Why does the Falcon have two turrets?

Drooling Iguana · Post by **Drooling Iguana** » 2003-10-26 02:07am

The Star Wars movies seemed to indicate that, before Han ran across Luke and Ben, the Mellenium Falcon usually had only two crew members aboard, Han and Chewie. If this is the case, though, then why did Han bother getting a second turret installed, since realistically he could only operate one of them at any given time, with the second crewman piloting the ship. Is this explained anywhere in the EU?

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2003-10-26 02:09am

I'm guessing that the turrets probably came with the ship when he got it from Lando (who probably flew with more than just a co-pilot) and Han never bothered to take it off.

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2003-10-26 02:24am

Isn't it possible to operate the turrets from the cockpit, but with reduced accuracy? IIRC Poe quoted an EU novel on this a while a go.

Lord of the Farce · Post by **Lord of the Farce** » 2003-10-26 03:06am

If you were in another ship and was suppose to chanse the Falcon, would you be less hesitant to go after it if it could only point one turret back at you?

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-10-26 03:15am

Gil Hamilton wrote:I'm guessing that the turrets probably came with the ship when he got it from Lando (who probably flew with more than just a co-pilot) and Han never bothered to take it off.

Han was the one who installed them. However it's blindly obvious why the ship had two turrets, a single one couldn't cover all arcs by far. Even if only one is manned, the guns present a threat which must be honored by an attacker.

aronkerkhof · Post by **aronkerkhof** » 2003-10-26 03:24am

Plus, if you simply fixed them both forward and fire them like an X-Wing, you double your fire power having two.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2003-10-26 08:46am

It looks scarier and one turret can fire in places where the other can't reach. So if a chasing ship maneuvers to an unhittable spot, the gunner moves to another turret. Tiring shit, I know. Or they could set it to remote.... or the pilot could remotely control the turret.

Axis Kast · Post by **Axis Kast** » 2003-10-26 03:17pm

Han is indeed able to fire one turret from the cockpit - albeit with the much-reduced accuracy Sir Sirius mentioned.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-10-26 03:36pm

I hear that they could also set the Falcon on autopilot and both Han and Chewie could man both guns.

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2003-10-26 04:04pm

Shinova wrote:I hear that they could also set the Falcon on autopilot and both Han and Chewie could man both guns.

The autopilot isn't that great, it basically flies in a straight line, and maneuvers only to not hit something.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-10-26 04:26pm

YT300000 wrote:The autopilot isn't that great, it basically flies in a straight line, and maneuvers only to not hit something.

But it'd be better if your pursuers can outrun and outmaneuver you. In that case, trying to maneuver gets kinda useless and just having both guys in the gun turrets would be better, IMO.

CmdrWilkens · Post by **CmdrWilkens** » 2003-10-26 10:23pm

A bit of it comes from the days in which Han and Chewie operated along with the droids Bollux and Blue Max(IIRC). During those occasions the droids would fly the ship while Han and Chewie would man the turrets placing bets against who would get ships flying into Money Lane. The original Han Solo trilogy goes into great detail with this.

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2003-10-27 01:00am

Because two is better than one.

Boba Fett · Post by **Boba Fett** » 2003-10-27 04:26am

Gil Hamilton wrote:I'm guessing that the turrets probably came with the ship when he got it from Lando (who probably flew with more than just a co-pilot) and Han never bothered to take it off.

No. Han installed the second turret. Furthermore the first turret was installed on the side of the Falcon, according to the Solo Trilogy.

The turrets can be fired from the cockpit with less accuracy. - The Courtship of Princess Leia

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2003-10-27 09:58pm

Because you touch yourself at night.

I'd say that there are two turrets in case there were more than two experienced people on board and they were being attacked (Weren't there people other than Lando and the Sullustian alien (Was he Nien Numb?) on the Falcon in RotJ?). One of those "Just in case" things. Of course, I don't know anything from canon or EU that would support this theory.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2003-10-28 06:54am

Maybe the turrets are computer controlled so they do not need any additional gunners.

