Just give them the option to turn regular shots into ion shots after all dice are rolled.

Thematic, effective. Easy to fit on a title card.

So many possibilities ... so much time to go by to make one of them happen ...

Brath has ways of getting a focus... Fleet Officer, Squad Leader, and the upcoming Emperor. With good ole' Palpy, he can hopefully get a decent attack roll and keep the focus. Not as ideal as what the Rebels can do, but its something.

Vessery has in my opinion one of the best abilities in the game. Top 5 at least. He's just an a very expensive ship and needs TLs out there. Your title would only really work with Vessery and you wouldn't be able to spend the TL when you attack. As soon as you spend it the ability doesn't work. Vessery will be fine and be seen quite often when his favorite wingmen come in flying the Tie Advanced. Until then there weren't very many cheap options in the Imperial fleet to get him the TL he needs.

This. Brath has a couple of ways of obtaining focus already, but being able to field Push the Limit with the Twin Ion Engine MkII will really help him out.

Vessery, on the other hand... wow. His ability is AMAZING and synergises with any ship that can take a Target Lock. ST-321 on a Shuttle, Bombers, Firesprays, Decimators, Punishers, other Defenders and most importantly the TIE Advanced following the advent of the TIE/x1 title card and Advanced Targeting Computer.

In many ways the Defender's bad name is an advantage. They're rare, which means people don't know how to deal with them. Advantage Defender.

Vessery, on the other hand... wow. His ability is AMAZING and synergises with any ship that can take a Target Lock. ST-321 on a Shuttle, Bombers, Firesprays, Decimators, Punishers, other Defenders and most importantly the TIE Advanced following the advent of the TIE/x1 title card and Advanced Targeting Computer.

Even a bright with an Accuracy Corrector can pick up a TL to benefit Vessery; it's not as if they will need the action for offense.

Vessery, on the other hand... wow. His ability is AMAZING and synergises with any ship that can take a Target Lock. ST-321 on a Shuttle, Bombers, Firesprays, Decimators, Punishers, other Defenders and most importantly the TIE Advanced following the advent of the TIE/x1 title card and Advanced Targeting Computer.

Even a bright with an Accuracy Corrector can pick up a TL to benefit Vessery; it's not as if they will need the action for offense.

I've been playtesting two of them with ac, clusters, and hlc vessery and it's pretty good. I now want to try it with mk 2 on everyone and ptl Rexler instead, as I think that will be even more nasty.

As for triggering Rexler, just stick him with a fleet officer firespray and you melt two ship lists. Double hlc, double predator, both ps 8 (boba) and double focus on Rexler destroyed 2 ship builds until my local meta stopped playing 2 ship lists.

Even a bright with an Accuracy Corrector can pick up a TL to benefit Vessery; it's not as if they will need the action for offense.

Yep. I'm seriously considering trying:

Darth Vader - TIE/x1, Advanced Targeting Computer

Colonel Vessery - Heavy Laser Cannon, Opportunist, Twin Ion Engine MkII

Lieutenant Colzet - TIE/x1, Accuracy Corrector

and

Colonel Vessery - Veteran Instincts, Twin Ion Engine MkII

Rexler Brath - Push The Limit, Twin Ion Engine MkII

Tempest Squadron Pilot - TIE/x1, Accuracy Corrector

I am a big fan of Colzet in this meta; I can't wait to fly him.

One problem is the defenders don't have many synnergies with their named pilots. Rexlar Brath for example, would see more play if there were more Imperial methods for ensuring he had a focus after he attacks and deals damage. Colonel Vessery might be better off if there were some way of making him even better with a target lock.

One solution might be a Defender title that says "When attacking, if you have a target lock on the Defender, the Defender rolls one less defence dice."

That would obviously make Vessery better, but would also allow Brath to become significantly more powerful. He'd have to take a target lock... but if he was able to hold out one more turn he could turn that focus into a murderfest. This title would also be useful for the generic pilots, though you may need to restrict the pilot skill of the title, depending on balance.

A title like this could also help more Shuttles see play, since Jendon would now have some awesome synergy with it.

The capitalization in your solution really confused me. "Why would I want a title that reduces my Defender's defense dice if the attacker has a target lock on it? That's a horrible idea!"

