I've played near every week since wave four using defenders in all but two games and I've never got a defender stressed and I've only lost three defenders to enemy fire, there's no need to ever stress a defender.

Why don't your opponents starting bringing ways to deal stress? Not a knock on them, but this is kind of hard to fathom for me. If I was walking all over my opponents with the same ship, I think they'd respond.

You can't one shot an e-wing unless they bump or you use ordinance which can also drop a defender in one shot.

Four hits at range three with HLC and when rexler used his ability it was a direct hit, it's also happened one game with echo when I had a merc copilot and got four hits.

Sure it's got more green dice but you can always fluff that roll, I know I've done it often enough last week playing a scenario cr-90 shot at fel he was at range five and all six dice were blanks I don't know the odds against it but it happened.

Here's the thing with Rexlar or Vessary; you have to build around them. Taking them both is a bad idea outside of Epic. Let me tell you, Predator on Rexlar is nasty. I can't wait to give him Lone Wolf, to add some fun defense options. And in a Falcon heavy environment, his ability can work out great.

Then they didn't take evade lol. They signed up for that.

I've taken on four named rebel pilots in two x-wings, b-wing and a z-95 with rexler and vessery killed them only taking one hit in the process it can be done.

Vessery benefits from support but with VI and a HLC he's still lethal in his own right, two cheap academy guys with TC can cheaply provide locks and leave space for a second heavy hitter.

Rexler just needs predator and soon lone wolf and he's happy on his own.

But it's not like they are the only unique you build around is it, using that as a downside is disingenuous because we've been building around pilots since wave one.

I've used Vessary most games since wave 4, he's become one of my favorite imperial pilots. Outmaneuver, HLC, or both are great with him. I've only used Rexler twice and neither time got to use his ability, so I can't say much about him. Either way it's cruicial to build a list around them, and your options are a bit more limited than with most other imperial pilots.

Two HLC Deltas with Jonus is pretty good too, that's the only way I'd ever use two Defenders in a 100 point list. Using both named pilots doesn't really work very well outside of Epic games.

I only just got an E-wing this saturday with my Rebel Aces order, so I can't comment on them. I still haven't worked out a list for them or the new Aces yet, but I'm fairly inexperienced with rebel squads.

I have started using Vessery with Bombers partly after seeing Radarman's list and it is tons of fun The bombers can paint targets for Vessery who can just focus every turn for a nearly garanteed 3hits, and you can add ordnance and bombs to the bombers for a bit of fun. I can't find a good way to use Rexler, he really needs 2 focuses to make the most of his ability and there are very few ways to do that. Maybe Marksmanship + another ship with Squad Leader, but then you need a way to get rerolls as well since you can't use Predator.

I think the ewing is superior though: Corran Horn with R2D2 and shield upgrade. Swoop in, do tons of damage with 2x attacks, then swoop out, regen shields, and come back for another alpha strike. It's simple and brutally effective. R2 + 3defenses + 4 shields makes it really hard to kill, and i haven't even used the EPT or system slot in that example! (But just imagine what Lone Wolf is going to do for that ship...)

I have to say that I played two more games tonight with the same list and won both of them.

Buzzsaw Shuttle w/ engine upgrade

Col. Vessery w/ VI

Turr Phenirr w/ PTL and Shield Upgrade

I think putting upgrades on the Defender makes them too expensive and isn't needed. HLC's are 7 pts, which are too rich for me. I think the upgrades on the Defender are distracting. Take it as an Imperial ship with all 3's. That alone is worth it. Don't think of the options. They aren't needed.

The way I've played it has the Shuttle giving out Target Locks on what Col. V wants to shoot. Sure, not every time, but having Fire Control System helps him get that TL on something. I usually leave a TL on a ship after the shuttle passes by and spends a while turning around. This leaves Col. V to Focus, which gives him 3 dice w/ Focus and TL. He chews things up. His maneuver dial is robust, as long as you can get over not having a 1 sharp turn.

I honestly think any upgrades on Col V are wasted. The only ship I've lost so far is the Tie Interceptor. Only one game so far has gotten past the Defender's shields.

heychadwick,

How do you usually fly the Defender? Do you send the Shuttle up the center and pull the defender up one edge and swing in?

