Human Shields
The X-Wing guns point forwards, giving the rebel pilots little choice but to dodge bullets… but that is precisely the purpose (in my opinion) of the two wing men assigned to each attack run. They bought time for the wing leader to torpedo the exhaust vent. Not exactly a fun job for the two wingmen assigned to protect him when you have Vader and his Imperial wingmen up your ass. It must have been a lot of fun for Vader, on the other hand, with the previous two attack runs destroyed without any fear of returned rebel fire. You can understand Biggs’ feelings then, concerning the arrangement. More on this subject next Friday, as I feel I need to get on my soap box about this in a lot more detail.
On another note, check out the photo on the left. Fancy dress or cheap “human” FX with a black back drop? Either way, there is something strangely awesome about it. I found this online. I have no details on the name of the fan who made this. If you do, then please share.
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–Update–
BMS fan, Paul Bruton has created a facebook group to save Biggs Darklighter. If you think Biggs Darklighter should live then join the group and make your opinion heard.
How close are you going to stick to the movies?
Because it will be a terrible day for BMS if we lose Biggs!!!
How closely we stick to the movies is debatable in itself. I’m not trying to dodge the question, but you can see already how BMS deviates, but generally follows the same sequence of events. Biggs is the biggest deviation for our ANH storyline. However, at the very end of our TESB storyarc something major happens that causes the first half of ROTJ to deviate in an even bigger way.
Leanne and I talked at some length about what to do with Biggs in the approaching scene. There are several characters that die in ANH which we both love and hate to see go. Some have already been mentioned by other BMS readers. All I’m prepared to say right now is that we want to do what we feel is best for comedy.
Save Biggs! 🙂
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=316603970387
If I had access to FB I would be joining the keep him alive movement…since I don’t please take this comment as 1 more keep him alive vote- I said it before- I forgot he dies, when we got to that point in the original on my last watching I was very sad.
The TIE-fighter-headdress? Obviously someone is planning Star Wars FAB – The Stage Show, modelled after Thundrbirds FAB from 1984 or so.
http://www.andrewdawson.info/thunderbirds_fab.html
Biggs has updated his attack model from “The Dam Busters” to “Babylon 5”. He should survive for that reason alone 🙂
that’s why i like the idea of using y-wings for this assault; they’ve got a secondary orbital turret, which can be used to C.M.A.
According to some sources, it only has 180° of arc though. Useless. They would have used it if they could, right?
Now, what they should have done was send two waves in short succession. The first gets followed by Vader & wingmen, and they get followed by the second wave. You know – basic basic dogfighting procedures.
That’s exactly the tactic that won the day. Luke was toast in Lord Vader’s sights when Vader lost his first wingman, then his second, and finally took damage to his own ship sufficient to drive him off. Luke takes the money shot unmolested. It was Han Solo and Chewbacca in the Millenium Falcon, using exactly the “double wave” strategy you recommend. Han was supposed to be half way back to Tatooine, yes but…
Millennium Falcon, my apologies to the nitpickers.
save biggs! save biggs!
In ground combat, it’s called overwatch. In aerial combat, it’s called top cover. It would have made much more sense for the second two X-Wings to be well behind and above the fighter making the trench run. Too bad Lucas didn’t have a real military adviser.
It’s called top cover. No real attack would work that way; the second two X-Wings would be above and further behind Luke. Lucas needed more history and less old movies (seriously, 633 Squadron was crap too).