***PLEASE KEEP IN MIND***

- This isn't my actual opinion.

I think the Stresshog is fine. It's powerful, but not broken and not in need of a nerf. But I was having a discussion with someone who felt otherwise, and I'm interested in what people here think.

My views are that:

- The Stresshog costs you around 25% of your points

- Can't take actions, or turn around very easily

- Doesn't have a turret arc

- Has 1 agility and 'only' 8HP, which goes fast under concentrated fire

- Is a necessary control piece in the game, acting as a 'safety valve', providing an answer to strong action dependent aces

- Therefore it needs to be able to deal 2 stress to the same target, otherwise you don't really deny them their actions, you only 'force' them into greens

- It's unique and not spammable

- It's powerful, but fairly equal to other support ships of the same cost (29pt Palpmobile) and it's certainly not the most unfair/unfun/broken thing in the game

The general view of the other people were that:

- It's generally too powerful

- There's no trade-offs to putting it in your list

- It's broken that you 'merely' have to attack, you don't even need to hit to deal the stress

- It should be nerfed to 'once per round'

- It creates the game's worse negative play experience

What do you think?

I am of the opinion that these kind of abilities need to be reduced to once per round. Same as tactician on Miranda with a TLT or Vader on a Shuttle with a gunner.

Putting 2 stress on an opponent ace in one round is death. It should require a coordinated effort to achieve.

As soon as anything becomes an auto include or a 'hard-to-exclude' option then it needs to feel the nerf bat.

The developers just need to restrict benefits to once per round.

It´s one of the best "designed" ships in the game in my opinion. It gives rebel players a chance to build a swarm with a decent counter against arc-dodgers. You mentioned the drawbacks; no turret, dies rather fast against concentrated fire, costs quite a bit, permanent loss of actions once it gets stressed etc.

Soontir is already in over half my games. Without stressbot around that will get worse. It's fine.

The 3-times world champion thinks it's the most powerful rebel ship in the game. It's dirt cheap and ranks up there alongside Soontir and Corran as ships that demand you consider them when trying to build a decent list.

It's a great ship with an interesting balance of cost and reward, and always makes for a high-stakes kind of feel to an engagement. What's not to like?

The only danger is that because of it's very low cost, as you say, "There's no trade-offs to putting it in your list" - i.e. what better use can you think of for 26pts?

But it's a lonnng way away from needing a nerf imo - the only ships yet to receive the holy bat of nerfdom are Whisper (explicit), Dash, the Bros, Chirpy and Han (MoV/TLT implicit nerf). I don't think it requires ffg to bring the bat out of its resting place.

I love playing it, but I rarely play against it, so I can't speak about that experience. I would say there is a trade-off to putting it into your list: You are limited to two small aces, where Rebels used to be big on the fat ships. If you want one of those, you only get the Hog and at best an A-Wing. It also broke old all 25 Panic Attack, so you have to save on another ship, like a TLT Tactician ShockHWK.

Is it close to overpowered? Yes, but only against ships that also are like Soontir Fel, Vader, Whisper, Corran Horn, Poe Dameron or Miranda Doni. Its value greatly diminishes when it is up against ships of equal or lower point value.

I think it's very powerful but not OP. My only gripe with it is that Imps and Scum have nothing that can reliably dish out double stress for 26pts.

OP here - remember I think the Stresshog is fine btw.

And replies so far are hitting nails on the heads

Should be once per turn, along with Vader. For 26 points, it essentially autokills every ace in the game, especially the ones without regen. Tactician was changed to limited to avoid double/triple stress, same should got for the stressbot.

It's fine, as it is.

It is a bit of a problem in that it is a bit limiting in the design space overall. They have to take this build into account when designing modifications for instance.

But even then, you can't take a different astromech or a different title without killing the build.

It's a very well balanced piece of kit.

The only problem I see
Rebels got all the toys

Alright, if it was a Scum ship. Guys didn't get stress KuKluxKlan with TLTacticians

Otherwise it's good.

It's a toolbox option. Autosmash ace face.

just the Rebel bias the game has.

I've faced the stresshog a few times and while a serious threat, I don't see it as OP. However, when building a tournament list, you MUST consider what would happen if you run into a stresshog. My answer is generally to build lists that really don't care about stress.

I don't have issues with the stress bot tactic, Its been in the game since the transport arrived but only recently seen notoriety.

