New preview article on Assault Carrier TIE Fighter pilots

By Danthrax, in X-Wing

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Swarm Tactics

The new TIE pilots:

wampa.png

"Wampa" PS4, costs 14, no EPT

When attacking, you may cancel all dice results. If you cancel a [critical hit] result, deal 1 facedown Damage card to the defender.

youngster.png

"Youngster" PS6, costs 15, has an EPT

Friendly TIE fighters at Range 1-3 may perform the action on your equipped [Elite Pilot Talent] Upgrade card.

chaser.png

"Chaser" PS3, costs 14, no EPT

When another friendly ship at Range 1 spends a focus token, assign a focus token to your ship.

And of course, the previously spoiled Scourge:

swx35-scourge.png

"Scourge" PS7, costs 17, has an EPT

When attacking a defender that has 1 or more Damage cards, roll 1 additional attack die.

Nothing about the remaining new upgrade cards, though!

Edited by Danthrax
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Youngster!?!? Whaaaaat?

That's all I have to say.

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Wampa and Lt. Colzet are going to be best pals.

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Youngster + Predator = Range 1-3 Howlrunner for the same price, unless "action" is interpreted as "Action:"

Even of that doesn't work ... TIE swarms will be back with a vengeance.

Edited by Hawkstrike
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Youngster + Predator = Range 1-3 Howlrunner for the same price, unless "action" is interpreted as "Action:"

Even of that doesn't work ... TIE swarms will be back with a vengeance.

I was wondering that as well. Seems like it'll need to be cleared up by FFG

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Youngster + Predator = Range 1-3 Howlrunner for the same price, unless "action" is interpreted as "Action:"

Even of that doesn't work ... TIE swarms will be back with a vengeance.

I think it's talking about the Action keyword, not just whatever ability is on an EPT. This is the text from the article next to Youngster:

Enter "Youngster." This is the ace who really opens up the full range of new swarm possibilities. With his ability to grant other TIE fighters access to his elite pilot talent's Action ability, "Youngster" reshapes what the swarm is capable of doing. More than that, he reshapes the way that players will have to consider the cost-benefit ratio of the game's various elite pilot talents. After all, a Marksmanship upgrade on "Youngster" isn't really just on him; it's effectively a Marksmanship on "Wampa" and the rest of your TIE fighter pilots, as well.

If you were to put Marksmanship on "Youngster," you could outfit "Howlrunner" with Swarm Tactics and allow "Wampa" to fire at a pilot skill value of "8," before "Scourge." With Marksmanship and the reroll granted by "Howlrunner," "Wampa" suddenly enjoys tremendous odds of triggering his unique pilot ability to assign a facedown damage card to his target. That, in turn, activates "Scourge."

Alternatively, you could equip "Youngster" with Squad Leader so that your entire squad could pass actions to the ships you felt needed them most. For example, "Howlrunner" could grant her action to "Omega Ace," pushing him halfway toward his ability which allows him to count his attack as nothing but black-attack01.png results. Or you could do something really outlandish and equip "Youngster" with Expose , which you can then trigger with every ship in your squadron. A TIE swarm of six ships can suddenly roll as many as eighteen attack dice instead of twelve, and the fact that you're not performing focus actions with all of those ships to modify your attack dice is largely mitigated by the presence of "Howlrunner."

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Holy Cow

Thats unexpected!

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I think it's talking about the Action keyword, not just whatever ability is on an EPT. This is the text from the article next to Youngster:

That's what I assumed the intent was after re-reading ... but I think the card itself could have been clearer.

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Didn't seem ambigious at all to me, works on Action header cards, like Experimental Interface.

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Didn't seem ambigious at all to me, works on Action header cards, like Experimental Interface.

Yeah, But EI has much clearer language: "Once per round, after you perform an action, you may perform 1 free action from an equipped Upgrade card with the "Action:" header. Then receive 1 stress token." Emphasis mine.

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If I gave youngster ruthless, would academy ties with him all HAVE to ruthless, or does may come into effect? Or is ruthless not effective as it's not an action?

