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[PBalfredo]

Just picked up an E-Wing today. What other ships benefit from Advanced Sensors?

The E-Wing is one of the EU ships that I felt kept the spirit of the OT ships pretty well, though looking at the model just now, I can't help but think that the laser canon right above the cockpit would just blind the pilot every time it fires, lol.

 

[One Foul Note]

Just picked up an E-Wing today. What other ships benefit from Advanced Sensors?

Bwings are usually the most common holders of AS. In their default state they can be quite predictable in movement and that system can really open up their movement options with their barrel rolling before going. I've also seen people do wicked things with advanced sensors on Aggressors and Tie Phantoms although with both of them fire control generally seem to be more popular over all.

 

[MisterAnderson]

Just picked up an E-Wing today. What other ships benefit from Advanced Sensors?

Currently the only E-Wing pilot worth using in a 100 point match is Corran Horn because his ability to shoot twice in one combat phase is that good. Generally, Fire Control System is the systems upgrade card you'd want to pair with that ability since the first attack will set up for the second by giving you a target lock.

The other ships that generally benefit from Advanced Sensors are:

-B-Wing
-Aggressor (Usually the two main choices for this slot are between Advanced Sensors and Fire Control System, although Sensor Jammer has made a recent/slight resurgence since the introduction of Twin Laser Turrets)
-"Deathrain" (TIE Punisher) can do some very fancy things using Advanced Sensors with boost since his ability allows him to barrel roll after dropping a bomb. So something like:

1) Drop bomb
2) Barrel roll left or right
3) Advanced Sensors + Boost left or right
4) 4 K-Turn

The upcoming G-1A Starfighter looks to be able to benefit from it as well since its dial has so many red maneuvers.

And lastly, while generally not considered often since it makes the Phantom more predictable (which isn't something the Phantom should be), pairing Advanced Sensors with Push The Limit allows it to perform two actions, gaining a stress before the maneuver, and then shedding it's stress with a chosen green maneuver. The same can be done with an Aggressor using Advanced Sensors and PTL (the Aggressor has many more green maneuvers to choose from, though).

 

[MisterAnderson]

I desperately want to play Imperial but I think that Palpatine or the TIE Advanced using the upgrade cards is almost necessary in most lists.

And I'm not going to be able to buy the raider until I get a new job so boooo.

At least I have BroBots...

It's certainly not necessary, but I do think it's very strong. TIE Advanced seem to pair especially well with Palpatine since their Advanced Targeting Computers already guarantee a crit per attack.

Honestly I feel with the recent new upgrades, pilots, and especially with the new additions coming from wave 8 and Imperial Vererans, that the Imperials have a LOT of viable options for a huge variety of lists.

Edit: Sorry for the double post.

 

[PBalfredo]

Thanks for the Advanced Sensors advice!

 

[MisterAnderson]

Speaking of E-Wings, what do you guys think FFG will do to buff E-Wings in the inevitable Rebel Veterans Expansion without making Corran Horn even better? Aside from adding a few much needed additional pilots, I think that something like this would be pretty cool:

E-Wing title card (0 points)
Your upgrade bar gains 1 additional Systems upgrade icon. If you equip a second Systems upgrade, its squad point cost is reduced by 4 (to a minimum of 0). If a second Systems upgrade is not equipped, the squad point cost of an Astromech upgrade is reduced by 4 (to a minimum of 0).

I feel like this would add some interesting options for the E-Wing, but might make Corran Horn too powerful. With current builds, it would make R2-D2 a free upgrade reducing Corran's cost by 4 points, which isn't SO bad...but I have a feeling that loading him up with a second free Systems upgrade might be a little too strong.

Maybe the title could include something like "Can be equipped only on an E-Wing worth less than 35 squad points" or "Restricted only to ships with a pilot skill of 7 or less" or some such...what do you guys think?

Edit: Posted this on reddit and someone replied with an interesting idea that I like:

Reverse Thrusters

Modification -- 0 points -- E-Wing only

When you reveal your dial, if you are not stressed, you may instead perform a red [Full Stop] maneuver. Then, receive one focus token. You may only attack once this turn.

(picture shows an E-Wing bristling with forward-facing thrusters instead of guns)

Something like this could turn low-PS E-Wings into amazing blockers. Combine it with Targeting Astromech, and you have something that can just stop in your face and unleash hell.

Edit: Add advanced sensors and you could evade (or roll), full stop, focus, and target lock.

 

[PBalfredo]

Well shit, I bought a TIE Defender today, then I was putting it together and small plastic connector at the bottom of the ship that the pegs plug into snapped off immediately. I was being gentle with it too. Just the barest pressure to get the pegs fully into it and it just broke. I don't know how I could fix it. I guess it's not a total loss since I have the cards and you don't really need the model to play, I guess, just the base. But damn, if the Defender isn't one of the better models and I was really looking forward to seeing it on the table.

 

[MisterAnderson]

Well shit, I bought a TIE Defender today, then I was putting it together and small plastic connector at the bottom of the ship that the pegs plug into snapped off immediately. I was being gentle with it too. Just the barest pressure to get the pegs fully into it and it just broke. I don't know how I could fix it. I guess it's not a total loss since I have the cards and you don't really need the model to play, I guess, just the base. But damn, if the Defender isn't one of the better models and I was really looking forward to seeing it on the table.

