Yep. Hold on to your britches, boyos.

This has been one of my favorite crafts to study, as it combines great stats, a good action bar, great upgrade options, and the weirdest dial in the game.

In short, it is all that and a bag of chips.

Sadly, the chips cost extra squad-points, which (when combined with the dial), make most people balk at playing the thing. However: With the Twin Ion Engines Mk. II, the tricky dial becomes astonishing.

It's dial with the Mark II modification most closely resembles that of the Aggressor, if you view the dials in a vacuum.

They both have all of their forward and bank options in green, and are the two best ships for "reversal maneuvers" (koiograns and segnors) in the game.

Similarly, both have 3 agility, 3 native attack dice, and a good bit of shields and hull, meaning they're very similar to each other stat-wise.

Their named pilots exist in similar price-ranges, and all have Elite Talents, Cannonry, and a pre-determined modification.

There are three main differences that make the comparison problematic.

The Defender has a Small Base, vs the Aggressor's Large

The Defender has a Sm Barrel Roll, vs the Aggressor's Lg Boost

The Defender has generics, vs the Aggressor's Title and System options.

Note that in each dichotomy, they are simply differences, rather than having one be strictly superior to the other.

• Small bases are capable of playing far more slowly than are large bases,trading the raw speed of a Large ship for being more nimble; a small ship has a tighter turning radius and is less likely to collide than a large, but cannot cover the same amount of distance with a maneuver.
  
• BR is more inherently defensive than Boost, while being less inherently offensive. This is compounded by the size difference.
  
• The Defender can be as cheap as 30 points, and have a PS of as low as 1, whereas the Aggressor actively improves in multiples and has additional access to one of the best upgrade slots in the game.

So they don't fly exactly alike, and you cannot simply clone a Brobot fleet with Defenders.

Three Delta Defenders with the T.I.E. Mk.II are 7 points shy of 100, so you have options of anything from 2 Flechettes and an Ion, Promotion of all 3 to Onyx, to promoting just one all the way up to Rexler Brath!

The two Named Defenders leave you with 26 points. Each with HLC and Opportunist still leaves you with a 4 point initiative bid, and is not a build I recommend anyway.

Therefore, you're going to want a third ship of some sort.

It strikes me that, even though the Defender is a really good ship with the Mark II modification, the 100 point format does it ill, unless you use it sparingly.

However, I am thoroughly looking forward to using it in Escalation!

Note: I forgot that Prockets are a thing.

The two named pilots, each with:

HLC
Proton Rockets

Twin Ion Engines Mk. II
Your choice of 3 point Elite Talents

= 100 points each.

The 3 point Elite Talents available to them are:

Daredevil

The most potent method of changing your position in the game, but you really don't want to give your opponent free damage in this list.

Marksmanship

You don't have multiple attacks per turn, have no particular desire to deal crits, and a need for defensive actions. No.

Outmaneuver

With the weirdness of your dial, this has superb potential.

Predator

With Vessery in your fleet, Brath wants to be Target Locked after he fires. Predator ensures that Brath still gets some re-rolls. This should not be put on Vessery at any point, though.

Push the Limit

With Vessery in your fleet, Brath wants to be Target Locked after he fires. PtL gives him the freedom to do that and still have a focus for his own ability. Still, Vessery has too few actions to use this upgrade, similarly to a B-Wing with Fire-Control System.

Ruthlessness

Theoretically more damage, and you've got a high chance to hit with those HLCs. However, if your opponent is only flying 2 ships, this is easily counterplayed, to the point in which it deals bonus damage to you.

Therefore: Viable Elite Talents are:

Outmaneuver on Vessery

Outmaneuver, Predator, or PtL on Brath

But in an Epic game of 400 points a side?

I actually think in the case of both these ships, Barrel Roll is straight up better, at least for cannon armed variants. Boosting sometimes lets you avoid arcs, but often takes you out of arc to do so. Barrel Roll lets you keep guns on target and still dodge some arcs. Both can be used to bring a ship in arc that is out of arc, although Boost is stronger at this at long ranges.

