I've only recently got round to buying my second Iggy so have been hitting the brobots up. Most of the threads out there seem to be out dated as far as meta goes.

My initial build was B and C with Adv Sensors, AT and Predator. B had HLC and C Mangler for a 51-48 split.

Not being able to token up effectively has been an issue so I'm switching to PTL on both. Looking around that seems to be the preferred Bot build now but what I'm seeing is that B tends to have Mangler while C gets the HLC. High profile example being Jesper hills list here in the UK. I had gone the other way round so that when I go down to 1 ship (not "if" as I'm definitely having some teething problems hehe), if that 1 is C he isn't losing the Canon when boosting into range 1.

So my first question. What is the thinking behind B having Mangler and not C?

Is it that B is already the prime target due to ability so putting the heavier firepower on C just makes target prioritisation even easier?

Next up the meta threats. Main lists out there seem to be;

Crackswarms. These are either Black squadron Ties with Howl support or some academies mixed in for a 7 ship swarm or the A wings.

Imp aces both Palp and not. I'm going to lump in the likes of Palp- 2 Ace- Omega and the like in here for ease though of course the different lists can be quite different in practice.

U-Boat heavy lists. Either 3 or 2 with a party bus or Zuckus in support.

So how do we approach these?

crackswarms you dictate by range control and isolating the part of the swarm you want to take out. Avoid concentrated fire at all costs. In the Howl swarm we prioritise removing Howl if possible but absolutely not at the cost of taking multiple cracks host in return? Basically use superior speed, adv sensors looping and individual firepower to dismantle the swarm piece by piece? With the A wings, they get the same AT benefit at R3 as you do but they won't get the bonus green die so do we still aim to hit them at this range or do we rely on superior firepower and get in close to punch through their defences?

Uboats in some ways are similar in approach. Dictate range but you want to be close if you can't get out of arc. You presumably have the speed to split or avoid their fire to a large degree but any misplaced moves will likely see you melt quick if they get to concentrate fire. Run away as much as needed. Don't worry about passing up shots in order to avoid the munitions shots.

Aces would be versus different though? Here you lose a lot of the ability to dictate positioning but being able to adv sensor sloop to keep actions going should help get arcs and B's ability will help punch through tokens and a palp. Is it worth using your speed to blast past the aces and take on the shuttle early or is that as big a trap for the Iggys as it is for a lot of other lists?

How much will Imp Vets shake things up for IG players?

Looking forward to people's thoughts and tips.

iv heard brobots r out of favour right now but i still see them ocasionally at the top tables at some events. i think theyr still strong but may be troubled by palp and imp aces lists. i think brobots is durable enough to defeat u-boats. its a strong list and can surprise ppl who r ill prepared for them. my tip? use feedback arrays. imp players dislike this card and for good reason.

You give b the mangler to make target priority more complicated for your opponent. Let's see, the ship with gunner also has the hlc? Yeah, I'm killing that one first, every time.

Brobots don't like Defenders. Not sure why, but Vessery just seems to chew them up whenever I use him against them.

Brobots don't like Defenders. Not sure why, but Vessery just seems to chew them up whenever I use him against them.

Brobots don't like Defenders. Not sure why, but Vessery just seems to chew them up whenever I use him against them.

Odd. Maneuvering matters, clearly, but it shouldn't take more than two turns of fire for aggressors to remove a /d, and defenders aren't great arc dodgers

My last tournament, which I brought Vessery, Omega Leader, and two Crack Omegas, I slaughtered two Brobot players. I don't really understand why it is, but Brobots just seems to have a tough time against Defenders.

I fly Adv Sensors PTL AT with mangler B and hlc C (didn't know that was a popular list.. i thought 2hlc crackbots was the most used)

Mangler can be shot at range 1 so if you end up with only B its nice to have gunner at all ranges. While a lone C can't gunner anyway so he just rolls 4 dice at any range with his hlc.

PtL-Brobots (with Advanced Sensors) are amazing when there is no stress-control around. When you face a Stresshog, Rebel Captive etc, you might wish you had Predator or Fire-Control System.

Why use Predator when you could have FCS?

Why use Advanced Sensors when you could have FCS and not care about stress or bumping with your constant TL?

Why use builds that force you to downgrade one to a Mangler Cannon?

Why use Push the Limit when you have FCS and your normal action? This I can understand at least, with IG-C you can tank up and boost to trigger Autothrusters.

