X-Wing - Imperial Aces: An Alternate View...

The Imperial Aces have finally landed in the HBID! hangar bay and not before too long... There's already a lot of articles around the web concerning the included upgrade cards and their potential tactical uses, so let's instead concentrate our attentions on the models themselves and delve a bit deeper into the backgrounds of these fighter squadrons and their feared pilots...

Soontir Fel leads the Emperor's finest.

Those red stripes will certainly make the Rebel scum think twice before engaging...

Led by the infamous Baron Soontir Fel, the TIE Interceptors of Saber Squadron were memorably based on the Death Star II and were assigned to defend the Star Destroyer 'Avenger' during the Battle of Endor. But the history of the 181st Imperial Fighter Wing and the notoriety of it's pilots took root long before this infamous battle...

Having overcome the lackluster leadership of their former commander, Colonel Evir Derricote, the newly assigned Soontir Fel would go on to lead and shape the 181st into one of the most feared fighting forces in the Galaxy. Through his strict discipline and iron leadership, he created a squadron of well drilled, highly skilled pilots. These elite pilots included such feared names as the Force blessed Maarek Stele and the man who would eventually go on to lead Saber Squadron himself, Turr Phennir...

At a time when the Rebel Alliance was achieving one of it's greatest victories, destroying the first Death Star at the Battle of Yavin, Soontir Fel was leading Saber Squadron on the other side of the galaxy in a resounding victory for the Empire at the Battle of Ord Biniir... If only Fel had been the one chasing Skywalker down the trench! o_O

Recognising the skill of Soontir Fel and the 181st, Darth Vader duly attached the fighter wing to his very own 'Death Squadron', where they fought in a number of decisive engagements including the Battle of Hoth and the crushing of Prince Xizor and his Black Sun fleet...

And if you thought the ladz in black were not to be messed with, wait til' you get a load of the fellas in red...

The Royal Guard were the successors to the Red Guard of the Galactic Republic and formed a hand picked Sith military unit served with the the protection of Emperor Palpatine. These men were so indoctrinated into the service of the Emperor, they would gladly lay down their lives without a moments hesitation... Not that these killing machines were bested by death that often...

When not standing around looking utterly menacing, the Royal Guard would fly their distinctive crimson red TIE Interceptors, primarily escorting the Emperor's personal shuttle and it's various decoys. The TIE Interceptors they flew were optimised in every way when compared with their fleet counterparts. Equipped with a built in hyper-drive and shield generator, their ships possessed incredible speed and their pilots preternatural abilities...

The Royal Guard escort the Emperor... or do they...?

Kanos and Jax. The 'Red Death'...

Of all the men that would form the feared ranks of the Royal Guard, two men in particular would stand out, both for their loyalty and their infamy...

Recognised early on for his incredible martial talents and stone cold discipline, Carnor Jax was quickly elevated from his post within the Blackhole Storm Troopers and sent to the planet of Yinchorr, the designated home of the Imperial Royal Guard Academy...

Alongside another outstanding recruit by the name of Kir Kanos, Carnor Jax quickly rose to become the standout soldier within the academy. The men, grouped in permanent pairings, received rigorous training in the deadly fighting art of Echani and quickly became lethal experts in the chosen weapons of the Royal Guard - the force pike and the vibroblade.

On a daily basis, the recruits were subjected to an unrelenting training regime, designed to whittle out those who showed the merest sign of weakness and to mentally condition those who survived. A great many of these training activities would see the recruits test their martial prowess in the fighting arena known as The Squall...

After a year of brutal training and with only a handful of surviving recruits remaining, The Emperor and Lord Vader watched on as the last two pairs of recruits were mercilessly ordered to fight their partner to the death. Carnor Jax easily slew his partner, Alum Frost, showing no hesitation in the act. Kir Kanos accepted the order with some hesitation, but ultimately succeeded in executing his partner, Lemmet Tauk. In a private ceremony with the Emperor and Lord Vader, Jax and Kanos were finally elevated to the rank of Royal Guard. Little was the Emperor to know at the time that Carnor Jax would one day become a Sith Lord himself and attempt to seize the throne of the one he once called master...

Alongside Carnor Jax, Kir Kanos would eventually survive the exhaustive training of the Royal Guard Academy and be elevated into the position of protector to the Emperor. His unwavering loyalty to the Emperor's ideals stood out even amongst the ranks of the Dark Lord's inner circle and the Emperor knew that in Kanos, he had a man who's quest to serve and to protect was unequaled.

Kanos served the Emperor with distinction for many years, but matters outside of his control would eventually change his life forever... Whilst stationed on Coruscant, Kanos unwittingly escaped the destruction of the Death Star II at the Battle of Endor and with it, the death of his beloved Emperor.

The embittered Kir Kanos continued to loyally serve the remnants of the Galactic Empire in the disarray following his master's death... However, the Emperor would soon make a miraculous return to life in the form of a clone...

But despite the return of the Emperor, the Galactic Empire was at even greater risk from enemies within... And those that once considered themselves to be brothers in arms, would clash both in their quest for power and in their quest for honour...

But that, as they say, is another story...

Until next time ;)