With the StarViper preview coming up, I wanted to get my educated guess written down before this card a lot of people are looking forward to gets spoiled.

What we know fo sho:

From the image in the Scum and Villainy announcement article, we can see a card titled "Autot-" with the letter after the 't' cut off but presumably being an 'h'. That, and the picture on the card appears to be the back of a StarViper, zooming away with thrusters on full blast. So, it's been a pretty good guess that the card will indeed be Autothrusters. If we enlarge and squint* we might see an italic 'M', which would indicate a Modification card.

We also have an interview with the game designers at GenCon, done by Team Covenant. I'm paraphrasing, but they indicated that there was a S&V card that TIE Interceptor pilots would like. They also said that it would help against their bane, the turret, while being more generally useful as well. I can't remember off hand if the StarViper expansion was mentioned directly, let alone the name Autothrusters, but as a Modification is one of the few upgrades an Int can use (two of them at that, given Royal Guard TIE) it stands to reason that a Modification named Autothrusters fits the bill.

Given the above hints, there was some speculation about whether or not it would have effect (or greater effect) when outside an enemy firing arc. However, I don't think that's quite right and in fact there's an even bigger hint right in front of our eyes. If we go back to that same image from the S&V article, we notice...

...next to the Imperial Interceptor, the StarViper becomes only the second ship in the game with both Barrel Roll and Boost native!

With a name like Autothrusters, it seems it would make perfect sense for the upgrade to hinge on those actions: Barrel Roll and Boost. I have no idea what a fair point cost for the following would be, but I'm willing to say I'm fairly confident the following will be close to the ability on the real FFG card:

"Immediately before you attack, you may perform a free Barrel Roll action if you have the [barrel roll icon, or a free Boost action if you have the [boost icon]."

What would this mean?

- Action efficiency. Feel free to take a Focus, Evade, or Boost/Barrel Roll knowing you'll still get to do the other, or even a Target Lock if you happen to be a Royal Guard with a Targeting Computer.

- All pilots, but low PS in particular, get some sweet range control. Yeah, you're going to get shot at first, but your high PS enemy might be doing it at range 3, while you get to boost into range 2 for your own shot, netting +1 agility for yourself and denying it to the opponent.

- High PS pilots don't benefit in quite the same way as they'll already have the option to Boost/Barrel Roll after seeing where everyone else moves, but again, it's action efficiency.

- Soontir Fel takes an Evade just in case and hangs out at range 4 of Super Han, denying Han a shot at all, then uses Autothrusters to Boost into range 3 to take his own shot, triggering Push the Limit for a Target Lock via Targeting Computer (and Royal Guard TIE), and a free Focus token from his own ability. That's an unanswered, 3-dice, Focus, Target Locked shot!

- With the current game pushing pilots to higher and higher PS, Autothrusters gives the little guy an edge. Get shot at range 2? Afterward you get to Barrel Roll into range 1 for +1 Attack! And, as seen above, even ace pilot Soontir Fel gets to punish Fat Han.

So there it is, Autothrusters in all its glory, and you can expect a big fat, "I-told-you-so" when it gets revealed!

*Interceptor reference not intended, but appropriate.

How does that help against turrets?

How does that help against turrets?

Sit at Range 4. Turret attacks. Boost into range 3 before your attack. Granted, it works for all ships and not just turrets, but it gives ships an option to actually give fire without receiving it, which no amount of maneuvering can currently do against a turret.

oh look, another one of these threads...

I have similar feelings in that it will create some new action economy in the mod slot instead of the EPT slot. That would help A LOT overall and could conceivably help with turrets in a few ways.

I'm thinking it will be a free boost/BR action after__________ trigger. What that trigger is and how that could tie into being "good against turrets" is up for debate.

I hope it's a limited Mini-PTL in the mod slot. A few of the new EPTs are niffty but PTL is still king on interceptors. That it would buff the non-ept named interceptors into usefulness is just the cherry on top (Kir with an action and evade token? Lorrir with his mobility and even more mobility or at least modified dice? YEP).

