So, I've played with the HWK several times, trying to get it to a point where I can actually justify its use in a list. While both Kyle and Jan have really fantastic abilities, it suffers two major failings:

1. That damned 1 dice attack and

2. It's very fragile, 5HP (most of which are in Hull, leaving it more vulnerable to crits than the similarly equipped X-Wing) and only 2 defence dice.

So, why not take those two weaknesses and let them help each other out.

Energy Transfer System

Modification

Small ships only.

2 points

Action: For the duration of this round, decrease your primary weapon value by 1 and increase your agility by 1.

Pretty clearly, its the opposite counterpart to Expose, but at two points cheaper, since green dice seem to be at less of a premium than red. Obviously, this would leave the HWK entirely reliant on its turret when used, but really the only time you wouldn't use the HWK's turret is at range 3 anyway, and one attack vs any defence dice plus one is pretty useless.

Give this to Kyle, along with recon specialist, Moldy Crow and Blaster turret, and you've suddenly made him not just viable, but potentially a very valuable support ship. Alternately, pop it on Jan, with Gunner and ion turret, and you have an (admittedly pricey at 37 points) all but guaranteed ion hit, plus Jan's extremely powerful ability on a ship that can take a bit of a beating all of a sudden.

As with any idea, you have to consider balance and unintended consequences. The two places I can see this being potentially problematic (outside of something like Fat Dash, which is dealt with by the small base restriction) are Scyks and Y wings.

Cartel Spacer with Mango cannon would become a 22 point, 3 attack, 4 defence ship with an auto crit modifier. Good, but not outrageously so, especially since you couldn't run more than 4 at most, and given the Scyk's 3 HP, using up your action on this would be pretty pointless when you could take a guaranteed evade instead, unless you were facing down 3+ hostile arcs.

Y wings might be more affected. They're already pretty tanky thanks to their HP, and giving them a second agility dice might make them extremely frustrating to kill. At two points, you would be able to potentially run 4 GSP with ion cannons and ETS. I really don't know whether this would be a powerful build our not, since sacrificing your action and relying on ion cannons for attacking would tank your potential damage output. It would need to be playtested, I suppose, but I think it would be OK.

So, any thoughts? Would you play with the (Rebel) HWK a bit more if this modification was available for it?

And here I was starting to wonder if we would get a 'fix of the week ship' thread...

I can't tell you how many times I've lost pilot abilities or the equipped turret to a crit. I was hoping that S&V would do more to fix the fact this ship is worthless without a turret.

HWK are seriously gimped with authrusters.... really to point of uselessness.

ANY list worth a lick will have Soontir at least in this wave and he will be "unkillable" for a HWK with a turret now.

Might as well put support personal on a Bwing instead of a useless HWK now turrets are nerfed to dirt.

I'm not sure if this will fix the hawk. Your spending an action, your modification slot, and two points for one fickle green dice? What if your stressed or bumped? or your crit and lose your turret?

This mod and recon specialist are you running Kyle with moldy crow and banking focus from previous actions? or using push the limit and getting two actions that way?

I actually run the HWK mostly without Upgrades as an AWACS, skirting the engagement zone. (Flanker setup)

If they want to chase it fine by me. More often than not those "free points" leave them completely exposed to my main force outflanking the chasers. The ones that ignore it are left feeling the effects of its buffs.

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As for "buff it" I'd say give it a HWK Only Turret that replaces it with a System Slot or Additional Crew. That way it further buffs using it as an AWACS.

And/Or a modification and title that allows it to store and use Energy. Targeting Coordinator anyone?

And maybe Teams too!...?

[looks at how well HWKs did at Worlds]

Just because a ship doesn't work the way you want it to, doesn't mean it needs to be fixed.

So your fleet (100 points games... yeah right) is all 5 plus pilots then huh?

Now your mighty elite three ship fleet is ready to destroy all turreted ships...after you buy at least three $14 ships to get the new sexy thang card!

A million X-Wingers will do this and the meta will be phooey forever.

Yeah rrright.

[looks at how well HWKs did at Worlds]

Just because a ship doesn't work the way you want it to, doesn't mean it needs to be fixed.

Did I miss something? I don't recall a HWK in a single top 8 list in 2013 or 2014.

[looks at how well HWKs did at Worlds]

Just because a ship doesn't work the way you want it to, doesn't mean it needs to be fixed.

Did I miss something? I don't recall a HWK in a single top 8 list in 2013 or 2014.

If you're trying to get all ships to be represented in top lists you're in essence chasing a unicorn.

2 players took Falcon + Jan to top 32. It made the cut, which is pretty **** impressive. Especially when we are talking about 40 pt HWKs here.

This would probably be a bit much for B-Wings. Keyan, PTL, this mod, HLC, and still room for a system.

There is nothing wrong with the HWK. New upgrades are always good but its does not need a "fix"

I will have video prof of this in the coming weeks where the HWK did all the work at some game nights and store champs

Honestly a hwk only modification at 1 or 2 points to increase it's attack value by 1 would be the best fix imo. Hwk's can become huge point sinks and can easily lose there ability or turret. Obviously 2 attack isn't the most feared value in the game but it is far more respectable than the insulting 1 attack die. The Hwk at 2 attack dice wouldn't need a turret always and would free up points and make them a more attractive option.

