Given Mathwing data that the new Imperial Veterans will bump TIE/Ds into an efficiency rating that completely invalidates even the Academy Pilot swarm...I think it's time to revisit the old swarm and see what could be done to provide value to those lower-PS generic pilots.

IMHO, the simplest solution (without printing new upgrade cards or re-pricing them) would be a rules change along the lines of the Phantom nerf - change how something they are particularly good at works within the game system.

In this case, causing bumps of aces. The one...*cough*... "ace" that the generic pilot still has up its sleeve.

The new tokens that come with the K-Wing provide the easiest way to do that. Simply change the 'Overlapping ships' rules:

... The ship must skip its “Perform Action” step this round. Additionally, place a 'weapon disabled' token on the moving ship.

• While a ship is touching another ship, those ships cannot attack each other. They can still attack enemy ships that they are not touching. The ship that was overlapped can attack enemy ships that it is not touching.

...or is that too much of a buff? Certainly thematically sound - after all, if a pilot is jerking the controls to avoid a collision so hard that they miss their action phase in a round, I don't really think it's logical that they are able to get a shot on anyone, nevermind the ship they nearly just hit.

(Of course, what to do about Arvel, then...)

not so much a buff for generics as much as a buff to jumpmasters and yt-2400s capable of forming a big traffic jam of "**** you" versus higher ps swarms

not so much a buff for generics as much as a buff to jumpmasters and yt-2400s capable of forming a big traffic jam of "**** you" versus higher ps swarms

Jumpmasters and YT-2400s are priced such that they are already half your list. Currently hitting them will usually mean you have no target to shoot at, so it's not that huge a change for those.

It's a big difference for swarms, though, where a single generic is a tiny fraction of your list cost, and forcing a collision can provide some relief for the rest of your generics (or your own aces) from a turn of enemy fire. Should definitely keep the enemy cautious about closing range with them, for example. Setting up 'control zones' where the enemy is afraid to go because of ease of your forcing collisions there. etc.

dealwithit.gif

not so much a buff for generics as much as a buff to jumpmasters and yt-2400s capable of forming a big traffic jam of "**** you" versus higher ps swarms

Jumpmasters and YT-2400s are priced such that they are already half your list. Currently hitting them will usually mean you have no target to shoot at, so it's not that huge a change for those.

It's a big difference for swarms, though, where a single generic is a tiny fraction of your list cost, and forcing a collision can provide some relief for the rest of your generics (or your own aces) from a turn of enemy fire. Should definitely keep the enemy cautious about closing range with them, for example. Setting up 'control zones' where the enemy is afraid to go because of ease of your forcing collisions there. etc.

generic jumps and yts are nowhere near half your list

and the problem with the idea is that swarms are more affected as they're far more likely to bump each other, especially if the opponent gets one ship in a good position and ends up causing a traffic jam

and the problem with the idea is that swarms are more affected as they're far more likely to bump each other, especially if the opponent gets one ship in a good position and ends up causing a traffic jam

Hrm - I guess I consider penalizing the sort of flying that leads to that kind of traffic jam as another win, but...

Okay, let's say the OP is too powerful a proposal. (And, in any case, as noted, I didn't have a solution for Tycho, anyway)

How about this as a toned-down version of a buff for forcing collisions...

Add a bullet point to the 'overlapping ships' section that is simply:

• Ships whose bases are in contact count as 'obstacles' to each other for purpose of determining whether a shot is obstructed.

Way too much of a buff.

The Academy swarm is dead, may it RIP. The Academies themselves are still great, especially if you only have 12 points to spare on your list, but any more than that and you owe it to yourself to start looking at Crackshot Blacks or Wampa to fill space instead.

not so much a buff for generics as much as a buff to jumpmasters and yt-2400s capable of forming a big traffic jam of "**** you" versus higher ps swarms

Jumpmasters and YT-2400s are priced such that they are already half your list. Currently hitting them will usually mean you have no target to shoot at, so it's not that huge a change for those.

It's not half your list when it's a 33 point blocker with intimidation, intel agent and ion projector or APL. I'd happily take an addition to those that means ships that bump me can't shoot ANYTHING either.

It also outright kills builds with a low number of high-PS ships. Brobots would be nearly unplayable.

Too much of a buff. There is another option. #Lips Sealed

Also, technically the /x7 title is more efficient from strictly a jousting perspective than the TIE/D, since the jousting #s don't include the value of getting an ion or tractor beam yank on a target.

Yeah please playtest and have juggles give us a math report. I expect him to show his work this time too.

I've never thought the whole strategy of intentionally trying to get rammed was one of the better aspects of the game's engines. I'd be surprised if it was a feature that FFG would like to go out of their way to enhance, honestly.

Way too much of a buff.

The Academy swarm is dead, may it RIP. The Academies themselves are still great, especially if you only have 12 points to spare on your list, but any more than that and you owe it to yourself to start looking at Crackshot Blacks or Wampa to fill space instead.

Way too much of a buff.

The Academy swarm is dead, may it RIP. The Academies themselves are still great, especially if you only have 12 points to spare on your list, but any more than that and you owe it to yourself to start looking at Crackshot Blacks or Wampa to fill space instead.

It's so dead that it recently won a 52-person Store Championship and placed second in another, 60-person one.

The über-defender isn't out yet, but il will kill it, along with any other jouster lists so far.

I agree that generic pilots could use a buff (especially imperial ones), but this is not the way to do it. Better to introduce fixes through new cards. Chardaan refit seems to have worked wonders, bringing both generic and unique A-Wings into tournament lists. Although fixes for imperial ships have not been as successful in breathing life into non unique pilots.

My prediction for Imperial Veterans is that it will make Vessery awesome, but we will not see many Deltas or Onyxes at top tables.