Okay. Looking to have a try flying some TIE advanced fighters.

(Mostly because they look cool, partly because everyone rags on them).

I accept that Advanceds - especially multiples of them -are at a disadvantage. Fine. But I want to do as well as I can with them.

I've had a quick try using three - Darth Vader , Maarek Stele and a Sto rm Squadron Pilot , all with Concussion Missiles and a handful of other upgrades - principally Veteran Instincts on Maarek Stele and Swarm Tactics on Darth Vader .

The theory of 3 PS 9 Concussion Missiles sounded good but didn't work terribly well in practice - the Storm Squadron Pilot had trouble getting a target lock (I was facing four Royal Guard Pilots with Push The Limit ) and had to settle for evading turn one, locking turn two and holding onto the target lock until the locked target wandered into arc of fire (as it later did).

On the other hand, Darth Vader's focused Concussion Missile was freaking lethal, blowing a TIE interceptor to crimson scrap metal in one shot, and the more I look at the dice, the more I'm convinced that's not just luck - a Concussion Missile with a focus token strikes me as really, really powerful.

Therefore, version two of the list: Drop the Concussion Missile on the Storm Squadron Pilot in favour of additional armour (Advanced do seem to be tough as old boots) and try to turn Maarek Stele into a second mini-Vader.

Darth Vader with Adrenaline Rush , Hull Upgrade and Concussion Missiles

Maarek Stele with Push The Limit , Hull Upgrade and Concussion Missiles

Storm Squadron Pilot with Hull Upgrade

Only three ships, but one PS9 and one PS7. Plus they're tough: I'll accept the risk of taking a critical hit on my third damage point of five specifically in exchange for the point saving, and Adrenaline Rush strikes me as very useful for Darth Vader - so much of his value is tied up in that double-action, that being able to keep it the turn he pulls a Koiogran strikes me as quite useful. One-point elite pilot talents are generally good ones, but let's be fair, how often is he going to get any value out of Veteran Instincts ? Wingman might be another good one, mitigating Stele's Push The Limit , but then I'd need to find another point somewhere.

The other idea was Maarek Stele and Darth Vader flying wing for a big ship. I saw Vorpal Sword's "Vader's Rifle Company" list (using a Bounty Hunter ) and it looks really good; the Firespray flys really well with the Advanced as both are pretty much reskinned X-wings. I'll have to give it a try:

Darth Vader with Concussion Missiles

Maarek Stele with Push The Limit and Concussion Missiles

Bounty Hunter

Any other 2 x advanced lists people can recommend?

I have been tracking the 2014 Regionals results. 4 weeks in, there hasn't been a single TIE Advanced make the final cut or reported top third, including Vader. You're never going to see TIE Advanced be competitive unless they add something like this (or you just house rule it):

Title (TIE Advanced only)

Cost: -1/0* (0 for Vader, -1 for all others)

Effect: This ship may equip a Fire Control System at no cost.

Where did the free FCS come from?

Not very fluffy IMO too. I'd just knock more points off it.

While it is far more expensive then it should be, Vader with EU and PtL makes for an evil and very hard to pin down flanker. And you use him, might as well give him a missile.

From a game mechanics perspective, it buffs the TIE Advanced damage without having to drastically drop its points. It keeps it as a similar level ship as the X-wing. It needs to cost about 3 points less to be competitive, 2 at a minimum. So you would be looking at a 18-19 point ship at PS2. That's the same cost or even less than the TIE Interceptor. Do you really want to make the TIE Advanced cheaper than the TIE Interceptor in order to make it useful?

Here's 2 legitimate fluff reasons:

1. It represents the improved targeting system that the TIE Advanced had over the standard TIE Fighter. Technically the TIE Advanced has Target Lock, but in this game everybody focuses almost every turn anyway, so FCS makes for a better in-game realization. Currently TIE Fighters and TIE Advanced have the same damage output. In fact the TIE Fighters are actually better because they get paired with Howlrunner.
2. The TIE Advanced was known for being proficient with Cluster Missiles. A Free FCS would buff Cluster Missiles and make it the preferred missile for this ship.

I would like to try this sometime:

Royal Guard, push the limit, shield upgrade x2

Tempest Squadron Pilot x2

I was actually planning to run it as my first tournament squadron but opted for something a little more reliable since that tournament happened to be Imdaar Alpha and I really wanted to win a ship.

I have been tracking the 2014 Regionals results. 4 weeks in, there hasn't been a single TIE Advanced make the final cut or reported top third, including Vader. You're never going to see TIE Advanced be competitive unless they add something like this (or you just house rule it):

Title (TIE Advanced only)

Cost: -1/0* (0 for Vader, -1 for all others)

Effect: This ship may equip a Fire Control System at no cost.

