So, I picked up my K wing at Gencon, and immediately decided I needed to give it a custom paint job. But of course, being an obscure EU ship, there were no schemes available anywhere... Except for Esege, who comes with his own paint scheme on his card. So, I'm in the process of painting my K wing to be his K wing... Which brings me to how the heck to use his ability.

Sadly, the focus can only be used on attacks. It would be much cooler if it could be used on defense as well. So at first I was thinking A wings since they would be able to keep up with a SLAM K wing, but they'd want their own tokens for defense anyways, so I'm not going to take the actions to get tokens.

So then I went to multi-attack ships, with the thought that they could use multiple focus tokens on a single turn. Of course, the first ship that came to mind was a Y wing! And who better than the poor stresshog who never gets actions of his own? Which led me to the following list:

Esege Tuketu

Cluster Mines

Conner Net

Extra Munitions

Bombardier

Advanced SLAM

Dutch Vander

Ion Cannon Turret

BTL-A4 Title

Bomb Loadout

Seismic Charges

Extra Munitions

Gold Squadron

Ion Cannon Turret

BTL-A4 Title

R3-A2

Bomb Loadout

Seismic Charges

This comes in at 100 points exactly. At first I wanted to get Recon Spec in on Esege, so he could hand off 2 tokens. But then I started thinking through, and decided that whenever I didn't do the focus action, I would be losing out too much. Which then meant I wanted to use non-action based bombs, but those aren't as much fun. So I went with the thought that Esege is a PS6 K wing (we'll see how much that's worth) that can drop bombs... oh yeah, he can occasionally help out his wingmen when he can't drop bombs.

And then I decided to add Dutch in there as well for the same reason - he can help the Goldie modify his shots (it's acquire a TL, not take a TL action), and since he always takes a TL, how often do you roll the <boom> <eye> <eye> with his ICT and reroll just to get <blank> <blank>? Now he can just use Esege's focus token. I'm debating the title on Dutch though. And the more I think about it, the less I want it.

But, seeing as I haven't put ANY of this to use, I figured I'd ask here what everyone's thoughts were regarding putting Esege on the field.

best way to use esege is not to use esege

at least, imo

only way you're getting any sort of returns out of that ability is if you don't attack and only use your action (or a-slam action) to focus. As such, mines are a bloody wash unless you want to use E.I (no A-slam, getting real expensive). Basically, bombs and recon with ships that don't normally focus (which is basically only ordnance)

best way to use esege is not to use esege

at least, imo

only way you're getting any sort of returns out of that ability is if you don't attack and only use your action (or a-slam action) to focus. As such, mines are a bloody wash unless you want to use E.I (no A-slam, getting real expensive). Basically, bombs and recon with ships that don't normally focus (which is basically only ordnance)

You only pay 1 point for his ability as it is (given there are 4 additional points for PS that you're forced to pay - but who knows how useful PS6 will or won't be in the next meta). That being said, it's not an ability that you have to use every turn to get a return on it. I tend to agree that non-action deployed mines might pair better with Esege so his action can be spent focusing, but there are new shiny options that I want to try out first! Seismic + Proton are 7 points, so you could substitute these for the Cluster + Conner and have a point left over.

But I think you're missing the core benefit of his ability - how often do you end the round with focus tokens left on ships because they only rolled <booms> and <blanks>? Or you don't want to spend it for the one <eye> you get to leave you without a token for defense? This is where Esege is going to be useful, even more so than Kyle would be. He can just hold on to the token until SOMEONE, ANYONE needs it. So the next time you took a TL and then roll <eye eye eye>... just steal Esege's token and get 3 <booms> from it... And if Esege rolls <boom> <eye> and doesn't have a token, not a big deal since it's only a 2 attack ship.

There are clearly opportunities to take him, I'm just trying to figure out where other people see him fitting in. Perhaps among a mini swarm to maximize the opportunities to use his ability? Or with high defense ships so they can keep their own tokens for defense? Or maybe with high fire power ships to stack the TL+F?

It might be kind of cool to run him with Garven. Have Garven take a Target Lock with his action and all of Garven's attacks will have TL and Focus.

With a Rebel 666 core of Garven, Dutch, and Esege w/Recon Spec, you've got 3 ships that will all be able to to have TL+Focus shots every round and 20 points left to spread around on upgrades.

I like Esege / Garven / Kyle

I like Esege / Garven / Kyle

Kyle has Recon, and gives Esege a token, Garven uses the token and then gives it back to to Esege?

I like Esege / Garven / Kyle

Kyle has Recon, and gives Esege a token, Garven uses the token and then gives it back to to Esege?

I'm pretty sure the order would be:

Esege focuses (with optional recon spec for x2)

Garven attacks, uses Esege's focus

Garven can pass Esege's focus to anyone , including back to Esege

That looks like fun, not going to lie. Using a token without actually touching it!

