I am currently running Echo and Kenkirk it is working out well.

Echo with VI, FCS, and ACK

Kenkirk with Expose, Isard, Jade, Gunner, and EI.

I have won about 6 in a row at our local store. I have had a few semi close calls due to poor playing on my part but for just two ships it works well. I killed a Han mini swarm build with ease, I took out another decimator list similar to the OP's list here and various other 3 to 5 rebel ship builds with it.

Against the Han list my first to shots were one shots on two Z95s. After that it is easy breezy. The hardest challenge was against the other Decimator list, but I forgot to use Jade for several turns and that made it closer than it would have been. I also got some terrific defense rolls on my Phantom the one time I misplayed and left it exposed. Having initiative in all but one game helped me a ton too.

I have tried a double decimator, and used decimator/firespray as well. I have used Decimator with mini swarm but it was just boring to play so I am trying to build outside the mini swarm box. I don't know how competitive this build will be in a tourney setting but I will find out this Thursday night as I play in my first tourney ever. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Sounds good, but why didnt Han kill Echo in about 2 turns? Sounds weird.

Also, have you tried rebel captive instead of Mara?

doublepost.

I had some fun with

Captain Oicunn (63)

VT-49 Decimator (42), Ruthlessness (3), Gunner (5), Ysanne Isard (4), Mara Jade (3), Dauntless (2), Engine Upgrade (4)

Captain Yorr (37)

Lambda-Class Shuttle (24), Fire-Control System (2), Gunner (5), Tactician (2), Engine Upgrade (4)

its a little dicey at first and once I destroyed capt yorr with Ruthlessness but it was still fun and seems to be workable.

... while i played a HLC dash as my main ship.

Now that's a redundant statement. No one will play Dash....or any YT-2400 without the Outrider and HLC option.

Funnily enough i'm wondering , seeing as i never really have much trouble with asteroids, about downgrading to leebo to make a few more useful upgades or even the other non generic but you lose the EPT then.

@ Celes. He went straight for my Decimator with his whole fleet and I started the Phantom as far from him as I could. He had to make a decision as to what to go after first and chose poorly I guess. I went after his YT first with my decimator as well. and came in with my phantom after his shields were stripped. it is pretty easy to do when you are rolling 4 to 5 dice a turn with gunner and TL.

I find that most games I get a lot of up close ships around my decimator and being able to stress everything I am close to is too good to pass up.

Kirk and Isard almost make the Decimator unfair to play against from my perspective lol.

Now that's a redundant statement. No one will play Dash....or any YT-2400 without the Outrider and HLC option.

Actually, I'm considering it.

Garven Dreis - R3-A2

Biggs Darklighter - R2-F2

Eaden Vrill - HLC, Tactical Jammer, Jan Ors

Maybe dropping R3-A2 for Experimental Interface on Biggs, just to ramp up the frustration.

I successfully ran this build yesterday, what I'm calling my Duodecimator:

Rear Admiral Chiraneau (46)

• Ruthlessness (3)
• Mara Jade (3)
• Weapons Engineer (3)

Patrol Leader (40)

• Rebel Captive (3)
• Mercenary Copilot (2)

I am currently running Echo and Kenkirk it is working out well.

Echo with VI, FCS, and ACK

Kenkirk with Expose, Isard, Jade, Gunner, and EI.

I have won about 6 in a row at our local store. I have had a few semi close calls due to poor playing on my part but for just two ships it works well. I killed a Han mini swarm build with ease, I took out another decimator list similar to the OP's list here and various other 3 to 5 rebel ship builds with it.

Against the Han list my first to shots were one shots on two Z95s. After that it is easy breezy. The hardest challenge was against the other Decimator list, but I forgot to use Jade for several turns and that made it closer than it would have been. I also got some terrific defense rolls on my Phantom the one time I misplayed and left it exposed. Having initiative in all but one game helped me a ton too.

I have tried a double decimator, and used decimator/firespray as well. I have used Decimator with mini swarm but it was just boring to play so I am trying to build outside the mini swarm box. I don't know how competitive this build will be in a tourney setting but I will find out this Thursday night as I play in my first tourney ever. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

You're paying for his ability and not using it or paying for expose and only using it one or two turns.