My T-70 peg broke off the other day, and while it was difficult (although I'm sure with the right supplies it would have been much easier), with a bit of superglue I was able to get it back on and it's completely fine now. (Remember, less superglue is more)

Before you try anything though, you should take a picture and submit a request to FFG (at this link: http://parts.asmodeena.com/). They are typically really cool about replacing stuff like this, just make sure you explain that it was brand new and you barely applied any force and it snapped off, indicating that it was defective. They most likely will take one to two weeks to fulfill the request but their customer service is usually extremely generous when it comes to these kinds of issues.

 

[nismogrendel]

There is a store event coming up on Saturday. I haven't played more than the quick in store demo. I've watched a lot of vids and read a lot.

I'm looking for suggestions for an easy noob list.

I have a bunch of stuff. Is fat Han pretty easy to play? I have the cards on the way for that. I have most of the alliance stuff except for the rebel transport.

Imperial side I have most of the tie swarm stuff, the imp aces, Slave I.

 

[PBalfredo]

My T-70 peg broke off the other day, and while it was difficult (although I'm sure with the right supplies it would have been much easier), with a bit of superglue I was able to get it back on and it's completely fine now. (Remember, less superglue is more)

Before you try anything though, you should take a picture and submit a request to FFG (at this link: http://parts.asmodeena.com/). They are typically really cool about replacing stuff like this, just make sure you explain that it was brand new and you barely applied any force and it snapped off, indicating that it was defective. They most likely will take one to two weeks to fulfill the request but their customer service is usually extremely generous when it comes to these kinds of issues.

Good to know, thanks! Just sent off a ticket and I'll wait on that because I definitely don't trust myself with superglue. Good to know this was an option because I didn't look forward to the thought of buying another Defender just to get a working model. Especially since Defenders and the cards associated are not something you need a ton of copies of.

 

[MisterAnderson]

Good to know, thanks! Just sent off a ticket and I'll wait on that because I definitely don't trust myself with superglue. Good to know this was an option because I didn't look forward to the thought of buying another Defender just to get a working model. Especially since Defenders and the cards associated are not something you need a ton of copies of.

I came across these links a couple of hours ago and they seem pretty informative for new players (I'll probably add these to the OP soon)

Listbuilding for Beginners
Proven Ships

Fat Han is definitely one of the easier lists to fly since your heavy hitter (Han) doesn't need to worry so much about getting your target in a primary arc, but you want to avoid using him to joust multiple ships if possible. Kite your targets around and fire from the side/behind when possible, while whatever you use to fill out the rest of your build flanks the chasers or are used as blockers.

 

[FeD.nL]

Probably not the right place for this butttttt FFG is releasing a ton of info this week on Star Wars: Rebellion and it looks cool as anything else out there.

[MG]https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/filer_public/7e/66/7e6661a3-1b67-4c6d-bdf6-054067cc24f7/sw03_box_left.png[/IMG]

Here's last week's preview: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2016/1/15/where-is-the-rebel-base/
This week: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2016/1/18/powerful-allies/
Intro to game: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/11/3/star-wars-rebellion/

Went to my local store today to ask if he had a specific release date and his supplier has it for a 15 February release date. I can't wait for this game tbh, looks like everything I wanted to play.

 

[borghe]

Went to my local store today to ask if he had a specific release date and his supplier has it for a 15 February release date. I can't wait for this game tbh, looks like everything I wanted to play.

heh, worried right now that this is going to drop the same day as Wave 8.... ugh. That would be an expensive day.

 

[Slermy]

So, how bad of an idea is it to run Soontir Fell with ONLY Push the Limit, no upgrades?

Is coolstuffinc pretty accurate on their shipping dates? It shows free shipping showing up on Friday. It's $8 to get it here on Wednesday.

I want to make sure I have it by Saturday...

They're usually pretty accurate, but depending on where you are at, I'd imagine the mountains of snow on the east coast might hinder things.

 

[MisterAnderson]

So, how bad of an idea is it to run Soontir Fell with ONLY Push the Limit, no upgrades?

I feel like Autothrusters at the very least is kind of a necessity with how likely it is you'll be up against at least one Twin Laser Turret or Fat Han/Dash list.

By the way, I'm going to be wanting to practice pretty hard in the next three weeks. Does anyone want to be a training buddy with me and start playing/testing builds on Vassal or something?

 

[chubigans]

Went to my local store today to ask if he had a specific release date and his supplier has it for a 15 February release date. I can't wait for this game tbh, looks like everything I wanted to play.

Oh man! That would be awesome, way earlier than expected.

 

[borghe]

Is coolstuffinc pretty accurate on their shipping dates? It shows free shipping showing up on Friday. It's $8 to get it here on Wednesday.

I want to make sure I have it by Saturday...

where are you at? did you order already?

 

[H1PSTER]

I am so close to impulse buying the Raider...

Help me! I have bought too much in the past month to justify this to my girlfriend, especially since we're moving out soon.

 

[Danthrax]

I am so close to impulse buying the Raider...

Help me! I have bought too much in the past month to justify this to my girlfriend, especially since we're moving out soon.

so don't let her know you bought it

just, y'know, hide it somewhere

the huge star destroyer model

wherever you can




You need that thing, though.

 

[nismogrendel]

where are you at? did you order already?

I ordered already, I paid the extra $8 to hopefully get it by Wednesday. Fedex tracking # shows it should arrive in time.

I am so close to impulse buying the Raider...

