But, I also try to throw in occasional unexpected moves for savvy opponents that are predicting the K. If they move for a block and you go somewhere else, it can sometimes be costly as they may not have the shot they expected to have anymore and you're retaining your action.

In all honesty, there are few things more satisfying than accurately predicting when someone goes to block the K-turn. It's like in a cartoon when Wile E. Coyote runs off a cliff, and just realizes he's above open air, but before he starts falling. I kind of feel like a jerk, because it feels a little unfair when your Defender 1-banks or 2-straights in on the ship that is blocking or set up for a shot and dumps 4 dice into a ship pointing the wrong way.

there's nothing unfair about outplaying the opponent

what's unfair is an x7 defender getting oh so slowly chipped down until it makes a mistake and ends up in range of enough shots to be staring at an enemy in range 1 with no tokens

and then it rolls 3 naked evades

THAT **** is unfair

Defenders are surely tough nuts to crack. But I think like many that they can just be outflown. I fly them in different lists and I used to use Vessery a lot before Imp Vets so I know pretty well their weaknesses. It's the maneuverability. The white k-turn helps with it but they are still terrible at turning and can't do a 1 straight like other TIEs. So yeah you can predict them and outfly them with arc-dodgers. Like someone said too, Phantoms might be the best counter.

I would be interested to run (when they release that is) either of these two lists

Fenn Rau

PTL

Thrusters

Title

X3 Zealous Recruit

Title

Or....

X4 Concord Dawn Ace

Fearlessness

Title

Defenders are jousters. You can't out joust them but they loose effectiveness the fewer there are. So with this the idea is to burn them down quick. In the first pass you want to be at R1 in arc. Then deliver between 17-20 dice (counting fearlessness) in somebody's face. I'd like to see a defender that can withstand that much initial punishment. You might loose a ship in the exchange. But you have 3 more

I thought he asked how to beat the defenders, in Sept when wave 9 will be released will be another Meta that he hs to deal with. With the same thoughts he could use 3 Upsilon shuttles as well.

Zuckuss

VI

Adv Sen

Dengar

Title

Contracted Scout

Deadeye

EM

Plasma Torps

OCR4

Chimps

Palob

TTL

Recon Specialist

Cloaking Device

99pts

Works great against defenders. Aces as well.

Try this - I call them "Offenders":

The Inquisitor (25)

Push the limit (3)

Autothrusters (2)

TIE/v1 (1)

Gamma Squadron Veteran (19)

Crackshot (1)

Extra munitions (2)

Homing missiles (5)

Long-Range Scanners (0)

Gamma Squadron Veteran (19)

Crackshot (1)

Extra munitions (2)

Homing missiles (5)

Long-Range Scanners (0)

Epsilon Squadron Pilot (15)

They worked well for me.

I'm running Carnor+PTL+HU and Ryad + Glaive with -2 title and crackshot for trolling triple defenders and manaroo.

Edit: Jax has Autothrusters

TLTs really grind down defenders, even with the TIE/X7 title. The Ghost and Y-wing are best equipped to use it due to their high hull values. I'd suggest the following:

Kanan Jarrus (38)

Twin Laser Turret (6)

Recon Specialist (3)

Fire Control System (2)

Ghost (0)

Biggs Darklighter (25)

R4-D6 (1)

Integrated Astromech (0)

Sabine Wren (21)

Autoblaster Turret (2)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Intelligence Agent (1)

Phantom (0)

Total: 100 pts

Kanan gives you 4 TLT attacks a round while Sabine is docked (which she should be until the Ghost is about to die), which will do some decent damage to Defenders. Biggs and Kanan's ability should keep both of them for a long, long time against 3 Attack platforms such as Defenders. Sabine is at PS 7; higher than any of the Generic Defenders, and Intelligence agent will help out greatly against higher PS aces in terms of blocking. All in all, I think its alright, but it only really shines against Defenders.

If all you wanted to accomplish was to defeat the Defender Meta in your area, try this out:

4 x Syndicate Thug (18)

Twin Laser Turret (6)

Unhinged Astromech (1)

The only thing that will save you here is autothrusters. Nothing else will help against 8 3 die attacks in a round. If you split them into 2 groups of 2 then your opponent can't even take advantage of the range 1 blind spot.

yay arcs!

okay, I can't promise auto-win obviously, but I'm happy to report that ARCs at least have the ability win v defenders

Norra with PTL tailgunner has the damage output necessary to hit through them (and r2-d2 + VTs for late game) and Braylen with gunner also smarts, but more importantly he removes offensive modifiers

and Biggs (r4-d6 and integrated) is obviously necessary. You will never win a joust with defenders, unless they can't shoot the range 1 arcs because some mustachioed ******* is sitting pretty at range 2

the only problem is you can end up in the never ending psychological torture that is the Rebel Re-generator Versus the X7 Defender

now, you'll win in a timed game because r2-d2 Norra's always more expensive than any x7, but the experience is horrifyingly exhausting

xxx

Try this - I call them "Offenders":

The Inquisitor (25)

Push the limit (3)

Autothrusters (2)

TIE/v1 (1)

Gamma Squadron Veteran (19)

Crackshot (1)

Extra munitions (2)

Homing missiles (5)

Long-Range Scanners (0)

Gamma Squadron Veteran (19)

Crackshot (1)

Extra munitions (2)

Homing missiles (5)

Long-Range Scanners (0)

Epsilon Squadron Pilot (15)

They worked well for me.

I've seen a similar list which swaps out the inquisitor for Carnor Jax and dropping the epislon down to an academy. I imagine both would do quite nice work against the x/7s.

Carnor Jax is a decent ship against x7 Defenders, though I am still seeing /D Defenders at tournaments, and that could get problematic for him (he's no Soontir).

Honestly, I think arc dodging really is the best bet. Every time I come up against them, I wish I was still playing a list that could get a bit more movement on the Defenders, because I almost always know where they are going to end up anyways, but it doesn't help if my options for re-positioning are limited.

Brath with VI, while not ever triggering his ability, can still be a pest w/ VI.

Might be time to bring back VI Vader, or actually slap VI on a Dengar. Omega Leader, as always, can do wonders... Or get royally hosed if there's more than one targeting her.

I have had luck fighting fire w/ fire, but I'm not sure that's really the answer anyone is looking for >.>

I run defenders 3 of them know with the new upgrades. The way to beat them is just like Swamp drag them thought the asteroid break them up single them out.