I don't get it. HLC is very popular, but I must be missing something. I can see it rocking my knee socks if it were in a 1 or 2 attack dice ship, but paying 7 points to add 1 attack to a shuttle or Firespray while it softens your crits doesn't seem like money well spent to me.

What am I missing?

No additional evade dice at range 3, while you get to roll attack like you're at range 1.

Also, you have better chances to get more hit results that are higher in number than your opponents max evade dice. Add to that the ability to modify those further with certain pilots or upgrades (like Vessery's target locking or Krassis Trelix with Mercenary Copilot and a free reroll) and it can be devastating.

think about it like this:

You will ALWAYS roll 4 dice. Your opponent will NEVER get a range 3 bonus.

If you are at range 1 you just opt to use your regular attack - (Which for all current ships that can take cannon would be 3+1=4)

And if you are target locked - your rerolls CAN crit - it is only that FIRST roll that must modify crits to be regular hits. So you CAN indeed get crits out of a HLC

Indeed. It's range 3 where you get your most bang for your buck - because it's a secondary weapon, you go from 3 attack dice versus 3 defence dice to 4 attack dice versus 2 defence dice - a 2 dice swing in your favour.

This is great info! I'll try this out for sure. Thanks!

You mentioned Krassis and Vessery. Who else hurts so good with HLC?

B-Wings

Rebel scum

Lol just now noticed you, Crabbok. I'm following you on YouTube as of yesterday.

Make more videos. Twice as many. Now.

HLC on trellix can be very deadly. I think for the cost he is easily the most balanced ship in the game. I run him with HLc and recon spec and he is very good on offense and defense. If you can keep him alive till the end game he is a tough cookie to knock out.

The Shuttle can do well with it. With Advanced Sensors and Engine upgrade the rather unique Stop start, zoom movement style can really disorient opponents. It can stay at range 3 longer than the firespray, although not nearly as well as the B-wing can.

And if you are target locked - your rerolls CAN crit - it is only that FIRST roll that must modify crits to be regular hits. So you CAN indeed get crits out of a HLC

Really? I had never heard this before. We've never played it that way at my FLGS. It certainly makes FCS a much more valuable upgrade to use with HLC.

And if you are target locked - your rerolls CAN crit - it is only that FIRST roll that must modify crits to be regular hits. So you CAN indeed get crits out of a HLC

Really? I had never heard this before. We've never played it that way at my FLGS. It certainly makes FCS a much more valuable upgrade to use with HLC.

The card says immediately change all your crits to hits. Immediately actions happen before you modify your own dice (which is also after your opponent modifies them, if able.) So the attack comes up Crit-Hit-Focus-Blank. You immediately change the crit to a hit, then re-roll the blank with Krassis, it comes up a Crit. Use your focus, and your end result is Crit-hit-hit-hit

think about it like this:

You will ALWAYS roll 4 dice. Your opponent will NEVER get a range 3 bonus.

If you are at range 1 you just opt to use your regular attack - (Which for all current ships that can take cannon would be 3+1=4)

Opt to use your regular attack at Range 1? More like you have no choice because the range on the HLC clearly states Range 2-3.

So when you slap it on a B-Wing, Firespray, Shuttle, etc that would get 4 attack dice at Range 1 (3 for Attack, +1 for Range 1), yes, you can always roll 4 dice, just remember at Range 1 you ALWAYS have to use your primary, there's no option about it.

The Ion Cannon, however is Range 1-3, so at Range 1, you'll have decisions to make with regards to your shooting options.

The Ion Cannon, however is Range 1-3, so at Range 1, you'll have decisions to make with regards to your shooting options.

Yup: 4 dice no ion with the ability to crit, or 3 dice ion, max 1 damage but board control for next turn.

Lambda's are pretty awesome with them with Engine Mod. Just come in slowly from the side. If they target you Lambda with its big, scary HLC, HAH! They fell for your trap, and let you flank them with 70% of your force while they spend 3-4 turns trying to focus fire the Alabaster Space Disaster!

If they wisely ignore your Lambda? HAH! They fell for your trap! The Lambda with an engine mod can get within range three of almost the entire board in ONE TURN! And a Lambda coming in from the side or rear is a Lambda that is NEVER GOING TO LEAVE! It will shoot that big 'ol HLC every turn until every other ship is dead (or it is).

And the best part? Letting the Lambda shoot that HLC at you 6 or 7 times (with target locks or focus) in a row is a BEST CASE SCENARIO for your opponent! That's what happens when they make the right choice. Not bad at all for 32 points.

Alabaster Space Disaster!

Best name I've heard for it yet!

The first time you one-shot asplode a TIE at range 3, you'll get it.

And if you are target locked - your rerolls CAN crit - it is only that FIRST roll that must modify crits to be regular hits. So you CAN indeed get crits out of a HLC

Really? I had never heard this before. We've never played it that way at my FLGS. It certainly makes FCS a much more valuable upgrade to use with HLC.

The card says immediately change all your crits to hits. Immediately actions happen before you modify your own dice (which is also after your opponent modifies them, if able.) So the attack comes up Crit-Hit-Focus-Blank. You immediately change the crit to a hit, then re-roll the blank with Krassis, it comes up a Crit. Use your focus, and your end result is Crit-hit-hit-hit

Excellent! That will make a big difference in our games. It's gonna be fun.

The HLC can also be boosted by such abilities as Opportunist or Expose, and Jan Ors Pilot ability, to get up to 6 dice for your (Rebel) ship at EVERY range. Who says Bombers can't be destroyed by a one-shot?

The other new fun thing is (TIE Defender) Rexler once the damage gets through shields can then spend one focus to flip cards.

Would be a great way to bring some extra pain to larger hull Rebel ships.

Though for him I may use autoblaster as well.

The problem with auto blaster is that, statistically, a range 1 autoblaster shot is only marginally more likely to hit than a range 1 strength 4 shot, and there are a fair amount of much cheaper upgrades that can bump your range 1 power 4 shot above what the autoblaster provides.

Autoblaster would be great on a ship with strength 2 weaponry, but it is totally wasted points on a ship with strength 3 weaponry. Which is, you know, all the ships that can currently equip it, which is a shame.

I guess it might have a place on the outrider though, since its weapon is range 2.

The HLC can also be boosted by such abilities as Opportunist or Expose, and Jan Ors Pilot ability, to get up to 6 dice for your (Rebel) ship at EVERY range. Who says Bombers can't be destroyed by a one-shot?

Or with Predator if you want to get cheeky and run a Krassis/Kath build with just those two ships. Maximize your re-roll odds so you can devote your actions to Focus/Evades/Boosts (with Engine Upgrade)

The HLC can also be boosted by such abilities as Opportunist or Expose, and Jan Ors Pilot ability, to get up to 6 dice for your (Rebel) ship at EVERY range. Who says Bombers can't be destroyed by a one-shot?

This concludes your daily "Expose is not that good" post.