Honestly a hwk only modification at 1 or 2 points to increase it's attack value by 1 would be the best fix imo. Hwk's can become huge point sinks and can easily lose there ability or turret. Obviously 2 attack isn't the most feared value in the game but it is far more respectable than the insulting 1 attack die. The Hwk at 2 attack dice wouldn't need a turret always and would free up points and make them a more attractive option.

I think you overvalue the risk of crits. Besides, even with 2 Atk, 40 points would be a lot to spend, and it doesn't necessarily change it's effectiveness by a considerable degree at that point cost. Still did pretty well. Personally, I like the 1 Atk die. It gives it a unique flavor.

Also another idea would be to remove the spend a focus requirement on the blaster turret. We could keep the attack: focus requirement but now you can still hang on to it for offense. Normally the 4 point blaster turret requires another 3 points for either moldy crow or recon spec to work better and 3 more points for the other to work well consistently. Now you 4 point blaster is a 10 point upgrade!

Honestly a hwk only modification at 1 or 2 points to increase it's attack value by 1 would be the best fix imo. Hwk's can become huge point sinks and can easily lose there ability or turret. Obviously 2 attack isn't the most feared value in the game but it is far more respectable than the insulting 1 attack die. The Hwk at 2 attack dice wouldn't need a turret always and would free up points and make them a more attractive option.

I think you overvalue the risk of crits. Besides, even with 2 Atk, 40 points would be a lot to spend, and it doesn't necessarily change it's effectiveness by a considerable degree at that point cost. Still did pretty well. Personally, I like the 1 Atk die. It gives it a unique flavor.

True it has a flavor, just that flavor is god awful spoiled milk lol. I'm a dark forces and hwk lover so I try to use it as much as I can. I've been running jan with chewie and dash and a bunch of other ships. If you're running kyle and a blaster turret you need recon and moldy just to have teeth and now you're at 31 points already. I think the fly better with turrets for sure but if they had 2 attack dice I'd consider flying them without a turret because they can now defend themselves better than just 1 attack die.

As an action, I wouldn't use it. It's a point cheaper than the rarely seen R2F2, with a significant downside, in addition to costing an action.

For 2 points and an action, let me take reinforce.

Just add recon specialist if you want to double focus so much. Honestly Adderall dealer hawks are ridiculous even before you factor in pilot abilities.

Energy Transfer System

Modification

Small ships only.

2 points

Action: For the duration of this round, decrease your primary weapon value by 1 and increase your agility by 1.

This would allow a phantom to have 5 agility.

Also another idea would be to remove the spend a focus requirement on the blaster turret. We could keep the attack: focus requirement but now you can still hang on to it for offense. Normally the 4 point blaster turret requires another 3 points for either moldy crow or recon spec to work better and 3 more points for the other to work well consistently. Now you 4 point blaster is a 10 point upgrade!

That focus requirement is also a mistake that kept the blaster turret off the y-wing. Anyone that thinks the HWK is fine as is needs to remove their rose colored glasses. It's a fun ship that I love to fly, but it isn't competitive for far to many reasons.

Also another idea would be to remove the spend a focus requirement on the blaster turret. We could keep the attack: focus requirement but now you can still hang on to it for offense. Normally the 4 point blaster turret requires another 3 points for either moldy crow or recon spec to work better and 3 more points for the other to work well consistently. Now you 4 point blaster is a 10 point upgrade!

That focus requirement is also a mistake that kept the blaster turret off the y-wing. Anyone that thinks the HWK is fine as is needs to remove their rose colored glasses. It's a fun ship that I love to fly, but it isn't competitive for far to many reasons.

I'm sorry, but 2 of them making the cut at Worlds suggests pretty heavily that they have very competitive options.

The HWK is a perfectly usable ship. I think a lot of opinions about certain ships are based upon subjective thinking instead of objective thinking. What I mean to say is a lot of people have their own play styles and certain ships fit into those play styles a lot easier than others. One tries to quantify that the ship doesn't fit their play style but typically does so by subjectively saying "this ship is bad".

The HWK typically fits my playstyle when I'm flying for the Rebellion. I prefer 3 ship squads with 2 heavy hitters and some type of support role. The HWK fits that support role quite easily with any 1 of 3 different named Pilots with Abilities that affect squad mates within Ranges 1-3. Considering how popular 2 ship squads are, meaning two attacks per round, splitting your points into 3 different targets and giving buffs to your attackers is a smart idea in my opinion. Tossing on a turret for 4-5 points more and getting a third attack every round is just a bonus.

Energy Transfer System

Modification

Small ships only.

2 points

Action: For the duration of this round, decrease your primary weapon value by 1 and increase your agility by 1.

This would allow a phantom to have 5 agility.

Not unless they spend multiple turns cloaked and unable to shoot?

Can't load ACD so they don't get the free cloak, meaning they'd have to spend action to cloak(maybe PTL to ETS same turn), then they miss combat. Decloak next turn, ETS, but that just makes them a 3/3/2/2.

The only case where 5AGI would /really/ matter is high-PS ACD, and since ETS would be a mod there...

Energy Transfer System

Modification

Small ships only.

2 points

Action: For the duration of this round, decrease your primary weapon value by 1 and increase your agility by 1.

This would allow a phantom to have 5 agility.

Only on a named Phantom with PTL (stress is really bad on a Phantom) or if it cloaked the previous round and remained cloak this round. It would also lock you out of ACD and SPA. You can also already hit 5 with a Stealth Device.

Truthfully, a Phantom trying to make use of this upgrade would be a joke.