So I'm putting 2 pieces of information together here that I'm not sure I've seen elsewhere, though I'm certain it has occurred to others.

1. The designers said that the StarViper xpac would include something Interceptor players would love. This was during a question about Turrets.

2. Everything in the StarViper pack as far as upgrades is either known, titled or S&V only except 2 things - Autot(hrusters) and Calc(ulating?).

Calculating is an EPT and allows some sort of token to modify attack results. Therefore, it seems to me that Autothrusters must be some sort of upgrade (likely a modification) that is useful as anti-turret tech.

The real question is, what is it? It is presumably movement or agility related based upon the name, and anti-turret or at least useful against turrets from the designers' comments. Some sort of conditional movement like Turr perhaps? Something where you could strike at R3 and get out of range. Or some sort of agility bonus specifically against turrets (or out of primary arc attacks more specifically)?

I think it could give an extra agility die when defending against turrets/out-of-arc attacks.

Similar to Stealth Device, but doesn't get discarded after getting hit by an attack, and of course, only effective against turrets.

I feel like that "out-of-arc" defensive boost might be what it is but it feels weird to have a card that basically has zero percent chance to proc against certain lists.

I like the idea of being able to get out of range somehow after shooting or maybe something like a free evade token after shooting but those aren't really turret specific the way the designer made it sound like it might be.

I think we'll see it end up being the opposite of outmaneuver; i.e. when you are the target of an attack outside the attackers firing arc, they lose an attack die.

My reasoning is the evil/awesome smiles that were involved when discussing autothrusters, and the fact that one more green die will make no real difference. So the idea that you would gain an evade die when attacked outside of arc falls a bit flat for me. I will say that imho, if they make this card I will start playing interceptors for more than just fun casual games. Also, competitive parity seems to be a priority for the designers.

Hmmm.

Could it possibly be a defensive version of Accuracy Corrector?

That would be utterly insane.

Well, if it comes with the StarViper and could benefit the Tie Interceptor, then something tells me it's a modification that takes advantage of the boost action (since they both have it). Maybe something the line of getting a free boost action and removing a target lock under certain conditions.

Well, if it comes with the StarViper and could benefit the Tie Interceptor, then something tells me it's a modification that takes advantage of the boost action (since they both have it). Maybe something the line of getting a free boost action and removing a target lock under certain conditions.

Only thing is that most fat falcon builds never use TL. I would think that the context of the interview would make it a mod that limits the effectiveness of fat falcons against squints, not necessarily a boost related activity.

Maybe if you're being attacked form out of arc you can do a free boost action and then get +1 agility.

Maybe if you're being attacked form out of arc you can do a free boost action and then get +1 agility.

Perhaps a free boost, but you have to have an agility of 3 to equip it?

There's obviously some defensive bonus when out of arc, be that bonus agility, a free evade akin to 3PO, or something else. I trust them and it will sell some Starvipers. Also, I would almost guarantee it's a mod so that it cannot be used in conjunction with ACD, while Ints specifically can take up to 2 mods thanks to RG title. Ints need a bump, Phantoms do not.

I'm cool not to bother speculating knowing that there is at least a sweet fix involved.

There is one guy i know who loves interceptors but always ends up being paired against me with a BH or two in my list and then again at some point or another against a falcon list--we're almost 50/50, but I don't think he's beaten the falcon player yet and I'm really rooting for him. I think he's nearly as good as he can be minus the shortcomings of his ships in the meta.

So what about "if you are the target of an attack outside the attacker's firing arc, add one evasion to your defense results"?

I'm not certain a free boost is all that useful on a squint against turrets. If you have the turret in arc, then a boost is going to just push you further in range of the turret most of the time. It might be helpful for triggering a boost/barrel roll off of PtL, but that just doesn't seem all that great. I mean it is great, but it isn't really anything new, it requires you still to have PtL, and it isn't THAT fantastic against turrets.

Extra Evade dice or an evade token seem more likely.

