So the R3 astromech has been a disappointment since it was revealed. To be fair, there were some high hopes for it to fix the X wing, and it really doesn't do much for that. But hold on, there are a few uses for it. Or at least combos that might be useful. So let's take a look at them before we write the card off as 100% useless. For starters, Norra.

Norra Wexley - Norra is in the ARC-170, which doesn't innately have access to the evade action. However, she can take a TL, turn it into a F result, and then cancel the F via R3 to get an evade. So R3 essentially adds the evade action to her bar for 3 points. This can be especially potent if coupled with VI to push her up to PS9, and then coupled with C3PO to further boost her defense. For 35 points, you get the defensive capability of a Falcon (though with 9 health instead of 13). It also allows you to wait until combat to decide if you want to be offensive or defensive.

Weapon Guidance - This combo only works on the T-70, but it allows you to take a Focus action, roll a hit focus blank, cancel the focus for an evade, then spend the focus via WG to end up with 2 hits and an evade. Is this combo worth 4 points? Perhaps not, but keep in mind that each also has their own benefit as well... WG can be used if you roll hit hit blank to make it 3 hits, and R3 can be used after a Troll to get an evade. This could be a potent pairing as well.

Comms Relay - Ahh, finally something that addresses one of the major weaknesses of R3, you don't get the evade until your attack. This means that you want to be high PS, but pretty much any high PS ship wants to have a regenerating astro (with the possible exception of Norra). With CR and R3, you can easily equip Juke on your Red Vet, instantly making him much more deadly. Now your opponent has to even consider whether or not he spends his F on his attack, knowing that your Red Vet could end up Juking away his evade. This 7 point combo (or 5 if you leave out Juke) could actually be a useful place for R3.

Gunner - This only works on the ARC-170, but you can cancel a focus on your first attack, gain the evade, and then attack again on the Gunner shot. Again, this could couple well with Juke. The biggest issue with this build would be points.

BTL-A4 - Especially the TLT version - the title, while restricting your arc, gives you a primary attack followed by a secondary turret attack. So now you can get an evade token out of that mostly useless primary attack. The shortfall of this is that you're likely to have R3-A2 if you have the title, and you're probably a gold squadron, shooting (and getting your evade) at PS2.

So there you have it - a list of not entirely useless combinations for the R3 astromech. Do you think any of these will actually see play? Did I miss any combos that could work?

I don't think anyone thought r3 would fix the X considering it was coming in a ship only tangentially related to the X

I do think we were expecting a counter to u-boats

...or expecting something

it is a **** worthless card, especially on Norra. You'd have to be absolutely out of your mind to not bump it up to the many times superior r2d2, which

a.) always works rather than depends on a focus result

b.) always works when performing a green maneuver, rather than hoping you have an attack and are facing lower PS

c.) works regardless of whether or not you use Norra's ability defensively

besides, with PTL, you can already use Norra's ability to generate an evade result (which you can then use in conjunction with r2d2's regeneration)

FFG ****** up with this one, sad and simple. It won't see play unless you just don't care about what you're bringing to a game

The BTL-A4 + R3 Astromech combo is best on Horton (with TLT), who has re-rolls to modify his shots anyway, and can even try to re-roll the primary shot into an Eye to convert to an Evade.

fickle , yeah, we get it, you hate the card. On Norra, though, PtL means you must do greens, and R2-D2 could just as well have found a home elsewhere in your list. Is PtL/R2-D2 better? I don't know, but that's 7 points. R3/C-3PO as the OP suggested is only 5 with an open EPT slot (granted Push/R2 has a free crew slot).

I plan on using my R3 Astro as 2/2 Zombie tokens for when I combo out in Magic the Gathering...

The BTL-A4 + R3 Astromech combo is best on Horton (with TLT), who has re-rolls to modify his shots anyway, and can even try to re-roll the primary shot into an Eye to convert to an Evade.

fickle , yeah, we get it, you hate the card. On Norra, though, PtL means you must do greens, and R2-D2 could just as well have found a home elsewhere in your list. Is PtL/R2-D2 better? I don't know, but that's 7 points. R3/C-3PO as the OP suggested is only 5 with an open EPT slot (granted Push/R2 has a free crew slot).

