I'm hoping that someone with math skills could help me figure out when it would be best to attack or use Feedback Array. For simplicity's sake, (and since most of use will use it on them anyway), consider Feedback Array on a Z-95 Headhunter.

I hoping that there could be a breakdown on whether or not either ship has a focus and/or evade, and the hull/shield values of the attacker and defender.

Thanks for whoever can help! It should help us all in tournaments, after all. Especially those of us who are not math savvy (at least probability-wise).

I can think of two scenarios for using feedback array:

1. You cannot attack (firing arc restrictions).
2. The enemy has exactly one point of damage remaining.

Other than that use your regular attack.

Based on the number of times you could use it (considering the damage to you, the ease of your opponent staying out of R1 once you've ioned yourself, etc) and the damage done to your opponent, I think you're better off with a Hotshot Blaster.

I can think of two scenarios for using feedback array:

1. You cannot attack (firing arc restrictions).
2. The enemy has exactly one point of damage remaining.

Other than that use your regular attack.

I agree using it like vader trading one damage to finish off an enemy is well worth it, i would not use it early game for out of arc shots but late game it could be a game winner.

There is an arc dodger out of arc. Even if you have an arc on another ship its probably best to hit the arc dodger

I'm really wanting to run 7 Headhunters with the Feedback Array, so I'm not as worried about losses as I would be with fewer ships. I do however would like to know on a general sense when attacking would do more damage than just using the Feedback Array, if the need arises.

Simple method: it kills 1/4th of your health on a 14 point ship, so it costs you 3.5 points per use, plus your attack.

Take your typical Phantom: costs around 40 points and has 4 hit points. So each damage you can inflict is worth 10 points. Same thing with Soontir Fel + PtL: 30 points for 3 hit points.

For more detailed analysis you will need to figure out what your chances of landing a hit are. This website is useful:

xwingdice.com

Well when you focus or TL each shot is about 75% chance to hit so two attacks is 1.5 hits i think.

Well when you focus or TL each shot is about 75% chance to hit so two attacks is 1.5 hits i think.

But if the defender is a 4 defense dice Phantom with focus, then you have a 57.8% of doing zero damage. And if it has an evade token as well, then you only have a 12% chance of doing at least 1 damage.

But perhaps even more importantly, you can use Feedback Array out of arc.

Well when you focus or TL each shot is about 75% chance to hit so two attacks is 1.5 hits i think.

But if the defender is a 4 defense dice Phantom with focus, then you have a 57.8% of doing zero damage. And if it has an evade token as well, then you only have a 12% chance of doing at least 1 damage.

But perhaps even more importantly, you can use Feedback Array out of arc.

It's the R1 limit that worries me. The arc dodgers you want to hit with this, can easily stay at R2.

Too bad Feedback Array is an Illicit upgrade. It would be awesome on a shuttle.

I have a feeling this card won't be used all that much.

I have a feeling this card won't be used all that much.

I don't know about that, a couple of Feedback Headhunters will really mess with field control for Phantoms, Interceptors, and A-Wings. The threat of bypassing green dice and evades is always pretty potent, even if it doesn't happen more than once a game per ship. The self-damage and ion token seem an acceptable drawback when it's only two points to equip.

The range limit can also be an advantage. Psychologically, an opponent might stay out of range 1 to avoid damage - similar to the deadman upgrade. Not a guarantee, by any stretch, this fact - but as a additional defensive bonus (no bonus attack die).

Out of arc, automatic damage, and the ability to stack (non-unique) make this dangerous. Think 14 pt Z-95s that block and then zap with automatic damage, maybe stacking 2-3 damage on a high value target.

The biggest drawback of the card will probably be the suicidal nature of it while dealing with Margin of Victory should you pick up a loss and try to work your way back into the winner's bracket. As long as you win, it's not an issue, but you may not stack up MOV to win convincingly enough if you zap a couple of your own ships per turn. This will also contain Deadman's Switch spam as well (as well as the fact that you probably only get 1 of this card with each IG-2000).

Firespray or IG-2000 might be a better place for it given that they take two Ion tokens to ionize. The IG-2000 in particular has to wrestle with being a big ship without some form of auxiliary arc or turret, so it will be tough sometimes to get the shot.

I've mostly been considering it on either cheapies like the Z-95, but it does sound very tempting on the large ships, especially with the two ion token rule. I'm also curious on how to use it on the Virago, but I'll have a better idea when I see the Starviper article. It's certainly an annoyance to enemy interceptor types!

Does the damage dealt from this attack go through shields? I recall in the recent faq that there are things that deal cards vs damage etc.

There could be a situation where you use it to hit another target instead of having to shoot Biggs or something like that. Probably not going to come up too often, but it is an option.

