Death Star Destruction.

[Rojo]

Dunno if anyone has asked this before but why in ANH do the rebels have to fly down that trench to get to the port?

Why can't they fly straight at it (at a right angle to the surface of the port) so they can see the whole of it rather than just the edge?

The way they attack it is stupid.

[MegoHulk]

Psst, it's not polite to point out plot holes...heh. But seriously, I assume they had to do it to avoid getting shot down and also so they could have time to target it with the computer. It's really just a dramatic device to build suspense and it worked, its the climax of the movie. We're really not supposed to question the rebels tactics, we're supposed to enjoy the movie. But if you want to discuse blatent disregard for proper military tactics, let's talk about Starship Troopers. Probably one of the stupidest movies of all time. Theres no way they would send GROUND TROOPS into an unknown hostile situation...it was like watching a WW1 movie....let's just throw bodies against the enemy untill someone wins. stupid, we don't do that now, why would do it 200 yrs in the future? Why ??????? Arghh, can you tell I hate that movie?

[Rojo]

I like Starship Troopers (it's just entertainment), but its not treally the place to disscuss it (see you in the outlander club).

Ooops, I just contradicted myself. I say Starship Troopers is just entertainment but I ask a question that can have the same answer about Star Wars.

Oh well, life's full of contradictions. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

[Rogue_0009]

Why the trench exists at all is a mystery to me, but if they flew straight at it the gunners could bring more turbolasers to bear on the fighters, which would be pretty bad for the rebels, strategicly speaking

[Bandersnatch]

"It's a small thermal exhaust port right below the main port."

Maybe the only way to get to the small exhaust port is by going down the trench and getting under the main port. Going straight at it might just make it impact on the surface, as was the case with the first try.

[Mothman]

Originally posted by Rojo@Jan 13 2003, 11:50 PM
Dunno if anyone has asked this before but why in ANH do the rebels have to fly down that trench to get to the port?

Why can't they fly straight at it (at a right angle to the surface of the port) so they can see the whole of it rather than just the edge?

The way they attack it is stupid.
Back in 1977, we didn't know any better. We just thought that it was cool.

[Mann]

the trench exists because in Star Wars they feel they need to put trenches like that in movies to add to suspense. My big question is why all the guns?

[RollaFett]

Yeah, it's as though the Empire expected enemies to take advantage of the lone weakness that they provided for everyone.

[Bandersnatch]

The Death Star ain't no resort hotel, ya know. It's a big battle station, a deadly weapon with more fire-power than any other ship or station. The guns are there for the same reason guns like it are on any battleships, not because they're expect a bunch of little ships to try to get close to it, but for extra defense in case of an attack.

[bodhisattva yoda]

it was to avoid the turbo lasers.

for anyone that has played rogue squadron two-
the bespin level requires you to destroy three shield generators located in trenched in cloud city. you can either fly stright down at the generators or swoop underneath into the trenches to avoid all the gun turrets. you can dispatch the generators easily enough by way of the first method, you sustain an unrealistic amount of damage from gun turret blasts. the second method works without sustaining any damage at all. with the first method it requires you to gain a lot of distance from the surface, making you quite an easy target for the turrets.

so there you have it. based on video game mechanics but good enough.

[Rojo]

I think that's settled it.

[JediBendu]

"The shaft is ray sheilded" - G. Dodona, anh

the shielding would be focused outwards for such a direct, righ-angled attack. If the sheild frequency was a parabola it would be thicker (ie stronger) on top, thinner (ie weaker) at the sides.
The trench itself would be used for simple outside maintenance, offering easy access to service the exhaust port, especially if the maintenance was automated and carried out be larger droids.

[Isomorph]

Originally posted by JediBendu@Jan 17 2003, 05:39 PM
"The shaft is ray sheilded" - G. Dodona, anh

the shielding would be focused outwards for such a direct, righ-angled attack. If the sheild frequency was a parabola it would be thicker (ie stronger) on top, thinner (ie weaker) at the sides.
The trench itself would be used for simple outside maintenance, offering easy access to service the exhaust port, especially if the maintenance was automated and carried out be larger droids.
You are the man very good point,along with the fact that,thats just how GL wrote the scene. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif

[JediBendu]

or it could mean I don't have a life and spend way too much time thinking about totally irrelevant things.


