Continuing our series where we re-evaluate the points costs of cards in the current meta, one card category at a time. Just copy the list and insert your own point values.

If you find a card on the list that you have never been interested in taking in competition because it seems too inefficient or too situational, consider the point value that would convince you to try it in a competitive squad and write in that value.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

SCUM HWK-290 PILOTS

Spice Runner 16

Torkil Mux 19

Palob Godalhi 20

Dace Bonearm 23

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

REBEL HWK-290 PILOTS

I'm thinking that scum are fine as is and generic and Roark are good as is for rebels but Kyle and Jan are both 1pts to many.

So:

Kyle 20pts

Jan 24pts

SCUM HWK-290 PILOTS

Spice Runner 13

Torkil Mux 16

Palob Godalhi 20

Dace Bonearm 20

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

REBEL HWK-290 PILOTS

The HWK, as a ship, is broken. Even FFG has stated that the 1 native attack was a mistake. FFG has also stated that they will never release a ship lower than 12 points. So... a base HWK should be 12 points, but only because 8 is not an option.

The HWK is in a weird place. It's not only overcosted, but its weirdly redundant. It's the kind of ship that's hard to adjust the value by just changing the price. That said, given its rather stuck being a limited support ship, Kyle and Jan are hugely overcosted for their support abilities, and I'd think the Moldy Crow title needs a drop as well to successfully operate as a combo piece.

It's a model that's supposed to be providing support through some cool combos. The question isn't so much "what would you pay for Kyle" as, what do you think Kyle + Crow + Recon is really worth? Do I think its worth a point more than Stressbot before even adding the TLT? Absolutely not. That should give you an idea of just how pricey its combos end up being.

That's still probably overpriced on Jan. Her primary issue is that a relatively small increase in damage output isn't remotely worth the dramatic drop in damage output a list suffers by having Jan eat up a third of it.

HWKs are in a weird place because of the TLT and turret pricing. The deserves a thorough re-work. In the meantime:

Spice Runner 16

Correctly priced.

Torkil Mux 19

Correctly priced.

Palob Godalhi 20

Correctly priced.

Dace Bonearm 21

2 point discount, because ion weapons are somewhat overpriced. If all other ion weapons recieved a discount of 1 point, then Dace would be correctly priced at 23 points.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

REBEL HWK-290 PILOTS

Rebel Operative 16

Correctly priced

Roark Garnet 19

Correctly priced. Mux's ability is more powerful, but Roark's has greater range, and he has a PS advantage. They should remain the same price.

Kyle Katarn 20

1 point discount. Kyle's ability is good, but at the end of the day he's still just a HWK pilot.

Jan Ors 23

2 point dicount. Jan is dramatically overpriced, even considering how powerful her ability is.

I would drop Jan another point, but otherwise completely agree.

Can someone please explain how "correctly costed" or "1pt off" can be an answer to this thread?

Can someone please explain how "correctly costed" or "1pt off" can be an answer to this thread?

Isn't that the point of the thread?

The OP asks:

If you find a card on the list that you have never been interested in taking in competition because it seems too inefficient or too situation, consider the point value that would convince you to try it in a competitive squad and write in that value.

3/2/1/4 is the same stat line as the much maligned Kfighter and similar to the Xwing as well. Both are suspicious buys less points than the Hwk. But Turret... Great...but why would you take the hwk when the ywing does it better? The dial + turret holes makes the hwk a pretty tough pick. Lower durability is the nail in the coffin.

Don't get me wrong...I love Torkil and Palob... Still cost way too much for what they bring to the table. A naked hawk is a terrible buy and a loaded hawk is a ywing with a worse dial and more upgrades.

Point for point, no HWKs out perform their ships in their point range. Scum has dragged for so long because 2 of the ships they barrow are overcosted by multiple points AND 2 of their own are in the same boat.

A couple of new, freeish titles, would sort this out easily. I'm sure the HWK would see play all the time if the Moldy Crow title were free, and with a couple of alternatives ("Rotten Raven: Whenever another ship acquires a target lock on you, assign one evade token to yourself" and "Fermented Magpie: When you reveal a straight maneuver, you may perform a free boost action", would improve either durability or speed without being too powerful), there might be a couple of different builds.

I'd definitely run a 26 point Rotten Raven Palob, with Gonk, Dorsal Turret and Crack Shot.

