Tournaments still only have 100 points. It's not like every Rebel ship, droid and pilot from W4 and the Transport will hit the table all at once against one poor lonely TIE fighter that may have been part of a convoy and gotten lost.

The cards have *just* been announced and we haven't, as a community, had the time to digest and fully contemplate all the ways they can be put to use, or be countered. It's hardly time to throw in the towel and jump to the Alliance.

We need a nice Photoshop of R2-A3 kicking Feel in the crotch, because the good Barton just got a hard counter that is generally useful otherwise.

A3 doesn't limit PtL, it utterly destroys it and ships like Fel that rely on it.

You can still kill the ship R2-A3 is mounted on. It'll be an X-wing, which is relatively fragile for its cost, or a Y-wing, which can struggle to keep something like a PTL Interceptor in-arc. It also works against (at most) one ship per round, at a cost of a stress to the ship carrying it--which means no PTL, Opportunist, K-turns, etc. for that ship.

Yes, if you're relying on PTL you'll have a few rounds against R2-A3 where you don't use it because you can't afford to be double-stressed. But I think describing Interceptors as "utterly destroyed" is at least hyperbolic.

What?

R3-A2 lets you declare an attack on ship and give it a stress. You don't need to actually hit the ship, just declare it your target.

That means an interceptor which already has a stress, now has 2, and can only get rid of 1 next turn. This means a ship with R3-A2 can effectively turn PtL into a every other turn ability. Pair that with a Flechette Torp, and you now have a ship that can't use PtL for 2 more turns.

But IMO this doesn't mean the end of the Interceptor just the end of the Interceptor w/PtL being the default upgrade for it.

Funny I know a lot of people have complained that PtL is too good, and so rather then nerf the card they're putting stuff in to counter it.

I'll say I'm still excited about Aces, more so then the transport. Though I will get the transport at sometime more then likely as there is a lot of time between releases giving me plenty of time to pick them up.

Plus, I'm pretty sure everyone that currently advocates interceptors has said that they're soooooo maneuverable that they should never get shot at anyways... So Wes's ability doesn't affect them, Tarn's doesn't really (he can acquire a lock, but can't spend it), the Torps will never fire at an int, R3-A2 won't be able to work, nor will opportunist.

Soooo, basically, interceptors are unaffected by the new pilots because interceptors flown properly are never in firing arcs, ever. Right?

As an imperial interceptor pilot I am really getting ready to hang up my wings before we even get ACES. Xwings that can kturn every round? A droid that causes stress and torpedoes, and Crew that all cause stress? Missiles that Ion in addition to our turret weakness? Wow. Kill the interceptor before the "boost" to them even happens.

What is with the knee-jerk reactions? Seriously, could we all just take a breath and relax? The Aces pilots are all quite good and just because some other cool new stuff comes out doesn't mean we should all go jump of a bridge. Honestly, I would bet half of the previewed stuff is played less than you guys expect. I am going to laugh so freaking hard when a whole bunch of IMP players quit then realize that the new interceptors and Phantoms are way better than all the shiny new pilots X-Wings got.

Honestly, I enjoy Rebels and have no idea how/what I will play after this hits. Just because theres new stuff doesnt mean every Rebel list all of a sudden gets to run 150pts. Somethings gotta give....

Huge +10 to Khyros' post. The world is far from over

Finally a reason to take a Hull Upgrade: Make Jan Ors immune to the Flechette special.

Well, I wouldn't mind

Soooo, basically, interceptors are unaffected by the new pilots because interceptors flown properly are never in firing arcs, ever. Right?

Mmmm... More like interceptors are unnafected by the new pilots, because no one will fly one.

Yeah yeah, sorry, I couldn't resist. I don't want to sound too pesimistic either....

I wouldn't mind 1 or 2 counters to PtL... But man, It seems like the whole new expansions are devoted to make the card unplayable.

I am going to laugh so freaking hard when a whole bunch of IMP players quit then realize that the new interceptors and Phantoms are way better than all the shiny new pilots X-Wings got.

Yeah, I'm drooling over the idea of finally getting the Phantom on the table.

I am going to laugh so freaking hard when a whole bunch of IMP players quit then realize that the new interceptors and Phantoms are way better than all the shiny new pilots X-Wings got.

Yeah, I'm drooling over the idea of finally getting the Phantom on the table.

Yea, its going to be a long year =).

What?

R3-A2 lets you declare an attack on ship and give it a stress. You don't need to actually hit the ship, just declare it your target.

That means an interceptor which already has a stress, now has 2, and can only get rid of 1 next turn. This means a ship with R3-A2 can effectively turn PtL into a every other turn ability. Pair that with a Flechette Torp, and you now have a ship that can't use PtL for 2 more turns.

But IMO this doesn't mean the end of the Interceptor just the end of the Interceptor w/PtL being the default upgrade for it.

Funny I know a lot of people have complained that PtL is too good, and so rather then nerf the card they're putting stuff in to counter it.

No, I was referring to his actual words. I don't know any pilot named Feel.

I wouldn't mind 1 or 2 counters to PtL... But man, It seems like the whole new expansions are devoted to make the card unplayable.

