Hey guys, maybe I'm just the dumb one here and everybody else already knew this, but it just hit me how I think Jamming Field is supposed to work.

It extends only a short distance out from your flotilla, right? So you leap-frog your squadrons out in front of you, attack with them, then cover them down with the JF. That way, they get clear shots on the other guy's squadrons, but are shielded against the return fire.

Like so:



GR75 with JF activates the two X-wings. Up til now they were protected by the JF on the way into combat, mitigating their speed disadvantage against the Interceptors.




X-wings jump forward, clear of the JF, to strike the Interceptors, probably whiffing both shots as X-wings do.




GR75 pushes forward to cover the X-wings again with the JF. X-wings are hardened against the return attacks of the Interceptors.


What do you guys think? Am I the only one who didn't immediately see this when the card was spoiled? Have you found a better tactic for the Jamming Field?

This only works if the squadrons are kept extremely close to the Flotilla at all times. And that can severely limit the approach vectors for your squadrons. It also will potentially be a huge hinderance to fast squadrons, as they can engage and be engaged at ranges far beyond your ability to extend to.

Yeah my friends and I were talking and came up with this same idea. I think in practice it would be tricky to use this way, though. And once the x-wings get engaged they are stuck there, so it's kind of a one-time trick. Still, it would be fun to try it out.

The other thought I have to use it to cover a bomber wing (with an intel companion). Then they are less hurt by fighters and can focus on ship attacks. Again, tricky to use, because now your flotilla has to be close to an enemy ship. Uh-oh!

I don't remember what the preview said about jamming field usage, but I remember it not making sense to me. At least these other strategies seem somewhat viable...maybe!

This only works if the squadrons are kept extremely close to the Flotilla at all times.

Somewhat, although at distance 2 is a pretty sizable range. And GR75's are pretty fast and bendy. I don't see this being an insurmountable issue.

It also will potentially be a huge hinderance to fast squadrons, as they can engage and be engaged at ranges far beyond your ability to extend to.

Right, so you don't use fast squadrons with it. You don't object to Ordnance Experts because they don't work well on the Assault Frigate, right? If you build your list so all of the pieces work well together, and fly it so all of the pieces work well together, it doesn't matter if there's a build where it doesn't synergize--as long as you found the one where it does.

And really, now that I look at it, only A-wings and Interceptors (and IG-88) significantly outpace a speed 3 ship. Distance 4 is just an inch or so faster than speed 3. Quantum Storm would mitigate this even further, potentially allowing a JF/Storm to be used pretty effectively with A-wings under certain circumstances.

You can also ignore your own Jammer Fields so I guess it helps.

You can also ignore your own Jammer Fields so I guess it helps.

I agree that as the rules are currently written, this is true. I guess I should've caveated that up front: this is assuming doobleg's interpretation is the one FFG ends up going with. If not, this is all pretty moot and I'll have a field blanketing every squadron engagement I possibly can always.

Honestly, though, I think it would be more fun if you couldn't ignore your own. It would significantly increase the challenge of making them work.

You can also ignore your own Jammer Fields so I guess it helps.

I agree that as the rules are currently written, this is true. I guess I should've caveated that up front: this is assuming doobleg's interpretation is the one FFG ends up going with. If not, this is all pretty moot and I'll have a field blanketing every squadron engagement I possibly can always.

Honestly, though, I think it would be more fun if you couldn't ignore your own. It would significantly increase the challenge of making them work.

They are a challenge as it is I think. They provide a threat to your opponent. What cards do we have that provide a threat to your own things?

My first thought was to pair it with Gallant Haven and use it to cover your bombers on the way in. Add a couple squads with intel and I would think you could just roll right in.

Another use I can think of is with a fighter screen. The goal is just to keep your engaging fighters alive as long as possible to keep the opposing bombers occupied.

I don't really agree with the interpretation that the upgrade owner can turn it off. That's why I think this upgrade is really hard to use. But if FFG rules that you can ignore your own, that definitely makes it a better upgrade!

So I have the following concerns:

First off, the preview for Sensor Jammers very explicitly states that it affects your own squadrons. This wouldn't be the first time a mistake was made ina preview by FFG or others, but it would be probably the biggest one yet, completely redefining the ability of a card. I have a hard time believing a mistake that big would make it to print.

I also don't buy that slower squadrons get a particularly good benefit from Sensor Jammers. With most major anti-fighter squadrons being fast interceptors, they can exploit range to manipulate themselves into attack range without crossing the distance 3 boundary unless those squadrons are kept at nearly collision levels, and a colliding Flotilla will be terrible for presenting a mass of bombers or fighters especially at speed 2.

And speaking of speed 2, unlike Squadrons the flotillas will have to continue in a relatively straight line that will telegraph the intended targets whether they are ships or squadrons, and can do so several turns in advance.

This only works if the squadrons are kept extremely close to the Flotilla at all times. And that can severely limit the approach vectors for your squadrons. It also will potentially be a huge hinderance to fast squadrons, as they can engage and be engaged at ranges far beyond your ability to extend to.

