the correct answer to "Why palp aces?" is "**** rng, I'm playing **** that won't crap out on me at a moment's notice"

incidentally, the above counters of conners, jumpmasters and auto-correct Ghost also don't take **** from crap rng

I'm playing with rebel large bases as an answer to Palp Aces. I've had great success with a Dash/Lothal rebel build that faces the rebel with an auto blaster to hunt overly confident aces while Dash dances and takes pot shots at Palp. It usually ends with Lothal and Palp dying at the same time, a hurt or dead ace and one full having to deal with a full Dash. The removal of Pillowfprt Palp really equals the field for Dash to get a good shot off or two.

The last "Generics" that can do anything are

1. K-wing, TLT+Tactician

2. Contracted Scout Jmpmaster, aka U-boat.

3. Black Crack Tie

4. the doomsday Z (the one you ignore hunting the aces, but exactly the one who always rolls all hits...)

Wrong.

-Proto A still has the same role it had before

-Green As just won a regional, so dont count them out yet

-Gold Y still has a place with stresshog, just like it did before (although grey might be the answer here soon)

and thats just the rebels

Not to mention:

- Lothal Rebels are 35 points for a 4-dice primary, large base and 16 health. Unless the U-Boats get extremely lucky with the Direct Hits/Explosions, one of them can easily withstand a triple-torpedo alpha strike and remain standing for the next turn. Even at the 35-point level, you can fit one with Chopper crew for a strong ship.

- At 16 points, a single Seinar Test Pilot is a terrific blocker. Compared to the Academy Pilot, it trades the Evade action and a point of hull for +1 PS, two points of shields, the Boost action, and an arguably better dial.

- Rebel Z-95s can be run as a full-on ordnance swarm led by Lieutenant Blount.

- Scum Z-95s with Feedback Array remain nasty bug zappers that any fragile ace should fear.

There are some really good ideas floating around here. I totally forgot about the decimator gunner vader trick. Definitely might have give it a go again now that tlt spam is on the decline. I guess I'm just a little worried that I might spend to much emphasis on fighting aces that my list will flop against anything else. Anyone have any experience flying a decimator against triple u boats? I feel like it would just be rough if I cant stay in range one.

I'd like to add omicron group shuttle to the generics and, of course, academy ties. Trandoshan slavers can be a bit of a wildcard too.

Yeah, the gunscuttle just became amazing with the addition of Zuckuss.

7x FBA ere we go!

Only I don't know how they'll fare vs 3 jumpmasters, which is the problem with most of the lists suggested here. Like some other people already said, the meta seems to be shaping up like:

Anti palp > palp aces > jumpmasters >>> Anti palp

But of course, I think you still stand a decent chance with jumpmasters vs aces, probably better then with a anti aces list vs the jumpmasters.

There are some really good ideas floating around here. I totally forgot about the decimator gunner vader trick. Definitely might have give it a go again now that tlt spam is on the decline. I guess I'm just a little worried that I might spend to much emphasis on fighting aces that my list will flop against anything else. Anyone have any experience flying a decimator against triple u boats? I feel like it would just be rough if I cant stay in range one.

Huh, I just asked this same question of my playgroup. No ones tried it and I have yet to face that match, but responses were mixed.

So I got a chance to fly some ships yesterday and I was able to test a couple ideas.

First list was

Oicunn Vader gunner

Omega leader juke coms

Barron of the Empire PTL title

I flew it against

Palmobile

Soontir with trimmings

Inquisitor title PTL AT and prockets

My opponent focused everything on oicunn but not before he Vadered soontir twice then oicunned him off the table. 50 point sacrifice to kill soontir WORTH!!! While that was happening Omega leader target locked inquisitor and Barron and him focused down the shuttle. The game went on for another hour with inquisitor and omega shooting each other of the board. Victory! All in all the decimation died in two rounds of combat but did kill soontir so again WORTH maybe!?! The Barron didn'the really do much so I'm unsure if I'll play this list again.

The second list I tried was

Rear admiral with Kallus and VI

Oicunn Vader gunner

I flew against

Kavil dorsal turret unhinged

Double U-boat

Not much to right about here. The game was painful. Rear admiral took 12 damage turn 2. That was cute. The game ended two turns latter with me Vadering Kavil to kill both him and oicunn. So for those wondering U-boat > decimation.

