BLUF: Each of these lists has a slightly different function while following three simple rules. Future versions will depend on how the Meta is affected by Wave 5.

TL;DR Stressbot, Wes/VI/R3-A2, Chrysler Building Missile Train, failing dice ruin everything.

So it has been a while since I professed my love for R3-A2 and his stress inducing/granting ability. As a quick recap: I was sick of getting shot by ACD Phantoms so I threw Stressbot on Wes Janson with Veteran Insticts and started building around that first 32 pts of synergistic mayhem of anti action. The main concept I had going into what I have deemed the #Stressbot project followed three rules which acted towards an ultimate end state.

1. Wes + VI + R3-A2 would be the primary component of this list.

2. The Squad would not drop below four ships total.

3. The Squad would not include the YT-1300 freighter in any form.

- Endstate: A viable Four + Rebel Squad that effectively fights against high PS ACD Phantoms, Fat Falcons, TIE Swarms, Named PTL Interceptors, Bounty Hunters, and Rebel Aces.

So far I have worked through three squads that have followed the three rules and while 44 points stay the same throughout all three generations, I find it it the interchangeable 54 points that have kept me thinking about this even when I am not playing. Each of these three lists has appeared in my signature at some point during testing to maintain transparency except for list number 2.

#Stressbot (1.0) Total points (100)

Wes+VI+R3-A2 (32)

Blue Squadron Pilot+FCS+FlechetteTorpedo+Flechette Torpedo+Munitions Failsafe (29)

Blue Squadron Pilot+FCS+Ion Cannon (27)

Bandit Squadron Pilot (12)

Vitals: ATK 11/15R1 EVD 6/10R3 HULL 11 SHD 14

Observations: This version works really well against Phantoms + mini Swarm (4 TIEs) and I was able to beat the person who beat me at regionals twice. Against Falcons and other large bases, the FlechetteTorpedoes worked to eliminate bonus dice @ range 3 but have no other effect. The Ion Cannon was rarely utilized in any of the games played as it was not generating enough damage and the ion effects would not have helped at the time. For some reason, Defenders were easier to kill with this list than with list number 2. Due to the low pilot skill and the increased use of Predator in my area, I ended up dropping this list from tournament play in favor of list number 2. Which I totally regret. I have not returned to it, however, I plan on dropping the FlechetteTorpedoes to increase the Blues to Daggers and dropping munitions fail safe to increase bandit to Tala and offering an attack and evade dice sacrifice to R3-A2 so it will continue to grant protection.

#Stressbot 2.0 Total points (100)

Wes+VI+R3-A2 (32)

Wedge (29)

Biggs+R2-D6+Determination (27)

Bandit Squadron Pilot (12)

Vitals: ATK 11/15R1 EVD 8/12R3 HULL 11 SHD 8

Observations: When this squad shows up to play, it can go either boom or bust depending on your dice. This was the most unfortunate fact about this list because when it performs well, it is almost unstoppable. Like a missile that is actually a train that is the size of the Chrysler Building. The glaring weakness here is the reliance on Biggs as a meat shield. Points spent on R2-D6 and Determination were worth it as crits with the pilot trait getting drawn and discarded happen more often then you would think. This list replaced (1.0) and served fairly well in the local tournament scene taking 3rd out of 7 (dice meltdown) and 2nd out of 16 ( undefeated but 1st round modified win =poor MOV.) and then 2nd in a multi-week league. Unfortunately this list ran into some unforeseen natural enemies in low skill Defenders with HLC. I eagerly await the coming of Experimental Interface to open up a couple more options with Biggs but until then this team has been benched indefinitely.

