Seriously, how do the Jedi get ahold of people's kids for training? Is it like an adoption alternative? You seem to assume that I consider the Sith to be a direct counterpart or somehow the only alternative to the Jedi, and that by rejecting the one I am implicitly accepting the other. This is not the case.

Palpatine had literally zero relevance on the battle. He didn't even issue orders to his fleet or communicate with them!

As a famous smuggler once said, "Never tell me the odds!" Seriously, if all the lead engineers had to tell the Emperor was 'well, the odds of that happening and our gazillion dollar starship being destroyed are pretty slim...'

What are those reasons, if I may ask? (Excluding the obvious answer of "Liam Neeson!"

The survival of your warship should NEVER depend on the commanding officer being able to spot an incoming starfighter and verbally direct fire towards it. That is all.

Perhaps it's not possible to declare a movie "bad" or "good". But you can attach some labels and make some objective judgements. The prequels had choppy dialogue, with very repetitive editing and uninteresting camera angles. The fact that some scenes were carried by talented actors speaks only to the skill of those actors. The plot was... questionable, at best. There have been lengthy explanations made via novels, expansions, and other outside works. That does wonders for the "historians" trying to piece together the jumble that came out of those films, but the fact that they cannot stand on their own without requiring lengthy and complex explanations in other media sources indicates some plot holes you could drive a bus through. The special effects? To die for. Those films had great special effects and a fantastic score by John Williams. Which stands to reason because Industrial Light & Magic pretty much pioneered the creation of good film CGI. I guess the main question to ask yourself as a fan is: "Did I enjoy watching those movies and would I watch them again?"

I know that there are many force traditions aside from the Jedi and Sith, but how does the Republic handle those? I've dabbled in the JK storyline and know that Tython is the ancient Force world where the Jedi got started, and throughout TCW there are a few alternate force traditions that are encountered (Witches of Dathomir, etc.) but how does the Jedi Order/the Republic handle them? For example, the Jedi actively recruit children into their order... but what if another group were to attempt the same? Or accept students of any age? Have there been instances of this occurring?

That's kind of the issue... it was a source of fear for padawans! "Real" Jedi weren't in the Service Corps. It's almost as if the Jedi look down on people who aren't "strong enough" in the Force to be capable fighters. At the same time, they hold this strangely hypocritical view of warfare. It's something that they are apparently extremely good at, and train extensively in, but they repeatedly deny that it's one of their core missions. There is just this really weird hypocritical vibe running through everything the Jedi do. For example: Lightsabers are not weapons! .... "This weapon is your LIFE, Anakin!" ~ Obi-Wan Kenobi No relationships allowed, they lead to the dark side! (But force sensitive bloodlines are not only commonplace, but shown to produce the strongest Jedi...) Jedi are servants of the Force... but really, they're just there to back up the Republic's word.

On the note of game mechanics, I would like to point out that many of the "technical details" for a lot of military hardware originally comes from '90s era Star Wars games. Oh, the irony and potential for paradoxical loops... Movie and novel writers are frequently less concerned with the technical particulars of weapons and shielding systems and more with how the presence or absence of said systems affects the story being told. Moving on, I'm 100% behind indirect fire in almost every application. Over-the-horizon targeting capabilities (provided by overhead "eyes" or by remote spotters) are a game changer for any fighting force. Direct fire is only useful when fighting in enclosed areas (read: urban environments) where indirect firing arcs are often obstructed.

Frankly, I don't think many people as Lucasarts really care that much about the KotOR Era stuff. The last thing that is really TRULY relevant for the Film Era is what happened with Bane and the establishment of the Rule of Two, and the subsequent thousand years of relative peace for the Jedi Order.

