There's 4 SWX## product numbers(think it was 54-57) between the Imp Vets and the FA Falcon + Poe sets. The colored flight stands and the dial holder things come between wave 8 and the Imp Vets. Looks like a 4 ship release for wave 9. Might have other FA ships like the shuttle and FO/sf though I'm hoping for...gunboat or Avenger though an Oppressor giving the Imps a small turret ship would be cool too.

Start the betting?

Many bets have already been placed.

Assuming one rebel ship, one Imp, 2 scum again. Then Scum should be in a pretty healthy spot for overall faction diversity compared to the other two.

I would place money bets on the Special Forces Tie and the Scurrg H-6 Bomber for scum. The other 2 is anyones guess. I have a bad feeling Rebels are going to get that hideous Resistance Transport though... sigh...

I am out of hope for the Gunboat to join the game anymore, because of the apparent "manufacturism" of FFG with the Empire fighters having to be Sienar only.

If anything, I hope the TIE Avenger does. It would be from the same PC game series, and FFG could have the chance of designing a space superiority fighter closer to what the TIE Defender should have been from the beginning.

I am out of hope for the Gunboat to join the game anymore, because of the apparent "manufacturism" of FFG with the Empire fighters having to be Sienar only.

If anything, I hope the TIE Avenger does. It would be from the same PC game series, and FFG could have the chance of designing a space superiority fighter closer to what the TIE Defender should have been from the beginning.

That's what you get when you allow Siener lobbyists into the manufacturing sector, the choice is severely cut down, much like in our own Political system at the moment.

I am hoping for Scum diversity, ordnance made the Z 95 a thing again for scum, but I really find it difficult to find that spot filler for scum. Aces like Guri are great but come in generally just under 40 points, I don't want to fly large ships all the time, which is why I play Imperials a lot more as I like small ship dodgers, I am loving the 3 TIE Interceptors at the moment. My Martin Luther King, a man can dream moment for X Wing is that all types of ships have 8 pilots to choose from, be it generics or aces, I think this would help diversify builds a lot more, rather than the, oh you have Palp Aces, that is n ships, or Super dash etc etc.

I wish FFG would release Pilot card packs, but it doesnt make a lot of economic sense for them to release it that way.

Here's to more spoils!

Arch.

P.S. I think a Troll is in charge of the wave releases...every time someone mentions the gunboat that's another week added to it's release, if ever.

If that is true, Gunboat is due about 2553...

Trouble with the Gunboat is that the Punisher kinda filled the slot is was meant to operate in. A heavily armed and shielded bomber. IIRC from the game, a Gunboat should probably have a cannon upgrade slot rather than a system but otherwise I would find it hard to come up with Gunboat stats that were not dangerously close to the Punisher.

Well, the Gunboat wouldn't carry bombs, for a start...

Trouble with the Gunboat is that the Punisher kinda filled the slot is was meant to operate in. A heavily armed and shielded bomber. IIRC from the game, a Gunboat should probably have a cannon upgrade slot rather than a system but otherwise I would find it hard to come up with Gunboat stats that were not dangerously close to the Punisher.

This kind of belongs to the other thread, really, but the gunboat was as much a bomber as the X-Wing was a torpedo boat. Both could manage, but they weren't specialized at doing that.

Meanwhile, the TIE Punisher it's clearly a bomberer bomber, specialized at bombing and torpedo runs against capital ships and installations.

The gunboat flights were more akin to some countries' coast guards. Patrolling, policing, and rescuing or assisting distress calls, watching trade routes, routing pirates, catching smugglers, and yes, also helping here and there with military operations where high reaction speed to unforeseen events was needed.

A gunboat is designed to react to whatever is needed, and is equipped with an assortment of tools that allows it to perform okay at different tasks.

It is fast and agile enough to match or surpass most civilian and generalistic spaceships, but it's not a great dogfighter.

It is supposed to be the first to encounter trouble, so they have enough shielding to survive until they can report back, but they certainly aren't as sturdy or evasive as other military ships.

It has ion cannons to suppress and disable targets in non lethal ways, but it cannot board them.

And finally, it has missiles to intercept pirates, terrorists, criminals, or assist other armed forces, as well as tractor beam; but it is definitely not even close to a TIE Defender or Advanced at space superiority.

If they were RPG arcehtypes, the TIE Punisher would be warhammer-wielding warrior, while the gunboat would be a ranger with pockets full with tricks and traps.

To get back on topic; what if wave 9 has to wait? What if the four numbers are:

- First Order Loyalists, with new shuttle, Special Forces TIE (with rear-arc), and PS9 pilots.

- Rebel Veterans with E-Wing and Y-Wing as the X-Wing gets its own package after Rogue One.

- Sinister Villains: with Grey Star Viper and Kirhaxz in Black Sun colours.

- Scum Huge, with improved Scyk added.

I don't foresee a Rebel Veterans happening this year, after the Heroes of the Resistance announcement. Whatever comes for the Rebels in Wave 9 is probably going to be it until Rogue One drops new pilots and goodies. Imperials are probably going to be the same, save for the on-the-horizon Veterans set.

Obviously, I could be wrong, but I doubt they'd be dropping 4 ships per faction in the space of a year, even if most of them are reprints with fixes, or variants.

I like the idea of the gunboat as a cheap, semi-maneuverable, imperial cannon platform. About midway between a shuttle and defender. Wouldn't step on too many toes that way.

There is not another ship with Force Awakens that needs a spot in this game. Special Forces Tie should be a cardboard only addition. All other ships are transports that might make for some fun narrative or cinematic play but that's it.

Special Forces Tie should be a cardboard only addition.

I strongly disagree.

As posted by Arschebombe here , in another thread:

That's more than enough difference to justify a new model, I think.

Also, if they're going to make a whole new mold for the new Falcon rather than just the pilot cards, doing so for the /sf will be trivial.

Special Forces Tie should be a cardboard only addition.

I strongly disagree.

As posted by Arschebombe here , in another thread:

That's more than enough difference to justify a new model, I think.

Uh-Huh... See? Now you got Mighty VORPS all up on your New X-WING Model-hating-ass!

SIC 'EM Vorps... GET AFTER 'EM!!!

KILL KILL KILL !!!!

Special Forces Tie should be a cardboard only addition.

I strongly disagree.

As posted by Arschebombe here , in another thread:

That's more than enough difference to justify a new model, I think.

More of a difference than the new falcon at least.....