Speed of the Falcon

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2002-09-02 08:10pm

Once upon a time on AoL, members met at a chat room to chat sim Star Wars space battles. During the time it existed many people would argue over and over about everything. One argument that I found myself in was the speed of the Millenium Falcon. In ANH Han boasts it's the fastest at lightspeed. Then again in RotJ he begs Lando to take her, because 'she's the fastest ship in the fleet.' I of course said it was faster sublight than any other ship. Ensuing flames came about all ignoring my points. Now to reopen the wound. I am wondering if anyone else can prove me wright or wrong. This is for no other reason than I keep trying to determine it myself. (Also in part because in XWA the Falcon isn't as fast as an A-Wing.)
Here's how my argument usually goes.

First off, it's the fastest ship. Why Han beg Lando to take it, and say it's the fastest in the fleet if it was only the fastest in lightspeed. What is the point of getting there faster then the rest of the fleet. Why would you get there and let yourself be hammered by any defenses present? My point is that it IS the fastest ship sublight for mutliple purposes. First off, prior to entering the DS II you encounter starfighter resistance. Now using scenes, the Falcon literally runs down TIE Interceptors that are chasing down an A-Wing. Second, once into the DS II it would allow you to get into and out of the structure faster than any other craft. The only thing I could think of is taht if you had to escape into lightspeed, but then why would Han be planning for something like that when the DS II was supposed to not only be unoperational, but the sheilds down and light on any defenses? In light, I believe that the Millenium Falcon is the fastest ship in the fleet during a sublight run.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2002-09-02 08:24pm

I thought that the stats for vessels in this regard were related to acceleration not speed.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2002-09-02 08:27pm

Sure, whatever you want to call it. Speed, acceleration. In a drag race, who wins, The Falcon or other ships?

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2002-09-02 08:31pm

When Han bragged about his ship in ANH, it was before the introdution of the A wing and the Tie interceptor. So I guess its possible for him to out run the opposition. Then again it was a Coreillian bragging so....

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2002-09-02 08:38pm

There were probably ships as fast as an A-wing before it was introduced, just look at the Jedi Starfighter. I guess Solo was bragging. He could have meant "most maneuverable", or, "fastest non-fighter ship".

AL · Post by AL » 2002-09-02 08:40pm

you make a great observation. But in empire han states he can't outrun the star destroyers but he can out manuever them, and does.

Howhever your observation is great and i must agree with it. In rotj we did see the falcon run down tie interceptors with no problem. Perhaps there have been some modifications to make the falcon faster, Han couldnt have done it but Lando and Chewie or the Rebels may have altered it just for the Battle of Endor.

Either way your point is well stated.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2002-09-02 08:49pm

Perhaps Lando just out flew the interceptors using the obsticals(read capships) better. Maybe the falcon ran down the interceptors by counting on the falcon's shields and flying a straighter line and thereby eating up space faster than a weaving fighter with no or little shields.[/quote]

omegaLancer · Post by **omegaLancer** » 2002-09-02 09:01pm

I alway figure his comment had to deal with it hyperspace speed not her sublight engines. Especial since at Hoth he was easily overhaul be pursuing Stardestroyers..

Raptor 597 · Post by **Raptor 597** » 2002-09-02 09:09pm

omegaLancer wrote:I alway figure his comment had to deal with it hyperspace speed not her sublight engines. Especial since at Hoth he was easily overhaul be pursuing Stardestroyers..

Yeah, that means that the ISD is atleast a 102 Megalights fast. XWa put the ships too slow s you could beat em.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2002-09-02 09:31pm

Knife wrote:Perhaps Lando just out flew the interceptors using the obsticals(read capships) better. Maybe the falcon ran down the interceptors by counting on the falcon's shields and flying a straighter line and thereby eating up space faster than a weaving fighter with no or little shields.

[/quote]

They weren't manuvering. I believe they had a tight arc chasing the A-Wing but they weren't jinking or anything. In fact the squints actually tried to use the Neb-B Frigate to evade the Falcon to no prevail.

Someone else mentioned that they couldn't out run the ISDs. I have no information on the speed of capships except for different things. There again, maybe the speed of an ISD can out do what the Rebels had. Han only said it was the fastest ship in the fleet. So I wouldn't think this would necessarily include Imperial ships.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2002-09-02 09:36pm

DG_Cal_Wright wrote:
Knife wrote:Perhaps Lando just out flew the interceptors using the obsticals(read capships) better. Maybe the falcon ran down the interceptors by counting on the falcon's shields and flying a straighter line and thereby eating up space faster than a weaving fighter with no or little shields.

