So in a recent thread talking about the A-wing and how many felt it was still lacking some "umph", talk got around to the swivel mounts for the laser cannons. Someone mentioned how it wouldn't be to hard to represent this since you can lift the cardboard off the stand and rotate it without moving the ship at all. So i felt like doing some testing this weekend with some friends and i want to soundboard ideas first.

"The slight A-wing's wing-mounted laser cannons could rotate up and down sixty degrees for greater fire control. Some of those designs even had their guns modified to swivel in a complete 360-degree arc, thus providing a nasty surprise to any chasing fighter."

So keeping this in mind, i'm designing a modification for the awing.

Modified Swivel Mounts. A-wing Only. Modification. 2-3 pts.
When you reveal your maneuver dial, you may rotate your (whatever the hell the cardboard base is properly called, my brain is failing me) so the firing arc faces the opposite direction. This is now your new firing arc for the purposes of EPT and other effects.

2-3pts /might/ be a little cheap, though I could see it working with a condition or something, maybe like this:

"At the start of the combat phase, you may spend one focus token to turn your ship token to face the rear."

Would make it kind of interesting, since it makes the first shot after the flip slightly less effective, lets you pull psychology on target selection, and sticks the firing arc until activation without other focus sources.

The obvious cons are the risk of knocking the base entire while rotating the cardboard insert. Some people will be tempted to rotate the entire ensemble but that runs the risk of forgetting you didn't actually do a k-turn. So requiring the insert to be rotated is a good idea, should it prove doable. The real issue is that the firing arc is used for other things as well, like the EPT Outmaneuver. Absent the forward arc an opponent's ship measuring for such a benefit would need you to then rotate your base back again. It would get messy once you threw in PS dynamics and any other arc-based cards, like Autothrusters.

Why can't it just be measured straight back from the rear of the base? Not an arc, a column extending straight back. Sure it's limited but chalk it up to the difficulty of a rearward shot. Now you don't need to reprint a base or mess with the current ones. This is an admittedly meh solution though I admit.

The width of base rear arc is just too limited to be really interesting at any point cost but 0. It would somewhat make sense though because the pilot is not as proficient to aim backwards as forwards (well barring some really weird species as a pilot or an implanted computer etc...)
A genuine rear arc would be funny to play but probably not at more than 2 points. For 2 dice attack on a maneuvrable platform like the A-Wing it would not be used that often in a game, and if... Well probably not do a ton of damage!

Yea, needs to be 0 points. Fo sho.

Could you do something like:

Swivel Lasers Modification

After being fired on by an attack at range 1 from behind the attacker must roll one attack die. Neither player can modify this roll. Immediately resolve any damage.

So it's like a snap shot fired at a pursuer. Only 1 die so not much of a worry but since you don't roll defense for it it's worth some concern.

Just a random thought.

I would love to see A wing with an auxiliary firing arc but not for the ships we have now I would like a new Squad and poilts with proper printed auxiliary firing arc and diffrent cost and some how not have Chardaan Refit apply to these ships. to creat a diffrence in cost and use in a list. maby only have it on some unique pilots.

I had the same Idea about turing the (whatever the hell the cardboard base is properly called, my brain is failing me) but I could see that being a problem. "opps i ment to turn that card around do you mind if i do it now" right before you role dice. Is the first that comes to mind

I hope one day FFG can make it work

A Wing seems fine as is. It's nimble and cheap. That's the compensation for the two attack dice.

I know! It would take up your missile slot, saying that it refits the a-wings internal hull to include additional servos and targeters for the guns, scrapping the missile playload to make space and to compensate the weight.

It would be a-wing only, and would cost 0 points. (2-point tax on charridan refit basicly)

Yea, needs to be 0 points. Fo sho.

I know! It would take up your missile slot, saying that it refits the a-wings internal hull to include additional servos and targeters for the guns, scrapping the missile playload to make space and to compensate the weight.

It would be A-wing only, and would cost 0 points. (2-point tax on charridan refit basicly)

A Wing seems fine as is. It's nimble and cheap. That's the compensation for the two attack dice.

Thanks for posting off topic. I asked for constructive input, if you're not going to help the door is that way.

A Wing seems fine as is. It's nimble and cheap. That's the compensation for the two attack dice.

The TIE interceptor is nimble and cheap. And has the more useful barrel roll. This allows arc dodging and still being able to fire.

I like the idea of making it a missile slot upgrade, that way you can still take stealth device or auto thrusters.

I also kinda like the idea of the arc being only the rectangle behind the a-wing, as it requires more skill to line up a shot. (And less people would complain about infringing on fire spray territory.

A Wing seems fine as is. It's nimble and cheap. That's the compensation for the two attack dice.

Thanks for posting off topic. I asked for constructive input, if you're not going to help the door is that way.

I offered an opinion and substantiated it. Don't get pissy just because it differs from your idea.

A Wing seems fine as is. It's nimble and cheap. That's the compensation for the two attack dice.

The TIE interceptor is nimble and cheap. And has the more useful barrel roll. This allows arc dodging and still being able to fire.

I like the idea of making it a missile slot upgrade, that way you can still take stealth device or auto thrusters.

I also kinda like the idea of the arc being only the rectangle behind the a-wing, as it requires more skill to line up a shot. (And less people would complain about infringing on fire spray territory.

The A-Wing is 3 points cheaper (factoring Chardaan Refit) and has 2 shields for the Interceptor's extra hull. It's a bargain.

A Wing seems fine as is. It's nimble and cheap. That's the compensation for the two attack dice.

Thanks for posting off topic. I asked for constructive input, if you're not going to help the door is that way.

I offered an opinion and substantiated it. Don't get pissy just because it differs from your idea.

