An Old Team

By Cununculus, in X-Wing

Yes, we have new stuff. Lots.

But who remembers when Garven Dreis in his T-65 X-Wing and Dutch Vander in his Y-Wing were a nasty combination to meet?

Their combo still works even though nearly forgotten. How would you bring this combination back to life?

Probably replace Garvin with Esege and Rec Spec in a K-wing. Guidance Chips is making Ordnance a viable option at last. The K-wing has an extra Torpedo slot opening up the possibility of Extra Munitions as well as adding a PWT to the mix (only 2 Red dice but still).

Dutch with his TL sharing is in a better place than he has ever been but sadly poor old Garvin is still hindered by the basic weaknesses of the T65. X-wing pilots need really good pilot abilities to be worth taking (e.g. Biggs). Garvin's rule is decent but Esege is better and is mounted on a more useful platform.

Maybe Garvin, Esege and Dutch could get together for a Focus threesome? Shame Esege's ability only works when other ships attack, if it also applied to defense it could be hilarious!

Edited by Karhedron

Thanks for this thread. In my early days, these were the two "obvious" pilots I had to start building squads around. It's been a long time since I gave either one much thought.

Just off the top of my head, I'm thinking I would want to try out an alpha strike build between the two of them. They are the same PS, so each can have TL+F on their opening attack (if they survive to fire). Maybe go with a cheap Flechette Torpedo on Garven, since you probably want IA rather than GC (or maybe you don't?), and a pair of harder hitting torpedos of choice (I'm fond lately of Ion Torpedoes) on Dutch.

As to who else brings up the rear, I look forward to seeing some ideas.

for casual play could work very well. Especially if you have an astro mech that can give you the TL, that spend to launch, back for use on the shot. That way you have all the mods working. Combine that with Biggs, and it would be fun. But for competitive play I think to many of the things that you would see in the current meta would wreck you. Aces, dual VCX-100, Bro-bots. All builds that would cause you a lot of problems.

Its hard to see.

Dutch should give up on the R5-K6 dream and run Targeting Astromech. That means Garven would be nice with Wingman, giving him R2-D6 for IA. To give Dutch a punch he gets Plasma Torps. They aren't ideal, because Garven has to attack first to ensure modification, but they do the same thing as Proton Torps for one point less.

“Dutch” Vander (30)
Y-Wing (23), Targeting Astromech (2), Plasma Torpedoes (3), Extra Munitions (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Garven Dreis (27)
X-Wing (26), R2-D6 (1), Integrated Astromech (0)

This leaves 41 points for something that catches fire for Dutch so he gets to deliver his payload. I'll have to think about that later. Tending towards Biggs and a Z-95 right now, but there might be something smarter.

This might be getting too cute:

Garven Dreis (26)

BB-8 (2)

Integrated Astromech (0)

"Dutch" Vander (23)

Twin Laser Turret (6)

R7-T1 (3)

Esege Tuketu (28)

Twin Laser Turret (6)

Recon Specialist (3)

Total: 97

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

If you are running R2-D6, what EPT would you give Garvin? Crack Shot is a cheap and easy way to help make sure your Torpedo damage sticks. Also gives a chance of putting some damage through on slippery ships like the Interceptor. Alternatively, Draw Their Fire will help keep his wingmates alive a bit longer.

Even more fun, how about R5-P9 on Dutch? If he does not need to spend the transfered Focus token while shooting, he can chose to spend it on regenerating a shield at the end of the turn.

How about this?

“Dutch” Vander (32)
Y-Wing (23), R5-P9 (3), Proton Torpedoes (4), Extra Munitions (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Garven Dreis (31)
X-Wing (26), R2-D6 (1), Integrated Astromech (0), Draw Their Fire (1), Plasma Torpedoes (3)

Esege (37)
K-wing (28), Recon Specialist (3), Proton Torpedoes (4), Extra Munitions (2), Guidance Chips (0)

100 Points

All ships are PS6 meaning you can move and fire in any order you want.

Normally I would would move Dutch last, take a target lock and share it with Esege. Garvin can take his own target lock (more on this later). Esege Focuses gaining 2 tokens thanks to Rec Spec.

In the firing phase, Garvin shoots first in order to maximise the shield damage of the plasma torps. If he needs a Focus (or even if he doesn't) he takes one from Esege and after spending it, transfers it to Dutch.

Dutch fires next. If he needs a Focus token (unlikely since Protorps will automatically flip 1 Focus result for you) he can either spend his own or save it and spend Esege's.

Esege fires last and again, will only need to spend a Focus token if he rolls 2 or more Focus results.

Ideally, at the end of the first round of firing, you will have dished out 12 red dice (well modified) and hopefully have 1 or 2 Focus tokens left over for defense. If Dutch loses any shields and still has his Focus token at the end, he can spend it on R5-P9 to regain a shield.

Repeat on the second turn of firing except this time, Garvin should Focus since he will be out of Ordnance so he may as well maximise his ability to share with Dutch. He should probably stay close to maximise Focus sharing and also to protect against the odd critical hit with DTF.

Probably not hugely competitive compared to triple U-boats but a fun way to get some of the old namers into a list that packs a decent alpha-strike and a bit of staying power.

Edited by Karhedron

I had some cracking games running Garven with the astro that gives him an EPT, VI and IA. He went alongside Corran and a rookie pilot.

