I see so many X-wings take integrated astromech, but I just don't understand the strategy here. If I'm equipping BB-8 or R2-D2, or any other astromech for that matter, I want to be able to continue using them. When and where do I actually use the integrated astromech?

Is it just for emergencies, like if I'm down to 1-2 hull and I need to survive one more round or do people use it early on to mitigate damage?

Is it just for emergencies, like if I'm down to 1-2 hull and I need to survive one more round or do people use it early on to mitigate damage?

R2D2 doesn't help you if you're dead.

You use it exactly when you would die otherwise, buying you a turn that you otherwise wouldn't have had.

Hull upgrade is three points. Put integrated astro with a one point R2 Astro and it's basically the same thing, just two points cheaper.

Is it just for emergencies, like if I'm down to 1-2 hull and I need to survive one more round or do people use it early on to mitigate damage?

R2D2 doesn't help you if you're dead.

In short, yes, it is only for emergencies. You only spend it in one of two cases:

1. You would otherwise be destroyed and it will save you. It's better to have a ship with no Astromech than a dead ship with one.

2. You receive a terrible crit. And bit necessarily just one that's bad in general like a direct hit, even though you should consider popping it if you get a DH, but one that is particularly bad at a given point in the game. IE maybe you just Pushed the Limit, and a turret gives you a Thrust Control Fire. Might seem like a waste at first, but next turn it might be critical that you have an action. Etc. Point is, it's very important that you remember that you are allowed to look at the crit before you discard it.

Yes. Emergencies only. And you will, unfortunately, play that game where you have 2 Hull left and suffer 3 damage, so IA is ineffective. But hey, it's free. And it WILL save you. Most of the time.

Hull upgrade is three points. Put integrated astro with a one point R2 Astro and it's basically the same thing, just two points cheaper.

No. Integrated Astromech is at minimum 1 pt. Shield Upgrade. Shield Upgrade is 4 points. You use IA on crits that would otherwise kill you most of the time.

Hull upgrade is three points. Put integrated astro with a one point R2 Astro and it's basically the same thing, just two points cheaper.

With the additional benefit of green one and two speed maneuvers! And it doesn't use your MOD spot! Heck of a deal!

Hull upgrade is three points. Put integrated astro with a one point R2 Astro and it's basically the same thing, just two points cheaper.

With the additional benefit of green one and two speed maneuvers! And it doesn't use your MOD spot! Heck of a deal!

Integrated Astromech DOES use your modification slot.

And it doesn't use your MOD spot! Heck of a deal!

Except the part where it, like, totally does...

Integrated Astro fixes the x-wing. It's essentially a free shield for a lesser PS and an insurance policy for a higher PS. You try to add any more to this ship and it will start to become under-priced.

You basically only use it as a 'last hit point'. Part of why it's kinda 'meh' imo, because if you had to throw out your trash can to live, you're now worse off and probably dead from the next attack anyway.

You basically only use it as a 'last hit point'. Part of why it's kinda 'meh' imo, because if you had to throw out your trash can to live, you're now worse off and probably dead from the next attack anyway.

Which is better than being dead from the last attack!

You basically only use it as a 'last hit point'. Part of why it's kinda 'meh' imo, because if you had to throw out your trash can to live, you're now worse off and probably dead from the next attack anyway.

Or you survive to attack one or more times and take another ship(s) fire/tokens. Staying on the board is always good. They even have to account for Integrated astromech on weather to use focus/TL. It is good.

You basically only use it as a 'last hit point'. Part of why it's kinda 'meh' imo, because if you had to throw out your trash can to live, you're now worse off and probably dead from the next attack anyway.

Which is better than being dead from the last attack??

better how? you still die.

And if not, you're limping along with no droid, no ways to dodge arcs, and one action.

Integrated is great- it's a lot better than a hull-upgrade, and honestly it's better than a shield upgrade, since it won't be "wasted" on just a hit- you WILL be able to block a crit with it, or lethal damage. It's pretty much a floating shield that you can throw in front of whatever damage you don't want to die from. Also, using it to block things like "take your PS10 Wes Janson and remove the 1 from his pilot skill," is SO useful.

It has also resulted in players having to use Crackshot to guarantee the death.

It's saved me loads. As you choose when you get the card dealt. So if you have 2/3 hull left but the card is a direct damage, or another awful crit, you can throw it out and still be on 2/3 hull. And by that point, the droid you took probably won't be doing as much anyway.

better how? you still die.

