On the other hand, PtL vs Rebel Captive is usually nothing more than a way to waste 3 points on an upgrade you can never use.

That's why I was toying around with Wingman on Vessery, so that in the mirror you can still F+TL or TL+boost, shoot at a rebel captive, and clear 2 stress per turn. I don't really like the ball and chain though, keeping Vessery in R1 when needed is not always practical. Not a list I would take to a Regionals. The root problem here is that Kenkirk is a little overcosted relative to RAC, if he shed some cost then he would be a more viable option, which would help builds like this.

Fortunately I'll never be going anywhere near Regionals

100 points

Colonel Vessery (42)

TIE Defender (35), “Mangler” Cannon (4), Ruthlessness (3)

Rear Admiral Chiraneau (58)

VT-49 Decimator (46), Push the Limit (3), Gunner (5), Engine Upgrade (4)

Thinking beyond this one match up, and more for generally use. Rac can boost/TL for Vessery whilst Vessery can help out on swarms and still get the range non-bonus when using a cannon?

RAC will spend the TL at PS8 and then Vessery doesn't get his free lock. That is one case where you would want VI on Vessery.

Just to wrap this up, I did play against RAC and Fel last night, and he completely tore through me.

I won the two games before pretty convincingly though (they were off builds - 3 Bounty Hunters and AXYZ), so I felt good going in.

But between the stress, crits, and Fel evading everything, it didn't last that long.

Pleased with running the two ships though, so I'll work through each choice and see if there's anything I'd like to change.

The best combo for Decimators vs. arc-dodgers with autothrusters is Gunner+ Rebel Captive+Ysanne+Engine upgrade. This allows you to hard turn + boost every round in order to turn inside their radius, while forcing them to clear stress every time. Interceptors (Soontir) and A-Wings must 2 turn plus boost to shoot every round, and cannot PtL or they will wind up double stressed. IG88s and Star Vipers are in even worse position, because they don't have hard turn greens. Gunner helps you get hits, especially since you should be able to take unanswered shots about every other turn or so.

How about Expose+Experimental Knter f.d. ace with Ysanne? Is it not even more efficient against those Arc dodgers with AT?

Here is what I would run if you are set on Vessery and Kenkirk(BTW Kenkirk is my fav decimator pilot too)

99 Points

I've found Kenkirk kitted out this way to be quite survivable and has won me many a game regardless of who is with him. With {Predator on Vessery you aren't relying on a TL as much and you can focus for defence more.

I've started a thread in the Bat Rep section detailing last night's practice games.

I'll be sticking with the squad as is for a few more games before I start changing. I liked it, but I'm aware I came up against odd stuff and don't want any knee jerk reactions.

The best combo for Decimators vs. arc-dodgers with autothrusters is Gunner+ Rebel Captive+Ysanne+Engine upgrade. This allows you to hard turn + boost every round in order to turn inside their radius, while forcing them to clear stress every time. Interceptors (Soontir) and A-Wings must 2 turn plus boost to shoot every round, and cannot PtL or they will wind up double stressed. IG88s and Star Vipers are in even worse position, because they don't have hard turn greens. Gunner helps you get hits, especially since you should be able to take unanswered shots about every other turn or so.

How about Expose+Experimental interface with Ysanne? Is it not even more efficient against those Arc dodgers with AT?

Sorry, wanted edit the answer above. How can i edut/delete an answer?

Is there a particular reason I don't see Weapons Engineer on Decimators paired with Vessery? Just curious, seemed like something to try to me.

Is there a particular reason I don't see Weapons Engineer on Decimators paired with Vessery? Just curious, seemed like something to try to me.

Because Weapons Engineer isn't worth 3 points except on a Huge ship like the Raider or Corvette. You only end up taking advantage of the card ability every other round. All other "free action for 3 points" cards can be used every round. If Weapons Engineer were only 2 points then you could make an argument for including it. Maybe with Vessery it would be OK, but it is still an expensive way to get his ability to trigger. You might as well do it without the Weapons Engineer and save 3 points.

To be fair, most other extra action cards cost three points and a stress. Oftentimes that ends up being not super important, and I don't think WE is great or anything, but that's what it's got going for it.

edit: And oddly enough, until the K-wing comes out, I think a Decimator is the only torpedo carrier that can take a weapon engineer, so you could use both target locks for an opening Proton Torpedo shot. Not that it's really worth it.

To be fair, most other extra action cards cost three points and a stress. Oftentimes that ends up being not super important, and I don't think WE is great or anything, but that's what it's got going for it.