On Vessary: VI is actually a very strong choice for him, especially when paired with a PTL Rexlar. It allows Vessary to shoot first, pick up and spend his target-lock, and hopefully knock down enough shields that Rexlar can finish the target off with his own TL/Focus combo.

Even without Rexlar, it allows him to move and shoot at PS8, which is valuable in head-to-head battles against the likes of IG88, Dash Rendar, Corran Horn and Rear Admiral Chip-and-Dip. It also helps him team favorably with the likes of Kenkirk and Chirpaderpa.

But in an Epic game of 400 points a side?

Okay, that outclasses the Brobots by a lot, as they're barely worth 200 points fully upgraded, whereas the Defenders can totally spam into a 400 point fleet.

Still, though, check it in Escalation.

Round 1: Vessery+Mk.II, Scimitar, 8 point initiative bid

Round 2: Vessery+Mk.II, Scimitar, Brath+Mk.II

Round 3: Vessery+Mk.II+Outmaneuver, Scimitar, Brath+Mk.II+PtL, Cozlet+TIEx1+AdvTC

Round 4: Vessery+Mk.II+Outmaneuver+HLC, Scimitar, Brath+Mk.II+PTL+HLC, Cozlet+TIEx1+AdvTC, Scimitar

Why limit yourself to the 3 point talents?

Lone Wolf and Opportunist could be good 6 point combo as well.

On Vessary: VI is actually a very strong choice for him, especially when paired with a PTL Rexlar. It allows Vessary to shoot first, pick up and spend his target-lock, and hopefully knock down enough shields that Rexlar can finish the target off with his own TL/Focus combo.

Even without Rexlar, it allows him to move and shoot at PS8, which is valuable in head-to-head battles against the likes of IG88, Dash Rendar, Corran Horn and Rear Admiral Chip-and-Dip. It also helps him team favorably with the likes of Kenkirk and Chirpaderp.

Why limit yourself to the 3 point talents?

Lone Wolf and Opportunist could be good 6 point combo as well.

Because I was thinking along the lines of keeping them mirrored at the time, even though that's not the conclusion I eventually reached.

Why limit yourself to the 3 point talents?

Lone Wolf and Opportunist could be good 6 point combo as well.

Agreed. I've been flying Brath with Lone Wolf and LOVING it.

Why limit yourself to the 3 point talents?

Lone Wolf and Opportunist could be good 6 point combo as well.

Agreed. I've been flying Brath with Lone Wolf and LOVING it.

They'd seem to work well in combination; Brath with LW strips the defences, then Vessery punishes the target with Opportunist. Vessery still works best with a couple of Target Locking wingmen, however.

I think Lone Wolf a Defender is solid gold. It's so close to 4-Attack, 4-Defense when it's active.

Why limit yourself to the 3 point talents?

Lone Wolf and Opportunist could be good 6 point combo as well.

Agreed. I've been flying Brath with Lone Wolf and LOVING it.

They'd seem to work well in combination; Brath with LW strips the defences, then Vessery punishes the target with Opportunist. Vessery still works best with a couple of Target Locking wingmen, however.

Think of Vessery's ability as akin to Advanced Targeting Computer being put on Brath, and you've got it.

3rd ship option: OGP w/Fleet Officer to make sure Rexlar has that extra focus at just the right time?

Or Sigma Squadron Pilot!

Or Sigma Squadron Pilot!

Sigma squadron with fleet officer and Enhanced Scopes? Cloak for 4 defence, then block the enemy while passing out focus?

Or Sigma Squadron Pilot!

Sigma squadron with fleet officer and Enhanced Scopes? Cloak for 4 defence, then block the enemy while passing out focus?

Sadly, that puts the list at 103; 101 without the TIE Mk.II, for using the two named defenders with no other upgrades

TIE Engines doesn't hugely improve the Defender.