What I'm trying to get at here is that you don't have the right build. The build you want to fly is: IG-88B & D, each with Atanni Mindlink, FCS, HLC, Feedback Array, Autothrusters, IG-2000. Atanni Mindlink allows focuses after sloops, focuses after bumps, a focus to stack with your normal action, etc. You have the HLC Gunner FCS super-combo, you have the capability to stack actions like PtL, and you have the capability to get actions while stressed or bumped like Advanced Sensors.

And the best part? 4 points leftover for 2 Feedback Arrays. Acewing at one health? Haha, get over here *******.

Just use Attanni Mindlink on the Brobots. They have plenty of green maneuvers to shed the inevitable stress, and if you plan it right you can gain and shed stress in the same turn. That way you get plentiful tokens.

IG-88B - Attanni Mindlink + Autothrusters + Advanced Sensors + Heavy Laser Cannon + Tractor Beam + IG2000

IG-88C - Attanni Mindlink + Autothrusters + Advanced Sensors + Heavy Laser Cannon + Tractor Beam + IG2000

Plus you have fun with Tractor Beams in this list. If you miss, just blast em' with HLC. Have fun!

IG88 crew. Appears that it will let you link another ship to the IG2000 title, according to the article.

I bet we start seeing a single IG in a lot of lists after Wave 9.

You give b the mangler to make target priority more complicated for your opponent. Let's see, the ship with gunner also has the hlc? Yeah, I'm killing that one first, every time.

Yes this.

Brobots don't like Defenders. Not sure why, but Vessery just seems to chew them up whenever I use him against them.

Brobots don't 'dislike' Defenders per se. I have flown it from both sides, and I don't think either has a meaningful advantage. If both IG's get to shoot a named defender in the same turn, its really rough on the Defender. If Defender manages to only get shot by one at a time, its really rough on the IG88s. There's lots of situational reasons why it could go one way or the other (approach, asteroid placement, rest of the list, etc).

Right at this moment, I think Brobots are a good meta choice because they tend to do so well against TIE fighters of all flavours. They only struggle against aces, but nothing there has changed (except that crack swarms are hunting out the ace lists ruthlessly, so its likely they will be in decline soon if not already as more players look to counter the resurgence in TIE swarms).

I've always considered advanced sensors the best Brobot choice (either with predator or push the limit---the former suits a more aggressive playstyle, the latter a more cautious one). Although I admit advanced sensor bro-bots don't have a super easy match against triple u-boats (compared to how other brobot builds in the same matchup can do). Still its not a bad matchup per se...

Regarding g popularity. I don't really care that they aren't an obvious top choice atm. I personally think they are a solid choice at the moment me would be trying to get Good with them regardless seeing as I just bought the second one precisely to fly them together.

Thanks for the comments guys. I figured the canon switch was that, but wanted to check I wasn't missing anything. To explain my own thoughts a little more, I don't really like FCS at the moment. There are too many things out there that can chew up a IG in short order despite their apparent high defence. 8 hit points behind 3 agility and AT sounds good in theory but in reality I find if you give up shots, you get nibbled through. Adv Sensors beats FCS in allowing you to be more unpredictable. I dont always any to shoot the same guy as last turn if it gets me shot at more than switching targets. FCS is great for action economy but only if you maintain targets. I really want to double up on tokens which leads to PTL That's my thinking at least.

PTL allows for Boost (evade from C) - Focus so I can change angle of approach and token up at the same time unless I want to sloop in which case just one token.

I don't really get the love for mind links. One Bot gets one extra focus token per turn out of the deal but they both get stressed if only one K's or sloops. Mind link vs PTL you end up down an action over all (3 vs 4). Only benefiting can see is freeing up the points for the feedback array as suggested but surely you again lose out on the unpredictable side of things?

Fcs greatly enhances the power of the gunner effect. It's one of the reasons a tie swarm at r2 or 3 will always, barring absurd dice, lose at least one and quite possibly two ships. It's why howlrunner, if in range, dies before her ability is used a single time. It gives aces fits.

Regarding g popularity. I don't really care that they aren't an obvious top choice atm. I personally think they are a solid choice at the moment me would be trying to get Good with them regardless seeing as I just bought the second one precisely to fly them together.

