So i was tinkering around with some builds, and this struck me as particularly nasty. Now i know this is too expensive to field in normal games, unless you KNOW you're going up against a swarm, but it strikes me as being very strong in Epic play if you bring 3+ launch platforms with this combo. I have 4 Green Pilots w/ AM, Ruth, Test Pilot and Deadeye clocking in at 110 points. Am i being silly and is this too unwieldy, because if i had this combo at the last Epic Tourney i was in i would have cause a ton of havoc.

Ruthlessness is Imp only.

There's just the issue that Ruthlessness is Imperial only >_< lol

Edit: Blast! Just barely 'd!

MAX DERP. Xwing builder has betrayed me.

MAX DERP. Xwing builder has betrayed me.

Yup. For some reason Voidstate sometimes lets you put Faction-specific cards on opposite faction ships.

I think Ruthlessness is designed to be a double edge sword. Yes it could be combined with assault missiles in order to do an additional damage if you are running Advanced, Defender, Bomber or Firespray.

However with ruthlessness I think it was designed to be a "double edge sword". It says you must target another ship (other than yourself). I think that means that it must do an extra damage to another ship other than the attacker. So if you have 2 ships at range one of a lone fighter and one of them has ruthlessness that ship will be doing an extra damage to another one of your ships as there are no other enemy ship within range 1.

Assault missiles are the same way, they will hit your ships as well as the enemy's. Ruthlessness is just an assault missile effect limited to a single splash but usable on all attacks.

Really love the idea of splashing 2 damage onto a helpless nearby ship, though!

It's an interesting idea, it increases the chances of taking out 2 ships with one shot. That's pretty rare. How about a bomber or firespray with assault missiles, ruthlessness and seismic charges for all the damage on one turn. Impractical but hilarious.

CM+Ruthlessness is another way to get a nearby ship from your target with 2 points of damage (Ruthless damages it once per attack, and CM makes two attacks).

Slightly cheaper than AM, and a bit more friendly to your own forces in a furball - you are only hitting one other target in range one of the enemy instead of ALL ships in range 1 of them.

Should be handy for mirror matches when the enemy has a space whale providing close support for a Phantom - don't bother trying to hit the Phantom, just shoot the whale and directly allocate damage to the Phantom as a side effect.

The problem is Imperials dont have any spammable ships with missiles to cram into a list. I could do it with 3 Green Squad and that clocked in at around 90 points i think. So you're force to look at using this in Epic play, which again, lack of missile platforms with EPT will limit you to 4 Different ships and having to use named Pilots: Tie Advanced, Bombers, and Defenders, and Slave I.

The problem is Imperials dont have any spammable ships with missiles to cram into a list. I could do it with 3 Green Squad and that clocked in at around 90 points i think. So you're force to look at using this in Epic play, which again, lack of missile platforms with EPT will limit you to 4 Different ships and having to use named Pilots: Tie Advanced, Bombers, and Defenders, and Slave I.

Sure, but bombers have two missile slots each. So two bombers is just as good as four A-Wings, as far as hauling ordnance into the fight...

Jonus + CM + CM + Ruthlessness

Rhymer + CM + CM + Ruthlessness (and these are going to be some well aimed shots if he's flying by Jonus - LOL! Not to mention Rhymer gets to shoot them all the way out to range 3, which is a nice bonus...)

...ends up at 70 points.

Add what, Backstabber and an AP? Is that a viable list? I haven't run any Imperials myself and i dont see much bomber/missile play.

I think it'd be loading up the bombers a bit heavy - I mean, CM + ruthlessness is a neat trick, but probably not something you need THAT much of. Taking both the talent and ordnance off of Jonus (just keeping him around for his amazing buff to Rhymer's CM shots) brings the list down to 59 pts, which gives you a lot of room to build it out. (Maybe an Onyx pilot + HLC to get another ship in play that benefits from Jonus?)

Okay so Rhymer with 2xClusterM and Ruth, Jonus w/ SL and a Onyx w/ HLC. I'll try that out next Friday when i show up for casual X-wing night, can't tomorrow cause of actual Tourney. Most people in my area dont run swarms so we'll see how many uses i get out of this pony.

Edit: I need to read more carefully before I post...

It's an interesting idea, it increases the chances of taking out 2 ships with one shot. That's pretty rare. How about a bomber or firespray with assault missiles, ruthlessness and seismic charges for all the damage on one turn. Impractical but hilarious.

Ruthlessness is after you perform an attack. Bombs are not attacks they are effects so Ruthlessness would not work on them even if it does damage. Assault missiles are secondary weapons which have the word "Attack" printed on them. Bombs detonate they do not attack.

The problem is Imperials dont have any spammable ships with missiles to cram into a list. I could do it with 3 Green Squad and that clocked in at around 90 points i think. So you're force to look at using this in Epic play, which again, lack of missile platforms with EPT will limit you to 4 Different ships and having to use named Pilots: Tie Advanced, Bombers, and Defenders, and Slave I.

Sure, but bombers have two missile slots each. So two bombers is just as good as four A-Wings, as far as hauling ordnance into the fight...

Jonus + CM + CM + Ruthlessness

Rhymer + CM + CM + Ruthlessness (and these are going to be some well aimed shots if he's flying by Jonus - LOL! Not to mention Rhymer gets to shoot them all the way out to range 3, which is a nice bonus...)

...ends up at 70 points.

Except four A-wings have 8 Hull and 8 Shields to chew through while 2 bombers have a total of 12 hull. Also 4 firing arcs and 4 target lock tokens can deliver ordinance faster than 2 firing arcs and 2 target lock tokens.

Doubling up ordinance on bombers is a cost effective way of getting more ordinance on the table. However I would keep a single bomber as a support unit using other missile laden ships to spread out the load.

Maybe Darth Vader and Captain Jonus with Ruthlessness and Assault Missiles joined by a Storm Squadron Pilot with Assault Missiles. You get 4 more shields, 2 more firepower, Jonus synergizes with the Assault missiles from the other 2 as well as bringing 2 for himself, and another firing arc and Target Lock token to help deliver the goods. Plus you get the bonus of having Darth Vader on the table.

Edit: I need to read more carefully before I post...

I edited it after your intial post for better clarity.

Whether you combine Ruthlessness with Assault or Cluster Missiles, the combo still allows me to say "screw you Biggs".

Whether you combine Ruthlessness with Assault or Cluster Missiles, the combo still allows me to say "screw you Biggs".

wait, wa-waaiii-

Assault missiles feel fun, but i dont see much more than 3-4 ships on the table in my area, so i feel like ill get more bang for my buck with Cluster Missiles.

Hrm liking the feel of Darth Vader on the board, so now im looking at Vader with ClusterM/Ruth, Jonus w/ ClusterM/Ruth, and Maarek w/ ClusterM/Ruth. Form over Function! Hell, if there was a 3rd Tie Adv pilot with an EPT i'd take him too.

NO TALKING OF FIXES TO THE ADVANCED ALLOWED.