I know have serveral games under my belt as well as watched many more with the Scum cards coming. We have seen Han and Whisper control this game for the better part of a year now with little to nothing to stop these two from climbing to the top of the tournament rankings.

Having played both the StarViper and Aggressor in diffrent builds I, was moderately impressed with both ships. They will find a home in the meta as time goes on and players will experiment with diffrent builds. The largest impact card coming down the pipe is Autothrusters.

Autothrusters will be the reason the Phantom dies away. Yes, that is not a mis type "Phantoms will be slowed down by Autothrusters. Sontir Fel has been on the sideline for some time as the big mean turrets have been leaving him to much of a liability to bring out. This lack of a high Pilot Skill, manuevable ship has cleared the path for Whisper to stick around and terroize the meta with Han. Autothrusters lifts the weight off of Sontir Fel allowing him back in the game. And here is the standard lay out you'll see

Sontir Fel (27)

Push The Limit(3)

Royal Guard Pilot (0)

Autothrusters (2)

Stealth Device (3)

For a total of 35 points you will have an efficient killer in the Tie Interceptor. Dodging and weaving the other high PS ships and enjoying the safety Autothrusters will give form the turrets. If Fact Gunner will be more important then ever for your turret, if you plan on getting hits onto Fel. With Sontir mopping up the Phantom and causing problems for turrets we should see the return of our old friend who's been keeping the bench warm "Tie Swarm". So as we are just beginning the Store Championship season I'm making my prediction for the regional meta. Break out those Assualt Missiles as you'll likely be staring down 6-7 Ties come time the Regionals are underway.

*corrected the point value of Stealth Device*

You think that's scarier than Vader+Outmaneuver(or lone wolf or predator)+Engine upgrade+Advanced Targeting Computer?

You think that's scarier than Vader+Outmaneuver(or lone wolf or predator)+Engine upgrade+Advanced Targeting Computer?

If we see the Imperial large ship by May or June sure that will also have a similar affect as Sontir Fel. Until then you'd be a little premature in taking the Tie-Advance off the shelf.

Squints are gonna be awesome for a while I'm sure, how they'll do in competitive play we'll have to see.

Soontir has more mobility than Vader due to getting 3 actions to Vader's 2, and at some point Vader will have to take a TL action on the ship he wants to shoot. If you put PTL on Vader, you really hurt his dial. Vader has a slightly higher average damage when he has a TL and Focus to Soontir's Focus, but if Vader has to skip his focus action to reposition or evade, his damage is lower. Vader does get access to PS 10 for 35 points, and is more durable than 35-36 point Soontir.

And of course, there's the problem that ATC Vader won't be legal for at least the next 6 months. I chuckle insde whenever I see people playing with the X1 proxies and say they're "playtesting", like it's going to matter before August.

Auto Thrusters do look amazing in the current meta. The counters to them are mostly sub-par: autoblasters, deadman's switch and bombs for example. Vader looks great and feedback array is promising.

And we now have the possibility of a 5 dice ion cannon (or blaster) attack (Kavil + opportunist). Damage can get through it.

Edit: I think the best counters is just blocking and stress (tactician, Mara, Captive).

Having the option to actually use Soontir (turrets not as stupid) and Vader (actually worth his cost) plus another PS 8 Advance on the way (could use V. I well, depending on its ability) makes me agree with your prediction. These ships will be able to both take on phantoms, and actually give imperial players the option to fly something else for a **** change.

I don't think it's mainly about thrusters, but they help by bringing back a very excellent pilot that had to be side-lined because of poorly conceived rules.

Phantoms can take tactican that will shutdown squints with stress.

I also predict that Autothruster will tame the current turret heavy meta. An Interceptor with Focus+Evade+Autothruster will be very hard to hit for turret ships. Dash might have it a little bit easier with the HLC 4 dice but I also predict that a lot of Dash player will replace the HLC with the Mangler to be able to shoot at all range and easier crits, the range hole of the HLC is not that hard to enter with ships as fast and maneuvrable as Interceptors.

With that said, what I think will be the most funny is players that think that Autothruster automatically make Interceptors invulnerable only to find out that it doesn't help that much when inside the firing arc and into range 1-2. It still take skills to fly an Interceptor properly.

