Been playing with the wife a lot lately with the Old core. I am losing a lot, like not even one win. Am I doing it wrong?

When we play she usually takes Red Squadron with R2, or Luke and R2 and I take either Mauler Mithel and Dark Curse or just Curse and Obsidian Squadron pilot. Typically she will focus down one Tie before finishing the other and if I get a few hits on her she just green moves around until R2 has her shields back up.

Now I'm wondering, am I just a bad pilot or is R2 a little much for a 35 point game vs naked Ties? Even with named pilots I still have trouble. Last night was the closest I've come so far, getting her down to 1 hp with just one Tie before she managed to scoot away and regen shields.

I personally feel like its not so much that I'm undergunned but rather I'm just not utilizing my ships strengths. One way I thought to improve was to always take an evade token, unless I got out of arc and a focus would be a better deal. Am I on the right path here?

I think R2-D2 is quite powerful for a small-scale games. Still, he's not unbeatable. Do you get both TIE fighters to shoot Luke at the same time? One strategy is to converge on your opponent, and then when one of your TIEs gets damaged, you fly away and make the X-wing chase you while the other TIE gets good shots on the X-wing from behind.

If you're only taking fire from one enemy a round I would always Evade, this negates one of her attack dice every round.

Also split them up so one is always taking potshots. Barrel roll's nice if you can guarantee to get out of arc, but Luke will always move last if you're playing Core set only.

Properly sliding your base with Barrel Roll is pretty huge in helping to arc dodge too.

Been playing with the wife a lot lately with the Old core. I am losing a lot, like not even one win. Am I doing it wrong?

When we play she usually takes Red Squadron with R2, or Luke and R2 and I take either Mauler Mithel and Dark Curse or just Curse and Obsidian Squadron pilot. Typically she will focus down one Tie before finishing the other and if I get a few hits on her she just green moves around until R2 has her shields back up.

Now I'm wondering, am I just a bad pilot or is R2 a little much for a 35 point game vs naked Ties? Even with named pilots I still have trouble. Last night was the closest I've come so far, getting her down to 1 hp with just one Tie before she managed to scoot away and regen shields.

I personally feel like its not so much that I'm undergunned but rather I'm just not utilizing my ships strengths. One way I thought to improve was to always take an evade token, unless I got out of arc and a focus would be a better deal. Am I on the right path here?

Luke with R2-D2 is a little much for two TIEs to handle. I think that combination is why the core set suggests using 30 points.

In a 35 point match just using the original core set, the Imperial Player really has to out-fly the Rebel pilot if they are using Luke and R2-D2. You do need to make sure that you are using the primary attack modifiers or it skews things even more in Luke's favor.

In case you aren't using them (they are kind of oddly broken up in the original rules):

Shooting at range one with a primary attack is +1 red die to the attacker.

Shooting at range three with a primary attack is +1 green die to the defender.

No modification for shooting at range two with a primary weapon.

"Best way to avoid punch, no be there" - Mr. Miyagi

35 points feels a bit much for just the core set. Luke with R2-D2 is a tough nut to crack for a pair of tie fighters.Giving him even more stuff is not going to be easy for the ties.

Lowering the points limit chooses the rebel player to choose between Luke's ability or R2-D2, which makes the fight a bit more fair. A red squadron pilot can be arc dodged by any of the named ties (That is, you can use barrel roll to get out of the Red Squadron's firing arc while keeping it in yours- Approach from an angle!), while without R2-D2, Luke's ability is a lot less insurmountable.

The other thing that anyone that wants to fly TIEs needs to get good at is blocking. If you are up against a higher PS opponent try to predict what their best move is and try to put a TIE Fighter there first. If Luke bumps into the only TIE in front of him, he'll lose his action and not be able to attack that round.

The other thing that anyone that wants to fly TIEs needs to get good at is blocking. If you are up against a higher PS opponent try to predict what their best move is and try to put a TIE Fighter there first. If Luke bumps into the only TIE in front of him, he'll lose his action and not be able to attack that round.

He won't be able to attack the ship he bumped. He could still target the other TIE, if it's in arc. And by blocking, the TIE player is giving up half his attacks. I don't really think blocking is the way to go in this situation. Between Luke's defensive ability and R2's blasted regeneration he is basically nullifying one whole TIE every turn.