I don't think you're really trying to argue that r3 + c3po for a tiny 2 point discount could really come close to PTL + r2-d2 (which leaves your crew slot open for tailgunner) ito utility as much as you just don't like that I don't like the card

especially when r3 + c3po does nothing to set up Norra's ability offensively (and sticking to greens really doesn't matter when you have an aux arc to work with; does wonders for your maneuver flexibility )

sorry, man, I didn't design this astro to be a horrible inferior piece of crap. I'd much rather get some good variety in my list building choices, but sadly that is what we got. Best we can do is return with the feedback it deserves so FFG doesn't **** up like this again

I'm interested I working Horton w/ R3 & TLTs (no title) into a list. Perhaps with some bombs. It seems like it might be a fun and survivable ship. You know, when you're not up against UBoats.

This is a squad I intend on using once I get to play more:

Red Squadron Veteran (26)
Juke (2)
R3 Astromech (2)
Comm Relay (3)
Integrated Astromech (0)

Red Squadron Veteran (26)
Juke (2)
R3 Astromech (2)
Comm Relay (3)
Integrated Astromech (0)

Prototype Pilot (17)
Chardaan Refit (-2)
Autothrusters (2)

Prototype Pilot (17)
Chardaan Refit (-2)
Autothrusters (2)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Gives you two blockers to make Juke hurt more, and you take the TL action more often with the T-70's. Obviously not top tier, but it's not a squad to disregard if flown well.

Gives you two blockers to make Juke hurt more, and you take the TL action more often with the T-70's. Obviously not top tier, but it's not a squad to disregard if flown well.

Yeah, actually use Target Lock...

or K-Turn and have an Evade and Juke

or T-Roll and have an Evade and Juke

or Boost and have an Evade and Juke

... things you actually may want to do with a T-70 X-Wing other than Focus every turn or else lose your offense and defense.

Also, the R3 looks a bit more reasonable when you are fielding stuff in Epic and realize that R2-D2 is unique, and so are many other good droids that are staples in 2-4 ship 100pts lists.

I have found a use for almost every astromech, even if its just in fun play. R3 is the first that i wont even be attempting to make a use out of.

If he had 1 of 2 potential changes, i'd use him and probably find a good use for him like i have for many others.

1) Allows you to hang onto the Evade token for 1 turn and he cannot be used the following turn if you still have it when he attacks next round. Removes the PS requirement bullcrap.

2) 1pt. For 1pt i would gladly slap his happy ass on any random idiot both for IA feeding and hey it MIGHT save me some damage at some point...highly unlikely but possible.

Best combo I've found so far:

R3 Astromech + trash can

Really helps your squad from getting into trouble later on. For example, if you utilize the above combo, you won't fall into the trap of accidentally putting R3 Astromech into a list.

I do if r3 3even synergies with the garbage as you getc2 per pack, which fills the bags up faster and require more work than similar garbage like r5p8

I don't think you're really trying to argue that r3 + c3po for a tiny 2 point discount could really come close to PTL + r2-d2 (which leaves your crew slot open for tailgunner) ito utility as much as you just don't like that I don't like the card

I don't much care that you don't like the card. I do care that you feel the need to go on and on about your dislike for the card at every possible opportunity. Just put it in your sig if you're going to keep repeating it. Some people like being creative and coming up with uses for cards and who knows, maybe even finding something that works. Everything in the OP looks worth flying to me, even if it might not end up in a winning list right now. But then I enjoy making all manner of combos without feeling the need to trash cards all the time.

You guys are so annoying. You are not even funny, just annoying. If anyone wanna talk about R3 astromec, well let-it-doing!

Geez, this community sucks, really.

here are some combos with R3 astromech:

the bin

a pair of scissors

fire

weeping deeply at night about how terrible T-65s are

losing games

hoping the missing SKU is a T-65 fix

remembering how hopeful you were the unspoiled R3 astromech would be a sneaky T-65 fix

losing hope FFG will ever fix the titular ship

I don't think you're really trying to argue that r3 + c3po for a tiny 2 point discount could really come close to PTL + r2-d2 (which leaves your crew slot open for tailgunner) ito utility as much as you just don't like that I don't like the card

I don't much care that you don't like the card. I do care that you feel the need to go on and on about your dislike for the card at every possible opportunity. Just put it in your sig if you're going to keep repeating it. Some people like being creative and coming up with uses for cards and who knows, maybe even finding something that works. Everything in the OP looks worth flying to me, even if it might not end up in a winning list right now. But then I enjoy making all manner of combos without feeling the need to trash cards all the time.

