I used to play FFG's game of thrones card game back when it was 'collectable'

One thing FFG made clear in the first installments of the game is they didn't want a game where common cards were crap and rare cards were always ultrapowerful. They purposely made some very good common cards in every set. They tried to make each rare card good and a couple every set VERY GOOD, but were very careful to not make them overpowered.

I think FFG may be taking this same stance with named pilots, designing a game and units within the game so there is no compelling reason to take named versions all the time.

And also remember, if FFG knows that pilot ability X + add-on card A + add-on card B is VERY POWERFUL, they are going to put a point cost on that pilot based on his "highest and best use" (to steal a real estate term)

I suspect that someone drawn to taking named versions of ships just because they are named versions may be handicapping themselves, especially if the aren't putting that pilot in his or her highest and best use.

Maybe try the game using at most 1 named character and filling the rest of the ranks with the bottom tier or 2nd tier pilot skill versions of ships.

This may have already been covered, but you have to remain flexible because you never know what will be deployed across from you. You may have a great plan to fly a particular pattern or go aggressive or defensive buy you have to be perfectly willing and comfortable with throwing that plan right out the airlock if it won't get you the win or at least make for a satisfying game.

Example; I love flying Fel with PTL, Royal Guard title with Targeting computer and Stealth Device. Most games I've played recently I've been able to charge him ahead full steam, sometimes with a Royal Guard wingman, take his stress like a champ to boost+barrel roll and the next turn I circle him around right behind the enemy formation and play chase until they are all vaped. He might have been shot at once or twice each game. Those were against B-Wing heavy lists with a y-wing on one and a A-wing and HWK on another. My plan was very aggressive, fly Fel and his buddy up the edge far from the opponent and flank them before they can get turned around to shoot back. ALL of Fel's shots were made at range 1 in those games with a TL and a focus. Against those ships that plan works magic but if I was facing down Han Solo or a bunch of y-wings with Ion turrets I would have to rethink my strategy, perhaps fly more defensively to stay at range 3, take Evade actions instead of TLs or Barrel Rolls, etc.

Be prepared to break up your formations and fly differently depending on what you are facing. Don't be rigid in your tactics, flow with the fight.

One thing FFG made clear in the first installments of the game is they didn't want a game where common cards were crap and rare cards were always ultrapowerful. They purposely made some very good common cards in every set. They tried to make each rare card good and a couple every set VERY GOOD, but were very careful to not make them overpowered.

I think FFG may be taking this same stance with named pilots, designing a game and units within the game so there is no compelling reason to take named versions all the time.

Also it doesn't feel like I'm being bilked for my money.

I don't like game worlds or fictional universes that pose heroes as having capabilities that are astronomically superior to the average ly skilled person.

Like Jedi or Sith?

I don't like game worlds or fictional universes that pose heroes as having capabilities that are astronomically superior to the average ly skilled person.

Like Jedi or Sith?

Facepalm.

Most games are won or lost based on dice mitigation and/or maneuvering. If you maneuver so your enemy is in arc, but you are not in theirs, you get a shot on them and they don't. If you can reroll dice or use a focus on your dice that turns out to be better than the extra dice of an EPT.

Practice flying around asteroids so you get a feel for your ships maneuvers and build a squad that nets you rerolls or focus token passing.

Most games are won or lost based on dice mitigation and/or maneuvering.

Interesting. I would add dice multiplication under the mitigation category. Unless you really believe that your dice hate you, having more of them should have their effect revert to the mean.

ie. Go Academy TIE swarms!!

I'm gonna throw my 2 cents in here not that i am the end all of x-wing knowledge but i have a few tips they may help.

1. Always assume gambling in this game is going to not go your way. Every time you roll the dice it's a gamble, so you want to do as much as you can to increase the odds in your favor such as focus or target locking. Always put yourself at the advantage. This way when the cruel dice gods curse you as much as me you have something to fall back on. My worse losses came from when the play i wanted to make would hinge on a stupid gamble. So again always assume it will go bad and plan accordingly. My main list is Kyle, Garven, Dutch. I made it to the top 16 at regionals and if i had a few more minutes would have made top 8. Why can this list work because it hands out TL's and Focus like a creepy old man hands out candy from his white unmarked van, which boost the rolls in my favor.

2. Fly obstacle courses. Once you find a general list you like practice formation flying and being able to go around asteroids. I have a 3x3 mat and 3 sets of asteroids what I do is just toss the asteroids there and practice flying around them. This can give you such an edge if you can weave in and out of tight spots with out landing on asteroids or bumping other ships.

3. Asteroid placement. I'm not an expert on asteroid placement but I generally know what needs what to fly well. Large ships want wide open spaces. If you opponent is bring 2 falcons make an area hard to fly through for them and make him engage you there. Knowing how to fly your squad makes this way easier. I'm confidant in being to fly an x,y,and hwk through any asteroid field.

4. If you don't think you're gonna make it chances are you're right. When setting your dial if you hear that little voice going idk if that will clear the asteroid then by all means don't try. Listen to your instincts and don't gamble on it. Like Obi-wan said trust your feelings.

