I've crippled more than one big ship with braths ability, and four attacks at PS8 is plenty to take on most fighters, he thrives at range three behind four green dice while denying the bonus to his target.

And four fighters is nothing to sniff at, if they are right in your face with three attacks each it's them not Brath most people will go for.

I've crippled more than one big ship with braths ability, and four attacks at PS8 is plenty to take on most fighters, he thrives at range three behind four green dice while denying the bonus to his target.

And four fighters is nothing to sniff at, if they are right in your face with three attacks each it's them not Brath most people will go for.

Agreed. His ability seems like no big thing until you turn a couple of damage cards. Even if one is junk, reducing PS to zero, dropping AGI by 1, ignoring Pilot Ability and EPTs, killing Actions for a turn or two, dropping Primary weapons by 1, or the good old Direct Hit can make a huge difference in a game. Against the ubiquitous Fat Han, any of those can be a huge swing in you favor.

All this talk about the Defender makes me very interested to finally take it out for a spin (I shamefully admit that I bought it mostly for Predator...and cause it looks awesome )

My core problem when it came to list build is that the generics are priced way too closely to the Bounty Hunter, one of my favorite pilots and ships in the game.

The moment auto thrusters hit shelves, I was thinking of flying

Soontir Fell

*Push the Limit

*Royal Guard

**Targeting Computer

** Auto Thrusters

Bounty Hunter

Bounty Hunter

[Total: 100]

Now, I thinking of taking two Delta + Ion cannons out for a spin. Never had much faith in 3 small ship lists, but I don't really understand the Defender enough to know how it would fare.

That's a pretty neat list with the Deltas. They probably complement Soontir better, because they can dwell near a target for much longer because of the white K-turn. They also leave more room for the Baron to move. Control is also always nice.

I've crippled more than one big ship with braths ability, and four attacks at PS8 is plenty to take on most fighters, he thrives at range three behind four green dice while denying the bonus to his target.

And four fighters is nothing to sniff at, if they are right in your face with three attacks each it's them not Brath most people will go for.

Agreed. His ability seems like no big thing until you turn a couple of damage cards. Even if one is junk, reducing PS to zero, dropping AGI by 1, ignoring Pilot Ability and EPTs, killing Actions for a turn or two, dropping Primary weapons by 1, or the good old Direct Hit can make a huge difference in a game. Against the ubiquitous Fat Han, any of those can be a huge swing in you favor.

One match i dropped the falcons agility by one, reduced its firepower and set a console fire all in the same turn thanks to rexler.

What about:

Vessery - 45pts

HLC

Outmaneuver

Darth Vader - 29pts

TIE x1

Fire Control System

Commander Alozen - 26pts

Veteran Instincts

TIEx1

Fire Control System

The idea is that Vader presents a pretty big target in his own right, and Alozen can get a free TL at range 1. Additionally, they both get TL's after every attack, so if you need to use the Actions for other things (like evade or barrel rolls) you still set up Vessery as they both attack before him. With 5 hits per ship (2 shields and 3 hull) they'll stick around for a while and both synergize well with your main threat.

What about:

Vessery - 45pts

HLC

Outmaneuver

Darth Vader - 29pts

TIE x1

Fire Control System

Commander Alozen - 26pts

Veteran Instincts

TIEx1

Fire Control System

The idea is that Vader presents a pretty big target in his own right, and Alozen can get a free TL at range 1. Additionally, they both get TL's after every attack, so if you need to use the Actions for other things (like evade or barrel rolls) you still set up Vessery as they both attack before him. With 5 hits per ship (2 shields and 3 hull) they'll stick around for a while and both synergize well with your main threat.

I think something along these lines will be a pretty strong list archetype in the coming wave, thanks to the upgrade to the TIE/ad. It's great having a front-line ship in the 25ish point range. For this list specifically, I'd think about shifting some upgrades around. FCS is a little (not totally) redundant with Alozen's ability, so you could put in something else, or just downgrade to a Tempest and save some points. FCS is really not necessary on Vader, as he has high PS and two actions, and he's just crazy good with Advanced Targeting Computer. Downgrading to a Tempest (say with Autocorrector) from Alozen would save you five points. You could use one of those points to give Vader ATC, then 4 points could be used to give Vader an EPT or Engine Upgrade. He's pretty amazing now, and you want to give him tools to work with. It will keep Vessery alive and hammering longer.

