Hey all...just chiming in to get advice/opinions from avid players.

So the Ghost...clearly a very powerful ship, particularly when paired with a shuttle. I didn't realize just how powerful until new players in our local group began tabling veteran players with ease. I mean tabling. One particularly successful list uses the ghost, a shuttle and an A Wing. Not sure of the specific details.

So I have thought and thought about it...and looked for cracks in the Ghost's armor...How in the world do you counter this beast?

So that's my question...what are people using to successfully counter a Ghost list? Can you share any tips/tricks that you find useful to outmaneuver it?

Thanks

Don't mindlessly joust.

Take high PS arc dodging aces.

Take multiple generics with cluster missiles.

Haven't played against the Ghost or used the Wolfpack but on paper seems like the U-boats should give the Ghost a pretty good scare.

My brother used 2 Y wings with TLT's and a firespray-31, It was bad luck on my part I was blinded on the ghost and turned to tight and landed on an asteroid with the attack shuttle, and psycho tycho could not make a single evade and lasted only 2 turn's, could not recover after that but nearly took the firespray with me when I bumped in to it with ghost and zed did his thing when we where touching.

Need to work on my list and try a B wing or and x wing instead of an A wing.

Don't mindlessly joust.

Take high PS arc dodging aces.

Take multiple generics with cluster missiles.

Different ghosts play differently so it would help to know what kind of lost you are facing.

The ghost has many surprises for the unexpected. Ive flown against it only twice, and flown it once or so. Others might help point out common lists so they can be planned for.

Any ghost pilot paired with docked phantom. Double automatic 2 hit autoblaster turrets wrecking aces or squishy ships who get in range 1, even out of arc.

The ezra phantom that is super hard to hit and has a lot of health. Chewie, hull (or stealth) ptl, tlt,or what ever.

Kannan, double recon spec paired with Biggs.

if auto-correct ghost, don't feed aces to it. Okay to feed tie fighters, because they're expendable anyway

if aces, take the long way around to engage it. Don't joust; hit and run. it's worth it

ordnance blows up low agi right quick; Inquisitor also stings a lot and can keep distance for obvious reasons

also, being a "Veteran" means very little if you havn't played with or against the ship before. Technically, we're all still novices when it comes to wave 8 (Apart from the misthunter and inq because they're very similar to existing ships; t-beams are new though)

TIE Phantom seems to shred Ghosts. Whisper, VI, ACD, FCS lets you take an evade or barrel roll for positioning and ensure you still successfully hit a VCX-100. Then you likely have a focus and cloak for defense, sometimes an evade as well. Just be aware of staying out of range 1 against ones equipped with autoblasters.

Either joust it with a list that is high on offense and HP (TIE swarms and BBBBZ will crush it) or play keep away with a list that has good movement (Aces, unhinged TLTs) and wear it down while staying out of arc.

It's really not that hard to beat the ghost.

I mean, you have to consider that you need to put a minimum of 70 points into the thing just to make it good. Even then, it's only getting 2 turret attacks; 70 points is basically what it costs to get 3 Y-Wings with the turret of your choice. A large chunk of those 70 points isn't even going to a ship that's actually in-play.

If it's got a TLT, then use ships that have boost, barrel roll and autothrusters, and get within range 1 of it(out of arc, of course). If it's got autoblaster, ships with boost or barrel roll just need to stay out of range 1 and it's arc and they're fine.

Basically, as long as your list is more points efficient than it, you'll be ok. It has no agility, so the more cheap ships you run and the more damage output it has, the better. 4BZ will annihilate it, 4 TLT Ys will wipe it, 7 ship TIE Swarm is like taking candy from a baby. Aces lists can do it too because they tend to dodge TLTs and arcs like crazy, and the most the ghost can do, with a 4 point investment, is boost, and it has no EPT so it couldnt focus, TL, or evade if it wants to boost.

Just remember that the ghost relies on an 18 point gimmick and you'll be ok.

The ghost lost in the scenario provided with it. Admittedly it wasn't my best flying but it went down pretty quick. Like all 0 and 1 agility ships it's vulnerable to dying the death of a thousand cuts. Don't get in a hurry to kill it. Just bleed it to death. This happens faster if the Phantom is popped too early.

Don't mindlessly joust.

Unless you have a jousting list . My 3GH list has jousted with 3 different ghost lists (one of which had 2 ghosts) and come out on top easily every time

7 ship TIE Swarm is like taking candy from a baby. Aces lists can do it too because they tend to dodge TLTs and arcs like crazy, and the most the ghost can do, with a 4 point investment, is boost, and it has no EPT so it couldnt focus, TL, or evade if it wants to boost.

I actually beat a 7 tie swarm with my chopper/(docked) ezra/sabine list. And I've smashed aces every time I've played them (ABT/AC combo). With AC and range 1 due to the boost, you don't need a focus or target lock anyway.

7 ship TIE Swarm is like taking candy from a baby. Aces lists can do it too because they tend to dodge TLTs and arcs like crazy, and the most the ghost can do, with a 4 point investment, is boost, and it has no EPT so it couldnt focus, TL, or evade if it wants to boost.

I actually beat a 7 tie swarm with my chopper/(docked) ezra/sabine list. And I've smashed aces every time I've played them (ABT/AC combo). With AC and range 1 due to the boost, you don't need a focus or target lock anyway.

Anecdotal evidence.

I don't know if your opponents were particularly good at the game. Perhaps dice rolls benefited you more than them. Asteroid placement could have been in your favor. Maybe your opponent was tired and not thinking clearly.