But yeah, we'll see a lot of Soontir once Autothruster come out and a lot of Vader once ATC arrives. Probably a lot of:

Soontir + PtL + Autothruster + Stealth Device

Vader + ATC + Engine Upgrade + EPT of choice

28-30 pts to complete (My personal choice being Turr + Autothruster + VI and Predator on Vader)

Phantoms can take tactican that will shutdown squints with stress.

If your solution is to Give Sontir a stress to stop him you've never read the card. Yes that stops his Push The Limit but not him. Keep in mind I have played a handful of game at this point. I had a Sontir with who I left once in the firing arc of a Decimator while taking a range 1 shot at a phantom. The Decimators shot got one hit through and it was a crit, Damage Sensor Array. For the next four turns I failed to regain my actions because of that crit and only survived because he had a Rebel Captive on his Decimator. The 4 shots he took at Sontir never got through because of Autothrusters and that free focus.

Don't be churlish. I'm well aware of what his card says. I also know he can only lose one stress at a time and his survivability is very much depended on him getting an action.

Personally I think you are overstating the effectiveness of Auto-thrusters. It only works at Range 3 (or against Turrets outside their arc). If you up against a turret-less list (any swarm), then it will only work at range 3, and maintaining range 3 + keeping your opponent inside your firing arc is a very non-trivial task. Against Han or Decimators (or Outrider) this is a very nice upgrade, but all that means is a smart opponent will focus on your other ships with his turrets and have his normal-firing-arc ships focus on the auto-thrusters.

Given that it is only 2 points it is a worthwhile investment as a precaution against turrets, but I don't think it will shake up the meta tons.

Soontir loves stress- once a round. But of you can put 2/3 stress on him in a single round, he's not going to get his PTL to pop, and he's going to be a lot more predictable until he manages to burn it off. That could take a bit of doing...

I am very much looking forward to playing with Vader and Soontir. I love that what will be the 2 most common builds for them will a) cost about the same, and b) play very differently from one another. Vader will finally be the Tank he has always wanted to be, and Fel gets to be an arc dodging machine from the depths of Hades.

I feel Turr + VI is still a mistake. Being PS7 isn't all bad for him against Dash.

Facing a Dash and you have init? Fine, you'll shoot first with your lone focus, then PTL barrel + boost into the range 1 band

Facing a Dash and you don't have init? Fine, move after him and get inside his range 1 band.

My favorite trio will be getting a revamp.

Vader, Fel and Phennir.

I think this will balance the meta without just pushing another set of ships out of reach of any other ship to challenge them.

In order for squints to hit phantons they need to get them in arc. No easy task.

Secondly the only real unit I see making a comeback with great use of autothrusters is Fel. Maybe a few aggressor builds but hardly shaking up the meta.

The meta will get shook up w advanced fix since the fatties will get burned down faster then they can regenerate. Not because 3 ships can use autothrusters.

Until then a normal autothrusters squint will still die To a fat turret or named phantom who will fly circles around them however fel would still be a tough ship to hit.

Personally I think you are overstating the effectiveness of Auto-thrusters. It only works at Range 3 (or against Turrets outside their arc). If you up against a turret-less list (any swarm), then it will only work at range 3, and maintaining range 3 + keeping your opponent inside your firing arc is a very non-trivial task. Against Han or Decimators (or Outrider) this is a very nice upgrade, but all that means is a smart opponent will focus on your other ships with his turrets and have his normal-firing-arc ships focus on the auto-thrusters.

Given that it is only 2 points it is a worthwhile investment as a precaution against turrets, but I don't think it will shake up the meta tons.

I think it will be more effective than you think against simple R3 as it is only has to make up for one hit at that range to get more than its value back against similar upgrades. It's going to be golden against turrets. I've seen it work in both cases and it is an incredibly cost effective card.

I also predict that Autothruster will tame the current turret heavy meta. An Interceptor with Focus+Evade+Autothruster will be very hard to hit for turret ships. Dash might have it a little bit easier with the HLC 4 dice but I also predict that a lot of Dash player will replace the HLC with the Mangler to be able to shoot at all range and easier crits, the range hole of the HLC is not that hard to enter with ships as fast and maneuvrable as Interceptors.

With that said, what I think will be the most funny is players that think that Autothruster automatically make Interceptors invulnerable only to find out that it doesn't help that much when inside the firing arc and into range 1-2. It still take skills to fly an Interceptor properly.

