After looking both up on the VoidstateBuilder Determination does seem like the better option.
**** it all this talk is making me want to play!
If only there was an online equivalent.
Look up Vassal it has a healthy X-wing community
100pt advice for a newcomer
Oh and if it helps I am willing to use proxy cards, should please Chris
You can play online, there's a free program called Vassal that a lot of peolpe use. There are some video up on youtube you can check out it see if its for you, and how to instal it. Currently there's a big vassal tournament hosted by teamcovenant.com, with something like 130 players.
As for your TIEs, you should try putting Swarm Tactics on Howlrunner, it will let her give another pilot the same pilot skill (8) as her durring the combat phase. If you have two copies you could also give it to Mauler or a Black Squadron Pilot, then you can chain the effect. This way Howrunner attcking at 8, allows Mauler (or BSP) to attack at 8, who in turn allows your Adademy pilot to attack at 8, now you have 3 TIEs attacking before most you your opponents forces. You could also give it to Howlrunner and Mauler, who each pass the effect on to another ship, giving you 2 PS8 attacks and 2 PS7 attacks.
As for the interceptors and Backstabber, they are flankers, best used to attack from the side or rear while your main force has you opponent's attention. Interceptors work best with high pilot skill so they can position themselves once everyone else has moved, and Push The Limit is an amazing elite pilot talent for them. Alternately, you can mix a couple PS1 Alphas into a standard tie swarm.
I don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet, but Blocking is a really useful strategy for TIEs. Basically you use your Academy TIEs to fly into the space where you opponent's ships will end up, so that when he moves he will collide with you, his ships that collide wont be able to take actions, or attack the ships they're touching. With out Focus or Target Lock actions, his damage output will be reduced that turn.
A guy on Boardgamegeek called piqsid made a useful meneuvers strategy guide, it should help you a lot with formation flying, download it here http://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/87723/movement
Try the mixed list with 2 alpha interceptors. They provide a little more punch for not much more than a named tie and look cool! If your opponent goes for Howlrunner early he's ignoring them and the threat they pose. If he goes for them Howlrunner gets more milage than she should... these are the win win situations you want to create in this game.
Firstly, on anything but Corran and Han. just taking a focus is better than marksmanship usually... as the focus could be used on defense too. Also doesnt cost you 6 more points.
Watch the formation flying video. Focus fire.
When learning Interceptors and Defenders vs Ties, know that they FLY differently. so FLY differently. Don't just pop them into a list and fly the same way. Think about what they do best. Defenders like going fast and pass and turn. Interceptors like being at R3 and engaging 1v1 and not taking damage. Keeping out of arcs.
Also Push the Limit is an auto include on every Interceptor that can take it. Use it.
After looking both up on the VoidstateBuilder Determination does seem like the better option.
**** it all this talk is making me want to play!
If only there was an online equivalent.
Vassal is an online system on which you may play many Tabletop Games, including X-Wing.
Lots of information and tips to take in! Really appreciate the help.
I'm feeling confident for my battle with Ben tomorrow night now. I'll let you all know how it pans out. We all known plans don't survive first contact with the enemy.....
I'll be sticking with the TIEs until I win with them. I know the dial pretty well now and I probably won't be using Marksmanship!
I need to set things straight and get a win! Fingers crossed.
So then, this Vassal business. Is there a guide to setting it up and what to install? Seems like a maze of options at the moment.
Here's Mu0n's vassal guide
Lots of information and tips to take in! Really appreciate the help.
I'm feeling confident for my battle with Ben tomorrow night now. I'll let you all know how it pans out. We all known plans don't survive first contact with the enemy.....
I'll be sticking with the TIEs until I win with them. I know the dial pretty well now and I probably won't be using Marksmanship!
I need to set things straight and get a win! Fingers crossed.
So then, this Vassal business. Is there a guide to setting it up and what to install? Seems like a maze of options at the moment.