They weren't manuvering. I believe they had a tight arc chasing the A-Wing but they weren't jinking or anything. In fact the squints actually tried to use the Neb-B Frigate to evade the Falcon to no prevail.

They were not jinking or anything but the falcon could have made a intercept course that was shorter than the path the A wing and their pursuers were following.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2002-09-02 09:37pm

Really need to figure out the quote thing. Sorry.

Commander_Arvel_Crynyd · Post by **Commander_Arvel_Crynyd** » 2002-09-02 11:50pm

http://www.theforce.net/swtc/Pix/cg/btm/speedchart.jpg

http://www.theforce.net/swtc/Pix/books/art/ilmmglt1.jpg

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2002-09-03 12:06am

I wouldn't take anything Solo says at face value. His describing his ship is a little to subjective to be of any use.

I would say that from watching the films that the Falcon is obviousily fast at lightseeed, but slow at sublight speed. If base this on several scenes.

1)In ANH, the Falcon is run down by an ISD. Remember Luke's line "at the rate their gaining?"
2)In ANH, after the Falcon drops out of lightspeed in the debris field, they are overtaken by a TIE Fighter. They never are able to gain on it
3)In ANH, after escaping the DS, the Falcon is run down by four TIE Fighters.
4)In ESTB, the Falcon is routinely run down by ISDs and the Executer.
5)After taking Luke off of Cloud City, the Falcon can't escape the attacking TIE Fighters.

With all this, it should be pretty obvious that the Falcon is not a very fast vessel at sublight.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2002-09-03 12:34am

Wicked Pilot wrote:I wouldn't take anything Solo says at face value. His describing his ship is a little to subjective to be of any use.

I would say that from watching the films that the Falcon is obviousily fast at lightseeed, but slow at sublight speed. If base this on several scenes.

1)In ANH, the Falcon is run down by an ISD. Remember Luke's line "at the rate their gaining?"
2)In ANH, after the Falcon drops out of lightspeed in the debris field, they are overtaken by a TIE Fighter. They never are able to gain on it
3)In ANH, after escaping the DS, the Falcon is run down by four TIE Fighters.
4)In ESTB, the Falcon is routinely run down by ISDs and the Executer.
5)After taking Luke off of Cloud City, the Falcon can't escape the attacking TIE Fighters.

With all this, it should be pretty obvious that the Falcon is not a very fast vessel at sublight.

True we can't really take him at face value. However,
1)They're overtaken because they weren't at full speed. In the novelisation Han said they dropped out one planetary diameter away from were Alderaan was. They were in a debris/asteroid field instead.
2)They were preparing to run, spotted the TIEs and came to a standstill so they could use the turrets.
3)Proving the ISDs (not part of the Rebel Fleet, were faster at sublight). The Executor was in it's path when they were fleeing Cloud City. They never lost the pursuing TIEs, but then again, they kept thier distance the entire time. Also, on those pictures that someone posted, says the Falcon is slower and less manuverable. Asteroid chase in ESB.

The Falcon is fast enough to stay ahead of smaller TIE craft into and out of the DS II. Plus they routinely out run, out manuver and out gun opposing craft.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2002-09-03 11:08am

I would say that the MF is as fast as Han can make a freighter be, able to keep up with if not marginaly outrun low grade to medium grade fighters with a burst of speed(acceleration). Most of the examples the MF was just getting up to speed, so maybe the MF can out accelerate the Tie fighter and most capships in the intial run up to speed. Kind of like a curve. At the start it is faster, but further up the curve it all evens out.

Isolder74 · Post by **Isolder74** » 2002-09-03 11:25am

The Falcon may not be faster than say the hotrod A-Wing but from the official table it is as fast as a X-Wing Fighter. A freighter that fast is impressive! And considering it's Hyperdrive speed is what really matters to a Freighter captian and a Smuggler(how fast you can get your shipment to it's desination) than the Falcon is worth it's bragging rights. Since it is at least twice as fast as the average Freighter then it can make two run to somewhere wnhen the normal freighter could only make one. That's very good for business whatever you are shipping Illegal or otherwise.

BTW he says Ship and in Star Wars Fighters aren't considered ships.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2002-09-03 11:48am

Sure, I agree the MF's hyperdrive can't be beat. I though this was about sublight speeds. Does anyone smarter than me think the acceleration curve could be reasonable. The MF can initaly accelerate faster than most vessels, but once up to speed the other vessels can accelerate with it. Am I saying this right?