#Stressbot 3.0 Total points (100)

Wes+VI+R3-A2 (32)

Wedge+Predator (32)

Blue Squadron Pilot+FCS (24)

Bandit Squadron Pilot (12)

Vitals: ATK 11/15R1 EVD 7/10R3 HULL 11 SHD 11

Observations: following the defeat of 2.0 in the league and it's second strait loss based on dice alone, I decided that there must be a better way to sink more accurate shots into the enemy before they can kill me. Each variation of #Stressbot has been built on a more damage/stress intensive focus as I can never trust evades. However, modifying attack results is easy to achieve so I dropped the 27 pt Biggs for a more survivable Blue and put Predator on Wedge. The change in damage dealt was staggering. For the past Four weeks this list had gone Undefeated winning a tournament, and several singular engagements. It finally lost to a rebel list with a HWK three Nights ago when I got overconfident in my own hubris and flew over asteroids on purpose and essentially lost any ability to modify attack dice. With Biggs out of the Equation you must fly this in a very particular way to ensure the Bandit or Blue becomes the meat shield that Pawns should be. I won't get into too much crazy detail as this it already forever long but, basically joust with bandit doing 3 bank inwards to block Blue does 3 FWD and the X Wings stay back far enough to cover them.

Moving on from 3.0 is getting tricky as the amount of damage I want to be able to do would cause a drop in Hull/Shields or PS, which I am not willing to do just yet. However, I have started thinking about Garven and Biggs working together for 4.0 though I am not 100 on that yet. Mainly because I don't want to lose the awesomeness that is the B-wing with FCS. Revisiting Dagger Sqd as the primary portion of the list to avoid Predator also becomes much better in retrospect to how well (1.0) did.

While I have never cared for the Phantom, it's introduction has forced me to run things to get effects like Stress control which I would have never been concerned with back in wave 3.

The march to victory continues forward for the small ship Rebels though Wave 5 presents it's own new problems.

Have Fun, Be Safe, and Fly Casual everybody!

-Brendan

I need to buy a transport! I've been building Wes lists for months and can't wait to actually take him to a tournament.

How often are you able to get your opponent to crash into the bandit and target the bandit or the blue? If I ran this list I would be concerned with what usually happens-Wedge dies and range 3 from the 3rd or 4th ship in the first exchange. I've been running a blue with advance scopes to fill that blocker role. It's pretty good!

How much damage does Wedge end up averaging in a game compared to just using beefier B's?

Wedge generally performed as well as the Blue+FCS when he had predator. Vs R3 targets, he was able to get hits to stick when the Blue could not. Wedge without Predator would normally fall flat and I would not rate him as efficient.

When the Bandit gets in range 1 of the other targets people tend to shoot at him more than Wedge or Wes at range three. If the Blue is also at range 1, opponents try to force him down first. Blue basically supplanted Biggs as many tried to focus their fire on him. Blue was normally the first shot down if I lost any ships at all. Bandit has a weird habit of hanging around til the end game and getting some clutch shots in for the win.

I've been working on similar lists and have found them to be quite good. I usually use Luke instead of Wes however because of Luke's built in soft defensive focus lets him last a little longer. I also like to include a Y-wing over the Z-95. I just can't say no to the tankiness and ion cannon turret.

I've been approaching builds in a similar fashion. For Gencon, I ran the following:

Blackmoon w/ FCS + R3A2

Dagger w/ HLC

Roark w/ ICT

Bandit

I would gun for the phantom first, and if I thought he could end up in one of two places, I would aim the E at one place, and the B at the other - that way it was either stressed (and therefore easy to train all the guns on it the following turn) or it ate an HLC uncloaked, and was severely damaged.

As for fat hans, the HLC would help tear through it, as well as the FCS on the E wing to make sure damage stuck. The ion was great against swarms, and the Bandit more often than not would get 3 attack dice because I would throw it into R1 as bait - if they shot at it, then my expensive good ships were around longer. If they didn't, I got a 12 point 3 dice attack, win win for me.

In list # 1 I like to spread out the Torpedoes. I find that 2 ships with 1 missile/torpedo each is much better than one with 2 and the other with none as the one with 2 can still get focused down and destroyed without having the chance to fire the second one. I can see you are tre to save your investment with munitions failsafe but if you lose ships with munitions still on them then the upgrade becomes a loss of points.