Where did i ask for your opinion on anything but the modification in question? The opening statement makes it pretty clear this thread is for people who feel it needs some more oomph. You obviously feel it doesn't need anything, so you don't need to read any further nor post any further. Don't be surprised when people take offence to your inability to follow basic forum etiquette.

This isn't a debate on the merits between a A-wing or interceptor, stop derailing, this kind of behavior is getting out of control on these forums.

Yehmans, i've only been here a few days but you guys sure do like to pick bitchy fights with each other. I like this canon cannon, it's not too much hassle to turn the card around if there's confusion over arcs.

How about a title that lets you ignore the size requirement for anti pursuit lasers?

Or this mod:

As an action place the range template between the movement nubs (forgot the actual term) you may attack an enemy that the template touches as per normal, you may not attack again this round.

Has it really not occured to anyone that FFG might just have thought of this before? Notice the Lambda's lack of rear arc despite having a massive gun on the back. Does nobody think that FFG tried this, playtested this, and decided against it? The rear arc in Wave 2 appears on the far less obvious Firespray.

Has it really not occured to anyone that FFG might just have thought of this before? Notice the Lambda's lack of rear arc despite having a massive gun on the back. Does nobody think that FFG tried this, playtested this, and decided against it? The rear arc in Wave 2 appears on the far less obvious Firespray.

On the Shuttle it is pretty clear that the deliberately didnt want to make it as expensive and too similar to the Firespray.

On the A-Wing i am not so sure if they even playtested it. They had the cost of the ship wrong (obviously because Chardaan is some kind of fix for it) and i can very well imagine that they never came to the idea of giving the A-Wing a back arc or that it didn't make it to playtesting at least.

Fluffwise not all A-wings had the mount either so i would think they should bring it out under the form of some upgrade!

As suggested above, just do the chardin refit and say that it gets you the rear arc with your primary weapon.

Keeping it KISS is best... don't 'cha think.

Has it really not occured to anyone that FFG might just have thought of this before? Notice the Lambda's lack of rear arc despite having a massive gun on the back. Does nobody think that FFG tried this, playtested this, and decided against it? The rear arc in Wave 2 appears on the far less obvious Firespray.

First thing the Firespray is very obvious for this as its guns clearly can swivel around.

On the Shuttle it is pretty clear that the deliberately didnt want to make it as expensive and too similar to the Firespray.

On the A-Wing i am not so sure if they even playtested it. They had the cost of the ship wrong (obviously because Chardaan is some kind of fix for it) and i can very well imagine that they never came to the idea of giving the A-Wing a back arc or that it didn't make it to playtesting at least.

Fluffwise not all A-wings had the mount either so i would think they should bring it out under the form of some upgrade!

"First thing the Firespray is very obvious for this as its guns clearly can swivel around."

The guns swivel and it can shoot while landed, but I've never seen one shoot backwards in flight.

"i am not so sure if they even playtested it."

If I were the designers I'd be almost insulted by that. Of course they playtested it. They credit the playtesters on the back of the insert.

The problem with A-Wings is that they lack punch. If you drop their cost they become better Z95's, if you increase their attack they become better X-Wings.

With that in mind, I'm aiming to increase their damage potential without increasing the raw attack power.

The idea for this is that it bypasses normal defenses (agility, evades) and thematically it's kind of like a strafing run. The A-Wing rockets at, and straight past an enemy ship and the swivel turret tracks and shoots. Ideally this all happens faster than the enemy pilots can react. I'm trying to keep this as cheap as possible (ideally 0) so I'm including some restrictions on it. The A-Wing has to fly agressively, and works a little better on lower PS ships. However, it's also an action so forces you can't do it while stressed, or blocked. The idea there being that the pilot is concentrating very hard on flying close to the enemy, he can't be straining the limits of the ship as well.

Swivel Turret

A-Wing only.

Action: At the end of your movement, if your maneuver template overlapped one or more enemy ships, choose 1 enemy ship to be the target of the Swivel Turret. Roll an attack dice, on a [hit] enemy ship takes 1 damage and on a [crit] enemy ship takes 1 critical damage.

I would love to see A wing with an auxiliary firing arc but not for the ships we have now I would like a new Squad and poilts with proper printed auxiliary firing arc and diffrent cost and some how not have Chardaan Refit apply to these ships. to creat a diffrence in cost and use in a list. maby only have it on some unique pilots.

I had the same Idea about turing the (whatever the hell the cardboard base is properly called, my brain is failing me) but I could see that being a problem. "opps i ment to turn that card around do you mind if i do it now" right before you role dice. Is the first that comes to mind

I hope one day FFG can make it work

That's why i made the language so restrictive, I'd rather have put it in the activation phase but its starts getting messy and if you bumped or went over obstacles you'd lose the ability to swivel so i put it when you reveal your dial.

Rividius, would that be a missile slot to replace chardaan or would you keep it a modification?

At first I was thinking modification, but I forgot about Autothrusters, and I think you'd want the extra protection.

Lets use it to replace Chardaan, but if anyone has any better ideas, feel free to add them.

The A-Wing is 3 points cheaper (factoring Chardaan Refit) and has 2 shields for the Interceptor's extra hull. It's a bargain.

If I could spend those 3 points and get an extra red die, I would agree with you. I can't though. A three point 'discount' that switches one attack die for one shield is not a trade anyone would make, ever.

I like the idea of a quick one shot. I think something similar to Anti Pursuit Laser would work best. Something like:

After an enemy ship outside of this ships firing arc executes a range 1 attack on this ship, roll 1 attack die.

On a hit or critical hit result, the enemy ship suffers 1 damage.