Wave 4 Report Card: Rebels
Headhunter
Bandit Squadron - A-
Giving the Academy Pilot a good run for it's money in the efficiency stakes, Bandits are a well rounded addition to any Rebel list and surprisingly hardy. 3-K turns and 2-bank greens make it actually faster than the X-Wing, and nearly as survivable, and its dial allows sustained combat at range 2-1 rather than the forced K-turn or banks often forced by the TIE dial. 2 Bandits may just be the new B-Wing, although weaker in the late game.
Tala Squadron B+
For 13 points and PS4, Tala is a great addition. However their current spot is hotly contested as players looking to minimise points on Z-95s will choose the cheaper Bandit, as multiple Talas eat into the equipment budget. For Epic play however, much better than the Bandit.
Lt. Blount B
Blount is great with Ion Pulse Missiles, although it's pretty much his only gimmick. It's a pretty good one though, setting up Falcons or Soontir/Phantoms for massive damage. He's definitely a hard counter to Phantoms, although PS is an issue. Assault Missiles I've found to be far too costly and their utility in a all-comers build is questionable.
Airen Cracken A
Cracken will be the go-to replacement for the Rookie Pilot in Wave 4; handing out a free action, PS8 and Swarm Tactics or Wingman for 21 points is worth far more than 1 more attack dice and 1 shield.
E-Wing
Knave Squadron B-
Knave Squadron is an odd one, and for 27 points a PS 1 ship is a risky proposition. For the same reason Alpha Squadron Interceptors aren't often seen, Knaves need to be able to outfly their opponent and this is difficult at PS1. E-Wings work best in conjunction with other ships that enable them to use their vast array of options available, but their low PS means Knaves will often have to spend their focus on defense, leaving their offence weak.
Bloodmoon Squadron B+
The workhorse E-Wing, most flexible for building squadrons around, with respectable PS and a vast array of options. E-Wings are surprisingly versatile even without taking any upgrades, as their shields make them extremely resilient compared to Interceptors.
E'Tahn Abaht A+
E'Tahn is definitely the most cost efficient E-Wing. For 32 points, he essentially gives your entire Squadron the EPT Marksmanship. In Epic games, his value is multiplied exponentially, but even in small games his power has a huge effect on your opponent, as the crits from everyone start to hurt in the midgame against Rebels and from the first engagement against Imperials. Extremely effective against large ship builds, E'Tahn provides your opponents a dilemma; attack the Agi 3 ship with focus or keep taking potentially crippling crits?
Corran Horn B
Corran is now probably the most difficult Rebel ship to fly effectively. He has massive tempo issues with using his ability, as accurately predicting when you use it takes lots of experience- losing the following turns' shot is a large penalty, you soon find out. To get any performance out of him you also need to kit him out at least with FCS, and his base cost of 35 automatically makes him quite uncompetitive. R2-D2 on him however is quite trollface when fully kitted out- imagine Soontir Fel who can regen hitpoints while running away, then hit you with a double attack on the turn he comes in for the attack. Probably the strongest ship in the lategame when equipped for it, but the prohibitive cost of that means he won't be seen much competitively.