In list # 1 I like to spread out the Torpedoes. I find that 2 ships with 1 missile/torpedo each is much better than one with 2 and the other with none as the one with 2 can still get focused down and destroyed without having the chance to fire the second one. I can see you are tre to save your investment with munitions failsafe but if you lose ships with munitions still on them then the upgrade becomes a loss of points.

I found that due to the point constraints, I was unable to fit Munitions Failsafe on two ships. My strategy behind both of the Flechettes on one ship was that there would be a second FlechetteTorpedo in the event one actually hit. It sounds wonky, but the desired effect was two stress per attack instead of three and then an Ion for even more around range 3 to deny the agility bonus. These would set up better shots for the following turn.

I've running this squad for 2 minths back and forth with amazing results especially against phantoms.

Blue Squadron

Blue Squadron

Dutch Vander, ICT, R3-A2

Roark Garnet, ICT, Tactician

It gets hard against a boosting Falcon but every other regular build it just wrecks it with dual ion stress.

I dig the Y-wing love there and especially the dual Ion.

Yes contrary to internet belief there are a lot if good builds out there. Harder to fky squads yes nut they are still there and viable if practiced.

I've running this squad for 2 minths back and forth with amazing results especially against phantoms.

Blue Squadron

Blue Squadron

Dutch Vander, ICT, R3-A2

Roark Garnet, ICT, Tactician

It gets hard against a boosting Falcon but every other regular build it just wrecks it with dual ion stress.

You do know that both R3-A2 and tactician require you to have the target in your arc, right? The HWK is going to have a very hard time doing that, and with the y-wing it's going to be almost impossible unless you give up on doing green maneuvers to clear stress.

I've running this squad for 2 minths back and forth with amazing results especially against phantoms.Blue SquadronBlue SquadronDutch Vander, ICT, R3-A2Roark Garnet, ICT, TacticianIt gets hard against a boosting Falcon but every other regular build it just wrecks it with dual ion stress.

You do know that both R3-A2 and tactician require you to have the target in your arc, right? The HWK is going to have a very hard time doing that, and with the y-wing it's going to be almost impossible unless you give up on doing green maneuvers to clear stress.

Disclaimer: the list is not easy to pilot...I've lost and won against tie swarms and fully kitted falcons. The rest are relatively easy though.

It's dual redundancy as well. None of the ships can be one shotted for example. That is where Roark and the ICT comes into play specially against phantoms. You don't always have to use the droid. No Phantom player will come and joust you after he sees the list. If he does, well he's gonna die period. If he does flank as you would expect him to do so, I just fly in slowly and use board positioning so that if I don't catch it outright on the first joust, the Hwk from behind will have him at the front arc. If not ps 12 one of the blues to drop the shields atleast. If he delays his Phantom from his mini swarm then I am going 4 ships to his mini swarm and force him to come to my range.

It's dual redundancy as well. None of the ships can be one shotted for example. That is where Roark and the ICT comes into play specially against phantoms. You don't always have to use the droid. No Phantom player will come and joust you after he sees the list. If he does, well he's gonna die period. If he does flank as you would expect him to do so, I just fly in slowly and use board positioning so that if I don't catch it outright on the first joust, the Hwk from behind will have him at the front arc. If not ps 12 one of the blues to drop the shields atleast. If he delays his Phantom from his mini swarm then I am going 4 ships to his mini swarm and force him to come to my range. Again based on experience the list only needs to tag the Phantom once or twice and it's dead. The Phantom is still basically a deadlier Interceptor and like any Interceptor chassis if you don't get actions it dies.

1. Wes + VI + R3-A2 would be the primary component of this list.

2. The Squad would not drop below four ships total.

3. The Squad would not include the YT-1300 freighter in any form.

- Endstate: A viable Four + Rebel Squad that effectively fights against high PS ACD Phantoms, Fat Falcons, TIE Swarms, Named PTL Interceptors, Bounty Hunters, and Rebel Aces.

I love these rules. I try to include them in all the lists I build...well, except for #1.

Good stuff! I'll have to try some of these. I do love Dutch with ICT and will try to use him.