But Autothrusters says "when defending, if you are beyond range 2" it doesn't say "when defending at range 3 against an attack" or "when defending against a range 3 attack"

I know it seems similar, or like semantics, but it is an important distinction.

Indeed. Without that distinction, Autothrusters wouldn't work against Huge ships attacking from ranger 4+.

Because, as you said, that was the starter for an entirely new faction. I don't expect to see 3-ship packages outside of starters.

Looks like its a wish thread now. Here is my current wish.

Astromech: 2 points

At the start of combat you may gain a TL. If you do, when you attack this turn it must be with a torpedo secondary weapon or gain a weapon disabled token. Reduce the total squad point cost of torpedo upgrades in this ship by 2.

To go back to the very first post. I wonder where in Imperial Veterans the Twin Ion Engine and Extra Munitions upgrades are; both upgrades would make sense to package with a Bomber and Defender pack yet they're missing from the upgrade card fan.

It doesn't bode well for a Rebel Veterans pack with Integrated Astromechs :/

To go back to the very first post. I wonder where in Imperial Veterans the Twin Ion Engine and Extra Munitions upgrades are; both upgrades would make sense to package with a Bomber and Defender pack yet they're missing from the upgrade card fan.

It doesn't bode well for a Rebel Veterans pack with Integrated Astromechs :/

The Twin Ion Engine makes no sense though, because EVERY TIE has a Twing Ion Engine, henche the name

Failed to see the MK II at the end

The Punisher comes with two copies of the Twin Ion Engine Mk. 2, Extra Munitions already comes in 2 expansions. I like it when they give us lots of new stuff.

I don't see why we need two copies of TIE Shuttle though.

Are there some good combos you need several 2 attack dice crew boxes for? I'd rather get some errataed cards for the old Defender pilots.

You're ignoring all the points i'm making. I'm telling you that the ability you've come up with is ****, because it doesnt do anything massive for you but turning a blank to an evade, which doesnt help you if you roll all focus results, but the downside is you now can't land damage on anyone at all. I don't give a **** in the long run about R7 restriction, i can overcome that because R7/FCS is already pretty decent, but the effect thats being tacked on doesn't actually HELP the E-Wing, it'll kill it. It turns the E-Wing into a naked HWK offensively. A naked HWK that you're paying 30+ points for. This ability is like autothrusters except it's terrible. The only way to fix this is to make an amazing effect, like "You may cancel all enemy attack dice" and then cut the guns, or you need to change the negative effect from -2 attack.

Then we can make the effect stronger, or like the X7 defender it can include a stronger point rebate.

To go back to the very first post. I wonder where in Imperial Veterans the Twin Ion Engine and Extra Munitions upgrades are; both upgrades would make sense to package with a Bomber and Defender pack yet they're missing from the upgrade card fan.

It doesn't bode well for a Rebel Veterans pack with Integrated Astromechs :/

Most fixes/required cards have come in pairs in $20 ship/aces packs (thrusters in Vipers, Mk IIs in Punishers, Test Pilot/Refit in Aces, PtL x2 in Aces, etc...). If there wasn't just a single copy of IA in the T-70 expansion I would agree with you, but like PtL in the A-wing expansion I really expect to get two copies of it in the RV set.

Seems like that would only happen if the Rebel Veterans pack includes an X-wing. Which I doubt it will, there are plenty of X-wing pilots already. It would most likely include E-wings and Either Y-wings (not really needed) or Z-95s; not really needed either, but some new options would be nice so they aren't completely outclassed by Scum Z-95s with the illicit option.

I'd expect more stuff that works on several ships. Like a Rogue Squadron title for T-65 X-wings and E-wings, or some new Astromechs.

Maybe the title will be restricted to "Rebel Alliance" only, that would keep "Resistance" X-wings from using it.

Seems like that would only happen if the Rebel Veterans pack includes an X-wing. Which I doubt it will, there are plenty of X-wing pilots already.

