Well I love to have the chance as the creator to comment on my little mission. (my first btw :) I guess it's just a matter of oppinion which craft you like flying. I for one love the challenge of flying unshielded craft as it's well.. more challenging and it's truer to the SW universe for me. It's NOT just a matter of luck. I think you're not at all patient enough.. You want to get this over with.. Well that attitude in combat gets you killed.. If you're not patient in your ducking and weaving (that means do it constantly or get fried) and patient in taking on the CRV you're fried. I really LOVE this kind of challenge as it requires more skill than simple going in in an unshielded craft and blasting everything. This mission is NOT impossible on hard.. It's just hard.. That's what that difficulty level is for.. I think almost all TIE mission are WAY too easy on hard. I've completed it on hard myself so it can be done. And I don't think I'm the only one. Patience is a key element in flying a good mission :)