Remember the FCS+Gunner combo, and how effective it is?
When the ship he's attacking is target locked by someone else, Colonel Vessery gets that for every attack.

Picture this scenario: Vessery is at Range 2 from an opponent. He and an ally have both Target Locked the victim. The following takes place:

1. Vessery spends a Target Lock to declare a Cluster Missiles attack
2. Vessery rolls the attack dice for the first attack
3. Vessery gains a Target Lock on the defender
4. Vessery spends the Target Lock
5. Defender rolls evade dice
6. Vessery rolls the attack dice for the second attack
7. Vessery gains a Target Lock on the defender
8. Vessery spends the Target Lock
9. Defender rolls evade dice
10. Defender cries from the massive damage taken.

This becomes even more brutal if Vessery took Outmaneuver as his EPT.

Remember how we used to do all of these build contortions to get the HLC to crit?
Yeah... now all you have to do is spend a post-damage Focus token to produce essentially the same thing.
Moreover, if used with the Autoblaster, those functional "Crits" would still be unevadable.
Hilariously, if used with a freakin' Ion Cannon, it still "Crits".
Now, if only there were some new predatory EPTs that allowed for higher damage output without requiring that Focus token....



Now, having 3/3/3/3, these things are comparably survivable with the Firespray-31, and the White Koiogran makes the damage output to be similar as well.

(Replacing the rear firing arc with a non-stressful Koiogran that brings the cannons to bear again).

They also boast an incredible dial, aside from that Koiogran.
They've got all 3 turns and all 3 banks, which has yet to be seen in this game. Yes, the 1 and 2 turns are red, but I'd rather red turns than none. It balances out the White Koiogran, after all.
It also has the 2-5 suite of forwards, but all are in Green. This is only the 2nd ship in the game with a G5F, following the A-Wing.

They definitely pass the "Is this worth 3-4 Academy Pilots" test to me. I look forward to exploring them more in the future!

Also, the cheapest one is 30 points. Slap on a 3 point upgrade, and run it like triple Bounty Hunters in a 100 point game, or simply run 5 of them in a 150. Whoah nelly!

Firesprays don't have the 1 Turn.(Oh how I wish they did.)

We'll see how they play. I'm dubious, as I'd rather have more health and less Green Dice...

Firesprays don't have the 1 Turn.(Oh how I wish they did.)

We'll see how they play. I'm dubious, as I'd rather have more health and less Green Dice...

Fixed in my notes, and in the post!

Um.

How were you planning on cramming a gunner into a fighter with no Crew upgrade slot?

And why did your hypothetical gunner trigger even though Vessery's first attack presumably hit?

the above got to it before me, Am I missing a crew upgrade somewhere other then the bwing only?

Um.

How were you planning on cramming a gunner into a fighter with no Crew upgrade slot?

And why did your hypothetical gunner trigger even though Vessery's first attack presumably hit?

Cluster Missiles. I forgot to mention the Cluster missiles. That's why he needed to spend a Target Lock to declare an attack.

I ran this by the Rules Subforum first, where I didn't forget to mention the clusters, and simply copy/pasted the numbered list. Whoops.

Fixed, by the way.

Also, if I had a crew slot on this thing, I'd totally use a Navigator instead of a Gunner.

Yeah... now all you have to do is spend a post-damage Focus token to produce essentially the same thing.

Well, that and spending a minimum of 44 points. And in reality it will be more, since you need to buy an EPT/support ship/etc make up for the focus that you can't spend on your attack dice anymore. I don't think the ability to sometimes get extra crits is worth almost half your points.

Yeah... now all you have to do is spend a post-damage Focus token to produce essentially the same thing.

Well, that and spending a minimum of 44 points. And in reality it will be more, since you need to buy an EPT/support ship/etc make up for the focus that you can't spend on your attack dice anymore. I don't think the ability to sometimes get extra crits is worth almost half your points.

It's a better use of 44 points than a Shuttle with HLC + 2x Merc Co-Pilots is a use of 32, but I can see where you're coming from. Regardless, its still a potent ability.