I'd expect more stuff that works on several ships. Like a Rogue Squadron title for T-65 X-wings and E-wings, or some new Astromechs.

Maybe the title will be restricted to "Rebel Alliance" only, that would keep "Resistance" X-wings from using it.

Nobody bought the Raider for the TIE Advanced pilots, they bought it for the X1 title. Nobody buys Imperial Aces for Carnor Jax, they bought it for the Royal Guard title. Nobody buys a ship for it's pilots. A pilot can be great but it can't fix a ship. Modifications, titles, upgrades. That's what fixes a ship. The X-Wing can have all the pilots it wants, but it can still be a mediocre ship with very little upsides to using it. The TIE Advanced has Darth Vader with quite possibly the best pilot ability in the game, and it can still be garbage. Aces packs arent for the pilots, they're for...everything else. It's the exact reasoning why the Y-Wing DOESN'T need Rebel Vets. It may have limited pilot selection, but for the points it is one of the best Rebel ships in the game when you put a turret on it. The X-Wing doesn't do enough to be worth it, regardless of who's piloting it. Wedge Antilles has an amazing pilot ability, but... the ship just can't keep up.

Also the Resistance is a sub-section of the Rebel Alliance in X-Wing. Anything that says Rebel, Resistance can use. And, to be honest, being someone who flies exclusively T-70s, anything that helps the T-65, the T-70 could probably use too. It's not a particularly efficient ship, and suffers from a lot of the same problems X-Wings do. The upside is being able to boost, but a number of issues are faced when flying either kind of X-Wing.

The X-wing fix should be a title revolving around the T-65B.

Not the Tandem (which was originally a toy that was never released in the 80s), nor the Recon X.

If a Recon-X was introduced, and I wouldnt mind seeing it, it should be its own thing, and have a system slot but no Torpedo slot.

The Ewing Series 1 and 4 ideas are pretty cool, though the series one, should really only say as a title: -3 or so squad points. This card has a negative cost. An the fighter with this title my not fire in range band 3.

Seems like that would only happen if the Rebel Veterans pack includes an X-wing. Which I doubt it will, there are plenty of X-wing pilots already.

I'd expect more stuff that works on several ships. Like a Rogue Squadron title for T-65 X-wings and E-wings, or some new Astromechs.

Maybe the title will be restricted to "Rebel Alliance" only, that would keep "Resistance" X-wings from using it.

Nobody bought the Raider for the TIE Advanced pilots, they bought it for the X1 title. Nobody buys Imperial Aces for Carnor Jax, they bought it for the Royal Guard title. Nobody buys a ship for it's pilots. A pilot can be great but it can't fix a ship. Modifications, titles, upgrades. That's what fixes a ship. The X-Wing can have all the pilots it wants, but it can still be a mediocre ship with very little upsides to using it. The TIE Advanced has Darth Vader with quite possibly the best pilot ability in the game, and it can still be garbage. Aces packs arent for the pilots, they're for...everything else. It's the exact reasoning why the Y-Wing DOESN'T need Rebel Vets. It may have limited pilot selection, but for the points it is one of the best Rebel ships in the game when you put a turret on it. The X-Wing doesn't do enough to be worth it, regardless of who's piloting it. Wedge Antilles has an amazing pilot ability, but... the ship just can't keep up.

Also the Resistance is a sub-section of the Rebel Alliance in X-Wing. Anything that says Rebel, Resistance can use. And, to be honest, being someone who flies exclusively T-70s, anything that helps the T-65, the T-70 could probably use too. It's not a particularly efficient ship, and suffers from a lot of the same problems X-Wings do. The upside is being able to boost, but a number of issues are faced when flying either kind of X-Wing.

Carnor Jax has an amazing pilot ability and finds his way onto any list that includes more than one Interceptor. Juno Eclipse also has a great ability.

People bought Imperial Aces for the plastic ships. People bought the Raider for the plastic ships. Any ship-specific cards inside were a secondary concern for most, but welcome by all. (except perhaps competitive Rebel players.