No, you may die but you're not dead. That means you can maybe get another shot off and you may last another round or three even.

you're limping along with no droid, no ways to dodge arcs, and one action.

T-65's have very few ways to dodge arcs short of BB-8 or EU, but T-70's don't need one to boost, and losing your droid doesn't remove PtL so you still have as many actions as you did before.

But even losing BB-8 is preferable to losing BB-8 and the X-Wing itself.

Maybe you die next turn. Or maybe you bump, or it's the last turn, or you fly past your attacker and run the rest of the game, or you get to shoot (and -gasp- possibly kill something) before you die, or maybe.......Who knows? Lots of possibilities - none of which would be possible if you just died.

On the board, regardless of how crippled your ship might be, is better than off the board/dead. Every. Single. Time.

Especially at events, as that's 20+ points of yours not on the score sheet.

You basically only use it as a 'last hit point'. Part of why it's kinda 'meh' imo, because if you had to throw out your trash can to live, you're now worse off and probably dead from the next attack anyway.

It can also be used for crits outside of your 'last hit point'. Maybe you're lined up with a range 1 shot on a target and a higher PS shoots you and you end up with a blinded pilot crit. You can chuck your droid to still be able to get a shot.

You basically only use it as a 'last hit point'. Part of why it's kinda 'meh' imo, because if you had to throw out your trash can to live, you're now worse off and probably dead from the next attack anyway.

Which is better than being dead from the last attack??

better how? you still die.

And if not, you're limping along with no droid, no ways to dodge arcs, and one action.

Better because it means they have to shoot that ship again, instead of shooting one of your OTHER ships that you want to keep alive also. And as ohter people have said, if you can get even 1 more shot yourself out of the deal, even better.

I've been flying three T-65s lately, with Cracken, in formation. It's a fun list, and I can say that Integrated has saved my bacon NUMEROUS times. Sometimes it just prolongs your ship's life for one more round, but it's been enough to allow me to take down or do more damage to enemy ships before my ship dies. Other times, I've bought myself a few rounds of bugging out, and while my opponent is trying to hunt down the near-dead-T-65, his buddies get in some shots.

IA isn't the best on T-70s, but it's solid help for the T-65.

I ran 4 relatively basic x wings to see how it felt compared to 4 B wings which I'm more accustomed to and it was way more durable.

Luke w/ r5p9, Tarn w/ r7, 2 rookies w/ r2

Integrated is also just pretty flexible, if you don't give a toss about the pilot

for example, I was flying Wedge ptl + bb8 with 3 Rookies w/r2; integrated everywhere

we get into this fix

Nera's fit to die, but she slaps a blinded pilot to the forward rookie (on his first damage card, no less)

"**** that!," I say, and pop goes the integrated (and down goes nera)

The only reason I could see someone not taking IA, is because they either have another modification they want, or there isn't room for a 1 point astromech.

Lets look at the mod's you might want to take on a X-Wing.

Stealth Device is a waste of points for the most part. Targeting Computer is redundant, Munitions Failsafe and Guidance Chips are only useful if you have munitions. Experimental Interface only works with R7-T1 or R2-F2.

Both Shield and Hull upgrade are effectively inferior to IA because IA costs 0 points, So that leaves Engine Upgrade. So there's one mod that is even remotely a contender for that slot.

In the other case, not enough points for a R2... if that's true you're not going to put EU on that X anyway.

The only reason I could see someone not taking IA, is because they either have another modification they want, or there isn't room for a 1 point astromech.

Lets look at the mod's you might want to take on a X-Wing.

Stealth Device is a waste of points for the most part. Targeting Computer is redundant, Munitions Failsafe and Guidance Chips are only useful if you have munitions. Experimental Interface only works with R7-T1 or R2-F2.

Both Shield and Hull upgrade are effectively inferior to IA because IA costs 0 points, So that leaves Engine Upgrade. So there's one mod that is even remotely a contender for that slot.

In the other case, not enough points for a R2... if that's true you're not going to put EU on that X anyway.

What about sayy... Luke with R2D2? The Shield Upgrade can be reneged by R2 in this case, whereas the extra hit point from IA comes at the cost of giving up Regen forever. Meaning you're gonna die very soon after R2.