Although I cannot see a direct counter to jumpmaster (like postulated by FFG), the wave looks VERY promising to completely shake the current (a bit stucked) meta.

Opinions?

Seems to definitely favor non turretted jousting. The multiple arcs and attacks will hurt aces, and all the jouster buffs from barrel roll mod to the EPT that looks like it adds a hit for jousting head on will hurt jumpmasters.

This plus the defenders coming are definitely making the game more joustwing.

Too early to tell, but every wave finds a way to shake things up. Nothing that has been spoiled so far screams "Wow. That's insane" quite yet.

We will just have to wait and see.

I don't know that I've seen anything yet that will really shake the meta up. Quickdraw getting to shoot in the activation phase is cool and all but it's an expensive and limited use trick.

The highest PS Shadow Caster being able to tractor at the start of combat without needing to hit is cool and all but it's limited to a ship at range one that is in both of your arcs. I think Aces are going to be able to stay clear of those arcs.

I wonder if that new Torp in the ARC-170 expansion does something fun like forcing the target to discard Focus tokens.

Besides that, the Fangs might be fast enough to go from range 4 to range 1 and avoid being shot by torps.

I also am trying to figure out what the "Hard Counter" to Jumpmasters as promised in wave 9... really is.

It's called the Fang Fighters getting right up in their face...

probably has something to do with the new torpedo in the ARC kit and the comm system thingie in the TIE/sf kit. Scum have a ship now that basically automatically causes tractor so reduced agility to alphastrike one down is a thing.

I doubt there'd be a straight up hard counter like "Add this card: Uboats suck now!" because that would be a bit unfair. Never balance something thats too strong by using a nerf-sledgehammer instead of a nerfbat.

... to the EPT that looks like it adds a hit for jousting head on will hurt jumpmasters.

That looks like it may be Dengar's favorite EPT.

yeah any headon EPT Dengar is probably going to love.

Im fine with that though. Singular Uboats arent an issue, theyre just nasty. The tripUboat is the cheese problem. I've faced singular uboats a lot (usually dengar) and hes usually one hell of a thorn but isnt wrecking the game on his own. Which, barring dice luck, no ship can do that or should do that. Yes im well aware Soontir/Whisper can technically solo a list, but theyre also banking HEAVILY on dice luck. Gone games where neither took any damage until they took full hp worth of damage in 1 shot.

for what its worth there appears to be an "action" header(ed) Torpedo on the Arc's Fan

and the Tech that comes with the SF chages some type of results with the spending of an (token)

I don't think there's a specific hard counter to Jumpmasters or Imperial Aces in there, but more a heavy emphasis on jousting with lots of dice, and making life harder for arc dodgers by adding lots of aux arcs instead of more turrets.