Ha! FFG did screw up on their "possible positions" diagram!

See my explanation here:

Basically, looking at the first image, the yellow "possible location" box after the left barrel roll with the 2-bank template should be moved BACK 1/2 ship length.

Just try and figure out how you should position the 2-bank template to end up in the top-most corner of the yellow box. You can't. And if you move the template backwards along the initial ship position, you end up OUTSIDE of their yellow box.

Similar problem with the blue boxes on the right. (And probably the green and purple boxes as well.)

Also, in the caption they mention a "right bank maneuver with a speed of 1", but in the image they use a right turn, not a bank.

Yup, I realize that ions will have a difficult time hitting the ship, but for its cost, it'd be worth the shot. It'd also be worth a shot from a rookie or something first to strip any remaining tokens. Per your numbers, he would then have a 60% of getting the ion through. While still not that great, lets revisit what your two ships just accomplished:

1) you did a damage on a ship that only has 4 total health and is worth ~35+ points

2) you prevented said ship from shooting next turn

3) you prevented said ship from crazy maneuvers, making him much easier to line up a kill shot from another ship

4) you prevented said ship from shedding any stress he may have

Trust me, as someone who's been escorting B wings out of the fight since W3 hit, having a single Y continuously shoot at a 34 pt Ibby to remove her from the fight dramatically increases the odds of me winning the game.

While it's not the same exact scenario, there are both advantages and disadvantages between the two. For example, to remove Ibby, my entire squad needs to get behind her, so I have to maneuver to a specific location, whereas keeping the Phantom cloaked leaves it not shooting, regardless of where it is, so I can continue to fight all around it. Removing the phantom removes the largest threat from the game due to his 4 attack dice, Ibby only has 3, so she can't wreck as much havoc. But Ibby is close to a 100% ionization rate, whereas the Phantom is at best a 60% success.

They're still a hard counter, if for no other reason, it'll make the Phantom react to where the Y wing is, and decloaking away from the Y wing so it doesn't have to get ionized. Which also means the supporting squad will likely be attacking the Y wing as a primary target, so the Phantom can zoom in and mop up the remaining force. This changes the target prioritization, which means your heavy hitters are more likely to live longer and take out more of their squad.

I think the Phantom single-handedly will change the meta more than the other 3 ships combined. I expect the Defender will likely just take the spot of a ship in an elite 3 imp squad, likewise with the E wing, though that will more likely open up more 3 Rebel ship builds. The Z95 will likely become a new filler ship to squeeze a 5th/6th ship when you want to run cheap ships. But the phantom will sway the use to more YTs again, as well as my Y wings... and probably more interceptors since they'll be the only ship slippery enough to actually track down a phantom.

Did anyone else notice that the ships are PS6 and 7, meaning that even with VI, they won't exceed 9, and Soontir/Han can still shoot them before they cloak? That's obviously deliberate.

Well, there is one ship that is making the Ion Cannon a possible Cannon choice. Yes, Ions are scary on the Phantoms while cloaked, because it hurts them a whole lot more than other ships, because they lose their attacks. But, 3 Atk die vs 4 Def die, with a Focus, isn't exactly a sure thing. A good, nice risk.

Still, I look forward to having a Phantom w/Engine Modification Decloak in order to go 9 forward. SUPER SPEED. Or the 6 or 7 K-turn it can do.

Well, there is one ship that is making the Ion Cannon a possible Cannon choice. Yes, Ions are scary on the Phantoms while cloaked, because it hurts them a whole lot more than other ships, because they lose their attacks. But, 3 Atk die vs 4 Def die, with a Focus, isn't exactly a sure thing. A good, nice risk.

Still, I look forward to having a Phantom w/Engine Modification Decloak in order to go 9 forward. SUPER SPEED. Or the 6 or 7 K-turn it can do.

We don't need no stinkin' K turns... Echo decloaks for a 2 bank right, boosts for 1 bank right, maneuvers 1 turn right. Boom... K turn without the stress! (with a lateral and forward aspect)

First glace tells me that this ship is going to be a nightmare against anything with fixed forward fire arcs, but ships with turrets will have it's number.

It needs to decloak to shoot, at which point it is back to 2 evade dice. A Han Falcon will move last/shoot first, so could boost/roll out of it's firing arc and shoot back causing serious pain. Y Wings will likely take a few hits, but Ion Turrets will screw it over in return unless the Phantom stays at range 3.

Low pilot skill X-Wings, B-Wings, A-Wings etc could be in for a really bad day though.

I coining this list now!

