Rebel x7 Defender: Figuring out what the Ewing needs

By Rakaydos, in X-Wing

Why not a title that gives the effect of Integrated Astromech if you have an R7 droid? That way you get the droid/fighter synergy that fits the fluff and you open up some design space for R7-?? droids of interesting flavors.

Edit: plus add some higher PS generics for about the same cost as the current generics. Who cares if a PS3 pilot becomes obsolete because of a new PS4-5 for 1 point (or 0) more than the 3.

Edited by Sanguinary Dan

Did you read his idea?

If you have an Astromech named R7 equipped,

This would make it impossible to be taken on Corran + R2-D2.....so you don't need to specify a cost limitation...

@OP - I like the ideas. If nothing else, it's outside the box, and fluffy and would be cool to see more R7s, not just on the E-wing, but potentially on the T-70s/Xs as well if the new ones were well designed.

R2-D2 is not named R7 so he is already excluded.

The upgrade doesn't require an Astromech named R7 to be equipped, just for the anti-crit ability to work. Hence you could slap it on Corran Horn with R2-D2 and get a free 2 points.
Read it again. It says if you have an astromech named R7 equipped!

LOL! Ninjad again!

No, the card is equip-able regardless in his original version. You just wouldn't be able to use the ability. He is saying you would have to adjust the card to not allow it to be taken on Corran.

I think the only counter is making Corran lose his MOD slot for -2 points and no ability is actually not all that bad. More often than not, this means he would have to give up Boost. I certainly wouldn't call it a buff for Corran to be slightly cheaper but not have Boost.

Ah. Yea, re-read it and see. I think it would be easier to just make the card only equip-able if you had an R7, then you could leave the cost restriction off and shorten the ability text.

ALA:

MOD. You may only equip this card if you have an astromech with 'R7' in the title or no astromech equipped.

You may ignore one critical result you receive from an attack or obstacle each round.

-2 points

But that turns the E-Wing into a very restricted ship, since it only allows R7 builds. That's why I like the thread creator's original idea: It fixes the E-Wing's cost problem across the board while giving the ship a fluffy bonus when combined with the R7. It doesn't force you to play with a R7, just gives a very cool incentive.

There's nothing wrong with a 2 points discount to the E-Wing as long as it can't be combined with R2-D2. So just add a clause that prevents you from taking an astromech that costs more than 3 points, just like how the TIE Shuttle Title doesn't let you take a crew upgrade that costs more than 5 points.

No, the card is equip-able regardless in his original version. You just wouldn't be able to use the ability. He is saying you would have to adjust the card to not allow it to be taken on Corran.

I think the only counter is making Corran lose his MOD slot for -2 points and no ability is actually not all that bad. More often than not, this means he would have to give up Boost. I certainly wouldn't call it a buff for Corran to be slightly cheaper but not have Boost.

Three lists in the top 16 of Worlds 2015 used Corran without Engine Upgrade. Corran is plenty competitive at his current cost without Engine Upgrade.

Read it again. It says if you have an astromech named R7 equipped!

LOL! Ninjad again!

It says you need an astromech named R7 for the ability to work.

You don't need a R7 to equip the modification in the first place. And the cost of the modification is -2 squad points.

Edited by WingedSpider

A title that reduces the cost of R7 droid sounds fine

A bunch of R7-xx droids that are not health regen. (Other ships could use them too)

R7-01

(Pairs well with baffle)

R7-02

(Pairs well with sensor jams)

R7-03

(Pairs well with adv sensors) (targeting astromech kinda already does)

R7-04

(Pairs well with enhanced scopes)

R7-05

(Pairs well with some new sensor upgrade)

... FCS and accuracy corrector too.

2 new generics with EPT and 2 named pilots would be great.

Edited by GeneticDrift

As thread creator, let me add that this is my preferred fix:

Integrated Systems (system, 0 points)

(droid) named R7 cost 2 less points. If

you equip a droid named R7, you may add

a second droid that must be nonunique,

paying normally. If an R7 droid calls for

spending a TL, Take a free TL action.

So this leads to:

R7T1+R7 for 1 point

R7+R7 for 0 points

R7+R2 for 1 point

R7+Targetting Astromech for 2 points

(future stressful R7)+R2 for 2+ points

(future damage flipping R7) plus R5 for 2+ points

Good Astromechs will help both E-wing and X-wing but it would also help the Y-wing too.

However how much better can you get than R2-D2 and R3-A2 without going broken?

As for the mods, adding an aditional non-unique astromech seems to thematic breaking. Now I know we are talking about a game where Biggs and Jek can fly against Whisper and and a TIE/FO but back to the theme most starfighters with astromech slots have only one astromech not two.

As for the -2 points although a negative point cost is extremely valuable in its own right the ability is well useless as E-wings have only 2 hull so there is only 1 critical hit they have to worry about and that is the first one. Generally if an E-wing is taking damage cards it is already dead.