Be ause, turns out, talking about how **** r3 is IS RELEVENT in a thread about r3

Especially when one of the questions in the OP is "do you think the card will see play?" which makes "no, it is pretty useless" an acceptable answer.

This is not a card you can "make work". This is a card you have to HOPE works (ie does anything). That sad fact is beyond any of us and our creativity, it was simply designed that way with a baffling amount of hoops to jump through for a very marginal benefit

TLT Ys are basically the only thing I'd consider touching it on and even then it's a point too expensive.

TLT Ys are basically the only thing I'd consider touching it on and even then it's a point too expensive.

so did I

but then "primary weapon" rears its ugly head

so many ways this could've not been a waste of a card, and not even necessarily removing the random "cancel FOCUS result" clause

if, instead of an evade, it had just been "you may recover 1 shield (up to your shield value)" it would've been fine

note: NOT because OMG SHIELDZ are better than evades, but because you could've put it on any PS and it could've conceivably done something

TLT Ys are basically the only thing I'd consider touching it on and even then it's a point too expensive.

so did I

but then "primary weapon" rears its ugly head

so many ways this could've not been a waste of a card, and not even necessarily removing the random "cancel FOCUS result" clause

if, instead of an evade, it had just been "you may recover 1 shield (up to your shield value)" it would've been fine

note: NOT because OMG SHIELDZ are better than evades, but because you could've put it on any PS and it could've conceivably done something

Oh good lord this is another one of those cards where you think you've found a neat combo then you actually read it, like Mindlink.

This thing is terrible.

now now, mindlink has a drawback but it's got a lot of uses

the big thing about the R3 astromech is just the sheer number of crap you have to do in order to get that measly evade to do anything

and I feel this deserves special mention because people seem to think I'm down on this card for no reason

in order to get R3 to do anything you need to

1.) attack the enemy (in arc, since there are no Astromech ships with PWTs)

2.) attack with a primary weapon specifically

3.) roll a focus during your attack roll

4.) cancel said focus result, therefore rendering yourself unable to benefit from it during said roll

5.) get shot at after you attack, because if you get shot at before your attack that evade is **** worthless

so even when we get to the ideal case of high PS pilots, you're still praying for focus on attack rolls AND that you won't be using said focus (or are unable to use said focus) AND you have to ask yourself if that single evade is really all that worth it in the end

and in the absolute case of Comm Relay T-70s, sure you get a home for your maybe-evade but you're also going up to 33 points a pop for a juke relay r3 red vet (26 + 2 + 2 + 3) at which point those T-70s are glancing over to x7 juke glaives and weeping

Instead of, say... BB8.

Revised R3: "Add the Evade Icon to your action bar."

Somehow the primary weapon only thing hadn't quite registered to me. I also was thinking about Y Wings. a BtL A4 Y Wing with a turret actually would have been a decent home for this card against low PS alpha strikers like the U Boat.

The best use for this card I've seen is putting it on 3 PS 10 X Wings, which at least mostly solves the PS issue. The comm relay makes it useful for low PS ships for sure, but dang what a price to pay for that, and it's still not a sure thing. At that point I'd rather take PTL and R2 or targeting astro.

The best use for this card I've seen is putting it on 3 PS 10 X Wings, which at least mostly solves the PS issue.

That was definitely a cool list, because being three PS10s means it has legs against a number of lists.

Juke is probably the best combo with it.

Worst case scenario is a bunch of blanks, where juke and no other droid are helping you anyway, and best case is you roll natural hits. The reality is somewhere in the middle, where 2 hits, juke, and an evade can force your opponents hand.

Etahn A'baht (32)

Juke (2)

Accuracy Corrector (3)

R3 Astromech (2)

Total: 39

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Roll 3 attack dice. You have an 87.5% chance of getting at least 1 eyeball. Cancel it. Get an evade token. Turn your other 2 results into hits. Defender rolls dice. Turn one of the evades into an eyeball. Let the defender be annoyed at you.

Congratulations! You just got 2 hit results _and an extra evade token_ without spending a single token. How often does a pilot end firing with more tokens than they started with?

Only downside: Etahn can only be PS 4-7 (and gives up Juke to do so), and this combo works best at PS8-9.

I'm not sure how well this combo will work in practice, but I want very much for it to work well.