While top speed is good and tight handling is even better, you'll want to get in the habit of exploiting the best of both worlds, no matter what craft you're flying. The most important point to piloting any spacecraft effectively is that it handles best at two-thirds engine power. Use the ] key to switch to two-thirds power and the backspace key to switch back to full throttle as soon as you're finished with your daredevil turning. The importance of the two-thirds engine efficiency factor may sound trivial, but just try pulling a tight loop in an A-Wing at a hundred klicks and see what happens At the same time, attempting daredevil stunts in a craft moving any slower will yield similarly sluggish results.

Maneuverability is more important in some craft than others. It's a matter of life and death in the TIE Fighter, TIE Interceptor, TIE Bomber, and Z-95 Headhunter, whose complete lack of shielding (or near-complete, in the Z-95's case) make these craft extremely vulnerable. So unless you're darting about, regulating speed when necessary, and keeping cautiously out of the line of fire, you're going to be in for a hell of a fireworks show, with you at the center.

Bottom Line: When you want to make an evasive maneuver, switch to two-thirds engine power (]), make your move, then switch back to top speed (backspace).

Finally, do not underestimate even the flimsiest TIE Fighter, and especially don't let one get behind you. When dealing with faster fighters, trade up some of your laser and shield power for an engine boost (shields and lasers won't do you any good if you're dead). A boosted engine gives you a fighting chance in a dogfight with a slicker craft. F9 and F10 toggle laser and shield recharge settings, respectively. The lower the charge, the more juice you can allocate to your engines.