Well, this was the last preview article, "Release the Wave!"

We're still several months away from Gen Con.

Umm, if the Transport and Corvette are any indication, they have their distribution chain under control now. I'm willing to bet we will see Wave 4 in June, early July.

Even if we assume that they're only a month behind like the huge ships, there's a possibility they might not want to release wave 4 that early. It wouldn't hurt FFG to pace themselves, especially if they're trying to establish a predictable yearly schedule. We'll have a better idea once the ships hit the boat, but that means we're still at least two months away.

Even if we assume that they're only a month behind like the huge ships, there's a possibility they might not want to release wave 4 that early. It wouldn't hurt FFG to pace themselves, especially if they're trying to establish a predictable yearly schedule. We'll have a better idea once the ships hit the boat, but that means we're still at least two months away.

I'm pretty comfortable predicting GenCon, as well--but maybe they'll want to get product out the door as soon as possible, though.

Stranger things have happened. We'll have to wait and see.

Yeah, they are still listed as Q2, so May through July. Wave 4 is not going to have a Gencon release. The Rebel Aces will certainly have a few ready at Gencon, though.

That's... very optimistic. I wouldn't expect to see RA until mid-winter, which would still be several months ahead of when IA was released.

Yes, CANNOT wait to use Echo.

Me either, but he does further illustrate what a bad call it was to charge Lorrir a penalty for using his special ability.

If you hit the phantom... is only luck, because it is not very probable...

Actually it is.

You have a 35% chance of landing one hit against a cloaked Phantom with 3 unmodified dice, if the phantom doesn't have a focus or evade token. You have a 12% chance to hit if it has one or the othet.

The odds go up quite a bit from there, if the attacker has a Focus or TL. So it's not like you're looking at a 1-1,000 shot here.

It's important to keep in mind that as long as it's cloaked, it can't shoot, so it's 4 attack dice might as well be 0.

As soon as it decloaks it becomes a lot easier to hit.

No one will use tie-phantom without Advanced cloacking device...

So it will never be 0 attack dices...

Exactly what I was thinking - you might as well just add 4 points to any Phantom. The cloaking device is just hard to use beyond the initial fly-by.

Yes, CANNOT wait to use Echo.

Me either, but he does further illustrate what a bad call it was to charge Lorrir a penalty for using his special ability.

Maybe FFG will update Lorrir ability and remove the stress. Seeing how he CAN'T take an EPT, it seems fair.

Yes, CANNOT wait to use Echo.

Me either, but he does further illustrate what a bad call it was to charge Lorrir a penalty for using his special ability.

Gotta disagree there, Lorrir pays a price sure but he also has the luxury of only needing to use his ability when he needs to. Since a curved barrel roll isn't always a good idea the option to not do it is useful. And honestly, with an interceptor''s dial who cares about a little bit of stress? if they did PTL wouldn't be considered an auto include on any EPT capable ones.

Echo's ability is awesome, but it also will occasionally limit the ships he can target on any given turn because his facing is going to be rather tricky coming out of a cloak.

No one will use tie-phantom without Advanced cloacking device...

So it will never be 0 attack dices...

Exactly what I was thinking - you might as well just add 4 points to any Phantom. The cloaking device (by itself) is just hard to use beyond the initial fly-by - and not worth not firing for multiple rounds. I rather take the chance of getting hit then pass on 4 dice shots, for multiple turns, with a third of my list.

The cloaking device is just hard to use beyond the initial fly-by.

That one use may suffice to get the points worth.

...you might as well just add 4 points to any Phantom. The cloaking device is just hard to use beyond the initial fly-by.

While I largely agree with you, a generic Phantom could possibly get some mileage out of that initial flyby, particularly if you can maneuver it into a flanking position where your opponent can't easily turn to get to it.

Advanced Cloaking Device is much, much less useful on low PS pilots. It won't be as ubiquitous as people think.

Yes, CANNOT wait to use Echo.

Me either, but he does further illustrate what a bad call it was to charge Lorrir a penalty for using his special ability.

Gotta disagree there, Lorrir pays a price sure but he also has the luxury of only needing to use his ability when he needs to. Since a curved barrel roll isn't always a good idea the option to not do it is useful. And honestly, with an interceptor''s dial who cares about a little bit of stress? if they did PTL wouldn't be considered an auto include on any EPT capable ones.

