Delta-7 Aethersprite Design

Jim Raynor · Post by **Jim Raynor** » 2002-10-31 05:28am

Does anyone else think the Delta-7's design is complete idiocy? The ship seems to sacrifice EVERYTHING for speed, even more so than A-wings. It can't take damage well, is armed only with light blaster cannons, and even lacks a hyperdrive. And this was the ship the Jedi are supposed to be traveling around in? For extended missions where you're likely to be working independently from starports and other support, you'll need a good rugged ship that can travel long distances. A little cargo room wouldn't hurt either. A modified stock freighter should be perfect for this kind of thing. Official sources claim that the Delta-7 is so small and light because it's not meant for combat. Well in that case it wouldn't need its blistering speed and maneuverability either. And for a ship that's supposed to get you places, it can't even travel between different systems without an external hyperdrive ring. This is a cool and creative idea, but as Mr. Wong pointed out it would be good for civilian vacationing but militarily useless. Even if the ship is so fast at sublight a pursuer can stop any escape simply by destroying the ring. How does anyone expect the Delta-7 to link up with the ring while being chased? Once the ring is destroyed, the ship and the Jedi inside is instantly doomed.

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2002-11-01 03:06am

It's a good design, your claims are wrong:
-shields, it withstood many shots and grazing hits from Slave-1, rewatch the scene.
-Firepower, it's guns are rated at 1KT a piece, thats plenty enough
-Hyperdrive, it has hyperdrive too, it's detachable.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2002-11-01 03:35am

His Divine Shadow wrote:It's a good design, your claims are wrong:
-shields, it withstood many shots and grazing hits from Slave-1, rewatch the scene.
-Firepower, it's guns are rated at 1KT a piece, thats plenty enough
-Hyperdrive, it has hyperdrive too, it's detachable.

Is it able to land with the hyperdrive? I think that having to disconnect the hyperdrive everytime you land is kind of dumb. I mean, it can get lost, stolen, destroyed, etc. Is that smart from a military viewpoint?

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2002-11-01 03:43am

neoolong wrote:Is it able to land with the hyperdrive? I think that having to disconnect the hyperdrive everytime you land is kind of dumb. I mean, it can get lost, stolen, destroyed, etc. Is that smart from a military viewpoint?

It's a special ops craft, not a millitary craft, same rules do not apply.

Laughing Mechanicus · Post by **Laughing Mechanicus** » 2002-11-01 06:08am

In the AOTC novel Jango and Boba Fett take a look at the Delta-7 parked on Kamino while Obi Wan is having his tour of the facility. During that Jango (or Boba, I'm not sure) comments that it is a new design and the manufacturers haven't had time to add the internal hyperdrive yet, hence Obi Wan used the civilian hyperdrive ring. As for cargo space it has enough room for some spare parts canisters, thats probably the only space a diplomatic craft would need (if cargo space was needed they could use the Republic diplomatic ship from the opening of TPM). Afterall the Jedi's version of the Delta-7 is simply designed to move a single very important negotiator (Jedi Knight/Master) very quickly from one place to another, a design that is obviously meant to help the overstreched Jedi deal with the myriad disputes that are popping up at the time of the Delta-7 entering service. The severity of the number of disputes may explain why it was rushed into service without a proper internal hyperdrive, the Jedi may have simply needed lots of small ships to get Jedi around the galaxy, and decided they needed it now as opposed to when the hyperdrive was finished.

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2002-11-01 06:16am

The fighter is excellent though, clearly superior to TIE's, possibly even Interceptors.
It's shields are very tough for such a little ship.

Laughing Mechanicus · Post by **Laughing Mechanicus** » 2002-11-01 06:23am

Didn't Lord Wong note it has double layered shields? One above the hull and one between the srmor and internal components, and its got a nice big heat dissapation fin to make the shields recharge faster.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2002-11-01 11:54am

His Divine Shadow wrote:
neoolong wrote:Is it able to land with the hyperdrive? I think that having to disconnect the hyperdrive everytime you land is kind of dumb. I mean, it can get lost, stolen, destroyed, etc. Is that smart from a military viewpoint?
It's a special ops craft, not a millitary craft, same rules do not apply.

Okay, from a special ops point of view, is it still wise? I mean what if you have to leave a planet quick with some fighters on your tail. You'll have to make a special trip to get the hyperdrive ring and dock with it before you can escape.

Of course, after reading Ash's post I see that it will eventually have an internal hyperdrive, so I guess it's alright.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-11-01 01:24pm

The fighter lacks firepower for attacking capital ships, but it's designed to slash through a starfighter formation without giving its enemies a target to fire at.

