NOVA Squadron Radio – Episode 50: Heroes, Defenders, and Rebels
Welcome to NOVA Squadron Radio! This week we are joined by a very Special Guest, Osoroshii, from the FFG forums! We discuss New TIE Defends, Heroes of the Resistance, and Paul leads us in a discussion about where Rebels are now in the Meta! All of that and a LOT more
NOVA Squadron Radio is:
Ed Horne – Host
Chad Brown – Co-Host
Sean Dorcy – Co-host
Bob Randall – Co-host
Kris Sherriff – Co-host
Richard Hsu – Co-host
Paul Heaver – Co-Host
Osoroshii – Special Guest
Here are the show notes from Episode 50:
[0:00 – 2:33] Show Opening
[2:33 –31:45] Flight Deck
[31:45– 1:22:50] News:
NOVA Open 2016 - http://www.novaopen.com/
Muse on Minis Con www.museonminis.com
The Vassal X-Wing League https://www.reddit.com/r/xwingonline/comments/4a13il/new_player_signups_for_the_xwing_vassal_league/
Monday Night Gaming: https://www.twitch.tv/sentrybox
Tuesdays Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/steleenterprises
Social Meeples: https://socialmeeples.com/welcome
Defend the Empire: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2016/4/25/defend-the-empire/
Heroes of the Resistance: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2016/5/4/these-are-your-first-steps/
[1:22:50– 2:09:20] Main Segment: The TIE Advanced Porotype
[2:09:20– 2:17:30] Show Closing
Musical Credits go out to the band ‘Insane Ride’ and their songs ‘Sound of Rock and Roll’ and ‘Wrong or Right’ found on the Free Music Archive at http://freemusicarchive.org/
Audio Editing & Mixing by Podcast Masters www.podcastmasters.net
Thanks for listening, and talk to you again in two weeks!
Here is the direct link: http://media.blubrry.com/novasquadronradio/p/novasquadronradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/NOVA_Squadron_Radio_Episode_50_final.mp3
www.novasquadronradio.com
NOVA Squadron Radio – Episode 50: Heroes, Defenders, and Rebels
Pheaver hit co-host status!
Looking forward to giving this a listen.
Already listened to most of it over the weekend! Great show guys!
I've tried the squad that MajorJuggler mentioned with the Countess, Juke Vessery, and Palpmobile. It is very scary. 6 HP behind three green dice, focus, evade, and Palp is nothing to sneeze at. Even if they hit past your defensive tokens, they've got to chew through your not-insignificant 3 shields and 3 hull. The Countess works very well with x7/Juke Vessery. Also the shuttle can provide target locks to help out. Flew the list against a Chopper/Tycho build. Ghosts are generally not a problem for Defenders unless they are using ion turrets and you have x7 Defenders. Then they can be annoying. Usually (especially with two Defenders), the Defenders chew through the Ghost very quickly, but the Ghost cannot kill the Defenders fast enough due to reasons listed before (highish HP behind 3 greens and token stacking). I definitely see "Defend the Emperor" builds, particularly the combo of PTL/x7/Mk. II Ryad and Juke/x7 Vessery, to be another staple PalpAces style build once IV drops. The only real weaknesses I see in the list are the low PS and if Vessery is ever the last man standing. His damage output drops significantly if he has nobody to paint targets for him. The low PS really isn't that big of a deal though. They will get arc-dodged, but even high PS arc-dodgers have trouble keeping up with the ability to constantly K-Turn.
Edited by Nhoj4Already listened to most of it over the weekend! Great show guys!
I've tried the squad that MajorJuggler mentioned with the Countess, Juke Vessery, and Palpmobile. It is very scary. 6 HP behind three green dice, focus, evade, and Palp is nothing to sneeze at. Even if they hit past your defensive tokens, they've got to chew through your not-insignificant 3 shields and 3 hull. The Countess works very well with x7/Juke Vessery. Also the shuttle can provide target locks to help out. Flew the list against a Chopper/Tycho build. Ghosts are generally not a problem for Defenders unless they are using ion turrets and you have x7 Defenders. Then they can be annoying. Usually (especially with two Defenders), the Defenders chew through the Ghost very quickly, but the Ghost cannot kill the Defenders fast enough due to reasons listed before (highish HP behind 3 greens and token stacking). I definitely see "Defend the Emperor" builds, particularly the combo of PTL/x7/Mk. II Ryad and Juke/x7 Vessery, to be another staple PalpAces style build once IV drops. The only real weaknesses I see in the list are the low PS and if Vessery is ever the last man standing. His damage output drops significantly if he has nobody to paint targets for him. The low PS really isn't that big of a deal though. They will get arc-dodged, but even high PS arc-dodgers have trouble keeping up with the ability to constantly K-Turn.
