Agreed that Wedge is better off with BB-8 for the roll.

But with Wedge, i almost feel like at least at PS9, R3 Astro might be able to make up for the loss of IA because Wedge shoots early to be able to get that evade token before very many ships have a chance to shoot. An evade token is a guaranteed damage dodged. That's all IA does when you think about it. And with Wedge's ability, lots of hit results aren't 100% necessary since he already decreases their agility. And, you're technically not losing any action efficiency with this new setup. It's still 3 actions; focus, PTL to barrel roll, cancel focus for evade. You're still getting 3 actions. You're also much better covered defensively with multiple evade tokens per game, as opposed to one damage removed via IA. And, the ability to barrel roll after maneuvering instead of before, which has a much different set of advantages than BRing prior to movement.

Is there any merit to the possibility of putting these on gold squadron y-wings for a cheap, re-positionable bomber?

Something like:

Gold Squadron Pilot (18)

Autoblaster turret (2)

Vectored thrustersT (2)

Extra Munitions (2)

Seismic charges (2)

total (26)

Or is the K-wing just a better bomber?

Am I crazy, or is everyone missing the obvious here? Airen Cracken. With VI and VT, he's a 22 point, PS 10 support ship that can arc dodge if needed, or all but guarantee he gets his ability to trigger, either by getting an opponent in arc, or by barrel rolling into range one of an ally.

He combines really well with other rebel ships in that configuration too. Play Blount with VT and Ion Pulse missile and Deadeye alongside him and there's almost no way that a Soontir or a Jake Farrel or a Dash will be able to arc dodge him.

Pair him up with some PS4 ordnance carriers, and not only will you be out PSing U-Boats, but at least one of your guys will be able to get the TL he needs to fire on higher PS aces.

Pair him with a pumped up, EU Wedge, and you'll be getting the TL, focus and reposition that you need to make him the best APT platform outside of (arguably) Nera.

So many options. Honestly, this card is going to make a lot of iffy Rebel aces much more playable. TLT Miranda will love it, BTL-A4 Horton Salm will love it, Luke will love it. Really cool card for the Rebels.

There is nothing iffy about Miranda

Girl can come on and SLAM with the best of them

Now Norra without repositioning tech looks a little suspect, but that's why the ARC is on the art of VT and comes with them in its pack

Wedge is already loving BB-8, so yes, You can now Choose between BB-8 or Vectored thrusters to give Wedge a barrel roll (or both, I'm not here to say no, Barrel rolls galore! Wedge+BB-8+Vectored Thursters).

However wedge looses IA, which I have found to be very helpful at times.

At any rate, Wedge and Talon Bane (KOBRAAAAAAAAA KAI!) should see some more play now.

It's not about IA, it's about triple actions and pre-maneuver reposition.

BB8 >>>> VT

Vector thrusters, or how to increase even more the advantage of high PS...

Not a good thing for the game, imo.

At the cost of the valuable mod slot and an action

The game is fine.

Not getting shot at is worth any action you can make. Ace wing is back more powerful than ever

Good. Ace wing = best wing. How do people hate on a meta that rewards good flying? Literally, you have to be good at the game to do well. I don't understand.

You don't have to be good to play acewing.

quite the contrary, it's your opponent who has to play good, set up blocks and think over 136 possible positions a squint can end up in.

While filthy ace makes his boosts-barrels with precise knowledge where you and your arcs are.

hence acewing sucks.

even Turretwing without EU is better.

Vector thrusters, or how to increase even more the advantage of high PS...

Not a good thing for the game, imo.

At the cost of the valuable mod slot and an action

The game is fine.

Not getting shot at is worth any action you can make. Ace wing is back more powerful than ever

Good. Ace wing = best wing. How do people hate on a meta that rewards good flying? Literally, you have to be good at the game to do well. I don't understand.

So PtL boost and barrel roll after you know the position of everything else on the board is good flying nowadays?