Whilst it may counter aces quite hard, it is no where near as toxic as a large base, 10 HP, fire arc ignoring, asteroid ignoring, range bonus ignoring son of a gun in my opinion.

Now once Imperial Veterans are here and Defenders are double tapping with Tractor and Primary, the Y wing players will complaining that they are killed before they even fire.

it's a very strong piece. I like having it, I disgust being on the recieving end of it when flying aces.

is it too strong? I don't know. what I know:

it shapes the meta.

-my- next list is one that doesn't care about being stressed (as much), my next-next list will be triple defenders once vets hits.

xwing is in a very good state atm. still, the stresshog is choking aces builds out of the game a bit. I'm really unsure if that is good or bad. fact is: it is.

I do admit that the game feels like it has some rebel bias. I'd like to see some imp only stuff again.Scum need more underhanded tricks too. Stress should be their home turf.

Its maneuvering is awful, if it gets a Console Fire it's outright done, it has no red dial, no actions and a forward firing arc. It's usually PS2 too. Just avoid the thing.

Actually stress should be an empire thing

You know, Tarkin approves of stressing whole sectors into submission

I made an article at the onset of wave 5 about stress, and how the stress mechanic may be a valuable mechanic to build into your lists. I made that article because it was honestly not a part of the public perception yet that stress could be a worthwhile addition to your list. Now? It's almost a needed consideration. I find the rapid change amazing and I for one welcome this rebel treat of a control ship.

So the Stress Hog does not have a turret now? The BTL-A4 is the go to thing?

Actually stress should be an empire thing

You know, Tarkin approves of stressing whole sectors into submission

When I think scum, I think kicking sand into someones eye in a fight, or deploying countermeasure/chaff point blank into a following ships cockpit. I think dirty, and underhanded fighting. Rebels and Imperials traditionally use ion cannons to capture ships, but scum need to be dirty. Hence my thoughts on scum/stress.

I almost want to see a scum R2 unit that is ejected forcibly from the back of a y-wing and causes ion, a stress AND A crit for like 5 points as a one user.

It's dickish, evil, horrible to the droid but beautifully scummy and nasty.

So the Stress Hog does not have a turret now? The BTL-A4 is the go to thing?

The bot only works in arc, so you may as well get an extra attack out of the deal.

So the Stress Hog does not have a turret now? The BTL-A4 is the go to thing?

Well, R3-A2 only works in arc, so you might as well lock the turret in position and double stress.

Then it's your choice: TLT for max 2 damage off the turret, along with the stress, or an ICT for instance, for double pain.

I think the main problem is that it limits the fun for players a lot. I see player buy ship like interceptor and others and paint them and get all excited to play them. Then they only come to the store once a month. Because the have to take two buses. Then they get there and face a stress hog list. They get shot at and are missed, but gain two stress and don't get to use the ship the way the game intended. I mean these are aces and have been in numerous combats and battles. Does someone with a ywing and r2 mech really intimidate them when they miss. I think not. I would make it you must hit the enemy for it to gain a stress and once per turn. In fact I would make it so the maximum stress a single ship can put on an enemy per turn is one

This is limiting but allows players to use ships the way the were intended. It requires team work to multiple stress a ship. Team work is a good thing

Actually stress should be an empire thing

You know, Tarkin approves of stressing whole sectors into submission

When I think scum, I think kicking sand into someones eye in a fight, or deploying countermeasure/chaff point blank into a following ships cockpit. I think dirty, and underhanded fighting. Rebels and Imperials traditionally use ion cannons to capture ships, but scum need to be dirty. Hence my thoughts on scum/stress.

I almost want to see a scum R2 unit that is ejected forcibly from the back of a y-wing and causes ion, a stress AND A crit for like 5 points as a one user.

It's dickish, evil, horrible to the droid but beautifully scummy and nasty.

I need you on the next design team. I need these as official cards in my life.

Your Scum R2 card should be an Illicit slot and I think would represent Buzz Droids quite nicely.

Its maneuvering is awful, if it gets a Console Fire it's outright done, it has no red dial, no actions and a forward firing arc. It's usually PS2 too. Just avoid the thing.

that's the whole point of the hog, though:

avoiding it is really, reaaaaally difficult for most aces. assuming -both- players know what they do (which is the vast majority IMO).

it is really easy to point the hog right, really difficult to get out of arc at R3 for the ace. boom, 2 stress.