So trying to figure out what to run with my Two TIE/D's.

Countess Ryad — TIE Defender 34

Push the Limit 3

Ion Cannon 3

Twin Ion Engine Mk. II 1

TIE/D 0

Ship Total: 41

Colonel Vessery — TIE Defender 35

Adaptability 0

Ion Cannon 3

Twin Ion Engine Mk. II 1

TIE/D 0

Ship Total: 39

So 20 Points to play with on this one. Suggestions thoughts? Not opposed to moving or changing some of Ept's or upgrades.

Zeta Leader is 20 points. He'd be better if you could afford to give him Wired. He can take TLs for Vessery.

20 points puts you securely in the tie/FO/Prototype bracket. To support vess the better picks are the FO or TAP. Maybe to keep with the ps5 theme a baron of the empire with the title and adaptability? 20 points and ps5 (or 3, could block U-boats when you have initiative).

Zeta Leader is good, as Arschbombe mentioned, and I would drop Mk2 Engines on Vessery to give him Wired.

An Alpha Squadron Pilot with Autothrusters is also 20, and would be a great blocker and good sized gun for the points.

I know it's a bit off what your asking but I would have wampa with targeting computer, then swap Ryad for whisper with weapons eng. should have points left for Vessery upgrades.

I feel that the x7 Title suits Ryad better and it is slightly cheaper. If you drop her down to that and ditch the Mk2 Engines from Vessery, you would have enough for Omega Leader. OL has great synergy with Vess since he wants to get a Target Lock and keep it.

36 Countess Ryad (34), Push the Limit (3), Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1), TIE/x7 (-2)

38 Colonel Vessery (35), Adaptability (0), Ion Cannon (3), TIE/D (0)

26 Omega Leader (21), Juke (2), Comms Relay (3)

yeah, Ryad's not much of a Tie/D

only Vessery can really use it due to his ability to modify both shots independently of action

even then, it flubs a frustrating amount of the time, but at least it has the chance to strip tokens for his primary weapon

If you're planning on using ion cannons you could go for a troll bomber (20 points) with an intel agent and Mara Jade so you can block, stress and ionize indefinitely.

If you're planning on using ion cannons you could go for a troll bomber (20 points) with an intel agent and Mara Jade so you can block, stress and ionize indefinitely.

Interesting thought.. Can you expand?

If you're planning on using ion cannons you could go for a troll bomber (20 points) with an intel agent and Mara Jade so you can block, stress and ionize indefinitely.

Interesting thought.. Can you expand?

I figured that a fun control list would be two Glaives with ion cannons, predator and the TIE/D title, accompanied by bomber with the shuttle title, an intel agent and MJ.

If you catch an enemy ship in a bump Mara will stress it and a defender can ionize it, and once it's ionized it'll never de-stress itself if you can keep ionizing it (assuming no Nien Nunb crew or R2 Astromech), which should be easy with your white k-turn and no repositioning actions from your opponent. So in theory it shouldn't be too tough to keep a ship ionized and actionless until you destroy it or walk it off the board.

Also, after the first stress/ion combo the bomber will also be free to try to get some other sod at range 1 to repeat the process.

^

This is a pretty good idea. I've personally tried 2 glaives w/ TIE/D + predator, and they are solid. In the 20 point slot, I've also tried an alpha w/ autos and also a test pilot w/ title + autos.

The alpha is better thanks to 3 attack, but the TAP gives you a 1 pt bid which will be nice in a defender heavy meta.

A Mara Jade shuttle is really good against swarms and the intel agent is nice to have against higher PS aces, but all in all, the low PS blocker is far superior against torpedo scouts (much easier to not only block but to avoid getting nuked by a torpedo when you can boost).

So yeah, its a good list no matter what you do with the 20 points. See a lot of swarms? Go with MJ's shuttle. See a lot of u-boats? go with the alpha or the TAP.

The Mara shuttle can also block Uboats, although without a boost it's not as good at it. Something to keep in mind. I might have to give that build a try...

Take a TAP it'll provide locks for vessery and give turrets a fit.

Instead of double Glaive with Tie/d + pred + ion cannon, take one and Vess (with Ion and Tid/D) without Predator. His skill is sufficient and that way you will save 2 points for Twin engines for both defenders.

Instead of double Glaive with Tie/d + pred + ion cannon, take one and Vess (with Ion and Tid/D) without Predator. His skill is sufficient and that way you will save 2 points for Twin engines for both defenders.

Not necessarily a good idea. TIE mk2 is nice and all, but not essential. And the biggest problem with it is when you're baby 20 pointer is gone, you're Glaive is stuck with TL duties to make Vess work (and predator Glaive HATES taking TL....most of the time anyway). Not to mention your little 20 pointer is not the greatest TL-er. Its low PS so there are times when TL is not possible or at least given some situations its just not even ideal for him to do so...

In anticipation of imp vets I've worked up a bunch of TIE shuttle loadouts assist my defender pair of choice (Vessery/D & Brath/x7) but my points available is a slightly higher 23...

Scimitar(16) w/ shuttle title(0), fleet Officer(3), weapons engineer(3), and mkII engines(1)

Scimitar is now the cheapest crew carrier and holds weapons engineer to give Vess more target options plus folder officer to give Rex more focus then mkII to make it more flexible after self stressing... With the ideas here though I'm thinking just Scimitar, MJ and weapons engineer at 20 points sounds pretty good.