I have nothing against acewing, but flying an ace (where you get 2 tries at adjusting your position with full board state information) is a lot easier than flying a bunch of low PS generics with no repositioning.

There's an odd thing about FFG; they just given us some usable generic jousters with the new defenders, and now when we hope we get some more (T65 need some love !), they instead go for giving any small ship a way to evade them for 2 pts (and the cost of a high PS).

Vector thrusters, or how to increase even more the advantage of high PS...

Not a good thing for the game, imo.

At the cost of the valuable mod slot and an action

The game is fine.

Not getting shot at is worth any action you can make. Ace wing is back more powerful than ever

Good. Ace wing = best wing. How do people hate on a meta that rewards good flying? Literally, you have to be good at the game to do well. I don't understand.

I think it takes more skill to figure out how to block or get arcs on an ace than it does for that ace to figure out where to reposition after he sees where everyone's arcs ended up. It would be one thing if arc dodging aces were actually glass cannons that blew up easily if you could catch them in arc but they aren't. Especially with Palpatine as backup, guys like Soontir and The Inquisitor can tank shots all day long as long as they are only getting shot at once a round.

VT shouldn't be a fix for every small ship without a BR, but it is going to help certain ships get back into play, and that will be worth it.

Z95s can now be efficient blockers! For just 14pts

Gemmer with BR will be nice, getting his ability to trigger easier.

Wedge is gonna love it. Some t70s. Khiraxz for sure.

I've been thinking about ywings with ABT, or even ion cannon where that BR gets you in the range you need. A 2 hard turn with a BR back is roughly the same position as a 1 hard.

And the BR isn't just about getting out of arc, but also getting into range 2 to negate autotusters. Horton with VI can move last, BR into range 2 and still mod his dice.

Its a nice upgrade that is needed. Maybe at a 1pt cost so it doesn't directly compete with AT, but 2 is reasonable

One can benefit from repositioning without being an elite arc-dodger. A T-65 may not be able to move out of arcs every single turn like an interceptor can. It may only be able to move out of one, maybe two arcs over the course of the game. By your own statement earlier, a two point upgrade that avoids at least one damage is a steal.

Also, the barrel roll is only really "avoiding" damage if the ship it's arc-dodging doesn't have a shot on any of your other ships. Autothrusters actually cancels an actual damage.

I'm starting to think Integrated Astromech's implementation was a mistake. It locked the X-wing out of Guidance Chips and now Vector Thrusters.

Vector thrusters, or how to increase even more the advantage of high PS...

Not a good thing for the game, imo.

At the cost of the valuable mod slot and an action

The game is fine.

Not getting shot at is worth any action you can make. Ace wing is back more powerful than ever

Good. Ace wing = best wing. How do people hate on a meta that rewards good flying? Literally, you have to be good at the game to do well. I don't understand.

So PtL boost and barrel roll after you know the position of everything else on the board is good flying nowadays?

I have nothing against acewing, but flying an ace (where you get 2 tries at adjusting your position with full board state information) is a lot easier than flying a bunch of low PS generics with no repositioning.

Ah, I don't know about that. There's something to be said to flying a bunch of low PS generics. You usually get your actions, can block expensive, high PS ships and turn them into sitting ducks, rarely get blocked yourself...

If only I could fit Mindlink AND Vector Thrusters on four Black Sun Aces... it's almost like FFG has planned this, isn't it?

I'm starting to think Integrated Astromech's implementation was a mistake. It locked the X-wing out of Guidance Chips and now Vector Thrusters.

No, what it did is give you options. Choices to make, depending on what role you want your ships to fill.

Jouster? Add IA and season with Astromech to taste for cheap pseudo Shield Upgrade.

Alphastrike? Add your Torpedo of choice and Guidance Chips.

Flexibility? Add Vector Thrusters.

All three are useful on different scenarios, you just can't have all three at the same time...

