Let's just assume that the attacker has 3 attack dice (with no actions or bonuses)

That is an expected number of hits of 1.5 hits.

Three agility means the TIE Defender will roll 1.125 evades on average.

This is a little crude (and not entirely accurate, but its close) to about .375 hits per shot.

It takes 6 hits to kill the TIE Defender 6/.375 is 16 shots. It is going to take about 16 shots from your x-wing or b-wing to kill the TIE Defender.

Let'd compare that to the YT-1300

1 agility means it will only evade about .375 hits per turn. Meaning the YT-1300 will take about 1.1125 hits per time it gets shot at. (let's assume it is the 13 hit version). 13/1.125 is 11.5556 shots.

It takes about 11 1/2 shots to kill a (Character) YT-1300 and 16 to kill a TIE Defender.

When you consider that a TIE Defender is significantly cheaper than (a 13 hit) YT-1300 a TIE Defender is considerably better at staying alive.

B-wings and Y-wings only have 8 hits. 8/1.125 is 7.111 shots to kill them.

A Firespray with its 2 agility and 10 hits takes about .75 points of damage per shot it takes. So it dies after being shot about 13.3333 times.

I think it is pretty much accepted that a Firespray is about the hardest thing in the game to kill. Well a TIE Defender will be harder.

Note: I am aware that my calculations are over simplifications and that expected damage can not actually be calculated by simply taking expected hits rolled and subtracting expected evades rolled (since you can never take do negative damage). But these calculations are not intended as anything but a comparison between how ships on how easy it is to kill them.

Let's just assume that the attacker has 3 attack dice (with no actions or bonuses)

That is an expected number of hits of 1.5 hits.

Three agility means the TIE Defender will roll 1.125 evades on average.

This is a little crude (and not entirely accurate, but its close) to about .375 hits per shot.

It takes 6 hits to kill the TIE Defender 6/.375 is 16 shots. It is going to take about 16 shots from your x-wing or b-wing to kill the TIE Defender.

Let'd compare that to the YT-1300

1 agility means it will only evade about .6 hits per turn. Meaning the YT-1300 will take about .9 hits per time it gets shot at. (let's assume it is the 13 hit version). 13/.9 is 14.444 shots.

It takes about 14 shots to kill a (Character) YT-1300 and 16 to kill a TIE Defender.

When you consider that a TIE Defender is significantly cheaper than (a 13 hit) YT-1300 .

There are other ships in the game that are hard to kill, A-wing, TIE-Advanced, Firespray, but only the Firespray is really all that dangerous by itself.

Just one more reason the Defender is far scarier than a Bwing.

The base model Defender is going to be the go to IMO. The white k eliminates the need for high pilot skill in order to stay out of fire and remain on your opponents 6. Make one pass then K turn the rebel scum to death.

All I need is One Hit.... with an ion so he flys off the board.

Super hard.

Is a stealth device or hull upgrade better on them?

I think its at least worth play testing. Your only game in town is going to be bwings and turrets.

All I need is One Hit.... with an ion so he flys off the board.

Ion, the galaxies equivilant to pepper spray. It's a less lethal weapon employed by hippies.

Let's just assume that the attacker has 3 attack dice (with no actions or bonuses)

That is an expected number of hits of 1.5 hits.

Three agility means the TIE Defender will roll 1.125 evades on average.

This is a little crude (and not entirely accurate, but its close) to about .375 hits per shot.

It takes 6 hits to kill the TIE Defender 6/.375 is 16 shots. It is going to take about 16 shots from your x-wing or b-wing to kill the TIE Defender.

Let'd compare that to the YT-1300

1 agility means it will only evade about .6 hits per turn. Meaning the YT-1300 will take about .9 hits per time it gets shot at. (let's assume it is the 13 hit version). 13/.9 is 14.444 shots.

It takes about 14 shots to kill a (Character) YT-1300 and 16 to kill a TIE Defender.