Imperial Veterans might be purchased for the upgrades, since the majority of the contents seems to be fixes for underperforming ships.

And The Resistance is a sub-faction of the Rebel faction. The Rebel Alliance is the other one. If an upgrade card says The Rebel Alliance only, it can not be used by The Resistance.

It's the same way with the Imperial faction. It is made up of The Galactic Empire and The First Order.

The T-70 in fact escapes many of the problems the Alliance X-wing has. It is more durable, has native boost that allows for Autothrusters if you wish it. Has a much better maneuver dial with synergy with some of the newer Astromechs, has more upgrade icons, has one of the most survivable aces in the game, and is incredibly points efficient.

Seems like that would only happen if the Rebel Veterans pack includes an X-wing. Which I doubt it will, there are plenty of X-wing pilots already.

I'd expect more stuff that works on several ships. Like a Rogue Squadron title for T-65 X-wings and E-wings, or some new Astromechs.

Maybe the title will be restricted to "Rebel Alliance" only, that would keep "Resistance" X-wings from using it.

Nobody bought the Raider for the TIE Advanced pilots, they bought it for the X1 title. Nobody buys Imperial Aces for Carnor Jax, they bought it for the Royal Guard title. Nobody buys a ship for it's pilots. A pilot can be great but it can't fix a ship. Modifications, titles, upgrades. That's what fixes a ship. The X-Wing can have all the pilots it wants, but it can still be a mediocre ship with very little upsides to using it. The TIE Advanced has Darth Vader with quite possibly the best pilot ability in the game, and it can still be garbage. Aces packs arent for the pilots, they're for...everything else. It's the exact reasoning why the Y-Wing DOESN'T need Rebel Vets. It may have limited pilot selection, but for the points it is one of the best Rebel ships in the game when you put a turret on it. The X-Wing doesn't do enough to be worth it, regardless of who's piloting it. Wedge Antilles has an amazing pilot ability, but... the ship just can't keep up.

Also the Resistance is a sub-section of the Rebel Alliance in X-Wing. Anything that says Rebel, Resistance can use. And, to be honest, being someone who flies exclusively T-70s, anything that helps the T-65, the T-70 could probably use too. It's not a particularly efficient ship, and suffers from a lot of the same problems X-Wings do. The upside is being able to boost, but a number of issues are faced when flying either kind of X-Wing.

Carnor Jax has an amazing pilot ability and finds his way onto any list that includes more than one Interceptor. Juno Eclipse also has a great ability.

People bought Imperial Aces for the plastic ships. People bought the Raider for the plastic ships. Any ship-specific cards inside were a secondary concern for most, but welcome by all. (except perhaps competitive Rebel players.

Imperial Veterans might be purchased for the upgrades, since the majority of the contents seems to be fixes for underperforming ships.

And The Resistance is a sub-faction of the Rebel faction. The Rebel Alliance is the other one. If an upgrade card says The Rebel Alliance only, it can not be used by The Resistance.

It's the same way with the Imperial faction. It is made up of The Galactic Empire and The First Order.

The T-70 in fact escapes many of the problems the Alliance X-wing has. It is more durable, has native boost that allows for Autothrusters if you wish it. Has a much better maneuver dial with synergy with some of the newer Astromechs, has more upgrade icons, has one of the most survivable aces in the game, and is incredibly points efficient.

No, sorry, you're wrong. Actually, i'm not sorry. You're just wrong. If you liked TIE Advanceds, you were getting the Raider because otherwise your Advanceds didn't work. If you liked Interceptors, you got Imperial Aces AND the Starviper, because otherwise your Interceptors werent as good as they could have been. If you liked A-Wings, you were getting Rebel Aces because you needed those upgrade cards to fly them competitively. If you like Defenders or Bombers, you're getting Imperial Vets because you need the cards to fly those ships effectively. If you liked Y-Wings, then Most Wanted and K-Wings were on your list. Carnor Jax is good, but without a Royal Guard TIE, he's not great. He's just good. If pilots make the difference, explain to me why Vader wasn't enough for the Advanced? If pilots make or break a ship, then the Advanced should have been great.