Help me! I have bought too much in the past month to justify this to my girlfriend, especially since we're moving out soon.

The way I justify money spent on hobby stuff... I spend the money in my head and then don't actually buy those items. Like I'll think ok I'm buying some Chipotle, a 12 pack of beer and a new video game. Then I don't actually buy those items, and I can think ok I just made $80 bucks, time to spend it on X-Wing or 40k/etc.

Dave Ramsey would approve.

 

[borghe]

I ordered already, I paid the extra $8 to hopefully get it by Wednesday. Fedex tracking # shows it should arrive in time..

ok, yeah if you ordered it ground, that is date definite. smartpost (free shipping) isn't date definite, but while it's in fedex's network (prior to your post office) it's very possible to have an idea of when you'll get it.

I am so close to impulse buying the Raider...

Help me! I have bought too much in the past month to justify this to my girlfriend, especially since we're moving out soon.

Raider will likely be my last big purchase for a while.. well, except for Wave 8.. and that's hoping that I get a C-3PO card from a store championship (there are two in the area, and 32 cards per championship kit). and even with that being said.. Raider might not even happen until March Damn Palp and TIE title..

 

[H1PSTER]

I could either afford Rebel Aces and the Imperial Veterans pack or I can get the Imperial Raider... I rarely use Imperials anymore despite loving Imperial lore and their ships, I just feel like the TIE Advanced and Palpatine are clutch.


I'll wait until next Monday to get them I think, I should have credit on a website to put towards it to make it either of them cheaper.

 

[borghe]

IMHO much more value out of the two expansions. Solid pilots in both, essential upgrades in Imperial Aces, and still solid value in Rebel.

The Raider (outside of the epic stuff) is basically Palp and then vader upgrades. Huge upgrades, but really only applicable to a specific style of play. Aces stuff can really be used across any style.

 

[H1PSTER]

IMHO much more value out of the two expansions. Solid pilots in both, essential upgrades in Imperial Aces, and still solid value in Rebel.

The Raider (outside of the epic stuff) is basically Palp and then vader upgrades. Huge upgrades, but really only applicable to a specific style of play. Aces stuff can really be used across any style.

I already own Imperial Aces, I'm talking about veterans, with the Defender and Bomber .

 

[borghe]

I already own Imperial Aces, I'm talking about veterans, with the Defender and Bomber .

oh well damn... yeah, that's almost as huge as the Aces pack..

but I'm guessing won't be out until maybe March.. late feb at the earliest, and that might even be pushing it.

 

[Danthrax]

You gotta get Imp Vets. It looks so cool.

 

[H1PSTER]

I think it'll have to be Rebel Aces and Imperial Veterans...

I haven't ever played with a TIE Advanced but perhaps I should try it out on Vassal - The defender has always looked cool and I like the idea of space jousting... I just need to make a list now.

 

[FeD.nL]

heh, worried right now that this is going to drop the same day as Wave 8.... ugh. That would be an expensive day.

Oh man! That would be awesome, way earlier than expected.

Get your wallets ready.

Nothing put praise from the guys of the Dice Tower in their review.

 

[Danthrax]

Ho-boy. So a shitton of articles just went up on FFG's website all revolving around a series of new major tournaments called the X-Wing System Open feeding into the Corellian Invitational

The X-Wing Open Series

Eight Events. Eight Nations.
The 2016 X-Wing System Open Series runs from March through June. Each of its eight thrilling events is scheduled to run multiple days and is designed to welcome players of all skill and experience levels. If you love flying your miniature starships into battle, these are the events for you!

• Hoth – Schaumburg, IL USA (March 31st – April 3rd)
• Naboo – Copenhagen, Denmark (June 11th – June 12th)
• Lothal – Stuttgart, Germany (June 25th – June 26th)
• Tatooine – Madrid, Spain (June 11th – 12th)
• Kashyyyk – Italy (June 18th – June 19th)
• Endor – Warsaw, Poland (April 30th – May 2nd)
• Jakku – Cusset, France (April 30th – May 1st)
• Yavin – Birmingham, United Kingdom (June 3rd – June 5th)

The U.S. location coincides with AdeptiCon just outside Chicago, BTW.


Open Briefing

Each of the eight System Opens will consist of two components:

The Main Event, which takes place over two or three days
The Hangar Bay Side Event(s), scheduled alongside the main event

Each X-Wing System Open features a main event that is split into two segments—the initial day and the final day. Some System Open events have a duplicate initial day to allow for increased participation. Importantly, players cannot enter both initial days under any circumstances.

On the initial day(s) of the main event, players will compete in six rounds, accumulating tournament points.

After six rounds, players who have accumulated 18 or more tournament points will advance to the final day. On the final day, all of those players will compete in three more rounds of play. The top 8 players by overall record will then be placed in a single-elimination bracket. After three rounds of single-elimination, the Champion will be crowned and invited to the Coruscant Invitational!

During each System Open Series event, at least one Hangar Bay side event will be scheduled.

The Hangar Bay format is a brand new way to display even more of your collection, broaden your expertise, and destroy your enemies!

To play these Hangar Bay side events, you will need to bring two standard squads that follow the 100-point maximum. These squads will use the same damage deck and obstacles. For the 2016 System Open Series events, we will also be using the Rival Rule: your two squads must belong to different factions.

