So It's a new month and my X-Wing allowance has just renewed. I am looking to expand my Imperial fleet a bit. I currently have 4x Tie Fighters, 1x Tie Interceptor, Imperial Aces, and a Defender.

I want to get a big ship. Shuttle or Firespray?

Firespray all day everyday! It has so much more usefulness imo.

They're both good ships, but the Firespray's uses are more obvious; the Shuttle takes a lot more practice to use well. The Firespray also comes with the Gunner crew card, which is one of the more effective upgrades in the game. So that's where I'd start.

The firespray is considered one of the best all rounders and one of the best priced ships in the game. The shuttle while much harder to learn is probably THE best priced ship in the entire game. For 28 points you can slap advanced sensors and an engine upgrade on a shuttle and have a 10 hit 3 attack dice ship that can turn surprisingly fast, pretty much never lose it action and block better then anything else.

Firespray will go better with your collection right now.

Personally I use shuttles as a strange flanker. Start at edge border and slowly turn inwards. It helps maximize shots while avoiding its biggest weakness, its dial.

But you already have flankers in both squint and defender and I think you need some more bulk to compliment that. Firespray fits the bill perfectly.

Firespray till the cows come home...

-Cal

Second Defender! Run Rexler and Vessery together, with PtL on Rexler and Wingman on Vessery, and both packing HLCs and Shield Upgrades. See what happens.

More realistically, and more pertinant to your OP, I'd go with a Firespray first and a Shuttle second. The Shuttle has some good upgrades, but the Firespray is a fun ship and includes Gunner, Stealth Device, VI, and some other fun goodies.

The shuttle is a great ship, but you'll get more mileage and less initial frustration out of the Firespray. Cool as the shuttle is it can be a pain to fly.

Can't go wrong with the Firespray!

Wow, overwhelming consensus! Something not regularly experienced here. It seems clear what I have to do.... GET ANOTHER DEFENDER!

I'm just kidding. Firespray it is.

Thanks for being such an inviting and helpful community. You folks are awesome!

Pick up the Firespray. Start getting used to large ships, how they fly, and how they feel. They fly much differently than small ships, even if they have the same dial. Once you have played with the Firespray, pick up a shuttle, then check out this:

community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/98438-flight-school-lambda-101/

I've tried to outline how to fly the Alabaster Space Cow here.

Yeah, I have a YT for when I'm feeling anti-government, so big ships aren't new. Although, having fire arcs to worry about will be. I'm excited. I think the ship itself will add a lot to my collection as well as it's upgrade cards... I hear a defender with heavy laser Cannon is a thing...

Wow, overwhelming consensus! Something not regularly experienced here. It seems clear what I have to do.... GET ANOTHER DEFENDER!

I'm just kidding. Firespray it is.

Thanks for being such an inviting and helpful community. You folks are awesome!

Now if you had a Firespray and Shuttle and were asking which to get a second copy of I suspect the answers would vary a bit more.

With its release I'll consider using a Defender in places I may have used a Firespray. Both are durable, hard hitting, and cost about the same although how they are used may differ.

I'm going to say shuttle just to give it some love

I'm going to say shuttle just to give it some love

Cuz space cows need lovin too right?

I agree with the majority here. A Firespray makes a great addition to most Imperial lists. Combined with say Fel for example and you've got a nice rock and hard place with which to crush your enemies.

Now that does bring up an interesting debate that I feel I lack the knowledge and experience to decide for myself: when should I put a defender in my list instead of a firespray? When I was playing at my FLGS last, I mentioned how into the defender I am and another guy really started bringing some pretty solid arguments as to why a firespray was better. (Mostly because of similar equipment and similar to lower cost point). What do you guys think?

Defender can barrel roll, and has some epic pilot abilities on Rexler and Vessery. Plus, its 3 agility and crazy fast dial with the white k-turn really reward long-range HLC shots.

The Firespray can bring a crew, and has the auxiliary arc. It's not as good for cannon-use (though still a good carrier) simply because a cannon renders the auxiliary arc far less meaningful. Plus, it has a large base (which can complicate manuevering and makes the thing far faster than it looks). It can also rock bombs.

The main point of contention for me would be whether you want a crew or a cannon. If the former, go Firespray, and if the latter, go Defender.

It really comes down to personal preference. They are all really good ships.

Shuttles are super-underrated. For 28 points, you get 4 attack dice that do not get defense bonus when firing at someone at range three, plus tons of health.

That said, Defenders can take a ton of hits if you are rolling good, and are a lot more mobile, but your looking at 9 points more for them.

Fire Sprays aren't quite as badass as defenders, but are a lot more forgiving and rely less on your ability to roll the dice.

So it sounds like they're just two different tools for the same job? Both serve similar functions but it comes down to which you prefer to utilize to accomplish that job?

I hate to be contrary, but I'd say having one of each is probably the preference. If you can't get both, I bought the Firespray first. But not by much, and I got a Lamda as well after using the Firespray only once.

Jacob

changed my mind firesprey comes with VI card. I think there popular at the moment

I was in the same position as you only last week. I had the money and wanted my first large imperial ship. Wanted the fire spray but out of four local stores who stock x wing none had a FS. They all had the shuttle. I wasn't going home empty handed.

Please let it be known, that I intend to own both eventually. I simply need to spend wisely. Happy wife happy life.

I use my shuttle more often. It is easier to fit it into a squad, points wise with more tailored use. I'm going to do this later today:

LAMBDA-CLASS SHUTTLE: OMICRON GROUP PILOT

Heavy Laser Cannon

Engine Upgrade

Tactician

Gunner

Defender can barrel roll, and has some epic pilot abilities on Rexler and Vessery. Plus, its 3 agility and crazy fast dial with the white k-turn really reward long-range HLC shots.

The Firespray can bring a crew, and has the auxiliary arc. It's not as good for cannon-use (though still a good carrier) simply because a cannon renders the auxiliary arc far less meaningful. Plus, it has a large base (which can complicate manuevering and makes the thing far faster than it looks). It can also rock bombs.

The main point of contention for me would be whether you want a crew or a cannon. If the former, go Firespray, and if the latter, go Defender.

I actually disagree here. Krassis trelix's ability works for the cannon, AND it can take recon specialist, which is a god send with oly the two defense dice.

Statwise and ease to fly, I suggest the Firespray over the Shuttle. You tend to get more bang for your buck, the Shuttle is trickier to use efficiently.

That being said, if you like to keep your Empire fleet pure, I would go with the shuttle (Bounty Hunters, we don't need their scum!). The sooner you learn how to fly it, the better you will be. There is also some lessons to be learned by flying the shuttle that will help you a lot when flying smaller, more maneuvrable ships.

Regarding the difference between Defenders and Firesprays, they are different ships that require another mindset to fly well. If you fly your Defender like you would a Firespray, you will think it sucks, and vice versa.

-The Firespray use his rear arc, the Defender his white k-turn.

-The Defender also come with Barrel Roll, so it gains a lot of positioning over the Firespray.

-Being a small base versus a large one bring its own benefits. Smaller target, easier to fit in a tight spot and harder to block.

-Defender named pilots are much better than Firespray ones.

-Again, like the Shuttle, the Defender keep your Empire fleet pure. ;P