I sincerely doubt that turbolasers would be effective against fighter squadrons. They have a slower rate of fire, so no matter how good the targeting systems, fighters will still evade them. The reason PD laser batteries work is because they rely on rapid fire saturation techniques to ensure a hit against the incoming fighter. Furthermore, what do you actually GAIN by using a capital ship? A large, expensive target that is vulnerable in many ways? The two stand out examples are tractor beams and orbital bombardment. In fairness, the tractor beam does rely on the mass of the starship deploying it. Orbital bombardment however would be more effectively carried out by bombers and fighters anyways.

No arguments here! In a straight up fight, the guy with more juice wins. However, it's stupid to fight head to head like that when you have superior fighter forces. That's why I referenced the Phoenix Rising mod. It's a nigh-religious reconstruction of canon warships and starfighters, and reworks the entire balance of the game to be in line with Star Wars canon. It's quite impressive, if you enjoyed the original game but wanted a little more hardcore, true-to-the-lore experience that also has incredible depth and diversity, check it out. They get the details down to the concussion missile launchers and backup power generators, haha. Here's the thing, as powerful as capital ships are their biggest vulnerability is other capital ships and BOMBERS. The best antidote to bombers are fighter interceptors and/or light frigates. Other fighters can deal with the interceptors ship to ship, and pocket cruisers can shred the light frigates with turbolaser fire. An ideal fleet has a flexible strike force of bombers, medium fighters for patrol/defense, and some smaller cruisers that can provide turbolaser cover fire for the strike force to knock out the screening frigates that protect the enemy capital ships. At no point are capital ships really necessary, unless you need them to carry large amounts of non-hyperdrive equipped fighters (which may be cheaper in the long run than spending money on all those hyperdrives).

So, crystals were obviously a fail. But that still doesn't answer the question of whether you can inject midichlorians. If they can be measured and detected, surely it must be possible to filter them. Instead of blood platelet injection, why not a midichlorian injection? Just siphon a ton of them from low-level sensitives and concentrate it in an uber-serum! This quote makes far more sense in context, thank you! When taken out of context, it seems that Mace is being contradictory. With the full context, it seems like more of a warning that the Jedi are too small to properly guard the entire Republic. I think that was a directing decision so that we were given insight (as an audience) into what Obi-Wan was thinking about. As far as evidence for the Force "talking" to him... it's a pretty scant case at best. There is still no evidence as to what the Will of the Force could be. Does the Force think? Does it make decisions? It seems to more often manifest itself as a survival instinct/quick reflex boost for Jedi. Soldiers take prisoners as well. One of the most common missions for a special forces team is to gather intelligence by scouting and capturing enemy soldiers for information. This was a tactical decision on Obi-Wan's part, since he would have actually undermined his own efforts by killing her. You seem to be making a strange distinction between Jedi and soldiers when they fight. On the battlefield, their actions will be the same. A Jedi will fight to defend themselves, as will soldiers. When they need prisoners, or have the ability to take them without being killed, they will. ( "Set for stun!" anyone?) This seems very odd. You say that a Jedi shouldn't look for challenges, but apparently killing a Sith Lord in single combat qualifies one for the rank of Jedi Knight? That's a heck of a challenge. And if the Jedi aren't supposed to seek a challenge... how do the trials test them if not by challenging their abilities? This just seems to be another huge discrepancy in the espoused values of the Jedi (not craving adventure) and their actions (accepting a lethal duel as the rank requirement for Jedi Knight) Thanks for the information, but I'm not sure this bit is entirely relevant haha.

I'm glad we have an artillery expert on hand to discuss cannons! However, as for caNon...

