Hi all,

I'm experimenting with lists in the Escalation format (60, 90, 120, 150) and wanted your thoughts on the following.

Wave 1 (59/60):

• Colonel Vessery (35)
• Omicron Group Pilot (21) + ST-321 (3)

Notes: I haven't tested this combo out quite yet, but on paper I love the synergy. This seems to be a fairly robust list for the points - 8 shields and 8 hull - with good firepower. Plus, at 59 pts, I have an initiative bid.

Wave 2 (86/90):

• Colonel Vessery (35)
• Omicron Group Pilot (21) + ST-321 (3) + weapons engineer (3)
• Academy Pilot (12)
• Academy Pilot (12)

Notes: With only 31 points available, the two TIEs are added to round out the numbers. Weapons engineer is simply to keep Vessery's targets guessing. Once again I have points left over for an initiative bid, and, crucially, an extra four points to spend next round...

Wave 3 (120/120):

• Colonel Vessery (35)
• Omicron Group Pilot (21) + ST-321 (3) + weapons engineer (3)
• Academy Pilot (12)
• Academy Pilot (12)
• "Echo" (30) + advanced cloaking device (4)

Notes: Now you see what the extra four points bought me. I haven't played with Echo yet but because of the nature of escalation (which seemingly makes it somewhat hard to add hard counters to the Phantom past the first wave), he seems like a good fit here. If I had dropped weapons engineer in the previous list, I'd have enough to give Echo veteran instincts and maybe another upgrade. Thoughts?

Wave 4 (150/150)

• Colonel Vessery (35) + engine upgrade (4) + heavy laser cannon (7)
• Omicron Group Pilot (21) + ST-321 (3) + weapons engineer (3)
• Academy Pilot (12)
• Academy Pilot (12)
• "Echo" (30) + advanced cloaking device (4) + veteran instincts (1)
• Howlrunner (18)

Notes: Several upgrades and Howlrunner round out the list. Vessery gets an engine upgrade and HLC, which, combined with the OGP, means he should be able to bring 4 target-locked dice to bear on every single turn, even if he's stressed (which he ought to be able to avoid with the engine upgrade). Echo gets veteran instincts because apparently high pilot skill phantoms are pretty good, and Howlrunner does Howlrunner things.

Thoughts?

Hello, and welcome to the compendium

That's a link to a thread in which I dutifully post links to all escalation threads on this forum, so you have a handy guide to what folks are thinking about building.

Yes, I'm posting your thread in it as well, as soon as I'm finished with this comment

Wave 1:

You lose a lot of power once the fairly fragile Shuttle dies. Killing it basically removes Vessery's pilot ability from the table, leaving you with a level 6 Defender as your sole survivor.

Admittedly, if you're going to only have 1 ship on the board after a few rounds of combat, having a level 6 Defender's probably one of your best options.

Also, Wave 1 is the one with the largest initiative-bid gap in the entire format, so you're likely to get beaten in that race.
Remember that if someone wants to run a Named Falcon in their fleet, they won't be able to fit in a non-Z-95 ship in their first wave, and often simply elect to go with a 50 pointer, and fill in the gap in the 90 point round

Wave 2:

Same problem as with Wave 1, but the addition of the Weapons Engineer means that Vessery will have fun while he can. Use the Academy Pilots for protecting the shuttle as their primary raison d'etre, or better yet, scrap them for another ship with Target Lock capability.

Wave 3:

Echo is a very interesting choice. Phantoms are incredibly potent, but are more easily killed when your opponents have more ships with which to attack. Put them in Wave 1 for greatest effect, if you can.

Wave 4:

Howlrunner is not going to be able to buff Echo OR Vessery if you're flying them right. As the OmG Pilot wants to have Target Locks up for Vessery, she'll only be buffing the Academy Pilots... which is not enough use of her ability.

Also, we're at Wave 4, and you still haven't added any ships that can trigger Vessery's ability since Wave 1. A Skill-less PS 6 Defender is good in Wave 4, but not so much here.

Remember that Phantoms have 2 different ways to gain the ability to target-lock (FCS and Targeting Computer), and remember that Bombers are awesome in general.

Also, you've managed to construct a fleet in which I instinctively try to kill a Shuttle over a Defender and a Phantom in the early game, leaving you with a severe end-game boxing advantage.

Thanks for the comments. I feel pretty good about Wave 1 - sure, I lose Vessery's ability once the shuttle dies, but with 5/5 it should stick around for awhile against only 60 pts of enemies, even at Agility 1. If it can give Vessery a few turns of TL shooting and soak up some damage, while dishing out a little in return, I feel he'll be a worthy investment. After all, he's only 24 points.

Wave 2 I'm less sure about. I can't afford Echo yet. I could put in a TIE Bomber, but it wouldn't really synergize with the shuttle (though it would with Jendon). I need five points left over for Echo in Wave 3, which gives me 26 to play around with. Not much wiggle room. What might be a good fit there?

Wave 3 - I get your concerns about Echo, who I wanted in Wave 1. But putting Echo out first with, say, the OGP, didn't really have any synergy, and I don't have enough points to have Echo, Vessery AND the OGP in Wave 2 (well, I could, but only four points for upgrades means no ST-321 or weapons engineer, and no VI on Echo).

Wave 4 - honestly I had no clue what I wanted to add here. Howlrunner doesn't really add much, but I don't have enough points for much else if I'm going to add the upgrades I want. What would you suggest instead?

What about this?

Wave 2 (84 of 90 points)

Colonel Vessery//Engine Upgrade

Omicron Group Pilot//Weapons Engineer/ST-321

Scimitar Squadron Pilot//Seismic Charges

Wave 3 (119 of 120 points)

Echo//Veteran Instincts/Advanced Cloaking Device

Colonel Vessery//Engine Upgrade

Omicron Group Pilot//Weapons Engineer/ST-321

Scimitar Squadron Pilot//Seismic Charges

Wave 4 (148 of 150 points)

Echo//Veteran Instincts/Advanced Cloaking Device

Colonel Vessery//Engine Upgrade/Heavy Laser Cannon

Omicron Group Pilot//Weapons Engineer/ST-321

Scimitar Squadron Pilot//Seismic Charges/Flechette Torpedoes

Scimitar Squadron Pilot//Seismic Charges/Flechette Torpedoes

You can use the last two points for an EPT on Vessery, a Fire Control System on Echo or a crew member somewhere. You can also play with the payload on the bombers, just remember that you don't need them to be ordnance carriers for them to contribute effectively.