Strongest ways you've used your new stuff? TFA, fixes, gozanti

By Blail Blerg, in X-Wing

So, we don't have a real lists subforum anymore. But wondering how everyone's playing with their new toys. What are the strongest and/or silliest lists you've been doing with the new stuff?

Are there any pilots you think are seriously competitively underrated?

..? What do you mean, we don't have a list subforum?

..? What do you mean, we don't have a list subforum?

Same question. .??

Red Ace, but mostly because she's overshadowed by Poe. In a Rebel Regen list she's certainly up there with Corran and Miranda though, in my opinion.

The only thing that has came out since Worlds is the rest of the TFA ships. To be honest the only thing interesting from those packs was maybe coms relay. Well there is the integrated astromech but I still don't think a T-65 with IA competes against T-70 with autothrusters especially in the meta of TLT.

So if you are looking for a power list well Worlds has used Poe so that is as modern of a meta until Wave 8 comes out and brings something.

..? What do you mean, we don't have a list subforum?

Same question. .??

Oh hell. we do. >< but no one uses it for beyond the basic level.

The only thing that has came out since Worlds is the rest of the TFA ships. To be honest the only thing interesting from those packs was maybe coms relay. Well there is the integrated astromech but I still don't think a T-65 with IA competes against T-70 with autothrusters especially in the meta of TLT.

So if you are looking for a power list well Worlds has used Poe so that is as modern of a meta until Wave 8 comes out and brings something.

Well. I meant the fixes too.

Tie Bomber... Uhh yeah.

I'm really looking at using a few of those FOs for some support. The zeta Ace with VI is a PS9 with 3 dice.

I've been thinking of using the PS12 one for a Decoy, but we'll see how that works out in second guessing during movement.

How is everyone finding the generic FOs? Do they give enough punch for their cost?

I've been thinking I have to fly mine not starting in a formation. I think the FOs really like coming from all angles and being really annoying with blocking.

Omega Leader + Juke + Comms Relay, IMO the most amazing addidition of all the TFA expansions. Been running one together with Wampa, Vader and Palpmobile with great success.

How is everyone finding the generic FOs? Do they give enough punch for their cost?

I've been thinking I have to fly mine not starting in a formation. I think the FOs really like coming from all angles and being really annoying with blocking.

Depends what you mean by 'generic' - I've yet to use Epsilon Squadron Pilots, but Omega Squadron Pilots are doing me nicely.

That hard turn out of a Segnor is very, very annoying for blocking someone

I ran a Tie swarm with Youngster with markmanship and Wampa... Killed Mareek Stele with that combo.

Last week I swapped out the 6 academies in my regular list with 5 FO fighters. They were surprisingly durable. That 1 shield makes more of a different than you would think. The s-loop was just gravy after that.

Gozanti also arrived...

Swarms got huge tech, lots of new possibilities, especially as you mix in tie F/o aces. Non formation based swarms are a thing. Taking out soontir with two attack ships? Wampa, backstabber, scourge, mithel, omega, epsilon ace, all have tricks or extra attack. Then you can even crack shot / juke to really catch him through stealth.

High p.s. and lots of ships with high agi is a pretty good tlt counter. Low agi ships have always hated swarms. Mini swarms gain new configurations, and Imperials are an untapped goldmine at the moment. Vessery has great company in the f/o as well.

I've run a list twice now that has worked brilliantly.

2 Tie/FO with Juke and Comm Relay flying in formation with Howlrunner who has Stealth Device. The last 35 points are filled out by Vessery with Juke and Tie/X7.

The Juke just tears through aces; they can't afford to end up in the sights of multiple ships. I have flown it against 2 players who I would consider strong competition, one flying Poe, Miranda and a stress hog and another flying Palp + 2 Aces with Vader and Soontir.

Tabled both of them and only lost a single FO against the rebel player.

2 FOs with howlrunner are surprisingly effective because you can often push a damage through even at range 3. They get a reroll, a focus token and the evade is banked from the Comm Relay.

