Hi,

This is my first time posting here. I'm pretty new to x-wing, I’ve been playing for roughly 4 months now in casual matches at my local store.

I generally fly imperial lists, with my standard team being:

Soontir Fel (27)

Push the Limit (3)

Autothrusters (2)

RGT (0)

Stealth Device (3)

Darth Vader (29)

Predator (3)

Tie X/1 (0)

Advanced Targeting Computer (1)

Engine upgrade (4)

Turr Fennir (25)

Push the limit (3)

Total: 100

I'm looking for help against a player at my local store. They've beaten me with the following list a couple of times:

Kath Scarlet (37)

VI (1)

Recon Spec (3)

Engine upgrade (4)

Glitterstim (2)

Boba Fett (38)

VI (1)

Recon Spec (3)

Engine upgrade (4)

Glitterstim (2)

Total: 97

We’re going to have a rematch later this week and I'm hoping to even the odds a bit more. I've been wracking my brain but I just can't figure it out. Could anyone please suggest either some tweaks to my build or a build that could manage this list? I've got access to all of the ships and upgrades through a couple of friends who have been playing for a while now, so nothing's off the table.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Well his initiative bid is taking away your primary bonus. You really wanna be able to move before 1 or both of those firesprays.. Their sides are their most vulnerable. I prefer VI on vader so hes always moving last and firing first that will help you stay out of the firesprays arcs or at least 1 of them. With that said maybe go VI on turr phennir as well that would put u at 96 points giving you initiative. Or if your comfortable with only vader going first you can also put autothrusters on Turrs ship.

Fight fire with fire

I did good beating swarms twice with this list

Mandolornian mercs x2

K4 security droid

Crackshot

Cartel Maurader

Use the Maurader as a blocker and fodder.

I slow roll with the mercs, getting free target lock and use evade action to negate as much dmg as I can

With both sides running big ships be hard for him to arc dodge both of yours plus you have that little ship to get in the way.

Id go for kath first before she shakes her booty at ya

My other suggestion stressbot

Seems like the way to go now a days,

No more boosting for either of them nor Def/off actions, so pick away

Again I always feel kath must die first.

Her backside is nasty

I like the idea of VI Vader and bringing my total down to 96. Plus VI turr can barrel roll or boost before Kath can shoot. Sounds like a plan to me!

I played a couple of games and had good luck with a Vader & Soontir list, but I took two ties to mainly use as blockers, and to help stop them getting arcs on the aces. You could give that a go.

Scum Boba and Kath are well equipped to take on Imperial Aces. There's nothing particularly bad with your squadron, it just needs some precision flying and patience.

Set up the large asteroids in a tight field around the middle of the board. You don't want the Firesprays to have an open lane where they can easily K-turn to re-enter the fight. They don't move well through tight asteroids and you will be able to flank them much better. If they're boosting, they're not focusing, so their attacks will be weaker.

Stay at Range 3 as much as possible. You do not want to get into Range 1 of Boba and trigger his ability. He's nasty up close, that's where he wants it.

They can be particularly vulnerable the turn after Glitterstim, when they are stressed. It's a good opportunity to pounce into Range 1 of Kath's flanks and put some hurt on her. Turr might be a sacrifical lamb if he can score one good block at a critical point.

Good luck with a tough match-up!

Your squadron seems fine, you can change some things like they told you above, but seems solid. For beating Firesprays you need to aim at the sides, they're blind, you need to drive them and exploit with your 2 Advanced TIEs that advantage, so everyone knows that Vader will be primary, so use him as bait until you get good positions, Firespray's dial is good, but it lacks a 1 close maneuver, so your bid is out turning them.

I use that firespray build with minor changes and it's tough to kill, i lost to a squad like yours, it depends on your movement and the initiative bid, if you move last, the firesprays are doomed, and a PS 11 Vader can do that, or a PS 10 Juno for example, Turr Phenir fits perfectly, Maarek Stele is a great pilot to kill Firesprays as well, or even you can go the crazy way and use a Defender paired with a Lambda and Carnor Jax, if you deny the dual focus they can't modify

@Krynn007 I haven't flown large ships enough to feel comfortable with this build. My opponent exclusively flies this list and would be at a major advantage here.