Hangar Bay format rounds each begin by placing your first squad on your left, and your second squad on your right. After evaluating your opponent’s squads, both of you will secretly select which squad to field for this round by using a maneuver dial. Rotate to a 1-speed maneuver to select your first squad on your left, or a 2-speed maneuver to select your second squad on your right, and then place your maneuver dial facedown. Next, each player reveals their dial simultaneously, and removes their unselected squad from the table.

Players normally make all of the decisions about what ships they will deploy for each game before they even come to the tournament. But with the Hangar Bay format, players get to experience that strategic excitement prior to each round of play!

Each Hangar Bay side event will last for three rounds of play.

System Open Spoils

Your Invitation to the Capital

Players are required to build three 100-point squads, one for each of the game’s three factions—Rebel, Imperial, and Scum. The event would not be worthy of the title of Coruscant Invitational without a political twist. To add extra excitement and give the X-Wing community a way to participate in this awesome event, we will be opening a series of voting rounds to determine a single ship from each faction that players must use during the event. When building their squads, each player must include the winning ship for each faction in their squad list.

The eight players at the Coruscant Invitational will be divided into two groups of four at random and then play three round robin matches against the other players in their respective groups. At the end of three rounds, the player with the best record from each group will advance to a final match to decide the Champion of the Coruscant Invitational! If players are tied at the end of the three rounds, tiebreakers as described in the X-Wing tournament rules will be used to determine the leader.

Before the tournament, players will assign the letters A, B, and C to their three different squad lists. At the beginning of each round, one of the letters will be announced, and players must use the assigned squad during that match. Over the three rounds, each player will use each of their squads once, with the winner proving a mastery across multiple factions!

The final match will feature one, final twist of intrigue. At the start of the match, each player will be allowed to see their opponent’s three different squad lists. Then each player will secretly choose one of their own squads to play, revealing their choice once both players have decided on a squad. The Champion must not only be an accomplished pilot, but also have the ability to predict their opponent’s moves and exploit their weaknesses.

The winner of the event will gain the ultimate prize in gaming—a chance to work with the designers of X-Wing to help create a new card for the game! Other fantastic prizes for the competitors will be previewed as we get closer to the event.

Cast Your Vote

The Coruscant Invitational is the culmination of the System Open Series, created to celebrate the game of X-Wing and the amazing community that surrounds the game. The winners from each System Open will play in a round-robin tournament, using squads from each of the game’s three factions. These players will be competing for eternal glory and the chance to help design a card that will be released in X-Wing’s future, but how they win will be determined by you!

Starting in March, 2016, you will have the opportunity to vote between different ships within each faction over the course of several rounds. When the dust settles, the ship that has won the most votes within the community will be required in each of the eight competitors’ squad lists, fueling innovation and rewarding players who adapt to playing new lists.

 

[Mrcapcom]

As far as I'm concerned, the TIE Interceptor Expansion Pack and Imperial Aces Expansion Pack are must haves for Imperials. A decked out Soontir Fel is so good and so fun to fly.

Edit: To save money and to try him out, just get the Interceptor Pack or the Aces Pack so you have at least 1 Interceptor, then proxy the corresponding cards. The typical go to Soontir Fel build is:

Soontir Fel
-Push The Limit
-Royal Guard TIE
-Autothrusters
-Stealth Device

Pulled the trigger on the interceptor expansion for 11 and Decimator it was on sale for 27 bucks free 2 day

 

[MisterAnderson]

Pulled the trigger on the interceptor expansion for 11 and Decimator it was on sale for 27 bucks free 2 day

Nice! That's a good deal for sure. As soon as you play a game using Soontir Fel you'll understand why he's considered so powerful.

==================================================================

GAF-Wing...I need some honest advice. My local store championship is coming up fast (Feb 13th) and I'm being extremely indecisive with which list I should practice/enter with. To be honest, how "cheap" would you guys consider it if I were to use Paul Heaver's 2015 world championship list? I hate being unoriginal, but it seriously is my favorite list. I just kind of dislike the idea of showing up to a tournament setting using THE champion's list without any originality on my part. Does it seem desperate/cheap?

Having said that, here are my more original lists I've been considering flying:

ACE HUNTERS

Pros: PS10 Boba Fett with Engine Upgrade is a force to be reckoned with, and a PS8 IG-88B gives this build a pretty huge advantage against Brobot lists. Tactician gives Boba some decent stress dealing capabilities (from both front and rear arc) and Glitterstim has a nice synergy with his pilot ability that allows re-rolls at range 1. While Fire Control System is a natural fit for IG-88's pilot ability, I still prefer Advanced Sensors, since in my opinion, being slippery and hard to pin down is the Aggressor's greatest strength. There's nothing more satisfying than nailing an unlikely Advanced Sensors Boost + S-Loop/K-Turn for an unpredictable setup, as well as having the option to Focus/Evade before a bump or S-Loop/K-Turn. He can also use Advanced Sensors to Focus/Evade before popping Inertial Dampeners if need be. The Seismic Charge is there as filler, and with a high PS on Fett, any lower PS ships trying to block or chase too aggressively need to constantly be wary of it for as long as I haven't dropped it, possibly causing my opponent to choose maneuvers that they might otherwise not out of fear of being bombed.