Evade. Every turn.

Evade. Every turn.

Even if barrel roll can avoid arc? Or you can get behind? Evade is best when you know which of your ships your opponent wants to shoot the most (typically the closest if different ranges or the damaged one).

The other thing that anyone that wants to fly TIEs needs to get good at is blocking. If you are up against a higher PS opponent try to predict what their best move is and try to put a TIE Fighter there first. If Luke bumps into the only TIE in front of him, he'll lose his action and not be able to attack that round.

He won't be able to attack the ship he bumped. He could still target the other TIE, if it's in arc. And by blocking, the TIE player is giving up half his attacks. I don't really think blocking is the way to go in this situation. Between Luke's defensive ability and R2's blasted regeneration he is basically nullifying one whole TIE every turn.

But blocking could be huge in setting up favourable position. For example, if you block with one tie so that the other can bank + barrel roll out of arc (and if you are confident the opponent will be blocked, this is relatively easy), then you are getting essentially a free, unanswered shot. Even better if your ships are in position to turn to face the opponent after he does the obvious k-turn because you can now get shots with both ships (likely with focus) and he will be stressed. Best of all if you can block the predictible green move following the k-turn, or even k-turn behind him when he uses a green to clear stress.....huge advantage there.

Evade. Every turn.

Even if barrel roll can avoid arc? Or you can get behind? Evade is best when you know which of your ships your opponent wants to shoot the most (typically the closest if different ranges or the damaged one).

The other thing that anyone that wants to fly TIEs needs to get good at is blocking. If you are up against a higher PS opponent try to predict what their best move is and try to put a TIE Fighter there first. If Luke bumps into the only TIE in front of him, he'll lose his action and not be able to attack that round.

He won't be able to attack the ship he bumped. He could still target the other TIE, if it's in arc. And by blocking, the TIE player is giving up half his attacks. I don't really think blocking is the way to go in this situation. Between Luke's defensive ability and R2's blasted regeneration he is basically nullifying one whole TIE every turn.

But blocking could be huge in setting up favourable position. For example, if you block with one tie so that the other can bank + barrel roll out of arc (and if you are confident the opponent will be blocked, this is relatively easy), then you are getting essentially a free, unanswered shot. Even better if your ships are in position to turn to face the opponent after he does the obvious k-turn because you can now get shots with both ships (likely with focus) and he will be stressed. Best of all if you can block the predictible green move following the k-turn, or even k-turn behind him when he uses a green to clear stress.....huge advantage there.

Point taken.

Evade. Every turn. Unless you can roll out of the way.

I suppose my thoughts stem from my tendency to play a LOT of TIE Fighters when I play ANY TIE Fighters, and its often worth the risk to stay in formation than to sacrifice an attack. If the TIE were at 1 HP, I'd likely roll to arc dodge. Otherwise, I'd hope for the best to get another attack if I survive.

The other thing that anyone that wants to fly TIEs needs to get good at is blocking. If you are up against a higher PS opponent try to predict what their best move is and try to put a TIE Fighter there first. If Luke bumps into the only TIE in front of him, he'll lose his action and not be able to attack that round.

He won't be able to attack the ship he bumped. He could still target the other TIE, if it's in arc. And by blocking, the TIE player is giving up half his attacks. I don't really think blocking is the way to go in this situation. Between Luke's defensive ability and R2's blasted regeneration he is basically nullifying one whole TIE every turn.

It's definitely not an every turn kind of thing but it's a tool that can be used to help set up favorable situations for your lower PS but more numerous TIEs. Keeping a 1 hull TIE alive and using it as a blocker is almost always going to be better than leaving it in a position to trade shots.

Reason 101 why regen is bad for xwing.

You are not going to like it but . . .

You need to fly both at Luke, evade and fire at range 3. If you do damage, great, if not, no biggy. Now what ever TIE took damage that turn you need to get it in the way of Luke. If you damaged Luke, then that move is likely going to be a green, so its either a one bank or a one/two straight. Block him.

The other should K turn behind him.

