Stele will be fine - as either a slightly cost-inferior companion to Vessery (One TLs everything, the other Focuses everything, but look at that crit!) or, more likely, as the high-ish PS x7 pilot - give him x7 and Calculation, and he's a point lower than printed cost. X1 if you want him to shed stress, and he's printed cost and hunting eyeballs, with an Evade most rounds to stay intact.

He's more opportunistic than he is in the Advanced, which crits every hit against one pre-selected target ... with the Defender, with three dice and Calculation, he'll crit plenty regardless, but this time against anything in front of him. So long as he keeps his speed up, he's getting that Evade on defence every round as well, and has an extra shield backing him to boot.

The Advanced one is a dogged pursuer. The Defender version is a predatory opportunist who can't be chased. I'm not too stressed.

This is how I see it. Sometimes you'll get it, sometimes not, but the main thing is you're in a Defender, kicking ass and taking names.

Should be a while before it hits the store though, number is SWX52 and the Punishing One is SWX42.

But boy, I can't wait!

LOL!!!

Should be a while before it hits the store though, number is SWX52 and the Punishing One is SWX42.

But boy, I can't wait!

That means 10 ships in WAVE 9!!!!!

LOL!!!

Meh, a bit dissappointed in Maarek having the same ability on the Defender.

I just wish Maarek's ability was better in the first place.

Odds of getting a crit with an Advanced Targeting Computer is 100%, unless the enemy sheds the target lock or dies before Maarek can shoot.

Between the new damage deck normalizing crits, and the chance of you just not getting anything good even on 3 cards, his ability is of dubious value even when you ARE getting to use it all the time.

Meh, a bit dissappointed in Maarek having the same ability on the Defender.

I think pilots SHOULD always have the same special ability.

I just wish Maarek's ability was better in the first place.

Odds of getting a crit with an Advanced Targeting Computer is 100%, unless the enemy sheds the target lock or dies before Maarek can shoot.

And here's the other thing. Even when he is getting crits all the time, Maarek's ability isn't always useful.

Between the new damage deck normalizing crits, and the chance of you just not getting anything good even on 3 cards, his ability is of dubious value even when you ARE getting to use it all the time.

it is the same? aww

marksmanship and Tie/D I guess

Maarek might actually see some use out of the TIE/D title actually. If you give him a Tractor Beam and Marksmanship, he's effectively firing the Tractor Beam with focus, reducing their agility by 1, then firing his primary with a super-focus that gives him a crit if he rolls any eyeballs. It's just a pity that this uses up his EPT...

Wait. Are saying this is secretly also a *marksmanship buff*??? ... ffg has created something that makes me want to use marksmanship. Wow. That's impressive.

Maarek might actually see some use out of the TIE/D title actually. If you give him a Tractor Beam and Marksmanship, he's effectively firing the Tractor Beam with focus, reducing their agility by 1, then firing his primary with a super-focus that gives him a crit if he rolls any eyeballs. It's just a pity that this uses up his EPT...

Wait. Are saying this is secretly also a *marksmanship buff*??? ... ffg has created something that makes me want to use marksmanship. Wow. That's impressive.

Maarek without any title and with a Mangler is a great idea. While the titles are neat, he should just go with Mangler.

Whoever said Maarek's ability is just so so....I will disagree! I've had a lot of fun with his ability vs. a lot of ships.

Also, whoops on the requirements for Long Range Scanner. Still, it's a good thing for Tie Bombers! I'm happy with it. Not broken by not allowing close range TL's. It will make it harder. Still, it can't be that hard to get a lock on someone and a shot on them, too. I can do it without LRS on Scimitar Pilots now, so I don't think it will be too hard later.

What I do see is that I can probably put just one Tie Bomber into a list now when I probably wouldn't do it before. I think the Gamma Vet with EM, and an EPT is not a bad option.

Maarek might actually see some use out of the TIE/D title actually. If you give him a Tractor Beam and Marksmanship, he's effectively firing the Tractor Beam with focus, reducing their agility by 1, then firing his primary with a super-focus that gives him a crit if he rolls any eyeballs. It's just a pity that this uses up his EPT...

