Even back in Waves 1-3, it was clearly a multi-step process. The rough formula, as reverse-engineered by a poster named ShadowJak, was 2 + Pilot Skill + 8x(Attack-2) + 8x(Agility-2) + 4.25x(Hull-3) + 4.5xShields, with an extra point (usually) for an elite talent slot and an extra point (sometimes 2 points, although not in Wave 1) for a pilot ability.

But even in Wave 1, it was clear that things were tweaked based on playtesting. By Wave 3 the formulas were consistently off-target, and most people stopped trying to use them.

And that formula wasn't a particularly good way to approach things anyway, since it makes the bad assumption that various parts of a ship's stat line are independent and have a linear effect on the ship's value. We know now that's not true: for instance, extra hit points are worth more on a high-Agility ship than a low-Agility one.

Another, more valid way to look at things is to start with the average damage a ship deals in a number of typical scenarios and the average damage the same ship is likely to take, and use those to determine a ship's value. But that requires a lot of work and a number of critically important assumptions, and I don't think FFG is actually doing it.

I used that formula, with a few additions, to make a ship cost calculator with google docs' spreadsheets. It's usually accurate enough for small & huge ships (about +/- 1.25) to get a baseline to work with. I haven't quite figured out the modifying factors of large ships, which can vary wildly from what the formula predicts. K-Wing, Punisher, Kihraxz, and Aggressors are all accurately predicted, but other stuff like the Punishing One, nd VCX-100 are pretty off the

You need to account for some factors that a statline formula wont include, such as dials, upgrades and actions. I think that comes from playtesting and looking at available upgrade combos, then adjusting the baseline costs, and playtest some more.

X-Wing Custom Ship Point Calculator

Thanks for all of the replies; they're much appreciated.

So in a nutshell, the game isn't balanced; that side of life is entirely down to how good a player is at adding individual upgrades?

Cheers

Baaa

So in a nutshell, the game isn't balanced

It's imperfectly balanced, aye.

So in a nutshell, the game isn't balanced

It's imperfectly balanced, aye.

so is chess

"perfection" really shouldn't be a word in the human lexicon

expense is irrelevant if it actually punches right. Both Redline and N'dru murder the crap out of anything they get to fire on.

After playing plenty of Redline, he's revealed himself to be an imperial Wedge: an utter glass cannon, except one that won't auto-die to fatships and will kill everything regardless of their agility value.

Plasmas are better-than-HLCs (or phantom primaries) with him; clusters are just disgusting. Dude has wracked up a tally of dead soontirs, vaders, whispers, X-wings (with proxied IA, of course), Poes, y-wings, b-wings, and YVs so far. He's terrifyingly punchy.

He is still more difficult to use than your typical ace, but at least he hits that much harder in order to warrant the use of ordnance. As long as ordnance becomes an effective limited-use weapon relative to more stable turrets/cannons, then having similar costs doesn't really matter (because they hit harder).

not to mention things like recon and k4 are useful regardless of ordnance. If the fully loaded generic jumpmaster5000 clocks in at HLC Fringer prices (37 points), then we're going to be in business (real bloody business)

It's interesting to see opponents ignore Redline in favor of Phantoms, TIE/A, Interceptors, etc. which are perceived as bigger threats. With the double TL ability damage lands reliably making him more of a threat than he's being given credit for in games.

I've also found Glitterstim to be particularly effective on N'dru or other generic Z-95s for alpha strike damage.

Thanks for all of the replies; they're much appreciated.

So in a nutshell, the game isn't balanced; that side of life is entirely down to how good a player is at adding individual upgrades?

Cheers

Baaa

Oh, it's pretty **** well balanced.

There just isn't a strict formula for balance, and occasionally they get it wrong. Noteworthy: Scyks are off by 1 point. Defenders are off by 2 or 3 (on a dial that was almost impossible to predict until it got heavily played), while E-wings are in much the same boat, and even then, Corran is awesome. Given that high-PS pilots cost more and come with cool abilities, a baseline overcost matters less to them, proportionately speaking, which is why the 'overpriced' ships still turn up if they've got a good ace in the pack.

Trying to run off strict formulas gave us Interceptors, A-wings, and TIE Advanced. The playtesting way is much better.