How Did Executor's Sheilds Go Down?

[Alexus]

This let the A-Wings get a shot in at the shield projectors in the domes on the bridge

Those are scanning domes.

[Master of Ossus]

Also note that the Imperial fleet squandered much of its starfighter cover before it ever engaged the Alliance fleet. This was a huge disadvantage during the close quarters battle, since it would have allowed the Rebels to maneuver their ships so damaged shield sections would be protected, and the Imps wouldn't have been able to exploit these weaknesses with bombing runs from starfighters. My guess is that by sending their fighters to engage the Rebel fleet alone (before the Alliance cap ships were softened up by capital ship fire), the Empire also greatly decreased their ability to destroy Alliance ships quickly during the battle itself.

[Alexus]

And the fighter attack failed to destroy a single cruiser. Useless.

Scrap the fighter attack, pull out ILM and ADD CAPSHIP COMBAT.

[Master of Ossus]

And the fighter attack failed to destroy a single cruiser. Useless.

How do you know? A deleted scene was even scripted to show B-wings knocking out an ISD (presumably after its shields had failed).

Scrap the fighter attack, pull out ILM and ADD CAPSHIP COMBAT.

I agree, but I think the tendency is to overlook starfighters' potential contributions to combat. A wounded ship that is not harassed by enemy fighters can easily maneuver to protect itself. One that IS harried by enemy fighters is still vulnerable, and can take damage or potentially even be destroyed even after such a maneuver.

[Mange]

And the fighter attack failed to destroy a single cruiser. Useless.

How do you know? A deleted scene was even scripted to show B-wings knocking out an ISD (presumably after its shields had failed).

On a side note, that scene was even composited, but ultimately wasn't used.

[Master of Ossus]

BTW, the Executor herself was destroyed by a starfighter after its bridge shields were disabled. You can argue that a capital ship could've done it, but the fact is that they didn't, and Piett and his staff were making it difficult for capital ships to exploit the vulnerability.

[Alexus]

I was talking about the TIE attack. You talked about the Empire squandering the fighter support, and then I said it was a waste anyway.

[Master of Ossus]

I was talking about the TIE attack. You talked about the Empire squandering the fighter support, and then I said it was a waste anyway.

Oh, it was. It was a blunder that the Emperor ordered his fleet to squander its starfighter cover in such a manner--no question about it.

[The Original Nex]

This let the A-Wings get a shot in at the shield projectors in the domes on the bridge

Those are scanning domes.

The ITW confirms that while the domes themselves are Scanners and Comunications, the little antennea crowing them are local area shield projectors.

Destroying them meant that the bridge shields could not be re-raised even after the generator had recharged.

[nightmare]

There is a rather far out EU explanation that the rebels used some unique power crystals taken from a pirate gang, and that was what downed the Executor's shields. Can't say I like that one though..

That took place after ANH, during the rebel evacuation of Yavin through a blockade headed by the newly-christened HIMS Executor. They managed to kill the ship's shields with this one-time use crystal weapon originally designed by a pirate clan the Jedi had wiped out, and then damage the DN's engines, buying the rebels enough time to escape.

Sorry for missing this earlier. I only half-remembered it obviously, probably because I more or less dismissed it. Glad to hear it was not involved with ROTJ (Come to think of it, I should have realized this at once if I only thought about it first. But when you don't want to..).

[phongn]

My guess is that by sending their fighters to engage the Rebel fleet alone (before the Alliance cap ships were softened up by capital ship fire), the Empire also greatly decreased their ability to destroy Alliance ships quickly during the battle itself.

Against a fresh, if surprised and disorganized, capital ship fleet I have little doubt in my mind that the Imperial starfighter strike was wrecked and probably stripped of her heavy strike elements. It even looked like the TIEs were blowing straight past the Rebel fighter screen to reach the fleet combatants ... and the Rebels brought dedicated anti-fighter escorts to the party.

As you noted, the Rebels chose to use their fighters more wisely and it looked like they only chose to send them against the Imperial capital ships when supported by their own cruisers.

[Chris OFarrell]

This let the A-Wings get a shot in at the shield projectors in the domes on the bridge

Those are scanning domes.

They are both. Read ITW.

[Chris OFarrell]

This let the A-Wings get a shot in at the shield projectors in the domes on the bridge

Those are scanning domes.

The ITW confirms that while the domes themselves are Scanners and Comunications, the little antennea crowing them are local area shield projectors.

Destroying them meant that the bridge shields could not be re-raised even after the generator had recharged.

At a guess I would say they might have been able to reconfigure the other generators to 'steatch' the shield...but not in the time they had before Mr A-Wing came for a visit.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

This let the A-Wings get a shot in at the shield projectors in the domes on the bridge

Those are scanning domes.

They are both. Read ITW.

Thy are dedicated toward one function more than the other. The vanes are described as "local-area shield projector vanes," which suggests that they're for the domes themselves, not the tower.

[Chris OFarrell]

Those are scanning domes.

They are both. Read ITW.

Thy are dedicated toward one function more than the other. The vanes are described as "local-area shield projector vanes," which suggests that they're for the domes themselves, not the tower.

Semantics. They perform both functions, thus either description will suffice. And they are not for the globes themselves. The EU is clear on this. Like it or love it, ITW fits in well with the EU sources which define an area shield generation ability. On ISD's it appaers to be sufficent to cover the ship, on an Executor its much less given the far larger volume, which fits the 'local' defintion.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

No, either will NOT suffice. The primary dedication of the structure itself is towards scanning, while the shield vanes offer mild protection to the structure.

[Chris OFarrell]

No, either will NOT suffice. The primary dedication of the structure itself is towards scanning, while the shield vanes offer mild protection to the structure.

Your playing semanitcs. The structure is there for MULTIPLE PURPOSES. Including scanning, communications and shields. Because equipment for one is bigger then the other suddenly you want to plug your fingers in your ears and scream that they ARE NOT SHIELD DOMES SO NAH?!?!!

They are clearly NOT there just to protect the domes. By that logic we should see those vains all OVER the hull covering at a constent rate if they are used to project shields, and need one every small unit of area to proejct a shield. So we can safely dismiss that idea. Further, the EU is overwhelmingly pointed towards this. Even Dr Saxton, who HATES the idea with a passion was forced in ITW to make an acknowledgement of it, he would have left it out completly if he could.

Higher canon is unclear on it, though my theory is supported by the sequence of the events and the fact that without generators being shot, the shield should have regenerated within a second as SW shields do. The EU also agrees with me.

You however are postulating that these vains ONLY project the domes, without a SINGLE source to back up your claim.

Concession accepted.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

They are clearly NOT there just to protect the domes. By that logic we should see those vains all OVER the hull covering at a constent rate if they are used to project shields, and need one every small unit of area to proejct a shield.

That's because other examples of shield projectors in the ICSs show them to be internally-located structures just below the hull.

Examples:

OT ICS:
Tantive IV
Millennium Falcon
X-wing
Y-wing
TIE Advanved X1

TPM ICS:
Republic Cruiser
Federation Landing Ship
Naboo Royal Starship
Droid Control Ship

AotC ICS:
Naboo Cruiser
Jedi Starfighter
Padme's Starship
Core Ship
Solar Sailer

RotS ICS:
Venator Star Destoyer
ARC-170 Starfighter & V-wing Starfighter
Jedi Interceptor (Hyperdrive Booster)
Droid Gunship's shield projects seem to be partial internal/external, but this could be due to it's atmospheric nature.
Utapau P-38 Fighter

Additionally, SW shields are commonly hull-hugging, not bubbles.