Run chiraneau or oicunn with expose.

Also, the gunner well do more good on echo with the fcs than on kenkirk.

I am currently running Echo and Kenkirk it is working out well.

Echo with VI, FCS, and ACK

Kenkirk with Expose, Isard, Jade, Gunner, and EI.

I have won about 6 in a row at our local store. I have had a few semi close calls due to poor playing on my part but for just two ships it works well. I killed a Han mini swarm build with ease, I took out another decimator list similar to the OP's list here and various other 3 to 5 rebel ship builds with it.

Against the Han list my first to shots were one shots on two Z95s. After that it is easy breezy. The hardest challenge was against the other Decimator list, but I forgot to use Jade for several turns and that made it closer than it would have been. I also got some terrific defense rolls on my Phantom the one time I misplayed and left it exposed. Having initiative in all but one game helped me a ton too.

I have tried a double decimator, and used decimator/firespray as well. I have used Decimator with mini swarm but it was just boring to play so I am trying to build outside the mini swarm box. I don't know how competitive this build will be in a tourney setting but I will find out this Thursday night as I play in my first tourney ever. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Expose on kenkirk is a waste of points.

You're paying for his ability and not using it or paying for expose and only using it one or two turns.

Run chiraneau or oicunn with expose.

Also, the gunner well do more good on echo with the fcs than on kenkirk.

Take Expose and Ysanne.

You do your normal action, you take the free action with Ysanne, then EI to Expose. Clear stress and repeat.

Before Ysanne kicks in, you just EI off of your normal action.

Kenkirk's ability increases his Agility by one. Expose reduces it. If his ability gave you a bonus defense die, it would be different.

Thanks. I'll try to change that build up and see what i come up with. Maybe change to Oicun and see what shakes lose. I have a double decimator with Chin and expose and Oicun with Jade. I ran it with some success.

This is my build:

Kenkirk(44):

Lonewolf(2)

Ysanna (4)

Recon spec.(3)

total:53

Practically guaranteed 1 evade every shot

add gunner to increase damage or the moff just in case of a disastrous crit and your golden

very tough ship to take down

also looking for any ways to improve this build if anyone has suggestions

So, I've been tinkering with the new Wave 5 stuff, and I've decided that this is going to be my go-to Imperial list until further notice:

• Captain Oicuun (42)
• Soontir Fel + Push The Limit (30)
• Carnor Jax + Lone Wolf (28)

It's shown it can be pretty nasty in my early playtesting. Giving Carnor the ability to re-roll while still evading for survivability is definitely the way to go, and Oicuun takes on the opponent's big guns while Soontir does Soontir things.

Thoughts on improvement? Do you have a Decimator build you like more? Have you come up with a strategy to get through this build? Give me your thoughts!

I fail to see how LW can be good on Carnor, what's ur plan? don't get me wrong, I love Lone Wolf, my fav EPT of W5, but this does not feel like the best use of it.

My thinking on Carnor getting Lone Wolf is this: Carnor is meant to be the Super Dash hunter. He takes an evade token each turn to help with survivability. Lone Wolf gives him the chance to re-roll blanks on both offense and defense. If he stays in range one of Super Dash, he has the upper hand. If not, the evade plus defensive re-rolls helps keep him alive.

Jax seems like a mismatch for it, though. He wants to be in the middle of the furball, as does Oicunn. Putting him as the Lone Wolf means you are either wasting his ability, Oicunn's ability, or the Lone Wolf card.

My favorite way to run it now would be to run it at all...I have not had the chance to play since it came out. Here is what I am thinking of running at my next meet on Friday. Criticisms welcome:

"Black Squadron Leader"

Kenkirk

Lone Wolf

Ysanne Isard

Rebel Captive

Moff Jerjerrod

3x Black Squadron Pilot w VI

The objective is to make the decimator as durable as possible...with 1x def die (after conditions are met), an auto evade every turn (once conditions are met), and at least one nullified crit, and getting to reroll that def dice when it comes up blank combined with auto stress for the first person shooting makes this build quite durable and an extreme pain in the arse I would think. Should be easy enough to keep him some distance from the TIEs and the VI on the BSPs keeps the entire squad moving and shooting together. So what say all you? I am very flexible when it comes to the TIEs in particular.

