Despite all logic I have veered towards since I started playing X-Wing this fall, and Talonbane seemed full of awesome so my first couple of lists revolved around him.

Predictably, he died almost immediately in most matches and I haven't touched him since, but the prevalence of Crack Shot lately made me wonder if anyone has tried 3 K-fighters similar to one of these lists.

The first list (in my head) relies on getting into range 1 for an alpha strike, has a 1-point initiave bid and Swarm Tactics with the hope of getting in two big PS9 swings befiore the K-fighters start popping.

The second swaps all the engines & most of the stims for N'Dru, who can (if I understand right) get an A-wing's worth of red dice out of Proton Rockets.

Let me know what you guys think.

Talonbane Cobra (36)

Kihraxz Fighter (28)

Swarm Tactics (2)

Glitterstim (2)

Engine Upgrade (4)

Black Sun Ace (30)

Kihraxz Fighter (23)

Crack Shot (1)

Glitterstim (2)

Engine Upgrade (4)

Black Sun Ace (33)

Kihraxz Fighter (23)

Crack Shot (1)

Proton Rockets (3)

Glitterstim (2)

Engine Upgrade (4)

Total: 99

Talonbane Cobra (31)

Kihraxz Fighter (28)

Crack Shot (1)

Glitterstim (2)

Black Sun Ace (24)

Kihraxz Fighter (23)

Crack Shot (1)

Black Sun Ace (24)

Kihraxz Fighter (23)

Crack Shot (1)

N’Dru Suhlak (21)

Z-95 Headhunter (17)

Proton Rockets (3)

Crack Shot (1)

Total: 100

I usually run him with predator, stims, and EU. Run something threatening to take the heat off of him. I usually use some tlt ys for that. You then have a chance to flank your opponent and unleash the 5 die primary.

Best of luck and stay frosty.

The problem with cobra is his debt to income. hes only good at range one and even then it still depends on the dice. I feel stims aren't a good choice on him because of the stress. It makes his next move predictable. A smart player will try to ether a shoot him first or b stay out of range one. With those lists up there the obvious choice is to kill cobra . He needs something else in his list that can share the hurt. You need something they makes your enemy have to choose what to go after. I've tried many lists with him and the best I came up was what I used yesterday in a tournament.

Cobra crack shot/EU

Bossk calculation/K4/outlaw tech

Polab golali(spelling ) TLT

Most games I placed them far away to give them the hard choice to go after then ether flanked with cobra or brought them together quickly.

I like where you're going with this, but think about a different direction. What about instead of EU on your ships you took Guidance Chip (when it comes out) and say, Concussion Missiles. You just wipe stuff off the board as a way of protecting TBC.

Talonbane is a jouster. In a way, the ultimate jouster. With crack shot & glitterstim, if he gets into range 1, takes a target lock and then pops the stims, there's a good chance he is dealing 5 damage, probably at least 4 unless the dice gods really hate you. And then you have crack shot if the opponent gets lucky on their greens. Most small-based ships are going to be crippled if not dead, and even large-based ships are going to feel that. You don't really care if he's predictable afterwards, because if he manages that hit, he's almost made himself worth his points right there...

But the trick is to get that range 1 attack off successfully. I would think the best ways to make it work is using blockers or some kind of control (stress/ion). Blockers are easy: a couple of binayre pirates or a single Blacksun Enforcer with autothrusters that flies just in front of talonbane. For control, there's a couple ways you could go, but no matter what you decide, it will probably eat up the rest of your list.

Some ideas:

2 trandoshan slavers w/ ion cannon & tactician (34 points each)

2 thugs w/ BTL-A4, ion turret & R4 agromech = 50, so with talonbane, that's only 19 points left (could squeeze in a Scyk with flechette cannon, or drop an R4 for another khiraxz).

2 binayre pirates + 31 pt Talonbane = 55, so that leaves you 45 points to round out such a list. Or if you use a Blacksun Enforcer with autos, 42 points. Incidentally, Talonbane + Enforcer leaves enough room for 3 feedback binayre pirates. Might not be a bad 5 ship list...

