Ok so the list first;

Colonel Vessery (35)

VI (1)

HLC (7)

Omicron Group pilot (21)

Vader (3)

Dark Curse (16)

Targeting computer (2)

Academy Tie (12)

97 points. The contenders as I see them;

Stealth device on Vess - had good results with stealth on Rex before now but never really run it on a Vess. I tend to go for...

Hull upgrade on Vess - In the 4 competitive games where Vess has died he has never been over killed. That means in every one of those games it would have taken at least one more shot at him to finish him off. Obviously this means at least a few of those times he'd have gotten another shot off (or more).

ST-321 on the shuttle - this is what I have been running. But despite its insurance that the shuttle can still contrubte when he's stuck turning around somewhere remote I'm finding I'm using it less and less other than to get turn 1 shots off with Vessery on ships foolish enough to come speeding at me.

Targeting computer on the Academy - further insurance for Vess' ability and a 1 point bid. Not much to be gained from the bid given the PS of the list (8,6,2,1) and I rarely find i'm left with just Vess and the academy on the table. In fact, I can't ever think of a time hats happened.

Upgrade Dark Curse to Howlrunner - again giving a 1 point bid. Only going to benefit the shuttle and academy tie, and rarely the academy as he's often off blocking. Still, for those early combat rounds and the reroll on the shuttle ( who is often TLing a target he can't see for Vess to benefit from) could be useful. However, she's going to be a bigger target and less of a pain in the ass for Han, who is the main reason I introduced Dark Curse in the first place.

Upgrade Academy Pilot to Night Beast - lose my blocker to gain a smidge of additional offence from the weakest ship in the list. Could also be tempted to move the TC here too in this option.

Any and all thoughts and suggestions welcome, especially if there's any viable options ive missed. I've tinkered around with the list enough to know these are the ships in looking to run, I just can't figure out these last few points.

Cheers guys (and gals)

Stealth Device on Dark Curse is one of the most evil things you can possibly do in the game of Xwing. Which leaves you 2 points to spend somewhere else

Hull upgrade (or stealth device) are both really good on any Defender. The ship is somewhat tough, but since it cannot arc-dodge very well, it benefits greatly from adding durability.

Having said that, either FCS or advanced sensors would help out the shuttle and give you more opportunities to target lock for activating Vess' ability.

True blade, I hadn't even considered advanced sensors on the shuttle, I guess I just assumed the title was a better fit for purpose, but being able to TL and stop in a turn would certainly have been useful many times in the past...

110 people viewed and didn't reply. Every one as stumped as me or are people just thinking the list has a defender in it, upgrades are pointless as you'll lose anyway!

I already offered some suggestions

Its possible that people can't think of anything else to do with 3 points. Personally, other than what I've said already (or changing the list entirely), I don't see anything else useful that 3 points will get for this list...

Yeah and I think you're right. I'm going to try out a few test games with advanced sensors on the shuttle but I think I'll end up lumping for hull on Vess. I'll have to work out where hat puts me in terms of MoV splits if I dump more points on Vess

I love defenders, but don't have any suggestions that aren't changing the list significantly.

Go to Rexler.. Add predator... Add adv sens and tac jam and wait for it.. intelligence agent on the OGP. And demote both to academy..

Simply use the OGP to only do 1 straight and stop maneuvers alternating every turn until the battle is behind you turn around and repeat.. Use Intel agent on the ship you intend to block and adjust the ties accordingly (with barrel rolls of course).. Keep Rex behind the OGP for an extra die and always focus as it's the hardest hitting ability on the game if used properly (maybe second to corran).. lol

I like the list and agree with others that Advanced Sensors would be the best use of the last 3 points.

This would be an interesting variant I think:

Vessery (VI, HLC, Shield)

Dark Curse (Targeting Computer)

Jendon (Weapons Engineer, Advanced Sensors, ST-321 title)

100 points

Scrap VI and take EU on Vessery.

All good thoughts. Appreciate all the input!

George; I just prefer vessery over Rex. I find I get more consistent damage out of Vess whereas Rec tends to get 1-2 devastating rounds. A focus/TL HLC is about as badass as as gets in terms of constant damage output.

WonderWAAAGH; I have played with that variant a lot, put I find at ps 6 Vess can't take advantage of boost too often, and when he does he really suffers without a focus. If I was running this, I hink Id have to switch Vader out for Fleet officer. To be honest, I simply find barrel roll at ps8 to be more useful than boost at ps6.

Admat; thanks for the confirmation! I'm curious, what does Jeddon bring? He wouldn't really have any need to Palm off target locks, other than occasionally to dark curse.

The boost isn't about positioning around your opponent's arcs like you typically do with Interceptors, it's enabling lateral movement without suffering stress from the Defender's horrible dial. It gives you the ability to switch axes, so that your white K-turn, for example, does more than re-position you along the same axis. Barrel roll doesn't do that. Whether or not you combine a high PS with the boost is immaterial in this instance.

One other option to consider is Enhanced Scopes and Anti-Pursuit lasers in the shuttle, for blocking hell. Probably no super-effective, but fun - and if you end up with nothing but a shuttle it's the only way to put damage on your opponent!

My take:

Drop Dark Curse to Night Beast to get yourself a point (and Night Beast gets a free Focus to make Targeting Computer actually add something to his offense).

Drop VI for another point.

For the remaining 5 points, add Lone Wolf and Stealth Device on Vessery. Lone Wolf gives him some bonuses for when your other ships get taken out and his pilot ability doesn't activate. Stealth Device is awesome when you have Lone Wolf. Go with Hull Upgrade if you don't like the randomness of Stealth Device.

