I think that Bren build might work. Bomber dial, though. You could drop Rebel Captive for Tactician or Kallus, as I think he's already pretty tough.
I think Kallus and Intel Agent might be the way to go. It drops his cost a lot and keeps him a threat to aces that beat his PS.
Honestly, there's a huge range for that theoretical Tomax Bren. He can use any crew that you feel best plugs up weak spots in your list. The fun/interesting part is that his baseline with that super hypothetical Lightweight Frame is effectively 3/3/6/0 at PS8 for 26pts, which is pretty solid.
Sure your third green die won't always kick in, but lots of time your "third red die" is permanently set to hit when firing at aces whose dice are permanently set to evade. I think it's interesting.
EDIT: Heck, because of the way the defense mod works against 2 dice ships versus Crackshots effectiveness against aces, you might feel that the weakness of this Tomax Bren is swarms, in which case you can just lose the crew entirely and drop a Seismic Charge into a bomb slot to shore up that match. Two point Seismic Charges can make a game worth of difference in the right match-up. Plus, he'd still get to retain his honorary "bomber" status.
Edited by CBMarkhamI agree about the flexibility of Bren, or any TIE Shuttle. If the crew become valuable enough to make it a target, you can slap on Lightened Frame (or whatever it actually is).
Tie Punisher! With 2 defence dice youprobably could dare to load more then 1 ordnance upgrade.
If you want to load warheads, you need to rely on FCS then.
Tie Punisher! With 2 defence dice youprobably could dare to load more then 1 ordnance upgrade.
If you want to load warheads, you need to rely on FCS then.
The Punisher is definitely better as a 9HP ship with 2 green dice, but losing G-Chips and Scanners means you're good for what, mostly bombing? Now you're sufficiently tanky, but where are your teeth?
Bombs is really all Deathrain needs to be a problem once he becomes suitably tanky.
You'd be surprised out fast people bug out when someone flies at them with a proton bomb lol
Tie Punisher! With 2 defence dice youprobably could dare to load more then 1 ordnance upgrade.
If you want to load warheads, you need to rely on FCS then.
The Punisher is definitely better as a 9HP ship with 2 green dice, but losing G-Chips and Scanners means you're good for what, mostly bombing? Now you're sufficiently tanky, but where are your teeth?
Your teeth are your teeth.
Add AC.
and Proton Bombs
Edited by TheRealStarkillerOkay, with the assumption that the card is 2 points (the highest I could see it still being widely used outside of specific niches), you could do:
Deathrain 26, Connor Net 4, Siesmic Charge 2, Extra Munitions 2, Lightened Frame 2 = 36
You've got the games most accurate bomber, and he's quite tough, getting at least 2 dice against anything that's not a HWK primary. 36 points is not bad for a powerful control piece that isn't just going to die because someone looks at it funny. You could upgrade to Thermal Detonator/Proton Bomb and/or Accuracy Corrector for added potency, but 36 nicely in the ballpark of Imperial Aces.
Also,
Redline 27, Proton Torpedoes o 4, FCS 2, Extra Munitions 2, Lightened Frame 2 = 37
Both Concussion Missiles and Proton Torps have a built-in result to-hit conversion, plus Redline's inherent Target Lock re-roll. If you've got a Focus (because you got TL as your action from the last turn), you're darn near set at 4 hits with the Concussion Missiles.
The loadout pretty much depends on how long you expect to survive. You could do a single warhead for 2 shots, or a double for 4 shots, or a single and a bomb, figuring there will be a chance to use it. I could even see a somewhat tougher Redline as a platform for APTs. You fire at something to pick up a TL turn 1, and turn 2 you close and drop 5 dice with Focus/TL, or if you needed your action to boost (to get range 1) or not die (using your higher effective AGI), you'd still get 5 dice with a re-roll from Redline's second TL.
More musings expanded:
Generic TIE Phantoms: CBMarkham discussed using this thing on a generic TIE Phantom to enhance its defense, essentially using like a gunship instead of a hit-and-run sort of ship. Assuming 2 points, a Sigma with this thing would be 27 and have AGI3 in most circumstances. It's really only better than Stygium, however, if you're getting shot multiple times or you expect to stay decloaked for a while. It is possible that it's cheaper than the Stygium as well, but that seems like something one shouldn't hope for. So can a Phantom get by without really staying cloaked? While it's tougher with +1 AGI, it's not that tough, and PS3 doesn't cut it with things like Crack Swarms and Uboats. Shadow Squadron might be the right call here to kills Jousty PS 3 and 4 stuff and do your best to tank higher PS stuff. I wonder if this would let you fly Echo like a more conventional ship, albiet one that gets to do crazy surprise attacks.
You could do Echo for 30, Sensor Jammer 4, PTL 3, Recon Specialist 3, and Lightened Frame 2 for 42 total points. On max turtle defense, you'd have 3 dice (against most attacks) + Evade + 2 Focus + whatever your Sensor Jammer blocked. Your rhythm could be something like decloak->Double Focus/Evade and attack stuff for as long as it is practical, then pull a green move and Cloak/double Focus to bug out and reset when necessary. PTLing to get both Evade and Focus makes the most out of the extra green die and is better defensively than Stygium Particle Accelerator. You're still only a 3 dice + Focus/Evade + 4 hit point ship, though, so it's not like you can tank away like Fel can, but with Echo's ability, you should be able to avoid getting trapped by a lot of shots at once. You'd better make sure the rest of your squad can exploit the Focus the other squad will be spending to power through Echo's Sensor Jammer, and/or you just take Jax to make your life easier.
I'm not even sure this card will cost 2 points.