Wait. Are saying this is secretly also a *marksmanship buff*??? ... ffg has created something that makes me want to use marksmanship. Wow. That's impressive.

Just remember ships like Ghost already have a '0' agility, so a Tie/D just becomes a regular Defender.

Only with Tractor Beam, which is why I think Ion is a better all around choice. You get a single damage + forcing them into a completely predictable move + the potential to lock someone down and walk them off the board.

I've always really enjoyed Maarek's ability. If he didn't have a CLEARLY superior Advanced lording over him, I'd take him every time.

Defenders are, in general, less worried about the PS game (and still get to 9, if you want to go that route), and there's no Vader in the exact same ship, so I think Maarek will be my go to. I don't often go for a ton of control in my matches, but his crits can be absolutely... critical... to a match. There are enough damaging crits in either deck to make choosing the most opportune in a given moment appealing.

I wouldn't have minded seeing something different, just on principle, but an ability I like on a ship I've desperately wanted to fly competitively works wonders for me.

Why take a Mangler when you can take Calculation? I'm honestly a little puzzled by this insistence. It gives you the same odds of getting a crit as a hit (3/8 vs 3/8).

Has anyone yet mentioned that this is (I believe) the first time that FFG has made a higher PS pilot cheaper than a lower PS pilot?

Tomax (PS 8, with a pretty poweful pilot ability)- 24

Rhymer (PS 7, with a... decent pilot ability?)- 26

So... Ya. FFG just giving up on Rhymer altogether then? Nothing in this pack makes him any better than the other bomber options it seems. Tomax's cost makes it sickeningly apparent that Rhymer should be 23 points and there is no reason he isn't. Would FFG go as far as to errata his cost? Or is he just... dead forever? I mean, I guess if there is some munition that he has CRAAAAZY synergy with, he might get another shot, but at this point, it almost looks as though FFG is just leaving him totally behind and trying to forget he ever happened.

Because you have to have a Focus. Maybe you want to TL or something else? Or...you use your Focus for defense? Mangler will always turn a hit into a crit. Also, you don't give an extra evade at R3?

I can see both, to be honest.

Why take a Mangler when you can take Calculation? I'm honestly a little puzzled by this insistence. It gives you the same odds of getting a crit as a hit (3/8 vs 3/8).

Calculation consumes your EPT and locks you up to focus actions, which you have to consume if you want your [crit]. Mangler gives you the crit without having to actively seek it, freeing you for other actions and EPTs.

However the loss of its defender title is too severe.

The reason to field Maarek is because you want to trigger its ability. And currently, it triggers much more reliably on the advanced than the defender, while being cheaper, which even frees you up to include an Adv. Homing Missile, which has also wonderful sinergy with both Maarek's ability and ATC.

And while it's true that you can also field a Defender Maarek with mangler and AHM, his cost skyrockets, and won't get its evade nor its double tap.

The TIE Defender stuff is neat, but the ship is still 7 points too expensive, before you start adding cannons to it.

They should have issued new pilot cards for all the existing pilots. The PS 3 generic should be 25 points with an elite.

The new cannon title only increases your potential damage by 1 point since they decided mangler cannons would be too powerful.

Rexler Brath, the fix for him makes him a 40 point ship that can do 1 extra damage and ionize. Seems nice, but that's a lot of points before EPTs are added for a 6 hitpoint ship..

Compared to the bang for point you get with named TIE Fighters, I don't thing I'll be shelving Mauler Mithel and Backstabber. Those guys can throw 8 dice a turn if you fly well, and come in at (guess what?) 7 points cheaper.

Has anyone yet mentioned that this is (I believe) the first time that FFG has made a higher PS pilot cheaper than a lower PS pilot?

