There's no way they'll do prequel ships unless they've also shown up in a more recent canon. I don't recall the ARC 170 being in rebels. I've read a lot of the comics but not all... has it shown up there? Or the new books?

ARC 170

TIE/FO sf

Shadowcaster

Mandalorian Fang Fighter

This is what's currently traveling the internet as a leak form an Italian distributer.

(image snip)

Interesting, if true.

I can safely say I wouldn't buy ANY of that junk.

**** gunboat cultist... c'mon Brah!

Seriously. That's all utter garbage to me. There isn't one ship I'd be interested in picking up in that list.

ARC-170? A prequel ship, released on it's own? Nah, I'll pass.

TIE/sf? I've already got fifteen or so ships which look almost exactly the same. I haven't even used my TIE/fo's, why would I want another one?

Mandalorian Fang Fighter? I'm mainly a scum player at the moment, but it simply doesn't appeal to me. And neither does the Shadow Caster (but then, I haven't watched Rebels).

There is nothing there that interests me, at all.

Really? The ARC-170 is (IMO, of course) probably the best-looking of the prequel ships. It was used by both the Empire and the Rebellion for the first few years of the Galactic Civil War, so it's thematically appropriate. And given the crew configuration and rear gunnery seat, it seems straightforward to figure it would be a small-based ship with crew and a rear arc. Assuming the rumor is true, then, it seems like a really interesting ship to get on the table from a mechanical perspective.

And if you're not convinced by the TIE/sf, that's fine, but it's pretty low-hanging fruit as (1) the only un-released ship from Force Awakens that (2) is clearly sized appropriately for the game. Also, as others noted above, the lore makes it a very different ship from the TIE/fo even if it has roughly the same silhouette.

I'd talk about your objection to the Scum ships, but I don't know any more about their roles or appearances in Rebels than you do--so rather than reaching judgment now, I think I'll wait until the ships are previewed to find out whether or not there's anything to like (or dislike).

Really?

Yep, really. Please note that these are merely my opinions - I'm not objecting to FFG releasing these ships for whatever reason, and I'm sure plenty of other people will be interested, I'm merely stating that they're not my cup of tea.

1: I'm not interested in prequel-era ships at all. But aside from that, releasing a prequel-era ship on it's own, instead of alongside other, prequel-era ships seems very odd to me.

2: TIE Palette Swap #4 may very well be mechanically different in the film and the lore, and I agree it is an obvious inclusion at some point, especially given the recent announcement of Heroes of the Resistance, but to me it is still aesthetically TIE Palette Swap #4, and uninspiring.

3 & 4: I haven't watched the Rebels TV series, and I have no frame of reference for either ship. They might introduce some interesting new mechanics to the game, sure, but they don't immediately capture my attention or imagination the way the, say, Mist Hunter or Punishing One did. They face a real uphill battle to persuade me to make a purchase.

But that's OK. If this is Wave 9, then I can pick up Imperial Veterans then happily wait for Shapeways Cyber Monday sale. Maybe pick up a Vaksai or two, Gosric's Gunboat and an Interdictor and some shuttles for Armada. It's all good.

Again, if ARC-170 is heading to X-wing, I would say we can expect to see it in trailers for Rebels season 3 before the summer is out.

The ARC is ok, the V-wing is better, but the ARC is still a more sensible design than the X-wing (as long as they market it is a Long-range multi-role scout fighter, and not a space superiority fighter)

I have no interest in the TIE SF though I'm sure it will appear in game at some point. Don't really know enough about the scum ships to make a statement on them.

I hope that list is accurate just to watch the prequel haters squirm!

Can I just say giving any TIE design a turret is just idiotic. They have those big panels (all of them) which would prevent firing at side arcs (and before you go off on all the space beneath remember we play a 2D game). Now giving a "turret like" weapon rear arc access that could be reasonable.

What I expect:

Rebels: R-41 Starchaser. Probably a base cost of around 14-15 points, 2,2,2,2 statline, with a cannon upgrade as standard and a cheap, interesting title that will justify it over the Z-95 and A Wing. Rebs need a cheap, light cannon carrier, essentially what the Scyk ought to be. This will fit that role - it's one of the few niches they're missing.

Imperials: TIE/sf. The last prominent starfighter from TFA, ideally with a rear arc trather than a turret slot, but in either case this is unlikely to be a title for the TIE/fo, or otherwise released in some kind of TFA pack ala an imperial version of Heroes of the Resistance (though I didn't predict that pack, so who knows). It needs to be it's own thing. Only other possibility is the Upsilon command shuttle, but to be honest I reckon that's more likely next wave.

Scum: Scurrg bomber with Havoc title. This is in Armada, it will come to X Wing, and probably in this wave, if only because it's been in Armada long enough that the X Wing guys will have been working it for long enough. Also, Scum don;t really have a K Wing or Punisher equivalent superbomber. This is the one I'm most confident of.