Does the damage dealt from this attack go through shields? I recall in the recent faq that there are things that deal cards vs damage etc.

No, it just deals damage, not a damage card, so shields go before hull. Though you do take the the damage and ion before your opponent takes damage, so you can't use the ability when your ship is down to one hull, or else you'll just blow yourself up before the power triggers. Or at least that's how I read it. (I'd gladly blow up my own ship to take another down with me if it lets me win, after all.)

I'm hoping that someone with math skills could help me figure out when it would be best to attack or use Feedback Array. For simplicity's sake, (and since most of use will use it on them anyway), consider Feedback Array on a Z-95 Headhunter.

I hoping that there could be a breakdown on whether or not either ship has a focus and/or evade, and the hull/shield values of the attacker and defender.

Thanks for whoever can help! It should help us all in tournaments, after all. Especially those of us who are not math savvy (at least probability-wise).

I wouldn't consider it on aZ95 at all. Low hull and the ion will bone you if you're not super careful. I DO like that Zs are cheap and cheap is often the best use of self damaging upgrades. But, consider it on a Firespray or an Ig2000. Larger base, so more likely to be Range 1, needs 2 ion tokens to be bothersome, and more HP to cushion the self damage.

I agree with most of what's been said in this thread. Feedback array has got some interesting applications, but ought to be most notably used as a "last damage" upgrade like Darth Vader.

But having said that, here's some rough math for it, since that's what you're looking for OP. I'll compare average damage dealt by using a feedback array to average damage dealt by attacking for different attacker attack value and defender agility values. Don't forget, feedback array only works at range 1, so I'll be assuming the normal attack gets the range 1 bonus die.

Here's the math I'll be using. Hopefully I won't do anything wrong:

Attack value = A

Agility value = D

Avg normal damage w/o focus on either = ((A + 1) x 1/2) - (D x 3/8)

Avg normal damage w/ focus (or TL) = ((A + 1) x 3/4) - (D x 5/8)

Avg normal damage w/ focus/TL on attacker, and evade action on defender = ((A + 1) x 3/4) - (D x 3/8) - 1

Avg damage w/ feedback array = 1

I'm not gonna do matrices of damage for the feedback array. That would just look like nothing but 1's. So the way you can interpret these matrices with respect to the feedback array option is just that if a single cell is less than 1, then the feedback array will on average do more damage than a primary weapon attack will. Also, on the left you see your ship's attack value, and across the top you see the defending ship's agility value.

1. No tokens for attacker or defender

A D | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1 | 1 | .625 | .25 | 0 | 0

2 | 1.5 | 1.125 | .75 | .375 | 0

3 | 2 | 1.625 | 1.25 | .875 | .5

4 | 2.5 | 2.125 | 1.75 | 1.375 | 1

Conclusion: If neither has a token, you do more average damage from FA when the defender's agility is equal to or lesser than your attack value.

2. Focus tokens for attacker and defender (TL is same as focus on a single attack)

A D | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1 | 1.5 | .875 | .25 | 0 | 0

2 | 2.25 | 1.625 | 1 | .375 | 0

3 | 3 | 2.375 | 1.75 | 1.125 | .5

4 | 3.75 | 3.125 | 2.5 | 1.875 | 1.25

Conclusion: With focus tokens, FA only benefits average damage output when your attack value is less than their agility value, unless your attack value is 1, at which point you can use FA for more damage even if they have an agility of 1.

2. Focus token for attacker and evade token for defender

A D | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1 | .5 | .125 | 0 | 0 | 0

2 | 1.25 | .875 | .5 | .125 | 0

3 | 2 | 1.625 | 1.25 | .875 | .5

4 | 2.75 | 2.375 | 2 | 1.625 | 1.25

Conclusion: Strongest choice here! But it's complicated to sum up nicely. Basically if you have low attack, feedback array is going to do an average of more damage than a regular attack.

So there's some math. It is obviously only a little slice. It doesn't cover the many intricacies of hurting yourself to assure hurting the enemy, especially since FA can be used out of arc, but it answers your post question OP of when faced with the option of doing a primary attack or doing a FA attack which will do more damage on average.

Awesome, thanks for the data!

I think a swarm of Z's with feedback array will be very powerful when flown in a very loose formation, you will just have to get the hang of when using feedback array is the right move

Something to consider: Feedback Array can be used when you've overlapped an obstacle and also the same round you'd normally be affected by a Blinded Pilot crit. If it cost 1 point instead of 2, it might make sense as a good insurance card.

I could see it being used if Scum ever get the R2-D2 style astromechs that Rebels have. Guaranteed damage on your opponent for one shield that you'll regenerate can be a good deal.