TIE Interceptor
Imperial Elite FighterGM · Enemy ShipThreat 4Elite Imperial fighter variant — faster, deadlier, flown by veteran squadrons. The fighter that hunts X-wings.
- Size
- Tiny
- Length
- 9.6 m
- Speed
- Very Fast
- Reference price
- 120,000 cr
Lore
The TIE Interceptor (sometimes TIE/IN) is Sienar Fleet Systems' upgrade to the line TIE — taller solar wings with the corner cutouts that became the Interceptor's visual signature, twin-engine performance roughly 30% higher than the TIE/ln, and four wingtip-mounted laser cannons linked for devastating burst fire. Where the TIE/ln is the Imperial workhorse, the Interceptor is the prestige fighter, reserved for elite squadrons.
The most famous Interceptor pilot in canon is Baron Soontir Fel, commander of the 181st Imperial Fighter Wing — a squadron of Interceptors painted with red wing stripes whose kill record put fear into every Rebel pilot who flew at Endor. The Battle of Endor itself featured the largest concentration of Interceptors ever deployed: hundreds launched from the second Death Star's defensive ring of Star Destroyers, intended to shred the Rebel fighter screen before the capital ships closed.
For GMs, the Interceptor is the "elite fighter" threat — drop one or two into an otherwise TIE/ln-flavored engagement and the dynamics shift instantly. Veteran pilots will single out the player gunner and try to score a kill before the swarm overwhelms them. Imperial doctrine pairs Interceptor squadrons with TIE/ln screens; the Interceptors flank while the TIE/lns press head-on.
Default Loadout
| Weapon | Mount | Attr | Range | Acc | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quad Laser Cannons (linked) | fixed | DEX | Close | +4 | 3d10 energy |
Reference loadout for a stock chassis. Players swap, add, or customize weapons in the Starship Builder, subject to hardpoint caps and GM approval.
Special Conditions
No Shields, No Hyperdrive
Like the base TIE, the Interceptor has no shields and no hyperdrive. Imperial doctrine accepts this fragility in exchange for top-tier raw performance.
GM · Tactical Notes
Fly the Interceptor as the alpha threat in a TIE engagement — let the TIE/ln swarm absorb player fire while the Interceptor lines up clean shots from beyond the brawl. Use its speed advantage to stay at Close range where the quad-laser linked-fire crushes shields. Veteran Interceptor pilots will often peel off and re-engage from a fresh vector rather than dogfight directly. Two Interceptors plus a TIE/ln screen of 6 is a classic elite-Imperial encounter.
GM · Adventure Hooks
- Players spotted by an 181st Interceptor on patrol — Soontir Fel's wingman calls in coordinates before engaging. They have one round before backup arrives.
- An Imperial Moff's personal Interceptor escort intercepts the players' diplomatic shuttle. Surrender peacefully or fight three Interceptors led by a Moff's veteran ace.
- During the Battle of Endor: players are Rebel pilots facing waves of Interceptors. Stay alive long enough for the second Death Star's shields to drop.
How to use this chassis
This is a GM-side stat block — an NPC ship for the GM to fly against the player crew. Use it as-is for a quick encounter, or fold it into a larger fleet engagement alongside other entries from the enemy ship catalog (filter to "Enemy / GM" on the catalog grid). For combat resolution, see the Starship Combat rules page. Enemy ships do not appear in the Starship Builder.
Similar Enemy Ships
More combat craft-category ships in the catalog.