I was considering dropping Kyle for a regular HWK with an Ion Turret, just for better control, or anything else i can fit in for a quick 21 points.
Blount doesn't need the focus. I'd trade Kyle for an X-wing, so you have a sturdy ship with a little extra kick after the missiles are spent.
Clusters are max range 2. Assault are min range 2 so to get use of them both you have to be in that range 2 sweet spot.
Why? You aren't firing the cluster and assault missiles from the same ship. Cracken moves up faster to be at range 2, the other ships move up slower and stay at range 3. The range-1 limit on Cracken's ability is more than generous enough to set it up like that.
Honestly I would go down to Bandit z-95's....that extra bump in PS with a Tala is rarely going to give you an edge in shooting first and you might as well save the points for upgrades
I strongly disagree with this. There are a lot of PS 2-4 ships where the Tala upgrade is relevant. It lets you shoot first against PS 2-3 (generic Firesprays, generic x/b-wings, etc) and ensures that you get a shot off against PS 4 (upgraded x/b-wings, sabre interceptors, etc) even if they kill a missile ship. At only one point for +2 PS the Tala upgrade is a very effective use of points.
Usually your opponent will see those and spread out accordingly and still be able to support his unit at the same time.
Great! Spreading out means losing focused fire while letting the z-95 swarm pick a target and massacre it 6v1. And if the z-95s don't fire right away you have to keep spreading out, and anyone who has played against a bomb list knows how frustrating that can be. And of course spreading out means losing Biggs/Howlrunner/etc, pilots that you paid quite a few points to get.
I still like Han gunner, marksmanship, c3po w 3 bandits and missiles. Once the bandits run out of missiles. Allow Han to whittle down what's left and the bandits will still do damage especially at range 1 or use them as blockers.
Edited by GungoOk, to keep the Headhunter theme im gonna test..
Cracken - Cluster Missiles, Predator
Blount - Assault Missiles
Tala Squadron - Assault Missiles
Tala Squadron - Concussion Missile
Tala Squadron - Concussion Missile
Im still not totally sold on playing the Range game with Cracken and those Cluster Missiles but i can always rework him if it doesnt work. Blount still carries Assault because of his ability and i still feel 1 more Assault boat will help against those Howlrunner lists, or perhaps a sneaky Homing Missile to deal with Phantoms (the SPA kind). Add to that some Concussion Tala's for those single targets and i dont think its looking 'too' bad.
I was considering the worth of Swarm Tactics on Cracken and Blount so that i get those Assault shots off (at least) at the same time as your typical Howlie Swarm but that really takes away from Crackens value i think.
I whipped up some variants back in March.
Looking back, I think I would do something like this, that fires off 3 Assault Missiles, all with TL+F. It somewhat counters Phantoms, but not completely.
100 points
Lando Calrissian + Assault Missiles + Veteran Instincts + Gunner + Push the Limit + Millennium Falcon
Airen Cracken + Assault Missiles
Tala Squadron Pilot + Assault Missiles
First turn looks like this:
I don't know if I'm super in love with this squad, but it is one of the best ways to get 3 Assault Missiles off in the first round. Assuming your PS4 bandit survives long enough to get it off.
I whipped up some variants back in March.
Looking back, I think I would do something like this, that fires off 3 Assault Missiles, all with TL+F. It somewhat counters Phantoms, but not completely.
100 points
Lando Calrissian + Assault Missiles + Veteran Instincts + Gunner + Push the Limit + Millennium Falcon
Airen Cracken + Assault Missiles
Tala Squadron Pilot + Assault Missiles
- You fire 3 Assault Missiles, all with Target Lock + Focus
- Target Locks all acquired at PS8 action or later
- Lando sort of counters High PS TIE Phantoms
First turn looks like this:
- PS4 action: Tala moves and focuses.
- PS7 action: Lando moves and focuses + Target Locks. He gives a free action to Airen, who focuses.
- PS8 action: Airen moves and Target Locks.
- PS8 firing: Airen fires his Assault Missile. He gives a free action to the Tala, who gains a Target Lock.
- PS7 firing: Lando fires his Assault Missile.
- PS4 firing: Tala fires its Assault Missile.
I don't know if I'm super in love with this squad, but it is one of the best ways to get 3 Assault Missiles off in the first round. Assuming your PS4 bandit survives long enough to get it off.
You give Lando Veteran Instincts so his PS goes to 9. Not sure how you get him two EP so he can also have PtL. Dropping VI and assuming every one is in range at the right time it could work but it once the missiles are gone it isn't such a strong "Falcon + escort" variation.
Cracken - Cluster Missiles, Predator
Blount - Assault Missiles
Tala Squadron - Assault Missiles
Tala Squadron - Concussion Missile
Tala Squadron - Concussion Missile
IMO drop the second assault missile to another concussion missile and give Blout either deadeye or veteran instincts. Blount's shot is probably the most important one, and you really don't want to be committed to the target you locked in your activation step after Cracken gets to fire and hand out his target locks. You either want deadeye for free choice of which target to hit at PS 6 (and no concerns about getting a TL on high-PS opponents), or VI so that Blount can take the first shot.
Im still not totally sold on playing the Range game with Cracken and those Cluster Missiles but i can always rework him if it doesnt work.
It's really worth it. It gives you the same two extra actions as Cracken + squad leader, but with a nasty cluster missile shot of his own instead of his basic 2-dice gun. And hey, worst-case scenario you just take a primary weapon shot and still get to give a focus + TL stack to one ship.
I was considering the worth of Swarm Tactics on Cracken and Blount so that i get those Assault shots off (at least) at the same time as your typical Howlie Swarm but that really takes away from Crackens value i think.
It could be worth it in a high-PS meta, but unless you know you're facing a significant high-PS alpha strike (meaning a Howlrunner chain, not just Howlrunner boosting one ship to PS 8) it's probably taking too much away from your firepower on later turns.
Alpha and just enough follow up:
Jake + PTL + Outmanuver + test pilot + Refit
Cracken + Swarm + Cluster
Bandit + Cluster/conc x2
Prototype+ refit
A bit slap fighty...but certainly has an alpha and a closer.
Alpha and just enough follow up:
Jake + PTL + Outmanuver + test pilot + Refit
Cracken + Swarm + Cluster
Bandit + Cluster/conc x2
Prototype+ refit
A bit slap fighty...but certainly has an alpha and a closer.
I'm thinking 3 agility ships may be able to eat this up. Jake may be a beast but most of the squad is a lot easier to take down. This squad would also be very vulnerable to an alpha striking team that manages to engage it at R3 especially if you're using Clusters instead f Concussion Missiles.
Alpha and just enough follow up:
Jake + PTL + Outmanuver + test pilot + Refit
Cracken + Swarm + Cluster
Bandit + Cluster/conc x2
Prototype+ refit
A bit slap fighty...but certainly has an alpha and a closer.
I'm not really a fan of trying for a middle ground, IMO an alpha strike list needs to commit to the alpha strike to make it effective. What you've got here is a list that doesn't have all that much of an alpha strike with only three missiles (and only one of them boosted with focus/re-roll), but also doesn't have much firepower once the missiles are gone.