IT'S AN ORK DAMMIT

I took down a squad very similar to that with the PS6 TIE Swarm (Howlrunner w/ stealth and determination, Backstabber, Dark Curse, and 3 Veteran Black Squadron Pilots) with virtually no losses (Stealth on Howl was gone, and one black was at 1 hull)

After much testing I have found that R2-D2 on Biggs is a bad Idea, unless you can guarantee getting 2 activations out of it, it is strictly worst than shield upgrade.

Biggs gets focus fired upon like no one else (like he is supposed to), and without a more proactive way of preventing damage to him (DTF etc.) your wasting points on R2-D2.

I worked out a long time ago (Wave 1) that it was a bad idea, was convinced by a friend that it had worked for him, and then tried it. In 5 games R2-D2 healed a total of 3 damage, so I quit.

Fast-forward to Wave 3, where a different tournament-savvy friend said it was an indispensable part of his Rebel lists, so I tried it again. In 3 games, R2-D2 healed a total of 1 damage, and I've finally sworn off for good.

R2-D2 on Biggs is worse than a Shield Upgrade (already not a great choice on 2 Agility) because it's healing instead of prevention and it hampers your movement when you activate it. There is literally no worse choice for R2-D2 than Biggs, because (as Windu says, above) you have to survive at least two rounds in which Biggs is attacked and hit but not killed in order to earn back the points in comparison to SU, and his pilot ability makes it unlikely that all three of those conditions will be satisfied.

Unless I'm running a 3 ship, 3 X-wing build, the only upgrade I put on Biggs is a hull upgrade

I'd imagine an all-interceptor list would do great against this. Anything PS 5 or higher. I'd take my Red Eye Flight against this list any day. Biggs won't save you if I just boost or roll so that he's not a legal target.

Until he swaps out the Y Wing for Roark! That PS 12 is more annoying for interceptors than I previously believed. It at least makes the matchup no longer a cake walk, but an even battle, imo.

I can do it. I will do it nine times.

Were you saving that one for just now?

Oh, you know me. I'm a veritable wellspring of dated pop culture references.

Here, The WAAAGH, have a trorphy.

I say he wins a pizza trorphy

Remember no two kids are not on fire.

I have a list that can beat it with 100% certainty

To the OP:

I can kill that squad with ONE Phantom with a blind folded pilot.

THAT'S how broken it is.

<sarcasm>

I don't see how Tarn synergies well with Biggs. Tarn is pretty tanky and so is Biggs. If I am an opponent of this I just focus Biggs and then kill everything else. Then focus Tarn. Hard to kill but not impossible. the R7 only works against the guy you have TL on. Everyone else fires at Tarn while the TL victim leads Tarn on a merry chase.

Biggs seems to work well with guys who are fragile but can wreck your world. He also almost forces you to fly in formation. What do you do if your opponent has Splash damage weapons?

I'd imagine an all-interceptor list would do great against this. Anything PS 5 or higher. I'd take my Red Eye Flight against this list any day. Biggs won't save you if I just boost or roll so that he's not a legal target.

Until he swaps out the Y Wing for Roark! That PS 12 is more annoying for interceptors than I previously believed. It at least makes the matchup no longer a cake walk, but an even battle, imo.

Phil, honestly I'd welcome that even more. I've never had a HWK last more than two rounds of me firing on them. Heck, you were there when at Imdaar, Soontir killed it in two rounds on his own . Didn't even need focus fire. The Y-Wing can take the punishment for that long or longer based on HP alone usually, so long as you're not rolling great or they keep evading one point for most of it.

Remember no two kids are not on fire.

I should make a squad called "VOIP".

If you can give Biggs focus token (Kyle, Garven, squad leader) R2-F2 is way better on him compared to R2-D2. Biggs gets 3-5 shots per turn, so its 3-5 extra defence dies compared to 1-2 shield restores per game. Also 1 less point cost.

If you can give Biggs focus token (Kyle, Garven, squad leader) R2-F2 is way better on him compared to R2-D2. Biggs gets 3-5 shots per turn, so its 3-5 extra defence dies compared to 1-2 shield restores per game. Also 1 less point cost.

and unlike SU or Stealth Device, you don't lose them if you're hit.

A 9-9-9 Interceptor list might do well against that list, Soontir-Turr-Tetran with PTL, stealth device and hull/shield upgrades. It doesn't matter if Tarn or Biggs is hard to kill when the 9-9-9 Interceptors are rarely in the firing arcs of the new-republic pilots; except the Y-wing with its turret, but it's droid ability cannot be used if the Interceptors are not in the firing arc.

edit: PTL is only for Soontir, Turr and Tetran won't have PTL but have VI, unless the modifications are changed. Soontir will have Shield upgrade, Turr and Tetran will have hulls (due to 'budget' {points} restraint).

If you can give Biggs focus token (Kyle, Garven, squad leader) R2-F2 is way better on him compared to R2-D2. Biggs gets 3-5 shots per turn, so its 3-5 extra defence dies compared to 1-2 shield restores per game. Also 1 less point cost.

and unlike SU or Stealth Device, you don't lose them if you're hit.

Yea, I'm looking forward to put an R2-F2 into an E-wing, then add a SD and PTL on the E-wing; it'll be expensive (since only the named pilots have EPT), but it'll probably be a pretty fun to fly it around.

When going against Biggs control you have 2 options. Kill Biggs first (which is not that hard to do) or split him from the squad. As for Tarn well Target Locks are no good if they are behind your ship.

I'd imagine an all-interceptor list would do great against this. Anything PS 5 or higher. I'd take my Red Eye Flight against this list any day. Biggs won't save you if I just boost or roll so that he's not a legal target.

Until he swaps out the Y Wing for Roark! That PS 12 is more annoying for interceptors than I previously believed. It at least makes the matchup no longer a cake walk, but an even battle, imo.

The combo of Roark with Turret plus Y-Wing or basically any ship with R2-A3 and maybe an ion weapon is not only good against interceptors, it's also great against Phantoms. Rest of the list needs serious firepower though if you take that.

When going against Biggs control you have 2 options. Kill Biggs first (which is not that hard to do) or split him from the squad. As for Tarn well Target Locks are no good if they are behind your ship.

Tarn hinself is not a problem but if we admit that the rebel squad will kill some if your ships too until Biggs dies, Tarn with R7 gets annoying real fast. He can make you reroll one attack per turn and that's quite strong if you have only 1-2 shots at him. You also probably will

Need to focus offensively if you want to do any damage with anyone against Tarn with R7. And unless you run soontir or Recon specialist for empire that leaves you vulnerable.