Which type of build do you prefer and why?

I've tended to use builds with three ships with high PS that get to shoot first and hopefully, take out an opponents ship before it can even fire! This works about a third of the time at first contact...

I'm having a tough time changing my thinking away from this...maybe I should stick with it?

Thoughts!

Three high skill pilots works very well if they get a strong first round of attacks. My regular opponent loves 3 ship high pilot skill lists. It usually works awesome or falls completely flat for him based on the first round of firing. I almost always play imperials and have found that if I run ships like the shuttle and firespray that he can't kill in one round that I will usually get the upper hand.

120 views and only one reply?!!

Prior to Wave 4, it was completely viable to run three rebel (small) ships. However, in today's context, I would say you would be hard pressed to win a game with three ships, even with a falcon. Primarily due to Chewbacca and the phantoms, each of your three ships are honestly going to be facing four to five ship builds, and there will be no easy target for you to take out.

Even if you run three ships of PS 8 and 9, all that needs to happen is for you to face roark. And worse still, if someone else swarms another unit with swarm tactics, your advantage is effectively negated.

Even in a normal scenario, if you were to lose your ace due to a lucky shot (HLC'ed or four blanks), you are left with two ships.

I would have to say that a fairly decent 4-5 ship list on either the imperials or rebels would be more effective.

Prior to Wave 4, it was completely viable to run three rebel (small) ships. However, in today's context, I would say you would be hard pressed to win a game with three ships, even with a falcon. Primarily due to Chewbacca and the phantoms, each of your three ships are honestly going to be facing four to five ship builds, and there will be no easy target for you to take out.

Prior to Wave 4, it was completely viable to run three rebel (small) ships. However, in today's context, I would say you would be hard pressed to win a game with three ships, even with a falcon. Primarily due to Chewbacca and the phantoms, each of your three ships are honestly going to be facing four to five ship builds, and there will be no easy target for you to take out.

Not sure I understand this point, since most Chewbacca builds are 3 ship builds...

Even two-ship builds are starting to make a showing.

Prior to Wave 4, it was completely viable to run three rebel (small) ships. However, in today's context, I would say you would be hard pressed to win a game with three ships, even with a falcon. Primarily due to Chewbacca and the phantoms, each of your three ships are honestly going to be facing four to five ship builds, and there will be no easy target for you to take out.

Not sure I understand this point, since most Chewbacca builds are 3 ship builds...

Today's context is what I think I'm having a tough time adjusting to! I didn't really get into Xwing until Imdaar Alpha and I was already running three high PS ships for that and following. Now I'm seeing high PS as good, but needing more ships as once one is lost my squad is hurting! I'm having a tough time getting a good balance...

I see something like a Chewbacca build or three Firesprays as an exception to the needing more than three ships because of the large number of damage points needed to take them out! This is esp. True if you can force your opponent to split his fire on these big ships. A couple of lost shields on each ship is no big deal, whereas 6 damage on small ships usually means one or two lost.

Back to balance ideas...I'm starting to think one or two high PS ships together with two or three midrange PS ships might be a good compromise...

Thoughts!

Even two-ship builds are starting to make a showing.

Do you think this is due to high damage and the amount of upgrades that can be on these two ships?

Three ships is always risky. If you lose one that is 1/3 of your ships. That's not so bad if it's later but ships like x-wings are pretty easy to drop in the first couple rounds if you can focus fire on them. So as rebels that pushes you towards the YT-1300, B-wings or Y-wings Or as imps the shuttle, firespray, bombers or defenders for survivability. Out of those ships only the Y-wing and bomber come in at under 20 points each and you lose firepower with both. I highly suggest a maximum of two high skilled pilots or you will pretty much only have 3 ships. Only the Tie Fighter can field a bunch of ships at 5 plus skill effectively. I'm just guessing that your push for higher skill pilots might be due to you thinking you will face a lot of phantoms at the tournament? So far the phantom seems like a high risk ship. I would focus on a balanced list and learn to play it very well.

My high PS builds came before the last wave, shooting first with three ships gave me a jump on all my opponents except Tie Swarms...it's been so effective, even against Phantoms when they came out, I am having a tough time going away from it. However, I need to do something different as Tie Swarms are still my nemesis and I need to be able to counter them.

If that fourth ship never fires your only a high HP 3 ship list anyway. I play a ton of 4 ship imperial builds. Mostly one tough, one named tie, one academy, Plus something. Usually can't kill my tough in one round, I'm happy if you're pointing all guns at my ties, and if you're going after my flanker you just out flanked yourself.

I think more ships are becoming more of a requirement since those are more arcs to put out vs. the phantom. 3 z's at 36-39 are replacing a lot of blues and rookies.

120 views and only one reply?!!

not everyone is willing to answer and share opinions lol ;P get used to it son ;P

120 views and only one reply?!!

Quit hitting the refresh button

now to ure question well i prefer high ps aswell and have a 4 tie interceptor list where all of em are ps 8 and rek any foe in less than 30 mins ^^ named the Crimson Guard

Prior to Wave 4, it was completely viable to run three rebel (small) ships. However, in today's context, I would say you would be hard pressed to win a game with three ships, even with a falcon. Primarily due to Chewbacca and the phantoms, each of your three ships are honestly going to be facing four to five ship builds, and there will be no easy target for you to take out.

Not sure I understand this point, since most Chewbacca builds are 3 ship builds...

The new chewbacca builds are Falcon, with minimum three Z-95s or alternative 4 Z-95s. A falcon by itself it not considered one ship due its firing arc, HP, and Gunner/Luke Ability. With a Predator/Luke combo on a Chewbacca, you are guaranteed a consistent 3 hits on target, and occasionally two hits. Hence, the chewbacca build with Z-95s is a very stable list.