Do you have a primary plan or just wing it?

I'm curious as I've had pretty good success with defender. Trying to use it in Vassal is hard, as I need to get used to the distances all over again, but I;m a big fan. I'd really like to see how other people fly their defenders.

Has anyone noticed that the E-Wing and Defender kinda mirror each other? Each has a PS 1 and PS 3 Generic, a PS 6 with a pilot ability that begs you to plan the whole squad around them, and a PS 8 that can be a beast operating on their own.

Nevermind the pilot abilities. The combination of PTL + R2-D2 or R5-P9 makes the E-Wing extremely tanky. Throw in Advanced Sensors und you always get your action. Focus and Evade on 3 defense with a regeneration ability is an extreme stacking of defensive abilitites and hugely powerful. A generic E-Wing loses PTL. They can slowly take down a FatHan all by themselves.

Altough i had great success with the cheapest E-WIng and just R2-D2 too.

On the other hand, any Tie-Defender can use its greatest weapon, the cannon slot and the white K-Turn.

It is partly due to the fact that the named pilots for the Defender have abilities that aren't that useful.

You're kidding.

A lot of people feel this way. I disagree about Vessery, but I have yet to use Rexler's ability even once after 5-10 games played with him.

Ifyour having problems using Rexlar give him predator and bring a black squad with decoy, the decoy is just there to make sure that his target has no shields.

Rexlar is sooooooo **** good, not even that filthy walking carpet can resist the power of the D-Rex

On the other hand, any Tie-Defender can use its greatest weapon, the cannon slot and the white K-Turn.

I disagree that the Defender's greatest weapon is the cannon slot. It's the fact that it's 3-3-3-3. The biggest complain on the Defender is that it costs too much for what it does. If you don't upgrade it and look at it's stats for the points, it's worth it. The ability to have 3 red dice and 3 green dice is pretty amazing, especially once you get 3 shield.

I do agree on the white K-turn. You can even barrel roll after it, if you need to.

heychadwick,

How do you usually fly the Defender? Do you send the Shuttle up the center and pull the defender up one edge and swing in?

Do you have a primary plan or just wing it?

I've been using Turr Phenirr as a flanker / distraction. I fly the Defender on the other side of the Shuttle, but still close enough. I fly both up modestly. See which one they go for and try to gun it with the other. For example, last night, I saw they went straight with 4 Rebel ships and gunned my Tie Int. 5 forward. After the X-wing and B-wing both TL the Shuttle, I fired the Int first and then boosted to get closer to those guys to tempt them. I figured the 4 green dice (one more for range) and an Evade would help me out. He took the bait and didn't smoke the shuttle to get shots on my Interceptor, but unfortunately rolled poorly and took 2 hits past shield!

In the game before that, I did the same thing, but my opponent went for the Turr Phenirr. So, he slowed down and the others moved as fast as they could to get in flanking shots. I admit the Shuttle doesn't move terribly fast.

Once into position with the various ships, I try to have the shuttle hold back as much as possible and shoot. The other two joust to the best of their ability and speciality. I like to focus my fire, especially with large amounts of red dice (for an Imp list).

Chewy be all like "Haha your critical hits mean nothing to me"

Then Rexlar comes along and goes "**** you carpet for cancelling my crits, but.....I shall use the power of the focus to turn them uncancelled hits face up mowahahaha"

His maneuver dial is robust, as long as you can get over not having a 1 sharp turn.

He does have one, but it comes at the cost of a stress token.

Oh and this one is tons of fun:

Colonel Vessery — TIE Defender 35
Veteran Instincts 1

Omicron Group Pilot — Lambda-Class Shuttle 21
Fire-Control System 2
Mara Jade 3
Tactician 2

Soontir Fel — TIE Interceptor 27
Push the Limit 3
Shield Upgrade 4
Targeting Computer 2
Royal Guard TIE 0

For people who think the HLC is too expensive I recommend they try the Jonas brothers list two defenders with four shots at all ranges and they get two re-rolls Plus a focus its ten shots a turn with an excellent chance to hit.

And rexler is designed to use the HLC being able to turn hits into crits overcomes the one drawback of the cannon.