5. Be unpredictable. When I'm at my dials I'll usually have a clear idea of what I want to do. Then I ask myself am I doing it because it seems the obvious logical choice? If so and it looks like my opponents ships are higher ps or will have the positioning advantage I then think what would be the dumbest thing I could do? Now I don't mean dumbest like let me fly into this asteroid or fly into range 1 of a PTL wedge with TL and focus but something I wouldn't normally consider. Maybe that means I give up a round of shooting by zooming straight past my opponent (which isn't a problem cause i fly 2 turreted ships) or maybe I ram his Chewie so it can save me being from him but I get good shots on Lando. Sometimes doing what isn't the obvious logical move pays off the most.

I understand where you're coming from. Early on, I could not pilot worth anything. I was bumping into EVERYTHING that flies. As I played more games ("friendly" and competitive [tournaments]), and took piloting advice from friends, I get better. I'm still learning the game.

I found these tips on YouTube from X-wing Strategy Tips . Tips from flying in formation (which I had trouble with early on) to optimal asteroid placement. I learned better ship placement -- it is adviseable not to place your ships in the center of your starting area. Rather, set up on the corner.

Good luck.

Most games are won or lost based on dice mitigation and/or maneuvering.

Interesting. I would add dice multiplication under the mitigation category. Unless you really believe that your dice hate you, having more of them should have their effect revert to the mean.

ie. Go Academy TIE swarms!!

A swarm works by averaging your dice. Some will be good, some will be bad, most will be ok. Add in Howl and you get more towards the good side of the spectrum because she allows a reroll of one die for everyone in range.

What I was saying is that an unmodified (so no TL or Focus) 4 dice shot is worse, odds-wise, than a 3 dice TL and Focused attack. You have really good odds at getting 3 hits with a build that works in some dice modification. That is why Garven and Dutch show up in squads, as well as Lando. Soon it will be Cracken in the Z-95 that will start to be the regular build for the Rebels.

Howl and Jonus are the go-to squad dice modifiers for the Empire. As far as dice modification go, Rebels have it better.

Also, the two sides have very different styles of play. Rebels is team orientated, while Empire is overwhelm by numbers and solo cool pilots. Making builds that fall away from these styles and your squad risks being understated on the field.

Played my first game as a rebel the other day, xxbb. I used Biggs, 2 Daggers and a rookie X. Compared to my usual imperial lists it was very forgiving. B wings are tanks compared to tie's so, like stated earlier, get those target locks and do some damage. I had FCS on one and that helped, allowing a focus once I had the free TL.

Go on.....

.......you know you want to

This has been great advice everyone. I will post some ideas for squads in a bit to practice with.

With what I have I am considering making some XXYY lists. Good idea or bad?

I think I will try and work a good pilot or two in....that are cost effective enough.

Thanks again!

xxyy can be a solid list!

This has been great advice everyone. I will post some ideas for squads in a bit to practice with.

With what I have I am considering making some XXYY lists. Good idea or bad?

I think I will try and work a good pilot or two in....that are cost effective enough.

Thanks again!

Maybe try some of the Dutch/Garven combos. (Dutch with Ion, Garven, 2 Red Xs, or something like that). You get some named pilots, very good dice manipulation tricks, PS balance to help learn to fly it.

Another version that could be trickier to learn (because it has 3 ships), but has more spice as every ship has something unique/special is: Dutch with Ion, Garven, Tarn, Green with Opportunist. Pilot skills still match, but the A flies different & you need to get Tarn from the Rebel Transport.

If you listen to Kinetic Operator you will get the most out of this thread.

I just want to say that for dice blamers... most of the time you hear about green dice failing you. And that's the way it should be. Green dice are much harder to roll than red.

ROLL RED. STAY THIRSTY FRIENDS.

I just want to say that for dice blamers... most of the time you hear about green dice failing you. And that's the way it should be. Green dice are much harder to roll than red.

ROLL RED. STAY THIRSTY FRIENDS.

Often when I feel like I have rolled poorly with my greens on vassal, when I check Sozin's lady luck with the log; it's shows I rolled the expected amount.

Don't trust greens! Or better yet, got a big defense roll? Save that focus.

So how does this look for a new fleet?

Garven

R4 D6

27

Tarn Mison

R3 A2

25

Gold Squad

ICT

R2

24

Gold squad

ICT

R2

24

Try it without the upgrades and just the pilot synergy to start. The droids will add weird abilities and the list will function a little better without them.

Garven

Tarn

Dutch with ion

Gold with ion

You also have the option of dropping down Tarn and taking a rookie x-wing and then putting 2 R2 droids on the x-wings.

OR

Garven

Dutch with ion

Blue Squad with ion cannon

rookie x-wing

This second list gives you a different tactical play than the first. You can ion at range 3 (with the B-wing) but you have more punch over 2 Y's with the B giving you 3 ships with 3 attack dice. You lose one turret but gain more firepower.

Give them both a spin and see how it goes.

I just want to say that for dice blamers... most of the time you hear about green dice failing you. And that's the way it should be. Green dice are much harder to roll than red.