Yeah, the restriction on weapons engineer is still similar to Recon Specialist, where you need to have your action to get the freebie. But you won't be using Weapons Engineer every round. Even assuming that you alternate your shots every shot to use both the Target Locks you get (which may not be optimal in and of itself), you still only activate Weapons Engineer every other round. On something like Recon Spec or PtL you can fully use it every round. So I think 2 points for Weapons Engineer is fair - that's what I have in my House Rules anyway.

To be fair, most other extra action cards cost three points and a stress. Oftentimes that ends up being not super important, and I don't think WE is great or anything, but that's what it's got going for it.

Yeah, the restriction on weapons engineer is still similar to Recon Specialist, where you need to have your action to get the freebie. But you won't be using Weapons Engineer every round. Even assuming that you alternate your shots every shot to use both the Target Locks you get (which may not be optimal in and of itself), you still only activate Weapons Engineer every other round. On something like Recon Spec or PtL you can fully use it every round. So I think 2 points for Weapons Engineer is fair - that's what I have in my House Rules anyway.

I agree. 3 points might be decent on the high PS K-wing, though, to hammer super-re-rollable Proton Torpedoes home.

I agree. 3 points might be decent on the high PS K-wing, though, to hammer super-re-rollable Proton Torpedoes home.

The 2nd Target Lock has to be on a different ship though.

All I can say is that I've now played 4 games, WWLW and WE has been very useful

Sorry, wanted edit the answer above. How can i edut/delete an answer?

There should be an edit function in the bottom right of the post.

To answer your question, the reason the Captive/Engine/Gunner works so well, is because it makes it impossible for most ships to keep the Decimator in arc every turn unless they give up Push the Limit. This is because when you move you do a hard turn + boost, bringing you quite a ways around. When they shoot they get a stress, which they are forced to clear. In the case of Interceptors/A-Wings, they are now obliged to do a 2 turn to clear the stress, a boost to get you in arc, then if they Push the Limit they wind up double stressed and if they don't Push the Limit they don't have a focus or evade to hit you or protect themselves with. Non Interceptor/A-Wings have to do a bank to clear, and usually a second bank will not let them get you in arc. So they cannot shoot at you every turn under any circumstances.

The combination dramatically reduces the damage you take (because they only shoot every other turn and even then without focus), while allowing you fairly accurate shots against them. The combination of Expose+Experimental Interface+Isard does let you hit harder when you shoot, but you take something on the order of 2 1/2 times as much damage in return than you would have with the Captive/Engine/Gunner combination, and it leaves you stressed so your dial is dramatically reduced.

I hope that helps.

SDCC: The WE is always useful. The question is whether or not it is as useful as the alternatives you passed over. Most of us believe it is not.

SDCC: The WE is always useful. The question is whether or not it is as useful as the alternatives you passed over. Most of us believe it is not.

Maybe it will work for me. I'm eternally hopeful.

I agree. 3 points might be decent on the high PS K-wing, though, to hammer super-re-rollable Proton Torpedoes home.

The 2nd Target Lock has to be on a different ship though.

Sorry, wanted edit the answer above. How can i edut/delete an answer?

There should be an edit function in the bottom right of the post.

To answer your question, the reason the Captive/Engine/Gunner works so well, is because it makes it impossible for most ships to keep the Decimator in arc every turn unless they give up Push the Limit. This is because when you move you do a hard turn + boost, bringing you quite a ways around. When they shoot they get a stress, which they are forced to clear. In the case of Interceptors/A-Wings, they are now obliged to do a 2 turn to clear the stress, a boost to get you in arc, then if they Push the Limit they wind up double stressed and if they don't Push the Limit they don't have a focus or evade to hit you or protect themselves with. Non Interceptor/A-Wings have to do a bank to clear, and usually a second bank will not let them get you in arc. So they cannot shoot at you every turn under any circumstances.

The combination dramatically reduces the damage you take (because they only shoot every other turn and even then without focus), while allowing you fairly accurate shots against them. The combination of Expose+Experimental Interface+Isard does let you hit harder when you shoot, but you take something on the order of 2 1/2 times as much damage in return than you would have with the Captive/Engine/Gunner combination, and it leaves you stressed so your dial is dramatically reduced.

I hope that helps.

SDCC: The WE is always useful. The question is whether or not it is as useful as the alternatives you passed over. Most of us believe it is not.

Thanks a lot for the explanation. I am currently running my RAC with expose, experimental interface, ysanne, captive and vader together with a 35 point soontir for 98 points.

If I went EU + gunner, what crew would you kick out in favour of the gunner? It seems a tough choice for me, also because I want to give my opponent initiave because of soontir, so I would like to stick with 98 points.

Another question would be, what to choose for the elite talent. Predator? VI? Determination? I would appreciate your input.