Assuming these are true, from Game Trade Magazine #170 http://www.gametrademagazine.com/Home/1/1/58/591?articleID=146109:

Generic R7: Spend a Target Lock to force your OPPONENT to reroll attack dice.

TIE Defender: White 4K Turn

Lt. Blount: PS 6 Headhunter. Always considered to have HIT his opponent, regardless of whether the opponent cancels all his attack dice/takes damage.

TIE Phantom: Cloak "on" gives +2 Agility but cannot fire. "Cloak" action gives you a token, you may discard token immediately before revealing dial during activation phase.

I have to say I am excited about all of these. The Imperials especially seem to be getting some TREMENDOUS love in the form of the TIE Phantom and TIE Defender, suddenly those stress removing/causing Rebels are no where near as scary. On the other hand, Lt. Blount just screams "Assault Missiles", and "What Stealth Device?".

The TIE Phantom was already on my short list for most-excited-to-get ships, now it has rocketed to the undisputed #1 spot. Hurry up FFG, get these out so I can give you my money!

Thanks for linking the article!

Holy crap, great find.

I don't see where it says that the Defender's white koigran turn is a 4 speed, though. The article only confirms that it has a white koigran turn (which is still exciting; it's nice that that's confirmed).

[edit] I think Veteran Instincts will be a popular EPT to take on "Whisper" so he can shoot PS7, PS8 and possibly PS9 pilots before they can shoot at him once he decloaks.

That generic R7-Astromech has me wondering whether R7 or R2F2 is better for Biggs... depending on costs considerations.

I would assume that an official trade publication would be true. However, we've seen FFG post stuff on their own website and then retract/change it, so there could be mistakes, or even last minute changes I guess!

Ooh Tarn Mison + R7 FTW.

Is this the part where we freak out and scream about ffg ruining rebel aces and only showing love for the empire?

I'm pretty excited now! This is some cool info.

That generic R7-Astromech has me wondering whether R7 or R2F2 is better for Biggs... depending on costs considerations.

I Assume it will only be 1 point (So far there are not non-unique astromech that's 2, but it could be more who knows.

Is the part where we freak out and scream about ffg ruining rebel aces and only showing love for the empire?

Yes.

Assuming these are true, from Game Trade Magazine #170 http://www.gametrademagazine.com/Home/1/1/58/591?articleID=146109:

Generic R7: Spend a Target Lock to force your OPPONENT to reroll attack dice.

TIE Defender: White 4K Turn

Lt. Blount: PS 6 Headhunter. Always considered to have HIT his opponent, regardless of whether the opponent cancels all his attack dice/takes damage.

TIE Phantom: Stealth "on" gives +2 Agility but cannot fire. "Stealth" action gives you a token, you may discard token immediately before revealing dial during activation phase.

I have to say I am excited about all of these. The Imperials especially seem to be getting some TREMENDOUS love in the form of the TIE Phantom and TIE Defender, suddenly those stress removing/causing Rebels are no where near as scary. On the other hand, Lt. Blount just screams "Assault Missiles", and "What Stealth Device?".

The TIE Phantom was already on my short list for most-excited-to-get ships, now it has rocketed to the undisputed #1 spot. Hurry up FFG, get these out so I can give you my money!

Any chance of cross-posting a screenshot? I can't access that webpage and it would be easier to reference on here anyway

So the Z95s' point costs seem to be:

PS2 Bandit Squadron Pilot: 12 points

PS4 Tala Squadron Pilot: 14 points

PS6 Lieutenant Blount: 17 points

PS8 Airen Cracken: 19 points

So this might be a fun squad:

Lt. Blount w/ Assault Missiles, Veteran Instincts (23)

Tala Squadron Pilot w/ Assault Missiles x 4 (76)

99 points!

so if the Phantom is cloaked, it has 4 defence like a common tie with stealth device ... well thats not overwhelming ... but i guess you are able to add the stealth device for a 5 defence while in stealth...

White K-turn for the Defender confirmed. Going to be fun, though it sounds like it's turns are going to be red.

Cloak will be annoying. Even without knowing what the title and Modification do, tossing a Stealth Device on a Phantom will be annoying to hit. 5-6 Defense die will be a bit annoying to hit. Whisper sounds interesting. Sounds like if he attacks, he gets a free cloak action.

R7 sounds like it will be annoying. And Blount sounds like the perfect anti-Stealth Device/Assault Missile carrier.

Now, someone needs to zoom in on the other cards to read them.

so if the Phantom is cloaked, it has 4 defence like a common tie with stealth device ... well thats not overwhelming ... but i guess you are able to add the stealth device for a 5 defence while in stealth...

