We still don't know the maneuver dial for the TIE Defender. A TIE Avenger could have similar stats to the Defender (3/3/2/2?), a different dial, and different pilots. Maybe something a little more affordable than the defender but nonetheless tricky to fly.

The Avenger might also introduce, for example, a new Beam weapon upgrade slot so it could take things like tractor beams and jamming beams like we've seen in the games. Maybe an upgrade that could also carry over to the Assault Gunboat (and eventually Missile Boat?).

Otherwise the Avenger might be a small ship to mount the Systems upgrade slot since the Defender doesn't have it. Avengers were often described as maneuverable, speedy, and kind of hard to hit, which could be covered by any of the systems slots out there now (Advanced Sensors, Sensor Jammer, etx).

Defender is supposed to the most advanced Tie design, but it doesn't have a systems slot. Very odd.

There certainly was never a Royal Guard Advanced, so I'd dunk that.

...Actually... There was. A Royal Guard variant of each TIE exists.

I can't say why. I'm not at liberty to divulge that. Not yet.

I'm thinking they'll release a pack with ships aimed (thematically) at taking down the new Rebel large ships (i.e. Tantiv IV and Transport) Maybe tie bomber and advanced, or perhaps they'll introduce the xg-1 assault gunboat.

Assault gunboat + tie bomber could be very nice....

Now the Rebels get a giant buff for the X-Wings (via Transport) A-Wings and B-Wings.

Probably rendering the 12 point TIE Fighter the only Imperial craft in the 'TOP 5 COMPETITIVE SHIPS' ...

I'm sure there will be a IA2 box containing the TIE Advanced. Maybe it will be a repaint. Maybe it will be black or blue ... with red stripes ... or we will get a Royal Guard Advanced?

Maybe there is a TIE Fighter as the second ship in the box? Or even a TIE Bomber?

One thing is clear for me. I want new Imperial pilots having the same QUALITY like the rebels get nowadays.

I hope its the TIE Bomber coming with the Advanced. With EPT for the Gammas.

The Advanced will get a -2 point modification and a System Upgrade slot ... or the FCS for 0 points.

What do you hope/wish/expect from the Imperial Aces II Expansion?

Any ideas for the pilots?

I don't feel the Tie Bomber needs that extra attention over the Tie Advanced. People can already get good use out of the Bomber, but the Advanced, in the eyes of many is a lame duck. I think it would be beneficial for the game and sales of a Wave 1 (old) ship to include it with a big ship.

Well, I'd rather have a BIG SHIP for the Imperials with a Tie Advanced in the box. Really like Servogan's post of the Advanced with winglets.

But, if it is a Ace 2 box, I'd say Bomber and Advanced.

I agree with Tamati Khan. I think our best chance for an improvement to the Tie Advance will come from a Big Ship for the imperials.

For the Bomber I would like to see these upgrades:

Veteran Strikes (TIE Bomber only mod): your secondary weapons do not require a Target Lock to fire

TIE/sh shuttle (TIE Bomber only): add the crewmember upgrade to your bar (takes the place of a Secondary Weapon, not sure which one).

There have been myriads of posts about how to fix the Advanced, so I won't even touch that one.

Even as impractical as it would be, I'd love to see a heavy bomber with an additional weapons pod mounted on top of the original one.. would double the payload of a normal bomber.. might only be useful in a campaign situation, but I think it would look awesome... and to that end I an going to try and cast my own weapons pod and create my own...

Bomber shuttle would be cool as well.. maybe lose a missile and a torp slot to do it..

Why not try to make this:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Unidentified_TIE_variant

Imp Aces 2 I would guess would be TIE Advance and the Bomber.

The Advance would probably get the exact same things the A-Wing received with the announcement of Rebel Aces.

a Title card Allowing EPT - (Prototype Veteran? lol )

and probably a cost reducing card replacing it's Missile Slot (TIE x1 Prototype? -2pts)

or possibly even trading a Missile Slot for Systems Slot and maybe reducing cost still. (It does have a Hyperdrive so a Recon version must have been a modification to it's internals)

The Bomber

Maybe a Title that allows Missiles, Torpedoes, and Bombs to use any of those slots regardless of type; so 5 missiles or 5 Torpedoes or 5 bombs.

or Trade Something that adds Systems.

