I just had a realization:

So except for certain edge cases, you basically never want to use Marksmanship on any ship which is only attacking once per turn. The card is too expensive to lock you into an offensive focus, and to get the most value out of it you need to be using it as your action pretty regularly- which means not making defensive actions, which means you're letting naked green dice determine if your ship lives or dies. FFG seems to have realized this, and so created Calculation.

The value of Marksmanship changes a bit when you're making 2 attacks per round. Instead of paying 3 points to take an action that flips a single focus into a crit, you're taking an action which lets you effectively focus two shots in one round. That's useful if you're Corran Horn, or a ship with a TLT. Maybe not worth the opportunity cost, but certainly makes good use out of the 3 points.

Now let me throw this at you:

"Omega Leader" (21)

Juke (2)

Comm Relay (3)

Colonel Vessery (35)

Marksmanship (3)

Tractor Beam (1)

TIE/D (0)

Darth Vader (29)

Juke (2)

Advanced Targeting Computer (1)

Stealth Device (3)

TIE/x1 (0)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Take a look at Vessery there. He's attacking twice per round. And if he's doing it right, he has _focused and target locked attacks_ both times.

The list above is just a quick idea I knocked together. Marksmanship isn't a Vessery-only EPT, BTW. I'm going to postulate that it's now a good EPT on _any_ Defender rockin the TIE/D title. There may be others, but I think Marksmanship has found a useful place in many more lists than it previously had.

Marksmanship might also prove useful on a Y-Wing with BTL-A4 (especially in combination with TLT), a Bomber with EM'd Cluster Missiles, Dengar and a few other cases.

Marksmanship might also prove useful on a Y-Wing with BTL-A4 (especially in combination with TLT), a Bomber with EM'd Cluster Missiles, Dengar and a few other cases.

I don't like Marksmanship when it's only use is Cluster Missile, as that turns a 4 point attack into a 7 point attack.

Maybe if you've got 3 points left over for Vessery after you've fully build him with Marksmanship.

tokenless vessery, you say?

hmmm...juicy free points

Marksmanship might also prove useful on a Y-Wing with BTL-A4 (especially in combination with TLT), a Bomber with EM'd Cluster Missiles, Dengar and a few other cases.

I don't like Marksmanship when it's only use is Cluster Missile, as that turns a 4 point attack into a 7 point attack.

Maybe if you've got 3 points left over for Vessery after you've fully build him with Marksmanship.

Hence the EM, turns a single turn double attack into 2 turns of double attacks or even 4 if you're willing to spend more.

Say something like this:

"Omega Leader" (21)

Juke (2)

Comm Relay (3)

Colonel Vessery (35)

Marksmanship (3)

Tractor Beam (1)

TIE/D (0)

Darth Vader (29)

Juke (2)

Advanced Targeting Computer (1)

Stealth Device (3)

TIE/x1 (0)

Total: 100

FWIW, I think that tractor beam that late in the PS order is probably a waste, unless the unrevealed text on the rule card lets tokens persist round-to-round.

Drop Vader's stealth device and upgrade Vessery to an Ion Cannon. Then you've got a point for TIEmk2, or PS bid.

As fickle says, I'm worried about the survival rate for Vessery without a defensive focus, but if you can land the ion, maybe it's not so bad.

One thing to note (I've fallen into this trap too), is that Omega Leader doesn't actually strip tokens, since the focus can't be spent. If Vader's already stripped the token, then OL's pilot ability is pretty useless anyway (for offense, at least).

My favourite is

Kavil

Twin Laser Turret

Marksmanship

Unhinged Astromech

34 points

4 shot TLT with every dice having a 75% chance to hit, TWICE. Love it.

Don't forget, it also removes your option of using that "Focus" for defense.

Don't forget, it also removes your option of using that "Focus" for defense.

Some ships care less for that. For example, marksmanship makes some sense on Ten Numb; he can use the crit, and losing the defensive focus is not a huge deal for a 1 agility ship.

I have used Vess with Marksmenship, Ion, title and shield upgrade backed up with three Omega CrackShot FO and whilst it is very nice to have fully modified attacks, the idea of a 40+ point ship that cannot defend itself is too much of a juicy target and just gets removed from the table.

Marksmenship is a dead upgrade, stop trying to justify a card that was in the starter box and didn't work back then and certainly won't work eight waves later.

Marksmanship is useful on:

"Youngster"

Corran Horn (every other turn)

Most TIE/D pilots (most notably Maarek Stele)

Anyone with Gunner or a Gunner-esque 2nd shot mechanic.

Some TLT pilots (although Predator may be more efficient to free up the action)

Some BTL-A4 pilots (ditto)

Pilots with Critical Hit mechanics (Ten Numb/Bossk/Imperial Kath Scarlett) - competes with Calculation and Mangler Cannons

Pilots with few native actions

Pilots with high health/low agility

Combinations of more than one of the above

Marksmanship + Experimental Interface can be solid.