Who is to say that a hybrid warship cannot defeat a dedicated one? If you have better technology, a bigger budget for production, and more efficient systems... could you not build a warship which is superior in all aspects? I'm a huge fan of the Venator because it looks ******. Star Wars science really isn't accurate enough to allow a stable comparison of two vessels from different eras unless an author specifically dives into the details of such an engagement. If you've got a bigger power generator, you can put out stronger shields and devote more juice to the guns. Thus, you will smack down someone who has less juice to play with and has to sacrifice more shielding/firepower. In the realm of high-powered energy weapons, most armor is a joke. It's like slapping a band-aid on an arterial cut. You might buy a few seconds, but that's it. For an interesting aside, I was recently playing some SW: Empire at War using a lovingly created mod called Phoenix Rising. For fans of the RTS genre, it's nigh-unbeatable in terms of rendering the GCW era starships and fighters down to the individual turbolaser battery. I tested out my bomber theory for kicks, and you really can't beat a swarm of proton torpedoes for absolutely wrecking capitol ships and frigates. In terms of cost/benefit, fast bomber squadrons (XG-1 Star Wings, for example. These were a favorite of our buddy Thrawn) are the ultimate antidote to those expensive deathtraps they call "Star Destroyers".

So, hypothetical here... if you inject midichlorians into your blood, will you heighten your affinity for the Force? Since the Old Republic Jedi make little to no mention of them (correct me if I'm wrong here) can we assume that they had not been discovered back then? If so, when was this discovery made? I've heard this quite a bit... let's examine Master Windu's quote. If the Jedi are NOT soldiers... why do they jump in line to fight as SOLDIERS for the Old Republic? Quibble over the vernacular if you will, but the people flying starfighters, leading troops, and slashing stuff to pieces with lightsabers are most definitely fighting a war... which, by definition, is what soldiers do. So is Mace Windu; a. Confused as to what soldiers are? b. Unsure of how peace relates to war (namely the part where soldiers end the war, thus restoring peace) c. A liar I am very confused. Here is why... 1. Jedi serve the Force -- How? Is the Force God? Does it give commands? 2. Violence is the last resort of any reasonable man, including any well trained soldier! 3. Jedi are better the more Dark Side badness they resist? If so, shouldn't they seek challenging situations to test their self mastery and resistance to those nasty feelings of fear, anger, and hatred? 4. What the heck is enough? What did the Jedi use that term for? Ordering wine? (Thank you, but Solah!) I agree. The old adage goes; if you threaten someone, be prepared to carry out that threat. A lightsaber is an implicit threat, merely by being present the Jedi suggest the possibility of overwhelming violence. There is literally no use for a lightsaber aside from violence (I've heard the "it's a meditation focus bit before... they didn't buy that at the airport with my grenade launcher and I'm not buying it here either)

Oh man, I can't wait to see Goofy become the new Jar Jar Binks... with a lightsaber! Ho-ho boy, if you LOVED the prequels for their quirky humour, awesome child actors, and amazing dialogue sequences you are not going to want to miss the latest from Disney! Er, wait a second... Leland Chee is still in charge of the Star Wars canon (as a member of the Lucasfilm Story Group, jointly established by Lucas and Disney to unify, codify, and oversee future additions to the canon). I guess that means that pretty much nothing has changed, except that the current materiel after Ep VI is going to be rewritten completely. Let's be honest, there was some really bad stuff in there. There was also some good stuff, too. I trust the people in charge of the canon (they're just glorified fans, who grew up with Star Wars) and think that we'll finally see a unified version of the events after Ep VI that doesn't have us cringing at the Emperor and Luke fighting ten different times inconclusively (which really seems anticlimactic after the DS2 duel). Plus, you folks will get to argue about Luke, the Emperor, and friends ALL OVER AGAIN to see who's the most powerful. 'Ain't that an exciting prospect...

Not to rain on the rumour parade... but Jedi Hunters? If the same source is to be believed, Luke Skywalker is also "outnumbered, tired, and has spent the last 30 years trying to prevent the Sith's resurrection". So what Jedi are these 3 dudes hunting? The last time there were Jedi to hunt, was fifty years before this film is supposed to be set. That would make those Jedi hunters roughly ninety (assuming they were of fighting age during the Clone Wars). Otherwise, did they hunt down Luke's NJO (or it's new canon equivalent)?

It's more of "why do parts of this game feel more like homework than fun?"