Thanks for the report! Did you try the squad out after listening, or did you think it up in parallel?
I like Juke on Vessery as it gives him some late-game value even if his Target Lock spotter is gone. But I'm thinking we may see more VI Vessery to pair with The Inquisitor.
I've done a Z-95 missile swarm, like Kris mentioned in the cast. I've found that you almost NEED to have Biggs to keep the Z's alive until they've shot their missiles. I also like Draw Their Fire on Blount to help keep Biggs alive longer.
My current iteration is
*Blount (Draw Their Fire, Tracers)
*Biggs (R4-D6, Plasma Torps, Guidance Chips)
--I've found Biggs tends to get over killed and makes Integrated Astromech pointless and I like the Chips better to push more damage before he dies.
*2x Tala (Concussion Missile, Guidance Chips)
*Tala (Homing Missile, Guidance Chips)
If I can line up shots correctly, I can usually wipe out their major threat in the first round of shooting, usually with one Z with a missile left over. The Homing Missile is there to help out against high agility ships, and because it's usually the best option to hold out with if a Z-95 needs to acquire a lock from outside Blount's Tracers. I struggle against high PS arc dodgers and basically have to pray against Dash, but it's a fun list to fly and takes people by surprise because they're not used to having Concussion Missiles flying at you with reliable damage (like you said on the cast, you get two free HIT results from the missile itself and from the Chips).
Edited by mightyspacepopeAlready listened to most of it over the weekend! Great show guys!
I've tried the squad that MajorJuggler mentioned with the Countess, Juke Vessery, and Palpmobile. It is very scary. 6 HP behind three green dice, focus, evade, and Palp is nothing to sneeze at. Even if they hit past your defensive tokens, they've got to chew through your not-insignificant 3 shields and 3 hull. The Countess works very well with x7/Juke Vessery. Also the shuttle can provide target locks to help out. Flew the list against a Chopper/Tycho build. Ghosts are generally not a problem for Defenders unless they are using ion turrets and you have x7 Defenders. Then they can be annoying. Usually (especially with two Defenders), the Defenders chew through the Ghost very quickly, but the Ghost cannot kill the Defenders fast enough due to reasons listed before (highish HP behind 3 greens and token stacking). I definitely see "Defend the Emperor" builds, particularly the combo of PTL/x7/Mk. II Ryad and Juke/x7 Vessery, to be another staple PalpAces style build once IV drops. The only real weaknesses I see in the list are the low PS and if Vessery is ever the last man standing. His damage output drops significantly if he has nobody to paint targets for him. The low PS really isn't that big of a deal though. They will get arc-dodged, but even high PS arc-dodgers have trouble keeping up with the ability to constantly K-Turn.
Thanks for the report! Did you try the squad out after listening, or did you think it up in parallel?
I like Juke on Vessery as it gives him some late-game value even if his Target Lock spotter is gone. But I'm thinking we may see more VI Vessery to pair with The Inquisitor.
I was giddy as a school girl when you mentioned it. Lol. "They mentioned my squad!"
Edited by Nhoj4What was the list kris mentioned in the flight deck? It seemed intersting.
is that intentionally porotype or a poro typo?
poro is a thing in league of legends
Edited by XBear
You guys should all let Chad know that he's totally right about Maarek Stele. Just give him TIE/D with Ion Cannon. MajorJuggler had it right that he's basically a PS-bid.
You guys should all let Chad know that he's totally right about Maarek Stele. Just give him TIE/D with Ion Cannon. MajorJuggler had it right that he's basically a PS-bid.
He's a point more than a Glaive, for a potentially occasionally useful ability (at least for primary attacks) and +1 PS. Unfortunately that +1PS is anti-synergistic with Vessery, and there are better named aces out there. Inquisitor, Omega Leader, Fel.
It's possible I'm wrong, and the K-turn will turn out to be super-powerful, making any of the named Defender pilots better than the previous aces. Probably not quite though. Maybe close, but not quite. Time (or a lot of quality analytical playtesting) will tell.
I hate to keep pointing it out, but it kind of keeps coming up about PS2 rebels, so I'll post it here as well. One of our local players, has gone undefeated in Swiss at two regionals with the following list:
- Joe Topczewski: Biggs Darklighter + R4-D6 + Integrated Astromech; 2x Blue Squadron Novice + R2 Astromech + Integrated Astromech; 2x Bandit Squadron Pilot
He made Top 4 in Roseville and Top 8 in Wisconsin (he mentioned in the regional thread he had to drive home so he dropped).
