Talonbane wants Expert Handling or Engine Upgrades. He's got the greens for the former, and the pilot skill for either.

Getting Push the Limit without either is a very marginal thing; an extra 9/16 damage per attack just isn't worth, so you'll be using that focus defensively... which ain't that great with 2 agility.

So, yeah. Weld the ability to arc-dodge on him. Among other things, you're aiding his pilot ability directly with the improved range-control.

If you buy Engine, then Push is worth considering. Expert Handling is often as good as that combo, and costs a whopping 5 points fewer.

I run

Engine upgrade

Push the limit

Gliterstim

Basically to boost in target lock gliterstim 5 dice.

Has worked very well, he usually does not live to long because of hisgiant threat and if you do ptl gliterstim you are going to be a while recovering but has worked well. Might drop ptl for predator to stop the stress gain and just not grab the target lock.

Definitely like the idea of a Hard 1 + BR on the dude.

Think my go-to might be Cloak + Predator though.

I'm looking more and more at doing:

Talonbane

-Expert Handling

-Glitterstim

It keeps him cheap at 32 points and gives him reposition options. Engine + PTL is very tempting though, just depending on how the rest of my squad goes.

*Edit: Here's what my Rocketeer squad is starting to evolve into.

Talonbane Cobra (28)
Push the Limit (3)
Engine Upgrade (4)

Binayre Pirate (12)
Ion Pulse Missiles (3)

Binayre Pirate (12)
Ion Pulse Missiles (3)

Binayre Pirate (12)
Ion Pulse Missiles (3)

Cartel Marauder (20)

Total: 100
View in Yet Another Squad Builder

crackshot + stims

problem with Cobra is he'll never be an "ace" in the traditional sense. He simply doesn't have the tools to become someone like Xizor, maneuverable and durable piece that transitions well into the late game. Instead, he's a glass cannon.

best we can hope to do is give him Cloaking Device, and pray we never roll focus (dumbest unneeded RNG in the history of ever, but it's still sometimes a cloak)

Xizor is an ace?

crackshot + stims

problem with Cobra is he'll never be an "ace" in the traditional sense. He simply doesn't have the tools to become someone like Xizor, maneuverable and durable piece that transitions well into the late game. Instead, he's a glass cannon.

best we can hope to do is give him Cloaking Device, and pray we never roll focus (dumbest unneeded RNG in the history of ever, but it's still sometimes a cloak)

Xizor is an ace?

as much of an ace as Poe is, anyway

high pilot skill, 1 action, chuncky defenses, gives less of a **** about stress but trades shield regen away for the ability to actually hit **** with fire control system

V.I + virago + fcs + thrusters = 37 points

talonbane cOObrAA does need one thing, and one thing only:

an escape pod.

with a really great ability and a fragile ship, he has a life expectancy shorter than a frog on a highway.. or a steak right here, right in this moment.. *curses*

halfway serious: I see great difficulty in keeping him alive. he's very "un-subtle", to call it mildly. everybody sees he's dangerous, so everybody is going to avoid him OR shoot him, both heavily.

the one use I can see him in is as a bait or scarecrow in the "not going to do the normal approach, but keep things open"-way.

add Serissu for extra defense..

EU
PTL
Glitterstim

still not close to Uber-poe, Horn-obliterator, soontir, Vader

FFG hasn't given him a droid >:C

yep, Khirazx are missing droids (actually,they are missing something, droids might do it for them), that shines through everytime I use 'em (a lot in the last few weeks, as I really want to make them work :-)). The hottest thing about them is the quite cheap generic with EPT - 26 pts with glittercrack, dealing some damage there, at PS5!

I run him the same as NDru; glitter, crack, homing missile. Most squads are not going to get Talonbane dead at range 3 the first round, and if you can blow up a Y/B before it gets to roll reds you get a second round out of Talon or NDru. That's pretty darn efficient. If you are able to PS bid 2+ points you can make a lot of Soontirs fly bad. Talonbane hates swarm IMO.

Don't load him down to heavy he's hard to kill at range three but he won't be able to stay there all game, glitterstim and a decent ept is all he needs.

Dead man's switch is nice on him.

Just say'n... this is wonderful all day!

Right now, as is... YES!

I'm currently trying to look at ways to make Bodyguard useful. Maybe Kaato with Bodyguard and another pirate to steal a focus from...now they have to choose to burn through 3 agi Cobra probably with glitterstim or knock out Kaato who can keep protecting him. I like forcing the hard choice.

Cobra with crackshot and glitterstim...want to try LR and EH though too.

The point of homjng missiles is to overload an opposing squad. Talonbane suffers VS numbers, and aces. Vader against two glitter crack homers is in a vert bad place, the same goes for Poe and the rest. That's about all I think talon is good for. Front loaded damage, otherwise he is a worse X wing.

I have always handled TalonBane when opposing him. Usually flown like an ACE and semi-independent. Looking at two options

1) Have someone that is scarier in dice hits (Bossk+Opportunist)

or

2) Fly in a formation of addition 3 Atk fighters.

I don't think with his dial and actions can fly and act like an ace. More like a rush in...cause damage one round....before saying goodbye to the world.

He's going to probably be the best choice for the illicit cloaking device. It will still be a bit random/risky (because that's just something you have to accept with the illicit cloak), but it will be nasty while it continues to function. Makes him much better than the mediocre x-wing he is otherwise.

I fly Talonbane with Expert Handling and Glitterstim.

Like an X-Wing, the Kihraxz lacks position adjustment, which Expert Handling affords it at a cheap price. Of course, EH also stresses him, which is where Glitterstim comes in: You pop it in when you've EH'd to get into range 1 of an enemy. You also could pop Glitterstim after a K-turn. Basically, both upgrade cards cover Talonbane's weaknesses.

I think he gets too expensive when you add more upgrades like Engine Upgrade, which isn't even necessary (or as useful, IMO) when you're already running EH. Missiles are definitely unnecessary considering Talonbane's pilot ability.

cloaking device

I'm currently trying to look at ways to make Bodyguard useful. Maybe Kaato with Bodyguard and another pirate to steal a focus from...now they have to choose to burn through 3 agi Cobra probably with glitterstim or knock out Kaato who can keep protecting him. I like forcing the hard choice.

Cobra with crackshot and glitterstim...want to try LR and EH though too.

just PTL and Wingman palob already work nice (or Black Ace Wingman)

not phantom, no re-cloak :C

Lightning reflexes, engine, stims.

cloaking device

not phantom, no re-cloak :C

They're talking about using the cloaking device for repositioning ability prior to revealing the dial, not recloaking after attacking.

The scum Cloaking Device makes Talonbane much less predictable (and also helps him survive the initial approach). It will be useful on N'dru Suhlak as well, but TBC will likely be the best candidate.