@Pimpbacca I hadn't thought of that. I might try to practice this with a friend tonight.

@TezzasGames thanks, that's some really great advice!

@Anhk Anu how would you slot in Juno or Maarek into this?

Based on everyone's feedback, my new list is looking like this:

Darth Vader (29)
VI (1)
Tie X/1 (0)
Advanced Targeting Computer (1)
Engine upgrade (4)

Soontir Fel (27)
Push the Limit (3)
Autothrusters (2)
RGT (0)
Stealth Device (3)

Turr Fennir (25)
VI (1)

Total: 96

This ensures I can give them initiative and that Soontir & Turr move after Kath, ideally dodging her arcs. Vader gets to go after Boba which should help keep him on the board for longer. The big concern is that they get to shoot first which nullifies Turr's ability. What do you think? I'm hesitant to take initiative as this will likely nerf my overall arc dodging ability with everyone but Turr. Would I be better off swapping Turr out all together if i do give them initiative?

The big concern is that they get to shoot first which nullifies Turr's ability. What do you think? I'm hesitant to take initiative as this will likely nerf my overall arc dodging ability with everyone but Turr. Would I be better off swapping Turr out all together if i do give them initiative?

Yes. VI Turr is practically useless here. You'd be much better off with Omega Leader w/ comm relay + Juke. If you don't have that, then you can take a pair of cheap TIE fighters. 2 Academy pilots leave you enough points to get predator on Vader. Vader at PS9 with predator has two advantages: 1) his damage output increases thanks to predator and 2) you can let Fel shoot first to strip shields so Vader's crit is more likely to strike hull.

You stay at 96 points so get to move after Kath with your aces. Boba moves last, but block him with on academy and the rest of your ships can deal a lot of damage on Boba, or at least force him to pop his stims when he might not want to.

Asteroids: these are critical to win this matchup. Take the biggest rocks and use them to clog up the middle of the board, forcing the firesprays to the outside to avoid landing on rocks. Firesprays that have to fly towards the board edge are much easier to get into their blindspots (the sides of their ship where they can't shoot).

As a general rule, I fly a rebel T-65 X-Wing list. I play the three largest asteroids to force large ships out of the center of the board and focus on one ship at a time. If you're dead set on using Imperials though, I would say that your list should have AT on every interceptor. You also want to focus your maneuvering on the blind spots in the Firespray's flanks. With AT you could also swing in behind as the auxiliary arc wil give you a free evade, so long as you roll a blank. I also agree with Blade that a pair of academies would be better than Turr. You could use the extra two points to give Vader ion pulse missiles which could prove decisive at a critical juncture.

AT won't work in aux arc unless you're at range 3.

I thought that AUx arc worked like a primary weapon turret arc and didn't actually count as a "printed firing arc." I could be wrong, I don't use AT myself or fly the firespray.

Just checked the FAQ. I was dead wrong.

@blade_mercurial I'd love to run Omega Leader with Juke + Comm but that'll bring me to 98 (with vader having predator), forfeiting the right to choose who has initiative.

Two academies sounds like the better option. Overall they have the potential to deal more damage than Turr anyway. I've never flown ships as blockers before, so it'll be an interesting challenge.

I'll let you all know how I go tomorrow night! Knowing my luck they'll probably run a different list haha.

@blade_mercurial I'd love to run Omega Leader with Juke + Comm but that'll bring me to 98 (with vader having predator), forfeiting the right to choose who has initiative.

Two academies sounds like the better option. Overall they have the potential to deal more damage than Turr anyway. I've never flown ships as blockers before, so it'll be an interesting challenge.

I'll let you all know how I go tomorrow night! Knowing my luck they'll probably run a different list haha.

If you want to keep 96, just leave VI on Vader...

Although academies should do the trick if you can guess your opponents moves and put them there first!

That's the real challenge!

Well his initiative bid is taking away your primary bonus. You really wanna be able to move before 1 or both of those firesprays.. Their sides are their most vulnerable. I prefer VI on vader so hes always moving last and firing first that will help you stay out of the firesprays arcs or at least 1 of them. With that said maybe go VI on turr phennir as well that would put u at 96 points giving you initiative. Or if your comfortable with only vader going first you can also put autothrusters on Turrs ship.

