Playing Scum in tourney without big ships: will it work?

By Redblock, in X-Wing

So long time rebel player decided to go mediumdarkside :D (+ they had more cards for HWK, best ship in game). But I consider IG to be marketing scheme (Buy 2 for really OP, good marketing FFG), and Slave is out of stock for any sane price. This leaves me with only small ships to make tourney list.

So as any powergamer I went to forum and started looking for winning lists, and found IG, double IG, and slave + IG, and not much else. Small ship scum is nonexistant as winning list. I went to last store tourney we had, one guy took out his two new shiny IGs and cleaned floor with everyone else, without loosing a single ship in 5 games. All those dead pilots are crying for revenge, and next store tourney is few days from now. Rant end, listcrunch begin.

Curently have 3 versions of list - Tricky one, simple one and something in middle

Middle one

100 points

Guri (39)

StarViper (30), Push the Limit (3), Virago (1), Autothrusters (2), Advanced Sensors (3)

Binayre Pirate (12) x 3

Syndicate Thug (25)
Y-Wing (18), Ion Cannon Turret (5), R4 Agromech (2), BTL-A4 Y-Wing (0)

I simply love this version of Guri, it has movement options to make phantom proud, and if you keep to green maneuvers and close quarters you get 3 actions a turn. Y-wing Hulksmash version can be switched to another starviper, but this one grabs oponents attention better, like Biggs would. Oh, and local meta is Big ship heavy, so 4 ships or less would suffer.

Tricky one

100 points

Guri (39)
StarViper (30), Push the Limit (3), Virago (1), Autothrusters (2), Advanced Sensors (3)

Binayre Pirate (12) x 2

Cartel Spacer (19)
M3-A “Scyk” Interceptor (14), “Heavy Scyk” Interceptor (2), Ion Cannon (3)

Cartel Spacer (18)
M3-A “Scyk” Interceptor (14), “Heavy Scyk” Interceptor (2), Flechette Cannon (2)

This one keeps same Guri (lovely lady), but swiches to long range combat, debuffs :D and more arc dodging with M3. You try to limit enemy actions with stress and Ion while Guri does her dance.

And simple one (roll more red ones)

100 points

PILOTS

Binayre Pirate (12)

Cartel Spacer (20)
M3-A “Scyk” Interceptor (14), “Heavy Scyk” Interceptor (2), “Mangler” Cannon (4)

Cartel Spacer (18)
M3-A “Scyk” Interceptor (14), “Heavy Scyk” Interceptor (2), Flechette Cannon (2)

Black Sun Enforcer (25) x 2

Maximum amount of red ones falling from the ships I can get my hands on (2 of everything)

So who wins, you decide, or will someone create better mousetrap to spring on those double IG?

Edited by Redblock

4-5 Scyk with manglar cannon's has been kicking everyone but at my local store.

Yep. Mangler Scyks are very, very good, and having lots of them can be devastating.

I won a tourney with four Z's, Deah with R-4B11 and ion, and Torkil with a blaster turret and recon specialist.

This build wrecks two and three ship builds.

I think so. I tore Decimator and Vader TIE x1 apart in a few rounds with Guri, Palob, and Torkil. Vader died in 1 round without firing a shot.

Warthog Y Wing lists are pretty Syck! (See what I did there). I have yet to try 5 x mangler Syck's, but it always SOUNDA good.

The lists you have seen good to me. I think I like the first one slightly more.

I think there are a lot of good options without big ships, heck, maybe even better options.

Right now I like...

Palob + Ion Turret + Determination

2 xThug + BTL-A4 + Ion Turret + R4 Aggromech

2 x Binarye Pirate

I like the 3 super accurate Ion shots you get (Palob using TL action and stealing a focus for TL + F ion shot, Y Wings getting a pseudo F + TL shot with R4). It plays like a swarm list with ion control and Palob shenanigans.

You can also play Mux in place of Palob, but Mux isn't as important without Phantom dominance, and Palob is better for token reliant enemy ships, like Soontir/IG88.

Ion list sounds good until I remember last tournament we had. Only one player had list without big ships, and needing two tokens limits the use, + you would have trouble killing enemy in time limit. Bonearm list crossed my mind, but was crossed out.

Character vipers are pretty **** good IMO. Guri's a solid little sledge hammer and xizor is practically immortal because no onewants to shoot him.

Xuzor + 5 zs is fun :)

Just don't use ptl, use predator

Would you put ptl on a not keyan bwing? No? Cause the viper has the same dial (just bleached and with a green 3 toward)

Edited by ficklegreendice

Would you put ptl on a not keyan bwing? No? Cause the viper has the same dial (just bleached and with a green 3 toward)

Boost does make a difference, but I agree that Predator is probably better.

I won a small Store Championship with:

Guri (30)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Advanced Sensors (3)
Inertial Dampeners (1)
Autothrusters (2)
Virago (1)
Syndicate Thug (18)
Ion Cannon Turret (5)
R4 Agromech (2)
BTL-A4 Y-Wing (0)
Syndicate Thug (18)
Ion Cannon Turret (5)
R4 Agromech (2)
BTL-A4 Y-Wing (0)
Binayre Pirate (12)
Total: 100
I attended another Store Championship where Xizor + 5 Z-95s won.
Edited by kraedin

So most of winning scum lists I've seen so far have been Firespray + dual Ys with Blaster and Agromech have really hurt some folks in my area before the Craps started showing everywhere

Since the Firespray is out of the question you could look if you could combine it with Guri+Lone Wolf ...