Tomax (PS 8, with a pretty poweful pilot ability)- 24

Rhymer (PS 7, with a... decent pilot ability?)- 26

So... Ya. FFG just giving up on Rhymer altogether then? Nothing in this pack makes him any better than the other bomber options it seems. Tomax's cost makes it sickeningly apparent that Rhymer should be 23 points and there is no reason he isn't. Would FFG go as far as to errata his cost? Or is he just... dead forever? I mean, I guess if there is some munition that he has CRAAAAZY synergy with, he might get another shot, but at this point, it almost looks as though FFG is just leaving him totally behind and trying to forget he ever happened.

This isn't the first time.

Royal Guard Pilot (PS 6) is cheaper by 1 point than Lieutenant Lorrir and Fel's Wrath, which are both PS 5 and have no Elite Pilot Talent slot.

Lieutenant Lorrir is just garbage compared to the new TIE/fo pilots that can do Segnor's loop and can have tech and EPTs equipped.

You could give Zeta Ace Comm Relay and Juke or Stay on Target and he'd just fly circles around Lt Lorrir. 1 less attack die, but Target Lock, Segnor's loop, a shield, extra long barrel rolls, an evade token that sticks around until you need it....

Juke punishes the **** out of ships that couldn't get a Focus token.

Even Weapon's Guidance and push the limit is a little crazy on the FOs.

The TIE Defender stuff is neat, but the ship is still 7 points too expensive, before you start adding cannons to it.

I disagree. I've had good success with it. Also, even MajorJuggler states that Col. Vessery could be well worth his points if you can have him get a TL shot most times Imagine his efficiency with the /D title. Cheap Tie FO's make that an easy thing these days, let alone Tie Bombers, Tie Adv., and other Tie Defenders.

Vessery will probably wet himself thinking about a TIE shuttle with a long range weapons engineer painting targets for him everywhere...

I find Vessery has a great time with Tie FO's and Tie Advanced with ATC. I've had good success with Vessery, Maarek w/ ATC, and 2 FO's.

Vessery will probably wet himself thinking about a TIE shuttle with a long range weapons engineer painting targets for him everywhere...

Sadly that's impossible, you can't take the long range sensors and the Shuttle title on the same ship. Long Range Sensors require that the ship have a missile and torpedo slot on his bar but the title remove them all.

Still nice to have a long range Bomber or 2 to tag for him, I already did it without the Sensor Mod. It just got better.

Just remember ships like Ghost already have a '0' agility, so a Tie/D just becomes a regular Defender.

It's possible there might be a secondary effect for ships reduced to 0 Agility by a Tractor Beam.

Vessery will probably wet himself thinking about a TIE shuttle with a long range weapons engineer painting targets for him everywhere...

Sadly that's impossible, you can't take the long range sensors and the Shuttle title on the same ship. Long Range Sensors require that the ship have a missile and torpedo slot on his bar but the title remove them all.

Still nice to have a long range Bomber or 2 to tag for him, I already did it without the Sensor Mod. It just got better.

Vessery's pilot ability lets him get a target lock on ships when he attacks them if a friend has a target lock on the same ship. He's pilot skill 6 so normally you want him with ships that won't shoot before him or spend a target lock. So you want him with either low PS generics with locks, or some ships like TIE Advanced with ATC or Punisher's with FCS that will keep target locks on the enemy even after they fire.

*I think I misread that, nevermind

Also Vessery is 7 points too expensive. With the new upgrades available though, I'll say he's just 6 points too expensive.

The Generic Defenders are still 7 too much since they don't have EPTs.

I will choose a TIE Advanced over a Defender every time unless I'm just dicking around. More average damage, less points. EPTs more readily available on cheaper ships. I can fit more in the list.

Compare a 30 point Delta Squadron pilot with a 21 point Tempest Squadron pilot.

What does 9 points get you, and what do you give up? Does adding an extra Flechette cannon get you better average damage than an Accuracy Corrector or ATC? You need to give up those slots to gain the title to give you free evades sometimes, that drops points down to 28 points before Twin Ion Engine MK. II. Which is how much Juno Ecliple costs.

These new upgrades bring the Defenders up to the level of the Firespray-31, I'll give them that.

