I was thinking today about X-Wing stuff (as ya do), and specifically I was thinking about the Defender and its odd maneuver dial. Now, any fan of the Defender is likely to remember it from the games. Fast, extraordinarily agile and difficult to pin down. Though many people would say it is basically a much improved Interceptor with even stronger weapons and shields, it seems FFG chose not to reflect this in its dial, making it much less agile than it was in TIE Fighter. Then it hit me why they chose to do this.

Obsoleteness.

See, in this game it's pretty obvious that each ship on each faction has a role. Whether or not you find a ship or role useful is subjective, but in terms of game design each one fulfills some function or another in its own way. Whether you're talking about cheap and agile TIEs that only have punch in numbers, cumbersome Y-wings with predictable maneuvers that still manage to take all the pummelings anyway, alabaster support ships that have managed to secure a fandom of their own, or even the likes of the Firespray or YT-1300, no one ship can be said to be "exactly like the _____, but better." And this is why I feel they hampered the Defender in a turn fight. The interceptor is fast and agile, with high attack output and evasiveness. Its superior dial and destressing options open up one of the most far spanning array of possible end locations in the game. But if they'd chosen to give such a dial to the Defender as well, then truly Interceptors could be said to have been rendered obsolete. And I for one am glad they didn't chose to make one of my favorite ships in Star Wars into a museum piece. They managed to find a way to make the Defender into a maneuverable and devastating fighter while still allowing the Interceptor to retain what makes it great and unique.

Just something to think on the next time you may be wondering what they were thinking...

I dig it. Defender may have the clear advantage stats-wise,but can't nobody turn like the Baron and his entourage!

I dig it. Defender may have the clear advantage stats-wise,but can't nobody turn like the Baron and his entourage!

As I found out the other day while spending an hour and a half trying to shave the last 2 HP off of him. (did still kill him in the end, but it took forever).

This is the same reason I don't support introducing the Scimitar Assault Bomber, even though in my opinion it's one of the few worthy TIE variants remaining. I can think of nothing it can bring to the game that isn't already done by the much more iconic TIE Bomber.

I thinking costing comes into it too. The Defender is already very expensive, you can add Ion Cannons and Engine Upgrades to make it more like the PC version but that's a chunk more points.

I do like the idea that FFG has actually taken care not to make older models obsolete like certain other game companies that contain G and W

Tell that to the X-wing vs E-wing. I know, I know, the X-wing is much cheaper but they could've done the same thing with the Defender too, just make it an expensive Interceptor with upgrades to make it worth the extra cost. I'm not saying I wish they had or anything but just as an example that the differences in cost will usually render an "upgrade" from making another ship obsolete (assuming they continue to do a good job balancing).

Tell that to the X-wing vs E-wing.

3/2/3/2 is very different from 3/3/2/3 ... if they made the defender a super-interceptor that'd mean just adding 3 shields and a few upgrade slots. FFG did good with the Defender.

Tell that to the X-wing vs E-wing.

3/2/3/2 is very different from 3/3/2/3 ... if they made the defender a super-interceptor that'd mean just adding 3 shields and a few upgrade slots. FFG did good with the Defender.

Ya, it's a huge upgrade in almost every way, that's my point, it doesn't make the X-wing obsolete though because of the difference in cost.

Personally, I had hoped that the "unique" factor for the TIE Defender would be the addition of Beam Weapons.

Personally, I had hoped that the "unique" factor for the TIE Defender would be the addition of Beam Weapons.

You mean like a tractor beam or jamming beam? That would be interesting. Also, I wonder if they'll ever come up with something that allows a ship to take a System Upgrade. If they do, I hope they have a way to make it apply to only one kind of ship.

I thinking costing comes into it too. The Defender is already very expensive, you can add Ion Cannons and Engine Upgrades to make it more like the PC version but that's a chunk more points.

I do like the idea that FFG has actually taken care not to make older models obsolete like certain other game companies that contain G and W

Or W and K. Half of the ships they put out don't even fit any role, or quickly obsolesce as the game goes to PowerWarp .

I was initially put off by the red turns as well, but I'm going to try some use of wingman and see how that works out. Eager to experiment with this ship! That said, I'm still not sure how to fit something that expensive into a 100 pt. squad. Rexler vs. huge ships will be awesome though.

I was initially put off by the red turns as well, but I'm going to try some use of wingman and see how that works out. Eager to experiment with this ship! That said, I'm still not sure how to fit something that expensive into a 100 pt. squad. Rexler vs. huge ships will be awesome though.

2x Delta + Engine Upgrade

2x Black + Wingman

Wingmen can steal stress from Defenders on the Turns, and from each other on the Koiograns.

EUps give huge mobility hyjinx on the koiogran, and also allow the conversion of Banks into turns and/or wavy forwards.

Since I've just got the one to play around with now I'd thought of something similar, but with Vessery and VI, Tetran with Outmaneuver and a targeting computer, and two Black Squadrons with wingman, if people don't mind proxying that. I feel like that might actually make Tetran useful as well, since I hadn't yet come up with a good idea of how to use him.

I would have preferred white 2-turns and/or green 3-turns, as it is the defender really doesn't feel very maneuverable like it should. It was also a missed opportunity not to add some kind of new cannon upgrade that complemented the defender's intended role, whatever that might be

right now I'm looking at delta squadron with ion cannon or Rexler Brath with heavy laser and predator as my primary defender loadouts.

I think someone pointed it out in one of the earlier threads (can't remember who pointed it out), but the 3 turn followed by an inside barrel roll actually puts the Defender a little more inside and farther than a 1 hard turn. Pair that with Predator and it doesn't even feel like you are missing out on an action.