May have missed someone answering this earlier but, why would Wedge take this when he can take BB-8 and IA for the same points cost?

If you were running PtL, then you get your three actions and no stress this way.

Am I missing something?

You also only have 4 maneuver options this way to BR. PTL thrusters allows you to BR after anything but a 4 k. But ya, probably not phenomenal anyways.

Also, if you take R2 astro, while adding costs, the stress becomes easy to shred, opening up your dial quite a bit.

Anyone else think this upgrade will make the Scyk viable again?

I joke, it was never viable!

One can benefit from repositioning without being an elite arc-dodger. A T-65 may not be able to move out of arcs every single turn like an interceptor can. It may only be able to move out of one, maybe two arcs over the course of the game. By your own statement earlier, a two point upgrade that avoids at least one damage is a steal.

Apples and oranges, though. Autothrusters give you (basically) a free evade against (most) turret shots and during R3 exchanges. A barrel roll is basically useful in EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE CIRCUMSTANCES - against ships with a firing arc only and the closer the better.

Also, the barrel roll is only really "avoiding" damage if the ship it's arc-dodging doesn't have a shot on any of your other ships. Autothrusters actually cancels an actual damage.

I agree with you. In some circumstances VT is better and in some cases autothrusters is better.

I wasn't trying to argue that the two are interchangeable, I was arguing against FGDs point that there was no reason to ever consider taking VT over autothrusters.

In the case of a T-65, I believe that being able to avoid one shot per game may be worth sacrificing IA, particularly when the repositioning means you may be able to get off more shots of your own.

VT's seems like a nice little upgrade that will find a home on certain ships (like the Kihraxz), but I don't see it being hugely widespread or game-changing - which is fine by me.

I'm not convinced it's that great for the T-70 though, particularly not Ello Asty (one of my favourite pilots) who, at the points costs he attains, needs as much survival tech as possible and thus Autothrusters remains the best Modification choice - VT's are not likely to offer anything better than the PTL/BB-8 combo in terms of positioning, and won't help at all against turrets.

I dont get why people keep saying t65 needs more love.

Biggs is actually the centerpiece of almost any current strong rebel list while wedge is a viable ace who sees few play time mostly because in the current meta Wes is way better.

Integreted astromech and good astromech choices (r4d6, r2d2 and r3a2 not the bb8 the noobtrap) made the t65 very suited for current meta.

Also in the acewing topic I agree with who says it's easier to fly an ace than flying agianst it. You only need to read the game to prevent obvious block (which ain't hard, it's just experience) and understand that sometimes you'd rather tank a couple of hit behind a fortress of tokens rather than risk arc dodging and you are ready to make to the cut of a tournament if you green dice throwing skills don't completely fail you.

May have missed someone answering this earlier but, why would Wedge take this when he can take BB-8 and IA for the same points cost?

If you were running PtL, then you get your three actions and no stress this way.

Am I missing something?

Only the ability to reposition AFTER you move rather than before...

Am I the only one looking forward to the gratuitously overcosted, competitively inefficient ball of fury which will be:

Wedge + R7-T1 + PTL + Vectored Thrusters?

I dont get why people keep saying t65 needs more love.

You're right on, IMO. The T-65 doesn't need love. Primary weapon, non-swarming jousters do. What holds the T-65 back is the same things holding back the B-wing, Kihrax, and Starviper (though costing hurts the starviper too). Jousters that don't rely on ordnance, but are too costly to swarm with are not in a good place right now.

I've said it before, but an "autothrusters for jousters" is needed to help them against arc-dodgers. Nothing that would kill arc-dodging, but something that gives them a fighting a chance and keeps them in the game.

Except you're giving up Integrated Astromech, which puts your efficiency right back in the toilet,

Do you mean to say 'that for tournament play "in the toilet" means that the X-wing + I.A is 92.3% not considering maneuver dial or abilities according to Math Juggler'.

But still very usable in a lot of other forums that are not hyper-competitive?