I'm in the same boat, but have only got 18 points to work with so I'm going for ether Alpha interceptor or Test pilot with Auto thrusters. Tournament is next Saturday so I'm sure to change my mind several times before then.

even then, it flubs a frustrating amount of the time, but at least it has the chance to strip tokens for his primary weapon

I've found the opposite to be true - especially when shooting at large based ships (specifically Jumpmasters), they'd rather lose an agility than spend their precious tokens on an attack which won't do any damage, which not only allows the tractor beam (the only one I really use - I have had a play with twin Ion cannon defenders as per the OP, but they don't reliably hit twice, which in a large base meta makes them all but worthless), but then gets damage through.

As to the OP - as I say above, I've really struggled making Ion cannons work on TIE/D - It's not a bad shout against aces, but then trying to force the ion shots through on aces (if you even get an arc at PS 5-6) is difficult, and against large based ships you either need to spread it out over a couple turns of shooting, or really hope you can force both ions through in one turn (which is not easy).

As others have said - The TIE/D title was built for the Good Colonel, whilst our merry countess loves combining her 2-5 K turn with a free evade should she choose to go 3 or faster.

Personally I'm tractor beam all the way with Vessery, small based ships will often ditch tokens to prevent it (opening you up for some excellent primary shots), whilst shredding one of the two or one agility from a large based ship often helps you shove that extra damage or two through in a round of shooting (which can mean the difference between a 2 hull Jumpmaster emptying his torpedo tubes into you, and a Jumpmaster going bang).

None of this is backed up by mathematical study, so I welcome everybody correcting me with the x-wing equivalent of moneyball.

So ran a test locally. Vess and Ryad hit like tanks against a pair of regen Aces Poe and Wes and a TLT y-wing. I was using Epsilon Ace for the time out of convience for what I had with me. Left me 3 points to play with as well. Ryad and Vess both looked good with the TIE/D and ion cannons. The sheer ability for Ryad to move as she does makes her able to get out of arcs in her own way and creating match up issues with Vess. Bigger ships were even easier targets just not enough dice to stop the ions and the extra damage from putting them down. Still early and other ideas to look at but first go was fun to see play on the table.

I'm keen to fly a Vess/Ryad combo.

- Vess; VI + Tie/x7 + Tiwn Ion

- Ryad: PTL + Tie/x7 + Twin Ion

- Omnicron: Palpatinme

[Double D - Inquisitor]

100 points

PILOTS

The Inquisitor (28)
TIE Advanced Prototype (25), Adaptability (0), TIE/v1 (1), Autothrusters (2)

Colonel Vessery (36)
TIE Defender (35), Tractor beam (1), Adaptability (0), TIE/D (0)

Countess Ryad (36)
TIE Defender (34), Tractor beam (1), Veteran Instincts (1), TIE/D (0)

Fly them all at PS7

I've been toying with two different lists and they both seem good with their own ups and downs.

Group 1

Vessery (40)

TIE/D, ion cannon, crack shot, Mk II

Ryad (36)

TIE/x7, Outmaneuver, Mk II

Omega Leader (24)

Juke, Mk II.

Group 2

Vessery (39)

TIE/D, ion cannon, Mk II

Ryad (35)

TIE/x7, Juke, Mk II

Omega Leader (24)

Comm Relay, Juke

I'm one of those people who finds it hard to fly a Defender without the Mk II upgrade, but I just think the ability to turn and burn off a stress makes your ship so much less predictable. In Group 1, OL is more of a support ship so Vessery can be a serious hammer. And Ryad is one of the few ships that can really abuse Outmaneuver. In practice, this works better against low agility ships with high HP. Group 2 optimizes OL more at a slight expense to Vess. Also, getting a free evade means Ryad can focus and use Juke in the same round a lot, which is really effective. Group 2 tends to be more effective against multiple smaller ships with high agility.

If Ryad had a native boost ability, I might be more inclined to use PTL on her, but I like pairing x7 and Juke with her to give her action economy and not get stressed. I've never been big on bumping the PS of Defenders up a lot. The fact that Ryad can K-Turn at any speed makes her not really care when she moves. If she's going first, you just plan to K-turn and land right in front of your target, it she moves second, you just plan to K-turn and land on where your target is when setting the dial. And shooting first isn't so critical for them since they can evade decently and can soak damage.

So am I just missing something? I have seen ZOUNDS of x-7 builds am I the only one really looking at the TIE/d and going that's the better upgrade? Sure the -2 points is awesome and a free evade on a 3 or higher move is nifty but I see it easily thwarted but two shots one being a cannon or choice? Are others looking at it and just not talking about it? Other than Vessery with say a tractor beam not seeing much...

Other than Vessery with say a tractor beam not seeing much...

I've been on board with this idea since imp vets was announced and the title cards revealed:

TIE Defender: Glaive Squadron Pilot (34)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Tractor Beam (1)

TIE/D (0)

TIE Fighter: · "Howlrunner" (18)

Crack Shot (1)

TIE Fighter: Black Squadron Pilot (14)

Crack Shot (1)

TIE Fighter: Black Squadron Pilot (14)

Crack Shot (1)

TIE Fighter: Black Squadron Pilot (14)

Crack Shot (1)

I think the double tap will see a lot of use. X7 is good and all, but I think over time, the TIE/D title is going to make the defender cost effective in a lot more builds.

So am I just missing something? I have seen ZOUNDS of x-7 builds am I the only one really looking at the TIE/d and going that's the better upgrade? Sure the -2 points is awesome and a free evade on a 3 or higher move is nifty but I see it easily thwarted but two shots one being a cannon or choice? Are others looking at it and just not talking about it? Other than Vessery with say a tractor beam not seeing much...

In a tournament you want to mitigate bad dice as much as possible so having an evade and a focus is great.

/D your relying on dice alone for defence which could see you dead quick against u boats.

When u boats drop in popularity you'll see more of the D.