I bring it up again here because these kinds of lists are getting dismissed in the the current meta consistently (I would have, too!) and I think they have some great tools (blocking) that has been a bit of a lost art, and of course, Biggs can't be underestimated.
Edited by AlexWMJ, dyou ever look at hypotheticals, for example tie/d vessery w hlc / mangler?
Did i miss the part where they talked about Heroes of the Resistance? It's in the show notes but i dont recall them talking about the (few) spoiled cards. Where is it?
Did i miss the part where they talked about Heroes of the Resistance? It's in the show notes but i dont recall them talking about the (few) spoiled cards. Where is it?
Its in the news segment.
Did i miss the part where they talked about Heroes of the Resistance? It's in the show notes but i dont recall them talking about the (few) spoiled cards. Where is it?
Its in the news segment.
Thanks Ed!
Edited by Celes
You guys should all let Chad know that he's totally right about Maarek Stele. Just give him TIE/D with Ion Cannon. MajorJuggler had it right that he's basically a PS-bid.
He's a point more than a Glaive, for a potentially occasionally useful ability (at least for primary attacks) and +1 PS. Unfortunately that +1PS is anti-synergistic with Vessery, and there are better named aces out there. Inquisitor, Omega Leader, Fel.
It's possible I'm wrong, and the K-turn will turn out to be super-powerful, making any of the named Defender pilots better than the previous aces. Probably not quite though. Maybe close, but not quite. Time (or a lot of quality analytical playtesting) will tell.
The +1 PS is pretty useful if you expect to be facing Vessery and Glaives, however, and if your squad doesn't support Vessery in the first place than he's as good a buy as any. I think when comparing ships like Maarek to conventional aces it's not an issue of better, but an issue of what the ship is best at. The aces have the maneuver game down, but are countered harder by stuff like Autoblasters Turrets. Named TIE/Ds will do a lot more damage than a conventional ace, and they'll add in that control element that current aces are lacking, but won't have as much of a reactive maneuver game (although Barrel Roll is not nothing). What your squad needs and what you need to counter (and where your skills as a player are strongest) will determine which one is better in a specific instance. I doubt we'll see wholesale displacement of the big aces with named Defenders, though, they're too different.
Gratz on Paul for making into Co-host
MJ, dyou ever look at hypotheticals, for example tie/d vessery w hlc / mangler?
Occasionally. TIE/D + Mangler or HLC would be broken. It's a very good thing that the TIE/D cannon is capped at 3 points.
I hate to keep pointing it out, but it kind of keeps coming up about PS2 rebels, so I'll post it here as well. One of our local players, has gone undefeated in Swiss at two regionals with the following list:
He made Top 4 in Roseville and Top 8 in Wisconsin (he mentioned in the regional thread he had to drive home so he dropped).
- Joe Topczewski: Biggs Darklighter + R4-D6 + Integrated Astromech; 2x Blue Squadron Novice + R2 Astromech + Integrated Astromech; 2x Bandit Squadron Pilot
I bring it up again here because these kinds of lists are getting dismissed in the the current meta consistently (I would have, too!) and I think they have some great tools (blocking) that has been a bit of a lost art, and of course, Biggs can't be underestimated.
This list seems intrguing. Can you tell me more of the mechanics as to why it does so well?
What was the list kris mentioned in the flight deck? It seemed intersting.
Hi Shenannigan,
Sorry for the delay, I was driving around North America and have not been online as much as i should.
Ian's Scum Squad (which I assume is the one you're talking about) is:
Palob, TLT, Cloaking Device, Adaptability - 28 Points
Kaa'to, Chips, Tracers, Adaptability - 16 Points
Hired Gun, TLT, BTL, Unhinged - 27 Points
Bumpmaster, Intel Agent, Anti-Pursuit Lasers, Adaptability - 28 Points
It is a really interesting list and can do well against a lot of things, he did take it to the Regional and I should have the video up for the (spoilers) Semi-Final and Final table match that he played in with it soon.
Kris
Have there been any additional pod casts since this one?
I have definitely enjoyed the podcast but occasionally I have trouble hearing the host and thus have to drastically turn the volume up. But then when other speak or when a "commercial" occurs I blow my ear drums out. Has anybody else had this issue?
Thanks!
We recorded 51 last week, so it should be up soon.
But! Did you record before or after wave 9 announcement...
But! Did you record before or after wave 9 announcement...
After. I wasn't on episode 51 so I'm also looking forward to listening to it!
Edited by MajorJugglerI'm glad I got to meet and talk to some of you guys at the regional tournaments this year (Murray, Monroeville, possibly Springfield?)