It may be intended as a buff for Punishers, Bombers (they still aren't competitive despite GC), and the baseline Striker.
I could see this card costing 0 points.
Ooo, I just realized that if the card works as interpreted above, it actually would be a pretty decent boon to the TIE Shuttle. It's tough to carry around valuable crew members if you have 2 agility and no shields, but it might be more worthwhile if you're sitting on 3 agility.
TIE shuttle really likes TIE mk2 in my experience.
Indeed, this is really going to have to do a lot to compete with Mk2 in general.
"When defending, if the number of | defense dice is fewer than | attack dice, you may | roll 1 additional die.
You cannot equip this card if | your agility value is 3 | or higher."
Totally looks like that.
0 wouldn't be overpowered.If Sparklelord is right (and I'd bet money he is), what is the expected price of this thing?
1 would make it a choice as opposed to automatic.
2 will make it never seen. I'd take TIE Mk2 over that and make the pre-dial-reveal bank move green, PtL every turn to net the evade token and not miss +1 agi sometimes.
With a 0 cost, FFG would make the striker a "must buy two or three", for a good pinch of players.
Not a "equilibrated" cost mod, but as it wouldn't be an improvement for the palp-ace, Deengaro or ordnance-alpha-strike... maybe they do ir for the sales.
Edited by Draconis HegemoniaQuoting a friend of mine, spartan118 thinks it could be, "When defending, before defense dice or attack dice are rolled, roll 1 additional die. You cannot modify your additional die."
Hmm, does this make it a batter card than Stealth Device?
Quoting a friend of mine, spartan118 thinks it could be, "When defending, before defense dice or attack dice are rolled, roll 1 additional die. You cannot modify your additional die."
Hmm, does this make it a batter card than Stealth Device?
On a 2-agi ship? Yes.
I'm not even sure this card will cost 2 points.
It may be intended as a buff for Punishers, Bombers (they still aren't competitive despite GC), and the baseline Striker.
I could see this card costing 0 points.
I don't think 0 points is game breaking at all, but I'm guessing FFG wouldn't want something that increases such a key stat to be free. In guessing 1, which makes it pretty similar to the Mk2 Engines. A useful, but undramatic upgrade, whose primary drawback is the competitive mod slot.
0-1 and I'm sold.
Double Striker/Decimator with awesome paint scheme here I come.
0-1 and I'm sold.
Double Striker/Decimator with awesome paint scheme here I come.
I've seen this squad idea a couple times now and could care less how effective it is it MUST happen.0-1 and I'm sold.
Double Striker/Decimator with awesome paint scheme here I come.
Gotta petition to get oicuun in a,strike though; double damage from title plz!
Edited by ficklegreendiceDeciVader to handle aces and two gunships that outfly generics sounds like a reasonable list at first blush.
Light-HEARTED
FrEEDOM
When defeNDING FROM AN ATTACK,
defense dice ARE NOT ROLLED AND
attack dice ARE MEANINGLESS. YOU MAY
role 1 addiTIONAL D6 FOR NO REASON.
You cannot DO ANYTHING THAT AFFECTS
your SHIPS, ENEMY SHIPS, TERRAIN
oR ANYTHING ELSE. THE GAME ENDS.
1.) Card type: I'm guessing it's a mod, because the ship already comes with a title, and it seems like they wouldn't do two.
I'm not so sure that rules out a 2nd title... could be like Vet Defenders, and have a choice of Titles. One to make it faster, one to make it harder to hit.
Also, as has been pointed out, makes it potentially more useful on other TIE variants that would not like to consume the mod slot.
Edited by ABXYIf it's 1 point, and (I assume) the Black Squadron Pilot is 18 points, you've got a very nice ship; getting the PS4 striker, Adaptive Ailerons, Lightning Fridge, and a 1-point EPT of your choice, in 20 points - allowing 5 of them, and quite a few options of how to play them:
I doubt you'd get much mileage out of Cool Hand or Rage, but I could be wrong.
Sigma Squadron Pilot (25)
Fire-Control System (2)
Recon Specialist (3)
Lightened Frame (2)
Major Rhymer (26)
Snap Shot (2)
Intelligence Agent (1)
Tactician (2)
Lightened Frame (2)
TIE Shuttle (0)
Cutlass Squadron Pilot (21)
Sensor Jammer (4)
Extra Munitions (2)
Thermal Detonators (3)
Thermal Detonators (3)
Lightened Frame (2)
Total: 100
View in Yet Another Squad Builder
If it's restricted to 2 agility or less TIEs with an open mod slot then it should cost zero points. At one point it might see a little bit of play to round out a list coming in under budget. At two points it won't see table time at any serious event as the ships it could work on are already too inefficient to be competitive.
That being said, I expect FFG to price this at three points.
1.) Card type: I'm guessing it's a mod, because the ship already comes with a title, and it seems like they wouldn't do two.
I'm not so sure that rules out a 2nd title... could be like Vet Defenders, and have a choice of Titles. One to make it faster, one to make it harder to hit.
Also, as has been pointed out, makes it potentially more useful on other TIE variants that would not like to consume the mod slot.
As much as I'd love it to be a second title, I think it is a mod, based on the preview...
If you note that there is a "red dot" in the card art, just above the 'E' in TIE where it says 'TIE only' for 'Light Fr', and in the same spot for 'TIE Striker only. Title'
If the text is centred as it typically is on these cards, 'TIE only. Modification.' and 'TIE Striker only. Title.' take up pretty much the same space, which lines up with where the word 'TIE' ends up relative to the fixed red dot.
In any case, even if it isn't in the end a modification, 'TIE only. Title.' would be waaaay off centre if that's what it was.