I think the list works well because there isn't an obvious target. Do you shoot at Howlrunner to get rid of the rerolls even though she has a stealth device and an evade token? Do you focus on Vessery to try and stop him getting his target lock, juke 3-4 dice shots on you or do you try to strip the evades off the FOs to stop the Juke train whittling you down? Regardless of who you choose, someone is going to be causing you pain and you can't really afford to spend those focus tokens on offence because Juke is just going to ruin your day.

In the Rebel matchup Poe made a bit of a misplay on the first engagement and had to go fast to avoid all the juke which took him out of the fight for a couple of turns. The swarm turned on Miranda who ate multiple shots and went down in a hail of fire at range 3. The stresshog didn't last long with Vessery pulling some k-turns around it and then it was all up to Poe to try and take on the whole list. He managed to pop a single Tie on the same turn he went down. I did roll extremely well on my greens in this game so it would be interesting to see a rematch. I think a lot was learnt on both sides of the table because I managed to fly over a few rocks that game, luckily for me the consequences were not bad.

The Palp shuttle lost a single shield in the first engagement from a lone Tie plinking away and was then evaporated the next turn because it couldn't do anything about the Juke. Soontir got blocked by a 1 turn from Howlrunner while the FOs k-turned and he lost his stealth device. Vader also got blocked and had to try to run but even at range 3 the Jukes were able to put shots through his defenses. My opponent called the game with Soontir, Vader and Vessery all on 1 hull while the Ties were largely untouched.

The general consensus was that the list looked innocuous to begin with, but on the table it was brutally consistent with it's damage output. I'm looking forward to testing either Omega Leader or The Inquisitor with Juke instead of Vessery. Slightly less damage out of the ace but it frees up points for another Juke on Howlrunner to help strip tokens and provides more of a traditional arc dodging ace as a closer.

Red Ace, but mostly because she's overshadowed by Poe. In a Rebel Regen list she's certainly up there with Corran and Miranda though, in my opinion.

R2D2 and Comm Relay! Every shield you recover becomes 2!

Except against TLTs...

FOs:

Omega Squaddie (Juke + Relay, or Crackshot); 3 of make an amazing escort for aces, even atypical ones such as Redline or Carnor. Surprisingly durable and very reliable

Omega Leader (Juke + Relay); super Tie that gives late game anti-ace potential to lists that normally wouldn't have it, such as Tie swarms or mini-swarms or low PS bombers

Zeta Leader (predator); super Tie that throws 3 dice for cheap, used as part of a mini-swarm with Omega L, Howlie, Crackshot Omega and Wampa

T-70s:

Heaver Poe (obviously)

PTL + bb-8 + thrusters Asty is an unmitigated joy to play. Can fit him and Heaver Poe (with r5-p9 instead of r2-d2) with 26 points to spare.

Guidance Chips

Bombers (scimitars) and Redline, packing Homing Missiles and Plasmas/Clusters respectively. Almost always hit for max damage.

Great that you don't get completely ****** by ass rng after taking the trouble to set-up ordnance shots

Edited by ficklegreendice

I had my son run this:

Blue Ace with R7-T1 and AT

Red Ace with R2-D2, Comm Relay, and AT

Grey Squadron Pilot with TLT, R3-A2, Bomb Loadout and Seismic Charge

He was up against 4 Greenies running Hull Upgrade and PTL, but lost the Blue Ace quickly and had Red Ace stripped down to 2 hull while not putting any damage into the Greenies. He is only 8, so he is still learning how to keep ships in formation, but I let him run his ships the way he wants to, since it is the only way to learn this game. He was getting frustrated, so I took over and came out with the victory. It helped that my opponent forgot about the bomb and 1 turned 2 of his Greenies into Range 1 of the Y-Wing. Then it was just a matter of getting the Stresshog turned around and into the battle to secure the victory. This was the first time running this squad and it performed fantastically. Having Comm Relay on Red Ace really allows you to be more aggressive with the T70, since the evade allows you a little more security if mistakes are made.

Edited by shadowswalker