Two reasons, really - one is the aforementioned one dice less than a standard Ion Cannon attack. The second is that you actually need to hit with your primary weapon before you can fire it. I was considering making it range 1-2 as well, but thought that was a bit much.

I don't know; I'm still slightly favouring the systems version as it could potentially work with missiles as well - very thematic for the Gunboat - and the cannon version has synergy with the FCS.

Points values aside, both have flaws. I really don't thing the Gunboat should have access to the Mangler or HLC, but the cannon slot seems the easiest solution. It's perplexing.

The second is that you actually need to hit with your primary weapon before you can fire it.

You see that as a drawback, I don't see how it is.

It's a FREE 2nd attack if you hit with your primary attack. That's way better than having to sacrifice your primary attack entirely in order to use it like the standard Ion Cannon.

I like the concepts for that ion cannon attack, but it needs more limitations and/or higher cost. Otherwise you will see them like crazy with bwings.

If it's adding more than one damage, then it needs to cost more than the 3 point ion cannon.

If it's a second attack, it needs to also cost more than the ion cannon. It's doing a similar effect to btl ywings, but their title is free because you are sacrificing the ability to use your turret as an actual turret anymore. Also ywings only have a primary attack of 2, compared to 3 for pretty much all the cannon carrying ships.

I think might work best as a "super ion cannon" - cost 5 probably. Turn all crits to hits, and if 2+ hits get past evade dice and tokens, you can give 2 damage AND 2 ion tokens.

Why not instead it being a cannon upgrade with no attack value, nor range values, that says:

After you perform a primary weapon attack that hits, the defender receives 1 ion token, plus 1 extra ion token per (crit) result.

Seems a bit too powerful - with my version the defender still has the opportunity to evade the ion effects entirely, even if the primary weapon hits.

Sincerely, I don't see why. My proposed version is worse than a mangler (it doesn't improve your roll at all), and defenders can get range 3 extra dice. Also, two attacks are more prone to take advantage of synergies (tactician or fire control system, for example), and potentially remove more tokens, than just one attack, so the defender has more tools to completely negate the whole attack and the ion effects together.

Oh, and I would add an "Imperial only" clause to keep it from being used by B-Wings and Agressors.

Besides, it's a secondary weapon that "scales" to the firepower of the carrier. In an Assault gunboat, it would be an Attack 2 cannon. In a Firespray, Defender or Shuttle, it would be an Attack 3 cannon. Somehow, it feels right that it is better the more expensive the carrier is.

Also, to make it effective, you really should go to range 1 (at least with the Gunboat), that explains the low price. It is also thematic, as the Guboat should prey on slow ships with its ion canons (the ones it can easily get at range 1), instead of sniping far agile targets at range 3 with ions, that is totally against the lore...

For the TIE Defender, it costing 2 is okay, as the T/D is overpriced anyway.

For the Firespray, it would give imperial Firesprays an unique rear cannon attack not available anywhere else.

Is anyone really going to whine that the Shuttle shouldn't get a decent cannon for its limited use?

I'm sorry, but it definitely shouldn't be Imperial Only. Any ship with ion cannons could do it in X-Wing Alliance. Which is the only reason anyone even knows about it.

I'm sorry, but it definitely shouldn't be Imperial Only. Any ship with ion cannons could do it in X-Wing Alliance. Which is the only reason anyone even knows about it.

Well, you could also equip advanced missiles on X-Wings and B-Wings, or heavy bombs on A-Wings and TIE-Fighters in that game. That doesn't mean it should be mandatory to have missile-carrying X-Wing or bomb dropping A-Wings here. Many things are changed here for the sake of balance, and this would be one of them. Geez, even the very ion mechanic is totally different here than there.

In any case, I fear that this Fire-Linked Ion Cannon would become the only Ion cannon worth taking, totally replacing the old Ion Cannon. That cannot be allowed to happen. So I prefer leaving this like a more advanced sort of ion cannon, only at the reach of the Empire, while the other factions still use standard weaponry.

I'm sorry, but it definitely shouldn't be Imperial Only. Any ship with ion cannons could do it in X-Wing Alliance. Which is the only reason anyone even knows about it.

