Could the days of the blaster turret be numbered? In the past we only had to worry about Dark Curse blocking the Blaster Turret, but now there is also Carnor Jax preventing the use of the thing.
I think we need some new kind of turret.
Blaster Turret dead?
Dead? Dark Curse saw limited play and we have yet to see how the meta will turn out with Aces in the mix. Declaring the Blaster Dead just because of one pilot seems a little premature. Lets just wait and see how often Carnor Jax shows up to fight.
Was it ever really alive?
Meh. I don't see Carnor lasting too long against combined fire. Just don't build an entire squad Blaster Turrets. The same as before.
I'm not declaring it dead... just asking the question.
I think the Blaster Turret had some strong use with Kyle Katarn. And while Dark Curse wasn't in every game, I think there is some synergy now, and we may see more of him in builds that also include Jax.
I'd love to see a high cost turret that is similar to the Heavy Laser Canon - IE it cannot crit, but puts out a good spread. Maybe only 3 damage, but give it the ability to turn a black into a hit at the cost of a stress or something.
BT is still a very good counter to Carnor Jax. It just only has a range of 2 against him.
I expect seeing more Navigators or Engine Upgrades on dedicated HWK players, to counter him.
That certainly is a possibility, because it serves multiple purposes. It works in general increasing the HWK's mobility, and ALSO helps specifically to counter Jax.
I love the Blaster Turret on my HWKs, with or without Kyle. Just tack on Recon Spec and fire away.
This would be an amusing list to annoy people:
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Biggs Darklighter (29)
X-wing (25) , R2-D2 (4)
I love the Blaster Turret on my HWKs, with or without Kyle. Just tack on Recon Spec and fire away.
This would be an amusing list to annoy people:
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Biggs Darklighter (29)
X-wing (25) , R2-D2 (4)
This would break the neck of many fleets.
I love the Blaster Turret on my HWKs, with or without Kyle. Just tack on Recon Spec and fire away.
This would be an amusing list to annoy people:
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Biggs Darklighter (29)
X-wing (25) , R2-D2 (4)
This would break the neck of many fleets.
I genuinely have no clue what that means - Is it good or bad? My fleet or yours?
I love the Blaster Turret on my HWKs, with or without Kyle. Just tack on Recon Spec and fire away.
This would be an amusing list to annoy people:
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Biggs Darklighter (29)
X-wing (25) , R2-D2 (4)
This would break the neck of many fleets.
Unless they can stay at range three, sure. Interceptors would eat you like popcorn...
I haven't found a place where I love it. Every time I play it I wish I had had an ion turret, and almost every time I put it in my build I usually take it out before I play.
That being said I think the place for it is in a Y-wing rather than a HWK. Requiring a focus to even attack is such a steep price. The Y-wing has a better dial and more importantly 2 attack dice. Sure it's not much, but it is at least something you can shoot when you don't have a focus to spare to shoot your turret. At range 1 y-wings can be pretty nasty with their own weapons. I know plenty of people who play them without any turret at all.
I think it is reasonable to do some math when we talk about a turret.
2 AD + Focus : expected hits (3/4) x2 = 1.5 hits
3 AD : expected hits (1/2) x 3 = 1.5 hits
In other words the firepower of a turret is basically 2 + Focus. With the added disadvantage that if you don't have a focus you just can't use it. If it has simply been 2 AD I think it would be more useful.
The low firepower of the Blaster Turret means that you won't be doing more than 1 damage very often. I actually think you are more likely to do that 1 damage with an ion turret given the following
3 AD + Focus : expected hits (3/4) x 3 = 2.25 hits.
The extra fire power + the fact that you you can fire it if you don't have a focus + the Ion token is totally worth the 2 points.
The Blaster Turret suffers the same problem (IMO) as Mareek. Mareek isn't so much a bad pilot, but for 2 more points you could ave Vader and Vader is Awesome.
What you get out of buying an ion turret over a blaster turret is way more than 2 points.
I love the Blaster Turret on my HWKs, with or without Kyle. Just tack on Recon Spec and fire away.
This would be an amusing list to annoy people:
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Biggs Darklighter (29)
X-wing (25) , R2-D2 (4)
You spent 23 points for a ship that basically can't shoot if it loses its action. And then you did it 4 times!
4 academy pilots could render this squadron nigh unto worthless.
I can see the rebel operative +BT+RS as something in a fleet, if it works great, if it doesn't, then you have other stuff, but this is a lot of eggs in a pretty unsteady basket.
I love the Blaster Turret on my HWKs, with or without Kyle. Just tack on Recon Spec and fire away.
This would be an amusing list to annoy people:
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Biggs Darklighter (29)
X-wing (25) , R2-D2 (4)
This would break the neck of many fleets.