Vessery, on the other hand... wow. His ability is AMAZING and synergises with any ship that can take a Target Lock. ST-321 on a Shuttle, Bombers, Firesprays, Decimators, Punishers, other Defenders and most importantly the TIE Advanced following the advent of the TIE/x1 title card and Advanced Targeting Computer.

Even a bright with an Accuracy Corrector can pick up a TL to benefit Vessery; it's not as if they will need the action for offense.

I've been playtesting two of them with ac, clusters, and hlc vessery and it's pretty good. I now want to try it with mk 2 on everyone and ptl Rexler instead, as I think that will be even more nasty.

As for triggering Rexler, just stick him with a fleet officer firespray and you melt two ship lists. Double hlc, double predator, both ps 8 (boba) and double focus on Rexler destroyed 2 ship builds until my local meta stopped playing 2 ship lists.

I like that list a lot.

I don't think giving them free or cheaper cannons is the way to go. You pay for those three attack dice and I'd rather the fix keep the strong points of the Defender. Still, the Defender needs to be able to earn it's hefty price back in a more timely manner. It needs something like btl, but for cannons.

The ion cannons in the PC game could fire in sequence with the laser cannons so there is precedence in the fluff for it.

The ion cannons in the PC game could fire in sequence with the laser cannons so there is precedence in the fluff for it.

What do you mean "in sequence"?

You would need another modification slot for the ace pilots to be able to spend all the freed up points ...

.. ....

Why??

He's proposing this a Defender title not a modification

Because:

Colonel Vessery

TIE Defender (35), Assault Missiles (5), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Veteran Instincts (1), MK.II (1)

Rexler Brath

TIE Defender (37), Ion Pulse Missiles (3), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Push the Limit (3), MK.II (1)

= 90 Points

What do you do with the remaining 10 points? All slots are occupied and those 2 Defenders need defensive upgrades:

Colonel Vessery

TIE Defender (35), Assault Missiles (5), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Veteran Instincts (1), MK.II (1), Shield Upgrade (4)

Rexler Brath

TIE Defender (37), Ion Pulse Missiles (3), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Push the Limit (3), MK.II (1), Shield Upgrade (4)

= 98 Points

Drop the missiles and you have 18 points to spend. That's enough to get any of the named TIE Fighters.

You would need another modification slot for the ace pilots to be able to spend all the freed up points ...

.. ....

Why??

He's proposing this a Defender title not a modification

Because:

Colonel Vessery

TIE Defender (35), Assault Missiles (5), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Veteran Instincts (1), MK.II (1)

Rexler Brath

TIE Defender (37), Ion Pulse Missiles (3), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Push the Limit (3), MK.II (1)

= 90 Points

What do you do with the remaining 10 points? All slots are occupied and those 2 Defenders need defensive upgrades:

Colonel Vessery

TIE Defender (35), Assault Missiles (5), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Veteran Instincts (1), MK.II (1), Shield Upgrade (4)

Rexler Brath

TIE Defender (37), Ion Pulse Missiles (3), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Push the Limit (3), MK.II (1), Shield Upgrade (4)

= 98 Points

Drop the missiles and you have 18 points to spend. That's enough to get any of the named TIE Fighters.

At that point you just get Dark Curse with Targeting computer, drop PTL and put Predator back on Rexler Brath. Let DC be Vessery's spotter and let Rex hammer away with stress free Focus/Reroll attacks. Sure, it means they can stop Vessery's ability from working by killing Dark Curse, but then they're shooting at Dark Curse, and that's pretty funny.

The ion cannons in the PC game could fire in sequence with the laser cannons so there is precedence in the fluff for it.

What do you mean "in sequence"?

The Shuttle needs more help than the Defender does.

Priorities, please!!!

(Unless you consider Palpatine to be the Shuttle fix??? )

What? No its doesn't.

I use the good ol space cow all the time and hardly have a problem.

Its an unforgiving beast, sure, but its costed well.

......

Well the OGP is atleast the named guys are best suited for epic I find

I would almost agree. The problem isn't the pilot abilities. Actually they are perfect for Epic but with the range limitations that makes using them in Epic as one would expect/hope nearly impossible.

You would need another modification slot for the ace pilots to be able to spend all the freed up points ...

.. ....

Why??

