Hi all , I'm playing escalation . With 2 friends and it's currently going really well , lots of fun.

But as the final games come closer it's getting tense I have decided on this ship for list . What do you think ?

Omega leader - juke and comm relay , 26 points

Last 4 points on stealth device or shield upgrade or engine upgrade , I'm edging towards Defensive items as dark curse and omega leader act as my hard to hurt distractors while defender and Vader come round the flanks . Rest of list is

Escalation ! (90)

Darth Vader (35) - TIE Advanced

Squad Leader (2), Cluster Missiles (4), TIE/x1 (0), Accuracy Corrector (3)

Dark Curse (19) - TIE Fighter

Hull Upgrade (3)

Colonel Vessery (36) - TIE Defender

Veteran Instincts (1)

without the emperor i'd go with Hull with i'd go with SD.

Were playing no large ships otherwise I was going to put in emperor shuttle as my last ship , hull upgrade over extra shield ? Wouldn't the ability to stop a crit he better ?

well with that last point you can put Tractor Beam on vessery. If you've never flown against a ship that has tractor beam the threat of being thrown on a rock, or focused fire on the ship that now has lowered agility is a thing of nightmares.

Granted the /D title isnt out yet, but the psychological damage of seeing one of your 1 agility ships being reduced to 0 / thrown on a rock/ boosted in to range 1 of two or three other ships can be terrifying.

to me it is the greatest 1 point upgrade in the game, all you have to do is slyly mention to your opponent every turn that HEY you might not want to get to close to that rock, i might throw you on it, and maybe they reconsider their maneuver. The game is as much psychological as it is physical (tiny ships not necessarily like sport physical) play the game in its entirety, watch as your opponent either flys around the rock, not getting a shot, or in to hells maw taking and using all their defensive abilities to not get hit by it, allowing further assault on the same target to be unmodified by them..

That's very true , does the /d title and tractor beam both come with the veterans pack ? Great advice and your right that will be a great physiological deterrent .

i believe tractor comes in the vets pack. which hasnt been slated a release date (yet) but will be anxiously awaited. If you hadnt had Squad leader on Vader i might have suggested adaptability so that when PS9 doesnt matter you can go to PS8 and fire with vess OL and Vader in any order. also why the Accuracy correctors on vader? he's the prime candidate for ATC.

if it was because of points, you can drop Clusters to PRockets. i believe only once have i rolled 5 dice from Prockets and not rolled 5 hit/crit combination due to the double actions that vader gives.. As is you can give him Guidence chips for 0 points (if you dont intend to give him Engine Upgrade.) while you can only use that on one attack of the two for the Cluster missiles, it will still help get maximum damage.

My friends lists tend to make atc pretty useless but I think I'll try it again , and we havnt got adaptability just yet . My friend plays scum and hasn't got the ship .

Clusters were because I was playing ships that gained agility at range 1 so seemed more effective at the time , guidance chips come with which ship ? I'll add them into the list .

Can't wait for the veteran pack ! 34 days apparently till its released .

what lists make ATC useless? only ship i know that can invalidate the free critical is the ship you're running in your list. Omega Leader.

There's a scum ship that can turn one of my cries to a focus . Not sure of the name .

if you're talking about Sensor jammer it can only turn HITS in to focus. also im not sure of any pilot that has that ability. only scum ship that can kind of counter ATC is Manaroo the Jumpmaster pilot tat passes all tokens on her/him (not sure) on to another pilot at any range.

Ok then I'll change to atc from now on , and scrap squadron leader for adaptability ? Sounds better to me . I'm new to things and very new to scum ships I must of misread the card .

Sensor Jammer is a System slot upgrade. and in most cases either Predator or VI are preferable for Vader, however with most of your list shooting and moving at 8, being able to... adapt (heh) to PS 8 as well will allow you to sneak crits under the shield if Vessery and OL do their damage to the Shield and remove it first. as opposed to vader firing first and eating the shield with crits.

Very true , out of all ships in both my opponents lists they only have a 9 and 7 , so usually I'm firing first either way so being able to soak up shield with my weaker guys is much better . Thanks for all he help . Can't change the list now but can definitely include it next time .