As for Character Pilots for both I've nothing.

------

Also playing both Empire and Alliance I would like to see a "Battle of Yavin" expansion featuring the TIE Advance and the Y-Wing. both which at this point could use some extra loving.

Y's would get a Replace Turret for extra Astromech making them tankier also Fluff-wise at Yavin most of the Y-Wings

didn't have Turrets functioning.

or EPT although with the new Astromech allowing for an EPT not may ideas have branched from there...

PLUS basic TIE Advance stuff in addition to ideas listed above.

It would also bundle well with the Core set as a "packaged gift" Vader flanked by 2 Ties vs Luke and a Y-Wing?

Ya just ignore the second half of the post... just saying both need some lovin.

I'm content to see the Rebels be the only one to get a double Elite slot. It thematically makes sense.

What would I like to see for Imperial Aces 2? I'm not totally sure. For one, I know almost nothing about the EU so I don't know any names to mention. However, if one of them were a bomber, I'd like to see something that ether adds bomb slots or swaps missiles/torpedoes for them. Maybe a pilot that has some key evasive ability/damage negating ability on par with (but not exactly like) Chewbacca's ability to shirk critical hits.

Alternately, if it takes long enough for them to make IA2, a Wave 4 pilot that addresses the idiotic point cost inflation of that waves skilled Imperial pilots.

I'm more interested in "Secret Starfighter research" - Tie Avenger, Tie Defender

Also a republic version "Secret Starfighter research 2" - Y-wing (as in it being developed in the prequel{?} era) and E-wing.

so that there won't be repeats and that their hands won't be tied that it must be "aces" to get upgrades, aces cards, etc...

However, the republic aces announcement gives me more questions than anything!

What I find interesting that it "rebel aces" have PS1 and PS2 pilots... clearly not aces... ... ... why? (Imperial aces is consistent because the lowest PS ship is PS4)

...and the unique upgrades not restricted to 'aces' like the Imperial version (the Imperial version is restricted to ace of aces, as in best of the best, translated to game engine, PS6 or higher Royal Guard)... why?...

** I have to say, as of what we know right now, the Royal Guard is the only 'generic' pilot that is higher than PS4, which I say, is a plus.

Also why does the Imperial aces "fix" 1 ship and the republic aces "fix" 2 ships? Why didn't the Imperial aces have 2 different molds? (Interceptor and Advanced? or Interceptor and Tie fighter aces? etc...) why?

Just curious about the rationale (it seems [but not definite] to heavily point which side the designers gears toward).

Note:** loving both sculpts of the Imperial Aces expansion right now. Thank you

When reading these pessimistic posts about how unfair and unbalanced and unwinnable the game is because of theories about some ships that haven't even come out yet, or because of some airy-fairy hypthetical maths-based number-crunching nonsense, does anybody else feel inclined to grab some Tie Advanced and shuttles and just start stomping the defeatists into the ground?

Sun Tzu said (and I paraphrase) "Victors win the battle then go to war, while losers go to war then seek victory". I think a lot of people's negative experiences about this game are due to their defeatist, 'I'm hopeless, I'm going to lose' attitudes.

For one thing, it's a game; it's supposed to be fun. Try playing some themed missions if you're terrified your going to to lose before you've even rolled a dice in a straight-up battle.

Why not publish some tactics articles, or get gaming and see what works and share it? The article on The Imperial Shuttle is great; an optimistic, enthusiastic, well-produced and thought-through championing of a much-maligned unit by someone who knows, from experience I might add, what they're actually talking about. Give it a whirl; it's inspiring and positive.

I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna get me some shuttles and Tie Advanced. Are there any other ships that force you to lose the game? 'Cos I want them!

