Imperial crafts

[Tiriol]

By the time of NJO, do the Imperials still employ TIE/In fighters (those basic fighters) or have they been mostly replaced by newer models (TIE Interceptors, TIE Defenders, Howlrunners etc)? The New Republic seemed to make a constant progress on the field of starfighter design (although most of those new starfighters seemed to be one-shot wonders, since they don't often appear), so it would seem strange that the Imperials would stick to the basic TIE fighter despite it becoming more and more outdated.

This question is somewhat closely linked to the first one: New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels stated that the Acclamator-class assault ships were made obsolete by the appereance of the Star Destroyers, but somehow that doesn't make sense to me (Acclamators were supposed to be ground assault force carriers, if I remember correctly, and were not meant to engage enemy ships on the same scale as Star Destroyers and bigger warships were meant to). So does the Empire still employ Acclamators (and Venators - another silly idea, since these things were meant to carry a huge load of starfighters, much more than Imperial-class Star Destroyers, not to be jack-of-all-trades as SDs) or have they indeed been replaced by the Star Destroyers entirely?

[Chris OFarrell]

By the time of NJO, do the Imperials still employ TIE/In fighters (those basic fighters) or have they been mostly replaced by newer models (TIE Interceptors, TIE Defenders, Howlrunners etc)? The New Republic seemed to make a constant progress on the field of starfighter design (although most of those new starfighters seemed to be one-shot wonders, since they don't often appear), so it would seem strange that the Imperials would stick to the basic TIE fighter despite it becoming more and more outdated.

They also lacked the resources of the New Republic to develop new starfighter designs, having far more pressing industrial concerns then Starfighter R&D.

The Tie/IN fighters are very much still in use. But they appear to have been upgraded with shields as standard, as have the Tie Interceptors. By the time of The Final Prophecy/The Unifying Force, Tie Defenders are much more the standard fighter in service, backed up with Scimitar assault bombers and Tie Interceptors. While the New Republic is almost completly XJ3 X-Wings and Series IV E-Wings for its primary fighter force.

This question is somewhat closely linked to the first one: New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels stated that the Acclamator-class assault ships were made obsolete by the appereance of the Star Destroyers, but somehow that doesn't make sense to me (Acclamators were supposed to be ground assault force carriers, if I remember correctly, and were not meant to engage enemy ships on the same scale as Star Destroyers and bigger warships were meant to). So does the Empire still employ Acclamators (and Venators - another silly idea, since these things were meant to carry a huge load of starfighters, much more than Imperial-class Star Destroyers, not to be jack-of-all-trades as SDs) or have they indeed been replaced by the Star Destroyers entirely?

It's a stupid comment I agree. But we do have a few sources which have the Acclamator in service well into the New Order. Frankly I think they were also supposed to be the assault ships ferrying a lot of the commandos onto Courscant during the NR assault in 'The Unifying Force' from descriptions given of some of the ships. But the descriptions are also in error in terms of length of these ships.

[Vympel]

I've felt since RotS that the Empire likely still usesmost if not all of the Clone Wars stuff we saw. The T-21 is referred to in the RotS novelization, the RotJ speederbike is the same one that Stass Allie is riding in RotS, the AT-ST is mentioned in the RotS novelization, heck the Z-95 is mentioned in the TPM novel.

[Elheru Aran]

I've felt since RotS that the Empire likely still usesmost if not all of the Clone Wars stuff we saw. The T-21 is referred to in the RotS novelization, the RotJ speederbike is the same one that Stass Allie is riding in RotS, the AT-ST is mentioned in the RotS novelization, heck the Z-95 is mentioned in the TPM novel.

The RotJ speederbike is also mounted in the back of the LAAT's in the AOTC:ICS. It's got a few minor differences, but is essentially the same speeder in configuration, layout, and appearance.

[Tychu]

Its implied by the first Rouge Squadron and then in a few of the later EU that they mostly use Tie/D's .

Of course theres still those loyal hot shot aces and their squadrons who still use their old ships. well probally with upgrades and stuff but you know the squads that used TIE Fighters will still use fighters not interceptors

[VT-16]

So does the Empire still employ Acclamators (and Venators - another silly idea, since these things were meant to carry a huge load of starfighters, much more than Imperial-class Star Destroyers, not to be jack-of-all-trades as SDs) or have they indeed been replaced by the Star Destroyers entirely?

Acclamators and Venators are in Empire at War, Acclamators are also shown in the SW:Empire comics, in a military parade in Coruscant and the Core Worlds, in cover art for the reissued Dark Empire comic (although due to poor drawing skills, the ship in question had an enlarged command-tower).

Additional stuff:

- A5 and A6 Juggernauts participate in the GCW.
- Imperial AT-AP walkers in EaW
- Imperial AT-TE walkers in the GCW-era also exist, according to the link on the OS databank (as well as a top-less cargo variant).
- ISP speeders in EaW (on the Rebel side, probably stolen)
- Rebel LAATs in Battlefront II (probably stolen as well)
- Imperial Theta-class shuttles in BFII.
- Belbullab-22 fighters, ARC-170 fighters and Eta-2 interceptors available as elite fighters for both Imperials and Rebels in SW:Galaxies (according to Leland Chee, he does take stuff like that from games and add to the Holocron, so it's not pure game-mechanics).

[Elheru Aran]

IIRC, the LAATs on the Rebel side in Battlefront II are from an abandoned factory/warehouse captured by the Rebels, according to Wookieepeda.

[VT-16]

I see. That might indicate either no LAATs in the GCW-era Empire, or older models being mothballed. (We've seen the latter with other units that fell into rebel hands).

[The Dark]

Its implied by the first Rouge Squadron and then in a few of the later EU that they mostly use Tie/D's .

The only Defenders I recall running into in the series was in Isard's Revenge, when RS runs into the "special squadron" that has Defenders. Every other mention of TIEs seems to be either eyeballs, squints, or dupes, with a few brights thrown in.

[The Original Nex]

TIE Defenders are seen in the NJO novel Final Prophesy, assigned to an Interdictor commanded by Pellaeon's bastard son. They were again mentioned in The Unifying Force where Defenders are participants in the defense of Mon Calamari against the Yuuzhan Vong armada.

The earlier NJO trilogy Force Heretic doesn't mention TIE Defenders outright but does refer to TIEs with missiles implying either the TIE Defender or the TIE Avenger. Many of the old, standard TIE/ln Line Fighters had been decommissioned, and implanted with droid brains for training excercizes.

The entire NJO story suggests the Imperial Remnant has largely recovered economically relative to their situation in tHoT duology, having constructed (or possibly obtained) a presumed Executor-class Star Dreadnought, resumed construction on Imperial-class ships (previously only small frigates, like Vindicators were economical), as well as restarting elite fighter programs like the Defender and/or Avenger lines.