Also one thing i'd like to point out:

Stealth Device = no Twin Ion Engines Mk2.

Defenders are one of the most painful ships to stress out if they dont have that card. They literally cant do anything but go straight to destress without it. The moment you run into a stresser and you have Stealth Device, youre in trouble.

Of course, the x7 Defenders don't have to de-stress. You've got a lot of non-red maneuver options - INCLUDING that k-turn, of course - which you can keep using while stressed. And the evade token you get directly, without taking an action - so still pick those up while stressed.

They ain't exactly Tycho, but the x7 Defenders can survive well enough for a few turns while still holding on to stress tokens...

Loss of the focus or targetlock though can really be a pain in the butt.

Vessery can bypass the targetlock issue technically, but he also costs a fair chunk.

I will absolutely never run a Glaive! If I'm taking 2 defenders they will be the cheap generics without EPTs or Ryad and Vessery.

Onyx Squadron is the sweet spot for pilot skill, beats TLT Y's and ties Contracted scouts. Glaive's PS 6/7/8 doesn't help at all against PS 9/10/11. It is just wasted points, and there is no 0 or 1 point EPT they can take that is as good as Ryad or Vessery's special abilities.

If you are squeezing 3 Defenders into a list, and giving them EPTs at the expense of Twin Ion Engine MkII, you are doing it wrong!

I will absolutely never run a Glaive! If I'm taking 2 defenders they will be the cheap generics without EPTs or Ryad and Vessery.

Onyx Squadron is the sweet spot for pilot skill, beats TLT Y's and ties Contracted scouts. Glaive's PS 6/7/8 doesn't help at all against PS 9/10/11. It is just wasted points, and there is no 0 or 1 point EPT they can take that is as good as Ryad or Vessery's special abilities.

If you are squeezing 3 Defenders into a list, and giving them EPTs at the expense of Twin Ion Engine MkII, you are doing it wrong!

I'm not sure that I'd call tieing the PS of a ship that is being used for alpha strikes "a sweet spot". 2 points for an EPT slot and 3 PS isn't a bad deal.

It's Onyx's that I've got a hard time justifying. If I want to save points Deltas are the way to go with their hard to block PS1, I can't see paying to upgrade them and not getting an EPT or a pilot ability.

I have a hard time getting excited about massed x7s. They just don't have the offense to make my enemies tremble in terror before me. 30-odd points for a 3-dice attack is going to take some time to kill things. You've got to at least give them Predator or something.

30 odd point 3 att ships are kinda THE meta right now unless you're a toilet seat rider and alpha striking at 30 odd points. 30 odd point 3-dice attacks are about as good as it gets unless you're running phantoms.

I have a hard time getting excited about massed x7s. They just don't have the offense to make my enemies tremble in terror before me. 30-odd points for a 3-dice attack is going to take some time to kill things. You've got to at least give them Predator or something.

30 odd point 3 att ships are kinda THE meta right now unless you're a toilet seat rider and alpha striking at 30 odd points. 30 odd point 3-dice attacks are about as good as it gets unless you're running phantoms.

Maybe I should have been more clear: 30-odd point 3-dice ships that don't have much in the way of maneuver shenanigans. Fel has PS9 a stack of tokens, and lots of repositioning. Vader has PS9, 2 actions, and lots of repositioning. Inquisitor has PS8, ignores Autothrusters and the Range 3 bonus and has lots of repositioning. x7s generally won't have the number of actions or repositioning options to put their gun in the right place all the time. They will be really tough, which does translate into some offense just by being able to run right at someone, but they'll want a little extra, like Juke or Predator.

I have a hard time getting excited about massed x7s. They just don't have the offense to make my enemies tremble in terror before me. 30-odd points for a 3-dice attack is going to take some time to kill things. You've got to at least give them Predator or something.

30 odd point 3 att ships are kinda THE meta right now unless you're a toilet seat rider and alpha striking at 30 odd points. 30 odd point 3-dice attacks are about as good as it gets unless you're running phantoms.

Maybe I should have been more clear: 30-odd point 3-dice ships that don't have much in the way of maneuver shenanigans. Fel has PS9 a stack of tokens, and lots of repositioning. Vader has PS9, 2 actions, and lots of repositioning. Inquisitor has PS8, ignores Autothrusters and the Range 3 bonus and has lots of repositioning. x7s generally won't have the number of actions or repositioning options to put their gun in the right place all the time. They will be really tough, which does translate into some offense just by being able to run right at someone, but they'll want a little extra, like Juke or Predator.

TIE/D FTW.

pft

you give me one game with 3 stealth deltas, and I'll see them all summarily one-shot

I'll be flying them, of course

Seven hits (past the evade) and four dice? Haha.

I have only one attack that can possibly consistently do 7 damage in one turn.

Oh that's easy. NDru with Lone Wolf, Cluster Missiles, Glitterstim and GC.

I like this list, if your looking for power at least

TIE Defender: · Colonel Vessery (35)

Crack Shot (1)

TIE/x7 (-2)

TIE Phantom: · "Whisper" (32)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Fire Control System (2)

Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

TIE/fo Fighter: · "Omega Leader" (21)

Juke (2)

Comm Relay (3)

Or this as a fun stress juke alternative

TIE Bomber: Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16)

TIE Shuttle (0)

Tactician (2)

· Darth Vader (3)

TIE Avanced Prototype: · The Inquisitor (25)

Juke (2)

XX-23 S-Thread Tracers (1)

Autothrusters (2)

TIE/v1 (1)

TIE Defender: · Colonel Vessery (35)

Juke (2)

TIE/x7 (-2)

TIE Fighter: Academy Pilot (12)

YES! finally I have a reason to fly my 3 defenders :D

Seven hits (past the evade) and four dice? Haha.

I have only one attack that can possibly consistently do 7 damage in one turn.

You haven't seen his green dice. As I understand it, about half the faces on them have extra critical icons...

I have legit lost 6 health in one shot

granted it was a bomber, but given all the blanks it would've happened to a defender too

PLASMA torp, with a crit from a jumpmaster hits for max damage; blank baby blanks for defense

major explosion into direct hit

I have legit lost 6 health in one shot

granted it was a bomber, but given all the blanks it would've happened to a defender too

PLASMA torp, with a crit from a jumpmaster hits for max damage; blank baby blanks for defense

major explosion into direct hit

This is why i kinda feel forced to go with the TIE/x7 even though i really want Ion Cannon defenders.

In a local tourny i brought Vessery with a stealth device. Range3, through a rock, i had 6 green dice and a focus. I rolled all blanks. Took 3 damage and lost my stealth device. Next guy fired, now i only got 5 dice, again i wiff. Dead.

That crap happened to me TWICE in my 5 games that day. I routinely never get to do anything with that guy because he dies in ways that shouldnt ever kill him. Once in a blue moon going through 6 dice happens but cmon that many times?

Oh i also routinely lose Soontir to the first **** shot, which is usually range3 as well. Or at least lose his stealth device.

People may build to counter Palp-Aces, U-boats or swarms. Sadly no one has yet come up with a build to counter bad luck.

People may build to counter Palp-Aces, U-boats or swarms. Sadly no one has yet come up with a build to counter bad luck.

where we're going, we won't need luck

I have a hard time getting excited about massed x7s. They just don't have the offense to make my enemies tremble in terror before me. 30-odd points for a 3-dice attack is going to take some time to kill things. You've got to at least give them Predator or something.

30 odd point 3 att ships are kinda THE meta right now unless you're a toilet seat rider and alpha striking at 30 odd points. 30 odd point 3-dice attacks are about as good as it gets unless you're running phantoms.

Maybe I should have been more clear: 30-odd point 3-dice ships that don't have much in the way of maneuver shenanigans. Fel has PS9 a stack of tokens, and lots of repositioning. Vader has PS9, 2 actions, and lots of repositioning. Inquisitor has PS8, ignores Autothrusters and the Range 3 bonus and has lots of repositioning. x7s generally won't have the number of actions or repositioning options to put their gun in the right place all the time. They will be really tough, which does translate into some offense just by being able to run right at someone, but they'll want a little extra, like Juke or Predator.

x7: 1 action + 1 free evade- Check ("3" for Vess)! White K-turn Manuever shenanigans- Check (or green for Rand)...PS 7-10- check... EPTs- Check... I don't know that you want to triple them up but they easily slot in exactly where another 30-odd ace does and have access to the exact same tricks AND have 6hp instead of 3-4 with a stiffer dial.

I just realized that Homing Missiles are going to get even better once the X/7 comes out!

I just realized that Homing Missiles are going to get even better once the X/7 comes out!

less good with Black One rolling around, though

until people realize it does jack **** v scouts, anyway

I have a hard time getting excited about massed x7s. They just don't have the offense to make my enemies tremble in terror before me. 30-odd points for a 3-dice attack is going to take some time to kill things. You've got to at least give them Predator or something.

I put together a list with vessery with juke, x7 and mk2, ryad with ptl, x7 and mk2 and a delta with x7. Delta acts as a blocker, vessery is shooting with TL/Focus and juke (if he didn't spend evade on defense), ryad is shooting with tl/focus. So oly 3 dice attacks, but 2 of them should be fully modified, and all 3 ships can have evade tokens as well. Haven't flown it yet, so who knows if it'll actually work out in practice...