Cons: While flying only two ships in a series of timed games helps to prevent "analysis paralysis", it's still a lot of eggs in only two baskets; and with the recent large base ship point change, it's even more dangerous now. Having no turrets in my list is definitely a weakness, but I think some fancy flying utilizing their high pilot skill, a rear firing arc, and Autothrusters can make up for it. The trick is fancy flying consistently for 5+ hours, which is easier said than done. TIE swarms would also be extremely difficult to deal with, but if I nail my initial approach correctly using Boba with a Glitterstim, followed up with a good Seismic Charge drop on a few Ties, I may be able to handle it. A Proton Bomb would be ideal in this case, but I don't think it's worth sacrificing the Glitterstim and Inertial Dampeners for.

Changes I'm considering: With how many PS10 Poe's I'm expecting to be at the tournament, I think it might be worth dropping Inertial Dampeners from IG-88 for that 99 point initiative bid. Or MAYBE swapping out Glitterstim on Boba for Inertial Dampeners on him as well, but I do think that Glitterstim is the safer/more powerful Illicit Upgrade to run with Boba. Yet another option is to drop the Seismic Charge and upgrade Inertial Dampeners on IG-88 to a second Glitterstim, but I do like having the Seismic in case I'm up against a swarm since it's this list's main weakness.

REGEN ASSAULT

Pros: PS10 regen Poe with Autothrusters is just so strong. Coupled with a Twin Laser Turret Miranda utilizing C3P0 (lulz) and two Z-95s for the extra red die/HP/and blocking power gives me the feeling that this list might be pretty damn effective (and annoying). I haven't tested this squad yet but it looks pretty strong on paper and difficult to deal with. Miranda being able to both regen a shield per round AND use C3P0 for a guaranteed evade PLUS being able to SLAM away if the opponent commits heavily to take her out gives plenty of setup opportunities for Poe to capitalize with an aggressive flank. Miranda isn't susceptible to the half health rule that large ships suffer, while still fulfilling the "anchor" turret ship role they typically fill. I also consider myself being pretty good at blocking enemy ships, so having two dedicated blockers might be pretty effective.

Cons: This list sacrifices any stress dealing capabilities for full out regeneration. While this build is similar to Paul Heaver's list, two Y-Wings with TLT and one Z-95 has more damage potential, stress dealing capabilities, and overall HP than one K-Wing and two Z-95s.

Changes I'm considering: C3P0 is - as we all know - extremely good (less effective now with so many TLT's in the meta, but still good to have), but I'm tempted to go with Tactician instead since Miranda's native shield regeneration is probably enough to keep her alive long enough to do the damage she needs to. Tactician, while only triggering if the target is in the front printed arc AND in range 2, could potentially lock down a target early on, fulfilling the role of a pseudo stress hog Y-Wing that may bring it closer to the standard that Paul Heaver's list brings to the table. It also would bring the point value of the squad down to 99, giving my Poe the initiative bid if I run up against any other 100 point Poe lists, including Heaver's list.

SITH ESCORT (Two variants): PROTON VADER // JAMMER PALPMOBILE

Preface/logic for taking Veteran Instincts on Vader instead of Predator: If you remember, a few months back I ran a similar list in my last tournament at this same store and ended up landing third place at 4 wins and 1 loss (Fat Chewie & two B-Wings). 98 points ended up being CLUTCH, as I went up against three lists also at 98 points, tying me up with opponents also using a Vader/Palp list as well as a Rebel Jake list. I was lucky as hell and won the initiative roll in all three games (I gave them initiative each time so my Vader would move last). In my opinion getting to move last in each of these matches was essential and played a huge part in my success, so I'd rather not leave that up to luck. That fact, coupled with how often I'm expecting to run into PS10 Poe, in my opinion justifies tossing Veteran Instincts on Vader.

PROTON VADER

Pros for Proton Vader: Proton Rockets, I think, may somewhat make up for the lack of Predator on Vader. Moving last and being able to take two actions per turn should make it quite easy to land a devastating Target Lock/Focus stacked Proton Rocket each match. I swapped out Maarek Stele for Juno Eclipse since the Crit choosing ability only helped me so much in that last tournament (that damned fat Chewie list - no crits at all on that fucker), and I'd rather have a higher pilot skill pilot with an ability that is ALWAYS useful. I think that I can afford to drop the Twin Ion Engine Mk. II from Juno since she natively has more green maneuvers than Maarek does. 99 points in this build also gives me an edge in case I run into any other Veteran Instinct Vader lists. The Emperor is a given - two consistent crit dealing Advanced Targeting Computers paired with Palpatine's influence to turn any offensive die to a crit (so long as I didn't need to use his ability defensively that turn) is a nasty as hell combo. More importantly, Palpatine mitigates luck more than any other card in the game, which is an obvious benefit to a tournament setting.

Cons for Proton Vader: No turrets OR Autothrusters makes this a dangerous list to run in a Twin Laser Turret rich meta. In my last tournament, I was lucky and didn't end up going up against any Twin Laser Turret builds, but I am fully expecting to deal with at least one in this upcoming store championship, or at the very least a YT-1300 or YT-2400 list.

JAMMER PALPMOBILE

Pros for Jammer Palpmobile: This version of the same build drops the Proton Rockets and spends all 4 extra points to equip a Sensor Jammer on the Shuttle. At 100 points, my initiative bid advantage is gone, but with a Pilot Skill of 11, Vader probably doesn't need it. The Shuttle is the obvious first target to focus down, so throwing on a Sensor Jammer should help to keep it alive for as long as possible and help deal with any Twin Laser Turret builds I might come across. The longer Palpatine is in play the better, and this was always the first ship of my build to either go down or at least reach half health, giving my opponent some points even if I ended up winning the match.