Now 2 ships can get 7 defense dice (E-wing + Stelth +R2F2)

so if the Phantom is cloaked, it has 4 defence like a common tie with stealth device

Keep in mind that's like the "free" cloak, I believe there's a upgrade for the cloak.

R7 could be really good. Going to have to run those numbers. You can make attacker reroll hits and eyeballs that have been turned into hits via focus. That's huge.

R7 could be really good. Going to have to run those numbers. You can make attacker reroll hits and eyeballs that have been turned into hits via focus. That's huge.

Not so, Defender modifies dice before attacker. What you can do is make him re-roll all hits, crits, and (if he has a focus token) eyeballs, and then he CAN'T re-roll them because they have already been re-rolled. That will work extremely well against Han Solo, because it eliminates his pilot ability's usefulness

Huh. I wonder who hung the "Kick Me" sign on PtL/Stealth? So many hard counters to them now. Remains to be seen how often he gets played, but especially with an Assault Missile Blount seems nice.

And the white K-turn is real. <sigh> Remember when we used to mock players who thought jousting was the only way to play?

The Phantom being able to stay at 4 dice, unlike a Stealth, will be a big deal.

R7 could be really good. Going to have to run those numbers. You can make attacker reroll hits and eyeballs that have been turned into hits via focus. That's huge.

Not so, Defender modifies dice before attacker. What you can do is make him re-roll all hits, crits, and (if he has a focus token) eyeballs, and then he CAN'T re-roll them because they have already been re-rolled. That will work extremely well against Han Solo, because it eliminates his pilot ability's usefulness

Very correct. This will actually be a huge help for Interceptors in their ongoing effort to deal with how badly they suffer at the hands of turreted ships.

Oooooh, wait, right - Rebel-only upgrade. Hehe.

I get the feeling that the Advanced Cloaking Device modification will allow the Phantom to go back into cloak as soon as it fires. Hence the part about only being vulnerable to ships with a higher pilot skill (that shoot first) than the Phantom:

... you’ll want to consider recruiting a pilot with a high pilot skill value, like “Whisper,” who can take full advantage of the Advanced Cloaking Device modification. If you can eliminate all enemies with higher pilot skill values, “Whisper” need never be decloaked when your opponent can fire.

[edit] This page on that magazine's website has some new, cool-looking art, which I can only link to because they're doing some weird stuff with HTML that's hiding the JPG's filename.

[edit 2] For anyone who can't see the page for some reason, here's all of its text quoted:

~ Updrade Your Fleet ~

The fourth wave of X-Wing expansion packs features four of the most recognizable starfighters from the Star Wars expanded universe: the Z-95 Headhunter, TIE defender, E-wing, and TIE phantom! Each of these starfighters was designed to explore new strategies within its respective faction.

The Z-95 Headhunter is a highly effective Rebel missile platform. The TIE defender is a powerful fighter with a primary attack value of “3,” shields, and some of the most advanced systems in the galaxy. The E-wing pairs the X-wing’s firepower and durability with the A-wing’s speed and agility. The TIE phantom uses its stygium crystal cloaking device to fly unseen and pounce upon surprised opponents. Each of these starfighters is represented by a detailed miniature at 1/270 scale and comes with a maneuver dial and all the ship cards, rules, and tokens you need to race headlong into battle! Additionally, this wave of X-Wing starfighters introduces a number of powerful, new Upgrade cards – including elite pilot talents and modifications – that empower new tactics and reward players for recruiting pilots with high pilot skill values.

~ Z-95 Headhunter ~

Manufactured by Incom Corporation, the Z-95 Headhunter was the primary inspiration for the design of the X-wing. Though it was later outclassed by the X-wing in nearly every respect, the Z-95 Headhunter continued to see widespread use due to its low cost and reliability. The Z-95 Headhunter enters X-Wing as the Rebel starfighter with the lowest point cost value, and it will help Rebel players more easily match the number of ships that Imperial players can field. Moreover, the Z-95 Headhunter can carry a missile into battle, making it an extremely efficient counter to Imperial swarms. For example, a Rebel player could spend twenty-two points to recruit Lieutenant Blount and equip his fighter with Assault Missiles. Because his pilot ability always triggers the splash damage from his Assault Missiles, Lieutenant Blount will give Imperial players plenty of reason to think twice about flying their TIE swarms in close formation.