Here's the core of what I'm working with:

Rear Admiral Chiraneau (46)

Expose (4)

Ysanne Isard (4)

Experimental Interface (3)

(57 total)

"Whisper" (32)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

(37 total)

That leaves 6 points to play with, assuming someone can't convince me:

A) that ramming is a sound tactic, or

B) that I should forgo Chiraneau + Expose and instead play Kenkirk + Predator (or Ruthlessness) because the longevity gained outweighs the PS and offensive hit.

(I don't care to engage in the whisper / echo debate at this point in time; I'm new and see whisper + VI as the more straightforward / safer option)

I've considered Moff Jerjerrod (2) (survivability) & Mara Jade (3) or Rebel Captive (3) to make him worth his while. Also have considered FCS on Whisper instead of Moff, but still playing Mara or Captive.

How would you fill the last 6 points and and why?

Should be easy enough to keep him some distance from the TIEs and the VI on the BSPs keeps the entire squad moving and shooting together. So what say all you? I am very flexible when it comes to the TIEs in particular.

By opting for a small squad of TIEs you give your opponent the choice of going after them (and avoiding your beatstick) or vise versa. Potentially makes your lonewolf less effective and/or harder to maintain. Plus your opponent can make their decision based on the strengths and weaknesses of their squad. By going with a phantom you minimize the odds that going straight for it will be the viable play, ensuring that most games the decimator will be the primary target, rewarding Rebel Captive.

Good point. The phantom crossed my mind right at the beginning...but a 2 ship imperial build doesnt sit well with me...doesnt feel very imperial and I dont trust my phantom piloting skills to get me through. Asteroids are overly attracted to me. Still it would be worth considering...Ill build up a list in my squad builder and see what I can come up with to run...as pretty much all my games will feature the Decimator that night.

Thanks for your input.

I think VT Phantom builds are not gonna do so well. Han can still blow up the Phantom pretty fast unless you put in a 2 point PS bid and hope they dont take VI on Han.

Then you're playing a one ship build vs some health left on Han and 3 Zs. the decimator might be able to take on Han 1v1 but with 3 Zs, its unerringly in favor of the Rebels.

Here's the core of what I'm working with:

Rear Admiral Chiraneau (46)

Expose (4)

Ysanne Isard (4)

Experimental Interface (3)

(57 total)

"Whisper" (32)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

(37 total)

That leaves 6 points to play with, assuming someone can't convince me:

A) that ramming is a sound tactic, or

B) that I should forgo Chiraneau + Expose and instead play Kenkirk + Predator (or Ruthlessness) because the longevity gained outweighs the PS and offensive hit.

(I don't care to engage in the whisper / echo debate at this point in time; I'm new and see whisper + VI as the more straightforward / safer option)

I've considered Moff Jerjerrod (2) (survivability) & Mara Jade (3) or Rebel Captive (3) to make him worth his while. Also have considered FCS on Whisper instead of Moff, but still playing Mara or Captive.

How would you fill the last 6 points and and why?

Rebel Captive on The VT-49, FCS on Whisper, and leave 1 point for initiative against Han.

And looking at that again, that's the same exact build that Morgan Reid just won a 35 person tournament at, going 6-0 in Swiss. (no cut)

http://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/120806-2014-miscellaneous-large-tournaments-results/#entry1355896

@ Blerg. It is a meta dependent call. I don't believe most Han builds use VI by default. Whisper + VI seems safe against the field (your local play group may vary).

@ Juggler. Good link. I do question the effectiveness of Mara vs Captive. Captive works well to penalize their higher PS ships first, consistently, whereas Mara kinda hits everything. Sure the opponent could keep a ship or two at range 2, but then isn't Chiraneau advantaged? Plus they have to deliberately try to maneuver to stay there (another inconveneince for your opponent).

... while i played a HLC dash as my main ship.

Now that's a redundant statement. No one will play Dash....or any YT-2400 without the Outrider and HLC option.

No Outrider title for me. I know how to aim.