This means Luke has no actions and no targets to shoot at. Your damaged TIE can't be hit and you have a free shot. Next turn, Do it again. Cause the bump and shoot with the other. If you do it right, Luke shouldn't move every other turn and shouldn't fire again until he K turns, in which case, you should have two ships firing at range 1 of an actionless Luke.

Whilst this completely takes all the thematic fun out of the game, this is how TIES fly and how TIES win.

Don't believe me? Try flying seven or eight of them at once. .

Bumping is a legitimate and awesome way to play Tie Fighters. I love them. It saves one from being fired at and the other one can try to capitalize where it's going to be at R1 of where you think your opponent is going to be (and out of arc).

Also, if your opponent seems to be going after one ship, then use it as bait. Make it so that it looks like you are going to be in one spot. This will make your opponent a bit predictable as you know they are going to go after that one Tie. So, bug out with the one that he is going after. Just....get out of there. Don't be where you are telegraphing where you will go. Have the other ship set up to be at R1 and out of range of where you expect your opponent of being.

Mauler Mithel at R1 is vicious and can help to get through those shields and hits. Dark Curse is good at staying alive. Trying to recall which other ones come in the starter and which in the blister. I love Backstabber and he would do wonders, too.

I think the idea is to figure out where your opponent is going to be and then try to get out of his arc, but him in yours. The 1 hard turn with barrel roll is a powerful tool for getting where you want to be with just one X-wing to face. Use that a lot.

NOT die?

I don't think you understand what TIE Fighters are for.

If the Empire didn't want someone to die, they wouldn't give them a TIE Fighter.

They are the original arc dodgers...

I'm gonna be brutally honest here...divorce is your only option you need to trade her in for a newer model.

nathankc is essentially correct. You want to avoid being shot as often as possible and deny Luke actions as much as possible (either by forcing k-turns or blocking him)

TIEs have fast dials and are able to adjust their position with Barrel Roll - something Luke is incapable of doing. They're lower Pilot Skill though, so they move first - which means you'll need to predict where Luke is going (or bait him ito making moves with your apporach)

• try blocking Luke's movement with one TIE to deny him shots and actions, and attacking him from the flank with the other.

• do not approach Luke head on - approach at an angle, then use barrel roll to manuever so he can't get you in arc, while you keep him in yours.

• don't be afraid to use the TIE's speed to disengage if you think it's in danger of being cornered.

You could always just ape the new core set intro game and ensure the rebel ship has a PS level between the two tie fighter PS's... If you insist on running luke as the rebel pilot give howlrunner VI to ensure luke's pilot skill still sits between the tie PS's..

If you are after defeating the luke/R2 combo with the parameters you are currently running i think the piloting/tactical advice above is all good... (as you improve as a pilot you'll find you will become able to bridge many of the shortcomings you are currently suffering...)

p.s. note that x-wing as a game is really aimed at being a well balanced game at the 100pt squad level and deviances away from this will introduce a certain amount of imbalance so your continual loses may also be being affected by this...

... give howlrunner VI to ensure luke's pilot skill still sits between the tie PS's..

The core set doesn't come with either Howlrunner or VI.

... give howlrunner VI to ensure luke's pilot skill still sits between the tie PS's..

The core set doesn't come with either Howlrunner or VI.

The point was to ape the new core set's "1 higher and 1 lower" (PS Imp vs Reb) not an insistence on a particular pilot. Howlrunner was simply the first pilot that came to mind that, with vi, would allow Luke to be the middle ps ship. Mauler would work just as well (with vi of course) and I'm sure card proxy-ing with the wife if required isn't a capital offense...

I'm surprised everyone is so up on evade actions.

I never take evade with my ties, from what i recall, the math works out to about even on an evade token vs a focus token with three agility, and if its four agility (obstructed shot, r3) then focus is even more powerful.

plus, if you dont spend it defending with your lower PS pilots, you get to spend it on offense. win win.

I only evade if I can't get a shot, focus should be better but green dice hate us so you never roll focus when you have a token ready.

If Luke is allowed R2-D2 he basically autowins the core set game. Luke with R2-D2 is far from overpowered in a standard 100 point dogfight, but against 2 TIE Fighters he dominates.

I'd suggest simply not allowing R2-D2, or building you collection to the point where you no longer have to play with just the Core Set.