The Starviper is awesome. I've built several winning lists with them. Including:

Xizor+Title+Autothruster+Adv. Sens+Predator (Then Illicit of your choice)

4x Binayre Pirate+Feedback Array

This list is a blast to fly. Xizor dares people to shoot at him and laughs because they can't hit him. Fly him like a mad man with wreckless abandon. Keep him in range 1 of his target and make sure at least one of those Zs stays next to him to take the damage for him. The feedback array helps you with arc dodgers and allows you to do damage to ships you've blocked with your Zs!

I destroyed a BBBBZ with this. My Zs would block ships, deny actions and then Xizor would get a range 1 shot against a tokenless opponent. The return fire was pitiful because he rarely had any tokens to modify dice.

Ion list sounds good until I remember last tournament we had. Only one player had list without big ships, and needing two tokens limits the use, + you would have trouble killing enemy in time limit. Bonearm list crossed my mind, but was crossed out.

I think the Y Wing + BTL-A4 Title + Ion Turret + R4 actually more than makes up the damage. That ships is almost worth 2 x Z95 with the Ion affect and a more likely to hit 3 dice attack at range 2. Also, 3 Ion Weapons is pretty key for having consistent Ion-ing of a big ship, since 1 will either miss, be out of arc, or will be dead early. However, it does matter if the big ships you are talking about are mainly turrets, or are IG88. IG88 will quickly fall behind if they are ioned into a bad position just 1 time. Turrets, however, will feel minimal affect if the ion isn't into your cluster of ships, or on a rock, but hopefully the regularity of turrets has been lowered by Autothrusters' existence.

Dace Bonearm lists actually feel less worth it to me, since you'll almost HAVE to invest points into K4/Predator to make make that ship's 3 dice attack more accurate. That just makes him more likely of a target, and more detrimental when he inevitably bites the dust due to his predictable green moves. I've found Palob to be much more reliable with an Ion, and even less targetable since you feel horrid only attacking a 1 damage max ship (though the removal of defensive tokens makes him feel more like a 2 damage a round ship).

The Starviper is awesome. I've built several winning lists with them. Including:

Xizor+Title+Autothruster+Adv. Sens+Predator (Then Illicit of your choice)

4x Binayre Pirate+Feedback Array

This list is a blast to fly. Xizor dares people to shoot at him and laughs because they can't hit him. Fly him like a mad man with wreckless abandon. Keep him in range 1 of his target and make sure at least one of those Zs stays next to him to take the damage for him. The feedback array helps you with arc dodgers and allows you to do damage to ships you've blocked with your Zs!

I destroyed a BBBBZ with this. My Zs would block ships, deny actions and then Xizor would get a range 1 shot against a tokenless opponent. The return fire was pitiful because he rarely had any tokens to modify dice.

This is exactly what I use (I like the inertial dampener). I call it my Xizor Takes a Nap list. The Zs block well and damage arc dodgers. Xizor stays as your late ship game. I enjoy this list.

I also want to try 4 Starvipers. I don't know, but it seems fun!

Edited by ryanabt

Having feedback array or dead mans switch is my dream, would put 2-3 Z95 with them in every scum list. But FFG marketing put 2x cards made for Z95 into IG pack, go figure.

Edit.

Was playing around with Immortal Xizor idea, this is my take:

100 points

Prince Xizor (36)
StarViper (31), Predator (3), Autothrusters (2)

Binayre Pirate (12) x 2

Laetin A’shera (27)
M3-A “Scyk” Interceptor (18), “Heavy Scyk” Interceptor (2), Stealth Device (3), “Mangler” Cannon (4)

Black Sun Soldier (13)

Laetin with stealth device and evade can be quite unapealing target

Edited by Redblock

The Starviper is awesome. I've built several winning lists with them. Including:

Xizor+Title+Autothruster+Adv. Sens+Predator (Then Illicit of your choice)

4x Binayre Pirate+Feedback Array

This list is a blast to fly. Xizor dares people to shoot at him and laughs because they can't hit him. Fly him like a mad man with wreckless abandon. Keep him in range 1 of his target and make sure at least one of those Zs stays next to him to take the damage for him. The feedback array helps you with arc dodgers and allows you to do damage to ships you've blocked with your Zs!

I destroyed a BBBBZ with this. My Zs would block ships, deny actions and then Xizor would get a range 1 shot against a tokenless opponent. The return fire was pitiful because he rarely had any tokens to modify dice.

This is exactly what I use (I like the inertial dampener). I call it my Xizor Takes a Nap list. The Zs block well and damage arc dodgers. Xizor stays as your late ship game. I enjoy this list.

I also want to try 4 Starvipers. I don't know, but it seems fun!

