Talking about the harder floppy (Classic) missions, not the easier CD-ROM version missions, if that matters.

So, those Advanced TIEs... I'm doing great against any other fighters (TIE Fighters, Interceptors, Bombers, Gunboats, shuttles, transports, what have you), but those A-TIEs just fly around here and there, never taking any real damage unless I get very lucky with dual missiles, are able to ram into them, or my wingmen kill one down while one is on my tail. I don't think I've been able to kill even one ATIE yet myself.

So is that how it is supposed to be, and in the missions where they appear, the idea is just try not to mind them and concentrate on other ships and objectives, and it would be probably just waste of time trying to actually fight them? To me they feel almost like the Shivan fighters in early Freespace missions, ie. near invincible.

Sure Interceptors are also quite agile (and TIE Fighters), but there you need to get only a few lucky shots here and there in, and they are down. ATIEs just replenish their shields in a similar situation, as far as I can tell. The other craft (like Gunboats?) with shields are so slow that it is easy to kill them either way.

I notice though that occasionally TopAce wingmen are able to gun some of them down, but that seems to happen usually when one ATIE is trying to line up to shoot me, and two or three wingmen are on its tail and able to cause enough damage then.

I've played the X-Wing + expansions through a long time ago, but I don't recall how I managed against them back then. Probably I just kept avoiding them, just like now.

When flying an X-wing:
Enter the combat with full shields and set your cannons to quad fire. If you can't, set cannon recharge rate to maximum and shunt canon energy to shields until they are full. Then, set shields recharge rate to zero, and cannon recharge rate to one level above normal. You will gain enough speed to keep on the TIE Advanced tail. They are highly maneuverable but with some effort you'll be able to stay on their tail long enough to hit them using quad fire. Their shields are rather weak so you'll be able to take them out.

When flying an A-wing:
Do the same but the cannon recharge rate can be set to maximum.

When flying a Y-wing:
Not sure there's even a mission that puts you up against the TIE Advanced with a Y-wing, but if there is, you better avoid such engagement, the Y-wings are too clumsy and slow to face this TIE model.

May the force be with you ;)

When flying a B-wing:
Give it up and go home; you can't catch a Ferrari with a garbage truck. :P

IIRC, B-Wing is easier than a X-Wing. You can leave the laser recharge on normal for a while & you will be faster than the X-Wing.

Totally forgot about the B-wing. Gydion is correct!

Okay Okay :P I suck but I still get my ass kicked making the trench run with one. XD