Lord Poe · Post by **Lord Poe** » 2003-10-28 05:45pm

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi wrote:Because you touch yourself at night.

I'd say that there are two turrets in case there were more than two experienced people on board and they were being attacked (Weren't there people other than Lando and the Sullustian alien (Was he Nien Numb?) on the Falcon in RotJ?). One of those "Just in case" things. Of course, I don't know anything from canon or EU that would support this theory.

Ideally, the Falcon would be crewed by 6. There is a nav and comm station behind Solo and Chewbacca. An extra bunk above the acceleration couch, etc.

Dillon · Post by **Dillon** » 2003-10-28 08:27pm

evilcat4000 wrote:Maybe the turrets are computer controlled so they do not need any additional gunners.

IIRC, in "Courtship of Princess Leia" it was stated that the turrets could be fired without being manned, however their accuracy would be significantly reduced.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2003-10-29 03:21am

Crew quarters seem to hold at least three, plus a bunk in the main hold. Four stations in the cockpit, plus two gunner stations.

The YT-1300 is able to support a crew of at least four and up to six.

As to the double turret, firing arcs is about all you need to know for the 'why' there is two turrets.

Lord Pounder · Post by **Lord Pounder** » 2003-10-29 02:15pm

So do YT1300's generally come with 2 or 1 quads? I seem to remember that the Millenium Falsehood from the Wraith books had 2 quads and it was rescued from a scrap yard. The only other YT1300 i can remember seeing or reading about was the mock up of the Falcon used by Nogri to try and capture Leia.

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2003-10-30 08:06pm

Lord Pounder wrote:So do YT1300's generally come with 2 or 1 quads? I seem to remember that the Millenium Falsehood from the Wraith books had 2 quads and it was rescued from a scrap yard. The only other YT1300 i can remember seeing or reading about was the mock up of the Falcon used by Nogri to try and capture Leia.

Stock YT-1300's, as well as the older YT-700's and YT-1210's have only the top turret. As already stated, it couldn't cover all the firing arcs. This problem was corrected in the later YT-2000, which incorporated a bottom turret. It remained like this in all later models.

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2003-11-02 03:02pm

YT300000 wrote:
Lord Pounder wrote:So do YT1300's generally come with 2 or 1 quads? I seem to remember that the Millenium Falsehood from the Wraith books had 2 quads and it was rescued from a scrap yard. The only other YT1300 i can remember seeing or reading about was the mock up of the Falcon used by Nogri to try and capture Leia.
Stock YT-1300's, as well as the older YT-700's and YT-1210's have only the top turret. As already stated, it couldn't cover all the firing arcs. This problem was corrected in the later YT-2000, which incorporated a bottom turret. It remained like this in all later models.

What source is that from? Just X-Wing Alliance?

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2003-11-02 09:46pm

Crazedwraith wrote:
YT300000 wrote:
Lord Pounder wrote:So do YT1300's generally come with 2 or 1 quads? I seem to remember that the Millenium Falsehood from the Wraith books had 2 quads and it was rescued from a scrap yard. The only other YT1300 i can remember seeing or reading about was the mock up of the Falcon used by Nogri to try and capture Leia.
Stock YT-1300's, as well as the older YT-700's and YT-1210's have only the top turret. As already stated, it couldn't cover all the firing arcs. This problem was corrected in the later YT-2000, which incorporated a bottom turret. It remained like this in all later models.
What source is that from? Just X-Wing Alliance?

The YT-700 and YT-1210 are WEG. Every YT-1300 we have seen (except for the extremely heavily modified Millenium Falcon) has had 1 turret, and all the books that include them say they have only one. Later models (YT-2000, YT-2400) have been observed once each (Otana, Outrider) and both have two turrets, and all the books that include them say they have two.