the CCG and in the novel False Colors -- where they are flown by human pilots on a secret mission!
Variants in Arena include the Paktahn Phantom.
Confederation Battlecruiser
These massive warships are new to Arena's capital ship combat mode!
Kilrathi Battlecruiser
These massive warships are new to Arena's capital ship combat mode!
Midway Heavy Carrier
The original TCS Midway was 'home' in Wing Commander Prophecy - a massive space carrier which managed to beat back the first Nephilim invasion. At the time, the Confederation was busy building a fleet of ten Midways... presumably, this is one of them! It makes up one of the single player levels in Arena.
Unidentified Space Station
This space station is new to Wing Commander Arena!
Perry-Style Naval Base
The original Perry Naval Base appeared in Wing Commander Privateer, home to the Confederation's war effort in the Gemini Sector. Another Perry-style station is set to appear in the Wing Commander Arena menu.
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