I like Esege / Garven / Kyle

Kyle has Recon, and gives Esege a token, Garven uses the token and then gives it back to to Esege?

I'm pretty sure the order would be:

Esege focuses (with optional recon spec for x2)

Garven attacks, uses Esege's focus

Garven can pass Esege's focus to anyone , including back to Esege

That looks like fun, not going to lie. Using a token without actually touching it!

But what is Kyle doing? Or is Kyle the crew on Esege?

Haha... Totally forgot you could even have Kyle. Yet another shenanigan. If only Biggs could fit as well =/.

I like Esege / Garven / Kyle

Kyle has Recon, and gives Esege a token, Garven uses the token and then gives it back to to Esege?

I'm pretty sure the order would be:

Esege focuses (with optional recon spec for x2)

Garven attacks, uses Esege's focus

Garven can pass Esege's focus to anyone , including back to Esege

That looks like fun, not going to lie. Using a token without actually touching it!

But what is Kyle doing? Or is Kyle the crew on Esege?

Garven passes Esege's token to Kyle, who stores it with the moldy crow title, and passes it back to Esege on the following turn, and it repeats and repeats and repeats.

The token never actually leaves play!

I like Esege / Garven / Kyle

Kyle has Recon, and gives Esege a token, Garven uses the token and then gives it back to to Esege?

I'm pretty sure the order would be:

Esege focuses (with optional recon spec for x2)

Garven attacks, uses Esege's focus

Garven can pass Esege's focus to anyone , including back to Esege

That looks like fun, not going to lie. Using a token without actually touching it!

But what is Kyle doing? Or is Kyle the crew on Esege?

Garven passes Esege's token to Kyle, who stores it with the moldy crow title, and passes it back to Esege on the following turn, and it repeats and repeats and repeats.

The token never actually leaves play!

That seems like Esege isn't really doing anything but laundering the token. You get the same eternal token shenanigans without Esege being present and the same amount of token usage if you just have Kyle and Garven, don't you?

Kyle uses Recon Spec and gets two tokens.

Kyle passes a token to Esege at the start of combat.

Garven shoots and uses Esege's token and then passes the token back to Esege.

Esege's shoots and uses his token if he needs to.

If Esege didn't use his token Kyle can use it when he shoots.

If Esege used the token Kyle can use the second token from Recon Spec.

In that scenario everyone gets a token to use on attack from Kyle's single action.

Esege + Recon Specialist + TLT

37 pts

That's probably where I would start. Pass focus when needed, or use both for each TLT shot.

Or a proton bomb/seismic charge version wouldn't be horrid. I think running the non-mine bombs is better if you want to use the ability more. Ion Bomb + Seismic Charge + Extra Munitions + Recon Specialist. PS is just about high enough to do so, haha.

On another note, Khyros, I've finally thought of a K Wing list I like:

Miranda + TLT + Seismic Charge + Extra Munitions

Corran Horn + VI + FCS + R2D2 + Engine

Prototype + Refit

100 pts

Serge could easily fit in this list with:

Recon Spec + TLT + Advanced Slam

Corran might enjoy more focuses from time to time.

K Wing slamming to escape is perfect for hit and run play style, which works well with Corran. I also love dropping one of my TLT shots down to 2 dice to gain a shield, then attacking with 3 on the next. Not as much Burst damage as a Procket

I'm having a hard time making a good looking list with these ships, though. I hope that TLT or Bombs are enough to give the K Wing an edge!

P.S.A: When refering to one "Esege" by a nickname, use "ese"

Hey, ese, pass me one of those focus tokens would ya?

On another note, Khyros, I've finally thought of a K Wing list I like:

Miranda + TLT + Seismic Charge + Extra Munitions

Corran Horn + VI + FCS + R2D2 + Engine

Prototype + Refit

100 pts

Serge could easily fit in this list with:

Recon Spec + TLT + Advanced Slam

Corran might enjoy more focuses from time to time.

K Wing slamming to escape is perfect for hit and run play style, which works well with Corran. I also love dropping one of my TLT shots down to 2 dice to gain a shield, then attacking with 3 on the next. Not as much Burst damage as a Procket

I'm having a hard time making a good looking list with these ships, though. I hope that TLT or Bombs are enough to give the K Wing an edge!

Don't forget that Miranda can also burn a shield so that she can throw 4 dice with her primary turret at range one. The thing that Miranda and Corran both have going for them is that if your opponent starts putting damage on them they'll feel the need to give chase to prevent them from just regenerating away all of the shield damage. A list similar to this might have legs but it is going to need to be run by someone that is good at being able to disengage, reengage, and get a chase going.

I certainly think that play style you are describing is exactly what Corran is best at, and likely Miranda too! Haha.

I suppose TLT + C3P0 on Miranda is good too!