If you've read my posts, you've seen how in about 10-12 games now that I've used the Recon Specialist on a Phantom or on a Firespray, I've *never* got to use the 2nd token. Anyway, today I ran this list to practice for an upcoming FLGS small tourney:

Echo + VI + ACD + RC + FCS

BH + RS

2 x AP

100 pts

Opponent is practicing his 2X2B list (he's a new player)

Wedge + Determination + R5 Astromech

Biggs

2 x Blue

Asteroids weren't a big problem, with me placing my 3 in his corners and in one of mine and he put his three relatively spaced out in the middle.

Round 1:

I decided to move my APs and my Firespray slowly, 2 forward for AP and 1 forward for Firespray, he does 1 forward for all 4 ships in formation (B in front, X in back).

Echo goes forward near the middle to start to flank.

Round 2:

More slow moving, Echo gets to the same distance as their ships and start approaching in the flanks from right to left.

Round 3:

I move 1 forward for Firespray, knowing I'll get to shoot at R2 at Biggs without the threat of being blocked by the B-Wings. I move the APs 3 bank to the left (Firespray was along the left edge and the 2 APs were to his right), and barrel rolled forward thinking he would do a 1 forward and then I'd be out of his arc, or if he turns, he would do a 2 bank and get blocked.

Unfortunately he did a 1 blank and came face to face with my 2 APs.

Everyone shot at the APs and both died a horrible death after some valliant dodging.

Firespray took Biggs down to 2 hull, used up just 1 token, and not the other since on one shot at him.

Round 4:

Firespray moves 1 forward since 2, 3, and 4 forward would not clear Wedge, who's in front of me around the 3-4 range and will move after the BH. I felt that his B-wings would bank back at the Firespray again, so I sensed a block coming.

As I predicted, he banked back and I suggested he barrel roll one of his B-wings into the path of my BH to block me (like I said, he's new and I'm teaching him). We bump, and no Recon Specialist for me.

Echo sets up behind all 4 rebel ships, with a focus ready to shoot Biggs.

Wedge shoots Firespray, taking off 1 shield.

Echo kills Biggs

Firespray shoots Wedge, taking off both shields, could have taken off more if I had a FOCUS! Grrrr

the B-wing not touching the BH base shoots with 4 shots, 3 hits. I roll 1 dodge and 1 FOCUS. The first time I could have used up both RS focus and I didn't have an action. Firespray at 1 shield left.

Round 5:

Firespray moves 3 forward to clear but not get too far away, one B-Wing K-turn, the other tries to K-turn but we discuss whether it was possible for a B-Wing touching a BH from the front (with the nubs creating 1mm of space) to clear the base (2 inches) and move 1mm to the back again because of the nubs. After some rules reading, we agree that it can't be done, so the B-Wing was stressed and facing the wrong way.

Unfortunately, Echo was ready to move behind the K-turning Rebels, but now has one B-wing to worry about since it was pointing in the wrong direction. Echo cloaks at R3 and hopes for the best.

Wedge shoots Firespray at R3 and Firespray rolls 2 evades.

Firespray kills Wedge, rolling 3 crits (I was told I couldn't complain about not being able to use a FOCUS ). B-Wing facing the correct directly scores 2 hits, I roll 2 evades (again, not allowed to complain about having TWO FOCI on my BH, unused!)

The other B-wing shoots at Echo with no luck.

At this point my opponent concedes because he had to leave plus with 1 B-wing fighting the Firespray (still with 6 hull) and 1 B-Wing fighting Echo, his chances were slim.

What did I learn from this game?

• Moving forward slow in the beginning is good against Rebels, allowing them to move forward enough to get Echo behind them. Otherwise they'll turn too early (before the first asteroid at R2 from their edge).
• I know statistically RS is very good, especially against a lot of attacks, and that statistically me never using both foci is a fluke, but still... I'm really tired of taking RS. Might be better to take Gunner and drop FCS from Echo.
• FCS is a good idea but only useful in the end game, since that's when it's likely 1-on-1 and having a TL helps a lot. It's optional in my mind if I can do better with something else on someone else.
• Rebel Captive only came in end game, keeping a B-wing stressed for 1 turn. Something I wish I didn't have to take, but gotta be prepared for the Whispers and Soontir Fels out there in the tournament.

Anyway, I thought the 2 APs were not really a good investment, especially the way I'm poor at using them to block (misjudged distance). Also, with a Rebel list that keeps in formation, even if I blocked the 2 B-Wings, Wedge and Biggs could have easily killed 1 TIE and based on angles, the non-touching B-wing probably could have killed the other. that's 24 points "free" to the opponent.

Having a Doomshuttle, or even a OGP + Advance Sensors for the 24 points might be more worth it and provide at least ONE round of shooting (my APs didn't even get to shoot before they died).

This was something similar that happened in my last tournament with 2 APs, where against 3 Amigos, one of them died and I couldn't finish off any of the 3 ships to lose by 12 points. =(

I think I need to fly at least 4 TIEs or just 1 as a flanker (Backstabber or Dark Curse).

So I'm probably going to go between

Echo+VI+ACD+RC (38)

BH+Gunner (38) OR Flight Instructor (37)

OGP+Vader (24)

100 pts or 99 pts

Good survivability, ability to finish off that last hull point, and more offensive with the BH or defensive depending how how survivable this build is with Echo flying around not shooting until the end game.

Thoughts?

Thoughts:

Can I buy a vowel?

Thoughts:

Can I buy a vowel?

haha, no other thougths? ;-)

On whisper is too redundant, no clue about echo, but since he has a better ability to get out of arcs i would guess it is also useless on him, making rebel captive, intelligence agent or gunner better choices for him.

Thanks DreadStar! Appreciate the feedback.

I'm going to try Rebel Captive or Tactician (any thoughts on Tactician?). Though Gunner is an interesting idea I never thought of. Nothing hurts more than rolling 4-5 attack dice and not causing any damage. But fititng 5 points is going to be hard.

Taking a stress is too detrimental to Phantom tactics. I’d say go for Tactician. That way, if the guy has a stress token, and you hit him, you can run him into an asteroid or off the board during his next movement phase. Otherwise, if he is without stress, you prevent him from doing anything other than taking a green maneuver for fear of being rammed into an asteroid or off the map.

If you are going Gunner, then take Opportunist to be a killing machine. If they burn their evade or focus on your first attack, then you get 5-6 dice for the next.

Thank you Volund!

Just curious, what do you mean by "taking a stress"? Rebel Captive is a passive ability that gives the first person who shoots at you a stress, unlike R3-A2. The good thing with Tactician is it's 1 point cheaper and you can force it on someone. The bad thing is it's R2 only, so the use case is situational and prevents Echo from sniping and stressing.

Opportunist is definitely interesting, but will have a hard time adding that since it's 1 point more.

You could always just equipment a Sigma Squadron pilot with Stealth Device and Saboreur and just fly around cloaked to turn all the wonderful Damage into Critical Damage. I've seen this work wonders on Chewie.

Oh how interesting! I like that. Will definitely try it out sometime.

Swap RecSpec for Rebel Captive, you won't go back.

@Keffisch: I have and I see the light now. I don't get to use it often, but when I do, it really pisses the opponent off or they choose not to shoot me. "What? 6 agility dice with evade and I get stressed? I'll shoot the doom shuttle instead."