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

Don't worry, I make the solemn promise of eating my words one by one the moment I see interceptors squads consistently winning matches.

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

True he can only do so much, but he might be able to protect one of your guys at a critical time when they really need it.

just got off work and saw this, not sure this combo has been discussed.

Hobbie+R3-A2+Flechette Torpedoes.

He deals a 3 die attack at range 3 that denies extra range agility, gives the target 2 stress and flies away with no penalty. Pricey at 29 points... But could be a game changer for those pesky interceptors with PtL who could then have to make 3 greens to take actions again. And the ability to take a target lock, deal a stress, then spend target lock still exists, so he can deal a stress every turn with no penalty to himself.

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

Fel could never take 8 stress this way... He'd be dead long before it could affect him. That requires 4+ torpedoes to hit, and he only has 3 hull without modifications.

Except, Flechette Torpedoes don't require you to actually hit the target. So, he could take no damage, but still take the stress.

No... they don't have to hit to give him stress.

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

Fel could never take 8 stress this way... He'd be dead long before it could affect him. That requires 4+ torpedoes to hit, and he only has 3 hull without modifications.

The torpedoes do not have to hit to cause the stress

Edit: Ninja'd

Tycho seems a lot better now too.

Really though in my mind the pilot that is the best/will see the most tournament play i think is Tarn! You can easily sprinkle him into a build were you had a rookie! And his ability does not require any upgrades for it to be awesome!

We'll see what happens, but my golden rule has always been that Fel without tokens is a dead man. Any Interceptor without actions is in serious trouble, honestly. Being able to ensure just be declaring an attack that will have no tokens and no maneuver actions next turn is huge.

It also won't matter if he gains a focus from it. Put A3 on a Rookie, and it'll be gone before it matters.

Don't underestimate the perma stress either. Any ship that starts a combat phase with stress will stay that way as long as A3 can keep firing at them.

Interceptors were generally fragile, iffy ships to begin with. They rely on tokens and maneuver actions to survive, often via PtL. A3 shuts that down completely. The already-rare interceptors just became a bigger liability in the meta.

Really though in my mind the pilot that is the best/will see the most tournament play i think is Tarn! You can easily sprinkle him into a build were you had a rookie! And his ability does not require any upgrades for it to be awesome!

I'm really excited about Tarn. The others are expensive enough that they can be your center pieces, but Tarn is as you said - someone you can just sprinkle in to a list. Heck, he's only 1 point more than a GSP w/ PTL for the same PS, or same points as a Red with less 1 PS. As I said - I'm excited for him. I'm also excited for what he represents - low PS uniques. Hopefully more of these will come so squads can be more varied while still maintaining numbers.

Really though in my mind the pilot that is the best/will see the most tournament play i think is Tarn!

Yeah, here's a list you could use him in.

3x Rookie w/Flechette Torpedo

Tarn w/Flechette Torpedo

That's 94 points so you have room for astromech's or even R6 giving Tarn a EPT.

We'll see what happens, but my golden rule has always been that Fel without tokens is a dead man. Any Interceptor without actions is in serious trouble, honestly. Being able to ensure just be declaring an attack that will have no tokens and no maneuver actions next turn is huge.

The only way he's really in trouble is if he's in R2-A3's arc and he can't get out. But even in that "worst" case, he's got an action (focus or evade) and 3-4 defense dice--and his opponent can't activate R2-A3 without granting him an extra token.

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

True he can only do so much, but he might be able to protect one of your guys at a critical time when they really need it.

He doesn't need to grab all the stress. He just needs to grab the RIGHT stress.

So all you have to do to keep Fel alive is not fly him like Fel? Still sounds like a nary counter to me

It's not just PtL, either... No K-turns, and there's basically nothing you can do against a Rookie with A3 and a Flechette Torp.

Shrug. I guess I just felt like Interceptors were on the bubble anyway, the new stuff does nothing but make it worse.

So, there were a number of posts earlier about Horton with PTL and a pair of torpedoes. That runs 38 points.

Ibtasim with an HLC only runs 35.

Compare and contrast?

I think Bombers just got a lot better with the FTorps, and they will continue to get better with the Ion missiles.

I think a good measure of how balanced a release is is stuff like this: some people are complaining this will make fast nimble ships like interceptors and a wings obsolete, others that this will make the better. Some people are saying bombers will be having trouble because of all the stress and a TL stripping pilot, others that bombers will rule thanks to cheap ordnance.

That tells me that they are doing something right.

So, there were a number of posts earlier about Horton with PTL and a pair of torpedoes. That runs 38 points.

Ibtasim with an HLC only runs 35.

Compare and contrast?

Hortons ability + a focus with a PT is going to almost always give you 4 hits. He will also be immune to the new Ftorps because he has 5 hull. Ibby gets to reuse the HLC all game though so that's a nice thing. I think they will both have there place. For Horton it will be good to see him on the table more. He's one of my favorite pilots and it makes me sad that I don't see him played that much.

Interceptors have never been good jousters and now they are going to need to be that much better at arc dodging to be worth it. Turr will still be good, if you can barrel roll/boost out of arc with someone running R3-A2. Squints are high risk high reward ships, I don't think anything has changed for them.

So all you have to do to keep Fel alive is not fly him like Fel? Still sounds like a nary counter to me

It's not just PtL, either... No K-turns, and there's basically nothing you can do against a Rookie with A3 and a Flechette Torp.

Shrug. I guess I just felt like Interceptors were on the bubble anyway, the new stuff does nothing but make it worse.

No, what you have to do to keep Fel alive is to fly him exactly like Fel--meaning you maintain your situational awareness, avoid head-to-head engagements whenever possible, and generally behave like a rude, treacherous, and slippery little so-and-so.

...at least, that's the way I fly Fel.

I admit that Flechettes are more worrisome, and a Rookie with R2-A3 and a Flechette Torpedo is a potent anti-Fel weapon. But so is Ten Numb, and for that matter so is a 27-point Blue + Autoblaster, and those didn't shove him out of the metagame.

I think A3 changes the equation for Fel because you don't need a good shot, you just need a shot. If you have a cagey Rookie hanging back, holding range, that creates an incredibly large that area. Take away A3, and a R3 shoot from a Rookie is easily an acceptable risk. No longer.

I'm also not sure that either B-wing presented the same threat. Ten was handled by an Evade, which a PtL Fel would have anyway, and the Autoblaster could be outmaneuvered.

Horton with PtL and a pair of proton torps might be the most frightening missile carrier now...

I'd just like to take this time to point out that this squad will be possible:

Horton Salm + Proton Torpedo + Proton Torpedo + R2-D6 + Push the Limit (37)

Rookie Pilot (21)

Rookie Pilot (21)

Rookie Pilot (21)

TOTAL: 100

A3 doesn't go off until you declare your target. If the interceptors can take him out before he shoots then your good. Also I think Yorr will be the Interceptors best ride along buddy.

Horton with PtL and a pair of proton torps might be the most frightening missile carrier now...

I'd just like to take this time to point out that this squad will be possible:

Horton Salm + Proton Torpedo + Proton Torpedo + R2-D6 + Push the Limit (37)

Rookie Pilot (21)

Rookie Pilot (21)

Rookie Pilot (21)

TOTAL: 100

Horton is in the house!