The idea with the FCS is the returning Target Lock. It allows Vader and Alozen to use the lock they take as an action every turn and still maintain a lock for Vessery. The thing about Alozen is that so long as he is at range 1 he effectively gets Vaders abilty.

Imagine the scenario as such - Vader keys in on a target, Focuses and Target Locks through his ability.

Alozen chooses another target at range 1, focuses, and because of his ability gets a Target Lock at the start of combat

Vessery focuses

Both Vader and Alozen fire on their respective targets (thanks to Veteran Instincts) using their Focus+TL

Both Vader and Alozen immediately get new Target Locks on their Targets thanks to FCS

Vessery can now fire at either target with a Focus +Target Lock thanks to the returns on FCS

Next round, instead of Target Locking again, Vader and Alozen have Focus actions and Vader can use his other action to maintain position or some other shadiness without the need to re-Lock.

Don't forget the power the ATC brings to the table. Take Vader's attack roll, you pull a hit and a blank. You could reroll with your target lock, or you could just say "Nah, hit crit" As long as you're shooting the same target, you never need to re-lock and more than half of the time you'll do better than two regular hits.

The idea with the FCS is the returning Target Lock. It allows Vader and Alozen to use the lock they take as an action every turn and still maintain a lock for Vessery. The thing about Alozen is that so long as he is at range 1 he effectively gets Vaders abilty.

Imagine the scenario as such - Vader keys in on a target, Focuses and Target Locks through his ability.

Alozen chooses another target at range 1, focuses, and because of his ability gets a Target Lock at the start of combat

Vessery focuses

Both Vader and Alozen fire on their respective targets (thanks to Veteran Instincts) using their Focus+TL

Both Vader and Alozen immediately get new Target Locks on their Targets thanks to FCS

Vessery can now fire at either target with a Focus +Target Lock thanks to the returns on FCS

Next round, instead of Target Locking again, Vader and Alozen have Focus actions and Vader can use his other action to maintain position or some other shadiness without the need to re-Lock.

You don't need to spend the Target Lock with ATC and Vader will do much more damage with ATC than he will with FCS.

Agreed. Bombers are about as cheap as you get for target-lock capable Imperial fighters, plus they get an extra point of pilot skill (their generic squadrons are pilot skill 2 and 4 rather than 1 and 3), plus - since you need to live long enough for vessery to use said target lock - being tough helps a lot.

Phantoms (why not bring them up?) are high risk high reward ships. They rock worlds but dissolve if you misplay them. Brath and Vessery are more like terminators. They absolutely will not stop until you are dead. And they don't care that much about bumping or missed actions.

But then I seem to be absurdly lucky with Brath, and my experiences of him being an unstoppable juggernaut of destruction probably aren't indicative of everyone else's games.

All this talk about the Defender makes me very interested to finally take it out for a spin (I shamefully admit that I bought it mostly for Predator...and cause it looks awesome )

My core problem when it came to list build is that the generics are priced way too closely to the Bounty Hunter, one of my favorite pilots and ships in the game.

The defender is an excelent HLC platform, it slow rolls wonderfully and once it gets close that white K is fantastic. In my experience you will get an Hlc shot almost every turn with a defender. On the Firespray you cannot easily slow roll, you won't get that many Hlc shots and I think it's movements tend to be more predictable.

The defenders red turns sometimes catch people out. It's funny when it happens:)

Rexler Brath - Predator

Delta Squadron Pilot

Delta Squadron Pilot

Colonel Vessery - Veteran Instincts

Omicron Group Pilot - Gunner, Fire Control System

Scimtar Squadron Pilot - Seismic Charges

Scimtar Squadron Pilot - Seismic Charges

Rexler Brath - Lone Wolf

Whisper - Veteran Instincts, Advanced Cloaking Device

Omicron Group Pilot - Darth Vader

Delta Squadron Pilot - Heavy Laser Cannon

Delta Squadron Pilot - Heavy Laser Cannon

Captain Jonus - Swarm Tactics

Kath

-Ruthlessness

-Cluster Missiles

-Munition failsafe

-Fleet Officer

Rex

-Predator

-Hvy Las Cannon

-Engine Upgrade

Gonna try it when I'm back home

Delta Squadron Pilot - Heavy Laser Cannon

Delta Squadron Pilot - Heavy Laser Cannon

Captain Jonus - Swarm Tactics

That's coming in at 98 points. A Seismic Charge or Flechette Torpedo would fill those points out. You could also swap Swarm Tactics for Determination and take Hull Upgrade on Jonus to make him a little tougher to kill.

