Or maybe "Use the Force", heheh.

I was thinking about a way to make ordinance more useful, and I remembered that oftentimes in the computer games I would approach to close range and snap off a pair of torpedoes or missiles without waiting for the target lock. It had a lesser chance of hitting but it often made the difference between life and death for me since I didn't have to wait on that darn lock-on.

So I was wondering if this could also work for X-wing and be something like this:

"Dumb Fire Mode"

EPT

Cost: 4

Effect: You may decrease the range of all your secondary weapons by 1 to a minimum of 1 to change Attack: Target Lock and Attack: Focus headers to Attack.

Alternately, it could read:

Effect: You may decrease the number of attack dice by 1 to a minimum of 3 to change Attack: Target Lock and Attack: Focus headers to Attack.

I don't think it's OP since it really only applies to ordnance, and the cost is similar to other high-end EPTs. Think this might work?

Or just use Dead Eye that does basically the same thing?

I feel like Deadeye was supposed to be simulating those moments when you just pop off a rocket with out a targeting solution and hope it hits.

As an EPT, I don't think I'd take it. Ships with EPTs have higher pilot skills and my problem with ordnance is not being able to use it effectively with low PS ships. This wouldn't really help my Rookie or Gold Squadron ships use ordnance. Maybe if it were a modification? But I can see how only elite pilots would be able to pull off a shot like that.

I think this leads to some interesting ideas, though. Definitely a great start.

Deadeye isn't quite the same because it only changes the TL to a focus. I wanted a card that would allow you to use both TL and focus to move ordnance into top tier status like they were in the games. I FEARED missiles and torpedoes in the simulators, but I never really get the same feeling in X-wing.

Also, I only made it an EPT because Deadeye is an EPT. Do you think it might be overcosted by a point? PTL is only 3 points and is far more useful, but this is a potential game-changer, especially for TIE Bombers and Y-wings, if one of them had R2-D6.

I'd rather see a "Removed Ordnance Safety" Modification valued at 1 point. Its benefit would be allow you to attack with secondary weapons that normally require having a TL or Focus without actually having those things. The catch is that you could not use the ignored requirement to modify the attack.

To put it another way this would let you fire a Proton Torpedo without having a TL on the target or requiring spending that TL. If you do fire it without the TL you could not use a TL, if you had it, to modify that attack.

Ordnance safety removal modification card

Cost 1 point,

Effect: discard this card to count as a target lock to enable use of secondary weapon. This may not be used if the target is already target locked by this model

This card can be taken multiple times as a single modification

Deadeye isn't quite the same because it only changes the TL to a focus. I wanted a card that would allow you to use both TL and focus to move ordnance into top tier status like they were in the games. I FEARED missiles and torpedoes in the simulators, but I never really get the same feeling in X-wing.

Also, I only made it an EPT because Deadeye is an EPT. Do you think it might be overcosted by a point? PTL is only 3 points and is far more useful, but this is a potential game-changer, especially for TIE Bombers and Y-wings, if one of them had R2-D6.

No because the only bombers that can have EPT are Jonus and the outrageously expensive Rhymer. I still don't get this idea, so this EPT would eliminate the spending of a TL or focus to fire ordnance?

So you can't use a TL or focus to modify the attack?

4 points for an EPT that makes your 4-point one-shot weapons slightly more usable will never fly.

Deadeye isn't quite the same because it only changes the TL to a focus.

Sorry I wasn't very clear. I meant that Deadeye fills the same thematic role as this new card. I totally understand that you are going for a new mechanic or mechanical fix.

How about a 0 point mod that does "You may change Attack:Target Lock and Attack:Focus on secondary weapons to Attack. The attack dice cannot be modified in anyway."

0 points because if you take ordnance you are already spending more points.

I dont think it would be OP, because you cant modify the dice results, but even the defender couldnt modify them by tricks out there so it is a plus and not just a negative. And I think an Ordnance fix should cost any points at all because it costs points to take missles and torps.

Here roll 4 dice and hope they hit? The whole reason people stay away from ordnance is because it takes so much to mitigate the fickle nature of dice. If you want something to simulate the pull trigger/pray action it be something like:

Point Blank Shot

EPT 0 points

You may fire a Missile or Torpedo at -1 Range ignoring Attack: TL or Attack: Focus. You may not reroll dice, but may spend Focus tokens to modify results.