I view this as being, statswise, a Large Ship without a crew slot...or the actual largeness.

I am excited to get a pair, and pair them with my space whale. Actually, 2 defenders and a whale could be a potent list....

I am excited to get a pair, and pair them with my space whale. Actually, 2 defenders and a whale could be a potent list....

Captain Yorr in particular, to ameliorate their Red Turns.

Alternatively, Wingmen.

Does anyone know why the defender comes with an evade token? The spoiler made a pretty big deal about the defender not having that action.

It's a better use of 44 points than a Shuttle with HLC + 2x Merc Co-Pilots is a use of 32, but I can see where you're coming from.

Sure, but the double co-pilot shuttle is just a bad ship. For a more appropriate comparison consider Ten Numb with marksmanship and a HLC. That's 41 points, or the same 44 points if you take advanced sensors. And that gives you offensive focus AND crits, durability that doesn't depend on defense dice, and all of the standard advanced sensors tricks.

Regardless, its still a potent ability.

IMO, not really. To make it work you need the following conditions:

1) The target won't take the damage on shields.

2) The target won't be killed by the damage cards even without flipping them.

3) The target won't be killed by the additional damage caused by turning eyeballs (if any) into hits.

4) You don't need focus to get enough hits that you can expect to get damage through the evade dice.

5) You don't roll so many eyeballs that you'd prefer more damage cards to crit effects.

6) You don't expect to need that focus for defense.

So that rules out ships with 2-3 hull, ships with lots of shield HP, and ships with lots of evade dice. It's a great weapon against YT-1300s and TIE bombers, but it's a fairly specialized role that probably won't see much use in a standard list used against unknown opponents.

A shuttle with the title and Vessery will certainly be a good pairing, whatever else you put on the table.

I find these ships a touch odd. It can't turn worth a crap (all red at slow speed), yet it can flip on a dime without stress at speed 4. I get that this makes it unique in the game for its strange maneuver dial, but trying to picture how the pilot can't grasp a simple 2-right-turn without difficulty, but flips 4-k-turns without trouble is stressing my suspension of disbelief.

A shuttle with the title and Vessery will certainly be a good pairing, whatever else you put on the table.

Add the weapons engineer to lock two ships for the price of one and give Vessery more options without giving too much of your plans away.

I find these ships a touch odd. It can't turn worth a crap (all red at slow speed), yet it can flip on a dime without stress at speed 4. I get that this makes it unique in the game for its strange maneuver dial, but trying to picture how the pilot can't grasp a simple 2-right-turn without difficulty, but flips 4-k-turns without trouble is stressing my suspension of disbelief.

The idea of spacecraft engaging in WW1/2 style dogfights has always been a pretty strained metaphor.

The physics which inform dogfighting tactics (stall speed, etc) have basically nothing to do with exo-atmospheric maneuvering.

And anyway the idea of a WVR (Within Visual Range) conflict between spacecraft is beyond silly...

Outside of occasional exercises and war games, contemporary aircraft engage BVR or not at all. Nobody has been in a real dogfight in like fifteen years - maybe more. Out here in the real world, you acquire and destroy your target with missiles from dozens or hundreds of miles away.

We ignore these things because Star Wars!

If you want a metaphor to hang on the TIE Defender, think of it as a classic muscle car. Handles like a boat, goes like a bat out of hell, open up the throttle and you can whip the back end around like crazy.

I hadn't registered that vessory gets the target lock immediately - as in, in time to spend in that attack. That does make him quite a bit better than I thought. The one issue, of course, is that not all that many Imperial fighters have the ability to target lock things.

A shuttle - especially with the right upgrades - is a target lock generating machine - and as noted weapons engineer and ST-321 lets you get those locks where you need them (also there is an engine upgrade in the defender pack, though, which makes thing easier for people with no intention of buying rebel scum...), whilst an advanced might actually not be a bad wingman for it.

I find these ships a touch odd. It can't turn worth a crap (all red at slow speed), yet it can flip on a dime without stress at speed 4. I get that this makes it unique in the game for its strange maneuver dial, but trying to picture how the pilot can't grasp a simple 2-right-turn without difficulty, but flips 4-k-turns without trouble is stressing my suspension of disbelief.

