Calling it now, Rebel veterans Y-wing and E-wing. Open to debate over E-wing or Z-95.

Or X-Wing & E-Wing. The Y has received lots of love from FFG over the past few waves.

So basically, it's theoretically possible to field four Tractor Beam equipped ships, reduce a cloaked Phantom's agility to 0, then one-shot it with a fifth ship. Right??? Wishful thinking??

Except you actually have to hit it 4 times to do that.

If you just used a regular gun instead, it would be dead already...

See, I thought this initially too, but this doesn't take into account the change in agility of the target from one shot to the next. So, I mean, is it MORE effective? Probably not... But, it is different.

The most efficient way is probably somewhere in the middle.

Or, you know, just use the TIE/D and do both.

still not seeing it being worth a shot, even with Tie/D (tie/x7 opens juke for 0 points as opposed to T-beam for 1; low PS pilots that can't take Juke will fire after a higher PS ace and thus make the support T-beams offer superfluous)

but we can't see the rest of the card so eh?

I'm almost positive it does more; it's saboteur tier if it does not

It's actually a stealth buff to naked Bounty Hunters: They can play spotter for Vessery, and run away to get range on their opponents as needed to boot. Helps give them a utility beyond their normal firepower, and they can even get a little edge on the joust with it too.

This will only work with the Slave 1 title, as Long Range Scanners requires the ship to have both a torpedo and a missile slot in the upgrade bar.

Calling it now, Rebel veterans Y-wing and E-wing. Open to debate over E-wing or Z-95.

More likely T-65 and E-Wing. Y-Wings don't need any more help, not after some 3 expansions that gave the Y-Wing significant boosts to it's effectiveness, neither do the Z-95s as they are generic favored, low-cost ships that likely wouldnt benefit from high-PS aces since their ship couldnt keep up with any actually good ability. Meanwhile, T-65s were meant to be diversified with Rebel Transport and only ended up giving us 2 of the single least used Rebel pilots in the game because of their overwhelming mediocrity. Listen, though. You guys are forgetting something MAJOR. with the introduction of Maarek Steele as a TIE Defender pilot and setting the precedent that one pilot can fly 2 ships in X-Wing.... Corran Horn. T-65 Corran Horn. My official prediction. And of course, the E-Wings are in serious need of an ace, ability, or title that will make the ship worth the points its costed at, or reduce it's points, much like these new Defender titles do.

This may make me break out the imps again.

Tie Defender and Tie Bomber has been requested many times by myself and many others.

Very glad to see them revisit these ships!

Really like the red defenders. Need 3.

Calling it now, Rebel veterans Y-wing and E-wing. Open to debate over E-wing or Z-95.

More likely T-65 and E-Wing. Y-Wings don't need any more help, not after some 3 expansions that gave the Y-Wing significant boosts to it's effectiveness, neither do the Z-95s as they are generic favored, low-cost ships that likely wouldnt benefit from high-PS aces since their ship couldnt keep up with any actually good ability. Meanwhile, T-65s were meant to be diversified with Rebel Transport and only ended up giving us 2 of the single least used Rebel pilots in the game because of their overwhelming mediocrity. Listen, though. You guys are forgetting something MAJOR. with the introduction of Maarek Steele as a TIE Defender pilot and setting the precedent that one pilot can fly 2 ships in X-Wing.... Corran Horn. T-65 Corran Horn. My official prediction. And of course, the E-Wings are in serious need of an ace, ability, or title that will make the ship worth the points its costed at, or reduce it's points, much like these new Defender titles do.

I actually expect the E-Wing and Rebel HWK to get some love in aces pack.

Tractor beam is good for combining a good shooter with lots of low attack dice ships like TIE swarms. Imagine a small TIE swarm will eat agility 1 Poe for breakfast

Possibly, but you really want to hit the target twice with it to get a solid effect for the rest of your swarm...and once you've spent the points on two cannon carriers, what kinf of swarm is left to do any shooting?

Given the thing does no damage, I think I'd rather have seen it roll 6 attack dice or something. At 3 attack, it's going to be hard enough to land the shot ANYWAY, and once you do it only reduces agility by 1? Meh...

Yes, of course. We all know that high agility ships (like the one the Baron flies) have lots of shields and hull.

Which makes it even more obvious.

So let's say you hit Soontir with 3x Tractor Beams. IE., you managed to arrange for the right modifiers and rerolls and whatever to land three distinct 3-dice attacks on Soontir. Amazerballs! His agility is now '0' for one of your TIE Fighters or two to really plink him hard!

Or you could have made flechette cannon shots for the same three dice, and in landing three of them gotten 3 damage through. Which kills him outright.

Yup. Soontir has this habit of, you know, staying in arc for all your ships to hit him.

Even in this perfect flechette cannon world of yours, I'd really like to see how many flechette shots you'd get in.

Vs. Soontir, stacked Tractor Beams are particularly insidious because he only ends up with 1 evade token, and the defensive focus becomes worth less and less with each hit.

Combo with Crack Shot, either on the Defenders to practically guarantee the first tractor tokens, or on cheerleading BSPs to help if you can only get 1-2 tractors on.

