Yes it is. It's supposed to have more speed and maneuverability than an Interceptor. The shields of a B-Wing. The firepower of the Interceptor and the Gunboat combined. As well advanced systems and projectors.

...which is how it was portrayed in the original TIE Fighter game.

It was then initially left out of the follow-up X-Wing vs TIE Fighter due to that level of ridiculously over-the-top power level, with the game files citing...

"Advanced space superiority fighter. This craft is too powerful to be put in this simulation. Dream on, fanboy!"

...a quote which seems oddly appropriate here. It was then toned down immensely from it's original capabilities in order to be included in 1999's X-Wing Alliance.

If the PC game developers managed to recognise that the ship in it's original incarnation was so horrifically overpowered that they a: removed it from one sequel altogether and b: nerfed it considerably in a sequel down the line, I see absolutely no problem whatsoever with FFG rebalancing it completely for inclusion within their miniatures game.

Give the Defender something that grants shield regen and it becomes a hit and run beast. Shield regen toughens up that expensive ship while making it play differently than anything else the Imperials have.

Regeneration mechanics are something the Imps are sorely lacking and the Defender is the perfect place for them. I understand the logic of the TIE fodder, but the super hip hype experimental uberfighter is the exact opposite of the dispensable mass produced drove fighter.

I've already broadened my list building scope to the Rebels in order to enjoy me some regenobot fun, but it does make me a lil sad I cant currently have that fun with my favourite faction

Rapetrained

Please refrain from making references to sexual violence in your otherwise thoughtful and interesting posts.

Especially when used as a positive descriptor, thats despicable.

Can't overstate this.

it's a bad habit a lot of us pick up from any contact with more toxic online communities, especially just about every online competitive multiplayer game from League of Legends to Call of duty. If you get exposed to it in your teens, it's very hard to get out of your lexicon (at least, from personal experience )

basically,

I'm also a fan of Techslot+Evade action- that would allow 33 point Deltas with regenerating Evade "shields", giving the defender the durability it needs without crippling it's action economy and turning it into a hit and run fighter like Corran.

Because this way we would get another autothruster-boosting arcdodger.

Empire already has that spot taken, it needs something a little different. Pure damage dealer, beefy ship.

Not ANOTHER arcdodger. Maybe an ability to perform an epic boost to be a less predictable ship, but not a boost definitely

It sure needs to have the engines, the EPIC engines it's supposed to have, but the niche is already taken and that's right.

You see, the upcoming "tie adv prototype" is already a fail. because it gets into the spot where interceptor is.

So basically Defender needs it's own spot.

Damage+Survivability, not arc-dodge.

p.s. Aggressor is the most advanced single-pilot ship. Too advenced and too aggressive (badpun) for organics that would become red paint for the interior at such velocities and turns.

Defender is the "Tie that has everything" from hyperdrive to SHIELDS and even a targetting system.

and yeah, it seems no ship ever has 5 actions from the bat.

4 is the limit, that's why IG didn't get the trolltastic barrel roll :C

It doesn't have a dial good enough to become an effective arc dodger, not even with TIE Mk II.

But I kinda agree on your point regarding the ship having 'its own spot'.

Not quite agreeing on the Tie Adv prototype tho. I consider the Tie/Fo something more similar to the Interceptor rather than the Adv. Proto, although we haven't seen this ship's dial.

We have a cannon-mountin' jousting terror with devastating pilot abilities that get hindered by:

a) the most advanced dial in the galaxy (/sarcasm)

b) the most advanced squad point cost in the galaxy, 30 pts for a PS1 rookie says it all.

c) the most advanced damage mitigation in the galaxy. No evade, ladies and gentlemen. No evade. Poor mobility with just a barrel roll that will consume up your action for the turn. Oh wait the named ones can PTL and what not. Then go straight while posting a nice 'shoot me' sign on their back. The generics just stay there, holding the 'shoot me' sign with a smile.

/sarcasm

So uhm, where do these three points leave us?

Obviously FFG cannot recalculate the squad points for every pilot.