Delta Squadron Pilot - Heavy Laser Cannon

Delta Squadron Pilot - Heavy Laser Cannon

Captain Jonus - Swarm Tactics

That's coming in at 98 points. A Seismic Charge or Flechette Torpedo would fill those points out. You could also swap Swarm Tactics for Determination and take Hull Upgrade on Jonus to make him a little tougher to kill.

I'm not sure swarm tactics is worth it for a PS6. The meta seems to have shifted to small lists of PS 8 and 9.

Delta Squadron Pilot - Heavy Laser Cannon

Delta Squadron Pilot - Heavy Laser Cannon

Captain Jonus - Swarm Tactics

That's coming in at 98 points. A Seismic Charge or Flechette Torpedo would fill those points out. You could also swap Swarm Tactics for Determination and take Hull Upgrade on Jonus to make him a little tougher to kill.

I'm not sure swarm tactics is worth it for a PS6. The meta seems to have shifted to small lists of PS 8 and 9.

I usually take Squad Leader instead. I find that having a second action on one of the Defenders is better than taking an action on Jonus. If one of the Defenders is outside of range 1, I'll either have him barrel-roll back into it or just take a TL.

Yeah, by that point I was getting bored. Determination & Hull Upgrade sounds good though - the list wouldn't be anywhere near as effective without Jonus' rerolls.

I had some wins with this, although it was against demi-competitive lists which is probably the tag it would deserve itself too.

Dephanders (100)

Colonel Vessery — TIE Defender 35

Veteran Instincts 1

Heavy Laser Cannon 7

Engine Upgrade 4

"Echo" — TIE Phantom 30

Veteran Instincts 1

Fire-Control System 2

Advanced Cloaking Device 4

"Backstabber" — TIE Fighter 16

The idea is for Echo to shoot and get a TL for Vessery to exploit.

I also played it with an ion cannon on Vessery, upgrading either Backstabber to Mithel with VI or Echo to Whisper.

Backstabber can be a real nuisance because you have to deal with him at some point, but you can't because Vessery or Echo will bring the pain on turns you try to deal with Backstabber!

I have been playing with 2 builds that i find quite fun!

or

or

and my favorite!!!

@ Force M

I've seen a lot of 3-ship Defender/Phantom/Other builds in my area, and they can be extremely competitive, but work best when all three ships all offer a significant threat and fairly equally costed are all relatively tough to take down. The idea is to force your opponent into making a difficult decision by committing against a specific target, leaving the rest of your force free to engage as they like.

The various combinations I've seen have included the likes of:

OGP + Vader or Buzzsaw (perfect as a blocker for this type of list)

Vessery or Brath

Whisper

Soontir Fel

Vader

Bounty Hunter

Most combinations usually do pretty well for themselves.

I just don't love Vessery. Taking a ship so it can give him TL just makes the whole thing seem too expensive. And I can just give him Predator which is basically a poor man's TL every turn.

I also whenever I show up with 1 Defender, he just seems to get killed right off the bat. I would love to fly Brath with biggs.

But overall I don't love either of the named pilots' abilities so what I love is

Delta+ Ion Cannon x3 I basically use the Ion Cannons for Range 3 shots or if the target is really pointed the wrong direction.

I will probably try some different cannons when they come out.

I just don't love Vessery. Taking a ship so it can give him TL just makes the whole thing seem too expensive. And I can just give him Predator which is basically a poor man's TL every turn.

I also whenever I show up with 1 Defender, he just seems to get killed right off the bat. I would love to fly Brath with biggs.

But overall I don't love either of the named pilots' abilities so what I love is

Delta+ Ion Cannon x3 I basically use the Ion Cannons for Range 3 shots or if the target is really pointed the wrong direction.

I will probably try some different cannons when they come out.

Then your not really appreciating how good vessery with HLC can be, four shots with a TL and focus means a consistent three hits a turn with a high chance to get four.

Pairing him up with a couple of advanced once the raider is released will be highly effective.

Since Vessery wants TL options and adv. Targeting computer wants you to keep TL, I think we might see tempest plus a Vessery lists in our future.

Since Vessery wants TL options and adv. Targeting computer wants you to keep TL, I think we might see tempest plus a Vessery lists in our future.

Just waiting on the Raider....