Cons for Jammer Palpmobile: This version basically sacrifices the offensive punch that Proton Rockets gives Vader in favor of defense for Palpatine's Shuttle. The trade-off may or may not be worth it - it's a toss up.

==================================================================

I'm sorry for the long-winded post. If you guys can't tell, I'm really unsure about which list I should use

Spoiler

(first world problems)

but I think I've narrowed my choices down to these. I still might just cave and go with Paul Heaver's Poe list; it just seems so optimized to deal with pretty much anything that I find it hard to pass up, but I'm kind of stubborn and always do prefer to be more original with what builds I play with. Any advice/list critiques/insight as to what you guys think is the best choice to go with here (or if you have any suggestions for any of these builds that I haven't already considered in my write-up) would be super appreciated.

 

[Danthrax]

just run four TLTs — search your feelings


I don't think it would be cheap to use Heaver's Poe-Miranda-Z-Z list if that's the one you feel the most comfortable flying. It's most important to go into a tournament with something you're comfortable with, even if it's a netlist. It's hard to be successful if you haven't gotten much practice with a particular squadron.

I personally would go with Jammer Palpmobile because Palpatine is OP and Vader is great, but if you like the Poe list, go with that one.

 

[MisterAnderson]

just run four TLTs — search your feelings

I don't think it would be cheap to use Heaver's Poe-Miranda-Z-Z list if that's the one you feel the most comfortable flying. It's most important to go into a tournament with something you're comfortable with, even if it's a netlist. It's hard to be successful if you haven't gotten much practice with a particular squadron.

I personally would go with Jammer Palpmobile because Palpatine is OP and Vader is great, but if you like the Poe list, go with that one.

I think that I would feel even cheaper running four TLTs, haha. But to be clear, Paul's list is Poe, Stress Hog Y-Wing, TLT Y-Wing, Z-95. The Poe Miranda list was something I thought of (although I'm sure that someone somewhere made it up first).

I am starting to think that Jammer Palpmobile might be the best way for me to go...it beats a PS10 Poe and I'm familiar with flying it. The only real threat to my Vader losing initiative advantage (which isn't the end of the world) is if I'm up against any Vader mirror matches. And if that were to happen I can probably take out his shuttle first since it's unlikely he'll also be running Sensor Jammer. Then it's Palp vs no Palp.

 

[nismogrendel]

Is predator an essential upgrade for fat han?

I don't have that card, thought I did...

 

[MisterAnderson]

Is predator an essential upgrade for fat han?

I don't have that card, thought I did...

I wouldn't say it's essential, but it's definitely powerful. It basically bolsters Han's already strong re-roll power by giving you the option to either re-roll all of your attack die (using Han's ability), or only one or two. You basically would have a free target lock for every attack.

For added lulz, throw on Gunner as well. It's expensive (and redundant to be honest, since the re-rolling power you'd already have would make it pretty unlikely to miss anything except when attacking a cloaked phantom or Stealth Device/Autothruster Soontir) but it would pretty much guarantee at least some damage each and every turn you have a shot, unless you're the unluckiest motherfucker on the planet.

 

[nismogrendel]

I wouldn't say it's essential, but it's definitely powerful. It basically bolsters Han's already strong re-roll power by giving you the option to either re-roll all of your attack die (using Han's ability), or only one or two. You basically would have a free target lock for every attack.

Ah ok, makes sense. So how does the gunner card fit into things? If I do not take predator, I can change gunner for Luke Skywalker instead...

I know these questions are nooby but I am still trying to wrap my head around the way these rules are worded.

"After you perform an attack that does not hit" What is that saying exactly? I know the falcon has three red dice, but not sure how to interpret this.

 

[Danthrax]

Ah ok, makes sense. So how does the gunner card fit into things? If I do not take predator, I can change gunner for Luke Skywalker instead...

I know these questions are nooby but I am still trying to wrap my head around the way these rules are worded.

"After you perform an attack that does not hit" What is that saying exactly? I know the falcon has three red dice, but not sure how to interpret this.

so Han declares an attack on, say, a TIE Fighter

he rolls his three red dice, let's say he gets two hits

the TIE Fighter rolls its three green dice and rolls two evades, thus the attack does not hit the TIE Fighter

that triggers Gunner, letting Han perform a second, new attack on the TIE Fighter.


To answer your earlier question, no, you do not need Predator on a Fat Han, it's just nice to have. Push the Limit also is nice on him (you can evade and focus on the same turn, or maybe evade and boost if you have Engine Upgrade on him to give him the boost action).

 

[nismogrendel]

so Han declares an attack on, say, a TIE Fighter

he rolls his three red dice, let's say he gets two hits

the TIE Fighter rolls its three green dice and rolls two evades, thus the attack does not hit the TIE Fighter

that triggers Gunner, letting Han perform a second, new attack on the TIE Fighter.


To answer your earlier question, no, you do not need Predator on a Fat Han, it's just nice to have. Push the Limit also is nice on him (you can evade and focus on the same turn, or maybe evade and boost if you have Engine Upgrade on him to give him the boost action).

Awesome thank you for clearing that up!

So Han's ability has to be used before the defender rolls his dice? And gunner is used after the defender rolls his dice? I'm trying to find some batreps with fat Han so I can see it in action.

