X-Wing VS. TIE Fighter Stats

Updated 1998/02/15 Sun


Cornering Statistics


Fighter Cornering Abilities

These represent the abilities the fighter has at it's best turn rate (33% throttle, 100% (normal) engines). Corner speed is the velocity at which the fighter has the best turn rate, and measured in meters per second. Unfortunately LucasArts modeled best turn at a throttle setting, rather than a specific velocity as is the norm (well, in real life anyways), so having power redirected to other systems will change your corner speed.

Your corner rate is your turn rate at your corner speed expressed in degrees per second. These were all done by time-intensive trial with a stop watch and several loops along the lift vector (if these ships had one as such). The higher your corner rate the better, as this represents how fast you can put your nose on an enemy fighter and splatter the cockpit with hair, teeth and eyeballs. It should also be noted that some ships actually had better roll capabilities than their lift ability implies. I may make a graph for those when I have the time.

The corner radius, in meters, is the smallest circle you can make while at corner speed. As space craft not having to worry about gravity, this isn't terribly critical (gravity is a harsh mistress on PMS), but it's good to remember when you're trying to figure out how that T/B is somehow outturning your T/I (he isn't, his turn radius is inside yours).

Finally, data for the T-Wing and R-41 were taken from the Craft Database and calculated based on performance similar to an X-Wing.

Defensive Capabilites


Fighter Armour and Shielding

A combination of 100% (normal) shields is superpositioned over the armour capabilities. Note that it's the Y-Wing's armour which makes it's defense strength even remotely close to the Gunboat, although it's manueverability sucks so bad the only thing worse is the B-Wing.



Doghouse Plot


Fighter Performance Over Various Engine Settings

This is a measurement of the turn rate over velocity, with each fighter operating at optimum turn performance (33% throttle, 100% engines). Although not explicitly shown, the turn radius (different from turn rate) of each fighter can be implicitly determined by its position relative to the left and bottom axis. The further from the left and the closer to the bottom, the larger the turn radius (bad). Note that most of the Imperial fighters can quite handily out-turn Rebel fighters. Also remember that some fighters had a respectable roll performance versus lift, and these may be their key to winning a knife fight.



Warhead Damage Strength


SBD and RU Damage Points For Fighter Warheads

Even though space bombs pack more punch than heavy rockets, some craft can carry more rockets than bombs. If you're going to whack some cap ships choose your big stick carefully. Mag Pulse missiles, not noted here, are extremely effective against capitol ships. Although they do no physical damage, they temporarily disable your target's turrets, making it easier to take down their shields and permanently disable them.



Ordinance


Standard Fighter Weapon Payload

Click to see numeric standard armanent loading.

A measure of the weapons payload of each fighter, expressed as the damage capability of the max complement of projectiles. A single Assault Gunboat or B-Wing has the capability of completely taking down the shields of an Escort Carrier with it's full loading of heavy rockets.

The T-Wing is estimated to have the same warhead capabilities as the X-Wing as taken from the Craft Database. The R-41 is mentioned to carry no warheads. It is not clear whether this is just standard loadout or if it is incapable for launching warheads.



Velocity


The maximum achievable velocity at 100% throttle with standard outfitting (ie. no beam weapons) when:

  1. 0% energy to engines (all energy redirected to shields/weapons)
  2. 100% energy to engines (normal energy)
  3. 200% energy to engines (all engergy redirected from shields/weapons)

The Y-Wing has the distinction of being the slowest at 0%, while the TIE Bomber is the slowest at 200%. The T/B is so slow that even at 200% engines it's unable to catch an X-Wing at 100%, and redirecting weapons power to engines in a Y-Wing will allow you to escape (slowly).

The T/W and R-41 data is partly taken from the Craft Database and estimated based on similar craft.



Medium Ship Defences




Capitol Ship Defences




Overall Defensive Strength



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