But it wasn't.

Lemme spell this out some more. Pilot abilities can only add onto a ships natural ability to fight well. E-Wings are great ships, they're just expensive. However, Corran Horn took excellent advantage of certain things the E-Wing had going for it, i.e. the systems slot, and it's wide action bar. That's why Corran is the only E-Wing used. What titles, upgrades, and so on do, is modify that ship's natural combat capability, that additional pilots can stack onto for really good effects. But only ships that do poorly get an Aces treatment. Y-Wings aren't doing poorly. They're doing really, really exceptionally well, actually. If FFG is actually paying attention to how the game is working, and the tournament statistics(and that's what these Aces/Vets packs are about, after all, taking an overcosted/underperforming ship and making it viable competitively), then they know better than the touch the Y-Wing anymore than they have. It's fixed. The X-Wing, the E-Wing, and the HWK are all trouble areas. You can tell, because typically when a ships first problem is that it's pilot abilities aren't super amazing, then the ship is doing fine, because that means that the ship isn't broken, and it's being used enough for people to complain about the pilots. X-Wings, E-Wings, and HWKs have pretty freakin' great pilot abilities. But... The ships themselves either don't perform well enough(HWK, X-Wing), or it's simply too expensive(E-Wing).

Also, i play nothing but T-70s. I think i have a pretty good idea of what flying them is like. I'm telling you you're wrong, i advise to take my word. I've logged more time flying T-70s than any other ship in the game, and i've played X-Wing for well over a year now. I think i have a good idea of what T-70s are like. It's not any significant amount more durable. It has an extra HP. It can mount AT, which is less effective on it than, say, an A-Wing, because of it's 2 agility. There is NOTHING about the T-70 thats even remotely points efficient. I estimate with actual, empirical evidence, experimentation, and mathematics, that it's less points efficient than the T-65, but slightly more than the E-Wing. The dial isn't that much better. It's a T-65 dial with one extra green and a new maneuver. Not exactly a grand improvement. Tech upgrades suck right now, don't even start with me. Weapons Guidance is useless garbage that i wouldnt be caught dead having on my T-70s, and Comm Relay can only be used by Red Ace effectively, and it costs 3 freaking points. You clearly don't fly T-70s like i do, because if you did, you'd know better. It's still an X-Wing. It's an upgrade on the X-Wing that i very, very much like to fly for it's firepower, better dial and action bar, and good aces, but it's still an X-Wing. It's got problems, and i know it.

Also i'd like for you to get me a FAQ that corroborates what you're saying on this faction specific nonsense. Skeptical cat is fraught with skepticism. And next time, don't enlarge the font in addition to bolding and italicizing. It looks really annoying.

The Starviper came out a year after Imperial Aces buddy.

Anyone that didn't want the Raider for the Raider bought the Advanced cards off ebay.

The faction split isn't exactly esoteric information. It's in the rules reference, go look it up yourself. The font was different because they were proper nouns.

You are saying you play T-70s longer than any other ship, the game has been out since 2012, and the T-70s arrived this September.

I really don't know you, but what you have typed is ridiculous, so I don't think I can take you seriously!

The Starviper came out a year after Imperial Aces buddy.

Anyone that didn't want the Raider for the Raider bought the Advanced cards off ebay.

The faction split isn't exactly esoteric information. It's in the rules reference, go look it up yourself. The font was different because they were proper nouns.

You are saying you play T-70s longer than any other ship, the game has been out since 2012, and the T-70s arrived this September.

I really don't know you, but what you have typed is ridiculous, so I don't think I can take you seriously!

