I decided to experiment with a couple of different squad lists involving multiple Scum HWK-290's ... and I keep losing ships and/or matches due to the lack of green movements on the HWK dials. The Moldy Crow title card is great, but I really think the HWK-290 needs a second available unique title card (similar to how the Firespray and Tie Defender have -- or will have -- multiple title cards) to add green movements to the dial.

My suggestion is another unique title card (so only 1 per squad list) called "Smuggler Ace" that makes all straight and bank maneuvers green maneuvers.

A HWK with this title is still limited to movements in ranges 1-4, it still won't have a K-turn, it still only has white hard turns at range 2, but a HWK with this title won't have any red maneuvers (unless they get an unfortunate crit).

I don't think this title card would be OP or game-breaking because the HWK still has limited movement options and is still a fragile ship with the weakest main weapon in the game. However, this suggested title card will give one HWK more ways to shed stress and be "a little" less predictable and less vulnerable to stress.

Is this a good idea or am I missing an obvious problem that makes this suggested title card a game-breaking addition?

I'd almost rather it be a modification so it didn't negate the existing title card. Actually, I wouldn't mind at all if it was one of those "blatant fix" things, and was just something like a straight up -1/-2 point cost card that required you take the Moldy Crow title card with it.

I think in general it takes an awful lot to make the HWK OP. Anything obviously needs playtesting, but there's little I'd balk at outright.

It would be an appropriate thing for the Crow to have, since it should be quicker from a lore perspective.

Nothing especially wrong with the HWK, except for the fact that if you want to use it as a turret platform, you can upgrade to a Y-Wing for the cost of 2 points and 1 agility. What that 2 points and 1 agility buys you is: 2 shields, 1 hull, and an improved dial, which is generally a very beneficial trade.

It's just being out shined, unless you have some really special purpose for the crew slot. It's pretty much what the B-Wing did to the X-Wing. At least in that instance the B-Wing had the decency to have the inferior dial, although you could argue that the B-Roll more than made up for it.

HWKs are okay as is and don't need to be fixed. But some more options would be great. Off the top of my head:

Because 1 Attack Die Is Silly: I'd like to see a 0-point HWK-only turret upgrade that provides a cannon slot. (Swap turret for cannon.)

K-Tarn: A 1-point HWK-only illicit that can be discarded to perform a red 3-sloop when you reveal a 4-straight maneuver.

Engine Upgr-- Um, I Mean Improvement: A 2-point HWK-only modification that adds boost to your action bar, and then gives you an ion token immediately after you boost.

Rhymer? Traitor!: An expensive, high PS HWK pilot with Rhymer's exact ability (increase or decrease secondary weapon range by 1).

I love my HWKs, and don't think they need a fix; but I would LERVES some additional titles for varieties' sake.Especially since I've made some personal modifications to most of my HWKs.

I usually refute HWK "Fixes"

But screw it, its engine is stupidly sluggish. The YT-1300 is more agile, and that's just plain dumb.

The best HWK fixes I can recommend are cleaning off the carbon scoring, and welding on replacement armour plates.

And that's just because I see them as such a potential danger I shoot them first.

Beep Boop Boop: A Rebel HWK-only crew card that adds an astromech slot. (Swap crew for droid.)

"Thunderphoenixer": A unique Scum 1-point HWK-only title that adds a torpedo slot and a bomb slot.

"Smugglerer": A unique Rebel 2-point HWK-only title that adds 1 shield and the evade action.

Beep Boop Boop: A Rebel HWK-only crew card that adds an astromech slot. (Swap crew for droid.)

"Thunderphoenixer": A unique Scum 1-point HWK-only title that adds a torpedo slot and a bomb slot.

"Smugglerer": A unique Rebel 2-point HWK-only title that adds 1 shield and the evade action.

These are neat! The HWK got screwed over three ways; a primary weapon with 1 die (what were they thinking!?), bad survivability (1 shield, 4 hull, 2 agility), and the worst maneuver dial in the game (why was this necessary!?). The lackluster action bar doesn't help either.

The elite pilots have some really nice abilities, but the Hawk goes down fast if your enemy decide to kill it. The low survivability is a real problem considering that the aces cost 1/3 of your points (well Roarke is 1|4), and is a fat chunk of easy points. At least if it was faster or had boost it could maybe evade enemies coming after it, but with red 4s, it can't outrun anything.

I'm really hoping that a fix for the HWK addresses at least a few of these deficiencies.

+1 shield and +1 attack die is what the HWK is lacking IMO.

I can live with them only having 1 primary, as they can have nice support abilities and turrets.

4hull+1shieldbehind2agi is also same stability like e.g. the Khiraxz.

But their dial is so totally ***ed up. Esp. if comparing to pancakes. And that's really ill-fitting with the lore.

They have more green than an Y, but otherwise...you just cannot turn around without being totally predictable. And really slow straights on top of that

Eliminate all red and replace them with green?

That would make Jan Ors happy.

Really, just take her with Wired and a TLT along with some other aces, lets toss Ezra on there as well. Nice.

Dace as well. And that's just the basic ones, not taking stuff like PtL or EH into account.

HWKs are okay as is and don't need to be fixed. But some more options would be great. Off the top of my head:

Because 1 Attack Die Is Silly: I'd like to see a 0-point HWK-only turret upgrade that provides a cannon slot. (Swap turret for cannon.)

K-Tarn: A 1-point HWK-only illicit that can be discarded to perform a red 3-sloop when you reveal a 4-straight maneuver.

Engine Upgr-- Um, I Mean Improvement: A 2-point HWK-only modification that adds boost to your action bar, and then gives you an ion token immediately after you boost.

Rhymer? Traitor!: An expensive, high PS HWK pilot with Rhymer's exact ability (increase or decrease secondary weapon range by 1).

Maybe a title that allows to attack out of arc and if in arc adds 1 attack dice.

For me the problem is that it almost always needs an expensive upgrade, e.g. Turret.

This practically makes the cost for an ion/tlt +5/+6 costs for a compettive turret. For that price it has to compete with more efficient, better option like the Y-wing. The crew upgrade makes it unique, so most people also equip a crew, so thats another 2-3 points.

Bottom line: if you decide to field a HWK, you have to spen +7 to 8 points to make it viable. And thats a bit too expensive for what it brings to the the table, regarding how easy it is to kill and outmanoeuver it. I really love the ship tough and fly it often. When it goes down really quick, I almost always regret the 25-28 points I have spent on it.

Well, the Dorsal Turret adds some options there.