When you consider that a TIE Defender is significantly cheaper than (a 13 hit) YT-1300 .

There are other ships in the game that are hard to kill, A-wing, TIE-Advanced, Firespray, but only the Firespray is really all that dangerous by itself.

Just one more reason the Defender is far scarier than a Bwing.

Less crude!

Assume neither side has a focus token, and the Defender and its attacker are at Range 2 from one another. An attacker with 3 dice will deal an average of 0.67 damage, with a median and mode of 0; that means it will take about 9 shots to kill the Defender. (Adding a Hull Upgrade bumps that up to about 11.)

Now assume both sides have a focus token, still at Range 2. The average is a very similar 0.64, again with a median and mode of 0 (meaning the most likely result is a miss). The lifespan is a very similar 9 shots.

Now assume that multiple attackers are shooting at the Defender, and everybody has a focus token. In this case it will take an average of about 6 attacks in a single round to kill it; if the attacks are spread over 2 rounds (because what list can manage 6 shots at 3 Attack in a single round?) it takes 7 attacks. A Hull Upgrade or Shield Upgrade bumps that up to 8 attacks.

***

TL;DR: With no upgrades, a Defender can likely withstand focused fire from a list of 4 ships with 3 Attack for about two rounds.

Less crude!

Assume neither side has a focus token, and the Defender and its attacker are at Range 2 from one another. An attacker with 3 dice will deal an average of 0.67 damage, with a median and mode of 0; that means it will take about 9 shots to kill the Defender. (Adding a Hull Upgrade bumps that up to about 11.)

Now assume both sides have a focus token, still at Range 2. The average is a very similar 0.64, again with a median and mode of 0 (meaning the most likely result is a miss). The lifespan is a very similar 9 shots.

Now assume that multiple attackers are shooting at the Defender, and everybody has a focus token. In this case it will take an average of about 6 attacks in a single round to kill it; if the attacks are spread over 2 rounds (because what list can manage 6 shots at 3 Attack in a single round?) it takes 7 attacks. A Hull Upgrade or Shield Upgrade bumps that up to 8 attacks.

***

TL;DR: With no upgrades, a Defender can likely withstand focused fire from a list of 4 ships with 3 Attack for about two rounds.

My friend is already planning a 3x Defender with stealth drive list.

Rex, outmaneuver plus two rookie defenders. Let us begin!

Never discount the ability to really screw up a defense roll.

All I need is One Hit.... with an ion so he flys off the board.

Um, I think you need like 8 consecutive hits. Unless your 1 straight is a lot longer than mine. Consecutive hits against a 1 agility YT-1300 where each straight 1 moves the ship a forward 3 units, vs a 3 agility Defender where each 1 straight only moves it forward 2 units. I'm not so sure this is a good idea.

And if you really think ion-ing people off the board is a good way to win, the TIE Defender can take the Ion Cannon two. Oh and its the only ship in the game that can (or the turret) that doesn't have 1 agility.

I think Defenders will ion B-wings/Y-wings (or even Shuttles) off the board before they get it back.

Never discount the ability to really screw up a defense roll.

I never do, that why I stay out of the firing arc of my opponent.

My friend is already planning a 3x Defender with stealth drive list.

Rex, outmaneuver plus two rookie defenders. Let us begin!

Correction I think the Col with Egine upgrade and VI looks better than Rex !

Let's just assume that the attacker has 3 attack dice (with no actions or bonuses)

That is an expected number of hits of 1.5 hits.

Three agility means the TIE Defender will roll 1.125 evades on average.

This is a little crude (and not entirely accurate, but its close) to about .375 hits per shot.

It takes 6 hits to kill the TIE Defender 6/.375 is 16 shots. It is going to take about 16 shots from your x-wing or b-wing to kill the TIE Defender.

Let'd compare that to the YT-1300

1 agility means it will only evade about .6 hits per turn. Meaning the YT-1300 will take about .9 hits per time it gets shot at. (let's assume it is the 13 hit version). 13/.9 is 14.444 shots.

