Focus, Focus, Focus! (3 ship imperial)

By KillingTime, in X-Wing

With wave 4 almost through the door and some of the new cards announced for wave 5 I got excited about a possible 3 ship Imperial build.

Whisper - Fleet Officer; Advanced Cloaking Device; VI

Rexler Brath - Outmanouever

Howlrunner - Wingman

Whisper dishes out focus to Rexler for critting and helps to keep Howl in the fight.

Howl removes stress from Whisper and buffs his shooting (could run this cheaper with a Black Squadron pilot and get a stealth device on him as well, would also give the squadron a 99pt initiative bid...)

Rexler wrecks face.

Thoughts?

Edited by KillingTime

I'm pretty sure you will have a tough time keeping them within the required range for everything to happen according to plan.

Also, if you face an enemy with PS8+ Whisper may end up being dead before the fun starts so it could be key to find a point for adding VI.

I would ditch Howlie... And I favor Predator on Rexler anyway :)

I'ts nice, but i think the difficult is to fly them in formation. How can you manage that?

Fleet officer is Range 1-2 so that's less of an issue than wingman, but I agree this will require some very delicate formation flying.

Also, Whisper has VI. OP ammended.

And yes, I think a black squadron pilot over howlie is probably more efficient.

I am disappointed this wasn't a Tri-Lambda list with Fleet officers, Fire Control Systems and HLC's.

I am disappointed this wasn't a Tri-Lambda list with Fleet officers, Fire Control Systems and HLC's.

*considers idea* ....Mother of God!

I am disappointed this wasn't a Tri-Lambda list with Fleet officers, Fire Control Systems and HLC's.

*considers idea* ....Mother of God!

I'd much rather have Advanced Sensors on a ship with Fleet Officer.

Stress yourself, then perform the green maneuver to clear that stress... bliss :)

I'm not a fan of the proposed list from the OP because of the mentioned issues as the above posters have said. However the 3 Shuttle list with Fleet Officer could be one hard hitting squad. Here is one look at a possible build of the Grazing Cows

Captain Yorr + Heavy Laser Cannon (31)

Omicron Group Pilot + Advanced Sensors + Heavy Laser Cannon + Fleet Officer (34)

Omicron Group Pilot + Advanced Sensors + Heavy Laser Cannon + Fleet Officer (34)

This comes in at 99 pts and Yorr keeps the OGP's flying stress free.

Guys, if you could keep your comments to the original list I'd be grateful. Critisize it to your heart's content, but replacing it ship for ship with 3 shuttles is just rude.

I've got zero interest in running a 3 shuttle build as it would be, to put it mildly, as boring as hell. If I'd wanted to run 3 shuttles I'd have posted 3 shuttles.

If you want to discuss 3 shuttle builds then by all means - start your own thread.

With wave 4 almost through the door and some of the new cards announced for wave 5 I got excited about a possible 3 ship Imperial build.

Whisper - Fleet Officer; Advanced Cloaking Device; VI

Rexler Brath - Outmanouever

Howlrunner - Wingman

Whisper dishes out focus to Rexler for critting and helps to keep Howl in the fight.

Howl removes stress from Whisper and buffs his shooting (could run this cheaper with a Black Squadron pilot and get a stealth device on him as well, would also give the squadron a 99pt initiative bid...)

Rexler wrecks face.

Thoughts?

Guys, if you could keep your comments to the original list I'd be grateful. Critisize it to your heart's content, but replacing it ship for ship with 3 shuttles is just rude.

I've got zero interest in running a 3 shuttle build as it would be, to put it mildly, as boring as hell. If I'd wanted to run 3 shuttles I'd have posted 3 shuttles.

If you want to discuss 3 shuttle builds then by all means - start your own thread.

ok, on your list. Howlrunner seems to be really out of place here. She has two different effects that require her to be at range of her teammates. This is not a problem with keeping up with the defender and with Wingman on her makes it so the defender ca turn stress free. That is 20pts of your squad to have a stress free turning Defender who gets to reroll on dice. Remember Howlrunner does not get her own effect. You have taken 3 ships and only 2 can really cause damage. If you try to fly whisper (who is the only good offensive ship in your fleet) with Howlrunner , you will be hanging the Phantom out to dry as it will get picked off quick. Your entire squad consist of only 13 hits to take it out the equivalent of a named YT-1300. It does have some synergy with Fleet Officer and Rexler giving the best chance to use Rexler's ability. You may only get to use that ability twice at best in any match. your EDO (expected Damage Output) for this squad is against a 3 agility ship is between 2.07 and 4.59 average that to 3.33. Against a 2 Agility ship it's between 4.18 and 5.54 averaged out to 4.86. Those number are assuming you are keep that fleet together for max benefit. you have a good chance to take out an X-wing or Tie fighter but are now left with the rest of that squad focusing down you Whisper since you hung it out to dry. Once you loose the only real threat to your squad your toast.

You're going to be stressing whisper every turn? That seems unwise.

Fleet Officer should be used on ships that don' mind the stress. Say, Shuttles with Advanced Sensors. Or Decimators and their green 2 banks turret shenanigans.

Exactly, it doesn't work because you can't cloak "Whisper" if he's stressed by the Fleet Officer !