~ TIE Defender ~
When it was first released, the TIE defender was the galaxy’s deadliest starfighter. In addition to its four laser cannons and warhead launchers, the TIE defender came equipped with ion cannons in its upper wing. It was also outfitted with shields to increase its staying power. X-Wing players will find that the TIE defender makes ease of a great number of combat situations. It balances a strong attack value of “3” with an equally strong agility, and it also benefits from three shields that can protect it from early hits. The TIE defender is also one of the fastest starfighters in the game, and while it has a harder time making a number of sharp turns than other TIEs, it is the only starship in the game at this point with a white Koiogran turn printed on its maneuver dial.

~ E-wing ~

Specifically designed to combine the best features of the X-wing series with the A-wing series, the E-wing boasted superior firepower, speed, and maneuverability. Though it originally accommodated only the R7-series of astromech, the E-wing was later retrofitted to equip Droids from earlier R-series. While the standard E-wing is already arguably the Rebellion’s most well-rounded dogfighter, its potential for customization makes it even more attractive. The only Rebel starfighter that pairs an attack value of “3” with an agility value of “3,” the E-wing also boasts an astounding action bar and an upgrade bar that is likely to entice X-Wing players to experiment with a wide range of different upgrade combinations. For example, if an E-wing pilot were to equip his fighter with both the R7 Astromech and Fire-Control System, he could fire at an incoming enemy starship, spend his target lock during the attack, and acquire a new target lock with the Fire-Control System. Later in the phase as the defender, he could then spend that target lock to trigger his R7 Astromech and force his opponent to reroll any threatening attack dice.

~ TIE Phantom ~
The primary result of a hidden research facility on Imdaar Alpha, the TIE phantom added a cloaking device to an Imperial fighter that came equipped with five laser cannons, giving it an unprecedented combination of firepower and stealth. Naturally, the highlight of the TIE Phantom Expansion Pack is the “cloak” action that it brings to X-Wing. When a TIE phantom cloaks, its owner places a cloak token next to the ship. While cloaked, its agility value is increased by two. A TIE phantom that is cloaked cannot attack, but it may spend its cloak token to decloak during the Activation phase immediately before its owner reveals its maneuver dial. Its ability to cloak and decloak makes the TIE phantom one of the game’s most lethal fighters, and it’s even better when flown by an ace pilot with a high pilot skill value. Because the TIE phantom is most vulnerable while decloaked, you’ll want to keep it cloaked as often as possible, and you’ll want to consider recruiting a pilot with a high pilot skill value, like “Whisper,” who can take full advantage of the Advanced Cloaking Device modification. If you can eliminate all enemies with higher pilot skill values, “Whisper” need never be decloaked when your opponent can fire.

~ Race To Battle ~

Harness some of the greatest technological advancements from the Star Wars expanded universe and race into battle with the four new starfighters from the fourth wave of expansions for X-Wing! The Z-95 Headhunter Expansion Pack, TIE Defender Expansion Pack, E-Wing Expansion Pack, and TIE Phantom Expansion Pack are expected to blast into action in the second quarter of 2014!

kinda disappointed at the white K-turn, was wishing it was something not as broken, like a curved Kturn instead.

Cloak has a very interesting mechanic, though probably having more than +2 agi would be nicer, especially since how something like a HLC would still probably manage to hit you through all that green dice

R7 could be really good. Going to have to run those numbers. You can make attacker reroll hits and eyeballs that have been turned into hits via focus. That's huge.

If the attacker has no Focus token, the defender will force a reroll of hits and crits:

C 0.0625

H 0.1875

F 0.3750

B 0.3750

Here p(hit|crit) = 0.25, which is a pretty dismal outlook.

If the attacker does have a Focus token, the defender will force a reroll of everything but blanks, and things are a bit rosier:

C 0.0938

H 0.2813

F 0.1875

B 0.4375

Here p(hit|crit|focus) = 0.5625.

Finally, if the opponent has a target lock, you'll just force him to reroll everything, preventing those dice from being rerolled again, and turning it into an unmodified attack.

***

Basically, R7 allows you to spend a token on defense to reverse the effect of a Focus token, prevent Target Locks from being used, or virtually neuter an unmodified attack. And it's going to be really nasty, albeit fairly expensive, in conjunction with a Sensor Jammer...

Finally, if the opponent has a target lock, you'll just force him to reroll everything, preventing those dice from being rerolled again, and turning it into an unmodified attack.

No. Don't reroll the blanks(1) for him. Make him spend his TL to reroll.

(1) or blanks and eyes if he has TL without focus.

I like the Advanced Cloaking Device. It is going to make pilot skill bid a bit more important. Even the basic Phantom, at PS 3, is going to be brutal against all those Rookiees, Academies, Prototypes, Blues, and Golds. It can essentially become a 4 Atk, 4 Def ship against the weenies. Add in Recon Specialists, and it is going to be tough to tag a Phantom.