Discussion Episode VII without any kind of "Empire"--

Isn't TIEs getting blown up easily an EU thing?

 

Watch the movies and count the number of TIEs that get hit and keep flying. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any.

 

Only Vader's Tie in ANH.

 

They are just ships. Evil has nothing to do with it. They could be put to good use this time around.

 

A Stuka dive bomber is just an airplane. You could use it to deliver mail. But if you fly one over Poland, expect everyone and his brother to throw rocks at you.

 

Given the size of the remnants of the Empire I doubt they would have vast amounts of money or resources they had when the Emperor was in charge. So massive expensive upgrades might not take place, you might get Star Destroyers with repaired ships and troopers with patchy armour.
Big ships should have a long life, they don't erode badly in space since there is no air and the technology shouldn't go so far ahead in 30 years that turbolasers are suddenly obsolete.

The Falcon was old in the OT, so now it will be an antique much like the droids and the crew

 

Star Wars was always a used Universe. I think its possible we'll see everything we've seen prior to Episode VII and more. Just like the Millennium Falcon was old in Episode IV, the Ties and Imperial Ships will be old now but still very useful in a used universe. Specially in the hand of pirates, mercenaries and such. Hell I wouldn't be surprised if we see Pod Racers or even the Sith Infiltrator from the PT return. Its all useful!

 

I think there will be a loose collection of systems who band together to get the Empire back in power, they'll be forced to keep using the old technology but have some new models too.

 

Unless there was a complete surrender, it's possible that they might have held out till the end and lost every single one of them. I can't imagine the Empire wouldn't at least try and fight to the end regardless of who's in charge.