Before Worlds last year only Miranda was seen flying a bit. Then at Worlds the triple K 'Danger Zone' list brought in TLT tactician Wardens which have since been seen popping up a lot in Store Champs list. And a 4 Warden list with autoblaster turrets won a Store Champs somewhere. Last weekend I won a store tournament (8 people) with 3 Wardens with seismics and Conners.

When K-Wings were announced and released, I don't remember there being this much excitement and now they are appearing everywhere with success.

On a power creep note, compare the Warden with the Contracted Scout. For only 2 points more the Scout gets an extra agility for those 9 health points (but does give up half health).

I dunno. Huge pain in the ass to play against tho, I can tell you that much.

They are kinda like minivans, not sexy at all but are super utilitarian.

I think they did a good job of making a ship with at least three pilots that do three or four different things well. Miranda can move with the aces and can be kitted out several different ways. Eskage has a plate of focus cookies available for others to use, and the Warden Squad can be an effective ordinance boat or tank TLT platform.

Versatility for competitive cost.

And a card that everyone now 'has to have' means it propagated quickly.

It's not that it suddenly became good, and more that it took time for it to develop in the meta. TLT has forced changes in lists, and playing style has evolved further. It sits comfortably in a niche it's carved for itself as an adaptable ship which is both tanky, and maneuverable, while remaining fairly dangerous thanks to its multitude of upgrade options.

The rebels love toolkit ships, and it's hard to be any more of a toolkit than the K-wing.

Before Worlds last year only Miranda was seen flying a bit. Then at Worlds the triple K 'Danger Zone' list brought in TLT tactician Wardens which have since been seen popping up a lot in Store Champs list. And a 4 Warden list with autoblaster turrets won a Store Champs somewhere. Last weekend I won a store tournament (8 people) with 3 Wardens with seismics and Conners.

When K-Wings were announced and released, I don't remember there being this much excitement and now they are appearing everywhere with success.

On a power creep note, compare the Warden with the Contracted Scout. For only 2 points more the Scout gets an extra agility for those 9 health points (but does give up half health).

Because if they have TLT's they function as fat PWT's. They don't have croissants like HWK's and Y-Wings do. That is why they're in reality good.

Saying that they're inefficient compared to the TLT Y-Wing is like saying Soontir is inefficient compared to an Alpha Squadron Pilot.

Contracted Scout is a better ORS, that's for sure. Warden Squadron is a better ORS. 4 Contracted Scouts may be a decent list but they won't have the autoblasters that a quad K list would. Compared to the ORS it's power creep, but the Contracted Scout is balanced with most of the rest of the game. ORS just sucks, or at the very least is very niche. I'd run an ORS with 6 Bandits but that's about it.

K-wings are just so adaptable, whether as dedicated bombers, TLT gunships and torpedo/missile boats. So many crew upgrade options, the list is endless.

I like flying a list purely of K-wings, but K-wings work well with an A-wing escort.

I hardly see them. In the group I play with, I don't think anyone uses them. I saw them a lot at first, now it's only once in a while.

They were always good. It just took Danger Zone to make people realize it.

3 TLT's (K wings) will lose to 4 TLT's (Y wings). When the TLT meta began, K wings were passed for the cheaper alternative.

Amazingly, some ships need some time for people to figure out. And for the meta to shake out a bit.

Shocking, I know, but all of our analysis of stuff months before hand can change.

People learnt how to utilise slam + blocking to prevent target foucusing properly?

Miranda with TLT and C3PO was pretty well-represented at worlds. I suspect the Warden with TLT and tactician caught on immediately after for reasons mentioned above.

No idea why Autoblaster Wardens have just started popping up.

(...)

When K-Wings were announced and released, I don't remember there being this much excitement and now they are appearing everywhere with success.

(...)

My impression back then was it was already there clearly declared as the by far best ship of wave 8, partly better than the Hound's tooth (which since then also is appreciated more, as a S&V toolbox, esp crew options), whereas the other two where received as more "meh"

No idea why Autoblaster Wardens have just started popping up.

1. VS aces: cause you can slam to range 1 to the aces, ok take some beating for 1 turn, which you dont care about due to having 9hp each, then even try to block em, and put 1-2 autoblasters in da face. Cause he may barrel roll, boost or whatever to dodge 1,2 maybe ever 3 of them but if you open right there is no way to dodge 4 autoblasters turret even for soontir. Kill soontir/poe/jake/vader/guri whoever then just do the chore of cleaning rest.

2. VS Control/stressbot: Wow. No slam on 1 warden. So scary.

3. VS Swarm: You got turrets he dont. Slam past and have fun watching enemy turning that block of fighters around while you autoblast or PWT them one by one.

4. Fat turret: this i thing can deal some pain to 4xK list due to fact that +wingman it can almost kill 1k a turn but autoblasters disable C3PO and Kenkinr/Emperor combo so skill matchup here.

Mostly thats why. Its pretty universal list that has no obvious weak matchups in current meta.

They were always good. It just took Danger Zone to make people realize it.

You just had to say that, didn't you?

Picked up a K-Wing on Wave 7's release; haven't used it yet as I've been all-in with the Scum. It certainly seems to be finding it's role, though.

Contracted scout is not power creep

Large base = large target; fat ass to run aground on rocks

Base size matters a huge deal

K-wings have a ridiculously obvious weakness. I've solo'ed them with Jake.

K-wings have a ridiculously obvious weakness. I've solo'ed them with Jake.

Interesting. I just won a match with 2 Warden K-wings and Gemmer Sojan against Jake/Miranda/Poe List. IMO TLT K-Wings with intelligence agents (1 on each) and conner nets are some very serious threat to aces.

Just wait till Sabine conners

I with the Punisher was as useful and competetive

It was close but, I just lost a tournament vs 3 K-wings with TLTs.

TLT+Tactician, sturdy hull, SLAM for blocking, dial better than the other crew+turret, primary turret for not sucking against boosters

and Miranda

You know how. Being rebel.

I think mostly because people didn't think it was that good based on the previews and the look of the ship.

Then suddenly everyone woke up to the builds you could do with it.