Looking at this for a list:

https://geordanr.github.io/xwing/?f...,-1:-1:15:;36:18,-1,63,21:2:3:&sn=Han and Poe

 

[MisterAnderson]

Awesome thank you for clearing that up!

So Han's ability has to be used before the defender rolls his dice? And gunner is used after the defender rolls his dice? I'm trying to find some batreps with fat Han so I can see it in action.

Looking at this for a list:

https://geordanr.github.io/xwing/?f...,-1:-1:15:;36:18,-1,63,21:2:3:&sn=Han and Poe

That's a pretty solid list. And here's how your re-rolls would look like, to try to paint a clearer picture for you:

Han Solo attacks a TIE Fighter at range 2:

1) You roll: Hit, Blank, Blank
2) You decide to use Han's pilot ability to re-roll all of them (this decision is made before the defender rolls)
3) You roll: Hit, Hit, Blank
4) The defending TIE rolls: Evade, Evade, Blank, avoiding the attack
5) Gunner kicks in since the attack missed your target, so you roll again: Focus, Miss, Miss
6) Since Gunner triggered a second attack in step 5, it is considered an entirely new attack so you can use Han Solo's ability for this one as well. So you re-roll all three die and roll: Hit, Hit, Focus.

Hopefully that puts some context to how Han's ability and Gunner work together. If you had Predator, you would basically decide whether or not to use Predator OR Han's ability in steps 2 and 6. One other thing to note (although it's outside of your control) is your opponents can choose not to spend their focus or evade tokens if they think they are taking the lesser of two evils.

For example, let's say you get a range 1 shot off at an enemy ship that has a Focus token:

1) You roll: Hit, Hit, Blank, Blank.
2) Enemy ship rolls: Evade, Focus
3) Your opponent now has a decision to make; spend the Focus to avoid 1 damage, but trigger your Gunner, risking having to deal with a potentially stronger roll? Or keep the Focus and take the 1 damage since a second, better roll could end up much worse for the defending ship.

 

[nismogrendel]

That's a pretty solid list. And here's how your re-rolls would look like, to try to paint a clearer picture for you:

Han Solo attacks a TIE Fighter at range 2:

1) You roll: Hit, Blank, Blank
2) You decide to use Han's pilot ability to re-roll all of them (this decision is made before the defender rolls)
3) You roll: Hit, Hit, Blank
4) The defending TIE rolls: Evade, Evade, Blank, avoiding the attack
5) Gunner kicks in since the attack missed your target, so you roll again: Focus, Miss, Miss
6) Since Gunner triggered a second attack in step 5, it is considered an entirely new attack so you can use Han Solo's ability for this one as well. So you re-roll all three die and roll: Hit, Hit, Focus.

Hopefully that puts some context to how Han's ability and Gunner work together. If you had Predator, you would basically decide whether or not to use Predator OR Han's ability in steps 2 and 6.

Awesome, thank you! Very good info

On step 5, if the TIE took even 1 hit, I would be unable to trigger Gunner?

*edit* Your edit cleared it up!

 

[MisterAnderson]

Hmm...what do you guys think about an Engine Upgrade on the Shuttle instead of Sensor Jammer? It would allow Palp to turn around to get back into the fight much quicker, or make an easier getaway when in trouble.

 

[Danthrax]

Hmm...what do you guys think about an Engine Upgrade on the Shuttle instead of Sensor Jammer? It would allow Palp to turn around to get back into the fight much quicker, or make an easier getaway when in trouble.

The shuttle is there to change dice for other ships, not to do much shooting of its own. It's more valuable to keep it alive longer with Sensor Jammer than to try to get back into the fight with EU.

 

[MisterAnderson]

The shuttle is there to change dice for other ships, not to do much shooting of its own. It's more valuable to keep it alive longer with Sensor Jammer than to try to get back into the fight with EU.

Yeah I definitely agree. It just hadn't even occurred to me to factor in a possible Engine Upgrade on a Shuttle. I was speculating in case I was missing something, but I personally think Sensor Jammer is the way to go to keep Palp alive for as long as possible.

If anyone is bored and wants to play a game on Vassal, let me know. Speaking of which, we should have a Vassal GAF-Wing league sometime.

Edit: Would anyone here be interested in getting a league or tournament using Vassal? Are there enough of us to even do something like that? Please chime in if you'd be interested (Vassal is an online board/tabletop game program that lets you simulate board games, in this case X-Wing).

 

[AbsolutBro]

Since FFG won't actually be releasing a Jumpmaster preview, we'll continue to get what information we can from leaks:

Manaroo: PS4 27points with elite talent slot

Pilot skill free translation: At the beginning of the combat phase you may put all of your focus, evade and target lock tokens onto another friendly ship (no range limit).



The maneauver wheel has a green 2 left bank.

He links to a German Facebook page image, which I've rehosted here:

 

[nismogrendel]

So the store event was yesterday. I had a ton of fun.

First game was my Han/Poe vs Han and 3 z95 - loss (my Han shot down vs his 3 Zs destroyed)
Second was vs a tie swarm with the new pilots - win (tabled)
Third was vs Vader / tie defender / backstabber - loss (tabled)

The fight vs Vader was the best game. The synergy between Vader's lock-on auto crit and the Defender sharing the lock was really cool.

I made a bunch of mistakes, didn't realize that focus flipped all the eyeball results. I thought it only flipped one out of the batch to a hit/evade. That bit me when the opponent used it on me.

