Welcome to NOVA Squadron Radio! This week we please to be joined by Neil Jenkins! Wave 7 was announced at Star Wars Celebrations and we are talking all about the new ships! Then. Neil helps us break down the top tier lists to help you prepare for Regionals Season! All of that and more!

NOVA Squadron Radio is:
Ed Horne – Host
Kris Soehnlin – Co-Host and NOVA Squadron founding member
Ronald Brannan – Co-Host and NOVA Squadron founding member
Chad Brown – Co-Host/Editor
Sean Dorcy – Co-host
Bob Randall – Co-host
Kris Sherriff – Co-host
Neil Jenkins – Very Special Guest!

Here are the show notes from Episode 23:

[0:00 – 1:32] Show Opening

[1:32 – 28:04] The Flightdeck: What we have been flying lately and local tournament talk

[28:04 – 1:30:22] The News:
-NOVA Open 2015 Registration: http://www.novaopen.com/
-Roundtable discussion with Doug Kinney, 2012 X-Wing World Champion!

Wargames Con 2015 http://www.wargamescon.com/

-Wave 7 Announced!!!! Hit Them Hard and Fast: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/4/20/hit-them-hard-and-fast/

[1:11.06 – 2:48:06] Main Topic 1: Regionals Preperations!

[2:48:06 – 2:51:39] Show Closing!


Musical Credits go out to the band ‘Insane Ride’ and their songs ‘Sound of Rock and Roll’ and ‘Wrong or Right’ found on the Free Music Archive at http://freemusicarchive.org/

Thanks for listening, and talk to you again in two weeks!

Here is the direct link: http://novasquadronradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/NOVA_Squadron_Radio_Episode_23_final.mp3

www.novasquadronradio.com

In case you missed us, sorry this was a little late. The new job has Internet restrictions I do not care for.

Ed.

Here's the cliff notes summary of the main archetypes that we discussed on the show. Full credit goes to Neil Jenkins.

This was a very insightful segment which I can not recommend highly enough!

The YV-666 has a front firing arc. Its on the base like normal. It essentially has 2 auxiliary arcs on either side of the ship. That's what the two red arc designators on the actually card represent.

I'm only about an hour through, but I'm surprised you guys consider BBBBZ to be a less thought-requiring list. It certainly makes you think differently than an arc-dodging list (for example), but I'm not sure it makes you think less. I feel like you are less responsive and need to think more about future turns because of your reduced options. Although at the same time, I guess, you have the luxury to think about future turns more because you don't have as many options on the current turn, and little slip-ups won't hit you that hard. 36 hit points is pretty amazing.

edit: I guess I don't really have a point here.

Great show as usual. Keep'em coming!

Really loved your breakdown on Wave 7. I too am interested in what it may bring.

I'm only about an hour through, but I'm surprised you guys consider BBBBZ to be a less thought-requiring list. It certainly makes you think differently than an arc-dodging list (for example), but I'm not sure it makes you think less. I feel like you are less responsive and need to think more about future turns because of your reduced options. Although at the same time, I guess, you have the luxury to think about future turns more because you don't have as many options on the current turn, and little slip-ups won't hit you that hard. 36 hit points is pretty amazing.

edit: I guess I don't really have a point here.

I see your point and its one I've often felt like making. Very often people talk about ships like Soontir being "hard" ships. But next to a Wedge or Ibby where your dial actually determines your final location Fel is in some ways easier.

I don't think the common "imps are hard, rebels are easy" comments are really true in actual play.

My original thoughts on the Pup ship tile was that one side had Bossk, the other side had a * to represent the PS of whoever was flying the Hounds Tooth. That way they only needed to print 1 tile rather than two.

I'm only about an hour through, but I'm surprised you guys consider BBBBZ to be a less thought-requiring list. It certainly makes you think differently than an arc-dodging list (for example), but I'm not sure it makes you think less. I feel like you are less responsive and need to think more about future turns because of your reduced options. Although at the same time, I guess, you have the luxury to think about future turns more because you don't have as many options on the current turn, and little slip-ups won't hit you that hard. 36 hit points is pretty amazing.

edit: I guess I don't really have a point here.