So we have R3-A2, Janson sometimes (since he can potentially remove one of the tokens you took stress to pick up), and Flechette Torpedoes sometimes (you discard them after use and it's not like you won't see them coming).

That sounds to me a lot like "one or two" counters to PTL--one that works consistently, and two that work occasionally. What am I missing?

I wasn't planning on buying the transport, but that just changed. I feel as though I've fallen victim to marketing.

+ 1 :-/

Looking at the picture in the original announcement I cannot find R2-D6. Anyone see the card?

Janson

His ability costs two points. Seems very useful. Has to shoot early for maximum effect. May require VI when flying alongside Wedge.

Porkins

Another pilot with EPT is good news. His ability costs zero points. If it is too risky, don't use it. No loss.

Klivian

Combines well with R3-A2. Add Flechette Torpedoes for maximum effect.

PS5 may be too low to TL the enemy you want or need to TL.

Mison

One point for his ability. It can help deliver an APT. PS3 may make him an excellent escort for the transport. Or fly with green squadron.

R3-A2

He is situational. Do not use him every round. Depending on the number of green moves on the E-Wing he may be an excellent choice.

Does not work well with Y-Wings which shoot turrets outside their firing arc.

R2-D6

Gives tons of options. No time to consider them all now.

A Y-Wing has two green moves. So a stress-generating EPT may not be a very good idea. Except maybe PTL for APT.

Biggs: I'd still prefer R2-F2.

Anyone: 2 points for +2 PS is not bad.

So what happens with Hobbie and Push the Limit (via R2-D6)?

His ability says: "When you acquire or spend a target lock, you may remove 1 stress token from your ship."

Push the Limit says: "Once per round, after you perform an action, you may perform 1 free action shown in your action bar. Then receive 1 stress token."

TL action, remove stress (which he does not have) via pilot ability, after that gain stress from PTL.

So no, the idea does not work.

Removing stress by acquiring a TL is tricky. Works with Dutch.

But you could put EPT and VI on Hobbie so he goes after Dutch. This way Dutch can give TL to Hobbie and remove stress from him before he goes.

I wouldn't mind 1 or 2 counters to PtL... But man, It seems like the whole new expansions are devoted to make the card unplayable.

So we have R3-A2, Janson sometimes (since he can potentially remove one of the tokens you took stress to pick up), and Flechette Torpedoes sometimes (you discard them after use and it's not like you won't see them coming).

That sounds to me a lot like "one or two" counters to PTL--one that works consistently, and two that work occasionally. What am I missing?

Obviously you are missing the illogical 'OMG I PLAY INTERCEPTORS AND LIFE IS OVER' reaction to everything.

I just envision interceptor pilots sitting next to their comps and rolling 3 AGI dice every time they read a card. If they fail to roll at least 2 natural evade results, its automatically the end of being able to play interceptors ever again.

And about Soontir fel and new x-wing pilots?

Example: Soontir receives 3 stresses in one turn. This will be equal to 3 focus?

Add "Jamming" actions from the transport, and "Slicer tools". Cinematic, true, but interceptors will also play on cinematic mode.

But you could put EPT and VI on Hobbie so he goes after Dutch. This way Dutch can give TL to Hobbie and remove stress from him before he goes.

It works better if Hobbie moves before Dutch. If Hobbie moves first, he doesn't need to be within R2 of Dutch. Dutch has to be within R2 of Hobbie for the TL pass off. It works better if Hobbie moves first.

And about Soontir fel and new x-wing pilots?

Example: Soontir receives 3 stresses in one turn. This will be equal to 3 focus?

Yes.

For months, everyone complained that there was no EPT to take besides PTL, and now there's reasons to take other EPTs and people are complaining now that they don't want to take PTL anymore. There still is a place for PTL, it just may require a bit more thought before you instantly decide to PTL every turn.

I called it way back when they first announced 2013 Season 3 game night kits that stress was going to be a huge thing in the upcoming releases. At the time, it was basically from K turns and PTL (EH and DD weren't really used, and W3 hadn't hit the shelves yet, so the only other red is the Y's 3turn + 4 straight). And lo and behold, we have lots of ways to get stress now I like how they've developing basically another aspect of the game. It's like how on the LCG they're maturing the force struggle with the second set of force packs.

There are a lot of EPTs that will be looked at instead now that there are considerably more stress generating abilities.

And about Soontir fel and new x-wing pilots?

Example: Soontir receives 3 stresses in one turn. This will be equal to 3 focus?

And Fel will have survived 2 attacks.

I'm assuming 1 stress is from PTL

1 is from R3-D2

1 is from flechette

Theoretically, there could be 4 flechette's fired along with r3-d2 (or 5 flechettes on Gold Pilots) for a total of 6 stress. And then those 2 crits that cause stress... so Fel (or anyone for that matter) could now have a total of 8 stress! Highly highly highly unlikely. Plus, you have to be relatively happy that he survived 4 torpedo strikes. Too bad all of those focus tokens clear

I think Yorr just got so much better now. He will be able to protect against all the stress going around.

Except yorr can't shed the stress as well as others, and can only take so much of it, I'm not sure how useful he will actually be

These pilots really need some therapy or yoga to learn to not get so stressed out all the time lol