Proton Torpedoes

Dragon1

Dragon1

Rear Admiral
In the Star Wars Universe, we see massive multi-kilometer capital ships plowing the stars with hundreds of heavy batteries for taking out other capships and fighters. We also see that fighters play a prominent role. My question is this, do the fighters of the Star Wars Universe pack weapons of sufficient strength to attack the mamoth capital ships that they launch from?

In Episode IV we witnessed X-Wings carrying proton torpedoes, but these tactical weapons appeared to be way too lo in yield to damage a Star Destroyer. Any thoughts?
 
Yes, SW starfighters can severely damage a Star Destroyer or even destroy it. X-Wings carry 4 proton torpedoes each. The most commonly used tactic in the books at least is for a squadron to fire in unison. Each fighter launches their first 2 torpedoes at the same time, then waits a few seconds, and launches the second salvo, all at the same target. SW capitol ships have multiple shield generators for different sections of the ships, so the point is to overload one specific generator. The idea is for the first salvo to overload and short out the shield generator for the section, the second salvo then bears down on an unshielded hull. 24 torpedoes per salvo does a good amount of damage to the ship if it doesnt destroy it outright. The timing has to be perfect though between salvos. If they fire the second salvo too soon, they will be caught in the first salvo's explosion. If they fire too late, they give the target ship more time to roll and bring undamaged shields into position. ;)
 
If you have ever played X-Wing or Tie Fighter then you would probably know the answer to this question. Yes, small fighters can destroy the big mother ships from which they're launched but it takes time, dedication, patience, skill and a bit of luck.
 
Are there any more powerful munitions in the Star Wars Universe for hiting capital ships?

Any equivalents of the Wing Commander torpedo?
 
X-wing is an attack fighter, it softens op the target by attacking the turrets,
destroying it's escorts vessels in it's fighters and then calls in the bombers
(Y-wing)with the heavier weapons, to finish the job.

A lone fighter, is no match for a star destroyer(unless you are luke
skywalker), you could throw all you had at it, and you might manage
to take the shield down 40% or so. Destroying it with realism would
take bombing runs from wave after wave of bombers, escorted by
fighters.

ofcourse, in TIE fighter you could blow up a frigate with a single TIE fighter
armed with two "heavy bombs" in a single blow on one of your first missions,
but this was completely ridiculous.

for some reason, carriers did not "strike" at each other, but kept distance and
had their fighter wings duke it out, most attack craft of the imperial side were
not even shielded, and had no jump drive, so the carrier had to be present
first and then deploy it's fighters. wich always made those fantastic space
battles explainable.
 
There are "heavy torpedoes" and "space bombs" in X-Wing Alliance. Space bombs are the strongest, but no there is nothing like in WC. No shield-piercing torpedoes and nothing that can really take out a capitol ship with one or two hits.
 
From ROTJ it would apear the main tactic would be do bring the shields down then attack the capship with fighters. From the games it would look like fighters are good against cap ships attacking enmass since they do have torpedos it may take a squadren or two to get the job done. The advantage of a attack from a starfighter swarm would be first it would be easier to find blind spots in the targets senors espcialy via ECM and two more torpedos could be launched at a given. The average USAF fighter squadron has 18 aircraft according to http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/squadron.htm priviously there were 24 so for easy math we'll say there 20 squadrons in an SW fighter Squadron. The USAF
groups it's fighters in wings of 2-3 Sqads I don't kow of any reason the Rebles would be difrent and from the Original Starwars film it looked like the X-wing and Y-wing operated in a composit wing of two squadrens.
From the games and Tech manuals the X-wing and y-wing have two torpedo launchers so theroticaly a pre ROTJ fighter wing could have 80 torpedos hurling at a SD in a matter of seconds. So I would asume that even with out cap ship support that
10-20 Torepedoes launched at once would likly have an effect on a Cap ship.
It would be like comparing a Battleship geting swarmed by PT boats. There is an old Russian statement about weaponry quanity is quality.
 
Well squadron sizes are never defined in the movies, so I turn to the books. And all SW books that I have read have squadrons as 12 fighters, split up into 3 flights of 4 fighters.
 
All good information. I have done some independent research on the google search engine and came up with some interesting contradictions on the topic. The most glaring one was the debate from several Star Wars fans over where the shield generators on the Star Destroyers are actually located.

Some state that due to evidence seen at the battle of Endor, the large domes on top of the conning towers are the generators, whereas others refute this stating that the domes are actually large sensors that are protected by small generators at the base.

What do you guys think?
 
Judging from the games it this it looks like the Rebles were modled after the RAF http://www.armedforces.co.uk/raf/listings/l0001.html which seems to the average fighter squadron consits of 12 AC. I was guessing 20 becuse that is the average for the USAF.
So the next question for the bord folks in Australia New Zealand Canada or England how many squadrons are in the wings of their repective Airforces.
 
Dragon1 said:
All good information. I have done some independent research on the google search engine and came up with some interesting contradictions on the topic. The most glaring one was the debate from several Star Wars fans over where the shield generators on the Star Destroyers are actually located.

Some state that due to evidence seen at the battle of Endor, the large domes on top of the conning towers are the generators, whereas others refute this stating that the domes are actually large sensors that are protected by small generators at the base.

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

The 2 large domes above the command deck are most definitely shield generators, as seen in ROTJ. The sensor/communications array is actually the apparatus directly between those 2 domes (looks like a bridge kind of).
 
In one particular X-wing mission you had to take out those two domes on top to lower the shields on a star destroyers, it would actually be "canon"

I believe "rebel assoult" had a similar mission with those turrets as primary
mission, but i have not played that one for 10 years, so i'm not sure.

Also, rebels fly jump capable ships, so they can perform a planned surprise strike,
and jump out for a reload..
 
Again the best sources for star wars fighter wings is not the movies as they never tell you group strenght but the books and games. The X-wing series of books states that squadrons have 12 fighters, then 3 squadrons makes a fighter group(like the Imperial 181st) with 6 squadrons making a full wing(any Star Destroyer). SO 12=squadron, 36=group, 72=wing.
 
Actually it was my understanding that SD's carry one wing of 72 fighters or six squardons one of interceptors one of bombers and 4 of fighters. 144 is the figure the x-wing books give for the Super-class Star Destroyers.
 
Guardian said:
Again the best sources for star wars fighter wings is not the movies as they never tell you group strenght but the books and games. The X-wing series of books states that squadrons have 12 fighters, then 3 squadrons makes a fighter group(like the Imperial 181st) with 6 squadrons making a full wing(any Star Destroyer). SO 12=squadron, 36=group, 72=wing.
Click to expand...
I expected this would be the case now how are wings worginised in the WC universe?
 
Dragon1 said:
Hey all,

Check out this Wikipedia article on Star Destroyers which clearly indicates that the large globes are not actually the generators...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Destroyers

Also, this rather in depth fansite also states the following...

http://www.theforce.net/swtc/

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Those are no more accurate or founded than what I said, those are assumptions made by fans, just like my statement. To argue it, I think it's far too big a coincidence that one of the globes was destroyed and then the VERY NEXT scene is "Sir, we've lost our bridge deflector shield!" if the globe wasn't really the generator.

Plus if you want to add references, the New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels, published by LucasBooks, has no authority to override what is in the movies, but it can definitely shoot down any fan assumptions and it states that the globes are "Deflector Shield Generator Globes".

Mace said:
I think we should ask a warsie.
Click to expand...

see above. :D
 
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