This is...actually a really good idea and the best Advanced fix I've seen to date. I've really got to try this out tonight and see how it works.

I have been tracking the 2014 Regionals results. 4 weeks in, there hasn't been a single TIE Advanced make the final cut or reported top third, including Vader. You're never going to see TIE Advanced be competitive unless they add something like this (or you just house rule it):

Title (TIE Advanced only)

Cost: -1/0* (0 for Vader, -1 for all others)

Effect: This ship may equip a Fire Control System at no cost.

This is...actually a really good idea and the best Advanced fix I've seen to date. I've really got to try this out tonight and see how it works.

Thanks. There was a 20+ page thread on "Fixing the TIE Advanced". This was the best we came up with. I honestly can't remember who had the idea for the FCS originally, I don't think it was me. I suggested making it cost -1 for everyone except Vader. I also ran the numbers on FCS + Cluster Missiles, and it makes them good but not game breakingly good. They become better than Concussion Missiles especially against low agility targets. It would make a nice paper-rock-scissors dynamic.

I saw a pretty good list where the guy had Expose on them. Also some people take outmaneuver and predator and do pretty well. The problem is they don't have the firepower. But those skills can help, and they have shields to take hits. Get a target lock, then expose.

I've seen that work pretty well.

Engine on Vader, all day long and twice on Sundays. This will dramatically increase his utility at all points of the game and in all circumstances. And yes, Concussion Missiles on Vader are pure explodey goodness.

Maarek Stele just doesn't throw enough dice to make his ability work. If you try to build around his crits, you will be disappointed. So, just build and play him as a tough TIE with an EPT. PTL with Concussion, Predator if you have it already, or the always useful Engine Upgrade.

The generic TIE/Advanced are just too bad to be useful. Pick a different ship or ships to support Vader or Stele.

what about this list, greettings

-Captain Jonus; Hull upgrade

-Tempest squadron pilot; Concussion missiles

-(Tempest squadron pilot; Cluster missiles) X2

Not two Adv, but one. I am fully planning on running this once I get a phantom (I placed 4th and got a z-95)

1 • Darth Vader - Engine Upgrade (33)
2 • Whisper - Veteran Instincts - Advanced Cloaking Device (37)
3 • Soontir Fel - Push The Limit (30)

This is funny to see this thread now.

I was just toying around with a Team Epic list with a mix of Bombers and Advanced. One for delivery of firepower, the other for being a better dog fighter after their missiles were away. I have yet to try it though, so I can't comment on it beyond pure speculation.

Now that the a-wing has a negative value card coming out that takes the missile slot, you can pretty much guarantee the advanced will as well. -2 points as well probably, but maybe -1 or -3 depending.

Maybe try this ? It's not all-Advanced, but I think mixed squads are stronger anyway; its very defensive, but in a friendly game I think it could work:

Darth Vader (29)

Daredevil (3)

Concussion Missiles (4)

Engine Upgrade (4)

Maarek Stele (27)

Opportunist (4)

Omicron Group Pilot (21)

Fire-Control System (2)

Gunner (5)

Total: 99

Now that the a-wing has a negative value card coming out that takes the missile slot, you can pretty much guarantee the advanced will as well. -2 points as well probably, but maybe -1 or -3 depending.

How do you think this will happen? IS FFG going to introduce something to try to fix the Advanced, or are they just going to let it be?

For my money (and I might be willing to cough it up), they would do a 'huge' "ship" in the form of a package that includes a TIE Advanced together with Death Star Turbolaser towers, maybe along with a Death Star tile set. Then include a Death Star Trench Battle-of-Yavin mission.

It would get us off their back (partially) for the Imperial huge ship and give them an opportunity to fix the Advanced.

They just aren't competitive enough with only 100 points. I've seen a friend of mine fly Vader with great success in epic games, but in a dogfight? Nope.
And Maarek Steele. Never, ever, ever. Ability is mediocre at best and she's quite expensive

Now that the a-wing has a negative value card coming out that takes the missile slot, you can pretty much guarantee the advanced will as well. -2 points as well probably, but maybe -1 or -3 depending.

If this were the solution they wanted, why would the Chardaan Refit be A-wing only?

How do you think this will happen? IS FFG going to introduce something to try to fix the Advanced, or are they just going to let it be?

