Are any other fellow loyal imperialists a bit bummed out by the new wave 8 news?

Scum have gained two ships that fill two big holes in their lists - a (classy as hell) fat turret and a tanky B-wing style cheapy, along woth some sweetsweet new upgrades. Great days to be a scummy pirate!

The rebels have got a simply awesome looking pair of ships with very high stat lines that look like they might bring some very new, powerful and fun tactics to the game. Looking forward to seeing what these two ships can do.

We get another tie adv. model. Now, It's a fine model design and everything (I have the shapeways version myself), but really? Another 2-attack small agile fighter? To put it in perspective, this thing does less damage than the bonues little shuttle that pops out of the Rebel's new release! I get that it brings AT to the table, along with some nice action economy, but that sounds awfully close to what we have with the interceptor. Just, y'know, with a worse attack

It's a really exciting wave, don't get me wrong, and the sculpts and styles of the ships are a big improvement on wave 7 but ... I don't know, for the high agility, glass cannon faction, it feels like we're getting an awful lot of very poor attack-dice ships: nearly half of our entire fleet shoot pop-guns (5/11), not one of which can mount a cannon or secondary turret to improve what is probably the most important stat in the game.

What do you guys think? Meh or am I making a mehntain out of a molehill?

I'm really hoping there's something with the Gozanti, either a defensive buff pilot, or I don't know what, that'll make the standard Tie flyable again.

No.

the ghost is a massive gimmick that we can only wait to see more spoilers for. As is, we have no idea how it and it's completely unique docking mechanic will actually pan out on the table.

scum's getting love; scum also needed the love most as the least complete faction

imps get the tie/v1, which looks stupid good. The Inquisitor is a shoe-in for Vader/Soonts tier as a super A-wing with title-granted action efficiency. It's shooting out 3-dice at range 2-3 (presumably no bonus agility at range 3, because it counts as range 1) and can take prockets for 5 dice at range one. I play a lot of procket Jake, and those rockets ruin most things. Imagine now that you get not only the rocket but +1 red die

Inquisitor + ptl + prockets + title + thrusters is a mere 34 points

there's also the tracer rounds + title synergy built into the box, letting even generics turns into howlrunner+ for a turn

and that's all before new tie pilots + Kallus

the only problem, imo, is the ship looks quite silly

No.

That's not how discussions work.

But thanks for err... Trying. I guess.

The Imps getting a flipping A-wing, so no.

Between Vader, Deathrain, Inquisitor, Agent Kallus, and the Wave 7 munitions buffs (esp. Conner Nets, Tracers, and Extra Munitions) I'm pretty sure I'll be enjoying Imps a lot over the next year.

Yeah you're right fgd, but you're also agreeing with me. The inquisitor could well be a top tier pilot to replace soontir/ x1 vader. But that's my point. FFG are getting very close to repeating themselves with the punisher/prototype releases.

4 attack, aux arc and a shed load of health are a pretty nice base to work from, though, before we get to the gimics! But as I said, it looks great, I don't begrudge the rebels this, just wouldn't mind seeing something akin to this level of difference in the imp armada

V1 looks nice, and might even go some way to making up for the 2 attack die.

Plus finally, of course, tracers aren't faction specific.

Between Vader, Deathrain, Inquisitor, Agent Kallus, and the Wave 7 munitions buffs (esp. Conner Nets, Tracers, and Extra Munitions) I'm pretty sure I'll be enjoying Imps a lot over the next year.

The game is great, the new releases are great, and the imperial faction is a thing of eye-watering beauty, don't get me wrong. I think I'll be staying loyal ... Just discussing the alternative development strategies going on at ffg at the moment.

No.

That's not how discussions work.

But it is how Betteridge's Law works

Are you IMPlying that Baren Valen Rudor is "meh"?

(Seriously, I hope he at least gets a fun ability.)

I don't actually know anything about Star Wars; do/did the Imperials have any small based style fighter that did not follow the Tie model? I too am growing weary of tie-this and tie-that, but I do not know if there is anything else.

the tie/v1 will change the imperial game based on new ordnance + title making them actually somewhat usable, provided the base price for the craft is right.

the inquisitor represents but one branch of the possible tie/v1 outfits, giving you the option for a super ace the likes of which basically every tie thing (apart from bombers/punishers) have

the remaining unique pilot could well be a game changer, depending on how unique his ability is

Are you IMPlying that Baren Valen Rudor is "meh"?

(Seriously, I hope he at least gets a fun ability.)

he has a very shiny nose

Between Vader, Deathrain, Inquisitor, Agent Kallus, and the Wave 7 munitions buffs (esp. Conner Nets, Tracers, and Extra Munitions) I'm pretty sure I'll be enjoying Imps a lot over the next year.