Yeah if the Y-wing can BTL-A4, then surely the Gunboat, Defender and B-wing can work similarly too.

OK, here is my unique Assault Gunboat. (I almost named him"Killer's Eyes" ^^)

So beautiful a ship...

And a Talon Squadron Pilot with improved image:

I've always loved the Lambda, even if it was a hulking space cow. It's been my favorite ship simply for the beauty of it. I never played any of the X-Wing/TIE Fighter games so I never knew about the XG-1. I think I have a new favorite ship. Please FFG for the love of all that it is holy add this ship to the game.

For what it's worth, the XG-1 Assault Gunboat was featured in FFG's "Fly Casual" sourcebook for Edge of the Empire, which was released earlier this year. Alongside a number of other ships which sound like they have potential for X-Wing...

Since I'm on vacation, here are two custom ship card based on the Star Wars: Rebels lore:

I also want to contribute a pilot! Inspired on the badass Bomber pilot from the TIE Fighter short film. I guess if she had to take a hypercapable ship, she'd take the Gunboat.

I don't think it should have the Boost command, because it's unlikely that the earlier model TIE Advanced v1 would have features that the later TIE Advanced x1 model would lack.

Since I'm on vacation, here are two custom ship card based on the Star Wars: Rebels lore:

I don't think it should have the Boost command, because it's unlikely that the earlier model TIE Advanced v1 would have features that the later TIE Advanced x1 model would lack.

Indeed.

I added it because the ship is know to be able to reach great speeds with the wing foils closed (this works similarly, but not as powerful as the SLAM). So, I will remove the boost.

Without Boost: I realized without Boost the ship would be just a downgrade TIE Advanced, so I removed the Barrel Roll instead.

Dang, now I realize. I was trying to made the ship unique and ended up making an Imperial A-Wing...

Can I "Stele" that pilot's name and ability?

Oh, and I want so badly one of those minis!

Haha, of course!

a: The Sigma Squadron callsign has already been used with the Phantoms - Maybe Rho or Mu Squadron instead?

b: The pilot skills are pretty high - I'd maybe reduce the generics to 2 and 4, with Xeal being 5 or 6 - Sas you sais, he was a cadet ans Steele's PS 7 himself, after all.

OK, here is my unique Assault Gunboat. (I almost named him"Killer's Eyes" ^^)

Your version seems a bit under-cost with all those upgrade slots for just a two point cost increase over the version I had, even with the downgrade of PS.

OK, here is my unique Assault Gunboat. (I almost named him"Killer's Eyes" ^^)

Your version seems a bit under-cost with all those upgrade slots for just a two point cost increase over the version I had, even with the downgrade of PS.

It's based on the Ships_Stats_formula_14_08_21.xlsx (the cost)

I realized without Boost the ship would be just a downgrade TIE Advanced

Given that it is, in fact, a more primitive model of TIE Advanced, would that fit perfectly?

I can see the v1 having boost instead of barrel roll. It needs to come with a 'tracking device' missile upgrade that places a 'tracking token' on the target that acts like a target lock for all friendly ships, and the token isn't spent. It would have to be a unique upgrade, and probably 5 points or so. Alternately it could prevent the target ship from using evade or focus tokens on defense...might be more palatable to FFG.

Did the v1 not have shields?

If the X1 didn't already have a 'fix' coming with the raider I would have loved to see an aces pack that included pilots and titles that turned he TIE Advanced into the v1 or Avenger, using the same model or, really cool, alternate models with all of them being TIE advanced. The new pilots would have to take the corresponding title for their ships, and the titles would add or subtract the relevant stats (adds one to attack for Avenger, for instance).

Do we really need cartoon detritus in a Gunboat thread?

BACK TO GUNBOATS

All I want is a ship that double-fires like the BTL-A4 Ion Y-Wing with some Missiles and a decent dial. I'd happily fly three alongside an Ace, and do my best to make it competitive.

BACK TO GUNBOATS

All I want is a ship that double-fires like the BTL-A4 Ion Y-Wing with some Missiles and a decent dial. I'd happily fly three alongside an Ace, and do my best to make it competitive.

Oh, that's a lovely image. Perfect for a Pilot card.

I'm going to have to get my photoshop on later on.