Vessery with an ion cannon is a pretty good contender next to Krassis with a Mangler or Heavy Laser Cannon. Neither one is very points efficient.

Vessery will probably wet himself thinking about a TIE shuttle with a long range weapons engineer painting targets for him everywhere...

Sadly that's impossible, you can't take the long range sensors and the Shuttle title on the same ship. Long Range Sensors require that the ship have a missile and torpedo slot on his bar but the title remove them all.

I don't think they conflict, actually.

The TIE Shuttle says that your upgrade bar 'loses all [torp], [missile], and [bomb]' icons, not that it was required for the ship to have any to begin with. Since you can equip upgrades in any order you want (else how would any of the upgrades that add slots ever work?), and the Long Range Sensor upgrade doesn't SIT in the slot, just require they once have been there...just apply the long range sensors first, then the TIE shuttle.

Vessery will probably wet himself thinking about a TIE shuttle with a long range weapons engineer painting targets for him everywhere...

Sadly that's impossible, you can't take the long range sensors and the Shuttle title on the same ship. Long Range Sensors require that the ship have a missile and torpedo slot on his bar but the title remove them all.

I don't think they conflict, actually.

The TIE Shuttle says that your upgrade bar 'loses all [torp], [missile], and [bomb]' icons, not that it was required for the ship to have any to begin with. Since you can equip upgrades in any order you want (else how would any of the upgrades that add slots ever work?), and the Long Range Sensor upgrade doesn't SIT in the slot, just require they once have been there...just apply the long range sensors first, then the TIE shuttle.

No, I really think they conflict.

By your logic, I could equip a missile, extra munition a bomb and then equip the title.

Tie Shuttle title says that you 'lose all torpedo, missile and bomb upgrade icons'

Long Range Scanner says that you can 'equip this card only if you have a torpedo and missile icon in your upgrade bar'.

Seems pretty clear to me that you can't equip both on the same ship. Might need a FAQ to clarify it for the more skeptical.... or to show me that I'm the fool.... would not be the first time.

This is the only time I have truly looked forward to an new ship release.

Vessery will probably wet himself thinking about a TIE shuttle with a long range weapons engineer painting targets for him everywhere...

Sadly that's impossible, you can't take the long range sensors and the Shuttle title on the same ship. Long Range Sensors require that the ship have a missile and torpedo slot on his bar but the title remove them all.

I don't think they conflict, actually.

The TIE Shuttle says that your upgrade bar 'loses all [torp], [missile], and [bomb]' icons, not that it was required for the ship to have any to begin with. Since you can equip upgrades in any order you want (else how would any of the upgrades that add slots ever work?), and the Long Range Sensor upgrade doesn't SIT in the slot, just require they once have been there...just apply the long range sensors first, then the TIE shuttle.

No, I really think they conflict.

By your logic, I could equip a missile, extra munition a bomb and then equip the title.

Tie Shuttle title says that you 'lose all torpedo, missile and bomb upgrade icons'

Long Range Scanner says that you can 'equip this card only if you have a torpedo and missile icon in your upgrade bar'.

Seems pretty clear to me that you can't equip both on the same ship. Might need a FAQ to clarify it for the more skeptical.... or to show me that I'm the fool.... would not be the first time.

You could do that, sure, it's just that when you equipped the title the missile, extra munition, and bomb would go away because the slot they were in was removed. So if you wanted to pay the points for them and have to discard them before the match began...okay by me. (Similarly, if the Long Range Sensors had a torpedo and missile icon on them, the way Palpatine has two crew icons, I'd absolutely agree it definitely couldn't be equipped. Or, more specifically, that it could be - but you'd lose it the moment you equipped the TIE shuttle.)

I mean...how could something like the 'Slave-1' title ever work if you couldn't equip it in an order of your choosing, before you tried to add a torpedo to the ship? Obviously it can only function if the upgrades can be equipped in specific order. And the Long Range Scanners doesn't occupy any slots at all - it just checks to see if you have them when you equip it. Once that check is done, it doesn't interact with those upgrade icons any further.