How effective are B-Wings, really?

[MKSheppard]

We've heard how l33t they are in the X-Wing games and the EU
literature, but how many of them would it take to really hurt a Nebulon
B without the use of "character shielding" or "plot holes"?

[Illuminatus Primus]

I personally think a totally outfitted B-Wing could probably mount 1 teraton weapons as maximum, and at minimum, it would take a squadron to blow a Nebulon-B. That's my personal opinion.

I don't think fighters alone could hurt anything beyond an Acclamator.

[consequences]

Well, first we need a decent figure for anti cap-ship proton torpedos, 60 gigs is the highest i've seen, but I don't know how accurate either way that is.

[Illuminatus Primus]

The key term is anti-cap ship fighter torpedoes. The heavy heavy torpedoes used to break the Lusankya's shields could've been in the high-teraton range.

The shielding zones for a Nebulon-B are probably worth a dozen teratons or so, and the threshold is probably anywhere from a teraton to high hundred gigaton figures, IMHO.

I'd say a squadron of B-Wings fully outfitted w/ max yield torpedoes could probably take a Nebulon-B pretty easy.

[MKSheppard]

I'd say a squadron of B-Wings fully outfitted w/ max yield torpedoes could probably take a Nebulon-B pretty easy.

You're forgetting that Nebulon Bs are:

The Nebulon-B escort frigate is the Alliance’s best all-around close support vessel. It is well suited for anti-starfighter and anti-medium vessel work

I'd have to say 2 squadrons of B-Wings to really take a Nebulon B down
into space dust, without severe losses.

A squadron could probably destroy it, but take heavy losses in the process

[Illuminatus Primus]

I'd say a squadron of B-Wings fully outfitted w/ max yield torpedoes could probably take a Nebulon-B pretty easy.

You're forgetting that Nebulon Bs are:

The Nebulon-B escort frigate is the Alliance’s best all-around close support vessel. It is well suited for anti-starfighter and anti-medium vessel work

I'd have to say 2 squadrons of B-Wings to really take a Nebulon B down
into space dust, without severe losses.

A squadron could probably destroy it, but take heavy losses in the process

It clearly wasn't optimized against Rebel Starfighters if they deployed the Lancer-class while they still had the Nebulon-B in service.

[consequences]

But the Lancer was created for an RPG by people who had never analysed the onscreen anti-fighter fire, when people thought that fighters were practically untouchable by normal capship mounted weapons.

[MKSheppard]

It clearly wasn't optimized against Rebel Starfighters if they deployed the Lancer-class while they still had the Nebulon-B in service.

The Lancer was a major overreaction to the threat of Rebel starfighters
caused by Yavin.

I think a lot of writers go by the X-Wing games that make it so
easy for starfighters to take down capital ships...when in reality,
even a corellian corvette would give you a tough time as a lone
starfighter...

[consequences]

A lone Corvette should be well-nigh invulnerable to a single fighter, otherwise the economics of warfare would never support the construction of corvettes.

[Stormbringer]

Of course there are as many fans that scream a fighter could never so much a hurt a cap ship.

[MKSheppard]

A lone Corvette should be well-nigh invulnerable to a single fighter, otherwise the economics of warfare would never support the construction of corvettes.

I think that most capships above corvette level are nigh-immune to
fighter LASER fire. It's the fighter carried torpedoes that they gotta
worry about. Luckily for cap ships, most fighters don't carry
enough torpedoes to be a credible threat to any capital ship above
corvette size...until the B-Wing came along.

And you gotta remember, while a corvette is more expensive and bigger
than a squadron of fighters, it is more USEFUL. The corvette can sit in
space for months on end, without the crew being tired, etc. And it can
perform boarding operations, as opposed to sitting around and waiting
for the cavalry to arrive.

[consequences]

The B-wing carried what, 12? Which is only 4 more than the Y-wing.

[MKSheppard]

The B-wing carried what, 12? Which is only 4 more than the Y-wing.

That may not sound like much, but you gotta remember that B-Wings typically
work in squadron-sized groups when taking down capital ships.

A single B-Wing squadron can do the work of 2 X-Wing Squadrons and
1.5 Y-Wing Squadrons, making it more cost effective and deadly.

12 x 12 = 144 proton torpedoes in a B-Wing Squadron

8 x 12 = 96 proton torpedoes in a Y-Wing Squadron

6 x 12 = 72 proton torpedoes in a X-Wing Squadron

EDIT: Also, Y-Wings and B-Wings probably have specialised
sensor equipment allowing for more precise and longer-range
locks on capital ships, and their pilots probably train more in
the anti-cap ship role than X-Wing pilots do.

[consequences]

Yeah, in a squadron theres a big difference, I thought you were talking about on the level of the individual fighter.

[Illuminatus Primus]

The B-wing carried what, 12? Which is only 4 more than the Y-wing.

