We played team epic game last night and it was awesome. Here is some of what I learned:

1) Low PS pilots suck in Epic. Because you have so many points to work with, you can absorb the added cost of the pilots. Mathematically, sure you can get 7 Academies + Holwrunner for 102 points or The 6 Tie Stars + 2 Blacks with Vet Instincts for 127. Sure the high PS Ties cost you a whole 25 points more, but here is the kicker, all 8 will fire before the low PS ties. Chances are very good, that you will kill 2 Ties on your first pass before they even get to fire. And that makes up for the price difference.

2) Overloading Bombers is bad. Bombers become a priority target. They arent too dodgy, they eat crits, and everyone knows the pain they can dish out.

3) Concentrating your firepower skews the game very quickly.

Good observations! How long did the game take you?

Did you proxy Huge ships or just fly 300 pts at each other?

We played a 300v300 list a few months ago. A few more things I would like to add to this...

Treat each individual ship like you're building for 100pts... Would you put Wedge w/ PTL + R2 + APT + EU in a 100pt game? So why would you put him in a 300pt game? Yeah, he's shoot first, but then he'll get dead before the end of the first engagement. You could have had a Red and a Rookie for those points. 2 is still better than 1.

That said, I agree with the PS bid. With so many ships out there, it's worth it to go to the highest generic you can (red/gray/blue/green/black/royal, etc) for most of your ships, and spending a few points then on Garven/Luke and the like is worth it moreso because you're paying for the higher PS. Oh yeah, and you're getting other stuff too!

Actions are gold. With so many ships, collisions are going to happen all the time. AdvS and SJ are more than worth their points. Action based upgrades not so much (including PTL btw). Though that might change with the transport.

Seems time for an epic 8 Tie Swarm Tactics build. Bring on the BSPs! Now to get 8 copies of swarm tactics...

The low PS bit flies in the face of math. when there is so much firepower on the the board that anything can die, then you may as well bring as many things at low cost as possible.

Off the top of my head and in addition to what the OP said:

Focusing on priority targets is much easier with 300 point squadrons. Howrunner will be toast before her men could ever use the reroll ability (unless they're all high PS pilots, which would probably give them a single enhanced attack before she goes).

Since first contact kills will be so much easier, high PS pilots are beginning to sound much more valuable in 300point games.

Bombers will require support if they are expected to launch their ordnance. There will be more strategy involved opposed to just tactics as in 100 point games. More fighters will be used to serve a specific role.

The low PS bit flies in the face of math. when there is so much firepower on the the board that anything can die, then you may as well bring as many things at low cost as possible.

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Epic

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300 points

Pilots

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Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Omicron Group Pilot (27)

Lambda-Class Shuttle (21), Fire-Control System (2), Engine Upgrade (4)

Omicron Group Pilot (27)

Lambda-Class Shuttle (21), Fire-Control System (2), Engine Upgrade (4)

Omicron Group Pilot (27)

Lambda-Class Shuttle (21), Fire-Control System (2), Engine Upgrade (4)

Omicron Group Pilot (27)

Lambda-Class Shuttle (21), Fire-Control System (2), Engine Upgrade (4)

Omicron Group Pilot (27)

Lambda-Class Shuttle (21), Fire-Control System (2), Engine Upgrade (4)

Omicron Group Pilot (21)

I disagree, but think it will be interesting to see.

The problem with a low PS bid is that you are very likely seeding a massive number of shots to your opponent that won't make up for it in terms of ship numbers.

The choice between an academy and a black squadron is 2 points. You can essentially purchase one extra academy pilot for every hundred points, but that won't make enough difference as you're going to lose at least that one before you even get to fire back. And that's the most cost saving you find. On almost every ship, the difference between two PS and two points is going to get you one to two extra ships for an entire epic game (if you try to save it with every ship) and that's not enough to make up for the difference, IMO.

No, I think epic battles are going to be a very efficient spending of points on PS.

I played a huge 300 vs 300 a few months ago just for fun as the imperials and won. 9 TIEs, 3 Squints, 2 Advanced and 1 Bomber. Here is a view of turn two.

https://www.facebook.com/StarWarsXWingClarksvilleTn/photos/pb.177020859137466.-2207520000.1398379607./229745213865030/?type=3&theater

I focused down the Y-wing force first because of their Isolation from the X-wing center and A-wing super flankers on the far side.

I was concerned about the payloads the Y-wings had as well, torps and ICTs, so I gambled big by sending in my squints backed by howl and Darth Vader and flanked by the named TIEs. The three Y-wings were downed within the end of turn four. The four TIEs facing the X-wings were Academy Pilots Blocking for Maarek Steele and a Gamma who were slow rolling their way towards the X-wings to draw them through the Academy pilots.

There is still purpose for using the low-PS pilots as blockers against high-PS pilots even if only as a diversion or to buy time to make your tactical goal. Target priority is huge in any game but even more so in the 300 point format. Simply bashing your way through low PS ships will not work if they are flying a formation stretched out with the intent to kill your actions.

It's an interesting format. With so many ships flying around pilot skill is going to mean a lot more then it does in the 100pt games. A common theme is going to be a lot of ships dying before they ever do anything. The questions really comes as will FFG design special pilots for existing ships to better fit the format. They've already but the barrier in place with the Epic and Cinamatic symbols on the card only for that formt.