Having Garven at PS8 lets him move and shoot when needed - Corran can soend a fo us for defence and still get on to attack, or visa versa.

...

How about this?

“Dutch” Vander (32)

Y-Wing (23), R5-P9 (3), Proton Torpedoes (4), Extra Munitions (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Garven Dreis (31)

X-Wing (26), R2-D6 (1), Integrated Astromech (0), Draw Their Fire (1), Plasma Torpedoes (3)

Esege (37)

K-wing (28), Recon Specialist (3), Proton Torpedoes (4), Extra Munitions (2), Guidance Chips (0)

100 Points

All ships are PS6 meaning you can move and fire in any order you want.

...

That's pretty cool. And very good tactics write-up!

I've been flying the following off and on for the last year, this is my current version, and plan on trying this at my league night tonight

B-Wing: · Nera Dantels (26)

Deadeye (1)

Ion Torpedoes (5)

Extra Munitions (2)

Fire Control System (2)

Guidance Chips (0)

X-Wing: · Garven Dreis (26)

· R2-D2 (4)

Integrated Astromech (0)

Y-Wing: · "Dutch" Vander (23)

Plasma Torpedoes (3)

Twin Laser Turret (6)

Targeting Astromech (2)

Guidance Chips (0)

“Dutch” Vander (30)
Y-Wing (23), Targeting Astromech (2), Plasma Torpedoes (3), Extra Munitions (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Garven Dreis (29)
X-Wing (26), R2-D6 (1), Integrated Astromech (0), Wingman (2)

Biggs Darklighter (26)
X-Wing (25), R4-D6 (1), Integrated Astromech (0)

Prototype Pilot (15)
A-Wing (17), Chardaan Refit (-2)

Okay, I got mine done. I was pleasantly suprised you can run Biggs with a Prototype blocker! You can drop that one down to a Tala to give Dutch an ABT, though.

What speaks for this squad? The A-Wing disrupts both aces and U-Boats very well. Biggs remains fantastic in this configuration. Dutch has damage similar to U-Boats and either Garven or Biggs get 3 dice primaries with full mods. Wingman gives Dutch or anyone who needs it a nice degree of freedom in their manouvers, which fits really well with Targeting Astromech.

Unfortunately there also speaks a lot against it. The squad is very stiff and is going to have trouble getting aces in arc. In a similar vein getting target locks on high PS opponents is a pain. It also doesn't have a spectacular amount of health points. Its just not a squad that has the touch on "unfairness" required to be top tier. But I guess that wasn't our goal here to begin with, so go ahead and try this, it looks fun enough!

I would like to make a proposal for the most important aspect of a list including Garvin, Dutch, and Esege: the name. The Rebel Devils. You know, 'cause 666. Do it.

This might be getting too cute:

Garven Dreis (26)

BB-8 (2)

Integrated Astromech (0)

"Dutch" Vander (23)

Twin Laser Turret (6)

R7-T1 (3)

Esege Tuketu (28)

Twin Laser Turret (6)

Recon Specialist (3)

Total: 97

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

I've run it before... It's magnificent.

I like that you can do shenanigans with garven esege Kyle.

I've been flying the following off and on for the last year, this is my current version, and plan on trying this at my league night tonight

B-Wing: · Nera Dantels (26)

Deadeye (1)

Ion Torpedoes (5)

Extra Munitions (2)

Fire Control System (2)

Guidance Chips (0)

X-Wing: · Garven Dreis (26)

· R2-D2 (4)

Integrated Astromech (0)

Y-Wing: · "Dutch" Vander (23)

Plasma Torpedoes (3)

Twin Laser Turret (6)

Targeting Astromech (2)

Guidance Chips (0)

I like this one! How did it fare in last night's match-up?

If looking at other pilots who don't get used, how about Jan Ors with Twin Laser Turret, Predator and Moldy Crow - because, you know, 5-dice torpedo shots?

I've been using Jan Ors with TLT and Han solo as a team. 5 dice range one is so much fun

If looking at other pilots who don't get used, how about Jan Ors with Twin Laser Turret, Predator and Moldy Crow - because, you know, 5-dice torpedo shots?

Jan is the strongest Rebel HWK pilot at the moment in my opinion, but that sadly doesn't mean much :/ I do love that build, though!

Edited by Admiral Deathrain

Garven, Dutch, and Jan Ors;

Give it aan try People!

But other ideas about the classic two are still welcome!

I've been playing old missions and Garven is really good in some of them. In particular, I've been doing Dagobah Dave's Trench Run and he's great to pass out that Focus. It helps that you can only take T-65's and Y-wings. The Rebels have a hard time living to the exhaust port.

Besides that, there is also Mission 1 (shuttle escort) where his Focus pass can really help.

If looking at other pilots who don't get used, how about Jan Ors with Twin Laser Turret, Predator and Moldy Crow - because, you know, 5-dice torpedo shots?

Jan-supported Plasma Torpedoes are utterly brutal. I faced this once. A Punisher died before getting off its first shot.

What to think of:

Garven

R5-K6 (his actual astromech in the film!)

IA

Flechette torps

Dutch

Dorsal Turret

Targeting mech

Proton torp

Extra munitions

Guidance chips

Nera Dantels

Deadeye

Advanced sensor

Proton torps

Extra munitions

Garven can have his classic droid kickstarted by Dutch. Classic sharing of tokens!

Edited by Cununculus