Do you have hull upgrade? You could put that on Howlrunner and someone else by taking off the marksmanship.
I guess elusiveness also works.
To make this fair how should I go about about beating Chris?
I've got 3 X's and 1 Y.
Pretty sure I know what to do with the Y(keep 2-turning and Ion the f**k out of everything) but the X's are so balanced I end up just getting stuck in whilst maybe trying to use one to flank.
The problem with Elusiveness is its ineffectiveness against a Focused opponent.
If you re-roll a Hit and they have a focus, you have a 5/8 chance of taking a stress for nothing, and a 1/8 chance of taking a chance to improve your opponent's roll.
If they're target-locked, that's a 3/8 chance on the first one, making it a 50/50 shot of them missing.
Well the thing is if its your last hull you don't care about taking a stress either you live (and have the stress) or are destroyed either way eluisiveness is worth using, and even downgrading a crit to a hit is probably worth the stress, its also important to know that if you make him reroll his die even with a target lock he can't reroll the reroll
Marksmanship is usually a terrible upgrade. Not sure this can be stressed enough. I'll say it NEVER belongs on a TIE Fighter.
It's probably been said but Hull Upgrade is in the Imperial Aces expansion. Believe that, along with the Firespray, were top two suggestions on what will allow the most improvements the fastest.
Without PtL or another "good" stress inducer your best Interceptor is Turr. Use him and a Howlrunner led mini-swarm and you could do pretty good. The "cheap" Interceptors may not be bad but for 36 points you could get 2 Alphas or 3 Academy Pilots; the Interceptors have Boost available and roll two 3 dice attack instead of three 2 dice attacks but otherwise the AP take more damage to bring down and see more use from Howlrunner.
Marksmanship is usually a terrible upgrade. Not sure this can be stressed enough. I'll say it NEVER belongs on a TIE Fighter.
It's probably been said but Hull Upgrade is in the Imperial Aces expansion. Believe that, along with the Firespray, were top two suggestions on what will allow the most improvements the fastest.
Without PtL or another "good" stress inducer your best Interceptor is Turr. Use him and a Howlrunner led mini-swarm and you could do pretty good. The "cheap" Interceptors may not be bad but for 36 points you could get 2 Alphas or 3 Academy Pilots; the Interceptors have Boost available and roll two 3 dice attack instead of three 2 dice attacks but otherwise the AP take more damage to bring down and see more use from Howlrunner.
Learning how to fly Biggs well is a good move for Rebel players. You want him to take the heat off your other ships, and split up their focused fire, but keeping just back enough that he's at range 3 of you opponent's ships, giving him the defense boost. R2-D2 can help keep Biggs in the game longer. Another trick is using Luke with R2-D2 and a shield upgrade. if your opponent doesn't kill Luke while most of his ships are still in play, Luke can be impossible to kill in the end game when you can't get enough hits in to overcome his shield regeneration.To make this fair how should I go about about beating Chris?
I've got 3 X's and 1 Y.
Pretty sure I know what to do with the Y(keep 2-turning and Ion the f**k out of everything) but the X's are so balanced I end up just getting stuck in whilst maybe trying to use one to flank.
Thanks for this!
Regarding the Y-wing, is Dutch a must or can I get away with a grey or gold squadron pilot?
I'll have to let you all know how it goes after now. The issue with having your opponent asking questions on the same thread..... **** you Ben!
Speaking of Ben, I wouldn't use Dutch if I were assembling your squad. Which I have been on the builder
Regarding the Y-wing, is Dutch a must or can I get away with a grey or gold squadron pilot?
It all depends on what you're going for. If you're playing Dutch because he can pass out a TL when he gets a TL then there is no substitution. If you're just looking for a tough ship to carry an Ion Turret on then it is easy to downgrade to a Grey or Gold. The Dutch's cost you're getting the higher PS and ability to help others TL so are those points worth it? That may be for you to decide.