All good thoughts. Appreciate all the input!

George; I just prefer vessery over Rex. I find I get more consistent damage out of Vess whereas Rec tends to get 1-2 devastating rounds. A focus/TL HLC is about as badass as as gets in terms of constant damage output.

WonderWAAAGH; I have played with that variant a lot, put I find at ps 6 Vess can't take advantage of boost too often, and when he does he really suffers without a focus. If I was running this, I hink Id have to switch Vader out for Fleet officer. To be honest, I simply find barrel roll at ps8 to be more useful than boost at ps6.

Admat; thanks for the confirmation! I'm curious, what does Jeddon bring? He wouldn't really have any need to Palm off target locks, other than occasionally to dark curse.

You're right... no need for Jendon really so maybe this instead:

Vessery (VI, HLC, Shield)

Dark Curse (Stealth) - or Backstabber (Stealth) to take some heat off the Lambda

Omicron (Weapons Engineer, Advanced Sensors, ST-321, Engine Upgrade)

100 points

2 Target Locks on ships anywhere on the board, anytime the shuttle chooses that action, should be enough. Otherwise, you can always put Targeting Computer on either Dark Curse or Backstabber to have the extra TL option and bring the list down to 99 points.

Ok so the list first;

Colonel Vessery (35)

VI (1)

HLC (7)

Omicron Group pilot (21)

Vader (3)

Dark Curse (16)

Targeting computer (2)

Academy Tie (12)

97 points. The contenders as I see them;

Stealth device on Vess - had good results with stealth on Rex before now but never really run it on a Vess. I tend to go for...

Hull upgrade on Vess - In the 4 competitive games where Vess has died he has never been over killed. That means in every one of those games it would have taken at least one more shot at him to finish him off. Obviously this means at least a few of those times he'd have gotten another shot off (or more).

ST-321 on the shuttle - this is what I have been running. But despite its insurance that the shuttle can still contrubte when he's stuck turning around somewhere remote I'm finding I'm using it less and less other than to get turn 1 shots off with Vessery on ships foolish enough to come speeding at me.

Targeting computer on the Academy - further insurance for Vess' ability and a 1 point bid. Not much to be gained from the bid given the PS of the list (8,6,2,1) and I rarely find i'm left with just Vess and the academy on the table. In fact, I can't ever think of a time hats happened.

Upgrade Dark Curse to Howlrunner - again giving a 1 point bid. Only going to benefit the shuttle and academy tie, and rarely the academy as he's often off blocking. Still, for those early combat rounds and the reroll on the shuttle ( who is often TLing a target he can't see for Vess to benefit from) could be useful. However, she's going to be a bigger target and less of a pain in the ass for Han, who is the main reason I introduced Dark Curse in the first place.

Upgrade Academy Pilot to Night Beast - lose my blocker to gain a smidge of additional offence from the weakest ship in the list. Could also be tempted to move the TC here too in this option.

Any and all thoughts and suggestions welcome, especially if there's any viable options ive missed. I've tinkered around with the list enough to know these are the ships in looking to run, I just can't figure out these last few points.

Cheers guys (and gals)

Upgrade the Omicron to Captain Yorr to take stress off the Defender.

You're welcome. :-)

Stealth Device on Dark Curse is one of the most evil things you can possibly do in the game of Xwing. Which leaves you 2 points to spend somewhere else

FCS on the shuttle to set up shots for Vessery next round?

In general I like having more Target Locks floating around in a Vessery-centric squad though.

Yeah. I don't think you thought of this completely...

FCS is really cost efficient for Vessery builds. It should be that. You might as well go for a Scimitar naked at 16 pts.

But, honestly, you're probably better off with Tempests with AC or something that can handle losing an action.

FCS seems like a good buy, but when vessery and the shuttle both target something, usually that ship is dead. Certainly it almost always is by the time the shuttle comes to fire again. If it isn't, then it's probably a fat target that will easily dodge the shuttle next round. Advanced sensors has been allowing me to get a lot of focus TL'd shots off with the shuttle in the few test games I've gotten in.

Everyone who sees the list always points out im doing it wrong, you run bombers with vessery. The point of this list is that it can vaporise ships with relative easy. Bombers can't do that, and when vessery dies (which he often will) you're pretty much buggered because you'll rarely have dealt enough damage for the bombers to be able to mop up on their own. There isn't a small based ship I haven't killed on a regular basis in a single round with this list and big ships including fat Han's are down in a couple of turns.

Certainly some good suggestions and food for thought above. Thanks a lot for the brainstorming guys!

There isn't a small based ship I haven't killed on a regular basis in a single round with this list and big ships including fat Han's are down in a couple of turns.

That sounds impressive. If you've got it all figured out, I guess it's only a matter of time before we see you top-8ing at Worlds.

I'm hoping so!! Haha, although I think my skill as a player may have to improve a little smidge on the road to worlds!! I'll let you know phase 1 is complete when I win the regional this weekend.

Now time for those proverbial cornflakes

110 people viewed and didn't reply. Every one as stumped as me or are people just thinking the list has a defender in it, upgrades are pointless as you'll lose anyway!

No, I'm stumped that you are using 24pts on a Shuttle. I like the Defender a lot. The Shuttle is a waste of Outer Rim Space, IMO.

I just don't see the Shuttle fit in there. If you had ST-321, FCS and Weapon Enginer I'd be more inclined to "like" it. But it's really just a ton of points to set up Vessery. Until FFG do an upgrade card for the shuttle that says "This Shuttle can do a red 3 K-turn. Then assign it 1 face-down damage card due to hull stress", this plastic ships sits nice a cozy in its foam slot.