And the name "auto-thruster" makes me more inclined to believe that it is a card that is useful against turrets, but not only against them. What does an auto-thruster have to do especially with a turret? I'm more inclined now to believe it is an in general Range Band 3 defensive buff of some sort or some sort of movement that could be used to jump out of their range, though as i said earlier, a free boost seems less than worthy of the way the designers hinted at it. An autothruster could be a defensive device that takes time to work and so requires further range to kick in. Then the naming makes a bit more sense than something that specifically deals with being out of arc.

Equip on ship with agility 3 or higher.

If the target of an attack, perform a boost and acquire an evade token. Then receive a stress token.

Turrets may be the problem, but that doesn't mean it has to be that turret specific.

If this is indeed an anti turret thing, people are going to put it on their Phantoms and then everyone will start crying again.

That said it'll be a modification so if you want it on your phantom you'll have to sacrifice ACD....

There's obviously some defensive bonus when out of arc, be that bonus agility, a free evade akin to 3PO, or something else. I trust them and it will sell some Starvipers. Also, I would almost guarantee it's a mod so that it cannot be used in conjunction with ACD, while Ints specifically can take up to 2 mods thanks to RG title. Ints need a bump, Phantoms do not.

Edit. To be honest, how can anything called "auto thrusters" be anything but a hardware upgrade. I just hope its cheap enough to fit in with the 4 x royal guard / ptl list.

I love that list.

One factor that made me think of a boost-like ability is because of the ion and blaster turrets with their limited range of 1-2. In such a context, being able to boost out of range would be beneficial without being game breaking for the falcon or Decimator (2 units that can easily account for half a fleet). It's just a theory though and I trust FFG to make something interesting

Edit. To be honest, how can anything called "auto thrusters" be anything but a hardware upgrade. I just hope its cheap enough to fit in with the 4 x royal guard / ptl list.

I love that list.

I love that list too, but the only way 'autothrusters' could be cheap enough to fit with 4 PtL RGs is if it cost ZERO pts. Personally, I'm totally willing to change up my Royal Guard lists to incorporate a new upgrade that makes them more competitive, and I doubt a zero point upgrade would do that...

Edit: actually, the idea of -1 red attack dice from out-of-primary attacks would work really well. 3 attack turrets would suddenly lose their teeth vs. 3/4 agility dice ships (at least most of the time). My only fear is that a situational upgrade might not cut it in a take-all-comers tourney environment...

How about an action kinda like Marksmanship, that you declare as an action, except before you fire you can perform a Boost action. Then you can be out of range 3 for an enemy attack (especially a turret attack), then boost in for a shot?

There's obviously some defensive bonus when out of arc, be that bonus agility, a free evade akin to 3PO, or something else. I trust them and it will sell some Starvipers. Also, I would almost guarantee it's a mod so that it cannot be used in conjunction with ACD, while Ints specifically can take up to 2 mods thanks to RG title. Ints need a bump, Phantoms do not.

It would really have to not be an ept. It would have to be ridiculously awesome to replace PTL. Do such levels of awesome even exist in the world?

Edit. To be honest, how can anything called "auto thrusters" be anything but a hardware upgrade. I just hope its cheap enough to fit in with the 4 x royal guard / ptl list.

I love that list.

I am hoping it is some type of card that is only useable by high agility ships like ties or a-wings etc.. For the most part I am hoping it is a big "screw you" to the rebels!

I am hoping it is some type of card that is only useable by high agility ships like ties or a-wings etc.. For the most part I am hoping it is a big "screw you" to the rebels!

Why would you want the designers to say "screw you" to one of the game's three factions?

Maybe it's "Autothrottle". Not very likely.

Looks like a Modification (you can just make out the first letter or two on the card), and based on the position of those letters it seems likely that it's available to any ship.

Since there are two of them, I'm going to guess it's something like the elite talent upgrade idea that I've been throwing around on Segnor's loop threads: If you reveal a K-turn on your dial [or maybe a 3-bank], you may choose to perform a Seg-loop [of the same bearing] instead. That might explain why there are two cards in the pack, since it would be useful for this ship as well as others.

Maybe it allows a k- turn to be based on a bank like the manoeuvre for one of the new faction ships that was spoiled.

**** slow refresh, Ninja'd.