threw this together to see how much the empire could buff a single ship.

Captain Kagi (27)
Sensor Jammer (4)
"Mangler" Cannon (4)
Emperor Palpatine (8)
Engine Upgrade (4)
ST-321 (3)

Colonel Vessery (35)
Lone Wolf (2)
Heavy Laser Cannon (7)
Proton Rockets (3)
Stealth Device (3)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

The idea is that the shuttle stays out of the battle, handing Vesery Target Locks and Emperor results from across the battlefield while letting Lone wolf and Stealth Device cover his defence.

I'm not sure why you'd take Kagi unless you are taking him just to have a high Pilot Skill. I think the problem you'll have with this list is that you are putting a 50 point Shuttle on the table making it an attractive target.

Just grabbed a quick vasssal game with this list.

It's an attractive target, but one that has no need to even be close to the engagement. To chase the shuttle is to expose yourself to Vessery. And a high PS Boost lets the shuttle avoid killboxes, while Kagi theoretically helps vessery by making vassery untargetlockable if he's close enough to the attacker.

I think the problem with this list is that if you do decide to hide the shuttle on the other side of the board it is a lot of wasted points and the defender will get torn apart before the enemy fleet turn to engage the shuttle.

If using it purely as a long range buff bot, i would drop

Kagi (down to omicron pilot)

Sensor jammer (if it gets attacked on its own this is probably not going to save it)

Mangler cannon

Engine upgrade

That means you are paying 32 points for the emperor/TL ability rather than 50, and then that 18 points buys you something to fly along side vessery.

I personally think prockets are a waste, particularly on a 3 red ship. You use a focus to get a 5 red attack when you could have got a 4 red attack and use the focus to make eyeballs count as hits. Potentially that gives you another 3 points for 21 point buddy for vessery.

Ecxept "something along side" kills Lone Wolf, the only defensive EPT worth taking.

Prockets are a 1/game +1 attack die at short range. They need a focus to be used, but they dont COST a focus.

Game 2, Vessery got in Soont's way when Kagi had a shot, 2 crits on the roll, Soont wiffed defence through a rock, and took 2 direct hits. Mopped up 3 Avenger squadrons.

I'm really enjoying LW Vessery lists at the moment myself, so I love where you're coming from. However, I too think there's too many points sunk into that shuttle.

Omicron Group Pilot (32) Lambda-Class Shuttle (21), Emperor Palpatine (8), ST-321 (3)

Colonel Vessery (47) TIE Defender (35), Heavy Laser Cannon (7), Lone Wolf (2), Stealth Device (3)

Tempest Squadron Pilot (21) TIE Advanced (21), TIE/x1 (0), Accuracy Corrector (3)

This would give you close to the same functionality, but with an added gun on the table that won't need to be eating into the emperor & vessery's bromance too much - vess still gets the rerolls, extra TL options, and you have a second gun that might be able to pull it out of the bag if Vess goes down. Sure, you might lose a round or two of LW, but with practice I think that could be minimised.

The other option would be a naked Omega Leader. He'd be a mini-vess, competing with him rather than supporting him, but might still be able to pull it out of the bag if your big gun goes down early.

threw this together to see how much the empire could buff a single ship.

Captain Kagi (27)

Sensor Jammer (4)

"Mangler" Cannon (4)

Emperor Palpatine (8)

Engine Upgrade (4)

ST-321 (3)

Colonel Vessery (35)

Lone Wolf (2)

Heavy Laser Cannon (7)

Proton Rockets (3)

Stealth Device (3)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

The idea is that the shuttle stays out of the battle, handing Vesery Target Locks and Emperor results from across the battlefield while letting Lone wolf and Stealth Device cover his defence.

Wow. Losing to this list would be so embarrassing. You're basically getting beat by a lone Defender and a 50 pt brick.

When i say fly alongside vessery, i dont mean necesarily at close range cancelling lone wolf (i dont like that talent but tastes and mileage vary). just something else on the board to give the enemy something to think about intead of just surrounding vessery with impunity.

My bad on the spending focus to fire prockets, i thought that was the way it worked. I still feel it is unnecessary though as HLC + prockets is a lot to spend on a ship with an already servicable primary attack.

For 18 points of gear dropped, you can get VI Mauler Mithel, who can hang out with the shuttle and cause a world of pain for his points cost. Suddenly having a PS 9 knife fighter that can sling 4 dice, supported by the emperor, will cause problems to a certain sort of ship.

The biggest problem with this list is that I cant put any more points into making vessery powerful, so stripping wasted points off the shuttle has only a marginal effect.

If I remove the ability to move TLs at PS8, I can add Mauler Mithal or the new Scourge Tie pilot with the Gonzanti, for PS9, but I cant use them effectively for half the game without interfering with Vessery's defensve bonuses.

Omicron Group Pilot (21)
Emperor Palpatine (8)
ST-321 (3)

Colonel Vessery (35)
Lone Wolf (2)
Heavy Laser Cannon (7)
Stealth Device (3)

"Scourge" (17)
Veteran Instincts (1)

Total: 97

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

The biggest problem with this list is that I cant put any more points into making vessery powerful, so stripping wasted points off the shuttle has only a marginal effect.

If I remove the ability to move TLs at PS8, I can add Mauler Mithal or the new Scourge Tie pilot with the Gonzanti, for PS9, but I cant use them effectively for half the game without interfering with Vessery's defensve bonuses.

