Meh, I'll let FFG themselves have the last word on the aesthetically dull TIE/sf:

" Although it looks almost identical to the TIE/fo fighter , the Special Forces TIE is an entirely different vessel..."

Fah!

My practiced, and perfectly loyal to the Empire and the Emperor, eyes see and appreciate the differences between it and our excellent standard TIE fighters immediately.

Can your eyes claim the same precision and allegiance to the wise and benevolent Emperor?

I thought not!

Please report to deck 13 for remedial ship recognition training and psychological torture brainwashing therapy immediately.

I notice the differences in the various TIE Fighters as if they were painted in international orange neon. But then I'm a self professed TIE fan boy.

Good man! The Emperor is pleased with your unwavering faith in Imperial peace-keeping technology.

Yep. It's just another TIE Fighter.

That's funny, its agility, actions, and dial say otherwise. I'd love it if it flew like another TIE fighter, instead we got this clunky pos.

The only ships that seem usable are the caster and maybe Fenn rau. Everything else is fodder for ordnance,dengaroo, and/or palp.

My initial reaction was meh, and it hasn't changed much. I do think the ARC and Tie/SF are nice models. I still don't like the flat paint jobs on the Fang and Shadowcaster.

Overall, I am looking forward to the upgrades more than the ships. I have been trying to decide what I want to buy. My normal pattern would be 1 of the large, and 2 of all the small ships, but i can't see fielding any of these right away.

I was running numbers off of MM prices and I think my optimal initial purchase would be 1 Shadowcaster, 2 Fang, 2 Tie, and 1 ARC which came in at $102 and change.

On a side note, I am disappointed that the new Tie didn't get a crew slot. I just assumed it would based on TFA. It also deserved a tail gunner.

I'm moderately excited about wave 9. I see a lot of potential in the Fang and there's quite a few cards I want (Chutes, Seismic Torp, new Scum crew).

The other ships however don't really excite me. They simply don't seem good enough, which is a shame as there's plenty of interesting mechanics in there. I hope somebody will prove me wrong though and they will end up being competitive.

To me this is just a wave of ships to have fun with. Ships meant only for casual matches.

This, maybe there's something im missing but it seems like p fighter aside, wave 9 didn't get the power creep memo from wave 8 and to a lesser effect 7s upgrade cards. Everything feels like it would fight right in in an old and glorious meta that we're past now

The fang seems like finally the kind of ship I've been wanting for scum, basically what I was hoping to get with the star viper.

My problem with that is we do have the Starviper. That parricular design niche is filled (if poorly). Why not give us something different entirely? I don't mean to bash on the Protectorate Fighter or the Starviper, but they feel way too similar to me (disregarding point cost I mean). I suppose I can hope this means we will see a shift in the design niche for the Starviper whenever we get the alleged fix.

The fang seems like finally the kind of ship I've been wanting for scum, basically what I was hoping to get with the star viper.

My problem with that is we do have the Starviper. That parricular design niche is filled (if poorly). Why not give us something different entirely? I don't mean to bash on the Protectorate Fighter or the Starviper, but they feel way too similar to me (disregarding point cost I mean). I suppose I can hope this means we will see a shift in the design niche for the Starviper whenever we get the alleged fix.

Not really. The star viper was never an interceptor, it was more of an space superiority fighter and it does not fill the role of an arc dodging interceptor with its pilots and dial either. What I really would like to see is the ability to fly independent from its nose / fire-arc.

You could for example add instead of a mobile fire arc some mobile flight vector, which allows you to place your movement template on any of the 4 sides of the base, based on where your mobile flight vector is.

If that is too mechanical too complex, even just allowing the star viper to boost backwards would do the ship more justice.

edit: And it is not like they did not try to catch the character of the ship as Inertial Dampeners are part of the pack, they just fail spectacular.

I am calling it now, starviper fix will be a non-unique title which allows boosting backwards

I was super excited for the TIE/sf, now I just don't care. Rebels and scum definitely came out on top... again.

I can't wait to shoot 4 times with the TIE/sf , so idk, should be fun.

I was super excited for the TIE/sf, now I just don't care. Rebels and scum definitely came out on top... again.

I can't wait to shoot 4 times with the TIE/sf , so idk, should be fun.

Odds of catching two ships is extremely low doing it more than once a game nigh on impossible, more likely the sf dies before you ever get anything in your rear arc.