"2 Academy Pilots"

Echo + Vet Int + Adv Cloaking + FCS (37)

"Whisper" + Vet Int + Adv Cloacking + FCS (39)

Academy Pilot x2 (24)

Yup, I realize that ions will have a difficult time hitting the ship, but for its cost, it'd be worth the shot. It'd also be worth a shot from a rookie or something first to strip any remaining tokens. Per your numbers, he would then have a 60% of getting the ion through. While still not that great, lets revisit what your two ships just accomplished:

1) you did a damage on a ship that only has 4 total health and is worth ~35+ points

2) you prevented said ship from shooting next turn

3) you prevented said ship from crazy maneuvers, making him much easier to line up a kill shot from another ship

4) you prevented said ship from shedding any stress he may have

Trust me, as someone who's been escorting B wings out of the fight since W3 hit, having a single Y continuously shoot at a 34 pt Ibby to remove her from the fight dramatically increases the odds of me winning the game.

While it's not the same exact scenario, there are both advantages and disadvantages between the two. For example, to remove Ibby, my entire squad needs to get behind her, so I have to maneuver to a specific location, whereas keeping the Phantom cloaked leaves it not shooting, regardless of where it is, so I can continue to fight all around it. Removing the phantom removes the largest threat from the game due to his 4 attack dice, Ibby only has 3, so she can't wreck as much havoc. But Ibby is close to a 100% ionization rate, whereas the Phantom is at best a 60% success.

They're still a hard counter, if for no other reason, it'll make the Phantom react to where the Y wing is, and decloaking away from the Y wing so it doesn't have to get ionized. Which also means the supporting squad will likely be attacking the Y wing as a primary target, so the Phantom can zoom in and mop up the remaining force. This changes the target prioritization, which means your heavy hitters are more likely to live longer and take out more of their squad.

I think the Phantom single-handedly will change the meta more than the other 3 ships combined. I expect the Defender will likely just take the spot of a ship in an elite 3 imp squad, likewise with the E wing, though that will more likely open up more 3 Rebel ship builds. The Z95 will likely become a new filler ship to squeeze a 5th/6th ship when you want to run cheap ships. But the phantom will sway the use to more YTs again, as well as my Y wings... and probably more interceptors since they'll be the only ship slippery enough to actually track down a phantom.

Did anyone else notice that the ships are PS6 and 7, meaning that even with VI, they won't exceed 9, and Soontir/Han can still shoot them before they cloak? That's obviously deliberate.

Ships with auto-hit abilities and ions could be very useful; the ion cards don't require damage to be done in the hit to activate. So Blount with ion pulse missiles could work, and ten numb to a crappy lesser degree. Autoblasters are probably not viable b/c phantoms are too slippy.

I think a lot of the "Look how awesome Echo is!" is going to fade quickly once people starting using him.

There's no "may" with the bank - you can't use the straight. While that does open up a massive number of moves for him, it also means that when combined with your dial, it's possible for your moves to go very badly if something ends up blocked. I think it's going to be a blast to fly, but also very hard. I think that's going to hold for the Phantom in general, but especially for Echo.

Overall, though, I like the looks of it a lot.

First glace tells me that this ship is going to be a nightmare against anything with fixed forward fire arcs, but ships with turrets will have it's number.

It needs to decloak to shoot, at which point it is back to 2 evade dice. A Han Falcon will move last/shoot first, so could boost/roll out of it's firing arc and shoot back causing serious pain. Y Wings will likely take a few hits, but Ion Turrets will screw it over in return unless the Phantom stays at range 3.

Low pilot skill X-Wings, B-Wings, A-Wings etc could be in for a really bad day though.

Although, another way to counter it with low pilot skill will be to just prevent the decloak. Against non-Echo Phantoms, it'll be relatively easy to block the 2 L/R, forcing him to go forward if he wants to decloak, which, if the rebels do it properly, will but the phantom in their arcs, but themselves out of his arc since they'd be behind him. Furthermore, if he wants to be cloaked, he would have to do that as his action since he doesn't have shots to use the Advanced Cloaking Device. Herm... the prospect of a Phantom just got a lot less daunting with that thought.

Of course, he could decloak forwards and do a K turn in order to shoot at the rebels, but then he'd have R3 shots, and would be stressed and unable to use ACD, and therefore unable to cloak, and then I could shoot him, and he'd then be predictable the following turn since he couldn't decloak, and he would have to do a green to get any action, that he'll need in order to live... Hmm... Bring 'em on, I'm no longer scared.

I think a lot of the "Look how awesome Echo is!" is going to fade quickly once people starting using him.

There's no "may" with the bank - you can't use the straight. While that does open up a massive number of moves for him, it also means that when combined with your dial, it's possible for your moves to go very badly if something ends up blocked. I think it's going to be a blast to fly, but also very hard. I think that's going to hold for the Phantom in general, but especially for Echo.