First game I spent so much time doing green maneuvers on Poe to regen shields that he ended up sitting out most of the fight trying to slowly turn back to the action. Should have done a 180 and got back into the fight.

Also did not realize the Tallon roll was a 180. I thought you put the front pegs it was just a hard 3 turn with the front pegs touching the template. That bit me hard.

Also running Han into an asteroid followed by a blinded pilot crit really hurt. That same game Backstabber would not die and I wasted a few rounds of shooting lighting him up with Han/Poe.

Got an alt art Gunner card. Thought it was going to be C3P0. Is it too late for the C3P0 events?

 

[Tensketch]

Got an alt art Gunner card. Thought it was going to be C3P0. Is it too late for the C3P0 events?

Sounds like it was a winter kit tourney and not a store tourney. Top 32 get 3PO at store, winter kit get gunner.

 

[Mrcapcom]

What you guys think about Tie Punisher? I was thinking of messing around with it with my Decimator.

 

[MisterAnderson]

What do you guys think about Captain Yorr as the Palpmobile pilot? His pilot ability reads: "When another friendly ship at Range 1-2 would receive a stress token, if you have 2 or fewer stress tokens, you may receive that token instead."

Rebel Stresshogs are quite popular right now and can really shut down an ace early on, which would absolutely cripple Vader or Juno. I'm wondering if it's worth taking the Sensor Jammer off of my Palpmobile and upgrading him to Yorr to help counter a double stressed attack coming their way.

Current build I have been using with OGP/Jammer
Same build but with Yorr instead of Sensor Jammer OGP (Can also fit Twin Ion Engine Mk. II on Juno with the Yorr build, or Enhanced Scopes on Yorr to keep the shuttle as a low PS blocker)

I have to test to see if Captain Yorr is worth it, but I think it might be a good way to deal with Stresshogs. Do you guys have any experience with running him in a Palp aces build against a Stresshog?

I'm also toying with some possible Juno alterations (still have to test these out) - typically I've been building her to be essentially a slightly less effective Vader and it has been very successful so far (using PTL and ATC), but another option is putting Juke and Accuracy Corrector on her. Being able to evade every turn (since Accuracy Corrector guarantees two hits per attack - no need to ever Focus or Target Lock) would let her use Juke every turn (aside from emergency Barrel Rolls), and her Pilot Ability would help mitigate not needing to Barrel Roll as often since she can adjust her maneuver. NOTE: Accuracy Corrector on Juno would also improve Palp's "action economy" a bit, since I would never have to consider using his ability to modify Juno's attack die. 99 points would also pretty much insure that Vader would move last. I put Enhanced Scopes on Yorr in this variant since I had the points and to allow the shuttle to still be used as a blocker, but it's not essential. NOTE: I personally think that Twin Ion Engine Mk. II is helpful on Juno but not essential since she has more green moves on her dial due to her Pilot Ability. In random builds that can fit it I might include it but it's not the most necessary upgrade on her. Other possible variant using Juke Juno:

OGP with Sensor Jammer and 99 point initiative bid
Procket Vader with Anti Pursuit Lasers OGP

Another intriguing option is Veteran Instincts on Juno, basically giving me two 10+ aces. Juno's ability to alter her selected move speed increases in usefulness the higher her Pilot Skill. The logic here is that a popular Palp Shuttle build currently is Vader and Soontir, and using Juno at PS10 would not only help deal with Soontir, but also Poe. Giving her Prockets would also make her extremely dangerous at a 10 PS skill. The reason I replaced ATC with AC is because her action economy is gone with the removal of PTL, since taking a Target Lock would mean skipping out on either a Focus or Evade for defense. Other possible variants using Veteran Instincts Juno:

Yorr with Sensor Jammer
Yorr with 99 point initiative bid
Super Prockets/OGP with 99 point initiative bid

Edit: I know I overthink my builds, but it's fun to theorycraft the best possible way to cover as many weaknesses as possible. Even if there is very little discussion about it, typing it out and organizing my thoughts tends to help me out.

What you guys think about Tie Punisher? I was thinking of messing around with it with my Decimator.

Redline decked out like this is absolutely brutal. It's the most insane "buzzsaw" build in the game right now. If bombs or mines are your thing, Deathrain with Advanced Sensors can do some interesting things. If mines are what you're especially into, you might also want to consider Experimental Interface.

 

[H1PSTER]

I've just purchased the Raider!

I'm looking for a Cheapish Decimator... I found one for £20 but they refunded me saying they sold out .

Anyone else had luck finding a cheapish one?

 

[Mrcapcom]

I've just purchased the Raider!

I'm looking for a Cheapish Decimator... I found one for £20 but they refunded me saying they sold out .

Anyone else had luck finding a cheapish one?

I just got mines for 27 off Amazon. How much did you end up paying for Raider? I want to buy one too might get it next week I want a good deal I seen it sell for 61 now its back to 71.

Other than Amazon where is some good places to get deals on these guys?

Redline decked out like this is absolutely brutal. It's the most insane "buzzsaw" build in the game right now. If bombs or mines are your thing, Deathrain with Advanced Sensors can do some interesting things. If mines are what you're especially into, you might also want to consider Experimental Interface.

Thanks a bunch I'll try it. Im still new but I think with Decimator I can use the mines to control the playing field a bit and maybe do some massive damage.