Jim Raynor · Post by **Jim Raynor** » 2002-11-01 01:25pm

His Divine Shadow wrote:It's a good design, your claims are wrong:
-shields, it withstood many shots and grazing hits from Slave-1, rewatch the scene.
-Firepower, it's guns are rated at 1KT a piece, thats plenty enough
-Hyperdrive, it has hyperdrive too, it's detachable.

I forgot about how many shots it took from Slave-1, so I'll retract my comments on its shields. However, 1 KT lasers aren't anything special in the context of SW fighters, and like I've pointed out before the detachable hyperdrive ring, rushed or not, is extremely stupid and leaves the ship very vulnerable.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-11-01 01:27pm

Jim Raynor wrote:
His Divine Shadow wrote:It's a good design, your claims are wrong:
-shields, it withstood many shots and grazing hits from Slave-1, rewatch the scene.
-Firepower, it's guns are rated at 1KT a piece, thats plenty enough
-Hyperdrive, it has hyperdrive too, it's detachable.
I forgot about how many shots it took from Slave-1, so I'll retract my comments on its shields. However, 1 KT lasers aren't anything special in the context of SW fighters, and like I've pointed out before the detachable hyperdrive ring, rushed or not, is extremely stupid and leaves the ship very vulnerable.

It's probably a stop-gap measure. The Jedi are almost certainly taking what is meant to be a short-range, planetary defense/patrol ship and modifying it into a ship designed to move them around the Galaxy. It was a mistake on the part of the Jedi, if anyone's, for selecting a design that was not tailored to their needs.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2002-11-01 04:17pm

No. The EU clearly points that all additionally purchased models are coming with the internal hyperdrive. The ring is irrelevent.

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2002-11-01 04:35pm

I don't think it was a misstake, the fighter did a good job, even the non-jedi version of it, it had the range to go from the core to the outer rim too.

Spartan · Post by **Spartan** » 2002-11-01 05:46pm

I forgot about how many shots it took from Slave-1, so I'll retract my comments on its shields. However, 1 KT lasers aren't anything special in the context of SW fighters, and like I've pointed out before the detachable hyperdrive ring, rushed or not, is extremely stupid and leaves the ship very vulnerable.

That really depends on how it is employed. Tie's also lack a hyperdrive, and are very effective at defending their parent ISD. Now in the Clone war games the Accumulators use the Aenthersprite as a space superiority fighter, and it very effective. Correctly supported and employed a starfighter does not need a hyperdrive. Sure it's useful to the rebellion to employ HD equipped fighters given their number of capital ships they had. But honestly outsided of allowing you to recon nearby starsytems, inconspicuosly; a single starfighter HD equiped or not is pretty insignificant. According to the Clone Wars game the Aenthersprite serve throughout the entire war, so they were probably quite good at their jobs.

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2002-11-01 07:34pm

I tihkn it's a fairly good design. It took several glancing hits from the 2-KT cannons of the Slave I, it has a small target profile, the cokpit makes for great visibility, and it's very fast.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2002-11-01 09:46pm

It's obviously not a dedicated fighter; I think it's more of a courier that's simply a well-armed and armored one-man shuttle.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-11-02 03:10pm

The Aethersprite appears to be designed to destroy other fighters and light ships, but not to go toe-to-toe with heavy fighters and patrol ships. It is designed much like modern "energy fighters," that avoid direct combat and engage their enemies only when in an advantageous position, preserving enough speed to prevent their enemies from engaging them if they are not in a good position.

Post by **Vympel** » 2002-11-04 05:13am

What to make of the four laser cannons however? That's a lot of firepower. It also took repeated 2kt blasts from the Slave I on its shields.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2002-11-04 11:10am

Hrm, perhaps the Delta-7 (without the hyperdrive ring) is analogous to the F-104? A quick, fast point-interceptor, but without the muscle of a heavy fighter like the F-4?

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-11-04 11:21am

Vympel wrote:What to make of the four laser cannons however? That's a lot of firepower. It also took repeated 2kt blasts from the Slave I on its shields.

A lot of firepower compared to what? Remember that each of those weapons is only a kt, maximum yield. That is not enough to damage patrol craft, or even to seriously threaten very heavy starfighters in SW, though it is enough firepower to do significant damage to smaller starfighters, and certainly to troop concentrations.

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2002-11-04 06:41pm

a KT is not a little either, they where able to hurt the millenium falcon with weapons like that

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2002-11-10 11:15am

I think the Aethersprite might be some sort of scout fighter - rather an armed scout than a dedicated fighter - or perhaps it could be some sort of armed versino of a fighter otherwise designed for civilian use...