Friend o mine runs him with expose and stims. He gets a TL at range 3, then next turn tries to get in R1 and expose. It's not subtle but if he catches you it works quite well.

I like where you're going with this, but think about a different direction. What about instead of EU on your ships you took Guidance Chip (when it comes out) and say, Concussion Missiles. You just wipe stuff off the board as a way of protecting TBC.

I like it but I generally don't get into building lists with unreleased stuff. I still don't have a TIE F/O or T-70 (outside of the new core set) even though everyone else is Juke & Comming it up. I also try not to buy expansions just for a cards or two, but we'll see.

Talonbane is a jouster. In a way, the ultimate jouster. With crack shot & glitterstim, if he gets into range 1, takes a target lock and then pops the stims, there's a good chance he is dealing 5 damage, probably at least 4 unless the dice gods really hate you. And then you have crack shot if the opponent gets lucky on their greens. Most small-based ships are going to be crippled if not dead, and even large-based ships are going to feel that. You don't really care if he's predictable afterwards, because if he manages that hit, he's almost made himself worth his points right there...

But the trick is to get that range 1 attack off successfully. I would think the best ways to make it work is using blockers or some kind of control (stress/ion). Blockers are easy: a couple of binayre pirates or a single Blacksun Enforcer with autothrusters that flies just in front of talonbane. For control, there's a couple ways you could go, but no matter what you decide, it will probably eat up the rest of your list.

Some ideas:

2 trandoshan slavers w/ ion cannon & tactician (34 points each)

2 thugs w/ BTL-A4, ion turret & R4 agromech = 50, so with talonbane, that's only 19 points left (could squeeze in a Scyk with flechette cannon, or drop an R4 for another khiraxz).

2 binayre pirates + 31 pt Talonbane = 55, so that leaves you 45 points to round out such a list. Or if you use a Blacksun Enforcer with autos, 42 points. Incidentally, Talonbane + Enforcer leaves enough room for 3 feedback binayre pirates. Might not be a bad 5 ship list...

I get what you're saying. I was imagining flying pretty tight and trying to keep TBC from getting blocked by having the aces out front of him, meanwhile he could pass out PS9 to whoever doesn't collide. I suppose 2 Pirates in place of 1 BSA might work better, though.

I do sorta like ion warthogs, that's got me thinking.

Prockets aren't doing anything on a Khiraxz.

2 (base) + 2 (agility) = 4.

3 (primary) + 1 (range 1) = 4.

Prockets aren't doing anything on a Khiraxz.

2 (base) + 2 (agility) = 4.

3 (primary) + 1 (range 1) = 4.

Lol, good point. I had them in my brain for a different list.

Cloaking Device + Stygium + some damage enhancing elite talent. Should be out sometime next month most likely.

Talonbane can be brutal at R1, but is that the way to fly him? Maybe that's just the icing on the cake, something to use when you have no other choice.

You could also treat him as the long range sniper. Keep him at a long range so his defensive bonus kicks in, giving him at least 4 green dice.

Here's a quick, off beat list:

Just dont spend too many points and change your flight tactics. It is wonky jousting ship that needs good eye for predcting opponents moves, so it is amazing pilot, but it is just hard to play, but worth it if flown well.

Try Lighting Reflexes, Crack shot, PTL+Engine Upgrade.. Maybe but just maybe Glitterstim, but my favorite is PTL+EU. That is solid 35p but it really needs good tactics, so if you fly it just towards a tie swarm or few interceptors it will get ripped a part in one turb, but if you can take your opponent one by one it is the best. I like to have two syndicate thugs with tlts and talonbane.

Talonbane

-ptl

-eu

Syndicate thug x2

-tlt

-unhinged astromech

Binayre Pirate

-hull upgrade

Maybe something like this... binayre for blocking, thugs for horrific consistent damage and talonbane for hunting loners...