The other Wave 8 ships get a lot of attention but so far I haven't seen much talk about the TAP, especially nothing besides the Inquisitor.

While the Sienar Test Pilot is nothing fancy and shiny, I wonder if this is about to be the Wave 8 Sleeper Hit.

Compare it to a Tie Fighter:

For 17 points (including Tie/v1) you get

- a far superior Dial to the Tie Fighter (+3 greens including green hard turns, +1 Bank, only loosing the 3K-Turn)

- +1 Shield and an Upgrade from Hull to shield

- +1 PS (which might make all the difference with all the TLT-Y-Wings around)

- +Boost, +Target Lock, - Evade Action

- A free Evade when you Target Lock, thereby boosting both your offence and defence with 1 action.

That seems to me like a rather good deal. If you face them in masses, that can be a real threat.

I was thinking about a list like this:

What do you think?

Pretty sure the Contracted Scout is the sleeper hit of the wave.

That said, I like the TAPs a lot. I can't escape wanting to run them with juke+title, though.

I wouldn't call it a sleeper, it saw some immediate use in the Vassal Online league. I got hammered hard by Sozin flying The Inquisitor in a TAP and a wing of Juking TIE/fo pilots.

Lots of people pre-ordered multiples of the TAP, it came up often in the March 2016 Purchases thread.

I like the idea of a TAP swarm with Vader, but I have to warn against playing Vader without EU. I've done it, and he's just not the threat he needs to be without that boost action.

You might consider trading up to three (3) of the PS4 TAP with Crack Shot.

The Inquisitor is pretty good. I've run him with PTL, Title, and ATs. 3 actions a turn if you TL. He has more punch then Soontir at range 2-3 because of the TL. He is hard to keep out of range 1, because his dial is so good in a knife fight. Basically no one but say Tycho can out turn you.

I will say that an STP w/ 4 point missile of choice/Title/Chips is superior than a AC Tempest for 21 points.

At this point, only ol misty would be a sleeper hit

Even the ghost, which looked a tad ****** given triple scouts, seems super solid

Don't think you'll see any taps outside the inq. Two dice don't cut it and the omega squaddie is a superior crack/juke platform

I will say that an STP w/ 4 point missile of choice/Title/Chips is superior than a AC Tempest for 21 points.

STP?

I'm not sold on them. Obsidian Squadron Pilots seem like they'll probably be more potent than the STP, and I could get a Comm Relay Omega Squadron for the same price as a titled Baron of the Empire. I ordered two of them, but I honestly don't see myself playing the second one very often.

The Empire is basically swimming in ships with two attack dice, three evades, and four health at the moment.

I will say that an STP w/ 4 point missile of choice/Title/Chips is superior than a AC Tempest for 21 points.

STP?

Sienar Test Pilot.

Danke.

I dunno about being superior to AC Tempests. I could see you mixing it up with both, if for no other reason than to offer an opponent a different type of threat (different dial, different action bar).

Perhaps something like:

http://geordanr.github.io/xwing/?f=Galactic%20Empire&d=v4!s!165:140,13:27:25:;165:140,13:27:25:;20:14:23:25:U.107;20:14:23:25:U.107&sn=Unnamed%20Squadron

The Empire is basically swimming in ships with two attack dice, three evades, and four health at the moment.

Pretty much this. There a lot of ways to do the same thing in slightly different ways. I get it that the Empire doesn't differentiate via uniqueness. But this is still a game, and the Empire is going to need something better in the future. I will be sorely disappointed if they release a special forces f/o that's just another 2 attack dice ship.

I really dig the TAP.

great looking ship, super fun dial, and awesome actions.

I actually feel like all the ships from this wave are pretty good

How would the OP list kill rebel regenerators. I look at that list and have to think Corran could probably solo it with the right build and average rolls.

I will say that an STP w/ 4 point missile of choice/Title/Chips is superior than a AC Tempest for 21 points.

STP?

Sienar Test Pilot.

I call them Stone Temple Pilots

I used to play 4 A-Wings + 2 Z. Since I'm no fan of the Rebels, and rather prefer to play Empire, I'm glad that I got a ship that can be used to build almost the same squad: 4 STP w/title and AT, 2 Academy Pilots.

The a-Wing squad has a little bit more punch on the second shooting phase (the Zs carry missiles), but after that the STP should be superior. With TL and Evade they will have offensive AND defensive modifier almost every turn, making them stay longer on the table while dealing good damage.

I'm pretty sure that a 6 crack swarm can deal more damage in a short time, but again, after spending the crack shots they are focus only Ties (more or less).