Well jamming field appears to be very strongly linked to a defence force, the jan X combo. So not too much of a problem limiting their position.

Fly Gallant haven too and the enemy squads will really struggle to get through.

I think they pointed this out in the preview, and I tried to make it work in my Bounty Hunter game, explicitly equipping a transport for that purpose. The problem, as you point out, is that it is incredibly hard to pull this off as the margin for error is small.

And it worked for one turn. After that the squadrons were locked down, but the transport had to keep moving (as I was using Cracken)...and even turning or moving slowly you're now interfering with your own fighters' attacks. And while I could see that sometimes you'd want that (if your goal is squadron survival), in most cases I want to clear the enemy squadrons off the board, which jamming fields interferes with.

Add a generic Intel squadron to the OP plan, and you can repeat turn after turn.... Until the flotilla gets deaded.

I think jamming fields will come in most handy with a light squadron fleet - the goal is to tie up enemy squadrons as long as possible, not destroy them outright. Jamming fields are great against Tie bombers - now 1 squadron can tie up an entire (un-Intel supported) bomber wing and do so with impunity. There have to be possibilities here....

No sane admiral is using TIE bombers without a way to disengage them from enemies, one would hope.

Thinking about squadron placement and jamming fields made me think of a potentially fun upgrade: a tractor beam that moves squadrons. Something like: "Move 1 squadron at distance 1-3 to within 1 of its current position." Then you could move either friendly or enemy squadrons into or out of a jamming field as needed...plus a bunch of other cool (but not OP) effects: move opposing intel squads away from your friendlies, lock up enemies, move a bomber into position for a squadron phase attack, etc. It wouldn't surprise me if FFG has something like this planned, as it's thematic to be able to pull Han Solo around.

No sane admiral is using TIE bombers without a way to disengage them from enemies, one would hope.

Yeah ... it's called more TIE bombers....

No sane admiral is using TIE bombers without a way to disengage them from enemies, one would hope.

You might be surprised. I was floored at the number of Dengarless Rhymerballs I saw at Regionals. Made my A-wing screen very happy.

right?

as long as your squadron is within distance 1-2, it'll gain the defensive benefit (and lose offense against the enemy as well)

personally, not at all impressed by this card, but it may be something to use with squadron centric-floatillas that aren't running bombers (ie bomber command center). Either that or Rebels, which don't have rhymer and probably won't have as much opportunity to utilize Bomber Command Center without endangering their floatilla.

Problem is anything with Counter trying to benefit from this is going to get its Counter cut in half or negated entirely

it's basically a really sh*tty Gallant Haven for a minuscule fraction of the price

probably abusable with anything that can bypass it, such as

and Dutch, to a lesser extent; Boba if you're crazy (dude's expensive)

and, of course, Intel because jamming field does nothing re attacking ships

by itself, though, dedicating a Floatilla just to this is a complete waste. You're going to have to find a way to allow it to command the squadrons it's protecting as well, while not exposing it to ship-v-ship fire

I've tried this out a couple times and ended up including a Jamming Field Gozanti in my Next Vassal Event fleet along with a solid bomber based rhymerball with just 2 advanced as escort. To be honest, it isn't stellar, but it can help bombers survive a turn or two more against squadron heavy fleets. Plus, it's a cheap activation with a scatter token that can command 2 squadrons, so you know, not really bad.

Anyway, reading the comments above I noticed everybody seems to think that flying one of your flotilla in the enemy's teeth isn't a good idea: in my experience flotillas basically serve as screens for my bigger ships, and that's a good thing! I guess it depends on fleet composition, but I had some success using them to cover flanks and outright roadblocking the way to enemy ships, who are then forced to "waste" their shots on them or end up in an unfavorable position.

Finally, I'd like to point out that a jamming field gozanti is a 25 points ship, and a jamming field gr 75 is a 20 points ship and that's the main reason we're building flotillas fleet anyway.

Hmmm, as fickle mentions it shuts down Counter 1 ships.

Could be useful if facing a lot of Dengar'd bombers, or Aggressor spam?

I'm just thinking of a group of 4 B wings that are always obscured and take one less damage when shot at by squads, Admittedly any squad targets for them are also obscured, but they get normal attacks on ships. Yeah, I'll take that. Just wish I'd thought about it before I set my Vassal tournament fleet.

I think the mentioned intel bird plus bombers and used as a close range support ball for antiship may be a thing. Then again, its lots of moving parts.

Imperials could put admiral chirpy on their jamming field flotilla for an interesting but expensive alternative.

I think you guy have all forgotten one thing "that obstructed fighters brakes engagement." this is the cards real power.

I think you guy have all forgotten one thing "that obstructed fighters brakes engagement." this is the cards real power.

"Attack is treated as obstructed"

Engagement is not treated as obstructed.

The move step is unaffected by the card. At that moment there is no obstruction.

I think you guy have all forgotten one thing "that obstructed fighters brakes engagement." this is the cards real power.

They are only obstructed "while attacking." So they are still engaged.