I see your point and its one I've often felt like making. Very often people talk about ships like Soontir being "hard" ships. But next to a Wedge or Ibby where your dial actually determines your final location Fel is in some ways easier.

I don't think the common "imps are hard, rebels are easy" comments are really true in actual play.

Yeah, I don't generally consider a greater number of options to make something "harder" to play. An argument can be made that if you screw up with Soontir that you're hosed, but that's true of a lot of ships that don't have multiple PS9 action based movements.

I think that's how it's going to work with the Pup to.

I think the downloadable version cuts off before the show is over? DLed it twice, and neither version gets me to the end of the show.

Don't wanna sound trollish, but it might be good for someone to compile and distribute a little bit of research material before you get into something like the Wave 7 discussion. It's kind of jarring when you're looking up stuff in realtime, trying to decipher stats/half-depicted card text on the fly, etc. Most of that stuff was readily available across dozens of threads within 24 hours of the preview goin up.

I think the downloadable version cuts off before the show is over? DLed it twice, and neither version gets me to the end of the show.

Don't wanna sound trollish, but it might be good for someone to compile and distribute a little bit of research material before you get into something like the Wave 7 discussion. It's kind of jarring when you're looking up stuff in realtime, trying to decipher stats/half-depicted card text on the fly, etc. Most of that stuff was readily available across dozens of threads within 24 hours of the preview goin up.

Thanks for the feedback, noted!

I think for the most part we were pretty on point and only debated a few things. But I can see your point for more prep prior to the show. Usually we're pretty good for that.

Thanks for the feedback.

I think for the most part we were pretty on point and only debated a few things. But I can see your point for more prep prior to the show. Usually we're pretty good for that.

Thanks for the feedback.

I know for myself I have a lot more analysis that I will run on the wave 7 spoilers, but haven't had the time yet, and certainly didn't have the time to go through everything rigorously in time for the podcast recording.

What was the name of the bbbbz formation from the flight deck? I apparently couldn't hear it well enough to look it up online.

Piqsid

Just finished listening to the part where Sean talks about flying the BBBBZ list, and wow, very impressive how well he understands the list and how well he was able to articulate it. Understanding a list on that level, especially a list that is so simple on the surface, should definitely be considered a "top player".

I'm only about an hour through, but I'm surprised you guys consider BBBBZ to be a less thought-requiring list. It certainly makes you think differently than an arc-dodging list (for example), but I'm not sure it makes you think less. I feel like you are less responsive and need to think more about future turns because of your reduced options. Although at the same time, I guess, you have the luxury to think about future turns more because you don't have as many options on the current turn, and little slip-ups won't hit you that hard. 36 hit points is pretty amazing.

edit: I guess I don't really have a point here.

I see your point and its one I've often felt like making. Very often people talk about ships like Soontir being "hard" ships. But next to a Wedge or Ibby where your dial actually determines your final location Fel is in some ways easier.

I don't think the common "imps are hard, rebels are easy" comments are really true in actual play.

Yeah, I don't generally consider a greater number of options to make something "harder" to play. An argument can be made that if you screw up with Soontir that you're hosed, but that's true of a lot of ships that don't have multiple PS9 action based movements.

I don't view Soontir as "hard", but he can be mentally draining depending on how you fly him. You can either plan ahead a lot, thinking out the many options (very taxing), or play a bit looser knowing that the options will bail you out some and more than likely some unexpected board state changes are going to ruin the plan anyways.

More than that though, it can just be mentally taxing to have to be constantly careful, even if it isn't "hard". It is like being on edge all day.

I think for the most part we were pretty on point and only debated a few things. But I can see your point for more prep prior to the show. Usually we're pretty good for that.

Thanks for the feedback.

I think in every instance at least one person on the panel was aware of the information and ultimately provided it correctly; it was just prefaced by a short session of hemming and hawing from the people who didn't know it (and -- totally reasonably -- wanted to qualify that for the audience, instead of just launching into the discussion).

The fact that I was trying to cram the podcast in right before leaving for work probably meant I was unusually impatient, too.

But yeah, maybe a quick copy+paste summary from the spoiler threads would smooth things out in the future, assuming one of you has the opportunity to do it. If not, whatever. It's not like I'm gonna turn it off because you spent 30 seconds making sure you were getting stuff right.