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Didn't seem ambigious at all to me, works on Action header cards, like Experimental Interface.

Yeah, But EI has much clearer language: "Once per round, after you perform an action, you may perform 1 free action from an equipped Upgrade card with the "Action:" header. Then receive 1 stress token." Emphasis mine.

Yeah, that one was written better. I think if they meant for Youngster to let other ships use his EPT no matter what it is, FFG would have used the language "ability" rather than "action." Either way, Experimental Interface used much clearer language. In the very least, Youngster should have capitalized the word "action."

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Actually expert handling seems an efficient point solution... Good luck with your target locks B**ches!

Edited by DariusAPB
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If I gave youngster ruthless, would academy ties with him all HAVE to ruthless, or does may come into effect? Or is ruthless not effective as it's not an action?

Not an Action. Current "Action:" EPT list is: Expert Handling, Squad Leader, Daredevil, Marksmanship, Expose.

Though we may get more with Wave 8.

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Thought this might help people.

From the RRG page 3

ACTIONS

The active ship can perform one standard action during the “Perform Action” step of the Activation phase. Ships can also perform free actions as instructed by cards or mission rules. The actions available to each ship are listed in that ship’s action bar.

• As an action, a ship may resolve an ability beginning with the “Action:” header on one of its Upgrade or Damage cards.

Edited by Toqtamish
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Got it. Thanks guys.

Really liking expert handling. Daredevil seems amusing.

Marksman practical.

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I am underwhelmed. These were not the pilots we were looking for.

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I like the idea of giving Expose to a bunch of TIE Fighters with Howlrunner chilling in the back. An actual decent suggestion from the article for once!

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Yeah, I think Expert Handling is the real winner here.

Marksmanship has the same problem it always has -- doesn't help you on defense, unlike a Focus. Most low-PS TIEs will be better off with taking a Focus.

But with EH, they can break a target lock every time they barrel roll.

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And suddenly we want to have more EPT cards with an 'action' header...

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I am underwhelmed. These were not the pilots we were looking for.

What were the pilots you were looking for?

Marksmanship has the same problem it always has -- doesn't help you on defense, unlike a Focus. Most low-PS TIEs will be better off with taking a Focus.

On one ship, sure, but multiplied across seven? One TIE'll get caught without tokens, but the rest will be laying down a crit storm.

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I really wish Youngster had allowed a free action instead of just a standard action. Ah well.

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You wish Youngster was crazy overpowered?

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Not an action so no effect is my interpretation.

The EPT must be an "Action" one for the ability to kick in. I don't see where the doubt comes in. If the EPT isn't an action then there is no action on the upgrade card for other ships to perform.

Usable EPT's at present; Daredevil, Expert handling, Marksmanship, Squad leader,

Daredevil is asking for trouble due to no boost unles you put Youngster in an Interceptor mini swarm.

EH seems like it could be awesome if you have Carnor around. Denying use of Focus forces TL's which you then EH away.

Marksmanship is still a bet meh I think due to no defensive help but spread across a whole swarm could cause some ouch, though add in Wampa being able to benifit and drop a damage past shields...

Squad Leader is already covered in the article.

Don't think I missed any action EPT's?

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Not an action so no effect is my interpretation.

The EPT must be an "Action" one for the ability to kick in. I don't see where the doubt comes in. If the EPT isn't an action then there is no action on the upgrade card for other ships to perform.

Usable EPT's at present; Daredevil, Expert handling, Marksmanship, Squad leader,

Daredevil is asking for trouble due to no boost unles you put Youngster in an Interceptor mini swarm.

EH seems like it could be awesome if you have Carnor around. Denying use of Focus forces TL's which you then EH away.

Marksmanship is still a bet meh I think due to no defensive help but spread across a whole swarm could cause some ouch, though add in Wampa being able to benifit and drop a damage past shields...

Squad Leader is already covered in the article.

Don't think I missed any action EPT's?

Expose