Been a while chaps. Anyway, Store Tourney yesterday, 16 players, 3 rounds

My List: Damned If You Do

Kenkirk, Predator, Gunner, Isard, Darth Vader, Engine Upgrade 63

Echo, VI, ACD, FCS 37

Round 1: Soontir PTL, Kenkirk with Upgrades, Backstabber

Soontir without shield upgrades went down in two rounds to the Crushimator. Backstabber got one shotted by Echo, after which 2v1 against the remaining Kenkirk was quick. 100-0

Round 2: Chewbacca, C3P0, Luke, Predator, Engine, Wild Space Fringer, HLC, Recon Spec

Chewbacca blocked Echo's decloaks after the initial pass and I had to switch my target to the Outrider. Lucky shooting took it down in two turns and it was Echo and Kenkirk against Chewie, with a predictable result. 100-0

Round 3: Han Solo, PTL, Kyle Katarn, C3P0, Engine, 3x Bandit

Tricky flying by Han means Echo is out of arc for two rounds, meaning she dies without firing off a single shot. Han takes some damage and my Vader crits fail to have meaningful results (both Munitions Failure) but I finally take him out with one hull remaining on my Decimator.

Decimator then mops up the three Bandits through a combination of Engine Upgrade boosting out of arc, lucky evade rolls, firing first with 2 rerolls+focus, and free evades every turn. 100-37 for a tournament win and TONS of Cloak tokens!

Crushimator rocks. Putting out that guaranteed Gunner damage + Crit every turn is brutal. Also

I can't help but think Vader on a ship designed to make it's HP last as long as possible seem a little self-defeating?

Regardless, yeah, Vader in a Decimator seems like a beast. It'll be great against all the Autothruster Interceptors that'll be coming out to play soon, too.

I was considering something similar with Ruthlessness over Predator.

All the bonus free damage!

I can't help but think Vader on a ship designed to make it's HP last as long as possible seem a little self-defeating?

Regardless, yeah, Vader in a Decimator seems like a beast. It'll be great against all the Autothruster Interceptors that'll be coming out to play soon, too.

Conversely, you get the most effective use of Vader since you can Vader twice every round if Gunner triggers.

Autothruster isn't going to save them from Crushimator. Phantoms also get wrecked.

The idea here is to force a choice between Echo and Kenkirk; Focusing on Kenkirk leaves Echo free to shoot you with impunity for several rounds; Kenkirk can strategically place single/double damage every round to finish ships off, leading to excellent shooting efficiency. Focusing on Echo leaves Kenkirk free to spend his health critting you.

Also, he becomes more efficient at taking damage when he's in Guile Theme mode, and effectively getting 1hp a turn from the free evade, so critting yourself till you get to evade is a valid strategy.

He needs some way to modify his dice, and Predator makes him a machine against TIEs and Bandit matchups.

Ruthlessness is good but can also backfire spectacularly.

I can't help but think Vader on a ship designed to make it's HP last as long as possible seem a little self-defeating?

Regardless, yeah, Vader in a Decimator seems like a beast. It'll be great against all the Autothruster Interceptors that'll be coming out to play soon, too.

Conversely, you get the most effective use of Vader since you can Vader twice every round if Gunner triggers.

Autothruster isn't going to save them from Crushimator. Phantoms also get wrecked.

The idea here is to force a choice between Echo and Kenkirk; Focusing on Kenkirk leaves Echo free to shoot you with impunity for several rounds; Kenkirk can strategically place single/double damage every round to finish ships off, leading to excellent shooting efficiency. Focusing on Echo leaves Kenkirk free to spend his health critting you.

Also, he becomes more efficient at taking damage when he's in Guile Theme mode, and effectively getting 1hp a turn from the free evade, so critting yourself till you get to evade is a valid strategy.

On a ship that costs 60% of your squad. I think focus firing that down maybe a priority. Cause if your opponent can kill the decimator, and keep couple of his ships alive by the end of the game, you would probably lose.

Idk, just seems counter productive

It depends on the situation. Darth vader is not "just one crit". It is a crit decided after your attack is resolved, so you know the HP's left on the enemy ship, and many times that last hit can kill a ship. And killing a ship is almost always worth 2 hitpoints, specially shields.

Focusing down Kenkirk allows you to get Echo on late game with fewer ships, where she truly shines, it depends on the match ups.

Yes, Vader is an insurance policy. Land only two damage on that TIE Fighter? Vader him. The two damage you suffer is surely smaller than the damage your 0 agility ship will receive in the long run from that ship getting away with 1 Hull left.

I think he's really best on the Rear Admiral, though, instead of having a Gunner. You already have a mini Focus, and it's not like you have anything else to spend your actions on than a Target Lock, so you'll most likely always be landing hits and then letting Vader finish them off. The Decimator has a lot of HP, but you pay too many points per HP to be blowing them away on Vader-boosted Gunner rerolls. On a 20 point Lambda, though? Sure.

Gunner is there so you can Vader twice in one round. After your first attack misses, and Gunner is triggered, you can Vader once, and Vader again after your second attack.

Crushimator kills all 4 HP ships in two rounds, no matter their evade dice or Tokens. This is insanely good.

Echo can solo pretty much any number of sub PS-8 ships in the lategame. The Decimator is supposed to get him there. If they focus Echo first, the Decimator is just as hard to kill in the late game.

I agree thay Vader on Decimator is solid. Gunner + Vader I have not tried, yet I can only assume it is good. We'll see where

the meta changes once this sees more play. B Wings might just stay strong as a way to out atricion the Deci, and make the often used Gunner less useful. They aren't horrid against Phantom's either, as they take 2 to 3 shots to kill. Of course, manueverability is always an issue for those slow ships.

Anyways, I think thr key to using Vader on Deci, as you stated, is the timing of its use. I dont foresee many good times youll blow it on a shield, for 2 of your hp. That is about the only time it feels like a bad trade.