Thanks for the comments guys. I figured the canon switch was that, but wanted to check I wasn't missing anything. To explain my own thoughts a little more, I don't really like FCS at the moment. There are too many things out there that can chew up a IG in short order despite their apparent high defence. 8 hit points behind 3 agility and AT sounds good in theory but in reality I find if you give up shots, you get nibbled through. Adv Sensors beats FCS in allowing you to be more unpredictable. I dont always any to shoot the same guy as last turn if it gets me shot at more than switching targets. FCS is great for action economy but only if you maintain targets. I really want to double up on tokens which leads to PTL That's my thinking at least.

PTL allows for Boost (evade from C) - Focus so I can change angle of approach and token up at the same time unless I want to sloop in which case just one token.

I don't really get the love for mind links. One Bot gets one extra focus token per turn out of the deal but they both get stressed if only one K's or sloops. Mind link vs PTL you end up down an action over all (3 vs 4). Only benefiting can see is freeing up the points for the feedback array as suggested but surely you again lose out on the unpredictable side of things?

Actually, if one does a red, and the other one does a green, only one of them ends up with stress and they both get a focus token.

With FCS you really only need 3 actions max a turn. You can also get those 3 actions with no stress involved.

Feedback is there for Acewings. It's not always possible in an endgame of one Brobot vs. an Acewing to come out on top. But Feedback makes it so that if that end game situation like that happens, you can autowin it if your opponent is down to 1-2 health. At a Regionals I went to, I did 3 damage to a Soontir in one game over the course of it, all with Feedback. If an Acewing with one health enters your range 1 bubble, it autodies.

You give b the mangler to make target priority more complicated for your opponent. Let's see, the ship with gunner also has the hlc? Yeah, I'm killing that one first, every time.

Yes. Also, the mangler one is more likely to have their attack entirely dodged and trigger the second shot.

Why use Predator when you could have FCS?

Why use Advanced Sensors when you could have FCS and not care about stress or bumping with your constant TL?

Why use builds that force you to downgrade one to a Mangler Cannon?

Why use Push the Limit when you have FCS and your normal action? This I can understand at least, with IG-C you can tank up and boost to trigger Autothrusters.

What I'm trying to get at here is that you don't have the right build. The build you want to fly is: IG-88B & D, each with Atanni Mindlink, FCS, HLC, Feedback Array, Autothrusters, IG-2000. Atanni Mindlink allows focuses after sloops, focuses after bumps, a focus to stack with your normal action, etc. You have the HLC Gunner FCS super-combo, you have the capability to stack actions like PtL, and you have the capability to get actions while stressed or bumped like Advanced Sensors.

And the best part? 4 points leftover for 2 Feedback Arrays. Acewing at one health? Haha, get over here *******.

Predator > FCS as it works all the time, whichever ship you're firing at and most importantly frees up the system slot.

Advanced Sensors > FCS is a tough call, both are good. But AS gives you vastly more options in the movement phase, you can boost then move and you don't have to decide until you move, and you largely don't care about bumping. For me, predator is a poor man's FCS, and I can reap the benefits of AS.

Not having two HLCs wasn't really an issue until Palp Aces, even then the benefits of AS are pretty big but it is tough to fit predator, AS and two HLCs.

Predator + AS is a very viable build. The benefit is largely in the movement phase but that benefit can be huge.

Just use Attanni Mindlink on the Brobots. They have plenty of green maneuvers to shed the inevitable stress, and if you plan it right you can gain and shed stress in the same turn. That way you get plentiful tokens.

IG-88B - Attanni Mindlink + Autothrusters + Advanced Sensors + Heavy Laser Cannon + Tractor Beam + IG2000

IG-88C - Attanni Mindlink + Autothrusters + Advanced Sensors + Heavy Laser Cannon + Tractor Beam + IG2000

Plus you have fun with Tractor Beams in this list. If you miss, just blast em' with HLC. Have fun!

Tractors are fun. But Mindlink is terrible on brobots. You do not want extra stress and you do not want to be in a situation where both can't sloop or k-turn. It's hugely limiting for the benefit of one extra focus on one of your two brobots, while both live. It's not worth 1 point per ship, it's not worth 0 points. At least not on two brobots (now, bring one Aggressor plus Manaroo both with mindlink and you're in buisness...)

Crack stim BC (I think BC) bro bots just won 97 person regional in Mt View California. So much like most ships, they work just fine, if you learn them, and not expect to slap them down and auto win.