Scum: Skipray Blastboat. The last interview with Alex and Frank mentioned (IIRC) that there was one more wave to bring Scum up to speed, and at present, Rebs have 13 ships, Imps 12 and Scum 11. So this wave will see one more scum ship, and since all the bounty hunter ships are done, and TFA introduced nothing for scum, unless there's something from Rogue One that nobody predicts, or they grab something from rebels (though to me, nothing stands out, even the Shadowcaster doesn't really seem likely), then they need to go back to the EU, and the Blastboat is among the most famous and iconically scum EU designs (even though the Imps used it too), thanks to the Zahn books. I'm thinking a Scum Ghost-lite, with lots of interlocking upgrade options - turret, cannon, torpedoes, system, illicit, crew, crew maybe?

What I'd love:

Recon-X for Rebels, TIE Scout for Imperials, Cloakshape and Skipray for Scum. Get your X wing fix, and some awesome support abilities for all factions, and the Cloakshape just because it's awesome.

I agree with the Skipray Blastoboat. It can basically function as the Scum version of the K-wing or TIE Punisher. That would be neat.

Can I just say giving any TIE design a turret is just idiotic. They have those big panels (all of them) which would prevent firing at side arcs (and before you go off on all the space beneath remember we play a 2D game). Now giving a "turret like" weapon rear arc access that could be reasonable.

Amen brother. The TIE s/f looks like it was designed by a child. I'm frankly surprised the engines aren't a giant cannon.

really hoping for a huge scum ship. Only person i can play epic with around here plays scum only, so it kinda feels a little one-sided lol. Granted, if he can get past my TIE swarm and behind my Raider he can do some massive damage...gotten there once out of 5 tries lol

Rebels: H-wing Bomber

Scum: Scrugg "Silly" H-6 Bomber

Empire: gunboat (but with bombs)

I hope that list is accurate just to watch the prequel haters squirm!

I can feel them nervously squirming right now.

so the ARC-170 comes with

forward firing cannons

rear firing cannons

torpedoes

pilot, co-pilot (crew), gunner (rear arc)

astromech

sensor slot? according to lore yes, but at that point the poor E-wing can kiss its butt goodbye

no bombs (boo) but it could fill a niche in the game

edit: OK, I'll admit that was a trifle unnecessary.

Mmmm... trifle.

so the ARC-170 comes with

forward firing cannons

rear firing cannons

torpedoes

pilot, co-pilot (crew), gunner (rear arc)

astromech

sensor slot? according to lore yes, but at that point the poor E-wing can kiss its butt goodbye

no bombs (boo) but it could fill a niche in the game

crew card - Clone trooper (rebel /imperial only) increase you PS during the combat phase by 1

If the leaks are true, I think it looks pretty exciting. Not sure I'm on board with the ARC-170, but I'll definitely try to get at least 1 FANG fighter and 1 TIE/sf.

But let's be realistic, everyone. The cards are going to be competitive staples that force us to buy the ships whether we're interested in the models or not.

[That wink is indicating that I'm jesting, slightly. While I do believe the cards will be awesome, there's no reason previously great lists shouldn't continue to do well.]

so the ARC-170 comes with

forward firing cannons

rear firing cannons

torpedoes

pilot, co-pilot (crew), gunner (rear arc)

astromech

sensor slot? according to lore yes, but at that point the poor E-wing can kiss its butt goodbye

no bombs (boo) but it could fill a niche in the game

crew card - Clone trooper (rebel /imperial only) increase you PS during the combat phase by 1

nah

it'll be Sabine so you can fill the torp slot(s) with an extra munitions

but as long as it had two torp slots (unlike the poor X and E) it could conceivably run ordnance well, which is something we're lacking in rebels. Other than the K, which REALLY struggles with arc issues, and the Z, there's no solid platform for ordnance since only those two ships can run homing missiles without tax (A)

with a re-roll mod given by something (astro? r2-d6 predator?), the ARC-170 could double down as a nice ordnance dispenser

Arc-170 torpedo tubes are forward-arc?

Arc-170 torpedo tubes are forward-arc?

can't crib from the Ghost now, can we ?

Of course the Imperials would have to get a totally new astromech slot.

Don't think it'd be imperial

if anyone's scrambling for outdated tech, it'd be scum or rebels

imps also don't lack for viable ordnance carriers (good ole bomber), and so the ARC (With two torp slots) would be much better purposed in Rebels

just introduce a new astromech or Arc-only modification that, like r5-k6 but not ****, functions as a quasi-FCS

(2 points)

once per round, when you would spend a target-lock on an enemy ship you may immediately reacquire a target-lock on that same ship

So there is another thread which not only has predictions but verifiable evidence that at least two of the ships are new. The U-Wing (Rebel) and the TIE Striker. The Rouge One poster and trailer have the ships. This comfirms what my marketing instincts told me. New Waves will support and feature the film they are released in advance of. I would t be surprised one bit if we don't see the TIE s/f until next year preceding E. VIII. Given this:

U-boat- Rebel

TIE Striker- Imps

Scurrg (small base)- Rebel and Scum

Another unknown ship from Rouge One

Your ARC-170 ... what's it's down side for 25 points?

They look. Almost exactly. THE SAME.

BRAH?! FOR REALS???

Of course the Imperials would have to get a totally new astromech slot.

FUNNY AND GLORY-US'ES!