I'm crushed with work right now and have maybe 5 min to write this up, so let's just say that I'll look into that but my gut feeling is that multi-role fighers like the B-Wing or X-WIng are capable of presenting a threat to capital ships and that a carrier will present a more flexible and powerful combat option than an individual battleship. HOWEVER, warships are not deployed in a vacuum! So assessing the individual case doesn't seem to be the most efficient. This conversation may be more suited for one of your Kaggaths, but I think the core analysis will come down to this: As a warmongering maniac in the Star Wars Universe is confronted with the choice of spending his ill-gotten credits on one weapons platform or another. Does he choose to purchase an equal value of carriers and their fighter wings, or does he purchase battleships with it?

You deserve a medal for that, my good sir.

You sure about that? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW_hGOFukMQ This may change your mind... Oh, and there was that snub fighter that destroyed a battle station with a proton torpedo. What was that again? Oh yeah, the Death Star. We also lack proton torpedoes and energy weapons (for now... mwa hahaha!) The offensive capabilities of Star Wars fighters/bombers certainly match the defensive capabilities of deflector shields. As LadyKulvax pointed out, there are always bombers. However, those are designed more for ground attack, etc. There are heavy fighters/hybrid designs such as the venerable X-Wing and ARC-170 which offer a mix of dogfighting abilities and heavy firepower (i.e. proton 'effing torpedoes, not to be messed with). And before you mention that proton torpedoes are rare and expensive, yes they are. But I'm willing to wager they're still cheaper than a battleship!

The Tomcat? Really, bro? How about the F/A-18 Super Hornet? Different loadouts facilitate air-to-air, air-to-ground, recon, etc. Superior avionics, durability, and awesome maneuverability. That airframe rocked! (Maybe it's the Navy man in me being biased, but still.) On another note... Carriers are pretty much always going to dominate non-carriers in the capital ship arena. We saw this beginning in World War 2, and for good reason. The ability to project force far beyond the range of your own guns is a game changer. We don't always see the most logical tactics used in Star Wars space battles, but fighters and bombers are inherently offensive tools and lend a tremendous advantage in combat. They're small and difficult to target at long range, allowing them to close in and start wreaking havoc. They can double as a defensive screen to fend off incoming vessels, and provide vast situational awareness via long range reconnaissance. What are the advantages of a dedicated battleship? Practically none. Fighters will always be faster than capital ships, so no matter how long range a ship's guns are a carrier can always stand off behind an asteroid field, planetary body, etc. and grind down the battleship while remaining sheltered. A battleship needs to split its energy between firepower and shielding, whereas a carrier can instead focus primarily on shielding, and even ignore engine/thrust to a large degree while weathering out enemy fighter/ship attacks if need be. Fighters can be replaced rapidly, without the need to place the carrier in drydock or conduct lengthy repairs. If a battleship sustains heavy damage in battle (which is inevitable given the way it engages the enemy) it is far more likely to require more extensive repairs and be out of action. Lastly, a carrier can divide its fighter forces between offense and defense, or between multiple targets. This allows a greater range of flexibility in combat, whereas a battleship can only be in one place at a time.

I get what you're saying, and I suppose I was unfortunately aware of it even before I posted this. I think it just upsets me that BioWare was willing to shell out tons of money and pull out all the stops on certain aspects of the game (voice acting, original score, etc.) and yet in so many ways was too nervous to try anything really new. Instead they simply mimicked WoW's formula for an MMO and threw their hat into the ring. It felt awfully half-hearted, as if they were simply reskinning that formula. Blizzard owns that genre, it's just stupid to try and beat them at their own game. I just wish BioWare had played more to their strengths, and focused on telling a good story that had exciting gameplay and worried about balancing the books after creating a great game. I find it a tad bit insulting that they pad all the really cool content (the stories, climactic scenes and encounters, epic moments, etc.) behind mountains of repetitive encounters basically to just drag out the gameplay and maximize the subscription model.

I got it mostly figured out after a bit of playing, but this site looks helpful as far as gearing up and fine tuning. Thanks!