I was super excited for the TIE/sf, now I just don't care. Rebels and scum definitely came out on top... again.

I can't wait to shoot 4 times with the TIE/sf , so idk, should be fun.

Odds of catching two ships is extremely low doing it more than once a game nigh on impossible, more likely the sf dies before you ever get anything in your rear arc.

DAT FIRST ORDER GLORY!

...

( but it ain't a REAL TIE!!! Mewls...Blubs... lil' miss priss ain't happy; ever... ever... ev-erRRR...) >

I was super excited for the TIE/sf, now I just don't care. Rebels and scum definitely came out on top... again.

I can't wait to shoot 4 times with the TIE/sf , so idk, should be fun.

Odds of catching two ships is extremely low doing it more than once a game nigh on impossible, more likely the sf dies before you ever get anything in your rear arc.

Not the point though is it. Sometimes the threat is enough. An opponent knowing you can do that will have to move very differently.

You don't win a game of chess by allowing your opponent free movement, afterall.

I was super excited for the TIE/sf, now I just don't care. Rebels and scum definitely came out on top... again.

I can't wait to shoot 4 times with the TIE/sf , so idk, should be fun.

Odds of catching two ships is extremely low doing it more than once a game nigh on impossible, more likely the sf dies before you ever get anything in your rear arc.

Not the point though is it. Sometimes the threat is enough. An opponent knowing you can do that will have to move very differently.

You don't win a game of chess by allowing your opponent free movement, afterall.

All you need do is shoot it, it's two agility with no evade or AT it's got less defence than a t-70 it requires no extensive planning to deal with.

Heck you can render quickdraws ability useless so easily it's sad, and you can stop backdraft from ever using his.

Frankly I can't imagine why this ever made it out of playtesting.

I dunno man. Not pronouncing them DOA yet. They are still tools for the box.

Yep. It's just another TIE Fighter.

Uh, it's a fat, slow TIE fighter. How could anything be wrong with that?

I dunno man. Not pronouncing them DOA yet. They are still tools for the box.

I wouldn't either

after all, god forbid we'd have to fly a ship differently than an x7 defender or palp ace

The fang seems like finally the kind of ship I've been wanting for scum, basically what I was hoping to get with the star viper.

My problem with that is we do have the Starviper. That parricular design niche is filled (if poorly). Why not give us something different entirely? I don't mean to bash on the Protectorate Fighter or the Starviper, but they feel way too similar to me (disregarding point cost I mean). I suppose I can hope this means we will see a shift in the design niche for the Starviper whenever we get the alleged fix.

I see the Fang Fighter to be the Scum Interceptor. I see the Starviper as the E-wing. They are different. Fang Fighter has no shields and is Boosting and BR to either dodge arcs or get into R1 for special ability. Starviper is more like E-wing with System slot and Illicit. Same with E-wing...you forget the generics.

To me this is just a wave of ships to have fun with. Ships meant only for casual matches.

This, maybe there's something im missing but it seems like p fighter aside, wave 9 didn't get the power creep memo from wave 8 and to a lesser effect 7s upgrade cards. Everything feels like it would fight right in in an old and glorious meta that we're past now

I think the Fang Fighter is totally fitting in with this meta and will be a thing. Fenn will be the Scum Soontir. Old Teroch is going to fit in great. These guys are perfect for the current meta.

I think Ventress will fit in perfect to the current meta.

Yep. It's just another TIE Fighter.

That's funny, its agility, actions, and dial say otherwise. I'd love it if it flew like another TIE fighter, instead we got this clunky pos.

It could have the stats of a Decimator and dial of a StarViper for all I care; aesthetically speaking it's still just another TIE Fighter.

like I said prior, nothing's really underpowered as much as not really keen about taking on torp scouts

in the specific case of the Tie/sf, competing with the inquisitor (which is around where quickdraw and backdraft both end up price-wise) is basically what'll make it not see competitive play. Quizzy's just kinda busted ito point efficiency. That doesn't make the SF crap, though

Hobo is right in that the Tie/sf basically held together spit and prayer, and it doesn't have the defensive capabilities to just slot in somewhat mindlessly with palpatine, but its got right solid offense at ps 9 and, in the case of Backdraft, an auxilary arc well worth using (in the case of Quickdraw, it's just a glass cannon with massive emphasis on both words)

it doesn't compete with the inquisitor at all in function or playstyle, only in point cost (VI fcs backdraft is 30 and baffled rage quickdraw is 31)

but the inquisitor is just easier to do well with especially with palpatine

Yep. It's just another TIE Fighter.