Omicron Group Pilot (21)

Emperor Palpatine (8)

ST-321 (3)

Colonel Vessery (35)

Lone Wolf (2)

Heavy Laser Cannon (7)

Stealth Device (3)

"Scourge" (17)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Total: 97

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

What do you mean use them effectively? The little PS7 TIEs can be used well without any support as distractions and damage dealers in their own right. What they bring to the list is an extra wrinkle for your opponent to deal with against certain types of ships, and they can really tear up a ship that is trying to kill a bigger ship. Besides, they're PS9, potentially throwing 4 dice. Using the Emperor to buff them can mean dropping 3 hits and a crit on someone at PS9. That's defense on it's own right there if you can kill someone before they fire. If the little guy isn't in position to do it, then you don't have to use the Emperor on him.

The biggest problem with this list is that I cant put any more points into making vessery powerful, so stripping wasted points off the shuttle has only a marginal effect.

If I remove the ability to move TLs at PS8, I can add Mauler Mithal or the new Scourge Tie pilot with the Gonzanti, for PS9, but I cant use them effectively for half the game without interfering with Vessery's defensve bonuses.

Omicron Group Pilot (21)Emperor Palpatine (8)ST-321 (3)Colonel Vessery (35)Lone Wolf (2)Heavy Laser Cannon (7)Stealth Device (3)"Scourge" (17)Veteran Instincts (1)Total: 97View in Yet Another Squad Builder

What do you mean use them effectively? The little PS7 TIEs can be used well without any support as distractions and damage dealers in their own right. What they bring to the list is an extra wrinkle for your opponent to deal with against certain types of ships, and they can really tear up a ship that is trying to kill a bigger ship. Besides, they're PS9, potentially throwing 4 dice. Using the Emperor to buff them can mean dropping 3 hits and a crit on someone at PS9. That's defense on it's own right there if you can kill someone before they fire. If the little guy isn't in position to do it, then you don't have to use the Emperor on him.

Think TC was referring to the fact that their abilities work best at R1, which would probably interfere with Lone Wolf.

The biggest problem with this list is that I cant put any more points into making vessery powerful, so stripping wasted points off the shuttle has only a marginal effect.

If I remove the ability to move TLs at PS8, I can add Mauler Mithal or the new Scourge Tie pilot with the Gonzanti, for PS9, but I cant use them effectively for half the game without interfering with Vessery's defensve bonuses.

Omicron Group Pilot (21)Emperor Palpatine (8)ST-321 (3)Colonel Vessery (35)Lone Wolf (2)Heavy Laser Cannon (7)Stealth Device (3)"Scourge" (17)Veteran Instincts (1)Total: 97View in Yet Another Squad Builder

What do you mean use them effectively? The little PS7 TIEs can be used well without any support as distractions and damage dealers in their own right. What they bring to the list is an extra wrinkle for your opponent to deal with against certain types of ships, and they can really tear up a ship that is trying to kill a bigger ship. Besides, they're PS9, potentially throwing 4 dice. Using the Emperor to buff them can mean dropping 3 hits and a crit on someone at PS9. That's defense on it's own right there if you can kill someone before they fire. If the little guy isn't in position to do it, then you don't have to use the Emperor on him.

Think TC was referring to the fact that their abilities work best at R1, which would probably interfere with Lone Wolf.

Vessery wants to be at range 3, Mauler wants to be at range 1. That seems ideal for Lone Wolf.

Colonel Jendon (26)
Emperor Palpatine (8)
ST-321 (3)

"Backstabber" (16)

Colonel Vessery (35)
Lone Wolf (2)
Heavy Laser Cannon (7)
Stealth Device (3)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Stripped down the shuttle to squeeze in a tie fighter that can potetially roll 4 dice. The new shuttle pilot can "bank" target locks on the tie fighter, letting Vessery have 2 targets he gets free TLs on. All 3 ships are the same PS, removing that awkward time when the shuttle has a shot, but cant use it's TL because Vessery needs it.

Yep, that's seriously legit. You can do things like load Backstabber with a Target Lock and K-turn behind someone, with a possible Emperor buff.

I like the list with Backstabber and Jendon much better than the original list. If you dropped the Stealth Device on Vessery you could replace Backstabber with Epsilon Leader. He's PS 6 like Vessery and Jendon. You lose some of the damage potential from Backstabber but keeping him near the Shuttle will make it much more maneuverable since it is able to perform red maneveuvers every round. He's also got an additional shield and is able to take the Target Lock action to provide Vessery some additional options.

Epsilon Leader also allows the shuttle to park for as long as you want it to.

If you run up against an opponent that inflicts stress you can fly him with Vessery. Sure, you're giving up Vessery's Lone Wolf bonus but it might be worth the trade off to be able to take actions.

If you really want to try this list, I'd suggest dropping the Mangler Cannon. Kagi is going to be running away from potential opponents with that engine upgrade, not towards.

In return, I'd do the following:

• Upgrade Stealth Device to Engine Upgrade. If you're asking Vessery to try and solo an entire squad, the best thing he can do is get out of arcs of fire rather than try to avoid getting hit. He doesn't really need his action for tokens anyway.
• Upgrade Proton Rockets to Assault Missiles. If taking on a big mob, splash damage is the best leveller you have available to you.