But yeah, we'll see a lot of Soontir once Autothruster come out and a lot of Vader once ATC arrives. Probably a lot of:

Soontir + PtL + Autothruster + Stealth Device

Vader + ATC + Engine Upgrade + EPT of choice

28-30 pts to complete (My personal choice being Turr + Autothruster + VI and Predator on Vader)

Personally I think you are overstating the effectiveness of Auto-thrusters. It only works at Range 3 (or against Turrets outside their arc). If you up against a turret-less list (any swarm), then it will only work at range 3, and maintaining range 3 + keeping your opponent inside your firing arc is a very non-trivial task. Against Han or Decimators (or Outrider) this is a very nice upgrade, but all that means is a smart opponent will focus on your other ships with his turrets and have his normal-firing-arc ships focus on the auto-thrusters.

Given that it is only 2 points it is a worthwhile investment as a precaution against turrets, but I don't think it will shake up the meta tons.

I think it will be more effective than you think against simple R3 as it is only has to make up for one hit at that range to get more than its value back against similar upgrades. It's going to be golden against turrets. I've seen it work in both cases and it is an incredibly cost effective card.

Personally I think you are overstating the effectiveness of Auto-thrusters. It only works at Range 3 (or against Turrets outside their arc). If you up against a turret-less list (any swarm), then it will only work at range 3, and maintaining range 3 + keeping your opponent inside your firing arc is a very non-trivial task. Against Han or Decimators (or Outrider) this is a very nice upgrade, but all that means is a smart opponent will focus on your other ships with his turrets and have his normal-firing-arc ships focus on the auto-thrusters.

Given that it is only 2 points it is a worthwhile investment as a precaution against turrets, but I don't think it will shake up the meta tons.

That is my point the rise of the swarm. Your right Autothrusters is only good if at range 3 or out of arc. This has never been the trouble for Sontir. It's always been the Turrets keeping him just out of reach in the current meta. Taking his best benifit and erasing it by limiting his mobility.

I really don't think your going to successfully stress out Sontir. Just because he has Push the limit does not mean he has to take it. Rebel Captive, ok I'll evade and shoot you and collect a focus. Tactian, oh I'll evade and you can give me a focus to defend myself. I do look forward to Sontir Rising and taking some of the main stays out so other opportunities can happen.

The other side effect and this is the only negative I've seen with Autothrusters is game duration. Games drag on a bit especially if combatting a Fat Han or Isard Decimator. This will show it's ugly head as many more games will go to time in tournaments. This will have an impact on what options you pair to your big turreted ships. Z's could become a hinderance as picking a couple off and hiding behind actions and Autothrusters could achieve a victory. The mini tie swarm can suffer the same I'll effect.

And here is the standard lay out you'll see

Sontir Fel (27)

Push The Limit(3)

Royal Guard Pilot (0)

Autothrusters (2)

Stealth Device (4)

Stealth Device only costs 3.

I wonder whether Soontir would be better off with Hull or Shield than Stealth, but that's a local metagame call.

I look forward for the Baron to re-surface. Similarly, Turr Phennir.

And here is the standard lay out you'll see

Sontir Fel (27)

Push The Limit(3)

Royal Guard Pilot (0)

Autothrusters (2)

Stealth Device (4)

Stealth Device only costs 3.

I wonder whether Soontir would be better off with Hull or Shield than Stealth, but that's a local metagame call.

I look forward for the Baron to re-surface. Similarly, Turr Phennir.

Turr Phennir + Royal Guard TIE + Veteran Instincts + Autothrusters + Stealth Device (31)

Carnor Jax + Push the Limit + Royal Guard TIE + Stealth Device + Autothrusters (34)

Soontir Fel + Royal Guard TIE + Push the Limit + Stealth Device + Autothrusters (35)

I fly mainly interceptors lately and I always take Hull Upgrades over stealth devices. That extra hull has kept my squints in the fight way longer than my crappy rolls with an SD ever have. Not to mention, a hull upgrade will do more to prevent you from being one shotted off of a bad roll.

I am incredibly excited for Auto-Thursters, they are going to make being slippery ships all that much more survivable.

It will be interesting if Hull wins out over Stealth once Autothrusters have been released.

Even with the randomness of SD, I like that you can be /capable/ of evading an HLC shot with a slightly larger margin of error on Soontir and a few other ships it's a significantly larger margin). Hull only pays for itself once.