I genuinely have no clue what that means - Is it good or bad? My fleet or yours?
He's saying you'll murder your opponents.
I may agree with wanting a new kind of turret but I don't believe the Blaster Turret was a great choice to begin with. It has had the Dark Curse hanging over it but then there is also action denial and range limitations. Sure it works fine on HWKs with Recon Specialist and can work with other Focus token helper but if your strategy depended on Blaster Turrets you already ran the risk of big problems.
For real? Seriously? It's X-Wing Firepower in all possible directions at range two.
How can that -ever- die?
I love the Blaster Turret on my HWKs, with or without Kyle. Just tack on Recon Spec and fire away.
This would be an amusing list to annoy people:
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Biggs Darklighter (29)
X-wing (25) , R2-D2 (4)
You spent 23 points for a ship that basically can't shoot if it loses its action. And then you did it 4 times!
4 academy pilots could render this squadron nigh unto worthless.
I can see the rebel operative +BT+RS as something in a fleet, if it works great, if it doesn't, then you have other stuff, but this is a lot of eggs in a pretty unsteady basket.
Action denial isn't that big a of deal. Most of the places you'd bump me, I couldn't shoot with my primary anyway. Biggs at least keeps my guys from getting slammed when my set up is inopportune. I think the biggest weakness is coming back around, but the turrets soften that issue quite a bit.
I find the Moldy Crow title helps with the threat of losing your action. The Blaster Turret is definitely not what you should be building a squad around, but it really supplements a squad well.
Blasters are fantastic and the Rebels have so many different ways of handing out focus, that it shouldn't be an issue. Why Kyle is the easiest fit for a blaster, they are very nice on a Y-wing as well.
Lando+Dutch+Garven works really well with either an Ion or Blaster turret.
Blasters are fantastic and the Rebels have so many different ways of handing out focus, that it shouldn't be an issue. Why Kyle is the easiest fit for a blaster, they are very nice on a Y-wing as well.
Lando+Dutch+Garven works really well with either an Ion or Blaster turret.
I was going to say, you could switch out Biggs for Garvin if you're worried about Focus, then switch out a Rebel Op for Kyle, with Blaster and Moldy Crow. You don't get the double Focus, but you could certainly stack/store it for a rainy day.
Again, this is theoretical list, not one I would likely ever play beyond a friendly, but it would be hilarious when my opponent realized there is no good place to fly. Keep them in a tight clump to maximize their overlapping firing arcs, and watch the hilarity commence. Assuming you don't get bum rushed by Ions and APLs.
This might also make me smile:
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Lando Calrissian (53)
YT-1300 (44), Draw Their Fire (1), Nien Nunb (1), Gunner (5), Anti-Pursuit Lasers (2)
Edited by BohrdumbThis might also make me smile:
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Rebel Operative (23)
HWK-290 (16), Blaster Turret (4), Recon Specialist (3)
Lando Calrissian (53)
YT-1300 (44), Draw Their Fire (1), Nien Nunb (1), Gunner (5), Anti-Pursuit Lasers (2)
I've always done well with Moldy Kyle, Recon and a BT. This week, I've been sketching out a variety of lists that use multiple BTs, a Lando backed one is looking strong. (I'm starting to tip towards Shuttle/BH for the tourney this weekend, but I'll have to try a blaster heavy list at some point.)
I don't think Blaster Turrets will die. Then again I'm always baffled how people manage to actually build lists around it. For me it is never much more than a cheap substitute for the ion turret if you need that point elsewhere for one reason or another.
I don't think Blaster Turrets will die. Then again I'm always baffled how people manage to actually build lists around it. For me it is never much more than a cheap substitute for the ion turret if you need that point elsewhere for one reason or another.
I actually look at Blaster Turrets as more expensive. I'm not going to put one on a ship unless I can consistently generate the Focus needed to both atack, and defend. That's why I prefer them on Hwks.
IMHO the main use for the Blaster Turret is in small-count squads where you need as much damage as possible from each ship. If you're running a HWK as part of a 3-ship, you really can't afford to have one third of your ships capped at 1 damage per turn, even with the utility of the ion. The Blaster Turret may not be great damage output, but it's still damage output.
That's assuming you've got some way to feed it, of course.
IMHO the main use for the Blaster Turret is in small-count squads where you need as much damage as possible from each ship. If you're running a HWK as part of a 3-ship, you really can't afford to have one third of your ships capped at 1 damage per turn, even with the utility of the ion. The Blaster Turret may not be great damage output, but it's still damage output.
That's assuming you've got some way to feed it, of course.
Agreed. Though you can still fit it in on a 4-ship squad.