Third game I flew

Patrol leader Vader

Carnor PTL AT

Omega leader juke coms

I flew against

Wampa hull upgrade

Youngster Rage

Scourge ruthlessness

Major Rhymer with 4 assault Missiles and thermal dets

I killed youngster with the patrol leader Vader. Then omega cleaned up the rest of the ties while Carnor chased Rhymer around. Rhymes got some good missile shots on omega and popped him but Carnor was too dodgey.

The last list I played was

Contracted Scout ×2

Atani mindlinks

Antipursuit laser

Intel agent

Feedback array

Prince xizor

Atani mind links

Title

Fire control

Auto thrusters

Don't remember exactly what my opponents had except for soontir and inquisitor both built a little different than normal. He also had a defender. He was a bit of a newer player so the bump masters were kind of rough against him killing both inquisitor and soontir but not before the focused xizor down. The defender just didn't live up to its name in defending and couldn't roll a green dice to save it's life literally.

While I feel all of these lists could handle a palps aces list I feel they would just get wrecked by triple u-boats. I can't think of anything that works against both lists except palps aces. Looks like I may just have to stick with my palps aces till the meta shakes up a bit hopefully imperial vets drops before regionals.

Edit: phone typing is hard.

The oicunn build I like is..

Predator, rebel captive and mara jade for 51 points.

You can ram aces, you stress anyone that shhots you first, range 1 focus predator shots hit hard, and you can stress someones whole squad if you get in range 1.

I paired him with crackblack and ace of choice. He will still get wrecked by a bunch of torpedoes but youre trying to get range 1 anyway.

Oicunn, omega leader and a bomber would be pretty nasty as well.

The last "Generics" that can do anything are

1. K-wing, TLT+Tactician

2. Contracted Scout Jmpmaster, aka U-boat.

3. Black Crack Tie

4. the doomsday Z (the one you ignore hunting the aces, but exactly the one who always rolls all hits...)

Wrong.

-Proto A still has the same role it had before

-Green As just won a regional, so dont count them out yet

-Gold Y still has a place with stresshog, just like it did before (although grey might be the answer here soon)

and thats just the rebels

The stresshog is unique, not generic

Proto A is a blocker, can give you that, but the decline of Big Ship meta they aren't that epic in stomping their hopes and dreams.

Green A is more of a wild card. Can't say prockets are a gamebreaking wonder. Good, but not consistent.

Take the regional lists and simply count the points spent on aces and on generics. Not even close to aces.

Greens have won two regionals so far, in the hands of two different players. I know that's not a lot of data so far but I'd say it's pretty darn consistent. And that list doesn't have prockets.

Also, are points really the best indicator? This is really a discussion about uniques vs generics (not aces in particular, however you define that). Uniques are more expensive and even in a mixed unique/generic list you're going to spend more points on the unique pilot to protect your investment and because they're often the centerpiece of the list.

And if the stress hog is unique, is every generic with an unique upgrade also considered unique? I understand why you would want to consider them differently (palp shuttle comes to mind), but I wouldn't count that against generics, since that's an important role for them.

So everyone is playing some kind of palps aces list. While I'm also guilty of it too I am kind of tired of 3 out of my 4 matches being a mirror match in competitive play. Anyone had any luck against palps with out bringing a palps of their own. I've tried tie swarms with cracks shot and they didn't fair well. I've tried stress lists they did slightly better but they lose hard to other things. Help me be a special snowflake!

Speaking as a Scum & Villainy player...

What means this "Aces" you speak of?!?!

This made top 8 at Ronoake Regional (probably spelled that wrong) and the guy was also on the last Twitch Tuesday talking about his list.

Top 8 List (100)

"Wampa" (14) - TIE Fighter

Alpha Squadron Pilot (20) - TIE Interceptor

Autothrusters (2)

"Scourge" (18) - TIE Fighter

Crack Shot (1)

"Howlrunner" (19) - TIE Fighter

Crack Shot (1)

Omicron Group Pilot (29) - Lambda-Class Shuttle

Emperor Palpatine (8), Emperor Palpatine (8)

Not a typical Aces or mini swarm list. I've tried it and seems very fun to fly. Can take down U-Boats pretty easily.

