I was wondering if the list containing of 3 Tie Defenders with ion cannons or similar based on 3 Defenders have managed to have some kind of impact on the game? Yesterday I was playing 2 deltas with ion cannons and fully equipped Inquisitor with PTL, V1, AT and prockets and it was pretty solid list. I think that a third Defender instead of Inqui would also be a great addition to the lists. I've played against one incarnation of Palp aces (with Vader and OL) and against Vader/OL/Whisper) and I have to admit - the amount of red dice thrown against your opponent is just awesome! 2 ion shots followed by 2 primary shots, stripping tokens from Vader, are impressive.

Most impressive!

So, please share your experience concerning lists with 3 or 2 defenders.

I've had a bit of success with TIE shuttle Jonus Brothers

In my experience, flying 2 x7 Glaives with Crack Shot and x7 Vessery with Crack Shot against Ion Defenders, is that the x7 Glaives trump them. Firstly, Ion Defenders simply do not have the action economy of the x7. While they do get to shoot more, one of those shots is unmodified. Add to that the fact that you probably have to make them Deltas to fit 2 or more in a list, which in turn means that one of them is probably dead before it gets to shoot when going up against Glaives.

I've placed 2nd in two Spring Kit torunaments with this list, while the Ion Defender lists have placed somewhere in the middle.

If I'd play an Ion Defender, I'd probably just put Vessery in there, since he has the means to actually hit hard with both is attacks.

Ion Vessery is nice if he's your lowest PS ship on deck, but TB trumps that if he's even or higher with the rest of the list.

I've run two ion, one TB before and it's... fine. It's not lighting the world on fire by any stretch. The problem is the PS1 firing opportunity doesn't suit the /D title as much as the /x7 does for otherwise unavailable action economy.

Plus, a Delta with Ion is 33 points. For a point more, an /x7 Glaive and Juke puts out less control, but more damage over a game.

I love the /D title, but I'm not convinced it's spam worthy. As a lone control element, however, it's fantastic.

Tie shuttle Jonas with fleet officer gives you a reroll on the cannon shot and a focus for each shot.

For /D to be successful you need to do all your damage in the first few turns ideally killing your primary target in one volley and reducing the return fire.

I could definitely see using the low cost support ships with them. They really need extra focuses and would have loved an evade.

It's sounds like your having fun with the list so live the dream. Ion defenders is something I am going to try out soon.

TIE/D has proved to be overwhelmingly less popular than TIE/x7, but ImpVet is still fairly new.

TIE/D has proved to be overwhelmingly less popular than TIE/x7, but ImpVet is still fairly new.

That's because competitive players are more cautious and a bad green roll hurts x7 less than it does /D.

bad green and high point cost is the down side ... I have played lists a few times and had a lot of fun but its not as competitive/durable as the x7 in the end game

TIE/D has proved to be overwhelmingly less popular than TIE/x7, but ImpVet is still fairly new.

That's because competitive players are more cautious and a bad green roll hurts x7 less than it does /D.

it's also that the "theme" of the new defenders is "all mods all the time"

but with Tie/D, you probably have to suffer the indignity of unmodified green dice and/or an unmodified attack

only TieD Vess gets all the mods, but even then it doesn't exactly make hitting palp aces any easier. Dice are still dice, sadly

Triple Ion Deltas is 99 points. For 100, you can pick up a pair of /x7 Deltas with Stealth Device, and Vessery with /x7, Juke, and Stealth Device. The competitive side of this game is as much about outlasting, as it is about outgunning. The latter of those two lists will do both, the former will only sometimes outgun.

TIE/D has proved to be overwhelmingly less popular than TIE/x7, but ImpVet is still fairly new.

That's because competitive players are more cautious and a bad green roll hurts x7 less than it does /D.

I've never been too convinced to magnetise my ships, but goddamnit if that picture isn't swaying me. Kenny Loggins started playing in my head the moment I saw that X-wing.

The Colonel, Inquisitor and Palp Shuttle turn the Tie/D title into something that just punishes you.