I couple of new, freeish titles, would sort this out easily. I'm sure the HWK would see play all the time if the Moldy Crow title were free, and with a couple of alternatives ("Rotten Raven: Whenever another ship acquires a target lock on you, assign one evade token to yourself" and "Fermented Magpie: When you reveal a straight maneuver, you may perform a free boost action", would improve either durability or speed without being too powerful), there might be a couple of different builds.

I'd definitely run a 26 point Rotten Raven Palob, with Gonk, Dorsal Turret and Crack Shot.

Fermented magpie. Name for my new heavy metal band®

I agree that its too expensive, especially for the unique pilots. I do have a SC List right now with Kyle and i almost already regret trying to get a combo going because its so mcuh points on a weak that that i probably wont be able to protect. I'll see how it will go, but its really expensive. Not for what it does offensively/supportive but for how long it can survive doing that. Almost no support combo is worth it if you can do it only for 2 turns.

Without a fix to the attack stat I'd do this.

SCUM HWK-290 PILOTS

Spice Runner 13

Torkil Mux 19

Palob Godalhi 19

Dace Bonearm 19

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

REBEL HWK-290 PILOTS
Rebel Operative 14
Roark Garnet 19
Kyle Katarn 19
Jan Ors 24

I'd agree with the above. Roark is actually pretty good, and if nothing else they are cheap turrets with crew options. If you want a sturdy multirole ship. The Y-wing is meant for that. HWK is a support ship. It lives and dies by it's crew slot and abilities.

I by no means think that the ship is broken, it has it's uses.

I'd agree with the above. Roark is actually pretty good, and if nothing else they are cheap turrets with crew options. If you want a sturdy multirole ship. The Y-wing is meant for that. HWK is a support ship. It lives and dies by it's crew slot and abilities.

I by no means think that the ship is broken, it has it's uses.

The problem lies in having to use it's slots to make it viable rather than it being viable because of cost and slots. When you are "required" to slap a durabilty upgrade and a turret on it just to start, then you're immediately in direct competition with the Ywing swapping 1 red and 1 green and trading your terrible dial for a crew and lose completely on droid. Last time we had a fairly direct stat comparison but red and green swap (advanced vs. xwing = hwk+hull+ chewie vs. ywing) the price drop is 5 but the hwk with same HP costs 5 more and 2 slots already to make it an even swap! Outside of Vader the advanced still isn't running a muck...

Scumy hwks have it better as they have even better abilities and the illicit slot...still not seeing a ton of play outside of gimmick lists. It's getting better for scum but not by much.

I don't run mine with a durability upgrade. I do run it using it's crew upgrade though. How many space cow pilots don't use their crew?

Some ships need their upgrades. When's the last time you saw Soontir-Fel without PTL+RG.+AT? The HWK is one of those ships, the Y-wing kinda is too. Both really need that turret, both ideally want an astro/crew. Both support but in different ways.

Y-wings are tanks. The HWK is... an uparmoured morris minor with a brengun or two on the top.

It can do it's own thing, but as long as it doesn't pretend to be that tank it's fine.

Even when using its slots, its pretty overcosted. None of its upgrade combinations create anything particularly unique and the cost savings don't come close to making up for the losses you suffer due to the base ship you're building upon. If it had any chance of having a niche, it would have had to come from the unique pilot abilities that should have let it serve as a support ship, but those are all so incredibly overcosted that it just makes the whole situation worse.

I don't run mine with a durability upgrade. I do run it using it's crew upgrade though. How many space cow pilots don't use their crew?

Some ships need their upgrades. When's the last time you saw Soontir-Fel without PTL+RG.+AT? The HWK is one of those ships, the Y-wing kinda is too. Both really need that turret, both ideally want an astro/crew. Both support but in different ways.

Y-wings are tanks. The HWK is... an uparmoured morris minor with a brengun or two on the top.

It can do it's own thing, but as long as it doesn't pretend to be that tank it's fine.

You don't have to run a durability upgrade but then the situation is even worse. Plenty of people prefer their herd with FCS and or Engine or just 21pts of pure white beef...but is it competitive? Usually not and the hwk is many degrees more useless than the shuttle naked: triple the red, 1 less green, double the HP with a more favorable shield/hull ratio, 0 red, double the crew, a systems slot...all for a mere 5pts and large base. A bargin! compared to the hwk. I'd take an FCS+EU shuttle over a TLT+ hull+ chewie hawk for a point more any day...start looking at crew and the shuttle gets even better while the hwk loses durability.

