PTL is still used on them as well but if you are running B FCS is just too synergistic to pass up in most cases.

Brobots do pretty well against Jumpmasters. At range 3 they're not taking much damage with their action economy and Autothrusters, and range 1 no torps are being fired.

It's pretty easy to rig the first engagement to be at range 4 barely, or to only take 1 torp at range 3. Next turn you can then just blast into range 1.

I played brobots for almost a year in one form or another. I think that the HLC/FCS version is the only viable one right now.

It's not.

What Jeff said.

I flew the everlasting crap out of the GlitterBots between Wave 7 and Wave 8 as an answer to the hyper-defensive ships running around (read: Poe), but now that U-boats are a thing I think Advanced Sensors is very much better, as it gives you more options to outplay the **** things. It also gives you the ability to blast out to range against PalpAces, giving them less opportunities to arc-dodge you, and is insanely strong in the mirror match.

There is no reason for you to drop HLC to Mangler or get rid of FCS.

They're solid by I think a lot of folks are just burnt out on them and there are new toys.

I played brobots for almost a year in one form or another. I think that the HLC/FCS version is the only viable one right now.

It's not.

What Jeff said.

I flew the everlasting crap out of the GlitterBots between Wave 7 and Wave 8 as an answer to the hyper-defensive ships running around (read: Poe), but now that U-boats are a thing I think Advanced Sensors is very much better, as it gives you more options to outplay the **** things. It also gives you the ability to blast out to range against PalpAces, giving them less opportunities to arc-dodge you, and is insanely strong in the mirror match.

This is why you use Mindlink Brobots. It functions as Advanced Sensors pretty much. Advanced Sensors when you already have HLC FCS cannon gunner is great.

There is no reason for you to drop HLC to Mangler or get rid of FCS.

AdvS Boost -> K-turn behind the U-boat that thought it had you lined up is a plenty good reason.

The issue with brobots is that they are not auto-win vs. the jumpmasters.

Whilst their boosts give them large ship repositioning, they remain large ships, hence it is hard to get out of arcs of the U-Boats, themselves large ships with large arcs.

Also, brobots tend to work better at the 2-3 ranges, that's where they trigger the IG88-C ability to use gunner. Unfortunately, that is the optimal range for torpedos as well.

Finally, a triple U-Boat list is a true alpha strike list. They are ready to strike from round 1. As long as they focus and are in range, their alpha strike (Deadeye - Aggromech - Guidance Chips) have a high chance of causing 4 hits.

Brobots however are, for a lack of better term, beta strike lists. They need to set-up (FCS, Focus Token, Crackshot) in order to get a high chance of causing 4 hits (slightly lower probabilities compensated by crackshot). Most of the time, this beta strike works because of IG88C's gunner but it's more likely that the first shot cause a hit or two.

Round 2 onwards is a free for all knife fight since FCS is on, Brobots can trigger Gitterstim for their second salvo anytime and still the U-Boats just need to focus to set up their combo.

Admittedly, brobots have better stamina (if they don't die) and a very good end game (HLCs don't run out of ammo and autothrusters laugh at munition depleted scouts) but we must recognise that the U-Boat have a better first strike.

Not very easy to advanced sensor, boost, k turn around a large ship

Mindlink really limits moment.

Losing fcs and sometimes hlc for advanced sensors is too much to give up I feel. Fcs helps with action economy in case of bumping anyways.

I haven't checked all results. But it seems like fcs versions are out performing adv.sen builds

Not really. You need to be a little bit closer than you would with a small base, but it's not that much harder provided you get your positioning right. I used to do it all the time to Decis, Outriders, and other BroBots. U-boats are little different.

I haven't checked all results. But it seems like fcs versions are out performing adv.sen builds

I swear by advanced sensors and predator personally. It gives you many more tactical options and maneuvers available to you and predator is, while not quite FCS, very consistently reliable as it works on every shot, all the time.

But brobots really do have a tough time against palp aces and that's a build that is suddenly everywhere right now. It's honestly the first time since brobots came out that I'm hesitant to take them to competition.

But brobots really do have a tough time against palp aces and that's a build that is suddenly everywhere right now.

What do you expect, with U-boats driving away all of the lists that had favourable matchups against PalpAces?

With UUU saying HI to ace-lists brobots suddenly feel not as bad

and my favourite sensor-mangler crabs feel even better now

Brobots are still super good. With glitter they can tank lots of torpedos. The deal a lot of damage. If flown properly they arent dead against aces as well.

You still can do a lot of stuff with but a single Bot.

http://geordanr.github.io/xwing/?f=Scum%20and%20Villainy&d=v4!s!109:27,36,23,144,-1,-1:20:15:&sn=Unnamed%20Squadron

Based on preferences you can also swap FCS for AdvS and Crack Shot for VI.

I'd dare say that the BroBots are nicely balanced as well as versatile right now.

But brobots really do have a tough time against palp aces and that's a build that is suddenly everywhere right now.

What do you expect, with U-boats driving away all of the lists that had favourable matchups against PalpAces?

To be fair, Palp Aces drive away a bunch of stuff that's good against U-Boats. I'd consider triple Black Eight Squadron if Palp Aces didn't exist.

Brobots is pretty much always a solid 50% chance to win any given game. That's generally the power of them is they're always pretty solid, never a great matchup or a terrible matchup.

They're solid by I think a lot of folks are just burnt out on them and there are new toys.

Pretty much this. Brobots haven't got worse with wave 8 particularly - they're not hugely vulnerable to the ordnance alpha which is the biggest meta shift - but the people who were playing them may well have moved on into other areas, especially as there's an awful lot of nice new stuff for Scum players, and particularly crew cards which brobots can't use.

When we do see them coming back I think we'll see a lot of them actually using that second cannon slot for a tractor beam. It might add some tactical options.

I've been thinking about IGs myself, and wondering if swapping the Fire Control System for a Sensor Jammer is worthwhile - is the increased cost and drop in offensive firepower (already limited in the list) worthwhile in return for an improved chance to survive alpha strikes?

This is exactly what I'm doing. Survivability with PTL and get damage with HLC where you can. In games so far and sims, it's worked very well.

Has anyone tried Wired & Adv Sensors on Bro-Bots? Seems like it could be a legit combo, re-rolls on offense and defense when stressed, Adv sensors to take an action before the sloop or kturn.

I plan on running this:

IG88 B: title, Autothrusters, Wired, Adv Sensors, HLC, Tractor Beam

IG88 D: title, Autothursters, Wired, Adv Sesnors, HLC, Tractor Beam

The TBs are theoretically there for high agility ships; hide behind/near the asteroids and risk me tossing you onto them, if I miss the first shot then fine, I'll fire the HLC. It also works at range 1 so I can fire my primary and if I miss maybe I can tractor them into a worse position for next turn.