I disagree. I would say you want to move after them, to maximise your ability to get outside their arc. Between boost & barrel roll, if you moved last, you should be able to (hopefully) position Fel and Vader in a way to stay out of arc and get a good shot in.

To that end, I'd drop Predator on Vader and replace with VI. And I'd drop Turr completely. What about a Storm Squadron pilot with Accuracy Corrector and Engine Upgrade? Gives you a blocker to try deny actions, and a guaranteed two shots thanks to AC.

Stressing out a firespray is a good plan - with Glitterstim they've still got focus tokens for a turn, but only at the expense of stressing themselves even more. A firespray's green-only dial is kind of garbage, and with Kath players often leave K-turning a turn too late as they want to use her rear guns.

Blocking is good - Firesprays are quite vulnerable to it. If you can dump a ship at about speed two in front of it, just of-centre to one side, you'll block pretty much all it's speed 1-3 straights and banks to that side....and no repositioning boost if it does so.

One warning - go for Kath first. Blocking Boba Fett in the hopes of killing him quickly won't work because he'll respond by popping glitterstim (so he still has focus) and your blocker is giving him a green dice reroll.

Hi guys,

So I’ve narrowed it down to 3 possible choices. I had to pack everything up and take it to work with me this morning so I don’t have access to anything else. I have enough cards to make all of the builds below and an extra PTL & Auto which aren’t used below.

Option 1:

- Darth Vader (29) Predator (3) Engine Upgrade (4) TIE/x1 (0) Advanced Targeting Computer (1)

- Soontir Fel (27) Push The Limit (3) Autothrusters (2) Royal Guard TIE (0) Stealth Device (3)

- Academy Pilot (12)

- Academy Pilot (12)

TOTAL 96

Strategy: 1x Academy tries to keep Boba busy, 1x Academy tries to block Kath, Vader and Fel focus on Kath. Fel always shoots first to try and maximise the benefit for ATC on Vader.

Option 2:

- Darth Vader (29) Veteran Instincts (1) Engine Upgrade (4) TIE/x1 (0) Advanced Targeting Computer (1)

- Soontir Fel (27) Push The Limit (3) Autothrusters (2) Royal Guard TIE (0) Stealth Device (3)

- Omega Leader (21) Juke (2) Comm Relay (3)

TOTAL 96

Strategy: All 3 focus on Kath. Omega Leader could also get a lock on Boba and keep him busy since he’d essentially nerf all of Boba’s rerolls etc.

Option 3:

- Darth Vader (29) Veteran Instincts (1) Engine Upgrade (4) TIE/x1 (0) Advanced Targeting Computer (1)

- Soontir Fel (27) Push The Limit (3) Autothrusters (2) Royal Guard TIE (0) Stealth Device (3)

- Turr Phennir (25) Veteran Instincts (1)

TOTAL 96

Strategy: Again, all 3 focus on Kath. Turr’s main deal here will be to try and stay in the asteroids as, even though he would shoot last, he can then use a barrel roll to reposition for next round.

What do you think of these? To be honest I’m not feeling super confident about any particular list, but I get a better feeling from 1 & 2.

Cheers

Actually I would recommend killing Boba first if you can.

If you get to move last, Soontir or Vader can theoretically solo Kath if you're very good about movement. But they cannot solo Boba, so its better to get him out of the way first as he's your toughest end game matchup.

If you can't get to him first though, don't sweat it. The important thing is to kill one of them as quick as you can. You can still possibly beat Boba if you haven't lost more than two ships (as long as one of them is one of your aces).

I would say the 1st list is the easiest to win with, since it has the most ships.

Haha initiative bidding at its finest eh.

First unless you left something off his bid is 5 pts not 3.

I like list 2 personally although 1 is a close second of the group. On the first you could pile on another VI to get yourself a whopping 6 pt bid lol. Kinda cheesy but whatever.

Otherwise on list 2 go with stealth on OL and call it a day since it has the tools it's just down to how you use em.

After all that we've had to postpone the match until Monday haha. Just my luck

So I still lost, but it was closer than ever! The build worked really well but I misjudged my moves a bit which caused some strife. Definitely will try again sometime with this team.

Thanks again to everyone for your help!