Both support in different ways: ywings and shuttles allow you leverage the points you spend to get more out of those points while the HWK has to spend those points to get to "even" and spending more points to make up for an overcosted ship really only works on Large Based Aces.

Palob Godalhi & Roark Garnet need a name swap.

Palob Godalhi was a member of the resistance against the empire and rebel alliance supporter.

Roark Garnet was a politically neutral smuggler.

Their abilities PS and other stats can stay the same.

In my opinion, the the HWK-290 is the worst ship in the game.

It has the absolute worst primary weapon in the game, it has the 2nd worst dial in the game, and it has one of the most limited action bars in the game. Also, it's durability is far too weak for a ship that can't outrun or outmaneuver its enemies.

The primary weapon value of 1 is particularly egregious (what the hell were they thinking!?!). It's very nearly worthless and leaves the Hawk dependant almost entirely upon it's turret for offense. Unfortunately, the primary weapon's single dice means that most turrets are going to be largely useless on it.

Ion Cannon Turret?: It's already overcosted and only does 1 damage. Might have been decent if the primary weapon threw two dice, but on the Hawk, it limits the turret to a single damaget. Also, because it's limited to range 1-2, it allows enemies to safely snipe away at it from range 3.

Blaster Turret?: Oh god no. Just like the HWK, the blaster turrett is saddled with multiple horrible shortcomings for no apparent reason. The HWK already sucks, this just makes it suck worse.

Autoblaster Turret?: At it's best, this is very situational and only really useful if you've got a sturdy ship with a decent primary weapon to back it up. Unfortunately the Hawk wants to be anywhere but at range 1 of enemy ships.

Dorsal Turret?: This is a little better. It isn't horribly overcosted, doesn't require actions, and even gives you three dice at range 1. The only thing that really sucks about it is that it leaves the HWK nearly defenseless at range 3 (again, the single dice primary weapon really lets it down).

Twin Laser Turret?: Yes, TLT may be the best option, but it's still not a particularly good option that has synergy with the ship. It's range and power are quite good on the right ship (K-wings and Y-Wings). But the HWK, has a crappy primary weapon at range 1 and it's donut hole is very vulnerable since the ship's dial is so bad.

Even worse, the TLT drives up the cost of this already overcosted ship by a whopping six points. This is particularly painful on the "Aces" which have pilot abilties that are also overcosted. Jan Ors with just a TLT is 31 points, nearly 1/3 of your 100pt list. Not only does this reduce the amount of ships you can take in the list (to offset Jan's rather lackluster offense), but it also gives the opponent an easy, soft target that's worth a lot of points.

I think the Dorsal Turret will help the HWK quite a bit. Range three will suck, but at least you're getting three green tie from return fire. But range 1-2 will be tie/awing worthy. At just 3pts it keeps the HWK "reasonable".

Roark + Dorsel + Jan Ors = 24pts

Makes a ship shoot first in any round. Plus provides defense to itself or another. Two support abilities now for just 24pts, and 3 attack turret at range 1 may help keep enemies away (which is what we want in a HWK).

Katarn + Crackshot + Dorsel + Recon Spec = 27pts

One focus to pass, one to keep. Crackshot threatens damage if you wanna come within range 1 of Katarn.

Jan Ors + Decoy + Dorsel + Nien Numb = 31pts

Decoy makes her a two ability support ship now for her hefty cost. Her PS8 can provide more use other places like Red Ace, Red Squad Vets, all bwings except Numb, and all Awings but Tycho, many Xwings. Plus firing last probably benfits her as enemies will have used up focuses, etc. so she may get a damage in. Numb lets her clear the stress from her ability, and opens up the straight 4 as well to get away.

I like Dorsel turret because TLT invited people into range 1. Dorsel will do the opposite, and you get the benefit. Its not a great fix, but its something. I still wish they included 3-4pts for a turret with the Moldy Crow title (similar to advanced title) then Dorsel would be free and TLT would only cost 3-4pts to include.

The primary weapon value of 1 is particularly egregious (what the hell were they thinking!?!).

Blaster Turret?: Oh god no. Just like the HWK, the blaster turrett is saddled with multiple horrible shortcomings for no apparent reason. The HWK already sucks, this just makes it suck worse.

I've long assumed someone was just a little too impressed with the whole Blaster Turret/Moldy Crow/Recon Specialist thing that comes with the ship, but that's the problem with the ship: everything that makes it special is overcosted. The base ship, the pilots themselves, the title it gets, the cards designed to combo on it. They all need a significant trim to make the thing worthwhile.