*EDIT:

I never used Z / Y in XWA I guess. All I did was Linked Fire with X.
Also, wasn't it default Setting that the Lasers were slightly converging in XWA?
You have to turn if off if you want to, and I don't know why you would.

I kinda noticed they don't converge in XWvTF, I keep shooting and missing either left or right. It's very weird and adds more Difficulty to the Game, while the Shields charge faster and discharge even faster than in any Game before, making Collisions near fatal, it's... uhm, strange. I both like it, and hate it. Like, because now, you can actually -do- Stuff with or to the Shields, it feels more dynamic. And hate, because it can get very frustrating if you're not used to it. Most of the Time, I'm like... aaaah... yeah, I can handlOHGODSHIT

Which is a new and exciting Thing to me, if it's not the Cause of a Mission to fail. =P
Made me think twice about engaging enemy Craft Head on by now!

Faster the better. Shields are useless to me if someone can sneak up on me and I can't shake them in time. So TIE Interceptor for craft without shields and TIE Defender for those with shields. I can create a real havoc with the latter. Even dogfighting half a dozen Rebel craft alone and at the same time is a breeze.

The convergence is automatic in XWA (except on the Z-95), it is always set to the distance of the target. You can disable it by pressing Z, although there's no need.

I'm a versatile pilot and like to pick my craft to suit the mission profile. Single player I like something with tons of firepower so I stick with the X-wing or B-wing. Multiplayer I love rocking T-wings, or R-41 Starcharsers. If it's a mixed match (rebs vs imps) I prefer the Tie Interceptor as it can out maneuver my beloved rebel ships. Plus it just feels kewl to take down an X-wing in a ship with no shields :) Plus they have a very small target profile making them hard to hit.

This may be fixed on this new release version but the other impy ships, ya know the ones with the shields, used to create major lag issues online. If the lag issue is fixed then I'll take a Tie Defender.

RBL_Acehigh

I prefer the X-Wing on Rebel side and the Tie Advanced on Imperial side.

The A-Wings are fast but cannot sustain enemy fire or missiles for long, the Y-Wing can do that but is too slow to make any kind of dent. The B-Wing certainly has it advantages if you know how to pilot the ship.

Any TIE Fighter without shield is a death trap! Up until the Tie Advanced became a pilot able ship in the original Tie Fighter, the Assault Gunboat was the only fighter which could sustain some enemy firepower. The TIE Defender doesn't suit me as a workable design and the Missile Boat can only be used from a distance and cannot be used as combat vehicle . . .

I always loved the versatility of the X-wing, there are very few mission profiles it cannot fulfill. It is iconic and being a big fan of the X-wing novels and Rogue Squadron I always felt a little more proper flying one into battle.

For the Imps, I always liked the sleek, dangerous design of the TIE/In. It's pound for pound an equal to the X-wing in a dogfight, and I enjoyed the extra thrill of piloting a ship without shields.

My favourite craft is/was the standard TIE Fighter and the TIE Interceptor.