Been trying to get feedback on this one. Bit of a session report along with my build:

-------------------
Decimator - 61 pts
Captain Oicunn (42)
Title: Dauntless (2)
Expose (4)
Ysanne Isard (4)
Darth Vader (3)
Rebel Captive (3)
Experimental Interface (3)

TIE Fighter - 23 pts
Howlrunner (18)
Wingman (2)
Stealth Device (3)

TIE Fighter - 16 pts
Black Squadron (14)
Wingman (2)
----------------------------

The basic idea was to keep the TIEs right on the tail of the big ship, and Wingman will remove the stress gained from Interface, or from the Dauntless rams (or both). This will allow me to pilot the Decimator normally and act again every turn. As an added bonus, since the Wingman effects happen at the start of Combat (just like Ysanne), once she begins working, I can choose to trigger Wingman and THEN trigger Ysanne, gaining the evade token.

The perfect sequence is to ram for a damage, then trigger the Dauntless action (Focus or Lock, gaining a stress). Then at the start of Combat, trigger one Wingman (remove the stress), trigger Ysanne (gain Evade), trigger Interface (gain Expose and a stress), and trigger the second Wingman (remove Interface stress). I've taken three actions, rammed you for a damage,I'm about to shove a hot load of Expose (5 dice maybe?) down your throat, and I don't even have any stress so I can do it all again next round.

This also makes Darth Vader even more attractive, as I don't mind grinding down a little of that ample Hull reserve in order to get free evade tokens/extra actions from Ysanne (especially when that extra point of Vader damage is enough to land the kill on an enemy). In my first game, I Darth'd both Wedge and Corran after they each survived a Decimator's salvo. WELL worth 4 hull points. I generally managed to get a little bit of ramming damage, but Expose was really the beast, making all my attacks 4 or 5 dice, and at no downside.

I came up against the other Decimator player in round 2; he was using Engine Upgrade and Push The Limit to get extra actions, but the Rebel Captive (added because I expected to see Phantoms) caused this combo to fail pretty hard. A persistant Weapons Malfunction that he couldn't repair was the nail in the coffin.

My biggest fear coming into the tournament was that I would not match up well against a tough alpha strike list, specifically B-Wings. I met this exact problem in the third (final) round, with two opponsing B-Wings sporting heavy cannon and Jan Ors giving them free attack dice and focus.

The Decimator went down quickly (round 2 or 3), taking one of the Bwings with it and slightly damaging the other, but it looked really bad. However, the TIEs actually performed surprisingly well on their own. We all know how valuable a white K-turn is from the Defender; well, dual Wingman allowed me to constantly flip and evade, staying out of the B-Wing's attack range. An error on my opponent's part (and a lucky pair of Howlrunner rolls) allowed me to take out Jan, and then the B-Wing was easy to manuever around until I whittled it down.

Been trying to get feedback on this one. Bit of a session report along with my build:

-------------------

Decimator - 61 pts

Captain Oicunn (42)

Title: Dauntless (2)

Expose (4)

Ysanne Isard (4)

Darth Vader (3)

Rebel Captive (3)

Experimental Interface (3)

TIE Fighter - 23 pts

Howlrunner (18)

Wingman (2)

Stealth Device (3)

TIE Fighter - 16 pts

Black Squadron (14)

Wingman (2)

Am I reading it right that you're only running Howlrunner with 2 more ships? A Black Squadron or Mauler Mithel might suit you better, as that pilot ability ain't worth the points at that point.

@ Juggler. Good link. I do question the effectiveness of Mara vs Captive. Captive works well to penalize their higher PS ships first, consistently, whereas Mara kinda hits everything. Sure the opponent could keep a ship or two at range 2, but then isn't Chiraneau advantaged? Plus they have to deliberately try to maneuver to stay there (another inconveneince for your opponent).

Rebel Captive is clutch vs both Phantoms (can't recloak) and 58 Dash (can't get all 3 actions).

Isard + PtL + EU is better at keeping you alive and in R1 of Dash, but EI + Expose does 40 - 45% more damage (overall meta average).

I consider Rebel Captive nearly auto-include for almost all VT-49 builds. Incidentally it also shuts down opponents from using Expose + EI in the mirror.