So I think that we have to fill the gap by adding actions that were somehow not included, or adding upgrades just like they did with the Tie Advanced.

The point is that the cost is already so high that adding upgrades and paying for them is a no-no. Where is the advantage in that?

Granted that we have TIE Mk II, but it uses up the modification slot AND costs 1 point. It's cool that it can be applied on any TIE ship but that's it, one more point on an already expensive ship. Ehmmm. No.

A title that adds a cannon for free such as that linked cannons one?

A title that adds evade and/or boost ?

Or Tech?

I'd say that maybe a shield regen capability would definitely enhance its resilience.

I think a title giving tech slot and evade, maybe something more or less with proper point costing. It would make juke, outmaneuver, predator and PTL all viable when combined with MKII and engine upgrade. It would also make the new cards more compatible with the older expansions.

The great thing about Tech Slot and Evade, is that it's 3 points (comm Relay) for the very shield regen mechanic everyone wants, with existing cards. Being able to give Rexler Brath Juke is a powerful bonus.

...which is how it was portrayed in the original TIE Fighter game.

It was then initially left out of the follow-up X-Wing vs TIE Fighter due to that level of ridiculously over-the-top power level, with the game files citing...

"Advanced space superiority fighter. This craft is too powerful to be put in this simulation. Dream on, fanboy!"

...a quote which seems oddly appropriate here.

It's not appropriate at ALL, because X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter didn't have squadron point costs for various ships as a way of maintaining balance.

X-Wing Miniatures does. It doesn't MATTER if they make the Defender better than every other ship, because they can just charge more points for it, and it will still be balanced.

...which is how it was portrayed in the original TIE Fighter game.

It was then initially left out of the follow-up X-Wing vs TIE Fighter due to that level of ridiculously over-the-top power level, with the game files citing...

"Advanced space superiority fighter. This craft is too powerful to be put in this simulation. Dream on, fanboy!"

...a quote which seems oddly appropriate here.

It's not appropriate at ALL, because X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter didn't have squadron point costs for various ships as a way of maintaining balance.

X-Wing Miniatures does. It doesn't MATTER if they make the Defender better than every other ship, because they can just charge more points for it, and it will still be balanced.

I'm also a fan of Techslot+Evade action

I don't agree with giving the Defender a Tech slot.

The Tech slot is meant to represent the advanced technology of the Ep. 7+ era. And while you could make arguments that maybe the E-Wing and K-Wing are far enough in the future to have them, the TIE Defender was around during RotJ for cryin' out loud.

Unless the Title they give us turns it into a First Order Defender, there's no reason for it to get a Tech slot.

As so many like to say:

Gameplay trumps fluff!

So, found someone on vassal willing to let me try the Tech+evade fix... 3 deltas with comm relay vs 2 tactition hwks and 2 B-TLT Ywings, one of wich was a stresshog.

It is now a 2 HP BB8 BTLT vs a 2 health Delta Defender.

Update: pulled off a win with an unopposed long range shot hat just missed an asteroid.

Yesterday stayed late after the work and played two games at the office.

Game 1. My roster (hate it, really, takes the last of the brains away from you, don't try it at home)

3700 ChewBo with Determination and Draw their fire for extra beef.

versus

Alpha squadron taken as THE BLOCKER

and really was the MVP of the game.

The Uber-boost works differently from the natural boost, because you can't just simply "nag behind" the enemy,
although it did let Defenders stay on target even despite heavy asteroid conditions.

AND it lets you use these asteroids as means of stopping you. My wording might be shabby, but RAI it allowed to declare a bank and then, because it's impossible, use the alt. mode and bump the attack value.

Shabby report under the spoiler. Tons of lulz from the match, 2 starter sets ordered the same evening.

post-battle analysis:

Boost+8PS is OP

boost without 1-straight is great, Especially when you are PS8 and white-koigranned right behind the enemy.