Considering just ignoring the U-Boat matchup and making my goal at my upcoming Regionals to waste as many Palp Aces players as possible.

Imperial Boba Fett with:

VI

Slave 1 title

Extra Munitions

Proton Bombs

Autoblaster Cannon

Navigator

Engine Upgrade

Vader with:

+1 Adaptability

X1 title

ATC

Engine Upgrade

Prockets

All that matters in Acewing games is who boosts last. With a 4 point initiative bid at PS 10, I'm always moving last. I'm always dropping a bomb last too.

Here the PalpAces will lose not because they were outflown but because the King Of Space Cattle will strike them down for that sin.

Considering just ignoring the U-Boat matchup and making my goal at my upcoming Regionals to waste as many Palp Aces players as possible.

Imperial Boba Fett with:

VI

Slave 1 title

Extra Munitions

Proton Bombs

Autoblaster Cannon

Navigator

Engine Upgrade

Vader with:

+1 Adaptability

X1 title

ATC

Engine Upgrade

Prockets

All that matters in Acewing games is who boosts last. With a 4 point initiative bid at PS 10, I'm always moving last. I'm always dropping a bomb last too.

What if you run into Vader with VI?

Sounds like it's time to bring back the Big O death Roll:

Oicuun+ daredevil+ dauntless + gunner+ Vader+ EU

Just don't gunner+Vader every time. If it Rams any ace with 4 HP or less that ace is dead-- no rolls required (well, roll that attack so you don't have to Vader). 5-6hp ships are also "in range" to take out on a single turn. Auto-killing Soontir, Vader, Poe, Corran whisper is a pretty big deal if you find yourself in a TLT light meta.

You can also just take BIG O with minimal upgrades and go super bumps. My record for damage in single match due to ramming is 16. That was with the daredevil version but that means I still got 8-9 rams in plus what he did during the attack phase. Wish we could get an Oicunn crew that allowed you to ram for damage... The pain I could bring...just joyous.

Rexler Brath with HLC
Or

Redline with FCS and Clusters

They OBLITERATE any ship that can carry the emperor

Add flavor to taste.

I beat palp aces last weekend with Redline, Soontir and Turr

Considering just ignoring the U-Boat matchup and making my goal at my upcoming Regionals to waste as many Palp Aces players as possible.

Imperial Boba Fett with:

VI

Slave 1 title

Extra Munitions

Proton Bombs

Autoblaster Cannon

Navigator

Engine Upgrade

Vader with:

+1 Adaptability

X1 title

ATC

Engine Upgrade

Prockets

All that matters in Acewing games is who boosts last. With a 4 point initiative bid at PS 10, I'm always moving last. I'm always dropping a bomb last too.

What if you run into Vader with VI?

If you think that's too much of a risk, put VI on Vader and go up to 97 points. I'd rather have the ability to choose which one to move first though.

Having to move Vader last typically wasn't an issue though.

My favorite thing to do against aces is to force a bump use feedback array. Either 3 z95s or manaroo in the Bumpmaster with Anti-pursuit lasers. Using manaroo I succeeded in killing Soontir twice without shooting him or being shot back. And remember, a bump also removes those aces abilities to reposition.

I have never personally tried it, but I've always wanted to troll some ace lists with a combination of Latts Razzi, Palob, and Kavil (w/ Crackshot). Steal their tokens, reduce their agility, TLT with Kavil/Palob and Crackshot any evades they roll. I don't know how good it would be against other lists, but it seems like fun

Another list I put together for ace-hate is this:

99pts

Boba Fett w/ VI, Tactician, Feedback Array, Engine Upgrade

Dengar w/ Adaptability, 4-LOM, R5-P8, Feedback Array, Punishing One

(Another option I've toyed with is losing the painbot for Engine Upgrade on Dengar as well. At PS10 though, I don't know how necessary it is, since he has barrel roll). The idea is you have two PS10 beasts who move after the small aces (except Vader or Poe potentially), which either puts you in a great position for a shot or you can just feedback array if necessary. Tactician, 4-LOM, and R5-P8 are all upgrades aces hate to see.

Just gonna throw on autocorrect ghost again

Kinda disgusting how it just deletes aces regardless of Palp. Add boost for max coverage; pricket James v the inq variant