The game is great, the new releases are great, and the imperial faction is a thing of eye-watering beauty, don't get me wrong. I think I'll be staying loyal ... Just discussing the alternative development strategies going on at ffg at the moment.

I see what you're saying about lack of diversification, but on the other hand I kind of like how FFG is (generally) trying maintain a certain play style for each faction. Imps are the glass cannons - the funnest and most challenging ships in the game!

I agree with your lack of enthusiasm for the 2-attack Adv. Protos. (except for Inquisitor who rolls 3). 2-attack ships have a hard time these days, although Jake is rocking the scene lately.

I don't actually know anything about Star Wars; do/did the Imperials have any small based style fighter that did not follow the Tie model? I too am growing weary of tie-this and tie-that, but I do not know if there is anything else.

Yes, but they're all ugly, forgettable, or extremely obscure.

I don't actually know anything about Star Wars; do/did the Imperials have any small based style fighter that did not follow the Tie model? I too am growing weary of tie-this and tie-that, but I do not know if there is anything else.

Assault Gunboat, Missile boat, A-9 starfighter.

4 attack, aux arc and a shed load of health are a pretty nice base to work from, though, before we get to the gimics! But as I said, it looks great, I don't begrudge the rebels this, just wouldn't mind seeing something akin to this level of difference in the imp armada

As I understand it, the aux arc is part of the gimic. If the Phantom isn't docked, the Ghost is more or less a Decimator that has traded its primary turret for an extra red die.

I don't actually know anything about Star Wars; do/did the Imperials have any small based style fighter that did not follow the Tie model? I too am growing weary of tie-this and tie-that, but I do not know if there is anything else.

Yes, but they're all ugly, forgettable, or extremely obscure.

Speaking of obscure:

I think I had seen Empire about 20 times before I noticed that the Tie Bomber was different than the regular TIE Fighter. It's on!y in a few scenes, and not for very long.

I actually think the Tie Adv. Prototype has gotten more screen time.

Potentially the Z95 has as well.

Wave 8/Gozanti will be getting me back into playing TIE lists. Loving the TAP and the new aces in the Gozanti set.

The V1 adv. is a great addition to the imperial army. there are now midrange options that open up a lot. The shuttle becomes easier to take with a midrange fighter like this. It is going to have awing stats and probably an awing dial and then should also have an awing cost. I HOPE. I don't think they could put out an awing stat ship with a pre refit cost. I'm guessing the inquisitor paid a premium for his ability and/or they can take either advanced title (free systems on an awing?).

Don't forget the X1 fix and the new tie pilots too. Oh. And that punisher thingy. Oh and the resurrection of the basic bomber since new ordnance fixes make them awesome (inquisitor with tracers and some scimitars? Sexy).

Do not waver brother. The empire will not fall!

For the glory of the empire!

considering how often he gets shot down, and not die, i suspect that he may have an ability that lets him keep fighting after hos hull threshold.

Am I bummed we still don't have the gunboat and avenger sure but I understand Disney wants rebels in and ffg wants to keep the license.

Scum needed more ships I'm fine with that.

The rebels stuff I can ignore and spend that money on armada.

X-wing peaked wave four when defenders got added.

I don't actually know anything about Star Wars; do/did the Imperials have any small based style fighter that did not follow the Tie model? I too am growing weary of tie-this and tie-that, but I do not know if there is anything else.

Yes, but they're all ugly, forgettable, or extremely obscure.

Speaking of obscure:

I think I had seen Empire about 20 times before I noticed that the Tie Bomber was different than the regular TIE Fighter. It's on!y in a few scenes, and not for very long.

I actually think the Tie Adv. Prototype has gotten more screen time.

Potentially the Z95 has as well.

Let's see, everything the Republic fielded at the end of the Clone Wars was carried over into the early Empire including V-wings and Eta-2 interceptors. The I-7 and A-9 from dark empire, as well as the Scimitar Assault Bomber (looks like a TIE, but it's not).

Gunboat and Missile boat of course. Lots of non-TIEs out there, but we won't see them because we don't want people to get confused I guess. That's why Rebels and Scum fly about 1:3 of the same ships currently (pre wave 7).

The Inquisitor TIE is definitely meh. But that's just one ship. I'm not going to take one meh example as signs of a continuing trend towards mehness.

Next wave we could easily pull out of this meh dive with a TIE Aggressor, or Oppressor.

I don't actually know anything about Star Wars; do/did the Imperials have any small based style fighter that did not follow the Tie model? I too am growing weary of tie-this and tie-that, but I do not know if there is anything else.

Yep. The best is clearly still to come from FFG: