Folks

This is (almost) one of my experimental lists that I flew last night. It got owned due to an incorrect understanding of some rules on my opponents part and my flying. So yeah, 'mistakes were made' but of the two lists I tried I liked this one a lot more than the other. So I want to know if there are any small changes the hive mind things are worth it. What I was looking to do was up the amount of offense it can dish out. I struggled to put enough hurt onto the Millennium Falcon and I worry about taking on anything with a large combined shield and hull pool. Now like I said I know my flying wasn't great, I lost the Inquisitor far too early and way too close into the combat so I need plenty of practice which should help keeping my pilots alive longer.

I've already swapped out the homing missiles and guidance chip I have on Vader as they just felt like a poor option to put Predator on him (need to go get a copy of that). I added the Shield upgrade to Soontir (was targeting computer) as I don't have Stealth Device. I'm not sure that's a wise move as it's using points to cover what I believe is my issue with bad flying.

TRIPLE

100 points

PILOTS

Darth Vader (33)
TIE Advanced (29), TIE/x1 (0), Predator (3), Advanced Targeting Computer (5)

The Inquisitor (31)
TIE Advanced Prototype (25), Push the Limit (3), TIE/v1 (1), Autothrusters (2)

Soontir Fel (36)
TIE Interceptor (27), Royal Guard TIE (0), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2), Shield Upgrade (4)

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I looks pretty reasonable, though definitely a list that is going to take a lot of practice. The only suggestion I can come up with is to go Hull Upgrade on Soontir. It isn't really much worse than shield, and saves you a point for an initiative bid. With two PS9 ships, you want to have the choice of initiative if at all possible.

Most people will tell you stealth device is the be all and end all for Soontir, but it isn't super amazing unless you also have Palpatine on the board. Palpatine evens out those dice spikes that make aces so tense to fly.

The other option is to risk it on Soontir, skip the second Mod, and put an Engine Upgrade on Darth Vader.

Paul,

In all seriousness, that's a nice list. I agree that flying practice makes Aces run and all other details are tweaks in the hands of an experienced pilot (of which I am not :-)

But in all not-seriousness, we need to expand your crack supply one ship....if you want to have max-fun learning Aces and their mind-bending evading and positioning, this is a list I love to take out for spins against whatever is in the star-field:

Vader’s Aces

30 Darth Vader – TIE Advanced (29), TIE / X1 (0), Advanced Targeting Computer (1)
35 Soontir Fel – TIE Interceptor (27), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2), Stealth Device (3)
35 Echo — TIE Phantom (30), Veteran Instincts (1), Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

Here are the steps to max-enjoyment:

1) Field these Aces; flank the crazies and Vader up the gut.

2) Friend over to field whatever they like

3) Beer in hand; stay focused on the crazy possibilities that you can perform every step

4) Beer in your friend's hand; he's gonna need it :-)

............sorry about pushing the addiction. My bad.

If I stay with this list then....

In my mind the upgrades that are still in question are:

Predator on Vader (seems like it would be more useful on a ship with more attack dice, still useful however)

TIE/v1 on the Inquisitor (it's nice and all but if a point was needed for something I would scrap this)

Shield Upgrade on Soontir (because I feel like just 'flying better' would be as good and not cost points)

So I have 8 points to play with. I'm personally not convinced about missiles on Vader (and even less convinced about them on the Inquisitor) but I don't have enough games to really know if that is right or not. It's not enough points for even an Academy Pilot but it feels like too many points to spend on upgrades that I might be putting on there just for the sake of spending points.

Paul,

In all seriousness, that's a nice list. I agree that flying practice makes Aces run and all other details are tweaks in the hands of an experienced pilot (of which I am not :-)

But in all not-seriousness, we need to expand your crack supply one ship....if you want to have max-fun learning Aces and their mind-bending evading and positioning, this is a list I love to take out for spins against whatever is in the star-field:

Vader’s Aces

30 Darth Vader – TIE Advanced (29), TIE / X1 (0), Advanced Targeting Computer (1)

35 Soontir Fel – TIE Interceptor (27), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2), Stealth Device (3)

35 Echo — TIE Phantom (30), Veteran Instincts (1), Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

Here are the steps to max-enjoyment:

1) Field these Aces; flank the crazies and Vader up the gut.

2) Friend over to field whatever they like

3) Beer in hand; stay focused on the crazy possibilities that you can perform every step

4) Beer in your friend's hand; he's gonna need it :-)

............sorry about pushing the addiction. My bad.

I'd need the phantom and also Slave-1 or the Scyk for the Stealth device. could make do with a hull upgrade in the short term I guess.

I'd also lose the Inquisitor which feels like fun but might just be not as good as Echo.

Almost certain to happen eventually I guess.

Well, yes Paul, I love the Inquisitor too, but in an Aces build, he's the short man on the block...I'd drop Vader (dare I say it) to keep the Inquisitor if you'd like. And again, not to push the "plastic-crack" addiction, but this is the low-cost bomb of Aces (my humble opinion):

Just the initial decloak movement is crazy (before your movement dial and action movement):

I think Echo has something like 90 different movement possibilities pre-shoot; insane!

Take the V1 title on the Inquisitor, he's no way near as good without it. Love the list.

OK so after I got over the shock of 'drop Vader' I think you might have a point.

Stripping the pilots back to the minimum that makes them tick I think gives:

Vader + TIE/x1+ATC+Predator (33)

Fell + PTL + autothrusters (32)

Inquisitor + PTL + autothrusters + TIE/v1 (31)

Echo + VI + ACD (35)

So I can run

Inquisitor, Fell, Echo + 2 points more of upgrades (maybe lone wolf on someone or something like that)

Vader, Fell, Inquisitor + 4 points of upgrades (Engine Upgrades on V or Stealth device on F or shield upgrade on F or something)

Vader, Fell, Echo

Sounds like a potential plan.....

You could lose predator from vader for adaptability, drop shield upgrade on Soonts, then give both inquisitor and Vader prockets. That will solve the not enough damage output, and can take a scout out in one volley. Or just do prockets on inquiistor and EU on vader so he can get to where he needs to be

You could lose predator from vader for adaptability, drop shield upgrade on Soonts, then give both inquisitor and Vader prockets. That will solve the not enough damage output, and can take a scout out in one volley. Or just do prockets on inquiistor and EU on vader so he can get to where he needs to be

Oooh, I really like the prockets idea, that directly addresses what I felt was the shortcoming of the initial list.

You could lose predator from vader for adaptability, drop shield upgrade on Soonts, then give both inquisitor and Vader prockets. That will solve the not enough damage output, and can take a scout out in one volley. Or just do prockets on inquiistor and EU on vader so he can get to where he needs to be

Oooh, I really like the prockets idea, that directly addresses what I felt was the shortcoming of the initial list.

Yes, prockets are great for putting some real hurt in; but it's only one turn, then they're gone. If you're wanting to learn to really fly these birds, I'd max out their maneuvering abilities and really feel the nothingness rush between your Solar Arrays before tuning one or two up with any secondary weapons.

You could lose predator from vader for adaptability, drop shield upgrade on Soonts, then give both inquisitor and Vader prockets. That will solve the not enough damage output, and can take a scout out in one volley. Or just do prockets on inquiistor and EU on vader so he can get to where he needs to be

Oooh, I really like the prockets idea, that directly addresses what I felt was the shortcoming of the initial list.

Yes, prockets are great for putting some real hurt in; but it's only one turn, then they're gone. If you're wanting to learn to really fly these birds, I'd max out their maneuvering abilities and really feel the nothingness rush between your Solar Arrays before tuning one or two up with any secondary weapons.

Well being able to dodge all over the place is all well and good but when you are facing a high hull+shield ship with a turret it really helps to be able to quickly put some damage on it and reduce the turns it has to shoot back. Against the Falcon with Han + Predator + Gunner I didn't have the luxury of chipping off only a shield or two each turn. OK, mistakes were made in just how good that combination was (making it much better than it is) but even so.

You could lose predator from vader for adaptability, drop shield upgrade on Soonts, then give both inquisitor and Vader prockets. That will solve the not enough damage output, and can take a scout out in one volley. Or just do prockets on inquiistor and EU on vader so he can get to where he needs to be

Oooh, I really like the prockets idea, that directly addresses what I felt was the shortcoming of the initial list.

Yes, prockets are great for putting some real hurt in; but it's only one turn, then they're gone. If you're wanting to learn to really fly these birds, I'd max out their maneuvering abilities and really feel the nothingness rush between your Solar Arrays before tuning one or two up with any secondary weapons.

Well being able to dodge all over the place is all well and good but when you are facing a high hull+shield ship with a turret it really helps to be able to quickly put some damage on it and reduce the turns it has to shoot back. Against the Falcon with Han + Predator + Gunner I didn't have the luxury of chipping off only a shield or two each turn. OK, mistakes were made in just how good that combination was (making it much better than it is) but even so.

Yes, Large ships with the dreaded turrets are another beast alltogether. In that instance, pushing damage through quickly is the key as you say. Arc-dodgers are good, but not the best comodity on that mat in my humble opinion. In that instance Inquisitor at range three is very good and if you fly a Phantom, you want to shoot first which is possible if you're not against FatHan who shoots first (if he has VI). Then you need some punch or some Dark Side influence (thus the allure of PalpAces)

First step is this (with maybe hull upgrade until I can get the stealth device) then move onto Echo afterwards.

TRIPLE

99 points

PILOTS

Darth Vader (33)
TIE Advanced (29), TIE/x1 (0), Proton Rockets (3), Guidance Chips (0), Advanced Targeting Computer (5)

The Inquisitor (31)
TIE Advanced Prototype (25), Push the Limit (3), TIE/v1 (1), Autothrusters (2)

Soontir Fel (35)
TIE Interceptor (27), Royal Guard TIE (0), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2), Stealth Device (3)

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Resurrected this as I'm torn between two lists now. I'm hoping to get to a tournament in just over a weeks time and I've probably only got one 1 more chance to put anything on the table to test it before then. My meta is not overly competitive (even if I seem to be) but there is a good chance to see a couple of palp aces builds, a single trip jumpmaster build and possibly a crack swarm build on the day if everyone turns up. I've at least had some games with the first list and it's always Vader that seems to under perform so I'm tempted to try the second list. I'll probably not be able to get any more expansions before the day so if it's not in my sig list I don't have it Without taking player skill into account which seems like the better list in theory?

List-1 99 points

Darth Vader (33)

TIE Advanced (29), TIE/x1 (0), Stealth Device (3), Advanced Targeting Computer (5)

The Inquisitor (31)

TIE Advanced Prototype (25), Push the Limit (3), TIE/v1 (1), Autothrusters (2)

Soontir Fel (35)

TIE Interceptor (27), Royal Guard TIE (0), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2), Stealth Device (3)

List-2 100 points

The Inquisitor (31)

TIE Advanced Prototype (25), Push the Limit (3), TIE/v1 (1), Autothrusters (2)

Soontir Fel (32)

TIE Interceptor (27), Royal Guard TIE (0), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2)

“Whisper” (37)

TIE Phantom (32), Veteran Instincts (1), Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

These aquads are so personal... Commentary is almost moot... Other than the fact that my default ace build would prefer to play against your first build

Vader crack/adapt homing ATC chips

Omega juke comms hull

Inquisitor PTL title auto thrusters procket

sorry but stealh device is just plain better of hull upgrade imho.... isn't it? am i wrong?

It is.

List-2 100 points

The Inquisitor (31)

TIE Advanced Prototype (25), Push the Limit (3), TIE/v1 (1), Autothrusters (2)

Soontir Fel (32)

TIE Interceptor (27), Royal Guard TIE (0), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2)

“Whisper” (37)

TIE Phantom (32), Veteran Instincts (1), Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

Yes, yes, yes......

sorry but stealh device is just plain better of hull upgrade imho.... isn't it? am i wrong?

Oh it is but at the time of the first post I didn't have stealth device. Changed it as soon as I got hold of it.