Rexler can use PTL better but he's already 4-5 points over costed.

Compare Rexler + PTL + TMKII 41 to

Vader Predator ATD 33

Soontir PTL Auto+Stealth 35

Whisper VI ACD FCS 39

there's very little advantage there. Same for Vessery, who doesn't even benefit from MKII. Stress wasn't the problem with Defenders...

Flippin crits!

Colonel Vessery (35)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)

Rexler Brath (37)

Lone Wolf (2)

Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)

Lieutenant Colzet (23)

Accuracy Corrector (0)

TIE/x1 (0)

Total: 100

******************

You could give Brath PTL instead of Lone Wolf if you want to not have to worry about the LW range restriction, but then you'd have to downgrade Colzet and flip fewer crits.

I am now considering the implications of a Decoy Brath

Vessery wants to shoot early, to ensure that both pilots use their Target Locks.

Brath wants to shoot dead last, to ensure that he has hull-damage to flip.

Decoy.

Flippin crits!

Colonel Vessery (35)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)

Rexler Brath (37)

Lone Wolf (2)

Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)

Lieutenant Colzet (23)

Accuracy Corrector (0)

TIE/x1 (0)

Total: 100

******************

You could give Brath PTL instead of Lone Wolf if you want to not have to worry about the LW range restriction, but then you'd have to downgrade Colzet and flip fewer crits.

I am now considering the implications of a Decoy Brath

Vessery wants to shoot early, to ensure that both pilots use their Target Locks.

Brath wants to shoot dead last, to ensure that he has hull-damage to flip.

Decoy.

Pre phantom nerf, I ran Rex with VI and Vessery with Decoy to give me a PS10 against phantoms while still triggering both of their abilities. It was pretty neat, but overall I much prefer the firepower upgrade of Predator/Lone Wolf on the pair.

TIE Engines doesn't hugely improve the Defender.

...

Stress wasn't the problem with Defenders...

The stress from the turns, combined with the presence purely of green maneuvers, means that the 1 and 2 turn on the dial practically didn't exist.

With the TIE Mk.II, they are very much options, making you very unpredictable.

MajorJuggler says of his jousting values that they're the amount of points you need to reclaim with "Magic", and that "Magic" is almost entirely the unmathed region of mobility.

Your comment tells me you've never faced someone who has practiced with the Defender.

Also, I don't think I would run PtL on Brath without Vessery involved. I'd much prefer a Lone Wolf, as has been otherwise noted.

Rexler Brath (48)

Push the Limit (3)

Heavy Laser (7)

Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)

Lieutenant Colzet (23)

Accuracy Corrector (0)

TIE/x1 (0)

Sigma Squadron Pilot (29)

Fleet Officer (3)

Enhanced Scopes (1)

Total: 100

I like it. I think it should be called Imperial Phantom Works.

Whoever thinks stress isn't a big deal on the Defender has never faced a stress passing list with one. Get double or triple stressed and you either have to never worry about doing an action again, or disengage from the battle and regroup after 2 or 3 turns. The main problem with disengaging is the fact that your are not using 1/3 (or even more) of your list for a few turns.

I'm thinking the correct friends for a mk II defender are two mk II bulldogs (tempest with accuracy corrector). That gives you 18 points after Rexler to add ptl, cannon, and missiles to the bulldogs.

I think:

Rexler Brath, hlc, ptl, mk II (48)

2x Tempest, x1, ac, mk II, (3/4 point missile of choice, usual cluster, maybe advanced homing missile if it's nuts) for 50-52 points

This gives 98-100 points of strong midrange fighters. By the time they kill either the bulldogs or the Rexler whatever's alive should be able to finish the crippled enemy. There's no great choice either since both halves are entirely self sufficient, have really solid (and similar) dials, and are reasonably tanky.

How do you feel about 3 Onyx Squadron Pilots and 3 MK II Engines?

Against Turretwing? Against Dual Aggressors? Against B Wing spams like BBBBZ or Panic Attack?