Sound really nasty, in a good way, if that's that's the case!

Yah. Not sure how it will pan out. It would change the action economy of the game again but probably only for a few ships. Phantoms have their mod slot spoken for, falcons have enough action economy options and want EU, a lot of ships don't have boost or BR natively without a mod or taking up the EPT(and if this also grants that ability it is going to be to expensive to be useful for the ships that actually want/need it).

When speaking with a guy who plays with some play testers they wouldn't give him any specifics but their last conversation went something like this:

"So what does this new "interceptor" card to help with turrets do?"

"What's you're favorite ship".

"Interceptors".

"You're gonna like it."

"But, dude, what's it do?"

"If you enjoy interceptors, you are going to like it."

"But..."

"...You're. Going. to. like it!".

http://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/113834-lets-speculate-on-auto-thrusters/

Lets try these 140 posts

My guess would be "After performing a Barrel-Roll or Boost action increase your Agility Value by 1." So using PTL to BR and Boost would increase an Interceptor or Starviper to 5. But it wouldn't have a focus to modify.

How does that help against turrets?

Sit at Range 4. Turret attacks. Boost into range 3 before your attack. Granted, it works for all ships and not just turrets, but it gives ships an option to actually give fire without receiving it, which no amount of maneuvering can currently do against a turret.

That seems like a very complicated way of taking something from what the devs said in that video. I would wager it is something a little more direct than something that might work if you use a specific tactic.

You may reroll any evade dice when attacked from outside you primary arc.

That's my guess. Maybe with a minimum base evade requirement.

http://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/113834-lets-speculate-on-auto-thrusters/

Lets try these 140 posts

I recognize that thread

How does that help against turrets?

Sit at Range 4. Turret attacks. Boost into range 3 before your attack. Granted, it works for all ships and not just turrets, but it gives ships an option to actually give fire without receiving it, which no amount of maneuvering can currently do against a turret.

That seems like a very complicated way of taking something from what the devs said in that video. I would wager it is something a little more direct than something that might work if you use a specific tactic.

I was just answering how it would be useful against turrets. I agree that based on their comments the guess presented doesn't fit the "emphasis" they've given to it and interceptors.

Though, even though I agree this might not be what auto-thrusters are, it does sound like a it would be nifty upgrade to take advantage of range band bonuses, which we haven't seen much of.

It would change the action economy of the game again but probably only for a few ships. Phantoms have their mod slot spoken for, falcons have enough action economy options and want EU, a lot of ships don't have boost or BR natively without a mod

That's what I was thinking as well, but forgot to mention in the OP. It can also help A-Wings, though not as much because they only have one of the actions. It could help YT-2400s, though, which could be a problem, or make the card more expensive, because you could have a HLC Outrider barrel roll to shoot something that thought it was safe in the range 1 doughnut hole. In general, though, I feel it accomplishes what seems to be a solid design goal for FFG - making less-used ships and upgrades more useful - pretty well.

It would change the action economy of the game again but probably only for a few ships. Phantoms have their mod slot spoken for, falcons have enough action economy options and want EU, a lot of ships don't have boost or BR natively without a mod

That's what I was thinking as well, but forgot to mention in the OP. It can also help A-Wings, though not as much because they only have one of the actions. It could help YT-2400s, though, which could be a problem, or make the card more expensive, because you could have a HLC Outrider barrel roll to shoot something that thought it was safe in the range 1 doughnut hole. In general, though, I feel it accomplishes what seems to be a solid design goal for FFG - making less-used ships and upgrades more useful - pretty well.

This was going to be my thought as well. It can't be Interceptor Only since it's coming with the StarViper. Admittedly, I do like the OP's theory of it being tied to having both the BR and Boost. It would nicely protect it from being abused since it would limit use to those two ships. Otherwise it could add a bit more buff to A-wings and such but I don't see that being a problem. A-wings have been helped with Rebel Aces but still aren't core ships the way X-wings, B-wings, and TIEs are.

