So I gather it's always been a bit of a toss up whether to take Recon. Specialist or Gunner on Firespray. I've usually opted for Recon. Specialist myself, I haven't done the maths but it seemed intuitively the better choice, but that's not really what I'm posting about.

If you combine Recon. Specialist with Calculation, that focus action becomes even better. Does that seal the deal for Recon. Specialist? Is Calculation worth having, or would you be better trying to shave off a few points to afford Push the Limit, allowing you to take two focus tokens and an evade, giving you kick-arse attack and extreme defence (my thinking being that clearing your stress isn't too important when you can shoot backwards).

Too much choice! Somebody make my mind up for me!

I honestly feel calculation is better reserved for ships that have 1 or two attack dice, like the Hawk or Tie fighters. Anything over that, and Calculation is a wasted ability because that focus token is better reserved for all hits. It's nice to have if you get 2 hits and a focus. 1 point isn't bad for it, but anything over 2 dice is going to be very situational.

I'm liking the idea of mangler cannon plus calculation actually... likely to have 2 crits. Especially on a pilot like Boba Fett.

depends on the pilot

For imperial kath it's tempting, but you do miss out on the marksmanship + gunner stress stacking hilarity.

Option 2 is calculator + tactician (which works out of both arcs)

normally, though, I wouldn't bother. Calculator is more of a crit-enabler for situational pilot abilities (ala imp kath) and a green squadron's wet dream. Recon's utility on firesprays (getting both an offensive and defensive focus to make the most out of its beefy and 2 agility profile) doesn't really change with or without it.

Awing + Calculation+ title+refit should be nice

I could also see it on imperial Kath as a cheap option instead of mangler.

For imperial kath it's tempting, but you do miss out on the marksmanship + gunner stress stacking hilarity.

Oh that's nice, totally missed that combo

Isn't a single focus actually a very likely result even with three dice? Anyone got the maths? And also for four and five (thank you Scum Kath!)?

Isn't a single focus actually a very likely result even with three dice? Anyone got the maths? And also for four and five (thank you Scum Kath!)?

If I'm figuring it correctly you will have at least one eye ball result 57% of the time (296/512) and only one eyeball 42% of the time (216/512) with three dice.

Four dice gives you at least one eyeball 68% (2800/4096) of the time and only one eyeball 42% (1728/4096) of the time.

Five dice gives you at least one eyeball 76% (24992/32768) of the time and only one eyeball 39% (12960/32768) of the time.

For D dice the odds of rolling F focus results are as follow:

D=2, F=0, 56.25%

D=2, F=1, 37.50%

D=2, F=2, 6.25%

D=3, F=0, 42.19%

D=3, F=1, 42.19%

D=3, F=2, 14.06%

D=3, F=3, 1.56%

D=4, F=0, 31.64%

D=4, F=1, 42.19%

D=4, F=2, 21.09%

D=4, F=3, 4.69%

D=4, F=4, 0.39%

D=5, F=0, 23.73%

D=5, F=1, 39.55%

D=5, F=2, 26.37%

D=5, F=3, 8.79%

D=5, F=4, 1.46%

D=5, F=5, 0.10%

So the take away message for me is this: you're more than thrice as likely to change 1 focus result with your token than 2 or more up until you're rolling 4 attack dice, and even then rolling 1 focus is still nearly twice as likely as getting more than 1.

the probability of you seeing focus on your dice of course greatly increases after you've taken a target-lock and decreases after you've taken a focus action

Well, with those numbers I rather like the look of Calculation. Mind you, I also like double-focus plus evade on these new Firesprays: given how much damage they do with their innate abilities protecting them would make sense...

Too many new squads to try! Thanks a lot Scum and Villiany :@