First off, decide if you like Adv Sensors or FCS

First flavour eats UUUs and all the things PS5 and lower

Second flavour can chew through all the Palpace ablative shielding.

Both types get depressed when facing super-DASH or some other PWT.

Both types get depressed over stresscontrol

Both types get depressed when facing RebCaptive

But Mindlink is terrible on brobots. You do not want extra stress and you do not want to be in a situation where both can't sloop or k-turn. It's hugely limiting for the benefit of one extra focus on one of your two brobots, while both live. It's not worth 1 point per ship, it's not worth 0 points. At least not on two brobots (now, bring one Aggressor plus Manaroo both with mindlink and you're in buisness...)

But Mindlink is terrible on brobots. You do not want extra stress and you do not want to be in a situation where both can't sloop or k-turn. It's hugely limiting for the benefit of one extra focus on one of your two brobots, while both live. It's not worth 1 point per ship, it's not worth 0 points. At least not on two brobots (now, bring one Aggressor plus Manaroo both with mindlink and you're in buisness...)

I used to think Mindlink was terrible, too, but I finally decided to give it a decent workout with HLC+FCS a couple weeks ago, and it was surprisingly good in practice. The stress and movement restrictions are both manageable if you fly with them in mind, and then you've got a pseudo-AdvS (ie. almost always have Focus on both machines despite red moves or bumps) while still having the brutality of the 88B-FCS-HLC combo. Might not suit everyone's taste, but it's certainly good enough to be a legitimate option.

The movement restrictions are easier to deal with with IG-D.

Honest question PGS, but is it possible your (apparently) intense dislike for acewimg colouring your list building more than it maybe needs to?

Aces are a pain in the ass for sure with Palp but I've found the Predator adv sensors set up punched through ok against them, it was not getting nibbled to death in return I found harder.

Hence my desire to stack focus and evade.

Brobots don't like Defenders. Not sure why, but Vessery just seems to chew them up whenever I use him against them.

Odd. Maneuvering matters, clearly, but it shouldn't take more than two turns of fire for aggressors to remove a /d, and defenders aren't great arc dodgers

My last tournament, which I brought Vessery, Omega Leader, and two Crack Omegas, I slaughtered two Brobot players. I don't really understand why it is, but Brobots just seems to have a tough time against Defenders.

List??

I played brobots yesterday at the UK Yavin open and finished 18th! You really need the good match ups and not to make any mistakes!

Report on here - www.fishywargaming.com

I've run aggressors twice, the first time was my first tournament (and games against grown-ups) and were advanced sensor, push the limit IGs with mangler on B and HLC on C. Not having autothrusters at that point, they had bombs to fill out the points. It worked well, though I learned that jousting B-wings was a horrible plan pretty quickly.

I'm running triple aggressors (A, B and C) in the current Reddit tournament, symmetrical this time, with advanced sensors, crackshot, HLC, tractor, and thrusters. I'm missing the push the limit shenanigans quite a bit, and this being the first time I'm running crackshot, I forgot it a few key times. What I've mostly learned is that Hera and Miranda must NEVER get an EPT and that missiles and torpedoes are not balanced at 150pts. To be fair, that Hera is chewing up aces for breakfast too.

I threw the list together at the last minute when I figured that this wasn't the time to learn to fly Echo. When I saw the PS9 Heragator with AC/AB, I knew I made the right decision, poor, poor PS8 aces (and some PS9 ones).

I really miss push the limit on them though...

I ran Tractor Beam Terminators for a little while; took them to a regional and a spring tourney went 3-3(46th out of 123) and 2-2(5th out of 14).

B w/ CS, FCS, HLC, TB, AT, title, GS and C w/ CS, FCS, HLC, TB, AT, title.

Double or triple U-boat lists gave/give me a hard time. No one plays them at my store so I don't get any practice against them. Tried to engage at range 3 for AT but those torps eat me up anyway. I had Charlie killed in two shots at regionals twice. The one I vividly remember was a plasma torp scoring 3 hits which stripped all four shields and the other boat taking a range one shot rolling hit, hit, crit: I rolled blanks and the crit was Direct Hit. I did manage to win that game but it was the closest game I've ever had.

I have plenty of practice vs palp aces, triple aces, swarms, and single VCX lists.

I am taking a break from the bots to try my hand at double jumps +1. When I get back to them I want to try Mindlink and Adv Sensors though.