Inspired by the team from the 1998 comic X-Wing Rogue Squadron 1/2 (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Wars:_X-Wing_Rogue_Squadron_%C2%BD) (also retold in the comic Darklighter), I put together a quartet that I usually wouldn't fly (I don't like flying dead pilots. It just feels wrong. I'm weird, I know).

The only problem with this list is the Rebellion surely didn't have access to B-Wings prior to Yavin. Hell, they were still working on A-Wings and acquiring X-Wings at this point.

True, but that's the only Dantels card available now. If she were a crew member, I'd put her on the HWK or Falcon or something. Plus, I really want to play with her.

It's sort of like how Corran flies an E-Wing - that's the ship they put her in, so that's the ship that goes in the lists.

Heck, I'm also thinking about a Tierfon Yellow Aces build, with Wes and Porkins, but technically they should be flying Y-Wings.

I don't like flying dead pilots. It just feels wrong. I'm weird, I know.

Do you fly Chewbacca? Screw you R.A. Salvatore!!!!

Oooh, good point. I have flown Chewie recently, so I guess either I'm a massively inconsistent person on this issue, or I have a problem with the way the editorial team decided to start offing characters in the past two decades. After all, I'm extremely excited to fly with Mara Jade as a crew member.

Yeah, I think someone killed her off to, in a book.. lol

Both are so far in the future of this game setting that it shouldn't be an issue..

True, but that's the only Dantels card available now. If she were a crew member, I'd put her on the HWK or Falcon or something. Plus, I really want to play with her.

It's sort of like how Corran flies an E-Wing - that's the ship they put her in, so that's the ship that goes in the lists.

Heck, I'm also thinking about a Tierfon Yellow Aces build, with Wes and Porkins, but technically they should be flying Y-Wings.

The difference is Corran did actually fly an E-wing........

Oooh, good point. I have flown Chewie recently, so I guess either I'm a massively inconsistent person on this issue, or I have a problem with the way the editorial team decided to start offing characters in the past two decades. After all, I'm extremely excited to fly with Mara Jade as a crew member.

Mara Jade was the best. :( Stupid Caedus!

I don't like naked Y-wings, even with an R2. They need the ICT to be useful or at the very least some Torps.

You could just pretend they're all still alive. Disney declared none of it cannon.

...and when the hell did Mara Jade get killed off?!?!?! Uhg, nevermind don't tell me! I'm just never going to read the NJO.

1. give NJO a freaking chance, I hate people who listen to other peoples misconceptions about it and decide it's horrible.

2. I can't pretend they're still alive. Disney is crap. EU is my canon.

3. She actually didn't die in NJO so don't diss a great book series because you thought someone died in it when they didn't.

I'm sorry if I come off rude, as this was not my intention but people need to stop hating NJO and actually read it before they hate it. I don't think I've met a single person that has even read the whole series on this forum.

I have, and I quite enjoyed it. Are there flaws? Of course. Are there things that I'd do different? Absolutely. There also were some jaw-droppingly awesome moments, and the fleshing out of some characters really gave it some sparkle.

^{Pre-Yavin would be Garven, Hobbie, Biggs, Wedge, Wes, Porkins, and Dutch. Plus any Red or Gold squadron pilot.}

^{I have always thought about building the following list:}

^{Yavin Deadmans Squad:}

^Garven(26)

^Porkins(26)

^Biggs(25)

^Dutch(23)

^{100 points with no room for upgrades or initiative bid. Just simply fly in a group and watch them die off like they did in the movie.}

^{Edit to correct spelling of Red Leader.}

I have, and I quite enjoyed it. Are there flaws? Of course. Are there things that I'd do different? Absolutely. There also were some jaw-droppingly awesome moments, and the fleshing out of some characters really gave it some sparkle.

Ganner Rhysode, pretty much the nullification argument of the entire NJO period being crap. His journey alone is worth any of the flaws. And then Ganner Squadron in the Legacy series? Tears to eyes.