Overall, though, I like the looks of it a lot.

Whisper + VI = PS9. Leave some points on the table for initiative bid so you shoot first and gain your cloak back. Problem solved.

Whisper + VI = PS9. Leave some points on the table for initiative bid so you shoot first and gain your cloak back. Problem solved.

Wes w/ VI + R2A3 - Problem unsolved!

Blount with ion pulse is a good idea. Ten with ion is an interesting idea.

Autoblasters are never viable, against nothing. (1)

(1) Ten with EU and PTL is the only one who might consider an autoblaster.

Against non-Echo Phantoms, it'll be relatively easy to block the 2 L/R, forcing him to go forward if he wants to decloak, which, if the rebels do it properly, will but the phantom in their arcs, but themselves out of his arc since they'd be behind him

I'm not so sure about this. Covering both directions for the decloak is a BIG spread of space. That's a much more spread formation than many players are comfortable flying, and will take a lot of focused maneuver that has to disregard the rest of the Phantom's squad. Especially since the Phantom should rarely be flown in any sort of formation, I think this is going to be a lot harder than you're making it sound. Possible, yes, but hard. And maybe even a very bad idea when it is possible.

I thought you could only take one modification

How do you take both the accelerator and the cloak?

I think a lot of the "Look how awesome Echo is!" is going to fade quickly once people starting using him.

There's no "may" with the bank - you can't use the straight. While that does open up a massive number of moves for him, it also means that when combined with your dial, it's possible for your moves to go very badly if something ends up blocked. I think it's going to be a blast to fly, but also very hard. I think that's going to hold for the Phantom in general, but especially for Echo.

Overall, though, I like the looks of it a lot.

The bank is better than the Straight as far as avoiding collisions.

But it also means that when collisions do happen - and they will - the end result is going to be worse. There are many maneuvers that can leave you in the same basic posture (i.e. facing) if you have to abort to an ahead instead of a right, for instance. But if you have to abort to a left bank instead of a right, you're probably going to end up facing completely away from the battle.

I thought you could only take one modification

How do you take both the accelerator and the cloak?

Cloak is an inherent action for the Phantom. The Advanced Cloaking Device adds new toys, but you don't need it to cloak.

If you meant the Accelerator and the ACD, you don't take them both.

Echo is insane!!

Whisper + VI = PS9. Leave some points on the table for initiative bid so you shoot first and gain your cloak back. Problem solved.

Wes w/ VI + R2A3 - Problem unsolved!

That is a whole lot of pain for any TIE Phantom: lose a token and gain a stress!

Whisper + VI = PS9. Leave some points on the table for initiative bid so you shoot first and gain your cloak back. Problem solved.

Wes w/ VI + R2A3 - Problem unsolved!

That is a whole lot of pain for any TIE Phantom: lose a token and gain a stress!

Add flechette ...

I think a lot of the "Look how awesome Echo is!" is going to fade quickly once people starting using him.

There's no "may" with the bank - you can't use the straight. While that does open up a massive number of moves for him, it also means that when combined with your dial, it's possible for your moves to go very badly if something ends up blocked. I think it's going to be a blast to fly, but also very hard. I think that's going to hold for the Phantom in general, but especially for Echo.

Overall, though, I like the looks of it a lot.

The bank is better than the Straight as far as avoiding collisions.

But it also means that when collisions do happen - and they will - the end result is going to be worse. There are many maneuvers that can leave you in the same basic posture (i.e. facing) if you have to abort to an ahead instead of a right, for instance. But if you have to abort to a left bank instead of a right, you're probably going to end up facing completely away from the battle.

Whisper + VI = PS9. Leave some points on the table for initiative bid so you shoot first and gain your cloak back. Problem solved.

Wes can't remove a cloak token.

Am I correct that with a Phantom w/ Push the Limit and Advanced Sensors that is cloaked from a prior turn it can:

• Uncloak (roll 2 to the side)
• Use Advanced Sensors to take the cloak action
• Use Push the Limit to take a barrel roll action and a stress
• Uncloak a second time (roll 2 to the side again)
• Execute a green maneuver and end up with no stress

?

I also assume that the order of the third and fourth bullets (second uncloak and Push the Limit action) can't be flipped.

Am I correct that with a Phantom w/ Push the Limit and Advanced Sensors that is cloaked from a prior turn it can:

• Uncloak (roll 2 to the side)
• Use Advanced Sensors to take the cloak action
• Use Push the Limit to take a barrel roll action and a stress
• Uncloak a second time (roll 2 to the side again)
• Execute a green maneuver and end up with no stress

?

I also assume that the order of the third and fourth bullets (second uncloak and Push the Limit action) can't be flipped.