Baidins@UDel-Huey.ARPA (08/21/85)
From: Baidins@UDel-Huey.ARPA
Concerning the Empire hasn't anyone noticed that the Empire's
space fleet and army are filled with incompetents right up the chain
of command, including the Emperor, but not Vader and that the ground
troops are ill-equipped.
First, the ground troops are worthless. True they have blasters and
armor that todays armies would kill to get, but notice:
1. No organization better than an armed mob. In the Ewok attack
the Imperials go charging off into the woods in no order and
get ambushed one by one.
2. No hand to hand combat training. In one scene an Imperial gets
a spear in the back in a vulnerable joint. If they were
taught to fight back to back and given reasonable weapons for
hand to hand like light sabers (they would not even need any
real proficiency at them) , any Ewok who closes to close range
is dead.
3. No hand grenades. Imperial troopers in pit getting slowly stoned
to death. One hand grenade and the Ewoks would be dead.
4. Extremely badly thought out fighting vehicles. Vulnerable to
mere logs and extremely unstable on rough terrain. A better
vehicle would something like the rebel craft used to fight
walkers in Empire Strikes Back, but larger and more heavily
armed and armored.
5. In general no use of high explosives and fragmentation, which
the troopers in their armor could live through while their lesser
armored enemies would die.
6. The officers are not armored which means killing them is easy
and causes disorganization of Imperial troops.
Second, general incompetence and lack of initiative at all levels.
In the last movie, the officer goes off into the woods without insuring
the rebels cannot do anymore damage by either ensuring a sufficient
guard or killing his prisoners(remember no Geneva convention). The designers
of the Death Stars left a small Achilles' heel a clear sign
of incompetent design. In Star Wars, letting an 'empty' pod escape
without immediate inspection or destruction is also ridiculous. Finally,
the Emperor, himself, who must have gotten lax or an incredible case of
hubris, brings the rebel fleet into his grasp only to let it get away.
A better solution would have been the immediate destruction of the raiding
party (remember he gave the rebel spies the real access codes for the shuttle).
Destroying both Luke and Vader at a distance( like blowing the shuttle they
come up on), and giving his fleet leave to blow away the rebels with the
support of the Death Star.
The rebels are extremely lucky to have such an incompetent army as
opponents, otherwise they would never have won.ayers@convexs.UUCP (08/23/85)
/* Written 1:15 pm Aug 21, 1985 by Baidins@UDel-Huey.ARPA in convexs:net.sf-lovers */
/* ---------- "Empire Troops" ---------- */
From: Baidins@UDel-Huey.ARPA
Concerning the Empire hasn't anyone noticed that the Empire's
space fleet and army are filled with incompetents right up the chain
of command, including the Emperor, but not Vader and that the ground
troops are ill-equipped.
The rebels are extremely lucky to have such an incompetent army as
opponents, otherwise they would never have won.
/* End of text from convexs:net.sf-lovers */
True -- just like real life...
("There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact..."
blues, IIjoel@peora.UUCP (Joel Upchurch) (08/23/85)
As far as the ineffectiveness of the imperial personal armor
is concerned, one need only postulate a recent advance in
blaster technology that renders that armor ineffective, but
better armor hasn't been developed or isn't in general usage,
or the regulations requiring the wearing of said armor haven't
been relaxed. If you think about it, military history could
provide many similar cases, from ancient times right up to
Vietnam.
How long did it take for the Medieval knights to adjust to
crossbow, and the English longbow? How long did it take
infantry tactics to adjust to the machine gun?
Of course it would be nice to see if the armor works when they
get around to making the earlier stories.john@hp-pcd.UUCP (john) (08/25/85)
< < < As far as the ineffectiveness of the imperial personal armor < is concerned, one need only postulate a recent advance in < blaster technology that renders that armor ineffective, but < better armor hasn't been developed or isn't in general usage, < Considering that a single Jedi can take out a ATAT Walker with a hand gernade that seems likely that the only defense is a good offense. John Eaton !hplabs!hp-pcd!john
elric@proper.UUCP (elric) (08/27/85)
<munch> The Empire is a typical decadent power. Used to wasting all threats with great firepower. They got lazy. It also seemed common for commanders to kill suborndinates. (ie Vader's attacks on various officers of his own fleet) Not a way to increase moral. Only the fighter pilots seemed to have any skill and good equipment. Elric
fred@mnetor.UUCP (Fred Williams) (08/29/85)
In article <8200063@hp-pcd.UUCP> john@hp-pcd.UUCP (john) writes: >< As far as the ineffectiveness of the imperial personal armor >< is concerned, one need only postulate a recent advance in >< blaster technology that renders that armor ineffective, but >< better armor hasn't been developed or isn't in general usage, > >Considering that a single Jedi can take out a ATAT Walker with a hand >gernade that seems likely that the only defense is a good offense. > Well, all modern armoured vehicle designers strive for a very important quality called "low profile". They are all built close to the ground, (the military ones, I mean). An Imperial Walker certainly doesn't conform, or it could not be tripped up with a tow cable. Can you imagine trying to trip a Leopard II tank? Cheers, Fred Williams
michaelm@3comvax.UUCP (Michael McNeil) (08/30/85)
> <munch> > > The Empire is a typical decadent power. Used to wasting all threats > with great firepower. They got lazy. > It also seemed common for commanders to kill suborndinates. > (ie Vader's attacks on various officers of his own fleet) > Not a way to increase moral. > Only the fighter pilots seemed to have any skill and good equipment. > Elric Remember the scene in *Star Wars* where the troops are conducting a house-to-house search of the city, and the robots see them coming and lock the door? When the troops get to the door, they knock, then one says, ``This one's locked, go on to the next.'' It seems a bit odd for a totalitarian state to be stopped by a locked door.... Michael McNeil 3Com Corporation ..!ucbvax!hplabs!oliveb!3comvax!michaelm
psc@lzwi.UUCP (Paul S. R. Chisholm) (09/16/85)
In article <203@3comvax.UUCP>, michaelm@3comvax.UUCP (Michael McNeil) writes: > Remember the scene in *Star Wars* where the troops are conducting a > house-to-house search of the city, and the robots see them coming > and lock the door? When the troops get to the door, they knock, > then one says, ``This one's locked, go on to the next.'' It seems > a bit odd for a totalitarian state to be stopped by a locked door.... >Michael McNeil, 3Com Corporation, ..!ucbvax!hplabs!oliveb!3comvax!michaelm I always thought that such doors were only supposed to be openable from the outside; if it's locked, no one can be hiding inside. (Except for an R2 droid with a hacker's dream for a limb!) Granted, there's nothing to support this in movie or film. -- -Paul S. R. Chisholm The above opinions are my own, {pegasus,vax135}!lzwi!psc not necessarily those of any {mtgzz,ihnp4}!lznv!psc telecommunications company. (*sigh* ihnp4!lzwi!psc does *NOT* work!!! Use above paths.) "Of *course* it's the murder weapon. Who would frame someone with a fake?"