Echo's ability is awesome, but it also will occasionally limit the ships he can target on any given turn because his facing is going to be rather tricky coming out of a cloak.

I see your point about the option to use it or not, but Lorrir is the only pilot that has to pay a penalty for using his ability, and that ability isnt so impactful that it should have a cost outside his point-cost. Penatlies for equipment and ability cards, I get, but not for the pilot skill - thats just breaks the paradigm and is frankly not needed.

With regards to echo's ability - it does not strike me as a disadvantage but and advantage to use the 2bank. Remeber the penalty for coming uncloacked is a game mechanic based on the device, and not his ability. The mechanic was put in place to make the use of the device necessitate intention and planning on the part of the player, and to reward that planning while punishing unskilled use.

Whisper + Advanced Cloak + VI

Also make sure your list is only 99 points to guarantee initiative.

First turn he cloaks, then moves in for the kill. Every other turn he uncloaks, shoots at PS 9 and re-cloaks as well as getting a focus to use on defense.

Against every ship other than ones with VI you will need to roll against 4 dice with a focus.

Now this build isn't perfect. Every turn you don't have a shot, you need to make sure you re-cloak for your action.

Even worse if you have a collision you won't get any actions even free actions so you won't cloak even when you shoot.

But I think that Shooting early is going to be paramount with the Phantom, especially if you have advanced cloak

If you have advanced cloaking device you can decloak every turn.

Advanced Cloaking Device is much, much less useful on low PS pilots. It won't be as ubiquitous as people think.

Even at low PS you will get your cloaking in for free, which frees up up your action to do something else. But even more importantly you can shoot the turn you cloak.

That being said, I think at low PS people will prefer the Stygian Generator.

Advanced Cloaking Device is much, much less useful on low PS pilots.

Yeah at PS3, being able to cloak after you fire is a lot less useful then if you're PS7 or so.

But it does still offer the ability to cloak before Rookies or other PS2 and 1 ships fire, and it offers a free action.

If that's worth 4 points or not...

Advanced Cloaking Device is much, much less useful on low PS pilots. It won't be as ubiquitous as people think.

Even at low PS you will get your cloaking in for free, which frees up up your action to do something else. But even more importantly you can shoot the turn you cloak.

That being said, I think at low PS people will prefer the Stygian Generator.

You can shoot the turn you cloak, but you'll be very, very exposed.

Advanced Cloaking Device is much, much less useful on low PS pilots.

Yeah at PS3, being able to cloak after you fire is a lot less useful then if you're PS7 or so.

But it does still offer the ability to cloak before Rookies or other PS2 and 1 ships fire, and it offers a free action.

If that's worth 4 points or not...

On a low PS ship, probably not. Let's be real, if you're using a low PS Phantom, it's probably because you're strapped for points anyways. There will be better ways to upgrade a generic Phantom.

Advanced Cloaking Device is much, much less useful on low PS pilots.

Yeah at PS3, being able to cloak after you fire is a lot less useful then if you're PS7 or so.

But it does still offer the ability to cloak before Rookies or other PS2 and 1 ships fire, and it offers a free action.

If that's worth 4 points or not...

There a ton of ships with PS 1 - 3. I wouldn't say it is useless.

Can you imagine 3 advance cloaked Phantoms vs a TIE Swarm. 2 Attack Dice vs 4 agility, those TIEs are going to have real trouble even with mass with Howelrunner's help.

Howelrunner will be able to shoot, but she won't last long against 3 x 4 attack dice attacks.

Can you imagine 3 uncloaked Phantoms (since they won't be able to re-cloak until after they shoot) being subjected to the withering fire of Biggs with his usual compliment of Daggers?

Can you imagine 3 uncloaked Phantoms (since they won't be able to re-cloak until after they shoot) being subjected to the withering fire of Biggs with his usual compliment of Daggers?

I think that's why generic Phantoms have PS 3 and 5. They are supposed to have higher PS than the generic pilots on the other side.

Can you imagine 3 uncloaked Phantoms...

Shadow Squad would work well. 3 Shadow Squad w/ACD is 93 points, and still get to fire before Reds, Daggers, or Green's.