To the OP:

It seems like action-blocking your Blaster Turret ship shouldn't necessarily be a priority when there's a Corran Horn with FCS on the board. Have you found action denial to be a tactic commonly employed against your Blaster-equipped HWKs? In my experience, that is one of their least concerns.

I don't like how the Jan-Kyle combo requires you to do predictable green maneuvers if ever want to modify your Blaster shot, but I suppose that is already inherent in just using Jan's ability.

If you stick to the common Rebel Op (Or Jan/Roark) + Recon Spec + Moldy Crow + Blaster combo, you should have at least one or two Focus tokens left over from early in the game in case you are blocked. The Moldy Crow title is really just for insurance, and can be left out.

But it's true that people tend to overlook Blaster Turret. With Lone Wolf (Not great on the Rebel HWKs, but maybe S&V?) and Predator, they can get quite scary. It's just too bad that the versatile Copilot slot is practically married to Recon Spec if you want to use the Blaster - R2-D2 Copilot could be pretty cool on a ship that is almost always going to be missing it's 1 shield.

Wow, I was not expecting such a positive response from this. MJ, I still agree with you in that more often than not, the ion is better since it's basically 7 points to make the blaster work. But at one of things I've struggled with 3 ship lists these days is the fire power - which is gimped with an Ion (or a 2 dice attack... which I seem to find one or the other in all of my lists).

Yeah with only 3 ships you need to skip the cute pretense and just smash things in the face. Blaster turret has its place there otherwise your damage output AND durability are both low. 4 ship build is a different story.

Although I still hold that Blaster Turret needs a mild damage buff, like turning one blank to a hit. (Haven't run the numbers yet, just a hypothetical example)

Nothing too new about blaster turret. Being able to increase the Hwks pea shooter from 1 firepower to 3 and range 2 out of arc is a serious improvement. Now the drawbacks could easily be mitigated by recon specialist so to get the most out of blaster turret it would be at least 7 points of upgrades which is probably the real reason Ion Hawks were more popular.

As for Kyle Katan(crew) it is easy to see that this upgrade was made to be used on Jan Ors (pilot). For one Jan stresses herself and Kyle(crew) can't be played with Kyle Pilot. But the theme with Kyle was always focus. So being able to get a free focus token for the Blaster Turret is the way you play Blast Hawk.

The problem with Blaster Turret is that it requires another 3 points to give it a useful damage output.

Not that I think you will disagree with this statement...

But half the point of the list was to find a way to make Blaster Turret worth taking, which I think he did. It may not be a list you are likely to see winning worlds, it's a good list and would be fun to fly I think. Plus Kyle really does do something to remove the biggest drawback of Blaster Turret.

That is the problem with Blaster Turret. You can make it worth while, but it takes some serious doing. You almost have to build your list, or at least your ship around making it work. And even then it's not always going to work.

By comparison you usually just put an Ion Turret on your HWK and call it good. Doubly so if it is one of the named pilots. Every single named HWK Pilot has an awesome ability. Jan + Ion Turret is just a great reliable awesome ship, that you don't have to worry about making sure she works.

Jan+Ion+Nien Numb is two points cheaper than Jan+Kyle+Blaster. She clears stress easier (so you can use her ability more, and she will be harder to pin down) She can Ionize. Her only down side is the fact that she can only do one damage.

Compare the list

I really like the Blaster Turret on Roark as a finisher weapon. He is probably going to be the last ship in your squad to shoot having buffed someone else. Those 2 hits from a 360 weapon have often finished of a limping enemy ship after the others in my squad have softened it up.

In three ship lists, you need kills to even the odds and the Blaster has that advantage over the Ion.

Now Jan Ors is situational with the other ships you are flying as she is a high PS and may be very worth using as a buff and control ship as she often survives.

The lowly PS2 HWK is always best with the Blaster Turret IMO and I have to admit, I just don't like Kyle.

In the comical words of Darth Vader: NooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOO

A thread that makes me finally want to buy a HWK.

Seriously, this idea looks like it has some real potential... now if only we could get a crew slot upgrade for the Y-Wing...

Although I still hold that Blaster Turret needs a mild damage buff

I agree it needs something, the concept is great but with it costing a focus to use it really doesn't make it worth the points most times. Just because attacking with no focus/tl just isn't going to get you great results.

Between the Blaster Turret and the obligatory Recon Spec you are paying the cost of an HLC for the privilege of a 360 range 1 - 2 arc weapon. It's not a bad cost in the right list.