Actually I lose most of my games, I play for fun.

For the Bomber I would like to see these upgrades:

Veteran Strikes (TIE Bomber only mod): your secondary weapons do not require a Target Lock to fire

TIE/sh shuttle (TIE Bomber only): add the crewmember upgrade to your bar (takes the place of a Secondary Weapon, not sure which one).

There have been myriads of posts about how to fix the Advanced, so I won't even touch that one.

Veteran Strikes: yay! I would call it a 'Intelligent Targeting System' since its a modification of the bomber.

TIE/sh shuttle: This mod would replace all ordnance options. There is no passenger/bomber version. Would generate 2 crew slots. Maybe interesting for the sneaky characters.

I would love to get an EPT for Gamma bombers

The Advanced would be fine with a '-2 points cost + system upgrade slot' or free FCS treatment.

Maybe an additional 'Experimental Laser Booster' mod (T/A only) - single use only, increase attack by one. 1 point.

But yeah there are a ton of ideas how to boost it.

Yes ... and a Warhead Magazine for the Bombers: Equip a Proton Torp with the first torp slot, the Magazine in the second. Use an action to reload. If Single use only - 1 or 2 points each. Same goes for missiles.

How about a crew member that gives you the ability to reroll an attack dice for non attack rolling. Like saboteur, APL, various crits, asteroid damage, and such.

The Tie Advanced was the test bed for other Tie models. As of what has been released, the A-wing has that with the refit and the Test pilot upgrades.

Maybe the boxed set should be Tie Advanced and a Tie Fighter. Throw more unique pilots into the meta for the Tie Fighter and Title upgrades and Unique modifications for the Advanced.

I see the Tie Advanced as being the ship of choice for squad leaders. This is the only roll we see it play in the movie. I think pilots, mods, and upgrades should be created for this ship that gives it more leadership rolls. I would love to see an ability that turns an Advanced into a Evade factory. Allow it to pump out two a round and hand one of them out (like the Moldy Crow w/ Kyle). This would be a huge defensive advantage for the Empire and allow the Fighters and Interceptors to take more risks.

Not bad ideas here, indeed. An Advanced Evade-factory unique pilot would fit very well as a leader of a Tie Fighter Squadron.

New unique pilots should have supporting/leading abilities. It would fit to Vader. The Squad Leader EPT card was made for him.

So an evade-factory is a very good idea. I love it.

What else? What could the second pilot get? A head-on fighter specific ability? Like 'When attacking within the targets arc, add an additional dice' - so just like Backstabber but from front ... 'Frontstabber' ^^

Hm, I do like the evade idea. If Red leader can hand out a focus, and Gold leader can hand out a TL, a pseudo Black leader can hand out an evade.

The tie advanced was supposed to be a test bed for the tie series of fighters. By that reasoning, the next release for the Imperials should be more of a Tie Prototype themed boxed set. It would be two advanced (as many people only have two in their fleets anyways) and one of them would be the modified version with the winglets (as seen below).

There would be two new pilots, and new upgrades focusing on the prototype version of these fighters. Engine Upgrade would be a card to include.

Maybe the inclusion of the very first tractor beam (unless the defender has it).

Maybe a mod to swap the missile slot for a bomb slot.

Maybe adding a sensor slot with a modification.

The advanced does not see much play except for Vader. FFG, can we give it some attention?

A Tie Advanced-only Missile upgrade that grants a Systems slot would be excellent. Can you imagine Vader with Advanced Sensors, or even Enhanced Scopes?

That's an idea that has merit -> Passing off an evade token like Garven's ability.

Would be Kir Kanos best friend ^^

You guys don't like the 'Frontstabber' idea?

I think this would fit as well. The Advanced is a tank and there is no need to evade enemy arcs - and the weakest spot on an aircraft - or spaceship in this case - still is its cockpit. So if 'Frontstabber' attacks from within the enemies arc, he shoots right into the cockpit and get +1 dice. Yes he's an excellent marksman. ^^