The greatest Imperial leader(not including Warlords or breakaway factions).

[Lord Xizer]

I just can't bring myself to like Daala, she's Imperial to the core and that is commendable, but she's so horribly incompetent and prone to emotional outbursts like Cobra Commander.

[Mat8876]

Emperor Palpatine because he made the Empire out of the 25,000 year old Republic had two death stars and two eclipse star dreadnaughts (not at the same time), he was born (and died) 4 times, and nearly killed all of the jedi.

And because of that you lot wouldn't of had a favourite Imperial leader.

[Mat8876]

He also looked the scariest.

[Lord Xizer]

You make good points for Palpatine and he certainly had the longest period of rule compared to the other candidates.

[tlmiller]

But he's also a complete and total strategic moron that doesn't comprehend a single thing in regards to true strategy.  His decision to standardize on the ISD with it's only so-so complement of fighters, and standardize on what is basically a barely-armed pile of tissue paper is the reason he was defeated, TIME AND AGAIN.

[Lord Xizer]

But he's also a complete and total strategic moron that doesn't comprehend a single thing in regards to true strategy.  His decision to standardize on the ISD with it's only so-so complement of fighters, and standardize on what is basically a barely-armed pile of tissue paper is the reason he was defeated, TIME AND AGAIN.

Actually he had a decent grasp of strategy. Evidenced by his management of both sides of the Clone Wars, the ability to maintain his rule for 19 years suppressing opposition before it arose and his contingency plans in the event of his death point to a devious and complex mind. He employed many truly great strategists and recognized tactical worth. That being said his major weakness was actually from his Sith training. His belief that sheer terror and power coupled with manipulation were the keys to long term stability.

The TIE Interceptors were very good fighters that were decent quality and cheap to make, in competent hands a TIE could beat an X wing hands down. The main point of the Empire's fleet strategy was large scale suppression using the ISDs to deal with planets and assaults with the fighters there mainly to screen the main line ships. This can be an effective strategy when fighting fleets or governing large expanses of territory but it makes chasing down Rebels who use the "Stateless Strategy" very difficult. The ISD was by and by the most widely used and competent ship produced by any of the factions in the Galactic Civil war.

As for a barely armed sheet of toilet paper I assume you mean the Superweapons? The First Death Star fell prey to the acts of Luck and Vader's idiotic plan to let the rebels have the plans without altering them in any way or just killing the heroes as they tried to fly off the Death Star. The Second was not completed, it did not share the same flaw as the first one and actually had some interesting conventional uses in war as well as terror. The Tarkin, Eye of Palpatine, Death Star Prototype, and Sun Crusher were mere prototypes that were not meant to be deployed on a full scale military level until finished with testing(as they never were) The World Devastators WERE unstoppable and carried out their task very efficiently but were stopped by let's face it a crap plot device. The Eclipse I and II were magnificent weapons of war that were again victims of plot devices as they and the Sovereigns could hold their own against a fleet without support. Each served a specific purpose and were only destroyed due to the fact the Heroes ALWAYS win in the end so the things had to be stopped in increasingly unbelievable ways. Personally I think the superweapons far from being wastes when coupled with proper military support or tactics were very effective and creative.

[tlmiller]

No, barely armed sheet of toilet paper = tie fighter.  2 weak laser cannons, no shields, and such a powerful hull that breathing on it wrong would break it.  And yes, if they would have modeled the ISD on the Venator, being a carrier with TONS of fighters, that would have worked.  But instead, the ISD has only a moderate complement of fighters, so that against any REAL opposition it has only a 2-1 or even less advantage in fighters, which is simply insufficient when the fighter is the Tie Figher.

Also, I would never say he wasn't a POLITICAL genious, but his tactical abilities I still say he was dumber than a pile of bantha dung.

[Corey]

Actually he had a decent grasp of strategy. Evidenced by his management of both sides of the Clone Wars,

When I play games against myself, I always beat me.

[tlmiller]

DAMN, I ain't got time to play with myself.

[Mat8876]

I just realised why he always brought cheap and practicly pointless fighters it was so that he could put more money to super weapons, to be honest that wasn't really a good idea taking money out that area he should of spent less on star destroyers.