Yeah, and? You still had to buy it to get your interceptors up to snuff. Time of release is completely irrelevant. For ME, when i got my Interceptors, i had to buy both at the same time, since they were both out. Doesn't really matter, you have to buy both because otherwise your Interceptors aren't as good as they should have been. That's always been the point im trying to make; but, since you can't seem to articulate anything against the points i've made, i'll take it you know i'm right about this.

So? That's still not my point. The fix in the Raider was their primary concern. No matter how good Juno Eclipse is, she's still terrible without the X/1 fix. Just because someone didn't buy the entire Raider doesn't make my point irrelevant. It doesnt even effect my point at all. I don't care about the actual, physical Raider model, it's what came packaged with it.

"There are three primary factions in the game: Rebel(Rebel Alliance and The Resistance), Imperial(The Galactic Empire and The First Order), and Scum. All Ship cards and some upgrade cards are aligned to one of these primary factions."

A ship or upgrade card can only be aligned to a primary faction according to the rule reference. Not a secondary faction.

Thats not how proper nouns work. You capitalize a proper noun, not capitalize, bold, italicize, and change the font 4 clicks up.

Yes. Exactly. I started playing last February. Granted, it wasnt until around September that i finally got my own car and had the free time after college to actually play when i wanted, but once the TFA core came out, i havent flown a SINGLE. LIST. That didn't have a T-70 in it. Twice per week i go to my FLGS and play, play, play with my T-70s. Compared to the once per month i was able to play previously. So yes, i have logged a SIGNIFICANTLY higher number of hours with my T-70 than any other ship. Even in the FLGS i go to, my friends there recognize that i am indisputably more experienced with T-70s than anyone else in the store.

I don't really know you, but what you have typed is swimming in this misplaced smug satisfaction, so i dont think i can take you seriously.

You're reading comprehension isn't up to snuff if you drew those conclusions.

I understand you may be having difficulty adjusting to life outside of your "safe space," so happy holidays!

You're reading comprehension isn't up to snuff if you drew those conclusions.

I understand you may be having difficulty adjusting to life outside of your "safe space," so happy holidays!

EDIT: Actually, nah, i dont care. I just realized that this tiny response is your way of saying "I can't refute you, so i'm gonna go for an ad hominem instead because insults are my way of damage control."

Carnor Jax has an amazing pilot ability and finds his way onto any list that includes more than one Interceptor. Juno Eclipse also has a great ability.

People bought Imperial Aces for the plastic ships. People bought the Raider for the plastic ships. Any ship-specific cards inside were a secondary concern for most, but welcome by all. (except perhaps competitive Rebel players.

Imperial Veterans might be purchased for the upgrades, since the majority of the contents seems to be fixes for underperforming ships.

It's not an either or situation. IE, you can buy the packs for reasons you both mention.

However, most people I know primarily bout the Raider for the Advanced title and upgrade cards. Sure, they wanted the raider as well and some of the pilots, but the X1 title and ATC are what most people I know wanted and primarily used. The same is true for Imperial Aces -- people use the title for Soontir more than any of the pilots that came in the pack and I say that as the only person in my area that might fly Jax more than Soontir.

I'll add that I love collecting these ships, but if I purchase the Gozanti it will be because I've decided to make use of Agent Kallus more than anything else in the pack. That's not to say I won't use the other stuff (otherwise I would use a secondary market) once in awhile but it won't be the primary purpose of my purchase.

For me, that's more and more becoming the case with each wave. I'm much more likely to use the upgrade cards than the pilots or the ships. Part of that is a fact of the game getting bigger but the other reason is that first releases of ships consistently come in conservatively (with the exception of a pilot here or there) and see a later fix. Heck, in the case of the Punisher, I knew purchasing it I wouldn't be flying it much but wanted EM and Mk2 Engines for other ships.

Pretty sure they said they'd watch the effect of this fix and if it needs more it'll get it.

Maybe it was at worlds, or some other place. But Alex said that the X-Wing was still not where they wanted it. He also said that the IA was not 'the' fix for the T-65 X-Wing.