On paper, the Ghost v. Aces matchup favors the Aces. A simple barrel roll or even a boost is all it requires to escape range 1 of the ghost; Which is easy to do when the highest PS Ghost is PS7, lower than all meta aces. Granted, when you do get within range 1 of an ace, sure, 4 damage is guaranteed to go through; But let's admit what the Ghost relies on; Gimmicks. The Gimmick of a 70+ point ship that gets 4 guaranteed damage through at range 1. Cool; Soontir Fel BRs out of range 1. Cool; Vader BRs out of range 1. Poe boosts out of range 1.

The ghost loses the PS war, and it loses the repositioning war. Additionally, you can't run enough ships along side it to effectively cordon your enemies to get close to you. All it requires to beat a Ghost is discipline. Just wear it down. 16 HP means less when every damage goes through.

Oh my goodness... This is the first time I'm getting to say this but *deep breath* try ordnance man. I've been rocking 5 TAPs with prockets, chips, and title and I just melt the ghost's face off. Give it a go.

7 ship TIE Swarm is like taking candy from a baby. Aces lists can do it too because they tend to dodge TLTs and arcs like crazy, and the most the ghost can do, with a 4 point investment, is boost, and it has no EPT so it couldnt focus, TL, or evade if it wants to boost.

I actually beat a 7 tie swarm with my chopper/(docked) ezra/sabine list. And I've smashed aces every time I've played them (ABT/AC combo). With AC and range 1 due to the boost, you don't need a focus or target lock anyway.

Anecdotal evidence.

I don't know if your opponents were particularly good at the game. Perhaps dice rolls benefited you more than them. Asteroid placement could have been in your favor. Maybe your opponent was tired and not thinking clearly.

On paper, the Ghost v. Aces matchup favors the Aces. A simple barrel roll or even a boost is all it requires to escape range 1 of the ghost; Which is easy to do when the highest PS Ghost is PS7, lower than all meta aces. Granted, when you do get within range 1 of an ace, sure, 4 damage is guaranteed to go through; But let's admit what the Ghost relies on; Gimmicks. The Gimmick of a 70+ point ship that gets 4 guaranteed damage through at range 1. Cool; Soontir Fel BRs out of range 1. Cool; Vader BRs out of range 1. Poe boosts out of range 1.

The ghost loses the PS war, and it loses the repositioning war. Additionally, you can't run enough ships along side it to effectively cordon your enemies to get close to you. All it requires to beat a Ghost is discipline. Just wear it down. 16 HP means less when every damage goes through.

I didn't say the ghost is GOOD against swarms, or even going to win most of the time. Just that it's not "taking candy from a baby" unless the ghost player just flies straight at the swarm and tries to joust it. And the ABT/AC build does NOT favor aces. It's more than "A simple barrel roll or boost" to get out of range 1. Especailly your example with Poe boosting. A barrel roll is far more likely to allow you to get out of range than a boost alone is. That MIGHT get you out of range 1, depending where you are in relation to the ghost. It might let you do PTL to do the other maneuver and then get out of range 1. You might also end up in a position where even with both repositining abilities you can't get out of range 1. Especially when the ghost is carrying Zeb crew and trying to block you. A blocked ace is a dead ace. Meanwhile, most of the time if you DO reposition to get out of range 1, you now don't have a shot, so I'm not taking damage anyway while I just try to get you in range on another turn (and I still have 4 dice primaries front and rear arc as well). I've never yet lost a game with my chopper/ezra/sabine build against aces. I've beat palp aces multiple times, killed soontirs, carnors, vaders, junos, whispers, omega leaders, the list goes on.

I recommend proton packs. Just don't cross the streams....

Oh my goodness... This is the first time I'm getting to say this but *deep breath* try ordnance man. I've been rocking 5 TAPs with prockets, chips, and title and I just melt the ghost's face off. Give it a go.

5 TAPs with prockets does sound like a list that would be problematic. If you can keep the ghost outside of range 1 (similar to what I had to do against the tie swarm) you have decent odds I'd say, but a single round of not keeping out of range and you're dead. It also completely negates the Autoblaster turret when the opponent has to stay out of range 1 (unless they can get you in range 1 out of your arc)

If the Ghost build is done right It can be very problematic for aces. I've used Hera pilot with abt/ac combo, engine upgrade and intelligence agent. Being able to see an enemy dial, change your own dial and then boost if necessary can give you the one shot you need on a ship like Soontir.

I think its still a close game though and its all down to how it plas out, just certainly not a cake walk for aces.

A swarm going for the flanks would probably work quite well. Avoid the big main guns as they can potentially eat a tie fighter in a single volley. If the Ghost has an ABT then avoid Range 1. If it has a TLT then aim to get into range 1 if you can. Remember with zero agility, a swarm will wear down those hit points quite quickly.

Just remember to keep something in reserve for when the Phantom pops out. It is quite punchy and some pilots have some neat trick but in terms of toughness is has the same profile as a Z95.

My Ghost/Phantom builds have been torn apart by TIE Defenders with the TIE/x7 title, paired with TAPs with TIE/v1. That may Evades and TL shots is annoying to deal with.

My Ghost/Phantom builds have been torn apart by TIE Defenders with the TIE/x7 title, paired with TAPs with TIE/v1. That may Evades and TL shots is annoying to deal with.

Muwhahahahahahahahaha!!! *twirls moustache*

Keep it simple. Wave I TIE Swarm. After all these waves, it can still handle a lot of lists. Just don't bump on your bumps from bumps. Make sure to fly it right.

I used this:

============================ Glorious Defender Overlords! ============================

Colonel Vessery [Tractor beam, Ruthlessness, TIE/D] (39)

Onyx Squadron Pilot [TIE/x7, Twin Ion Engine Mk. II] (31)

Onyx Squadron Pilot [TIE/x7] (30)

Double ghosts are fairly forgiving due to all the health and the ability to cover more surface on shots and for bumps.