You're going to be stressing whisper every turn? That seems unwise.

Fleet Officer should be used on ships that don' mind the stress. Say, Shuttles with Advanced Sensors. Or Decimators and their green 2 banks turret shenanigans.

I agree, once Howlrunner goes down, and I would target her first, the TO of Whisper would be more of a burden then it would help. You don't want to stress a phantom. A phantom thats predictable is a dead phantom. Now if Howlrunner survives the first engagement, you might be in pretty good shape. It would be too much of a gamble though.

I think a BH w/ TO would be a better fit.

I don't get Outmanuever on Brath either. I rather take Predator. When I lose Howlrunner, I still get to use a reroll, but with Predator you don't really need Howlrunner at all...

Edited by Jo Jo

Never stress a phantom on purpose especially one with ACD, then its a dead phantom

Whisper - Fleet Officer; Advanced Cloaking Device; VI

Rexler Brath - Outmanouever

Howlrunner - Wingman

Whisper dishes out focus to Rexler for critting and helps to keep Howl in the fight.

Howl removes stress from Whisper and buffs his shooting (could run this cheaper with a Black Squadron pilot and get a stealth device on him as well, would also give the squadron a 99pt initiative bid...)

Rexler wrecks face.

Thoughts?

Most of these points have been hit before, but here goes:

  1. These three ships maneuver very differently.
  2. You don't have a good option with Whisper. If you fly at range 1 to Howlrunner, I know where you are going to be, and I can kill you. If you fly at range 2 to Howlrunner and Rexler, your Fleet Officer will stress you before you can clak; I know where you are going to be, and I can kill you. If you fly beyond range 2 of your other ships, you wasted the points on Fleet Officer. I think Fleet Officer is generally going to be a very bad decision on a Phantom.
  3. I think Fleet Officer is going to be a very good decision with Rexler.
  4. I think Wingman on a TIE fighter is going to be great for Defenders.
  5. You misspelled "Outmaneuver."
  6. I would lose Fleet Officer and swap Rexler's EPT for Predator. Take focus as your action, modify your attack with Predator and Howlrunner, and use the focus for the pilot ability. You have three points left over. Howlrunner hopefully draws fire off of Rexler to keep your big guns in the game longer.

Thanks for some good thoughts.

Howlrunner is primarily for wingman rather than her re-roll, and this to get the stress off Whisper so she can continue to hand out focus via fleet officer.

Would the Black Squadron pilot be a better option? This way I can afford a stealth device on the TIE to keep it alive and also make it a smaller target. 4 agility + focus + evade is a pretty difficult target.

Also has the advantage of giving it the 1pt initiative bid.

5. You misspelled "Outmaneuver."

Actually... FFG have misspelled it.

I'm just putting the universe right again.

Thanks for some good thoughts.

Howlrunner is primarily for wingman rather than her re-roll, and this to get the stress off Whisper so she can continue to hand out focus via fleet officer.

Would the Black Squadron pilot be a better option? This way I can afford a stealth device on the TIE to keep it alive and also make it a smaller target. 4 agility + focus + evade is a pretty difficult target.

Also has the advantage of giving it the 1pt initiative bid.

Maybe give it a hull or shield?

Edited by Frazio

Sorry, double post

Edited by Frazio

so I have to ask, at what level are you planning on playing this list?

1) Kitchen Table

2) FLGS tournament

3) Vassal

4) Regionals

5) National

As much as I hate to say it I think if you want ot use fleet officer so you can give brath a focus you should drop the phantom and go with a bounty hunter.

Also I would probably drop howlrunner down to a bsp.

I like outmaneuver alot I'd keep it where it is, or if you use a named firespray give it to that pilot.

Edited by Tanarri

so I have to ask, at what level are you planning on playing this list?

1) Kitchen Table

2) FLGS tournament

3) Vassal

4) Regionals

5) National

Mostly kitchen table with a few small tournament events thrown in for lols.

I think it's a bad list, for all of the reasons that have been brought up already.

When you revise, you need to decide if this is a Phantom list or a Brath/Fleet Officer list, because I think the two are almost mutually exclusive at 100 points. The only way I can think of to fit both would require stripping both pilots down a bit and replacing Howlrunner with a shuttle:

Whisper + Veteran Instincts + Adv Cloaking Device

Rexler Brath

Omicron Group Pilot + Fire Control System + Fleet Officer

Obviously not ideal, but possibly workable. It does many of the same things as the original list without the awkward leashes on the Phantom, and it actually has better offense because your support ship can do some damage.

Honestly, if it's kitchen table play you plan on fielding this squad, who cares what anyone else thinks. Play it and have fun. If it works cool if it doesn't move on. I know it can be frustrating when you look for an opinion on a squad in these forums. Most people are really trying to steer you in a more competitive squad for tournament play, when you ask for help.

Honestly, if it's kitchen table play you plan on fielding this squad, who cares what anyone else thinks. Play it and have fun. If it works cool if it doesn't move on. I know it can be frustrating when you look for an opinion on a squad in these forums. Most people are really trying to steer you in a more competitive squad for tournament play, when you ask for help.

Because he posted it for critique and it's an awkward list trying to do too much with too little.