Edited by Marinealver

"Intuitive Piloting Systems - title Ewing Only - Your upgrade bar gains 1 (EPT) upgrade icon. If you equip a (EPT) upgrade, its squad point cost is reduced by 2 (to a minimum of 0). You cannot equip this upgrade if you already have a (EPT) upgrade icon." (0 cost)

"Coordinated Astromech - Modification Ewing Only - You may preform a free Action: header action from an equipped (Astromech symbol)" (2 Cost)

Edited by CheapCreep

Did you read his idea?If you have an Astromech named R7 equipped,

This would make it impossible to be taken on Corran + R2-D2.....so you don't need to specify a cost limitation...

@OP - I like the ideas. If nothing else, it's outside the box, and fluffy and would be cool to see more R7s, not just on the E-wing, but potentially on the T-70s/Xs as well if the new ones were well designed.

R2-D2 is not named R7 so he is already excluded.

The upgrade doesn't require an Astromech named R7 to be equipped, just for the anti-crit ability to work. Hence you could slap it on Corran Horn with R2-D2 and get a free 2 points.
Read it again. It says if you have an astromech named R7 equipped!

LOL! Ninjad again!

No, the card is equip-able regardless in his original version. You just wouldn't be able to use the ability. He is saying you would have to adjust the card to not allow it to be taken on Corran.

I think the only counter is making Corran lose his MOD slot for -2 points and no ability is actually not all that bad. More often than not, this means he would have to give up Boost. I certainly wouldn't call it a buff for Corran to be slightly cheaper but not have Boost.

Ha ha! I guess I'm the one who needs to read it a little closer!

My idea was to add a Title that lowers Corran's cost. Two sentences would make it work:

"You can only equip this title if your Pilot Skill is 8 or higher. This Title has a negative squad cost."

(Just insert an appropriate name and whatever the math dictates for a fair reduction.)

My idea was to add a Title that lowers Corran's cost. Two sentences would make it work:

"You can only equip this title if your Pilot Skill is 8 or higher. This Title has a negative squad cost."

(Just insert an appropriate name and whatever the math dictates for a fair reduction.)

-35 points or bust

Possible pilots:

PS5
You may spend 1 stress token to add an "Evade" result to your dice pool.

PS6
If you are firing at Range 1 of a target with a secondary weapon, you may turn all (focus) to (Crits)

Sounds nice, but 27-29 point generics...

Equipped with let's just say "not brilliant" droids

the maximum effect you can gain by having doubledroid abilities

is

three Knaves with R7+Targetting astromech+Adv sensor

that's like the MAXIMUM you can get.

K-turn all day

There's a nice little nugget of insight in the OP.

The E-Wing was designed alongside the R7 Astromech series so the two systems could complement each other.

Certain E-Wings are very powerful with Astromechs that aren't from the R7 series

so make some more R7 Astros that synergise really nicely with the characteristics of the E-Wing - even to the point that it might make Corran think twice about R2

Smart idea

I agree, it's not a new idea, but one that at least avoids making Corran a lot stronger.

But it needs to have a significant price decrease and/or effect to it.

I'm not saying we should invaludate the Corran combo, just to present an alternative and a boost to the other pilots!

Oh yeah, speaking of which... The E-wing also needs new pilots!

At this point its kind of hard to figure out, what good it is to take certain generics over another...

Only the EWing generics needs fixin'

At this point its kind of hard to figure out, what good it is to take certain generics over another...

well, with the implementation of EAT THEM ALL PS2 YYYY lists

PS3 is suddenly WORTH the points!

How about a system upgrade called

Advanced Astromech Communication 0pts

If you have an equipped R7 series astromech droid you may use the abilities of all friendly R7 series astromech droids as well as your own. You cannot perform actions except for target lock.

The creativity is strong here, but it's not going to help the E-Wing. It's putting more points into an already-expensive ship, and this combo would require you to at least field a second already-expensive ship with at least another point into an R7 upgrade. Multiple R7 series abilities wouldn't do well enough to get around the base cost of the ship while increasing its capability. It would look more akin to triple Delta Squadrons with Ion Cannons. Durable and somewhat of a threat, sure, but too expensive.

I had another idea, that might fix it.

E-wing/V1

Title -7 pts

Whenever you roll attack dice decrease your agility value by one until the end of the turn. Whenever you roll green dice decrease your primary weapon value by one until the end of the turn.

And improve Advance Astromech Communication

You could just fly a tlt y-wing with a r7 astromech slot...

Advanced Astromech Communication 0pts

If you have an equipped R7 series astromech droid you may use the abilities of all friendly R7 series astromech droids as well as your own. If you used a different astromech's ability this turn, during the end phase receive one stress token.

R7-D12 2pts

You may perform two barrel roll actions

Once per turn after you perform an action, if you do not have a stress token, you may perform a barrel roll action. Then receive one stress token.

Do these changes make them better?

Edited by GreeneScale

Any upgrade involving a 2 point drop will mean your Knave Squadrons drop into spammable territory.