Wow, I didn't know that.

Well it was just a little boost. The nice thing about the X-wing is there are sure to be more Astromechs coming out. The Rogue Squadron movie might feature a lot of the "old" T-65 X-wings.

We may have to wait a year for a movie tie-in product. If there were transitional models between the T-65 and the T-70, or any other B-wing or A-wing esque ships, we might see them in the film.

Maybe Wedge will get a T-70 pilot card, but like Vader it will be a little different and his card will say T-70 X-wing Prototype or something similar.

Well it was just a little boost. The nice thing about the X-wing is there are sure to be more Astromechs coming out. The Rogue Squadron movie might feature a lot of the "old" T-65 X-wings.

You can't make the T-65 fix an Astromech. You can't make a fix anything other than a title or exclusive modification, because any ships that can take a cool new super-efficent astromech will. Some people have this dumb idea of a -1 or -2 pt Astromech to fix the T-65, but that will manage to both buff the Y-wing and obsolete every other droid other than R2D2.

Fact is, the T-65 with IAstro is much less efficient a Jouster than the same points in Z-95s, and it has the same maneuverability. Which, to be clear, means the Jousting Value is important when comparing the two.

Interestingly, me and my friend had a 'Fix Off' the other day, where we proxied the x/7 title for the Defender and the IA for the X-wing. I took a classic thematic Luke Biggs Wedge, and he took 2 Defenders 2 Fighters. I got curbstomped.

We then replayed the game, but I took 4 FCS B-wings, as boring as sliced white bread. I beat him.

The B-wing with FCS is much more efficient at jousting than the X-wing, and it's defensive profile means that it's not relying on dice to see it through to the second shot. In the first game, poor Biggs whiffed his dice twice and died. My B-wings failed their one dice and put out fully modified 3 dice next turn. After playing both games, I really have no patience for anyone who wants FFG to sit on IA and put anything other than a T-65 as the other ship in the all but confirmed Rebel Veterans.

I'm not suggesting to fix the X-wing with an Astromech, I just think it can provide some more options that might interact with T-65 pilot abilities the way R7 works with Tarn Mison.

I think any fix for the T-65 that grants boost for cheaper than an engine upgrade would be bad for the game because it would make them too much like the T-70s, while co-oping the Interceptor's unique status as the only 2 mod ship.

I also think creating an auto include title or Chardaan refit or Advanced/x1 style fix is uncalled for because X-wings are not as bad as Advanced were.

The Tie Advanced fix is very versatile, but to be practical is used to increase the offense of the ship. Most popular systems being ATC or Accuracy Corrector.

I personally think the X-wing could do with several unique titles, each providing a small benefit, instead of a single "fix" title that is applied to every T-65.

I had an idea for a unique title to grant the Barrel Roll icon on the action bar, and rerolls for 1 blank defense die per attack.

But I had an idea months ago when IA was first spoiled.

A title for T-65 X-wings that grants them a 2nd non-unique Astromech. "Auxiliary Personality Matrix"

With the benefit of 2 Astromech upgrades, T-65s become incredibly customizable, and are able to make use of Integrated Astromech twice!

It should make them at least as durable as T-70s that bring IA for the 1 Astromech they have.

R2-D2 on an X-wing where every 1 and 2 speed maneuver is green would be crazy.

I'm not suggesting to fix the X-wing with an Astromech, I just think it can provide some more options that might interact with T-65 pilot abilities the way R7 works with Tarn Mison.

Agreed.

I think any fix for the T-65 that grants boost for cheaper than an engine upgrade would be bad for the game because it would make them too much like the T-70s

Double Agreed.

I also think creating an auto include title or Chardaan refit or Advanced/x1 style fix is uncalled for because X-wings are not as bad as Advanced were.

Kinda agreed. The X-wing doesn't need such a huge buff as the Advanced did, but I wouldn't say no to an auto-include with a less powerful ability. Something small, like letting you spend Focuses as Evades (ala Han crew), or a free discardable EPT would buff everything equally for free (or lower cost than would be normal), and pushes the X-wing away from 'third Rebel Jouster'.

