This is an article from my competitive X-Wing blog that I just recently started, xwingtactics.tumblr.com, about how to support Dash's HLC blind spot with 2 support ships, either Rookies for 58 point Dash or B-Wings for 56 or 53 point Dash. I usually only see Dash flown with Corran now days, but he can be just as effective with 2 support ships when flown properly. Using these tactics has brought me a lot of success recently against the popular 2-ship builds with Dash + VI, HLC, title, EU and 2 B-Wings, so I thought I'd share them with the community. The blog only has a few articles up right now, but I plan to add new articles several times a week, and you can also submit your own articles using the Submit button at the top left.
Enjoy.
Edited by Tvboy
58 point Dash Rendar, or Gingerbread Dash as he is sometimes called, is a very strong ship, with 3 actions a turn, a very high damage output thanks to 4 attack dice with TL and Focus, resistance to stress tactics thanks to Kyle Katarn, and a high level of maneuverability thanks to Barrel Roll and Boost. It’s a very good option for competitive players that want to have a strong turret but don’t want to run Fat Han.
But he has several weaknesses, mainly his Range 1 blind spot combined with his Pilot Skill 7 and being usually limited to just 4 green maneuvers means that popular ships like Echo, Whisper, Corran Horn, Chiraneau, Han Solo and Soontir Fel can use their higher pilot skill and positioning actions to attack Dash from Range 1 every turn, from which he cannot defend himself.
Whatever support you choose to run with Dash needs to be able to protect his weaknesses. The first thing many people think of for 42 points of support is 2 Rookie X-Wings. This is a ship every rebel player knows how to fly, since it’s the first rebel ship most players use in their starter set. However, to support Dash effectively with X-Wings, you need to know how to use them to cover Dash’s blind spot.
When I’m playing against a list that features a PS8+ ship that can maneuver into Dash’s blind spot, I like to setup my ships in the corner, with Dash on the outside and the Rookies next to Dash in a column. Setting the Rookies up on the side of Dash like this allows them to move before Dash without bumping into him and still be close behind him after he moves. Setup the X-Wings so that the front one is as far forward as possible, and the back one is touching the edge, this is important so that both ships can bank together at the same speed without bumping.
On the first turn, move Dash 4 straight and the Rookies 2 straight, and they will now have the majority of Dash’s “donut hole” protected by their firing arcs, with the rear part of the donut hole protected by the Rookie’s physical presence making it difficult to maneuver there, and the Rookie’s flanks are protected by Dash. If the opponent wants to take Range 1 shots at Dash, they have to fly into the Rookie’s arc, and if they want to flank the Rookies, they’ll have to get in range of Dash’s HLC. To maintain this formation, just have the Rookies do straight maneuvers 1 speed faster than whatever Dash does to compensate for his large base.
If your opponent sets up in the corner directly across from your ships, and you want to avoid a head-on joust, this formation can be reversed and repositioned to the middle of the board in 3-moves without bumping, with two different variations possible depending on where the Asteroids are and whether your flying X-Wings or B-Wings.
If you’re opponent’s squad is low ships and high Pilot Skill, it’s important to stay disciplined with your Rookies and always keep their arcs on Dash. Turning them into an enemy Phantom or Interceptor, only to have them dodge out of arc and right into Dash’s blind spot will ruin you. It will feel weird to keep the X-Wings moving straight ahead while they get shot at from behind, but that’s why Dash is there to cover them. On the other hand, if your opponent also has a mini-swarm in their list, and it attacks you from the side, you should turn your Rookies towards the enemy to help Dash take them out, and then turn them back towards Dash to keep covering his blind spot. Always position your ships so that the Rookies can always turn and cover Dash in a single move. If your opponent gets 2 turns of range 1 shots at Dash with no retaliation, you will have a hard time catching up. You also need to plan ahead with how Dash moves and positions so that your Rookies don’t bump into him on the next turn. If your Rookies bump into another ship it will become very difficult to maneuver them in synch.
I’m not going to say that I think 2 Rookies are the best support option for Dash, because it can get awkward trying to keep low PS ships behind a higher PS ship, and X-Wings are deceptively fragile ships that might not live long enough to keep Dash safe. However, since most rebel players have 2 X-Wings and are familiar with how to use them, and a lot of players are wary of running 2-ship builds, this is a fairly popular way to support Dash, and these same tactics can be used when using 3 Z-95s, or when supporting a lower points Dash with B-Wings. I will say that I have recently had a lot of success with VI Dash and 2 B-Wings, while using exactly the same tactics found in this post. Knowing how to best utilize the Outrider’s support ships when your opponent has a counter is a key to being successful with the ship.