That way you can't get a TL/Focus range one shot on something that shouldn't be, gives the impression of fire and forget, but at the same time honors the "focus" the pilot put into the shot. Being an EPT means it's not something you'll select lightly. Sadly the best use of it wouldn't be possible on TIE Bombers.

Seems like a waste of an EPT slot for a one shot (or two if you fully bomb up a Y or B wing) wonder. Even if it was 0 points your still denying another EPT you could use.

I may be bias though as i don't really use ordinance due to the cost and one shot nature of it.

just spitballing an idea here, what if you had to have a TL and Focus to be able to fire ordinance... that way for a normal pilot, it would take 2 rounds to lock up the enemy before being able to fire it.

On top of this you place, say 2-4, tokens on the munitions cards to keep track of how many missiles etc you have left.

Then the dead eye type cards would become more useful. (although you might be down a TL to adjust the attack)

Would that work, or would it be a little over powered?

That would be even worse than normal, because now you don't even have focus tokens to modify your results. The biggest reason missile weapons are ineffective is that they remove your ability to use target lock to reroll your results, and removing focus from the mix would make them even more ineffective.

The idea I had was to enable you to use both TL+F to modify your results so that missiles and torpedoes would be as deadly as they are in the games.

For me, it's not rolling the attack dice that bites - it's that a moderately good ordnance roll can be dodged so easily. It's like, "Wait, I had a lock on that guy for a reason! Why did he just totally juke my torp?"

I've often thought that for all ordnance that requires you to spend a Target Lock to fire, you should also reduce the target's agility dice by one. Granted, that is kind of what the rule about Secondary weapons accomplishes, where they don't get the bonus agility die at range 3... The reduction in agility might be overpowered, but I think ordnance would be used more often. It would also stack well with things like, I don't know, Wedge or Outmaneuver.

I can still remember one of my first "regional" (functionally a store championship), where I had beautifully tricked my opponent so that all three of my Rebels had shots on three of his TIE fighters, and his other 4 were totally out of position. Horton and Wedge unleashed their torps -- and they were both completely dodged! That was when I lost faith in ordnance.

Ordinance needs a pretty large boost at low cost to be viable. Biggest complaints are that its pretty hard to line up a shot and that you can't modify your attack without multiple actions. Multiple actions are almost never found on generics (without external help) and due to their low PS it's also pretty hard to get a TL on the right ship.

Even on aces this fix would not be that useful. Filling up their EPT slot means your are taking away damage potential. 3 dice with predator is nearly as good as 4 without, for example. On top of that most EPT's can be used every round and not just once.

Changing the header of the card would help with the first complaint, but not with the second. Most ordinance cards still require you to spend your TL before you can attack. All it changes is that you can TL anyone and then shoot your ordinance at someone else entirely (which doesn't make any sense).

If you want to make ordinance any good the only viable slot to do it with is the modification slot. It's available to every ship and isn't used that often (especially true for the struggling generics). Using the modifications slot also means Munitions Failsafe won't interfere with any rules you might come up with (except on Interc.... Oh wait).

You also need to take Proton Rockets and Hot Shot Blaster into account because they are pretty good as is. Advanced proton torps also have a risk of becoming OP, however they are very expensive especially compared to PR.

Ordinance guidance system 0-1pt

Modification

When attacking with a secondary weapon with the Attack (target lock) header you may reroll up to 2 attack dice during this combat phase.

You still have to line up your ordinance shots, but when you do there is a high chance of dealing maximum damage. Especially with the wave 1 proton torps and concussion missiles that don't get any special effects and need the boost the most.

This also rules out PR and HSB. APT's will get a slight boost, but you still need that focus token for them to be really effective.

The "during this combat phase" part is redundant, but it's there to stop people from abusing this card with Cluster Missiles. It might be better to clarify this in a FAQ.

The only problem i can see with this card is that it returns Horton Salm to the shelf.

I like that idea. Mainly I just want something that allows me to reroll and focus my ordnance attacks, and a modification probably would be the way to go. It could also be a title card, though for which ship I have no idea... X-wing or A-wing would probably get the most benefit from it.

I disagree that it returns Horton to the shelf. He simply doesn't need it, but that doesn't make him any less useful than he was before this hypothetical card. It just means he's no longer unique. Maybe make the cost of the modification 1-2 instead so he can still be unique. Generic cards that mimic a pilot talent (Predator mimicking Wedge, for example) are often expensive, so this should be the same, albeit reduced since it's used in conjunction with ordnance, which is already expensive.