What are the most common builds that use Shield and Hull Upgrades and/or Anti-Pursuit Lasers? I can see those upgrades being more useful on large ships like the Decimator.

Iused to use APL, then my opponents got good. Mind you, shuttles aren't exactly unpredictable.

I agree that on a shuttle they aren't that great which is why I use APLs on Oicunn (with determination, dauntless and mara jade) alongside 2 royal guards with PtL. The combination forces enemies to either bump into or scatter from the decimator and the RGPs pick off ships from the sides (so far I'm 4-1 with the build). It's nasty if you can get Oicunn to force a ship to get stressed and take double damage and even if you don't the interceptors are generally well-placed to take advantage of my opponent's sub-optimal moves when avoiding Oicunn.

What are the most common builds that use Shield and Hull Upgrades and/or Anti-Pursuit Lasers? I can see those upgrades being more useful on large ships like the Decimator.

Actually, hull and shield upgrades are typically the least useful on low-agility ships like the Decimator. This is because it is easier to hit a low-agility ship; hull and shields are relatively easy to take off of a low-agi ship.

Look at it this way: On a high agility ship like an interceptor, the hull is protected by 3 agility dice. If you can absorb another hit, that could mean that the enemy will have to spend 2-3 more shots breaking through your agility dice again to plink off another hull point. On a 0-agility ship like the decimator, the hull is not protected by agility dice at all; each hit takes one hull off. It's a lot easier to plink off your 3-point upgrade that way.

Good point re the high agility ships. I was thinking of applying upgrades to make my defensive built Decimator last a little longer. In the last game played an extra shield or hull point, or the ability to fire at the two Z-95s that contacted my base, might have produced a victory. After my opponent lost 2 Z-95s and my teammate lost 3 named TIE pilots we were down to a YT-2400 and a Z-95 with one hull point each, and my Decimator with one hull point. In the last turn the Decimator was out of the Z-95s arc and the YT-2400 scored one hit, ending the game.

What are the most common builds that use Shield and Hull Upgrades and/or Anti-Pursuit Lasers? I can see those upgrades being more useful on large ships like the Decimator.

Well if you are talking about large ships only then APL and countermeasures are options. But in general those are not available to all ships.

APL is best with the Outer Rim Smuggler (aka the baby falcon) surrounded by Ion cannon starfighters. APL could work with the CAPT Occuin aka the Raminator however most people are good at staying clear of Occuin and if you have that build you won't have much points for Ion Defenders to force your opponent to where you want them.

Modifications are not the only defensive upgrades. Sensor jammer is fairly good for reducing damage that takes up a sensor slot. So far the only large ship that can take it is the Shuttle, still shuttle with tactical jammer can put your opponent at a catch 22. If they shoot at ships behind the shuttle there is extra evade dice that can reduce the number of hits. If they target the shuttle the sensor jammer can modify one of their hits out. Only problem is that using tactical jammer you cannot equip engine upgrade because they use the same slot. So maybe doom shuttle would be the build. Sensor jammer to reduce the non vader damage that is suffered.

As for crew the most defensive are C-3PO which is best with the 1 agility falcon and Ysane Issard which is best with high hull ships. The shuttle might not have enough health. Against issard the best thing to do is strip the shields then stop. Prepare for the next attack where the un-damage shield less ship gets to take 6+ attack dice without any evade tokens.

Some times an extra hit be it shield or hull has made the difference but again it competes for Engine upgrade. Most big ships are not very maneuverable and engine upgrade does help with that a lot.

Good point re the high agility ships. I was thinking of applying upgrades to make my defensive built Decimator last a little longer. In the last game played an extra shield or hull point, or the ability to fire at the two Z-95s that contacted my base, might have produced a victory. After my opponent lost 2 Z-95s and my teammate lost 3 named TIE pilots we were down to a YT-2400 and a Z-95 with one hull point each, and my Decimator with one hull point. In the last turn the Decimator was out of the Z-95s arc and the YT-2400 scored one hit, ending the game.

Yeah; it's why I said 'typically'. In fact, a hull upgrade on a defensive falcon made the difference between loss and victory on one of the top tables at FFG's Worlds tournament. It's just not very often that this is the case.

I like to pair shield upgrade with R2D2. That combination, especially on Luke or Corran is mean. For the Deci, Yasane is better, you should get two hits out of her, possibly more if the red dice are unkind to your opponent.

Against issard the best thing to do is strip the shields then stop. Prepare for the next attack where the un-damage shield less ship gets to take 6+ attack dice without any evade tokens.

This sounds good at first blush, but isn't really true.

Isaard is good for a single evade token a turn, if you strip a Decimator's shields and then stop it means you are going to get a single extra point of damage through on the ship next turn. If you strip the shields and DON'T stop, you will either roll badly and do no damage, so no difference; or you will do 1 point of damage this turn instead of the extra point next turn, so also no difference; or you will do more than 1 point of damage this turn, and he can still only prevent 1 point next turn, so net benefit to you.

Although it sounds great, preventing your opponent from activating his defensive upgrade for a turn, the fact is that you will do the same or more damage to him if you don't and just go all in.

Against issard the best thing to do is strip the shields then stop. Prepare for the next attack where the un-damage shield less ship gets to take 6+ attack dice without any evade tokens.

This sounds good at first blush, but isn't really true.

Isaard is good for a single evade token a turn, if you strip a Decimator's shields and then stop it means you are going to get a single extra point of damage through on the ship next turn. If you strip the shields and DON'T stop, you will either roll badly and do no damage, so no difference; or you will do 1 point of damage this turn instead of the extra point next turn, so also no difference; or you will do more than 1 point of damage this turn, and he can still only prevent 1 point next turn, so net benefit to you.

Although it sounds great, preventing your opponent from activating his defensive upgrade for a turn, the fact is that you will do the same or more damage to him if you don't and just go all in.

It worked, The decimator was at 5 hull after the turn its shields were stripped. (double direct hits took it down fast on the turn after shields from 3 X-wings). I only got to use Issard to stop one point of damage and then it was toast. After 4 turns of attacks (4 shields, a lot of hull with no evade, my one evade token that saved 1 hit, and too much for an evade token to make a difference) the decimator was scrapped.

Also another way to stop Issard is stress. If the ship is stress Issard doesn't give a free action.

I think a good defense is two or three Academy Pilots, it gives you more ships and more dice to attack, greettings.