The idea of spacecraft engaging in WW1/2 style dogfights has always been a pretty strained metaphor.

The physics which inform dogfighting tactics (stall speed, etc) have basically nothing to do with exo-atmospheric maneuvering.

And anyway the idea of a WVR (Within Visual Range) conflict between spacecraft is beyond silly...

Outside of occasional exercises and war games, contemporary aircraft engage BVR or not at all. Nobody has been in a real dogfight in like fifteen years - maybe more. Out here in the real world, you acquire and destroy your target with missiles from dozens or hundreds of miles away.

We ignore these things because Star Wars!

I totally get what you are saying that the physics of the game are (more than) a bit silly compared to what we know of physics today. Of course ships in space should not behave anything like 1940's era airplanes.

My only point is that the maneuover dial does not feel consitent for this particular ship. How is it that the ship can fly at speed 2 and make a (90 degree) right turn and experience severe difficulty (stress added), but sill perform a speed 4 (twice as fast) 180 degree turn but feel no ill effects.

Tokyo doriftu, bra

in spaaaaaaaaaace!

Here's a hint: the K-turn maneuver makes no sense in any context, on any ship. It's an artifact - a gameplay mechanic that is there because without it, you would get behind someone and blow them up and that would be the whole game. There's no particular reason to choose now to start asking awkward questions - just go with it.

My only point is that the maneuover dial does not feel consitent for this particular ship. How is it that the ship can fly at speed 2 and make a (90 degree) right turn and experience severe difficulty (stress added), but sill perform a speed 4 (twice as fast) 180 degree turn but feel no ill effects.

The Defender isn't made to handle the forces exerted by stress of a 90 degrees turn well. I'm not that great at physics so I may be wrong but I think it's easier to go straight fast, cut engines, flip over, use engines to slow down and get ready to move in the direction you came from than all the forces that play up when you want a tight turn. Inertia still exists after all.

Tokyo doriftu, bra

in spaaaaaaaaaace!

Here's a hint: the K-turn maneuver makes no sense in any context, on any ship. It's an artifact - a gameplay mechanic that is there because without it, you would get behind someone and blow them up and that would be the whole game. There's no particular reason to choose now to start asking awkward questions - just go with it.

Look up the Split-S manouver (losing altitude) or Immelmann turn manouver (gaining altitude) which are histoically the same manouver as a K-Turn in X-Wing. They are difficult manouvers each of which carries significant possible disadvantages for the pilot executing said maneover.

My only point is that a 90 degree turn of any variety is much easier than either of these maneuovers. This is the only reason why I feel it is odd that a Defender pilot should find it more difficult to perform a 90 degree turn than the relatively more difficult 180 degree turn.

With THIS dial the Defender is most definitely the ME262 amongst piston engine fighters. Well, a 6 straight would be needed

Fly straight and fast directly towards your opponent. Get a shot and overshoot them. Fly straight and gain hight, until you are out of the enemies action radius, turn around and lance them from behind ...

Sharp courves are no no ... and curves in general are just to correct your course. You don't use curves in combat. If you do, you will lose your speed and your speed is both your sword and your shield.

Dissapointing maneuver dial, it is quite predictable, having turns in red... and just having straight green maneuvers... the white koigran is not enough to balance that short maneuverability.

I still preffer using a firespray, tougher and more unpredictable in its movements.

Dissapointing maneuver dial, it is quite predictable, having turns in red... and just having straight green maneuvers... the white koigran is not enough to balance that short maneuverability.

I still preffer using a firespray, tougher and more unpredictable in its movements.

The Defender has 17 manouvres on its dial.

A stressed Defender still 13.

The B-Wing has 15 manouvres on its dial.

A stressed B-Wing is down to 9.

Now tell me which ship is more predictable.

That is if you don't want to shed stress?

It'll be interesting to fly; it'll be vulnerable more when stressed since it's a high profile target and predictable de-stressing movement.

However, I agree with you, the sheer amount of movement option can make this ship deadly and unpredictable.