It takes about 14 shots to kill a (Character) YT-1300 and 16 to kill a TIE Defender.

When you consider that a TIE Defender is significantly cheaper than (a 13 hit) YT-1300 .

There are other ships in the game that are hard to kill, A-wing, TIE-Advanced, Firespray, but only the Firespray is really all that dangerous by itself.

Just one more reason the Defender is far scarier than a Bwing.

Except that modifying offense is far and away more reliable than modifying defense. If you're pulling off that many unmodified shots you are flying badly. Beyond that it is a durable ship but not significantly different from the Firespray, and arguably just barely better than a Bwing.

What's your argument?

@Vorpal

Yeah, my stuff was crude, and not entirely accurate, It definitely overestimated survivability, but the numbers were intended for comparison.

So if you are saying that the real number of attacks you need to kill a Defender is 8, then what is the number for a YT-1300 of or a Firespray.

Never discount the ability to really screw up a defense roll.

The beauty of the Defender is that--unlike an Interceptor--it can afford to screw up a defense roll.

The Defenders eat butterflies and crap rainbows, good luck.

Nevermind.

Never discount the ability to really screw up a defense roll.

The beauty of the Defender is that--unlike an Interceptor--it can afford to screw up a defense roll.

Exactly. On average Interceptors are actually pretty hard to kill. The rank pretty close to an X-wing (not exactly). But they don't feel that way because shooting at them usually goes like this: Wiff, Wiff, Wiff Wiff, Nailed it Wow he's space dust!

The TIE Defender has almost all the hard to hit-ness of a Interceptor (no Evade Unfortunately) with better resilience than an X-wing.

I think shooting at a Defender may feel like this: Wiff, Wiff, Wiff, okay I hit it, but I still have a long way to go.

Yeah, my stuff was crude, and not entirely accurate, It definitely overestimated survivability, but the numbers were intended for comparison.

I just pointing out that the back-of-the-envelope analysis, in this case, agrees with a more detailed one. I completely agree with you!

So if you are saying that the real number of attacks you need to kill a Defender is 8, then what is the number for a YT-1300 of or a Firespray.

Using the same methodology--ships with 3 Attack at Range 2, all with Focus, and a Focus for the defender as well--the YT-1300 also takes about 8 shots over 2 rounds to kill (although that doesn't account for the Falcon title), and 9-10 shots over 3 rounds for the Firespray.

Or, to put it another way, the Falcon and the Defender are about equally defensive, with the Firespray getting a small step ahead of both (the same way the B-wing is just a bit more durable than the X-wing).

Never discount the ability to really screw up a defense roll.

The beauty of the Defender is that--unlike an Interceptor--it can afford to screw up a defense roll.

You win a gold star for the week

The only ship in the whole game that has more hits than the Defender and has more than 1 agility is the Firespray.

The TIE Defender has only 2 less hits than a (1 agility) B-wing.

Yeah, my stuff was crude, and not entirely accurate, It definitely overestimated survivability, but the numbers were intended for comparison.

I just pointing out that the back-of-the-envelope analysis, in this case, agrees with a more detailed one. I completely agree with you!

So if you are saying that the real number of attacks you need to kill a Defender is 8, then what is the number for a YT-1300 of or a Firespray.

Using the same methodology--ships with 3 Attack at Range 2, all with Focus, and a Focus for the defender as well--the YT-1300 also takes about 8 shots over 2 rounds to kill (although that doesn't account for the Falcon title), and 9-10 shots over 3 rounds for the Firespray.Or, to put it another way, the Falcon and the Defender are about equally defensive, with the Firespray getting a small step ahead of both (the same way the B-wing is just a bit more durable than the X-wing).

So it is about as hard to kill a 30 point Defender as it is to kill a 42 YT-1300 and a little less than a 33 point firespray.

The Defenders eat butterflies and crap rainbows, good luck.

They have to because the rebel hippies spread that crap around the galaxies.