Tonight I tried out a build I saw on line. Two scouts, with deadeye, guidance chips extra munitions, plasma torpedo, etc. The triple 6 had Zuckuss, Dengar and 4 LOM. Went against Steele, the Countess and a PS 3 all with the x7 upgrade. Fun games but I got creamed. What's the secret to flying this build?

The effects of the party bus result in some serious self damage if only temporary. Four reds (torps) vs 3 greens +focus +evade is a pita to get through, especially with mediocre dice. Once your torpedoes are gone you're left with 2, two attack turrets. With 2 agility vs 9/12 reds it's a downhill slide.

I'd appreciate any tips with this build. It's a fun list but...

Zuckus everything, and be patient enough with your scouts. Against aces, go for the block.

Always ensure that the party bus is the first to die. If your last ship is the party bus, you are screwed. You cant do anything about an enemy behind you.

The YV 666 was the first to die in both games. Didn't do very well blocking tonight. Had several attempts that failed by the thickness of a credit card and the results were brutal to say the least.

Zuckess. Dengar. 4-Lom. Stress for days. Keep them in a line. Lawn mower down every thing in front.

Block with one scout, hit with the other two ships. A focus-less defender can be hit with a 2pwt, 3 at range 1 with just an evade. x7 defenders need that 3 speed maneuver and your large barrell rolling bases should block all good attacking positions they can get. They either get blocked, or face the wrong way. Or they choose a 1 bank or something and no evade, which means they are just a normal 3agi focused ship aka hittable. Definately got to block em or its gonna be a long night pecking away.

So I have taken double jump and a bus to 5 local events now and won 4 and got second on the 5th. My main store is heavy emperial so I run feedback on both jumpers and find that this helps a lot. The key I find fling generally is to use the jumpers as a blocker/area control so the bus can get the most shots off. I try to get both missiles off first round of engagement then use the jumpers to block my opponents ships and a lot of the time block the slaver from moving too fast cause at this point he is already stressed.

Theresa lot of different tricks and such but I found its all about ow you use the bus. It makes or breaks your games. One thing I've noticed about defenders is their super easy to predict. Block them for days....

Here's my current list

U-Boats/Party Bus (100)

Contracted Scout (34) - JumpMaster 5000

Deadeye (1), Extra Munitions (2), Plasma Torpedoes (3), Overclocked R4 (1), Feedback Array (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Contracted Scout (32) - JumpMaster 5000

Deadeye (1), Plasma Torpedoes (3), Overclocked R4 (1), Feedback Array (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Trandoshan Slaver (34) - YV-666

4-LOM (1), Zuckuss (1), Dengar (3)

The aim is to make the first round cut.

I personally prefer the Glitterstim on 666 because it makes the list able to perform two turns with "focus" instead of just the first.

You'll collect a CLOUD of stress with Zuckuss.

If your first round isn't downing an enemy, you're screwed.

First.

Make a fist with your hand.

Raise your fist to the sky.

Higher, come on now.

Higher dammit!

Now imagine your fist is a ball of unquenchable blood thirst; veritably a seething meteor of deliverance.

Now imagine your upraised arm is the very limb of Poseidon hisself.

...

...

Put your arm down! You look silly. Just roll three crits, that's how.

I've been flying this style list for a while now and my key is to make sure you get an alpha strike off. If you can launch both torps and get a focused shot from the Party Bus, odds are good for you to clear a x7 defender on the opening shot. I run with an intel agent of one ship to help block in the late game. Palp aces is winnable match up, its the triple x7's that give me trouble. I have enough ordinance and hull to kill 2 of those suckers, but not 3. My only hope is to down the first 2 quickly and block the 3rd until time is called. I had to block and out position Vesery for 40 minutes at my last tourney. It was a pain, but it got the job done.

the secret:

Always ensure that the party bus is the first to die. If your last ship is the party bus, you are screwed. You cant do anything about an enemy behind you.

Parking a VCX with Zeb on it behind a party bus is a glorious thing.

Always ensure that the party bus is the first to die. If your last ship is the party bus, you are screwed. You cant do anything about an enemy behind you.

Parking a VCX with Zeb on it behind a party bus is a glorious thing.

not losing him in two rounds is a feat, actually.

because two plasma torps and a bus attack usually leave you a wreck.

quite...literally.

and a 5-k is pretty much predictable as HELL

guess who's getting another torp after pulling that off

the secret:

Rollin' all crits baby.

Go to Team Covenant's youtube channel and check out the GenCon top 4 game with Marcel. He does a great job setting up the party bus to be difficult to get behind by brobots. Presumably, you'll be able to see his game in the finals soon too.

the secret:

Rollin' all crits baby.

what is LOM?

baby, don't evade

don't focus

no more

the secret:

Rollin' all crits baby.

what is LOM?

baby, don't evade

don't focus

no more

Did you just bump my ARC?

I ran through party bus and friends with palp defenders. A key missed block and getting the shuttle in the fight won the day for me.

Go to Team Covenant's youtube channel and check out the GenCon top 4 game with Marcel. He does a great job setting up the party bus to be difficult to get behind by brobots. Presumably, you'll be able to see his game in the finals soon too.

Rigged cargo to make this build much more interesting as well IMHO. Try to be much more strategic when you go down the never ending stress hole.