Edited by Stone37

On xizor, due to him moving later during activations, id consider experimental interface over auto thrusters, then take marksmanship instead of predator. Means you perform two actions prior to moving, gain a stress, then reveal a green maneuver and clear it straight away. Marksmanship frees up the focus action for you to do more boosts and barrel rolls.

On xizor, due to him moving later during activations, id consider experimental interface over auto thrusters, then take marksmanship instead of predator. Means you perform two actions prior to moving, gain a stress, then reveal a green maneuver and clear it straight away. Marksmanship frees up the focus action for you to do more boosts and barrel rolls.

I have had autothrusters save my rear a number of times and predator is awesome. So when you trade predator for marksmanship, you might not be gaining that much. Plus you lose the defense of the focus AND of the autothrusters. I think the predator pseudo-action + autothruster + action is superior to marksmanship + Action.

Not that your set up wouldn't work, but that I don't know if it is as nice as the other.

In undefeated with

Xizor

Viagro, FCS, VI

Drea Renthal

Autoblaster turret, ion torps, proton torps, B11, munitions fail safe

Pirate

Feedback array

Pirate

Feedback array

The goal here is to get Xizor to the end game. At ps9 with his free target lock and good manoeuvrability means he really loses an end game fight. Drea isolates the end game threats and torps them off the board. The feedback arrays and auto turret keep the enemy outside of range 1 or cause serious problems if you can catch delicate ships at range 1. This 'no fly zone' makes Xizors ps9 manueverability even more potent.

I will say that without partial points, any tournament will slightly favor big ships over smaller ships, no matter what faction. With that said, I think small Scum ships are competitive, as said above.

The Starviper is awesome. I've built several winning lists with them. Including:

Xizor+Title+Autothruster+Adv. Sens+Predator (Then Illicit of your choice)

4x Binayre Pirate+Feedback Array

This list is a blast to fly. Xizor dares people to shoot at him and laughs because they can't hit him. Fly him like a mad man with wreckless abandon. Keep him in range 1 of his target and make sure at least one of those Zs stays next to him to take the damage for him. The feedback array helps you with arc dodgers and allows you to do damage to ships you've blocked with your Zs!

I destroyed a BBBBZ with this. My Zs would block ships, deny actions and then Xizor would get a range 1 shot against a tokenless opponent. The return fire was pitiful because he rarely had any tokens to modify dice.

imo, there's no illicit worth the benefit of upping your bananas to blacksuns

the jump to PS 3 doesn't seem like it will amount to much until you're facing predator or generics such as Academy ties, blue squadron bs, and other headhunters. Shooting first with support from xizor sharply cuts down on the damage they take from mini-swarms

The Starviper is awesome. I've built several winning lists with them. Including:

Xizor+Title+Autothruster+Adv. Sens+Predator (Then Illicit of your choice)

4x Binayre Pirate+Feedback Array

This list is a blast to fly. Xizor dares people to shoot at him and laughs because they can't hit him. Fly him like a mad man with wreckless abandon. Keep him in range 1 of his target and make sure at least one of those Zs stays next to him to take the damage for him. The feedback array helps you with arc dodgers and allows you to do damage to ships you've blocked with your Zs!

I destroyed a BBBBZ with this. My Zs would block ships, deny actions and then Xizor would get a range 1 shot against a tokenless opponent. The return fire was pitiful because he rarely had any tokens to modify dice.

imo, there's no illicit worth the benefit of upping your bananas to blacksuns

the jump to PS 3 doesn't seem like it will amount to much until you're facing predator or generics such as Academy ties, blue squadron bs, and other headhunters. Shooting first with support from xizor sharply cuts down on the damage they take from mini-swarms

I'm not sure what you're talking about here. This list is running 4 PS1 Z-wings. The Banana pirates CAN ALSO take illicit upgrades.

The Starviper is awesome. I've built several winning lists with them. Including:

Xizor+Title+Autothruster+Adv. Sens+Predator (Then Illicit of your choice)

4x Binayre Pirate+Feedback Array

This list is a blast to fly. Xizor dares people to shoot at him and laughs because they can't hit him. Fly him like a mad man with wreckless abandon. Keep him in range 1 of his target and make sure at least one of those Zs stays next to him to take the damage for him. The feedback array helps you with arc dodgers and allows you to do damage to ships you've blocked with your Zs!

I destroyed a BBBBZ with this. My Zs would block ships, deny actions and then Xizor would get a range 1 shot against a tokenless opponent. The return fire was pitiful because he rarely had any tokens to modify dice.

imo, there's no illicit worth the benefit of upping your bananas to blacksuns

the jump to PS 3 doesn't seem like it will amount to much until you're facing predator or generics such as Academy ties, blue squadron bs, and other headhunters. Shooting first with support from xizor sharply cuts down on the damage they take from mini-swarms

I'm not sure what you're talking about here. This list is running 4 PS1 Z-wings. The Banana pirates CAN ALSO take illicit upgrades.

He is saying there is more benefit for taking PS3 because of damage avoidance. However, I disagree. Arc dodgres are a bigger problem for the list than swarms, hence feedback arrays are invaluable.

See you tomorrow i guess :P

Well now all my lists are spoiled to enemies. and I have to create something new