Piqsid

Thanks. Time for some research.

I don't view Soontir as "hard", but he can be mentally draining depending on how you fly him. You can either plan ahead a lot, thinking out the many options (very taxing), or play a bit looser knowing that the options will bail you out some and more than likely some unexpected board state changes are going to ruin the plan anyways.

More than that though, it can just be mentally taxing to have to be constantly careful, even if it isn't "hard". It is like being on edge all day.

I prefer the term "Unforgiving" for Soontir Fel and those sorts of ships.

If you make a mistake, and it doesn't have to a particularly big or bad one, that's it.

Hiya. I'm just getting into the Tiered discussion, but (as usual) want to give my input on the review.

Extra Munitions can change things a lot for Tie Bombers. For example, here is "My Name is Jonus" variant that I flew a lot and went undefeated into Final Four for my SC (smaller event, but hey):

Jonus w/ Homing Missile, Seismic Charge, and Shield Upgrade

Scimitar w/ Assault Missile and Seismic charge

Scimitar w/ Concussion Missile and Seismic charge

Scimitar w/ Proton Torpedo and Seismic charge

The list depended on Jonus to give the re-rolls. He was usually the priority target. He needed the Shield Upgrade as he needed to stay alive long enough for people to shoot their load (don't go there). That was one of the weaknesses of this list. Well, that and it can't deal very well with lots of arc dodgers. One, it can handle, but more than that are tough. It's great at utterly destroying one ship, no matter what the size. That much ordnance with re-rolls can smash a ship. The problem was that once you fired all your missiles, you only had pea shooters left. So, you had to figure out what you couldn't kill with main guns and target at that.

Oh, you talk about the weakness of getting the TL on low PS ships. If your whole list is dependent on it, it can be done. Just learn the Rules of 11 and you can do it. It's actually not as hard as you might think. The Tie Bomber can go 1 forward, as well as 4 Straight.

OK.....now I look at Extra Munitions. At first, I found no way to add them without really downgrading some assets. Then, I think it was Vorpal Sword who suggested it. Go with all Homing Missiles on Generics and EM.

4 x Scimitar Bomber w/ Extra Munitions, Homing Missile, and Seismic Charges

With this list, you don't need Jonus as the weak link. Also, you get TWO missiles with each ship. At this point, you get to re-roll all your dice, as opposed to just one. They can't use an Evade token, which is only important for the Falcon and a few others. Maybe Vader when he gets his ride pimped. You can also get 2 bombs each! If you fly in formation, you can really catch people off guard with the Bombs. Maybe less so now as more people are using them, but still. 4 Bombers dropping Seismic covers a big field. Being able to do it twice is nice. That's one way to deal with arc dodgers. There is also the idea that you don't have to fly in formation. It works for bombs, but it isn't necessary for the list to work. It makes Arc Dodgers easier to take down. One good shot with ordnance (with the TL) can take down a high agility ship....if it flubs it's rolls. Two can take one down after it's Focus is gone.

Overall, it has greatly increased the strength of the Tie Bomber list that I've been doing well with. I can't wait to play it. I CAN wait to buy the Punisher blisters to get it, though. I hope they put 2 in each blister.

Good show, otherwise. I'm curious, though, as to what you used when building your Tier lists? Are you looking at local players? Did you look at tournament reports before the Phantom fix? Before Wave 6? I've heard of a lot of bro-bots winning events. Or one and Boba. Still getting there, though.

I'm curious, though, as to what you used when building your Tier lists? Are you looking at local players? Did you look at tournament reports before the Phantom fix? Before Wave 6? I've heard of a lot of bro-bots winning events. Or one and Boba. Still getting there, though.

A combination of the Virginia NOVA area tournament results that Neil has been compiling, and the tournament results on List Juggler. Taken as a whole, IG-88 are actually underperforming for how often they make the final cut vs how often they get brought. At least the Mangler / Advanced Sensors version - there are at least 3 major archetypes even for dual IG88 that I can see right now.

• BC Mangler + Advanced Sensors
• HLC + FCS buzzsaw (Terminators and various offshoots)
• Asymmetric (Doug Kinney's)

That UK regional top 8 only had a few lists in the listed tiers. Won by dual Decimators, most surprisingly.