That's funny, its agility, actions, and dial say otherwise. I'd love it if it flew like another TIE fighter, instead we got this clunky pos.

It could have the stats of a Decimator and dial of a StarViper for all I care; aesthetically speaking it's still just another TIE Fighter.

So the Millennium falcon is just another YT?

F-15 active is just another eagle?

Dude I get it you are tired with the TIE Aesthetic but what's under the hood always counts.

The ridiculously OP PC I once built in the case of an old battered HP POS wasn't just an old HP POS.

The key difference there is that there's only ONE YT-1300 model in the game (soon to be two, admittedly). Between the Core Set, TIE expansion, Gozanti, Force Awakens Core Set, TIE/fo Expansion and now the TIE/sf there's SIX variations on the TIE Fighter theme.

Your "ridiculously OP HP POS" may very well have been different under thehood to a regular old HP POS, but I'll bet you didn't own a dozen of them.

The key difference there is that there's only ONE YT-1300 model in the game (soon to be two, admittedly). Between the Core Set, TIE expansion, Gozanti, Force Awakens Core Set, TIE/fo Expansion and now the TIE/sf there's SIX variations on the TIE Fighter theme.

I do see your point, i know you are tired of the same old TIE thing. But the FO and SF are canonical ships from the new movie. They were always going to be in. Likewise the TIE was always going to be in the OT core set, and i'm fine with an alternate for the Gozer.

Your "ridiculously OP HP POS" may very well have been different under thehood to a regular old HP POS, but I'll bet you didn't own a dozen of them. Remind me to show you a pic of my home-office at some point. there's a stack. I am loath to get rid of old PCs that can run something in the background.

My bottom line is that it still matters what's under the hood.

T-70 and T-65 X-wings also. Advanced, Avengers and Interceptors too. Plus you K N O W there will be a new rogue one x-wing. Let's not kid ourselves.

Khiraxz and Vaksai

Krayt, Kimogila, Dunelizard.

Lambda F**king shuttle, JV-7 Escort Shutte and XG-1 AND YOU KNOW I WENT THERE FOR A REASON.

Let's look at this another way.

I love redheads. I married a redhead. Redheads are great. Not all redheads are equal.

Sometimes, someones just ginger.

Back to the F15. Is that F-15 A through E? Is it the Strike Eagle? Is it the F-15 Active?

F18? A, D, Super-Hornet? Nasa experimental hornet fitted with vector thrust?

Ok, what about F-14s? Still stream line hull twin fin twin engine....

F-22s. WELL NOW YOU'RE JUMPING ON THE BANDWAGON LOCKHEED MARTIN!

What about the Mig 29, 31 or SU 27, 33, or 35?

What about WWII planes?

Everything has a propeller on the front, a tail and 2 wings, only the P38 and a few bombers really differ. and the ME262 of course.

My point is that aesthetics and themes repeat, in real life and fantasy.

Star Trek.

What is WITH green Romulan ships? Or those nacelles on every fed ship?

Halo/Mass effect/Babylon 5 = Humans fly boxes, aliens fly weird organic shaped things. There are all kinds of tropes on these.

So yeah.... I can't fault the TIE/SF for so many reasons. I still want the gunboat but i'd be cool if i saw a TIE Avenger first.

I was super excited for the TIE/sf, now I just don't care. Rebels and scum definitely came out on top... again.

I can't wait to shoot 4 times with the TIE/sf , so idk, should be fun.

How does it shoot four times again.

I was super excited for the TIE/sf, now I just don't care. Rebels and scum definitely came out on top... again.

I can't wait to shoot 4 times with the TIE/sf , so idk, should be fun.

How does it shoot four times again.

"quickdraw" double tap + Special Ops Training firing simultaneously out of both arcs

chances of that ever happening are pretty **** slim, to say the least

why people cant be satisfied with an uber cluster missile redline platform for FAR cheaper and PS 9...well that's beyond me

I've not pronounced the sf DOA but it's not gonna make much impact completely, when you want a ship that can survive all game that's not the sf.

Quickdraw would of been better if it was each time she took damage, as it stands she'll double tap once and be out of shields.

People moan about how the /D is a glass cannon but that's at least got three agility and vessery still works once the shields are gone.

You watch it'll go on the fix [insert ship] rotation.