ROLL RED. STAY THIRSTY FRIENDS.

Blail...in response to what you say...that don't quite help in this situation:

X-Wing (Me) VS Interceptor (My friend)

X-Wing attacks first at range 2.

result: (Blank, Blank, Hit)

Interceptor defense roll: (Evade, Evade, Blank)

fair enough.

Inteceptor counter attack at range 2.

result: (Crit, Crit, Crit)

X-wing defense roll: (Blank, Blank, Blank)

"Are you ****ing kidding me!" was the response I actually did say aloud. My rolls in that game were awful on both attack and defence needless to say I lost that game. So when I complain that the dice were against me that night, I don't think its unreasonable to say that given how bad the dice rolls were actually going for me.

Blail...in response to what you say...that don't quite help in this situation:

X-Wing (Me) VS Interceptor (My friend)

X-Wing attacks first at range 2.

result: (Blank, Blank, Hit)

Interceptor defense roll: (Evade, Evade, Blank)

fair enough.

Inteceptor counter attack at range 2.

result: (Crit, Crit, Crit)

X-wing defense roll: (Blank, Blank, Blank)

"Are you ****ing kidding me!" was the response I actually did say aloud. My rolls in that game were awful on both attack and defence needless to say I lost that game. So when I complain that the dice were against me that night, I don't think its unreasonable to say that given how bad the dice rolls were actually going for me.

This may have already been covered, but you have to remain flexible because you never know what will be deployed across from you. You may have a great plan to fly a particular pattern or go aggressive or defensive buy you have to be perfectly willing and comfortable with throwing that plan right out the airlock if it won't get you the win or at least make for a satisfying game.

Example; I love flying Fel with PTL, Royal Guard title with Targeting computer and Stealth Device. Most games I've played recently I've been able to charge him ahead full steam, sometimes with a Royal Guard wingman, take his stress like a champ to boost+barrel roll and the next turn I circle him around right behind the enemy formation and play chase until they are all vaped. He might have been shot at once or twice each game. Those were against B-Wing heavy lists with a y-wing on one and a A-wing and HWK on another. My plan was very aggressive, fly Fel and his buddy up the edge far from the opponent and flank them before they can get turned around to shoot back. ALL of Fel's shots were made at range 1 in those games with a TL and a focus. Against those ships that plan works magic but if I was facing down Han Solo or a bunch of y-wings with Ion turrets I would have to rethink my strategy, perhaps fly more defensively to stay at range 3, take Evade actions instead of TLs or Barrel Rolls, etc.

Be prepared to break up your formations and fly differently depending on what you are facing. Don't be rigid in your tactics, flow with the fight.

You nailed it right there! I am an interceptor pilot myself and run High risk / High reward builds with them. And so far it favors me and I think that most of the time, the force is on my side for rolling dice

One thing you need to know really well is the maneuver of all the ships and second the strength and weakness of your ships too. Myself I prefer for the Interceptor running Elite pilots, they are much better I found than the no name ones.

Just to give you an idea of one of me high risk / high reward build is: Rhymer + apt x2 + PTL / Fell + Stealth + PTL / Phennir + VI. Extremely high risk, but I can easily knock out an X-Wing everytime Rhymer shoots his APT. And the beauty is that it can shoot them at range 2.

Last game I am facing 4 X-Wing (Luke, Jek, 2 Rookies)

The 2nd turn I took at range 2 one critical that cancels Rhymer ability (the worst critical ever for this build) On top I roll 3 times 2 blank for evade dice and lost 46 points on second turn! Rhymer not able to do his magic. I was pissed at first about my extremely bad evade rolls and was about to quit... And forfeit the game right away...

Instead I told myself: " You have two Elite Interceptor, that can easily out maneuver the X-Wing.. You are going to win this!"

Well I did! The X-Wing are better flown in formation and the Interceptor, with PTL or with the additional barrel roll or boost of Phennir, help you stay out of the way, and you can and should split them to create headache to the X-Wing pilot. When you read your opponent well, knows the enemy ship dials and think: "If I was him with my 4 X-Wing against his 2 Interceptor, what would I do?"

Then again against a build with a Falcon or Y wing or HWK with turrets, I would try to fly at range 3 most of the time and take focus, focus, evade so that Fell would roll 5 dice and I have always 3 against his agility 1 or 2 ships with turrets... I will not close in, it will favor him for shooting his turrets and giving him more dices against my shield less interceptors. Also never underestimate the strength of an Interceptor that can do a 5 straight, boost shoot you at range 1 with 4 dices and then barrel roll of the firing arc.

I have much success with Elite Interceptor build.

-Know your ships strength and weakness

-Know all the ships dials

-Put yourself in your opponent shoesP

You should honestly be able to have. 500 ratio.

Simple solution.

EBAY bro!

Sell it all.

I just want to say that for dice blamers... most of the time you hear about green dice failing you. And that's the way it should be. Green dice are much harder to roll than red.

ROLL RED. STAY THIRSTY FRIENDS.

You know the green dice have more blanks on them, right?