That may not sound like much, but you gotta remember that B-Wings typically
work in squadron-sized groups when taking down capital ships.

A single B-Wing squadron can do the work of 2 X-Wing Squadrons and
1.5 Y-Wing Squadrons, making it more cost effective and deadly.

12 x 12 = 144 proton torpedoes in a B-Wing Squadron

8 x 12 = 96 proton torpedoes in a Y-Wing Squadron

6 x 12 = 72 proton torpedoes in a X-Wing Squadron

EDIT: Also, Y-Wings and B-Wings probably have specialised
sensor equipment allowing for more precise and longer-range
locks on capital ships, and their pilots probably train more in
the anti-cap ship role than X-Wing pilots do.

They're probably optimized for accepting different torpedo magazines for larger and higher-yield torpedoes, too.

[Illuminatus Primus]

A lone Corvette should be well-nigh invulnerable to a single fighter, otherwise the economics of warfare would never support the construction of corvettes.

I think that most capships above corvette level are nigh-immune to
fighter LASER fire. It's the fighter carried torpedoes that they gotta
worry about. Luckily for cap ships, most fighters don't carry
enough torpedoes to be a credible threat to any capital ship above
corvette size...until the B-Wing came along.

And you gotta remember, while a corvette is more expensive and bigger
than a squadron of fighters, it is more USEFUL. The corvette can sit in
space for months on end, without the crew being tired, etc. And it can
perform boarding operations, as opposed to sitting around and waiting
for the cavalry to arrive.

The Corvette provides all kinds of customs, patrol, recon, light support, and interdiction work that fighters can't.

[Boba Fett]

Have to agree with Shep!

Two squadrons can make it without suffering heavy losses.

Once the Nebulon-B's shield is brought down by the torpedoes all fighters move in to disable the ship with their ion cannons.

[Cal Wright]

I think the Anti-Starfighter role of the Neb-B doesn't play that big of a role against the B-Wing. Since the B-Wing was constructed later than that Neb-B. Not saying that it is irrelevant, just not to the level that it was to previous craft. I'd say from 18 to 24 craft would be needed, and that's pounding on her spine to break it. B-Wing is designed for bombing runs (which a lot of people forget about on the Y-Wing) so anything less would be demolished as well.

[seanrobertson]

We've heard how l33t they are in the X-Wing games and the EU
literature, but how many of them would it take to really hurt a Nebulon
B without the use of "character shielding" or "plot holes"?

I'd like to know this, too. I'm keen to know how a B-Wing's shields and blasters compare to something like an X-Wing.

[Kerneth]

We've heard how l33t they are in the X-Wing games and the EU
literature, but how many of them would it take to really hurt a Nebulon
B without the use of "character shielding" or "plot holes"?

I'd like to know this, too. I'm keen to know how a B-Wing's shields and blasters compare to something like an X-Wing.

I don't have the books, but the B-Wing is considerably more heavily shielded and armored than the X-Wing. On the order of 30-50% heavier shields, I believe.

I'm not sure how the B-Wing's blasters stand up to an X-Wing's laser cannons. It's tempting to assume they're on par or even weaker than an X-Wing's weapons since they're referred to as "autoblasters" as opposed to laser cannons and I don't recall seeing any other starship carrying blasters. Additionally, it's obvious that B-Wing blasters are if nothing else considerably smaller than X-Wing, A-Wing, or B-Wing laser cannons, and possibly smaller than those on the Y-Wing (can't tell since Y-Wing lasers are internal mounts).

[Lord Pounder]

The B-Wing, IIRC, boasts twin auto-blasters, ion-cannons, one LTL, and a standard payload of torpedoes. All in all they are more than enough to harm Cap-Ships. I think i remember them in Solo Command blowing the shit out of the Iron Fists engines. The same book also states that the B-Wing was designed to fight cap ships.

[phongn]

I've heard a reference somewhere that with torpedos, a B-Wing is nearly the equivilant to a corvette in terms of firepower. Presumably they carry heavy torpedos optimized for the antiship role (as opposed to the lighter ones used on the X-Wing).

Many of the B-Wings were refitted to carry 3 Lasers and 3 Ions rather than the factory-standard outfit.

[phongn]

EDIT: Also, Y-Wings and B-Wings probably have specialised
sensor equipment allowing for more precise and longer-range
locks on capital ships, and their pilots probably train more in
the anti-cap ship role than X-Wing pilots do.

IIRC, the fire-control system on the B-Wing was optimized for the antiship role, I can't recall of the Y-Wing was intended for that.

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

But the B-Wing is slow and unmaneuverable. It's a damn good thing it's well shielded because you be dead real fast.

[phongn]

But the B-Wing is slow and unmaneuverable. It's a damn good thing it's well shielded because you be dead real fast.

For that matter, so were the torpedo bombers of WW2 - and they were generally successful.