^{Yavin Deadmans Squad:}

^Garven(26)

^Porkins(26)

^Biggs(25)

^Dutch(23)

^{100 points with no room for upgrades or initiative bid. Just simply fly in a group and watch them die off like they did in the movie.}

Hahaha. This made me laugh .. and awoke my wife. She is Wampa furious and probably wants to add you to this list now.

Great post mate!

@YwingAce - Yes, Corran flew an E-Wing, but only in one source (Crimson Empire), and the Rogues flew X-Wings (and Corran in particular his personal CorSec colored X-Wing) for every other appearance.

But yes, Caedus was pretty much the worst. Mara totally won that fight, then the author stepped in and killed her for the whiny Sith baby.

I have read the entire series of the NJO as it came out (minus Karen Traviss's Boba Fett thingy and the Invasion comics). I enjoyed quite a bit of it, though I have some odd opinions about it (Traitor was a bit annoying to me, I enjoyed Dark Journey, and the best books in the series were Allston's two, because they had Wedge ).

@JoJo - I'm not the biggest fan of naked Y-Wings either, but they're tough, and I don't think that the turret is the only thing they have going for them. This one should last longer than a Z-95 would, at least that's my plan.

@Killerardvark - I can't pretend Porkins and Biggs are alive. Chewie and Mara are so far in the future of X-Wing that it's less of an issue, but even if you don't think the EU is canon (and it will always be canon for me), those two at least are really, really dead.

@HawkZ71 - I like the Deadman Squad idea! I'm not opposed to naked ships when they have cool abilities like those four.

How about this for "Red Flight"

Garven (26)

Biggs (25)

Red Squadron + R2D6 + Outmaneuver (27) A.K.A "young Wedge"

Rookie Pilot (21)

Total: 99pts

You could swap out Garven for Porkins for the same cost. Then the "Rookie Pilot" is equal to Luke before Ben/Obi-Wan start's talking to him.

There really should be a crit called "Obi-Wan" that causes you to lose your target lock action.

So maybe the NJO is worth a read. I have a good bit of the books on my shelf, but I haven't really made them a priority. A few years ago I went on a book buying spree. Still got about 9 books left in the EU before I get to the NJO, but when I get there I'll give them a chance.

I like the idea of a "young Wedge," though that build seems pretty much doomed. I tried the original squad last night on Vassal against 3 Avengers and 3 Obsedians, and got zero kills before being wiped out. Was very frustrating. It does make me reconsider adding a higher pilot skill Z-95 instead of the Gold Squadron Pilot, just so focus fire has a chance to decrease the number of guns before the big volley of low PS Ties.

Did you have Wedge fly off the board as soon as he took one hit? Because that would be thematic.

I don't like flying dead pilots. It just feels wrong. I'm weird, I know.

Do you fly Chewbacca? Screw you R.A. Salvatore!!!!

This is the only thing I accept as no longer canon

Chewbacca lives, and all the other background stuff still happened. Because that's what I want.

I find it interesting how I despise the fact that Chewbacca got killed off, but it also bothers me that every situation any main character gets in I know they will come out alive and unharmed. Takes a bit of the suspense out of it Then on the other hand I really enjoy Game of Thrones. Could you imagine if Star Wars went all Game of Thrones on us? The closest we had to one of those moments was Jango's demise.

Side note, was watching a show on netflix with my daughter the other day. Something happened to the main character and we said "Oh my gosh, is he going to be ok???" and I replied "Of course he will be, there are still 12 episodes in the series."

@Killerardvark - No, you'd have him fly off once he got a Damaged Engine or Thrust Control Fire.

The problem of character shields is only really a problem when you're not wrapped up enough in the character's own reaction - since most characters don't know they have shields. So I'd say it's not a failure that they don't kill people off, but a failure that they can't get you to care enough to ignore the lack of realism.

After all, they make us care enough to believe Luke can fly a warplane and shoot using a skill that he's had about a day of training in ("using the Force") to win.

Don't forget that Keyan Farlander was retconned into the sole surviving Y-wing at the Battle of Yavin.

Thank you all for supporting NJO!