100 points Pilots ------

3x Scimitar Squadron Pilot @ 24 points each

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (24) x 3 TIE Bomber (16), Extra Munitions (2), Plasma Torpedoes (3), Proton Rockets (3), Guidance Chips (0)

1x Alozen

Commander Alozen (28) TIE Advanced (25), TIE/x1 (0), XX-23 S-thread Tracers (1), Veteran Instincts (1), Advanced Targeting

The goal of this list is to use Alozen to acquire a Target lock on the first Joust Round and then use Tracers to distribute that target lock to the Scimitar Tie Bombers. The Tie Bombers open up with a salvo of Plasma Torpedoes, stripping off at least 3 shields, plus any additional damage they do. They then have enough munitions to do this a second time if in range 2-3, or let go with their Proton Rockets (for a 5 dice attack 3+2 Agility), after they close.

Alozen would allways have a target lock on his opponent, so every round he would get 2 dice (+1 for range one), and a guaranteed additional crit.

Of course Im gonna need to buy two new Bombers but hey... Imperial Vets is coming out and two of those would stock me up on Bombers and Defenders.

Looks like a fun list to fly =) I'll just correct you on that range 1 proton rockets thing, though. Secondary Weapons aren't subject to range increments, thus you never get the +1 dice for range one or three.

Ahh you are correct! I forgot that

Alozen is definitely a decent advanced pilot. I like his ability, but I think you have to build to get the most out of it, otherwise its not going to work as well as you think.

Also, in order for his thread tracers to distribute TLs, they have to actually hit (i.e. if they get evaded, they do nothing). So you definitely want to improve his accuracy. Predator is the best EPT for that purpose. Engine upgrade is also really nice to have on him (but not essential). Its better suited for a different kind of list though, so I wouldn't worry about it here.

Another thing you will want is Gamma Pilots. PS 2 is not ideal for ordnance-based lists, since you aren't really getting an 'edge' over other generic jousting lists out there. Especially against the new hotness, contracted scouts (who sit at PS 3).

Here's my suggested version of your list:

Alozen w/ X-1, ATC, predator & S-thread tracers = 30

2 Gamma pilots w/ plasma torps, extra munitions & guidance chips = 23 x 2

1 Gamma pilot w/ proton torps, extra munitions & guidance chips = 24

100

Now you have a better chance that Alozen hits his target with his tracers and therefore passes out all the target locks (don't forget to give one to Alozen, since he's range 1 to himself!). And your gammas will unload their alpha strike way ahead of other generic ships, giving you high probability of erasing a ship before it fires. Obviously, fire the proton torp last when the shields have been stripped by one of the plasmas.

And just for the record, when Imperial Veterans comes out, you can also run 4 Gammas with Homing Missiles, extra munitions and Long-range scanners. They don't need Someone to feed them target locks and they deal just as much damage as a ship using torpedo + guidance chips because they always have TL + focus to spend on modifying the attack dice (not to mention, the homing missiles negate evade tokens).

If Alozen always has a target lock, and thus always has his targeting computer, wouldn't he always have a "hit"? He gets to add a hit every turn. It does not say he has to cause damage.

I like Alozen in this sort of list. Maybe something like the following:

25 Alozen
2 Juke
1 Title/ATC

Almost a mini-Vader with Juke to help force damage through. You could give him PTL/EU but at that point you might as well actually take Vader.

If Alozen always has a target lock, and thus always has his targeting computer, wouldn't he always have a "hit"? He gets to add a hit every turn. It does not say he has to cause damage.

Firstly, Advanced Targeting Computer only works on primary attacks. S-thread tracers are a secondary weapon, so it doesn't do jack when you fire the tracers

Secondly, Advanced Target Computer adds a [insert crit symbol here]. A [hit] or [crit] symbol doesn't mean you actually hit your target. They get to roll evade dice first. If the number of evade results is equal or greater than the number of hit/crit symbols on your attack roll, then the attack misses. If you still have any hit/crit symbols left over (not all were cancelled by evade symbols) then the attack hits. I think the confusion for you here is the fact that people refer to the symbol as a 'hit' when its really just a symbol. Hitting is something you do after comparing the dice results (assuming you rolled better than the defender!).

So to put it together: you need a focus token to fire S-thread tracers (but you don't need to spend it in order to fire it). You can fire it at any range (1 - 3). You get to roll 3 red dice. If you have predator, you get to re-roll at least one of them, and if you still have your focus token, you can spend that too to improve the odds of hitting. Your opponent will then roll evade dice (however many they get based on the ship, but no +1 green die for range 3, since tracers are a secondary weapon). He will then maybe get to modify those dice if possible. You then compare your attack results to the defender's results to see if it hits. If it does, you cancel all the dice results and give all ships within Range 1-2 of your attacking ship a Target Lock on the ship you just attacked.

So two different ideas around this:

The Anvil:

Gamma Squadron Pilot (24) x 3

TIE Bomber (18), Extra Munitions (2), Concussion Missiles (4), Guidance Chips (0)

The Hammer:

Commander Alozen (28) TIE Advanced (25), TIE/x1 (0), XX-23 S-thread Tracers (1), Juke (2), Accuracy Corrector (3) (total of 100 points)

*OR*

Valen Rudor (26) TIE Advanced Prototype (22), Juke (2), XX-23 S-thread Tracers (1), TIE/v1 (1), Guidance Chips (0) (total of 98 points, leaving 2 points for init or others)

So looking at Alzoen, his free target lock only applies at range one, and Advanced Targeting computer, as mentioned above doesn't help with the tracers. Here, he has Accuracy corrector that turns his three Tracer attack dice into two hits, and Juke allows him to ignore one of his opponents evades.

Looking at Valen, you have the tracers again, with rolling three dice AND the guidance chips AND juke. I start out getting get a Target Lock, I get a free evade, so you get three dice (rerolled for target lock) plus one crit from Guidance Chips, plus removal of one enemy evade from Juke. Then If I get shot at I can put a Focus on (or barrel roll or something), to help with my survivability.

Im trying to figure out if Alozen or Valen would be a better distraction for the rest of the game.

So looking at Alzoen, his free target lock only applies at range one, and Advanced Targeting computer, as mentioned above doesn't help with the tracers. Here, he has Accuracy corrector that turns his three Tracer attack dice into two hits, and Juke allows him to ignore one of his opponents evades.

Trouble is that to pull this off you would need to have both a Focus token to fire the Tracers and an Evade token to power Juke. I don't think that combo will work without someone else feeding him tokens.

Having said that, you can get 2 guaranteed hits and even at Range 3, your opponent will not be getting bonus agility dice. You could drop Juke for Crackshot which is actually more reliable but is also one-use only.