Anyone agree with me on that?

[Lord Xizer]

I just realised why he always brought cheap and practicly pointless fighters it was so that he could put more money to super weapons, to be honest that wasn't really a good idea taking money out that area he should of spent less on star destroyers.

Anyone agree with me on that?

Kind of hard to suppress planets with fighters rather than Destroyers(unless you are Rogue Squadron that is)

As for tactical genius, well Shadow Hand was 90 % effective as a military campaign and it was allegedly orchestrated by Palpatine himself.(Granted it owed a lot of success to pure overwhelming force)

I will concede the point Corey makes about the Clone Wars though.

[Singularity]

How is it a tiny astromech droid made for repair work can somehow hijack both a 17km long warship through hyperspace, and an entire fleet of world-eating superweapons into destroying themselves?

Oh, and it just so happens that the Galaxy Gun is firing a missile just at the exact same time the Eclipse II rams into it, what a coincidence!

[Mat8876]

I just realised why he always brought cheap and practicly pointless fighters it was so that he could put more money to super weapons, to be honest that wasn't really a good idea taking money out that area he should of spent less on star destroyers.

Anyone agree with me on that?

What i mean is the empire had a massive amount of star destroyers which would of been vunerable tofighters and their cheap and mass produce TIE fighters could not of done much to help unless they were in huge numbers and before anyone goes on about other imperial fighters is the fact is their were so few of them because they were expensive to build and the empire wanted cheap and replaceable fighters and when they decided to change that idea it was to late.

[Lord Xizer]

Well to be fair the ISDs were only vulnerable to TRD with a LOT of fighters against it. It took multiple volleys of Proton Torps just to bring down a SECTION of the ships shield while they would have to dodge the TIEs too. The ISD's weapons were not designed to kill fighters but they certainly COULD do that through volume of fire alone.

[Revanchist]

Actually he had a decent grasp of strategy. Evidenced by his management of both sides of the Clone Wars, the ability to maintain his rule for 19 years suppressing opposition before it arose and his contingency plans in the event of his death point to a devious and complex mind. He employed many truly great strategists and recognized tactical worth. That being said his major weakness was actually from his Sith training. His belief that sheer terror and power coupled with manipulation were the keys to long term stability.

The TIE Interceptors were very good fighters that were decent quality and cheap to make, in competent hands a TIE could beat an X wing hands down. The main point of the Empire's fleet strategy was large scale suppression using the ISDs to deal with planets and assaults with the fighters there mainly to screen the main line ships. This can be an effective strategy when fighting fleets or governing large expanses of territory but it makes chasing down Rebels who use the "Stateless Strategy" very difficult. The ISD was by and by the most widely used and competent ship produced by any of the factions in the Galactic Civil war.

As for a barely armed sheet of toilet paper I assume you mean the Superweapons? The First Death Star fell prey to the acts of Luck and Vader's idiotic plan to let the rebels have the plans without altering them in any way or just killing the heroes as they tried to fly off the Death Star. The Second was not completed, it did not share the same flaw as the first one and actually had some interesting conventional uses in war as well as terror. The Tarkin, Eye of Palpatine, Death Star Prototype, and Sun Crusher were mere prototypes that were not meant to be deployed on a full scale military level until finished with testing(as they never were) The World Devastators WERE unstoppable and carried out their task very efficiently but were stopped by let's face it a crap plot device. The Eclipse I and II were magnificent weapons of war that were again victims of plot devices as they and the Sovereigns could hold their own against a fleet without support. Each served a specific purpose and were only destroyed due to the fact the Heroes ALWAYS win in the end so the things had to be stopped in increasingly unbelievable ways. Personally I think the superweapons far from being wastes when coupled with proper military support or tactics were very effective and creative.

Isn't an unstoppable superweapon in and of itself a bad plot device created to make their inevitable destruction that much more shocking?

[mynameisyou]

yes yes it is.

[Lord Xizer]

Isn't an unstoppable superweapon in and of itself a bad plot device created to make their inevitable destruction that much more shocking?

Yeah...