Certainly, you can argue that X-wing escorts can provide the extra punch, but I would like you to honestly try the Z-95s at least once in a multirole capacity, either 3 talas or 4 bandits.

Prior to Wave 4, it was completely viable to run three rebel (small) ships. However, in today's context, I would say you would be hard pressed to win a game with three ships, even with a falcon. Primarily due to Chewbacca and the phantoms, each of your three ships are honestly going to be facing four to five ship builds, and there will be no easy target for you to take out.

Not sure I understand this point, since most Chewbacca builds are 3 ship builds...

Today's context is what I think I'm having a tough time adjusting to! I didn't really get into Xwing until Imdaar Alpha and I was already running three high PS ships for that and following. Now I'm seeing high PS as good, but needing more ships as once one is lost my squad is hurting! I'm having a tough time getting a good balance...

I see something like a Chewbacca build or three Firesprays as an exception to the needing more than three ships because of the large number of damage points needed to take them out! This is esp. True if you can force your opponent to split his fire on these big ships. A couple of lost shields on each ship is no big deal, whereas 6 damage on small ships usually means one or two lost.

Back to balance ideas...I'm starting to think one or two high PS ships together with two or three midrange PS ships might be a good compromise...

Thoughts!

I think to resolve your issue, you have to look towards Roark.

He fulfils two roles, gives you the PS 12, and provides zone defence against phantoms (to an extent). You don't necessarily have to use ships of high PS, but rather selective PS. There is a very big benefit with being able to move first, but also being able to shoot first. You need the numbers, but you also need the high PS, hence at this point of time, Roark provides a solution to both.

Certainly, you can argue that if you have lower PS, you will not be able to reposition with a barrel roll (B-wing and E-wing) against a phantom or Fel, but X-wing is a game of prediction- in time you will be able to figure out the possible deployment points and trap him. You should not aim to play the position game with a Phantom as a Rebel, but rather box him in between your ships and the rocks. Moving first and shooting first is not such a bad thing.

Again, this is only a suggestion, and it boils down to which ships you prefer, and your local meta.

Locally, the chewbacca and phantom builds are running rampant, so I decided to go with lists that punch first no matter you are, and screwing up your target allocation (in other words, bring Biggs).

As previous posters has pointed out the Z-95 is a highly valid option for squeezing in that fourth ship and still maintaining your high PS ships. Then depending on what you prefer to fly you can take one high PS and a bunch of low, two high PS, one mid PS and then a Bandit. In my opinion 3 small ship-builds are still a valid option, but it's gotten a bit more complicated for them unless they have some other edge than just a high PS to get them through the first few rounds. For example, I usually fly a list of three high PS A-wings. Their edge is the fact that arc-dodging, stealth device and actions make them incredibly difficult to hit.

So basically the advice I give you is that if you want to fly 3 high PS ships, find ships that give you an edge you like and utilize it. Else try the Z-95.

Roark is not even that good against phantoms. You need the ships to move before the phantom, otherwise he will arc dodge you. That's what i did all the time against Roark builds. High PS in the movement phase is more important against phantoms than in the combat phase. 4 agi dice are nice, but not impossible to drop if you line up enough ships at him.

I tend to take a mix of one or two PS 9 or PS 8 ships, and then the rest are all usually PS 4. I find flying anything under tends to elevate the risk factor with Predator. I also like having a spread of options when I'm firing. It tends to work in my favour oddly enough.

I wouldn't be surprised to see predator use increase, and this meta overall is actually pushing people to fly higher PS and fewer ships, but ultimately the question is less about the number of ships and how they are flown. That's trite, I know, but I actually think more three small ship builds are viable now than were previously. High PS can handle phantoms better than more ships and guns and EPTs like predator and outmaneuver help them to hit harder (and in the current meta with a lot of falcons, I really, really, like outmaneuver).

There is nothing wrong with a three ship build. High PS and the right load outs can be more effective than just numbers.

Roark is not even that good against phantoms. You need the ships to move before the phantom, otherwise he will arc dodge you. That's what i did all the time against Roark builds. High PS in the movement phase is more important against phantoms than in the combat phase. 4 agi dice are nice, but not impossible to drop if you line up enough ships at him.

I think you'll find double agility vs. your attacks is quite a bit better than knowing where the phantom decloaks after you've already locked in your maneuver.

My favorite lists these days are high PS 3 ship builds. Played a list yesterday where I fired at 10/10/9. Game 1 killed a kitted bomber in opening pass. Game 2 killed Rexler Brath opening pass. So much fun, and very consistent if built/played properly. I think it does well against the more popular phantom/falcon lists as well.

I just played two games tonight against two different opponents with completely different builds! I crushed one and was crushed by the other!

I ran

Vader with PTL and EU

Soontir with PTL and Shield Upgrade

Carnor with Predator

The game I won, the opponent had Echo, no VI tho, a shuttle, and three Ties. I out flew him from the get go and didn't sustain a single hit!

The game I lost was another story...

He had Han and Chewie!! Two YT 1300s with 26 points of damage to chew through! I managed to get Chewie down to five hull when my second ship was destroyed. I had Soontir left alone and knew it was over at that point.

So four ships with lower PS, but not real low, would gave helped in that game...I need to make a change and add a ship!

Roark is not even that good against phantoms. You need the ships to move before the phantom, otherwise he will arc dodge you. That's what i did all the time against Roark builds. High PS in the movement phase is more important against phantoms than in the combat phase. 4 agi dice are nice, but not impossible to drop if you line up enough ships at him.

I think you'll find double agility vs. your attacks is quite a bit better than knowing where the phantom decloaks after you've already locked in your maneuver.

Still worse than not facing him ever.