I want to see 'Jack of all trades, master of none' done right. At the moment, the X-wing is 'Jack of Jouster, master of nothing'.

In a Meta more varied than ever, it would be nice to see a ship that can adapt to face it all if flown well enough.

If we ask ourselves which ships got a repaint and upgrade we see:

X wing in the transport and the t-70

A wing and b wing in rebel aces.

Y wing, z95, and the hwk in Most Wanted.

What does this leave? The t-70, which hasn't been released and the K wing which was just released.

Next on the subject of parity, two e's provides rotational symmetry with imperial aces.

if it was two e's i don't think very many people would buy it even if it made them good. lots of people dont know or care about the e wing or like how it looks (gun over cockpit what)

all the other aces have ships normies will know from movies for at least 1 of the 2

Well it was just a little boost. The nice thing about the X-wing is there are sure to be more Astromechs coming out. The Rogue Squadron movie might feature a lot of the "old" T-65 X-wings.

You can't make the T-65 fix an Astromech. You can't make a fix anything other than a title or exclusive modification, because any ships that can take a cool new super-efficent astromech will. Some people have this dumb idea of a -1 or -2 pt Astromech to fix the T-65, but that will manage to both buff the Y-wing and obsolete every other droid other than R2D2.

Fact is, the T-65 with IAstro is much less efficient a Jouster than the same points in Z-95s, and it has the same maneuverability. Which, to be clear, means the Jousting Value is important when comparing the two.

Interestingly, me and my friend had a 'Fix Off' the other day, where we proxied the x/7 title for the Defender and the IA for the X-wing. I took a classic thematic Luke Biggs Wedge, and he took 2 Defenders 2 Fighters. I got curbstomped.

We then replayed the game, but I took 4 FCS B-wings, as boring as sliced white bread. I beat him.

The B-wing with FCS is much more efficient at jousting than the X-wing, and it's defensive profile means that it's not relying on dice to see it through to the second shot. In the first game, poor Biggs whiffed his dice twice and died. My B-wings failed their one dice and put out fully modified 3 dice next turn. After playing both games, I really have no patience for anyone who wants FFG to sit on IA and put anything other than a T-65 as the other ship in the all but confirmed Rebel Veterans.

I absolutely agree with your statement Jimmius, FFG should not attempt a fix through the astromech slot. While having more efficient astromechs would be nice, the X-wing truly does suffer from remaining a single action ship (basically only focus) which has to be spent on defense for survival to the next round. It lacks a native reposition mechanic that leaves it vulnerable to anything it couldn't kill in the opening shots of the game, which is much more common when you consider that PWTs have more hull/shields than a XXX list can shoot through in one round of focused fire. Add in the damage reduction and dice spike in having to choose a target lock or focus and the possibility of losing an X-wing (because they are very susceptible to any attacks made nowadays thanks to all sorts of re-roll/automatic damage/additional attacks) and almost off the bat, a squad of three (now two) X-wings is fighting an uphill battle. In my (plentiful) experience with T-65s, victories are more often quick 100-0/ 64-0 games or a nightmarishly slow 0-100 that almost always has me facing nowhere as my enemies boost/barrel roll out of arc. When I do catch anything in arc, my lack of action economy or action independence has me shooting with just a focus at Range 3.

Interestingly, me and my friend had a 'Fix Off' the other day, where we proxied the x/7 title for the Defender and the IA for the X-wing. I took a classic thematic Luke Biggs Wedge, and he took 2 Defenders 2 Fighters. I got curbstomped.

Next time, try putting the X/7 title on the T-65 X-Wing. It won't be _quite_ as good on the X-Wing as on the Defender, (the X-Wing has the red K-turn and no 5 speed maneuver), but that's ok- the T-65 isn't in as bad a spot as the non-title Defender.