There's been a lot of talk about shuttles in my local community lately and some new comers wanted to know what makes 'em fun!
What makes shuttles fun for you?
How do you kit them out and fit them into your squads?
Do you like using the named pilots, or are you one of the great many people who prefer Omicron?
I like to use this 100 point build
Omnicron x2
Engine upgrade
Weapons Engineer
Advanced Sensors
Colonel Vassery
Marksman
I love the Advanced Sensors on the shuttle, makes it kind of unpredictable.
Great vid Mei..
Typically I go for the Buzzsaw shuttle, I have a squad with a buzzsaw and an advanced TIE with a couple TIE fighters.. its a fun list to run.. I think I may try out a Defender with 2 buzzsaws if I can pull it off.
I like the EU on it as well, but it isn't essential, just handy for those quick turn arounds.
Keep the videos coming...
Good video bubbles. My personal favorite ship to fly in the game period is this shuttle:
Omicron + Engine Upgrade + Adv. Sensors + HLC + Tactician + Rebel Captive
It's 40 points of zippy, stress-filled wonderfulness. Pair it up with a Wingman equipped Black Squadron and it becomes even more deadly efficient. Just my last tournament it amazed people when it began with a Phantom chasing it, and then managed to get behind the Phantom thanks to its engine boost and stressing out the Phantom!
The doom shuttle is hard to beat in a well supported list. It is your finisher, garuntees death to any 1hp ship limping around and almost certain death to any 2hp ship w/o 3 AG and ways to modify.
OGP+EU+gunner+FCS (buzz saw) with or without tactician is an amazing ship once you get the hang of it. The first few times you flank a list with a shuttle you're opponent will get all kinds a confused. Expect that load out to draw a lot of hate fire after those first 1-2 victories.
Both are enhanced greatly by a BSP+ wingman escort...endless stall and much faster turn arounds make a great combo.
Edited by Rakky WistolGunboat Buddy:
Omicron Group Pilot w/
Mandatory:
ST-321
Weapons Engineer
Advanced Sensors
Ion Cannon
optional:
Tactician
Anti-Pursuit Lasers
He works beautifully with Colonel Vessery. Ion Cannon, tactician and APL make for marvelously predictable targets, and the ability to target lock two ships anywhere ensures Vessery gets his free spanks almost every round of the game. It's also a beefy ship that can't be taken head on, thanks to the ion cannon, stress and the ability to act and stall in the same round. It does well against most lists, but is so supremely potent against Phalanx lists (Rebel lists relying on clustered support ships like HWKs and Y-Wings flying in close formation) because you can cause whole pileups that deny actions for anywhere between 1 and 3 ships.
I like to use this 100 point build
Omnicron x2
Engine upgrade
Weapons Engineer
Advanced Sensors
Colonel Vassery
Marksman
I love the Advanced Sensors on the shuttle, makes it kind of unpredictable.
I haven't used Advanced Sensors much. I should try it out.
I've only tried the shuttle twice and it did okay but my inexperience meant it died both times, but when I get the knack of it I'm sure I'll see it's true potential.
My personal favorite is;
Omicron Group Pilot, Adv. Sensors, Engine Upgrade, Gunner.
I either fly 3 of them together or more recently I've been adding a Decimator and Black Squadron Pilot with Wingman.
So, I may have used the shuttle once or twice. 
I'm firmly in the camp of Needs Engine Upgrade. I can certainly respect the decision to drop it. It is expensive. However, I use it so much, especially with the buzzsaw. One of the tactics I was known for with the 3 Buzzsaw build was I would hit them from three angles on the first round of shooting. They would start firing on one to get it down, and it would disengage with a 3 forward plus boost, while the other two continued to attack. They would then either chase the wounded shuttle, putting two alabaster void manatee behind them, or they would switch targets to a new ghostly space bison while the other one turned around and returned to the fight. Few ships can withstand firepower of that magnitude.
I've tried slow rolling, as you indicated was your preferred tactic. It works great against those inexperienced in the Way Of The Cow. Dom used this tactic to with the Galactic Cup, so there is something to be said for it. The problem is that there is an Achilles Heel, which is once they are behind you, it's effectively over. Not saying it's easy, but with some hyper mobile ships, there is a serious danger here.
This is what I love about the shuttle. So many good builds and 10 HP for such a good point cost.
As a lore first/gameplay second player, the shuttle is fast becoming my favourite ship. It's such a great centre piece for an Imperial List if you are on a limited budget, and it's so powerful when flown right. It looks great surrounded by TIE variants on your shelf, it plays great, and it has great lore flavor with rebel captive and Vader.