He's proposing this a Defender title not a modification

Because:

Colonel Vessery

TIE Defender (35), Assault Missiles (5), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Veteran Instincts (1), MK.II (1)

Rexler Brath

TIE Defender (37), Ion Pulse Missiles (3), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Push the Limit (3), MK.II (1)

= 90 Points

What do you do with the remaining 10 points? All slots are occupied and those 2 Defenders need defensive upgrades:

Colonel Vessery

TIE Defender (35), Assault Missiles (5), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Veteran Instincts (1), MK.II (1), Shield Upgrade (4)

Rexler Brath

TIE Defender (37), Ion Pulse Missiles (3), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Push the Limit (3), MK.II (1), Shield Upgrade (4)

= 98 Points

Drop the missiles and you have 18 points to spend. That's enough to get any of the named TIE Fighters.

At that point you just get Dark Curse with Targeting computer, drop PTL and put Predator back on Rexler Brath. Let DC be Vessery's spotter and let Rex hammer away with stress free Focus/Reroll attacks. Sure, it means they can stop Vessery's ability from working by killing Dark Curse, but then they're shooting at Dark Curse, and that's pretty funny.

NightBeast is the better spotter and a point cheaper. He can green maneuver and get TL + Focus.

You could set it up to fire with the lasers.

So ion, laser, laser, ion, laser, laser... and on.

You would need another modification slot for the ace pilots to be able to spend all the freed up points ...

.. ....

Why??

He's proposing this a Defender title not a modification

Because:

Colonel Vessery

TIE Defender (35), Assault Missiles (5), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Veteran Instincts (1), MK.II (1)

Rexler Brath

TIE Defender (37), Ion Pulse Missiles (3), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Push the Limit (3), MK.II (1)

= 90 Points

What do you do with the remaining 10 points? All slots are occupied and those 2 Defenders need defensive upgrades:

Colonel Vessery

TIE Defender (35), Assault Missiles (5), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Veteran Instincts (1), MK.II (1), Shield Upgrade (4)

Rexler Brath

TIE Defender (37), Ion Pulse Missiles (3), Heavy Laser Cannon (2), Push the Limit (3), MK.II (1), Shield Upgrade (4)

= 98 Points

Drop the missiles and you have 18 points to spend. That's enough to get any of the named TIE Fighters.

At that point you just get Dark Curse with Targeting computer, drop PTL and put Predator back on Rexler Brath. Let DC be Vessery's spotter and let Rex hammer away with stress free Focus/Reroll attacks. Sure, it means they can stop Vessery's ability from working by killing Dark Curse, but then they're shooting at Dark Curse, and that's pretty funny.

Then it isn't a DD any longer.

The way I see it if you cannot fit 4 small ships of the one type into a list that ship type it is over costed...

Stopped reading here. A ship's stats, dial, actions and abilities have more to do with the points cost than base size. A Missile Boat would be a small based ship, and if their abilities and stats matched their performance in TIE Fighter, absolutely nobody would want to face four of them in a 100 point list...

Or to demonstrate how this "small base + > 25 points cost = overpriced" logic is fundamentally wrong...

Still cheaper than the TIE Defender!

You know that's got to be a raw deal when overprice cost less than what you are getting and gives you more.

You know that's got to be a raw deal when overprice cost less than what you are getting and gives you more.

I think he means the fire linked in X-Wing: Alliance. You could shoot all your laser cannons and ion cannons at the same time. But that only featured in XWA. Not in any of the previous games in the series.

I was gonna say, I distinctly remember that you had to switch between lasers, ions and warheads before firing in TIE Fighter.

I didn't remember XWA having an alpha strike option either though.

This might have been mentioned already, but I think they need more help defensively than offensively. They are one of two (I think) 3 agility ships in the game that don't have the evade action. The other (star viper) can at least take sensor jammer to help with defense.

Some kind of title that gives the evade action might be best. Probably make it 1 point same as the falcon, anymore and it wouldn't be worth it.

And then they're action starved. Granted, the new modification will help them with PTL, but 'make PTL easy for everything' is not really a fix.

I really like the various ideas I've seen around for letting them recharge shields. Ha, maybe that's instead of Evade! "Action: Recover one shield token."

It won't stop you taking the first hit, but it'll be as valuable afterwards - and any round you didn't spend that shield again is another round tougher. With their huge swath of greens, you could run away, heal up, and then come back - if perhaps still not as conviniently as Corran. But Corran's ability is just phenominal, while Rexler's is... well, you might use it. During an entire tournament.

I will have to play test out your 5 points of free upgrades title idea.

Would you limit it to cannons and missiles or just what ever you want to equip??