Isolder74 · Post by **Isolder74** » 2002-09-03 12:16pm

Knife wrote:Sure, I agree the MF's hyperdrive can't be beat. I though this was about sublight speeds. Does anyone smarter than me think the acceleration curve could be reasonable. The MF can initaly accelerate faster than most vessels, but once up to speed the other vessels can accelerate with it. Am I saying this right?

Your theory is workable, I was simply pointing out that Starfighters aren't considered ships in SW

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2002-09-03 12:31pm

I was just using the starfighters as reference since most of the on screen examples were with fighters. BTW just noticed that your from UT too, hi.

Andras · Post by **Andras** » 2002-09-03 04:42pm

In the ROTJ novel, the Falcon is described as being half again as fast as anything else in space.

nightmare · Post by **nightmare** » 2002-09-03 07:09pm

http://www.theforce.net/swtc/Pix/books/art/ilmmglt1.jpg

"Original starship performance diagram from ILM, drawn for the production of Return of the Jedi. MGLT presumably is a measure of accelerative capability."

http://www.theforce.net/swtc/Pix/cg/btm/speedchart.jpg

"Similar-looking "speed" chart appearing in Behind the Magic seems to be more influenced by data based on the interpretation of MGLT used in spin-off computer games. "

All from theforce.net. Of course, the latter chart is the questionable one, since it displays the MF outrunning an ISD. But both shows that the MF isn't the fastest at sublight. I have never seen a lower hyperdrive rating than the one on the MF though, which strongly implies that it is the fastest you can get for travelling in hyperspace.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2002-09-03 09:35pm

Then the two charts whichever one you use, shows that were absolutley no purpose for the Falcon. It could outgun them, but not out run them. In spite of the Falcon out manuvering and out running TIEs in both ESB and RotJ.

pg 103 A New Hope novelisation. Star Wars Trilogy paperbck

Muffled alarms began humming loudly as a synchronous light flashed on the control console. Solo bent to the appropriate instrumentation.

'Another ship.' he announced. 'Can't judge the type yet.'

'A survivor, maybe-somone who might know what happened' Luke ventured hopefully.

Ben Kenobi's next words shattered more than that hope. 'That's an Imperial Fighter.'

...

'Kenobi was studying the configuration the tracking screen displayed. 'You're quite right, Han. It's the short-range TIE fighter.'

...

'Its leaving in a big hurry, ' Luke noted, studying the tracker.

'No matter where it's going, if it identifies us we're in big trouble.'

'Not if I can help it,' Solo declared. 'Chewie jam it's transmission. Lay in a pursuit course.'

'It would be best to let it go.' Kenobi ventured thoughtfully. 'It's already too far out of range.'

'Not for long'

Several minutes followed, during which the cockpit was filled ...

p104

with a tense silence. All eyes were on the tracking screen and the viewport.

At first the Imperial Fighter tried a complex evasive course, to no avail. The surprisingly maneuvaerable freighter hung tight on its tail, continuing to make up the distance between them. Seeing that he couldn't shake his pursuers, the fighter pilot had obviously opened up his tiny engine all the way.

The TIE was casually remarked as a ship. Don't worry hold on. However, the Falcon was catching up with the TIE even though it was a) well out of range b)tried to out maneuver the Falcon

Leia explains to the pilots of Echo base thier role in escorting the transports.

'Any question? Get to your ships."

Starfighters on at least two occasions are refered to as ships. The Falcon is the fastest ship in the fleet.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-09-03 09:40pm

I have a couple of things to say that have nothing to do with the debate and everything to do with X-Wing: Alliance.

First, in flying the final few missions I lost all respect for all the Rebel pilots that died prior to entering the DS, and gained new respect for the ones that made it out of the DS. That mission took me at least forty tries to beat, and even then it was a struggle.

Second, flying the Falcon was cool at first, but then I realized, upon entering the DS, that it would be better if it were the Otana or an A-Wing or anything like that.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2002-09-03 09:41pm

p 148 ANH novelisation. Star Wars trilogy paperback

'Dodanna smiled tightly. 'There won't be any 'after that.' The man nodded slowly, understandingly, and sat down. 'Anyone else?' Silence now, pregnant with expectation.
'Then man your ships, and may the Force be with you.'

p150
Sorrowful thoughts of Solo vanished when Luke saw the petite, slim figure standing by his ship-the ship he had been granted.

p151

He left them and hurried toward his own ship. (That was Blue leader in the novelisation. Give me a day or two to watch the movies.)

There are dozens of references about starfighters being ships.

StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Speed of the Falcon

Speed of the Falcon

NOT FASTER THAN ISD

Re: NOT FASTER THAN ISD