Need help with a wave 4, rebel, alpha-strike-focused list

By Harpsichord, in X-Wing

Posted at
I was messing around with escalation lists and came up with this 60-point starting point:
Release the Cracken! a.k.a Cracken's Hammer
Cracken + Cluster Missiles + Predator (26)
Tala Squadron + Concussion Missiles x2 (34)
I tried to create as brutal an alpha strike as possible with 60 points. The 2 actions Cracken hands out from cluster missiles allow the Talas to each fire their concs with focus. In total these three ships throw out 14 dice in one round. Not too shabby considering that they'd normally only get 6.
I'm not sure I'll ever play an escalation tourney (and if I do, it's HWKscalation all the way) but I think these three ships might form the nucleus of a decent 100-point list. If I drop predator (Cracken is probably dead round 1 anyway) that'd leave me with 43 more points. Some ideas I've been kicking around to fill it out, although I'm sure you guys can do better:
Cracken/Cluster
Tala/Conc x 2
Rookie
Blue Squadron
= 100 pts
Straightforward. 20 attack dice on the first round of combat, a respectable 12 after that. 25 hp. Cracken is almost certainly going to be dead round 1.
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Cracken/Cluster/DTF
Tala/Conc x 2
Bandit
Biggs/R2-D2
= 99 pts
Added the bandit for blocking and Biggs for obvious reasons. 19 dice on the alpha, 11 after. 21 hp. With Biggs, Cracken should survive a round or 2 of giving free actions. R2-F2 could trump D2 with those actions, I'd probably have to play with it to decide. I think this list is better than the first.
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Double swarm tactics could work well too, not sure how to fit it in though:
Cracken/Cluster/Swarm Tactics
Tala/Conc x 2
Corran/Swarm Tactics/Sensor Jammers
=100
Only 4 ships, very squishy with 17 hp. It is 17 dice at PS8 so hopefully some of the return fire will be mitigated. SJ on Corran because the alpha should strip off some focus tokens and he's vulnerable in formation.
Not sure how I feel about this list but really love the idea of an entirely PS8 alpha strike. I don't think that there's any other way to do it, really. Luke/Wes leave an awkward 10/11 points after taking swarm tactics. Porkins can take ST with room for another Tala but then his ability is meaningless.
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Cracken/Cluster
Tala/Conc x 2

Chewbacca

=99

This one is just a joke, kind of. I noticed he'd fit but can't tell if it would actually be any good.

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So, any ideas? Is this combo actually terrible and I'm wasting my time?

Posted at

Sounds good - the ability to hand out two free actions is nice. The counterargument is that since cluster missiles top out at range 2, you won't be able to launch at range 3 at full effect. This doesn't ruin the alpha strike idea but does make it harder to achieve; you'll want to accelerate from out of range into range 2, which is harder with a Z-95 than an A-wing or TIE Advanced.

Posted at

As Magnus mentioned, I'd avoid Clusters based on their shorter range. Homing or Concussion missiles will do a better alpha. I've been debating sending Cracken in without a missile and with Squad Leader, as that will let two other ships focus and target lock on the first round. Cracken also tends to go close to last, meaning both Tala move forward, the enemy move forward, and theres a better chance they got in to range for target locks. One Tala gets a lock with Squad Leader, and the other when Cracken, hopefully, fires.

Airen Cracken (19)
Squad Leader (2)
Tala Squadron Pilot (13)
Homing Missiles (5)
Tala Squadron Pilot (13)
Homing Missiles (5)
Rookie Pilot (21)
Rookie Pilot (21)
Total: 99
There is some wiggle room too. You could downgrade the Tala to Bandits, and also downgrade the Homers in to Concs. You could then upgrade to Tarn and a Red Squadron, or leave a Rookie and give Tarn an R7:

Airen Cracken (19)
Squad Leader (2)
Bandit Squadron Pilot (12)
Concussion Missiles (4)
Bandit Squadron Pilot (12)
Concussion Missiles (4)
Tarn Mison (23)
R7 Astromech (2)
Rookie Pilot (21)
Total: 99
Tarn should be a solid closer in this build. I'd have him keep his distance as much as possible until the late game, then have him close and clean up.
Edited by Damoel
Posted at

Instead of Homing Missiles or even Concussion missiles I'd go "Alpha Assault" using the splash missiles. You'll move up and Focus and then let Cracken pass out the TL's to fire them. With the Focus they should hit and then splash other nearby targets.

While Cluster Missiles can allow Cracken to give actions to multiple ships the range limitation on Clusters makes it a poor choice when you want to alpha at R3. Giving him Squad Leader lets someone else TL late and when he shoots with his primary he lets someone else TL as well. The only real issue becomes "does someone take out the missile carriers before they get to shoot?" Here you may want Biggs thrown into the mix.

Posted at

I don't get the obsession with cluster missiles on Cracken. I'd much rather just put SL on him. Now you can pass an action at PS8 (which is typically good enough) and then another in the combat phase, even at R3, and then he can CONTINUE to give 2 actions a turn instead of just one.

Posted at

When we're talking about an Alpha-Strike, it's hard to beat Assault Missiles.

The best a set of Cluster Missiles can do is 6 uncanceled damage.

The best a set of Assault Missiles can do is 11 uncanceled damage.

It forces your opponent to fly unlike how they would wish, or face the wrath of the hailstorm.