This is the first time we have a named pilot in the same faction.

Hera is a pilot for both the Ghost and the Phantom.

There are ppl who bet a shiny nickel that this will never happen for this game.

Shiny nickel lost! Whahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....

Calling it now, Rebel veterans Y-wing and E-wing. Open to debate over E-wing or Z-95.

Or X-Wing & E-Wing. The Y has received lots of love from FFG over the past few waves.

Yeah Y is in a good place right now it can bomb it can double tap and its got decent turret options.

That said it could use some more pilots but does not need fixing.

Vs. Soontir, stacked Tractor Beams are particularly insidious because he only ends up with 1 evade token, and the defensive focus becomes worth less and less with each hit.

That is, however, presuming you can hit him in the first place.

Due to a lack of cheap, high-PS carriers I can't imagine we'll be seeing too much of it, but I can see me taking it with the D title on a Defender, then having a little haggle of Crackshot TIEs to reap the rewards.

^If the Glaives have an EPT slot (which is likely), you can put Crack Shot on them - use it to make absolutely sure the tractor gets through.

Tractor beam is good for combining a good shooter with lots of low attack dice ships like TIE swarms. Imagine a small TIE swarm will eat agility 1 Poe for breakfast

Possibly, but you really want to hit the target twice with it to get a solid effect for the rest of your swarm...and once you've spent the points on two cannon carriers, what kinf of swarm is left to do any shooting?

Given the thing does no damage, I think I'd rather have seen it roll 6 attack dice or something. At 3 attack, it's going to be hard enough to land the shot ANYWAY, and once you do it only reduces agility by 1? Meh...

No, I think just one hit (e.g with crackshot) is enough to remove the strength of Poe´s ability and autothrusters by reducing his agility to 1.

It's a one point upgrade. Hence kind of does what I would expect to do.

Tie defenders would love this, could see it being used more condictionally in the Synk. The Mist Hunter has to take a tractor beam, so it makes me wonder whether there is a simlilar synergy there.

I'm loving all the 'Hit Soontir with Tractor Beams!' and then shoot him! If you can't hit him with 3 dice of damaging guns what makes you think you can hit him with the Tractor?

I'm loving all the 'Hit Soontir with Tractor Beams!' and then shoot him! If you can't hit him with 3 dice of damaging guns what makes you think you can hit him with the Tractor?

You've got the point.

Tractor beam has the "Omg, stress-gun to derp aces!" Flechett cannon.

It can't hit to trigger really.

But FFG is a bit too afraid to make it Flechett-torpedo "effect even without a hit" gun

The wording on the card seems to imply that the tractor token exists and is activated during the combat phase then discarded in the end phase. We are all assuming it fires like a secondary weapon cannon during the combat round at the PS of the ship that carries it. What if it is an action with only a simple range limitation, or a seperate attack roll during the action phase. That would make more sense that having to have it on a higher PS ship to allow lower PS allies the opportunity to attack.

The wording on the card seems to imply that the tractor token exists and is activated during the combat phase then discarded in the end phase. We are all assuming it fires like a secondary weapon cannon during the combat round at the PS of the ship that carries it. What if it is an action with only a simple range limitation, or a seperate attack roll during the action phase. That would make more sense that having to have it on a higher PS ship to allow lower PS allies the opportunity to attack.

Well the card for the Tractor Beam itself has been out for awhile:

So no, it's a regular attack, not an action or secret bonus attack.

The only thing the reference card tells us is what the Tractor Beam token does. It's not going to change how the weapon itself works.

Shame the tractor beam can't go on Dengar. That would've been fun.

Huge ships should have Heavy Tractor Beams that throw 2 or 3 tokens on a ship.

Oh Lord, please yes. My Customs Corvette requires this.

So basically, it's theoretically possible to field four Tractor Beam equipped ships, reduce a cloaked Phantom's agility to 0, then one-shot it with a fifth ship. Right??? Wishful thinking??

If you could have hit a Phantom with four tractor beams to reduce its agility to 0, you could instead have hit it with four actual attacks and already destroyed it.

True...

But taking the first shot- maybe the first two if you've got a couple or more shots after that -with the tractor beam makes a lot of sense. And with the D title, it's glorious. Criss-crossing TB Defenders FTMFW.

The wording on the card seems to imply that the tractor token exists and is activated during the combat phase then discarded in the end phase. We are all assuming it fires like a secondary weapon cannon during the combat round at the PS of the ship that carries it. What if it is an action with only a simple range limitation, or a seperate attack roll during the action phase. That would make more sense that having to have it on a higher PS ship to allow lower PS allies the opportunity to attack.

Well the card for the Tractor Beam itself has been out for awhile:

So no, it's a regular attack, not an action or secret bonus attack.

The only thing the reference card tells us is what the Tractor Beam token does. It's not going to change how the weapon itself works.

Fair enough. So the weapon is not that useful as it has to be carried by a ship or ships with higher PS than the rest of their squad. Not as effective as an ion or flechette cannon for the same attack dice, and no damage to boot. An interesting thematic effect but I doubt it will see much time in tournaments.