Marksmanship is useful on:

Corran Horn (every other turn)

Most TIE/D pilots (most notably Maarek Stele)

Anyone with Gunner or a Gunner-esque 2nd shot mechanic.

Some TLT pilots (although Predator may be more efficient to free up the action)

Some BTL-A4 pilots (ditto)

Pilots with Critical Hit mechanics (Ten Numb/Bossk/Imperial Kath Scarlett) - competes with Calculation and Mangler Cannons

Pilots with few native actions

Pilots with high health/low agility

Combinations of more than one of the above

If I saw a Corran Horn running Marksmenship I would set my dials with barely contained bliss as he is about to be removed from the table in 6 dice. Corran cannot rely on naked green dice for long, if at all really in my experience.

Same with Maarek in TIE/D, I don't think it helps to try and force his ability to work, just let it come and be thankful for when it does, kind of like Bossk in the YT-666 and Kath. Maarek with Predator and a focus is going to put out a higher consistency of damage and protect himself long enough to actually hit through the shields of his target.

Ten Numb sees better use out of a Mangler. For an extra point you can deny range bonuses and don't have to concern yourself about having to roll a focus result, a single hit will suffice. If you really are trying to force his ability though, then Calulation is cheaper.

Taking Marksmenship to increase the hit chances of your attack just because you have gunner doesn't make sense to me? Its like you are paying 5 points, just in case MM didn't do the job the first time and even then, it is only an Interceptor that is going to consistency evade that and if they done it the first time then it is like they are going to evade the gunner attack as well.

TLT pilots that can take MM are Kavil and Horton? (Palob and Dace as well I guess but they can just recon spec/moldy crow). Might work for them since they won't be using on defence anyway but you now need to somehow justify that 9 points you just put on a 25 point ship with a single agility, I don't think I can do that personally.

This is of course, just from my experience. Others may actually see high success with it and it may suit their balls deep play style but this upgrade just never finds a place in any list for me (or most of the people at my club for that matter) unless we are trolling. There are just far too many other options that do this job so much better or offer more versatility.

Oh look, we have a Sith on the forum. (going by Obi Wan's fallacious definition, that is)

Marksmanship + Experimental Interface can be solid.

Sure, if you want to pay 6 points and take a stress for your troubles.

Marksmanship + Experimental Interface can be solid.

Sure, if you want to pay 6 points and take a stress for your troubles.

Marksmanship on Horton Salm, with R2-D6 to give him the EPT.

Then toss him a TLT and BTL title.

Now he's attacking 3x per turn, every attack has both rerolls and focus and crit.

(this only breaks if your only target is in range 1 or someone arc dodges you).

Not saying there isn't better choices but wouldn't Markmanship also be decent if a pilot has some form of native defense (like Poe) or regen capability? Thanks for helping clarify. As a new player, choosing an EPT that syncs will with your pilot and/or squad is an important part of list building that I don't have a great handle on yet.

tokenless vessery, you say?

hmmm...juicy free points

Well they're not "free", he still gets to roll his defense d-

oh, it's you.

You're not wrong, Marksmanship is better in those cases than it is on other pilots, but something like Predator is generally better still since it modifies your attack while leaving your action open for something else (like Boost on the T-70). Incidentally, Predator can also modify multiple attacks per turn, but Marksmanship is pretty cool on Vessery since he'll already be getting his re-rolls elsewhere (copying teammates' Target Locks).

I just had a realization:

You basically never want to use Marksmanship on any ship.

Fixed that for you.

It could mesh with vess, but more often than not, I'd want to have a regular focus on a ship with 3 green dice that with a mid range PS will probably still got shot at by something. I would prefer outmanuever any day of the week.

Honestly my favorite ept on Vessery of late has been nothing. He doesn't get much from the standard ptl/vi/predator so unless you love crack(...shot) just run him x7 and naked for 33 points of value.

Not saying there isn't better choices but wouldn't Markmanship also be decent if a pilot has some form of native defense (like Poe) or regen capability? Thanks for helping clarify. As a new player, choosing an EPT that syncs will with your pilot and/or squad is an important part of list building that I don't have a great handle on yet.

Sort of. Poe doesn't want it because he needs to have a focus token to do his thing, so Marksmanship isn't worth using even if your opponent let you equip it as if it cost 0. Corran Horn can get some use out of it thanks to his double tap, and with Biggs nearby you can do so without fear. Most pilots that could get some use out of Marksmanship would rather take Predator, it costs the same but requires no actions and can help with blank dice.

In short, a pilot that can safely say they don't care about the incoming fire could equip Marksmanship, but they almost certainly have better options. It's a weak upgrade, although if you have a smaller collection it could be worth using.