For my money (and I might be willing to cough it up), they would do a 'huge' "ship" in the form of a package that includes a TIE Advanced together with Death Star Turbolaser towers, maybe along with a Death Star tile set. Then include a Death Star Trench Battle-of-Yavin mission.

It would get us off their back (partially) for the Imperial huge ship and give them an opportunity to fix the Advanced.

Why would they do this rather than simply introducing a Huge Imperial ship?

How do you think this will happen? IS FFG going to introduce something to try to fix the Advanced, or are they just going to let it be?

For my money (and I might be willing to cough it up), they would do a 'huge' "ship" in the form of a package that includes a TIE Advanced together with Death Star Turbolaser towers, maybe along with a Death Star tile set. Then include a Death Star Trench Battle-of-Yavin mission.

It would get us off their back (partially) for the Imperial huge ship and give them an opportunity to fix the Advanced.

My guess has always been that FFG will come out with a Y-Wing / TIE Advance pack similar to the Aces ones. These the two less popular front line fighters (so not counting the HWK), and this would - to me - be a more natural "Battle of Yavin" pack as neither one of these would probably sell well in a stand-alone "upgrade". Both the Y & Ad went back in to "In Production" status at the same time, very similar to what the B- and A-Wings did.

However, it's just a wild guess on my part. Who knows.

For my money (and I might be willing to cough it up), they would do a 'huge' "ship" in the form of a package that includes a TIE Advanced together with Death Star Turbolaser towers, maybe along with a Death Star tile set. Then include a Death Star Trench Battle-of-Yavin mission.

Why would they do this rather than simply introducing a Huge Imperial ship?

In short, because Imperial capital-scale ships tend to be too big.

I'd like to see a proper huge Imperial ship too. My favorite would be either the Tartan or the Lancer. However, those might have to be a little too big, and they're not all that recognizeable. So, they wouldn't make the money they're making on the Tantive IV. Beyond that, they'd have to either imagine something new, or draw from sources that are even less recognizable or they'd have to create something altogether new.

Sorry, I didn't mean to hijack the thread.

Go Advanced!!

Now that the a-wing has a negative value card coming out that takes the missile slot, you can pretty much guarantee the advanced will as well. -2 points as well probably, but maybe -1 or -3 depending.

If this were the solution they wanted, why would the Chardaan Refit be A-wing only?

How do you think this will happen? IS FFG going to introduce something to try to fix the Advanced, or are they just going to let it be?

For my money (and I might be willing to cough it up), they would do a 'huge' "ship" in the form of a package that includes a TIE Advanced together with Death Star Turbolaser towers, maybe along with a Death Star tile set. Then include a Death Star Trench Battle-of-Yavin mission.

It would get us off their back (partially) for the Imperial huge ship and give them an opportunity to fix the Advanced.

Why would they do this rather than simply introducing a Huge Imperial ship?

It could be that they want it to be a different value than -2 like I suggested. Or perhaps it would sound too weird having a card that says "A-Wing and Tie Advanced only". There's no card in the game that's for two different ship types only. If they keep it the same value they will just give it a different name that relates to the ship and have it be tie advanced only.

Considering there has been WAY more complaining about the cost of the advanced than the a-wing, I'd be extremely surprised if there isn't a point reduction value card eventually. I personally never thought they would do a negative value card, but rebel aces proved me wrong.

I always loved Vader + concussion missiles and swarm tactics. Add a Tie Interceptor Alpha right next to him, and that first strike is going to hurt.

Maarek Steele with opportunist might be interesting vs a capital ship, coming form the sides or the rear. The "slow" green banks allow you to stay at a very close range, getting rid of the stress which allows you to use opportunist again. If you score a single crit on the hull, the available choices might be worth it.

A list I was toying around with was Jonus + 3 Tempest's with Assault missiles. While it would probably make a swarm wet itself, and even might put the fear of the emperor into some of the 4x rebel builds... Tie Phantoms would eat it alive! 2 attack dice will NEVER get through 4 evades.

Back to the drawing board I suppose.

Why not just make the advanced fix -2 modification and gives it a system slot?

Also if you're gonna run vader give him the engine upgrade so he can get close and get more attack dice.

Maarek could use a little love too. Glad he has a place as a huge ship killer.

That phantom vader list actually looked pretty cool

Why not just make the advanced fix -2 modification and gives it a system slot?

1. Because just giving the ship a system slot doesn't help it any unless you spend even more points on it.
2. At 19 points it costs the same, adjusted for PS, as the TIE Interceptor.
3. You'll still take Vader over any other pilot, all the time.
4. Do we really want to see Advanced Sensors TIE Advanced?