TIE Defender: •Colonel Vessery (39)

TIE/D (0)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Ion Cannon (3)

TIE Adv. Prototype: •The Inquisitor (31)

Autothrusters (2)

TIE/v1 (1)

Push The Limit (3)

Lambda-Class Shuttle: Omicron Group Pilot (29)

•Emperor Palpatine (8)

Total: 99/100

Your question should start with "Where are the TIE/D Defenders"? And the answer is: nowhere to be found. The reason is pretty obvious and had been predicted by experienced players long before vets hit the shelves. Pre-vet defenders did not see much use because they were too expensive for their stats. TIE/Ds are even more expensive and not one bit more survivable. They are supposed to compensate for that with their double tapping ability but the latter doesn't seem so threatening unless you find a way to modify the extra attack. There are ways to do it - you can take advantage of Vessery's ability to get TLs on each attack or say, take Marksmanship on Maarek Stele. Unfortunately Vessery with IC is 38+ points. Maarek with IC and Marksmanship is 41. For a 6 HP ship with no AT and no evade. You might as well put a "shoot me first! i'm dangerous but soft!" banner on your defender.

The only somewhat successful TIE/D I've seen so far was Vessery with VI and Tractor Beam. Since he was the first to shoot in his list, he could really set up a killing situation for his team by debuffing the chosen enemy, forcing him into range 1 or into a rock or at least making him use his tokens before the primary attack. He was still quite pricey at 37 points though and pretty soft . And his efficiency would drop massively against large ships. Ghosts and Decis would just laugh at him and jumpmasters weren't too impressed either.

D's may be rare in tournaments but it's a different story in casual play.

D's may be rare in tournaments but it's a different story in casual play.

Yeap....

Tractor beams in casual play are pretty common. It's a fun an unusual mechanic and sits really well with the /D title, better than anywhere else really.

Although, I have to disagree with saying large ships laugh at tractor beams. Granted it won't do anything to a Deci or Ghost, but dropping a Jumpmaster down to 1 defence die isn't something to scoff at. I've knocked a Dash down to 1 with a TB Vessery and he suddenly found himself in a world of hurt to the simple 2 attack TAPs he was alongside. They weren't all that threatening until they could suddenly reliably punch a damage or two through each turn.

The /D title with either TB or Ion is good, it's just a case that the /x7 title is marginally better. In a vacuum, there's no reason not to load up a /D TB on your choice of Defender - it's just a single point - but when you put the efficiency of /x7 and Juke alongside it, there's a clear winner.

TIE/D has proved to be overwhelmingly less popular than TIE/x7, but ImpVet is still fairly new.

That's because competitive players are more cautious and a bad green roll hurts x7 less than it does /D.

I've never been too convinced to magnetise my ships, but goddamnit if that picture isn't swaying me. Kenny Loggins started playing in my head the moment I saw that X-wing.

I feel the need... the need for speed!

You will find TIE/D Defenders on Vassal, when I'm playing. You'll also see at least one at Gen-Con, assuming no kid-stuff comes up and keeps me home.

Your question should start with "Where are the TIE/D Defenders"? And the answer is: nowhere to be found.

But then I'm not doing my utmost to min/max my way to tournament wins, mostly just enjoying playing with plastic spaceships with people.

Still, I have a good feeling about my next tournament in September, had some success with Vessery/Inq/Glaive (variants of which I see quite a few people toying with).

Ahem... so yeah 'nowhere to be found' is just bollocks.

On topic: Ion defenders are something I've toyed with, but they are pretty expensive, and as people have mentioned the lack of action economy and defence makes them less attractive than their x7 cousins.

Plus 3 points for an Ion Cannon vs 1 point for a tractor beam (which is just fun).

Vessery/xD is pretty lethal. Others...eh...x7 is better.

Especially with Ruthlessness hes mean lol. Love attacking the easier to hit ship and tagging the super agile ship nearby twice for free

Tractor/Ruthlessness Vessery seems fun if you have room for him and can cause a lot of hurt. After trying both titles though I think I prefer TIE/x7 and the point savings that I can apply to someone else in my list to buff them up.

Ryad is, surprisingly, rather good with the /D title if you can spare the points. Joust at R2, tractor or roll them into the R1 shot and - depending on their PS - your choice of short K-turns to set up to do the same again next turn. Works even better with Ion, since you can literally catch-and-tail someone with the short K-turn after the ion drift. Arguably a better pickup for 150+ point games, but still a lot of fun.

I fly Ion/D exclusively and find they own every X7 list I run into. Once a X7 gets ionized it loses all it's tricks and goes down really easy.

I think the forum is super excited about X7 so people fly it more since they see it discussed constantly. But the extra damage and control from Ion/D will eventually take its place.