I can't see how Autothrusters can help Squints without it helping some other ships. That should therefore be taken into account as well, either by having a future-proof limit like the OP's or it being based less on Squints than on turret avoidance in general. If it's the latter then it may be nuanced slightly different. I know the talks have mentioned squints but have they been brought up first in each circumstance? Then it may not be squint specific.

Tying it (any card effects) to the boost action or having the boost on your action bar would be a way to limit any bonus it gives to just a few ships.

I'll be surprised, though, if the benefit of the card is movement of some sort since that kind of movement doesn't help against turrets, and boosting from r4 to r3, while interesting is not going to be useful consistently.

Rather than speculating on what Autothrusters “could” be, would we not be better off deciding on what it needs to be to actually have a significant enough effect, yet not so broad that it becomes ubiquitous. This is based solely on the assertation that this card will provide a solution for Interceptors against turreted ships as eluded to by Frank and Alex.

Speculative example:

Modification 2 points

Once per turn when defending, if you are not in the attackers firing arc, you may reroll any number of defence dice.

Simple, elegant, does not specifically hate on turrets but effects any other abilities with a similar effect like Hot-Shot Blaster and Nera.

The question is, is this too good? being a modification it competes with ACD on the Phantoms so no abuse there, it doesn’t clash with PTL on an interceptor, and at 2 points it is really good in matches against opponents that trigger it yet dead weight in any games without it triggering.

I scincerely hope that Autothrusters lives up to the hype that we as the player base have built, yet coming from a MTG background I have experienced the let-down effect of a supposed “answer” to a problem only to find it had little or no effect at all in practice.

The designers also made a point of saying they didn't want to only help against turrets, i.e. outside firing arcs. Nera and "Hot Shots" might not technically be turrets, but they're still outside firing arc attacks. Also, re-rolling dice isn't nearly as strong a thematic link to the name Autothrusters as is movement based Barrel Rolling and Boosting.

Ya but triggering boosting and barrel rolling don't help Interceptors much. PTL has that covered already.

Ya but triggering boosting and barrel rolling don't help Interceptors much. PTL has that covered already.

Except it's still a free action. As I said in the OP, at high PS, you can feel free to take a Focus, Evade, or Boost/Barrel Roll knowing you'll still get to do the other, then trigger PtL and get a third action.

Additionally, low PS pilots (who also don't have access to PtL) don't often get the most use out of Boost/Barrel Roll because they don't know where enemy ships are going to end up. With Autothrusters they could take a safer Focus or Evade, then Boost or Barrel Roll right before their attack. It won't dodge as many arcs, but it will set up shots that can be modified.

How do they get out of arc of turrets though?

How do we help Imperial pilots avoid this familiar scene?

(Kudos to anybody who recognizes the screen grab.)

How do we help Imperial pilots avoid this familiar scene?

(Kudos to anybody who recognizes the screen grab.)

So glad Good Old Games is selling it for modern computers!

How do we help Imperial pilots avoid this familiar scene?

(Kudos to anybody who recognizes the screen grab.)

So glad Good Old Games is selling it for modern computers!

Happens to me alot when I fly a Tie Fighter:))) I swear those things are made of paper.

The key has been useful against turrets AND not a turret only upgrade.

A mini/limited Turr ability or the ability to boost in any direction would be pretty epic depending on the "when" trigger.

Ace pilots getting to choose something besides PTL and still has a manueverability action and a defensive action would help all the time. Giving non-ept pilots a ptl light would likewise always be useful.

What happens that make turrets damage interceptors more than a regular ship? Why does it happen? Fix that, and were probably close, right?

"You cannot be declared the target of an attack if you are outside the attackers arc."

Too strong? Tone it down!

"Unless the attacker has a target lock on you."

Bam, expert handling rocks

Wait, this can't be right can it? let's just wait for release!