+1 Attack for getting uionized when used properly (and when catching the enemy already at range 1) is really Brutal (I would have said ****, but it seems it's inappropriate? and it was my butt this time that got 5-dice attacks)

Integrated ion cannons with limited range work wonders in close quarters, letting you avoid suffering from your bad maneuverability and forcing you into the fray time and time again (Opposite from the basic stick_to_R3_HLC_all_the_way tactics of defender usage)

Overally I'm happy with the results. It does become the damage dealer.

Second game was the second testing, the same list, but this time against Chiraneau+Vader, both boosting.

This game was not that cool, Chiraneau and vader one-shotting the interceptor that did not anticipate my move, Chiraneau being ionized into the asteroid fields, getting Fire crit and the main thing it did was stressing Brax with Rebel Captive.

Vader facerolling both defenders one by one, despite -K turn being cool and really helpful.

But Adv Computer works wonders. As does double-action.

Decimator was decimated. It seems two ionizer-ships do make even turret bigships suffer.

P.S. Buy new starter, it's waaaaay softer for elite pilots.

As so many like to say:

Gameplay trumps fluff!

Too bad that statement is only applicable if the two things are mutually exclusive.

They aren't.

As so many like to say:

Gameplay trumps fluff!

Too bad that statement is only applicable if the two things are mutually exclusive.

They aren't.

Your "fix" lacks the action economy to match it's required point value- an "appropriate cost" will leave you down to the luck of the dice for a VERY short game.

Imperials already have that sort of gameplay, stop stepping on the Tie Intercepter's toes.

Even the comic agrees on one thing:

Hoping for a Firespray fix soon. This ship deserves to be in the next top 16.

Looks like the firespray has a fancy beard from this angle.

Can't unsee.

...a quote which seems oddly appropriate here.

It's not appropriate at ALL, because X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter didn't have squadron point costs for various ships as a way of maintaining balance.

Yeah. I was talking about the "dream on, fanboy!" part.

tz.. laserbrains.

;-)

Did anyone try any playtrsting with the experimental cards?
Hopefully your designs were without flaws (RAW=RAI) and you can share the results.

Did anyone try any playtrsting with the experimental cards?

Hopefully your designs were without flaws (RAW=RAI) and you can share the results.

I got a vassal game in with the Evade +Tech Defender title. Running Triple Delta with Comm relay against a squad of B-TLT-A4s (with stresshog and BB8) and Tactition HWKs (TLT and Ion), the game came down to the wire, the last ship on both sides haveing 2 HP left.

So playing against brobots last night for the umpteenth time once again reminded me how jealous I am of their stats and upgrades compared to the firespray.

I hardly ever see them anymore unless it's boba with VI. But it's more to have ps10 then to have the ship in general.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the Firespray, aside from the irrelevance of the Imperial pilot abilities.

It's just really boring to fly.

I recall it was having some strong tournament finishes paired with an IG last year. No particular reason it couldn't do well now.

Speaking of VI Boba, I love how EM has made the Slave 1 title usefull! http://geordanr.github.io/xwing/?f=Scum%20and%20Villainy&d=v3!s!116:27,-1,41,61,53,-1:1:-1:U.126;109:140,36,-1,23,-1,-1:-1:15:Would love to run this some day.

Speaking of VI Boba, I love how EM has made the Slave 1 title usefull! http://geordanr.github.io/xwing/?f=Scum%20and%20Villainy&d=v3!s!116:27,-1,41,61,53,-1:1:-1:U.126;109:140,36,-1,23,-1,-1:-1:15:Would love to run this some day.

Very nice. Personally, I'd drop Crack Shot and change the Tactician to a Recon Specialist, but that's just my personal bias. I agree that an EM-Slave I would be really fun.

Even the comic agrees on one thing:

Hoping for a Firespray fix soon. This ship deserves to be in the next top 16.

Because nobody expects Beskar Inquisition!

Sorry for Uber-resolution, that's just a card to be printed for a local campaign, so it's of full quality I could have mustered.

And yeah, it will be a shock for players who think that they'll faceroll the campaign spamming TLTs.