Star Wars Galaxies: Episode III Rage of the Wookiees Preview - New and Improved Spaceships

The next expansion pack for Star Wars Galaxies will bring to life the ancestral home of everyone's favorite intergalactic furballs, the wookiees. But the upcoming Episode III Rage of the Wookiees expansion will also add other all-new features to the massively multiplayer game. Star Wars Galaxies launched in 2003, and like other such games, it lets you create an individual character (who lives in a persistent online world) to explore new areas, fight monsters, and meet thousands of other players online. However, this one takes place in the sci-fi-themed Star Wars universe, so it will add all-new spaceships for you to pilot. Join us now for a look at the newly modified versions of existing Star Wars Galaxies ships, as well as a look at a series of all-new ships that will also be featured in the upcoming Episode III motion picture.

Modified Imperial Ships

We begin our look with the modified Imperial ships that will appear in the expansion pack courtesy of Darth Vader himself.

TIE Advanced (Modified)
The TIE Advanced prototype starship was apparently designed with input from the galaxy's most deadly engineer, the Sith lord Darth Vader. The prototype has given rise to several advanced models of TIE fighter, including this, the "modified" TIE Advanced fighter, which features an experimental propulsion system.

TIE Fighter (Modified)
The "modified" TIE Fighter is a result of the successful TIE Advanced prototype, and it features solar panels to hasten the recovery of expended power used by the ship's various systems.

TIE Interceptor (Royal Guard Version)
This more powerful and more maneuverable TIE Interceptor is much rarer in trade space, since it bears the crimson color of the Emperor's most elite troops.

Rebel Alliance Navy

Engineers on the Rebel side don't have the vast resources the Empire commands, so the ragtag team of intergalactic misfits has to do more with less. The modified ship designs of the expansion pack reflect the Rebels' focus on getting more performance out of existing hardware rather than reinventing the wheel.

Z95 with cross-body strakes
This is an enhanced version of the existing Z95 fighter, which features cross-body strakes that allow for the addition of larger components (hence this ship's nickname, the "Heavy 95"). The ship has also been engineered to more efficiently route power, decreasing the ship's overall heat levels.

X-Wing with cross-body strakes
This modified X-Wing features the same sort of improvements as the modified Z95, so it offers better heat distribution and a chassis that's better able to accommodate more-massive add-ons.

Episode III Ships

We continue our survey of the ships of Episode III Rage of the Wookiees with the all-new ships that will appear in the upcoming Episode III motion picture, including the Jedi Starfighter and the personal fighter of the dreaded General Grievous.

ARC-170
The massive Incom/Subpro Aggressive ReConnaissance ship, also known as the ARC-170, is equipped for its namesake "aggressive recon" into the most dangerous and remote regions of space. The ship features hyperdrive and a slot for a droid navigator, and it also packs considerable heat in the form of a large cannon and heavy shields.

Episode III Jedi Starfighter/Eta-2 Actis Interceptor
The Eta-2 Actis Interceptor, also referred to as the "Jedi Starfighter," is barely larger than the landspeeder that Luke Skywalker used to travel the face of Tatooine in the original Star Wars motion picture. The small, extremely agile ship is surprisingly well armed, despite its relatively tiny frame. However, its weapon systems can't sustain long periods of rapid fire. Then again, for those pilots who use the Force to stay on target, this shouldn't be a problem.

Grievous' Fighter/Belbullab-22
The Belbullab-22 comes equipped with hyperdrive and two ion drives, along with auxiliary thrusters. The ship features ride-firing triple-laser cannons that put it on par with V-Wing fighters. Apparently, the dreaded General Grievous, who prefers hand-to-hand combat, pilots a well-worn version of this ship into space battles.

That's all for this profile preview of Episode III Rage of the Wookiees. For more information, check our previous coverage. And be sure to be on the lookout for the expansion when it ships in May.