[cjc070]

Actually he had a decent grasp of strategy. Evidenced by his management of both sides of the Clone Wars, the ability to maintain his rule for 19 years suppressing opposition before it arose and his contingency plans in the event of his death point to a devious and complex mind. He employed many truly great strategists and recognized tactical worth. That being said his major weakness was actually from his Sith training. His belief that sheer terror and power coupled with manipulation were the keys to long term stability.

The TIE Interceptors were very good fighters that were decent quality and cheap to make, in competent hands a TIE could beat an X wing hands down. The main point of the Empire's fleet strategy was large scale suppression using the ISDs to deal with planets and assaults with the fighters there mainly to screen the main line ships. This can be an effective strategy when fighting fleets or governing large expanses of territory but it makes chasing down Rebels who use the "Stateless Strategy" very difficult. The ISD was by and by the most widely used and competent ship produced by any of the factions in the Galactic Civil war.

As for a barely armed sheet of toilet paper I assume you mean the Superweapons? The First Death Star fell prey to the acts of Luck and Vader's idiotic plan to let the rebels have the plans without altering them in any way or just killing the heroes as they tried to fly off the Death Star. The Second was not completed, it did not share the same flaw as the first one and actually had some interesting conventional uses in war as well as terror. The Tarkin, Eye of Palpatine, Death Star Prototype, and Sun Crusher were mere prototypes that were not meant to be deployed on a full scale military level until finished with testing(as they never were) The World Devastators WERE unstoppable and carried out their task very efficiently but were stopped by let's face it a crap plot device. The Eclipse I and II were magnificent weapons of war that were again victims of plot devices as they and the Sovereigns could hold their own against a fleet without support. Each served a specific purpose and were only destroyed due to the fact the Heroes ALWAYS win in the end so the things had to be stopped in increasingly unbelievable ways. Personally I think the superweapons far from being wastes when coupled with proper military support or tactics were very effective and creative.

Actually the reason why R2-D2 did kicked the World Devastators ass is because Palapatine allowed it. he thought he was playing both sides as he was in the Clone Wars but because he underestimated both Luke and Leia and a certain astromech droid he was defeated.  Although the writers did not know this at the time it can be excused as such. 

Also the Dark Empire comic book series I found was a little over the top (I mean NO ONE heard about the Eclipse or World Devastator or Galaxy Gun in the 7 years after the Battle of Endor).  Heck even Timothy Zahn didn't like it he implied it when Mara Jade did not believe that the clone Emperor was real (you can read it in the Thrawn Duology).

My vote goes to Thrawn because he anticipated the Yuuzhan Vong war and how to fight it before anyone else.  Even the Emperor himself.  Also he only used his skills when necessary because even he recognized that he would not live forever and he wanted the Imperials to be ready for war. 

[Lord Xizer]

Actually the reason why R2-D2 did kicked the World Devastators ass is because Palapatine allowed it. he thought he was playing both sides as he was in the Clone Wars but because he underestimated both Luke and Leia and a certain astromech droid he was defeated.  Although the writers did not know this at the time it can be excused as such. 

Also the Dark Empire comic book series I found was a little over the top (I mean NO ONE heard about the Eclipse or World Devastator or Galaxy Gun in the 7 years after the Battle of Endor).  Heck even Timothy Zahn didn't like it he implied it when Mara Jade did not believe that the clone Emperor was real (you can read it in the Thrawn Duology).

My vote goes to Thrawn because he anticipated the Yuuzhan Vong war and how to fight it before anyone else.  Even the Emperor himself.  Also he only used his skills when necessary because even he recognized that he would not live forever and he wanted the Imperials to be ready for war.

As I said, plot device. Although it can definitely be argued that Sidious had become insanely overconfident(what with returning from death, superweapons and pretty overwhelming military success in Shadow Hand) and eventually planned to use only the Dark Side of the Force to suppress the galaxy(totally ludicrous)

I also hated the Dark Empire comics, I found them ridiculously un SWs like in their feel and art was utterly appalling.

[Revanchist]

Dark Empire had its unlikable moments, but it set the stage for some interesting stuff, like the Crimson Empire series.