Do you want to become another minor expenditure mark on some Imperial accountant's balance sheet? No? Then listen up, and maybe you'll live through your first tour of duty. Before you get into your first shootout, there are a couple of things you can do to maximize your chances of survival. First, make sure that Automatic Backup for your pilot is turned on. Don't turn it off unless you want your whole career ended by one stray laser bolt.
Ignorance Is Death [>]
¥ Second, be sure to grill your flight officer and the
cloaked figure from the Secret Order for all available information before the mission. Third, press 'G' to check your mission goals as soon as you arrive on site, as this screen is generally more concise and informative than your commander, who's sometimes long-winded and unclear. Fourth, be sure to ask for additional advice in the post-combat debriefing, which often yields detailed and helpful information. However, if you're flying near rebel space, failing a mission will almost inevitably result in capture, and you won't be able to access these hints. In such cases, you should hit "Q" in order to bring the mission to a halt.
A Matter Of Priority [>]
¥ If you ditch, get the additional info and try again. Keep
in mind that you only have to complete the Primary mission goals in order to advance to the next mission. Secondary and bonus goals yield more points, but that won't do you any good if Rebel Y-Wings take out the frigate you were supposed to be protecting.
Forget about your commanding officer's exhortations to put in time on the Training Simulator. Very few actual combat situations involve flying through interminable lengths of space tubing. The Combat Chamber, on the other hand, presents simulated situations much closer to reality.
The Chamber Awaits [>]
¥ All wise pilots will spend time in the Combat Chamber
familiarizing themselves with their craft's basic controls. Don't worry about the TIE Advanced for a while-- you're going to be flying the lesser craft for some time. Concentrate on energy management and working in harmony with your wingmen.
When you actually find yourself nose-to-nose with insurgent starfighters, you'd better have an instinctive understanding of your craft's computer systems. When the leftmost light on your targeting sight turns red, someone's got you in their sights. Move or die.
Learning The Hard Way [>]
¥ When the middle light goes green, a capital ship or
installation has a lock on you-- run away, you can't shake it. And when the rightmost light starts blinking yellow, this means someone is trying to acquire a missile lock. If it goes red, they've got it, and you'd better crank up your shields. Of course, if you're flying a TIE Fighter, Interceptor or Bomber, you don't have any. May the Force be with you...
The following are some craft-specific tips and weaknesses.
TIE Starfighter [>]
¥ Don't let your commander snow you into believing the TIE
Starfighter is anything other than a flying eggshell. Cheap to produce, sure, but that's no solace to the poor souls who have to fly these deathtraps. Maneuverability is their sole asset, and you'd best take advantage of it. Beware of collisions and friendly fire, particularly when flying near your own capital ships. Since you will normally outnumber the enemy when flying this craft, be sure to take advantage of this by ganging up on lone Rebels. Never approach an enemy capital ship in a basic TIE Fighter unless you've got the reflexes of a womp rat and the luck of a Corellian smuggler.
Tie Interceptor [>]
¥ The TIE Interceptor is an improvement, but not by much.
You still lack shields, and the Interceptor's hull is not much tougher than the basic TIE's. What you do have is heavy, short-range firepower and high speed. Avoid missile duels; get behind the Rebels and stay there. Occasionally Interceptors and TIE Fighters will be modified to carry torpedoes or missiles. Remember that 2.5 kilometers is the maximum lock-on range for starfighters, and that attaining a target lock any closer than 1 kilometer is next to impossible. Capital ships can be targeted at up to 6 kilometers, and it is a very good idea to do so.
TIE Bomber [>]
¥ The TIE Bomber enjoys a much tougher hull, but still has
no shields. Hence, you are still advised to avoid heavy encounters. You have a hefty load of missiles, but be sure to use them effectively, while the enemy is still at long range. Up close, the TIE Bomber can still outmaneuver sluggish ships like the Rebel Y-Wing, but it is certainly no match for a skillfully piloted X-Wing or A-Wing. If you're attacking a capital ship, consider targeting the weapons systems first, and take advantage of any ships in the vicinity that can board and reload you (using the Shift-B command).
Assault Gunboat [>]
¥ The Assault Gunboat features shields, at long last! Be
certain to crank up your recharge rate at the beginning of a battle or at any time when speed is not important. You will often be called upon to disable fleeing enemy craft with your ion cannons. You should remember that ships like the Corellian Transport can outdistance you unless practically all power has been redirected to the engines. When making rocket passes at capital ships, it may be a good idea to redirect all shield energy forward. You may then redirect it back as you pass the target. This is necessary since you'll be forced to come in close and endure heavy flak.
TIE Advanced And TIE Defender [>]
¥ The TIE Advanced is a superior craft, combining the best
attributes of the Assault Gunboat and the TIE Interceptor. If you're good enough to be flying one of these, you don't really need our advice.
The three-winged, "hypersecret" TIE Defender prototype has been the subject of much heated discussion, due to the inclusion of an experimental tractor beam weapon which, in theory, slows down enemy craft, thus making them easier to hit. In practice, the tractor beam is only minimally useful. However, the Defender is so heavily armed, so massively armored and so amazingly fast that the point is actually moot.