I made use of two Snowy Cosmic Antelopes each with APL, Tactician, Ion Cannon & Adv Sensors along with a mini-swarm for a friendly 125pt match last night.
Granted, I was facing off against Wedge, Luke, Garven & Etahn.
I don't like Wedge when he's firing on my Cows. He's a jerk. I made a very dumb mistake of letting my swarm get in front of the cows so that they kept ramming into the back of the TIEs. Duh. Being able to ion & stress someone was great fun. Luke was carrying tokens for about five turns after I opened up on him.
I like the build, I just need to work on refining it a bit more, and not fly into things, like my other ships.
Enjoy your videos Mei, keep up the great work
I like the Lambda a great deal, but I find it really hard to justify the higher-PS pilots: what makes it so attractive is that it's an absolute bargain on an efficiency basis. But you adulterate that when you add upgrades (however necessary they are), which makes it even harder to me to accept making them even less efficient by paying for a PS bid.
So I run Omicron Group Pilot almost exclusively, usually with Advanced Sensors and Engine Upgrade--because in my experience very few players expect to see a 135-degree turn coming from a shuttle.
I like the Lambda a great deal, but I find it really hard to justify the higher-PS pilots: what makes it so attractive is that it's an absolute bargain on an efficiency basis. But you adulterate that when you add upgrades (however necessary they are), which makes it even harder to me to accept making them even less efficient by paying for a PS bid.
So I run Omicron Group Pilot almost exclusively, usually with Advanced Sensors and Engine Upgrade--because in my experience very few players expect to see a 135-degree turn coming from a shuttle.
Like what you said about advanced sensors.
Last time I used the shuttle without EU it came down to it vs. the Falcon. I think you all can guess who won.
I like the Lambda a great deal, but I find it really hard to justify the higher-PS pilots: what makes it so attractive is that it's an absolute bargain on an efficiency basis. But you adulterate that when you add upgrades (however necessary they are), which makes it even harder to me to accept making them even less efficient by paying for a PS bid.
So I run Omicron Group Pilot almost exclusively, usually with Advanced Sensors and Engine Upgrade--because in my experience very few players expect to see a 135-degree turn coming from a shuttle.
Like what you said about advanced sensors.
Last time I used the shuttle without EU it came down to it vs. the Falcon. I think you all can guess who won.
The shuttle right...
RIGHT?
Because of Sable and his use of Alabaster Void Manatee, I am still wanting to paint one manatee grey... lol
Bit I totally agree with his remarks. This ship is so flexible, it is effective in both or even multiple rolls. The slow as you go HLC platform seems a valid use and is proven out, as well as the buzzsaw killing machine. I think this is what makes it a guilty favorite for most people..
I've had a lot of thoughts about the shuttle. I used to think that you have to run it with engine. But I'm softening on that.
Dom's 3x Shuttle lists have been doing very well and they show that the shuttle with careful planning can leverage it's amazing points efficiency by simply covering the arcs you need to cover and taking a lot time to kill.
3x shuttle lists with no engine
I've also seen 1 naked shuttle used as a trail ship. Very effective if you get the enemy to chase something...
slightly going off-topic here, but when you mentioned Darth Vader using the Shuttle as a Taxi, I immediately got inspired for a repaint of the shuttle that's arrived today. My progress so far:
Edited by Foranoda
slightly going off-topic here, but when you mentioned Darth Vader using the Shuttle as a Taxi, I immediately got inspired for a repaint of the shuttle that's arrived today. My progress so far:
OMG I LOVE IT. Please, by all means show more!
Awesome.. very similar to my school bus version.. lol
Just one view of it.. I need to take some better pictures of it..
the School Bus
Awesome.. very similar to my school bus version.. lol
Just one view of it.. I need to take some better pictures of it..
the School Bus
Like that one as well. I just purchased some Imperial insignia decals for nail art. I'm going to put them on the sail of my shuttle. Wish I had two shuttles.
How did you do the decals?
I printed them myself.. I could send you some with instructions on how they work.. I've sent some to a couple others on here.. I like a huge imp symbol on the sail.. I'll find a pic for you and post it.. but if you want some large ones PM me your address and I will send em out..
I also sent off for those nail art decals.. I'm hoping they work well, as I want to use them for small projects..
Edited by onewayI'm that one person who doesn't run the shuttle with Engine. I've never gotten used to it.
Using a shuttle without EU is basically relying on slow flying and trying to catch them going for your other ships. The shuttle is cost efficient if it fires.
That said my favorite load-outs are:
Vader Shuttle
Captain Yorr
Tac Gunner
Putting HLC Gunner FCS and EU is also VERY powerful, but you had better be darn good at flying the rest of your team.