MajorJuggler's post on jousting efficiency


Z-95: 100.0% (reference)

TIE Fighter: 99.3%

X-wing + I.A -1pt: 95.6% (3/2/2/4 @ 21)

B-wing + FCS: 95.3%

Y-wing + TLT + BTL: 94.2%

X-wing + free hull: 94.0% (3/2/4/2 @ 21)

TIE Adv + ACC: 93.9%

A-wing + Refit: 93.1%

B-wing: 92.5%

X-wing + I.A: 92.3% (3/2/1/5 @ 22)

X-wing + I.A: 91.3% (3/2/2/4 @ 22)

Vader + ATC: 90.4%

Kihraxz: 89.7%

X-wing: 86.3%

Y-wing + TLT: 85.7%

Fel + PtL + SD + AT: 85.5%*

Corran + FCS/R2-D2: 83.2% (R2-D2 = +3S)

E-wing: 78.8%

TIE Defender: 77.2%

Well, putting this in context we can see that the optimum joust efficiency for arc dodging combo monsters should be in the 85% range. The E-Wing as it currently stands is marginally more effective than the stock TIE-D, which got a boost up to 104% with the x7 mod (and MJ's calculations have proven to be within 1-2% of the "true" cost-efficiency). That's fine, because the TIE-D is a super jouster. The E-Wing is not a jouster, it's more Rebels wanting the TIE Fighter's green dice and actions. Green dice are fickle and without significant buffs the ship is fragile especially without Autothrusters. If you want to avoid Corranwing, just specify a mod that somehow nerfs his R1 doubletap.

So, with the E-Wing prototype (let's say), for -2 points because of the E-Wing's cruddy avionics - when attacking and defending you are always considered to be at Range 2, regardless of distance. So no APTs (gee what a loss) but you can use PTs at point blank range, Autothrusters are moot anyway. Just a suggestion. Specifying only R7 astromechs - I don't know, I don't like the E-Wing being forced into fewer options especially when the torp slots are effectively points wasted in the costing.

The other direction is to make every E-Wing a Corranwing lite and make his skill a little more redundant. Example - you may fire PTs (only PTs) in the End phase. Or, fire twice at -1 and then not be able to fire again. Otherwise, an E-Wing is really just a dodgy, expensive B-Wing in all departments.

Edited by Lampyridae

Systems Integration - system upgrade - E-wing only - 0 points.

If you equip any R7 series Astromech, reduce its squad point cost by 2 ( maybe 3?) to a minimum of 0.

Because Corran neither wants to lose his system slot, nor take an R7 series 'mech, this isn't a particularly attractive proposition for him.

In contrast, the generics are pricey enough naked, you don't really want to fill expensive upgrade slots, so losing the system slot in order to gain a cheap/free 'mech might well be worth it - providing there are some new, worthwhile R7s to choose from.

Sensor slot is something you WANT to equip.

they are all worth their points.

Huh, what do you know, an E-Wing fix that I actually like.

I wish we actually saw more MJ values in the forums. I haven't come across one of his math posts in a year. :(. Are they on his private website or nova or covenant or something?

Or he did get a letter of love and friendship from the Devs that vaguely told him that this isn't the knowledge to be wide-known...

Sensor slot is something you WANT to equip.

they are all worth their points.

Are they?

Lets take a look in the context of a 27 point PS1 generic.

Enhanced scopes - allows a PS1 ship to move first ....... basically useless

Fire Control System - I'll grant you that one.

Accuracy Corrector - An AC, TIE Mkii Tempest has an extra hull point, a dial that is superior in almost every respect, higher PS, and is 8 points cheaper. Similar situation for AC B-Wings.

AC works best when you Spam it - 4 AC Bs or 4 AC TiE Adv is solid - the maximum number of E-Wings you can fit is 3.

It's not a bad system upgrade but it's hardly a go-to choice for the E-Wing when other ships use it so much better.

Advanced Sensors - a PS1 ship is going to be getting it's action pretty much every turn without needing to use Adv sensors (K-Turns notwithstanding) - on that kind of ship it has only marginally greater utility than Enhanced Scopes - at a 2 point premium.

Sensor Jammer - actually quite good on generics - but expensive.

So in terms of released cards, we've got just 1 system upgrade that is really worth putting on a Knave without being prohibitively expensive.

and I can definitely say Targetting astromech is a greatest buddy of Adv sensor, actually reversing the PTL-AdvSensor combo upside-down

sensor jammer is extra effective for stripping focus tokens from higher-PS enemies (force that Vader spend his focus!)

and super-effective against TLTs (but hell too expensive on generics, you definitely are right)

FCS is nice, but keeping a foe in sight for a couple of turns in a row is PROBLEMATIC for low-PS ship with limited dial.

AC? never loved it anyway

Scopes? Deathrain-only shenanigan, I'm afraid

the new kill-yourself sensor? I'd say it sycks scyks.

Knave? Who wants to be PS1 in a world where PS2 is so abundant?

Edited by Warpman