...nah


the attack was flawed in a way - they should have sent at least 6 capital ships to not only draw some fire away from the turbo lasers but to encourage the Tie's to be drawn out earlier, distracting them from the y's heading for the trench.

[Isomorph]

Originally posted by JediBendu@Jan 17 2003, 06:23 PM
or it could mean I don't have a life and spend way too much time thinking about totally irrelevant things.


...nah


the attack was flawed in a way - they should have sent at least 6 capital ships to not only draw some fire away from the turbo lasers but to encourage the Tie's to be drawn out earlier, distracting them from the y's heading for the trench.
Nah you just like to have fun,the Imperials were just arrgant to think they could not be beaten style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif

[Raganork8]

Arrogent?come on they weren't aware of the weakness till the very end the had all the right to be as confident as they were.

[Mann]

true, they did mention they found a weakness, but Tarkin was arrogant. He could have evacuated them, but said they were going to win.

[Raganork8]

They had like 5 seconds until the death star fired! if you remember the death star had already been given the command to fire before it exploded he wasn't arrogant he was unlucky.

[Bandet]

im pretty sure they knew the trench was a weakness thats why they had so many guns there. They just never thought anyone would find it, it was porbly like the vent of the DS or the chiminy of a house. Im pretty sure the DS has alot of other week spots aswell..

[Isomorph]

Originally posted by Bandet@Jan 20 2003, 02:10 PM
im pretty sure they knew the trench was a weakness thats why they had so many guns there. They just never thought anyone would find it, it was porbly like the vent of the DS or the chiminy of a house. Im pretty sure the DS has alot of other week spots aswell..
It all boils down to arrogance,Tarkin got what he deserved............blow up.heheh

[RollaFett]

Bandersnatch Posted: Jan 15 2003, 07:26 AM
The Death Star ain't no resort hotel, ya know.

Well put, my bad.
By the way, what happened to you? Didn't you used to be more of a regular contributor back in the day?

[CorranHorn]

Originally posted by Bandersnatch@Jan 14 2003, 08:49 AM
"It's a small thermal exhaust port right below the main port."

Maybe the only way to get to the small exhaust port is by going down the trench and getting under the main port. Going straight at it might just make it impact on the surface, as was the case with the first try.
That seems like a logical idea.. along with every other idea mentioned but I think it's mostly just for suspense..

[X-3PO]

I would have to agree with the smaller exhaust port theory. That the trench was the only way to get to this secondary exhaust port. However I would also have to think that the turbolasers had something to do with their choice of flying down the trench. But overall I think we all know it was just for suspense.

[JediBendu]

Originally posted by raganork8@Jan 18 2003, 06:44 PM
They had like 5 seconds until the death star fired! if you remember the death star had already been given the command to fire before it exploded he wasn't arrogant he was unlucky.
"In my experience there's no such thing as luck" - obi-wan, anh

[X-3PO]

Indeed.

[Silver Jedi]

Real reason: I'd say it was to build up suspense.
"In Universe" reasons: to avoid the majority of the turbolasers, and also, if the novel is to be belived, the topedo had to come in at an exact 90 degree angle to the port, then go in, so the shot had to be taken from inside the trench.

"The shaft is ray sheilded" - G. Dodona, anh

the shielding would be focused outwards for such a direct, righ-angled attack. If the sheild frequency was a parabola it would be thicker (ie stronger) on top, thinner (ie weaker) at the sides.
the problem is, the ray shielding was too strong to penetrate, period. That is why they had to use torpedoes.

[Silver Jedi]

Real reason: I'd say it was to build up suspense.
"In Universe" reasons: to avoid the majority of the turbolasers, and also, if the novel is to be belived, the topedo had to come in at an exact 90 degree angle to the port, then go in, so the shot had to be taken from inside the trench.

"The shaft is ray sheilded" - G. Dodona, anh

the shielding would be focused outwards for such a direct, righ-angled attack. If the sheild frequency was a parabola it would be thicker (ie stronger) on top, thinner (ie weaker) at the sides.
the problem is, the ray shielding was too strong to penetrate, period. That is why they had to use torpedoes.

[Mann]

an intelligent answer. Finally!