Description
The small, fast, lightweight TIE Fighter is a very clear symbol of the Empire's control of space. The TIE Fighter is present in almost every Imperial captial ship in the galaxy, and is stationed in spaceports, garrison bases, and space outposts everywhere. The TIE (Twin Ion Engine) Fighter is a short range ship with a very distinguishing pair of solar array panels mounted on the sides of a small, spherical command pod. The panels are very thin, and the command pod relativley small, making the TIE Fighter a difficult target in combat.
The idea behind the TIE Fighter is not that each ship be a great fighter, but since the TIEs are so cheap and easily mass produced, many squadrons of TIE Fighters can overcome an enemy in battle simply because of the large number of fighters present. An Imperial ship can launch enough TIEs to take out some targets before they even have a chance to respond. TIEs are used on escort missions, and mainly to defend cruisers and other capital ships during battle. It is also used in an attack role against Rebel ships, and sometimes against pirate and alien craft.
TIE Fighters are not highly advanced craft, they only carry sublight drives. This means that during battle they are dependent upon a home base such as a ship or a nearby planet. TIEs can only stay in space for a maximum of two days, and this is only under good conditions and with a full fuel load; a TIE that has been in battle for two or three hours has to return to base for refuelling.
Other than firepower, the TIE really only has its speed and maneuverability on its side; it has no shields, no hyperdrive, minimal armor, no life support system for the pilot, and a very small fuel supply. However, without these systems, the TIE Fighter is very light and much faster than most Rebel fighters, and also more maneuverable. There is also much more room for the large power generators, engines, and weapons systems.
There are thousands of new TIEs being manufactured each year, and many pilots are coming out of training. For this reason, some Imperial leaders say that casualties are insignificant, and send as many TIEs as neccessary to win a battle. Some strategists also say that the TIE Fighter is too responsive, and some pilots try to pull off a complex maneuver and end up tearing the ship apart from high stresses on the ship's hull.
The pilot enters the TIE through a top hatch, and is strapped into a high-G shock couch and is protected by crash webbing and a antigravity field produced by a repulsorlift engine. The pilot's feet fit into control yokes which control speed and certain maneuvers, and the hand-control yokes control more precise maneuvers, targeting, navigation, and firing. The main armament of the TIE is a pair of forwars-firing laser cannons which are fire-linked. The power generators for these weapons are located in the undercarriage of the command pod; some of the energy used is drawn from the solar radiation that comes from the solar panels on the solar array wing.