Will test all my swarms (7 Howl & Exposter, 4 A & 2 Z, 4 STP & 2 Academy, 6 Crack) in the next two weeks to see which one performs best for me.

If you are looking for a ship in Imperial that can 5 forward and boost to block Contracted Scouts, it doesn't get much better than the STP. Even as a naked 16 point blocker, he's a nuisance and hard to kill.

Basically, think of him as fulfilling a role like that of the A-Wing in Nathan's Worlds list. The blocker that you can't take time to shoot at, otherwise the endgame aces kill you, but leaving him alive means that you don't get actions as your team bonks into him and each other.

Wait till vets arrives they'll pop up with vessery so often you'll be sick of seeing them

If you are looking for a ship in Imperial that can 5 forward and boost to block Contracted Scouts, it doesn't get much better than the STP. Even as a naked 16 point blocker, he's a nuisance and hard to kill.

Basically, think of him as fulfilling a role like that of the A-Wing in Nathan's Worlds list. The blocker that you can't take time to shoot at, otherwise the endgame aces kill you, but leaving him alive means that you don't get actions as your team bonks into him and each other.

This post may cause the STP to turn into the most-flown Imperial pilot this week.

I kinda love Valen Rudor with PTL and the v1 title. Take an action. Then, when you get shot at, use your ability to take another action, then PTL to target lock, which lets you evade.

The Inquisitor is going to become a staple of Imperial Aces lists.

With PTL, he has almost as good of defensive capabilities as Fel (basically equivalent to Fel with a Shield Upgrade instead of a Stealth Device). And his damage output potential is better, with half-action target locks. With Juke, he can be very scary to enemy aces, forcing them to hold on to focus tokens until the PS8 combat step.

I'm not quite convinced of the utility of the proto pilots. 2 attack dice is a very serious detriment to any ship, even if they have a target lock. Valen Rudor in particular seems somewhat overpriced, despite having a very good pilot ability.

Daniel Beaver, on 21 Mar 2016 - 5:27 PM, said:

The Inquisitor is going to become a staple of Imperial Aces lists.

With PTL, he has almost as good of defensive capabilities as Fel (basically equivalent to Fel with a Shield Upgrade instead of a Stealth Device). And his damage output potential is better, with half-action target locks. With Juke, he can be very scary to enemy aces, forcing them to hold on to focus tokens until the PS8 combat step.

I'm not quite convinced of the utility of the proto pilots. 2 attack dice is a very serious detriment to any ship, even if they have a target lock. Valen Rudor in particular seems somewhat overpriced, despite having a very good pilot ability.

This. The proto will be filler in lists if the points fit. Inquisitor will be very fun. Honestly cant see buying more than 1 of these ships.

Wait till vets arrives they'll pop up with vessery so often you'll be sick of seeing them

I'm not even waiting. This is pretty much my plan for tomorrow. Three PS2 TAPs with Proton Rockets, Chips, and Title, alongside Vessery with VI, Mk2 Engines, and Tractor Beam (VI may become Predator). Should be good for a giggle, at least.

Well I got five of them (don't have the epic titles for regular advanced) and tried out a five procket, chimps, title build and wasn't terribly impressed. Pretty hard to get the arcs you want while surviving (you want to TL as action pretty bad) against higher PS ships.

They make good filler, and are definitely an option for those without the titles for the regular advanced ties. Barons are just a little too expensive for what you get (I will still try them out a bit though).

Inquisitor is really good though, I like him best with PTL, juke is just a better fit on OL and tie/fo's.

Only other comment is that although the dial is nice I think I just prefer my Tie/fo dial, and it really hurts the TAP to have to compete for a spot in my lists that are already doing well with Fo's anyways. I can see the boost on a naked STP as possibly being worth it though.

Wait till vets arrives they'll pop up with vessery so often you'll be sick of seeing them

I'm not even waiting. This is pretty much my plan for tomorrow. Three PS2 TAPs with Proton Rockets, Chips, and Title, alongside Vessery with VI, Mk2 Engines, and Tractor Beam (VI may become Predator). Should be good for a giggle, at least.

Consider ruthlessness once we get titles vessery with an ion cannon could do six damage two of which can't be blocked five if you go tractor.

Teamed up with the action efficient TAP you've got high damage with solid defence.

They make good filler, and are definitely an option for those without the titles for the regular advanced ties. Barons are just a little too expensive for what you get (I will still try them out a bit though).

In the battle between the Omega Squadron and the Baron, the main edge the Baron has going for it is the Boost and Autothrusters access. It wants PTL instead of Juke. That helps it slot nicely into the 25-point range for those moments where you can't spare a point for Omega Leader.