Colonel Vessery (35)

- TIE/D (0)

- Tractor Beam (1)

- VI (1)

- TIE Mk. II (1)

Cutlass Squadron Pilot (21) x2

- Adv. Sensors (3)

- LRS (0)

- Homing Missiles (5)

- Extra Munitions (2)

Total 100

Ran something similar to this tonight (it was part of a bigger 150 point casual list), but it worked really well. Cutlass with Advanced Sensors and LRS is awsome; Adv. Sensors ensures that you can lock before you move so that you don't end up too close to the target, along with its normal uses. LRS also turns the Cutlasses into the perfect TL babysitters for Vessery, and Vessery's tractor beam ensures that the Cutlasses hit even harder (and can move things into arc for them). Any thoughts on whether this is viable?

Hey, kudos on being brave enough to mention Punishers.

I would pair Vessery down by using adaptability to ps7, maybe even lose Mk. II to keep him at 36 points.

I actually came to this thread to discuss a new build for Redline. I know with the faq that FCS isn't as good on him now, but I still think FCS pays off late game when you have to make tough choices to get a target.

I'm thinking this at 100 points:

Vessery 35

Adaptability 0

Tractor Beam 1

Tie D 0

Redline 27

Fire Control System 2

Extra Munitions 2

Seismic Torpedoes 2

Cluster Missiles 4

Guidance Chips 0

Backdraft 27

A Score to Settle 0

Collision Detector 0

Spec Ops Training 0

No Bid.

The idea is to focus down a single target, Vessery taking the lead in firing and the rest of the squad double tapping the primary target to death.

The ideal would be to start activations with 'Red after having a target lock from a previous turn. Red hits targets with a Seismic Tropedo. Backdraft slides in for a double tap on the big base ship, and Vessery lines up his shot and takes a focus.

Vessery tractors the large target and fires, Backdraft rolls another 6 dice, and then Red comes in with 6 more.

18 dice from 3 ships, most of the shots are modified. Dream shot for sure, and not super competitive but sure sounds like fun to me.

Isn't adv. sensors and LRS kinda redundent since you can LRS way ahead of time? And since you're running homing missiles I would say that FCS would be better but that kinda limits it to range 3 only. I feel like punishers like chips more than LRS and bombers like LRS more than chips.

A list like this is viable and in fact I run something quite similar but with bombers with great success:

Tomax Bren (24)
*Crack shot (1)
*Extra munitions (2)
*assault missiles(5)
*long-range scanners(0)
total:(32)

Captain Jonus(22)
*dead eye (1)
*Extra munitions (2)
*homing missiles (5)
*long-range scanners(0)
total:(30)

Colonel Vessery(35)
*Veteran Instincts(1)
*tractor beam (1)
*twin ion engine mk. II (1)
*Tie/D (0)
total:(38)

2 ships at ps 8 and a clean up at ps 6 means it gets to shoot its payload off as a huge alpha strike list. LRS is great for locks for vessery like you stated. Jonus with deadeye + LRS +homing means it can have a lock on one target, focus ready and can decide to shoot at the TL target or another target with focus and still get a type of mod off. 14 dice that all have a re-roll or mod of some type that can be focused into a single ship or divided up into 2 or even 3 ships with lucky enough results. On average will do 10 damage through 2 agi on all shots.

I really think the only thing missing from making punishers really good is a (cheap) systems upgrade that works really well with them since they don't get an EPT. As they are now there is little reason to use punishers over bombers. The bomber has a better dial, way cheaper point cost, has EPT on generics (and at all), doesn't have a system mod slot but there isn't anything really good that makes up the points difference, has 1 less bomb slot, no shields but 2 agi is way way better than 1.

Why assault missile on Bren and deadeye homing missile on Jonus? Seems like you should swap who's carrying them.

Why assault missile on Bren and deadeye homing missile on Jonus? Seems like you should swap who's carrying them.

Absolutely not. Because Jonus gives Bren's assault missile re-rolls, and Jonus doesn't need re-rolls on his homing missile (since homing doesn't spend the TL to fire). Switching them would make no sense at all.

Why assault missile on Bren and deadeye homing missile on Jonus? Seems like you should swap who's carrying them.

Why assault missile on Bren and deadeye homing missile on Jonus? Seems like you should swap who's carrying them.

Absolutely not. Because Jonus gives Bren's assault missile re-rolls, and Jonus doesn't need re-rolls on his homing missile (since homing doesn't spend the TL to fire). Switching them would make no sense at all.

Pretty much Blade answers it perfectly. ALso since jonus has deadeye and homing missiles he is able to shoot at another ship thanks to deadeye. If fighting howlrunner crackswarm I want assault missiles to finish off a ship, damage everyone else, and homing missile to finish off another ship (one with crackshot namely). If going against large ships that have a lot of health I can keep jonus's lock with Tomax to focus fire a ship down if needed. Deadeye +homing missiles on jonus means that there is no wasted overkill if tomax and vess get very lucky with all their shots (which can be up to 7 damage)

Well, that makes sense then. I keep forgetting how flexible hip firing ordnance can be.

I'm betting there will be a title to give Punishers EPTs at some point, but until then what's a solid loadout for generic Punishers?

Well, that makes sense then. I keep forgetting how flexible hip firing ordnance can be.

I'm betting there will be a title to give Punishers EPTs at some point, but until then what's a solid loadout for generic Punishers?

Well with the nerf to redline + clusters + FCS it still isn't bad just not as great as it was.

For generics always take cutlass over black eight 90% of the time because 2 points for 2PS is very weak. Thats a "free" extra munitions on the cutlass.

missiles/torps and bombs are up for taste but the biggest talk for punishers should be what do to with the system slot. These are my thoughts about the ones I've used.

Fire control system: Pretty much a "must have" on redline and really great for any other punisher to keep TL's on targets that just won't die so you can boost next turn to get back in ark (or even k-turn). At 2 pts pretty tough to beat.

Accuracy corrector: At first seems counter productive with chips but I think of AC is useful for keeping the cutlass even cheaper and longer use through the game. This upgrade is for more of the effects missiles/torps rather than the big hitters. Drop extra munitions all together and go for a single good hit with plasma torps, if you roll good use chips, if you blank out use AC for 2 hits that turn into 3 because of extra shield loss. Flechette torps is only 3 red so ac doesn't hurt it that much either as a good back up if chips isn't a good idea and it pretty much always makes it a 2-3 hit missile, same with Tracers but needed on higher PS punisher to make use of them. Advance homing missile is another that doesn't matter since it is a 3 shot missile that cancels its dice results anyway as with ion pulse. After the punisher has spent their load now you always get at least 2 hits 100% of the time you fire. You can also do a bit of a machine gun with cluster missiles, AC on one shot and chips on the other.

Advance Sensors: has more uses than focus or Tl before you move. Its great for when in a furball you wanna drop an [action] bomb then move out of the way or using boost to get a better shot lined up or to get extra range for a straight you don't know can make it or not.

Sensor Jammer: 1 agi and 3 shield are not good signs of a tanky ship. Sensor jammer helps with that and can keep a punisher alive a little longer as long as the attacker isn't focus heavy.

Next few weeks I'm gonna try making the punisher a status effect carrier rather than a damage nuke since a bunch of the status missiles/torps are fairly cheap