Since triple JumpMaster Torpedo boats seems to be the new black, I thought I would take a look at some options for countering it. It seems to me like Defenders with some of the new tools from the Imperial Veterans box look like a good counter on paper.

32 Onyx Squadron pilot, x7 Title, Autothrusters

32 Onyx Squadron pilot, x7 Title, Autothrusters

35 Glaive Squadron Pilot, x7 Title, Juke, Autothrusters

99 Total

With 2 Evade tokens, 3 Agility and Autothrusters, each Defender should be able to absorb a 4-point hit on the crucial first volley without taking damage. Granted a savy opponent will try and concentrate his fire but even so, you will be unlucky to actually lose a ship to the opening salvo.

Once the opening salvo has passed, you have to try and deny him easy targets. Run rings around him with those white K-turns and try to avoid getting 1 ship in a position where it can be torpedoed by more than 1 U-boat in a single round. Use barrel rolls to stay out of arc where possible as avoiding a torpedo shot entirely is probably better than an extra Evade dice.

Once your opponent has run out of torpedos, keep up the good work to stay out of arc and keep chipping away at those Jump Masters. With 3 agility and autothrusters, a 2-dice PWT is going to struggle to make a mark against the Defenders. Be patientand you should nibble away at those big toilet seats much faster than he damages the Defenders.

The cost of the Glaive is still TBC but even if it costs 34 points instead of 33, you can still fit it in. Juke provides your "ace" with an extra offensive edge without compromising your defense and at a PS where you know you will be shooting first.

PS is marginal since both Onyx squadron and Contract Scouts are PS3. You have only 1 point for an initiative bid so you will need to try and judge whether to shoot first or move first.

Alternatively, accept that you will be flying lower PS ships and switch the Onyx squadron pilots for Deltas. That gives you more points to spend on your "ace". You could upgrade the Glaive to Rexlar or or Marek giving you more solid offensive boosts.

Defenders can not take Autothrusters, as the ship needs the boost action to equip them. It's why you never see Vader with Autothrusters either

Defenders can not take Autothrusters, as the ship needs the boost action to equip them. It's why you never see Vader with Autothrusters either

Doh!

This is what I get for trying to theory-craft lists sitting traffic before my morning coffee. Quite right indeed.

In that case, 3 Juking, x7 Glaives might be better. You will take a little more damage on the way in but at least you can be guaranteed to shoot first (and ask question later) as well as having a slightly higher damage output.

With the points to spare you may be able to chuck a tractor beam or two in there for the ability to reposition ships to get yourself out of arc, what with the lack of autothrusters for the defense dice - if you can even tractor large ships?

With the points to spare you may be able to chuck a tractor beam or two in there for the ability to reposition ships to get yourself out of arc, what with the lack of autothrusters for the defense dice - if you can even tractor large ships?

The x7s lose the cannon upgrade slot. You could run /Ds instead for the double shooting but during playtesting, I have found the action economy and boosted defence of the free Evade token is golden. Combine with Juke and you have an offensive bonus too that is independent of actions.

Double shooting with Defenders is potentially very useful but against U-boats there is a very real risk that you will lose a Defender to the opening torpedo salvo without the extra Evade token(s).

Cannon Defenders will definitely be a thing but I am not sure they are the right solution to this particular problem. Tractor beams don't seem to be much good against large ships and ion cannons require 2 hits to affect them. Flechette cannons are a possibility as the target will need to pull a green next round if they want to fire their torpedoes again.

I was thinking recently about defending from the uboat salvo and came to 2 conclusions:

-Ship needs to be agile enough to make those 3+ hits into 1 most 2.

-Ship needs to be durable enough to take those hits that pass the evades face and still be spaceworthy.

And defender came up as obvious choice. Then it just comes to v7 vs d? I thing v7, cause of 6hp durability, 4 green dice+focus+evade can nullify this torpedos completly. And if you still have 3 hulls left after he runs out of torps...its a gg..

They also don't have the Evade action, so you'll have an Evade and Focus at best, not 2 Evades.

EDITED into null.

Misconception.

They also don't have the Evade action, so you'll have an Evade and Focus at best, not 2 Evades.

I'm not doing well this morning am I?

In my defence, I had a very broken night's sleep.

2x defenders with ion cannons, mauler and backstabber, is my go to list even at ps1.

I think Bro-bots would still do pretty good against U-boats if the first engagement is at range 3. If they're focus/evaded and at range 3 autothrusters is coming into effect, the first exchange probably won't topple one of them. Then they really have to outmaneuver and try to drop one before it fires again, but I think it can be done. It's honestly one of the strongest lists I've still faced and can't find many weaknesses save swarms to take them down.

I think the key to defeating those pesky scouts is to out damage and out-PS them. Placing your rock so they have to separate is also key. Try to get one down before it even fires and get an powerful ship into range one of a second so he only eats a single torpedo.

I've been play testing this today in preparation of Saturdays tournament;

Corran Horn (35)
Push the Limit (3)
Advanced Sensors (3)
R2-D2 (4)
Engine Upgrade (4)

Tala Squadron Pilot (13)
Concussion Missiles (4)
Guidance Chips (0)

Tala Squadron Pilot (13)
Concussion Missiles (4)
Guidance Chips (0)

Tala Squadron Pilot (13)
Concussion Missiles (4)
Guidance Chips (0)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

It does pretty well, both in the maneuvering and killing one in the first turn department. The fact that those scouts don't want to barrel roll or spend their focus on defense helps a lot.

I was thinking about:

Colonel Vessery (35)
Crack Shot (1)
Tractor Beam (1)
Hull Upgrade (3)
TIE/D (0)

Onyx Squadron Pilot (32)
TIE/x7 (-2)

Onyx Squadron Pilot (32)
TIE/x7 (-2)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

The Colonel should be able to TB one of them reducing its agility. Then you are basically shooting at a Y-wing with a Shield Upgrade. Between all the shots you should be able to kill one in a turn. I hope the Glaives are 33, then you can run them instead of Onyx. You'd wouldn't be able to fit the HU though.

You are firing 9 maybe 10 red dice (TB exluded) against 3 green and 9 hp on the opening exchange. You'll have to roll near perfect to get one down first round. Not that it matters because of simultaneous fire.

It's almost like they included the answer to the triple scout in the same wave.

Not sure how well it would work to burn down a U-boat. Just an idea.

Fire at PS4, reduce agility of U-boat to 1. Crackshot x5!

Captain Yorr — Lambda-Class Shuttle 24

Tractor Beam 1

Ship Total: 25

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14

Crack Shot 1

Ship Total: 15

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14

Crack Shot 1

Ship Total: 15

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14

Crack Shot 1

Ship Total: 15

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14

Crack Shot 1

Ship Total: 15

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14

Crack Shot 1

Ship Total: 15