This Decimator is a thing of beauty and absolutely worth the cost, if you know how to use it:

Rear Admiral Chiraneau (46)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Emperor Palpatine (8)

Rebel Captive (3)

Engine Upgrade (4)

Dauntless (2)

Total: 64

Paired with Soontir?

Replace Captive and Dauntless with Gunner, flavour with 35 point ace of choice. Gunner gets you insurance against that blank-out roll, and gets you solid token stripping capacity against high defence aces.

Or in my case, drop Captive and Dauntless, add Lone Wolf Stealth x7 Rexler. Lone Wolf Stealth Rexler is an excellent MoV defender.

I have only played it once, but I enjoyed this version of Kenkirk

VT-49 Decimator: · Commander Kenkirk (44)

· Lone Wolf (2)

Seismic Torpedo (2)

Engine Upgrade (4)

· Emperor Palpatine (8)

· Ysanne Isard (4)

TIE Defender: · Countess Ryad (34)

Push The Limit (3)

Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)

TIE/x7 (-2)

Why not PTL on Kenkirk to boost at the start of the combat phase once Isard starts triggering?

Agree, a good option. I was try to use Lone Wolf to boost the offense output primarily and perhaps get lucky on a green die re roll.

Why not PTL on Kenkirk to boost at the start of the combat phase once Isard starts triggering?

I ran that option for months but like...having a dial with 14 moves on it is so, soo much stronger than having a dial with 4 moves on it. Once you understand where your opponents can potentially end up, having those 10 extra moves on the dial is actually a better defensive tool than boosting at the start of combat, imo.

Ok i had a chance to test two of the different builds today....

Build 1:

• Ryad (x7, Lone Wolf, Stealth Device) 37pts
• RAC (VI, Gunner, Vader, Ysanne, Engine) 63pts

Build 2:

• Ryad (x7, Lone Wolf, Stealth Device) 37pts
• RAC (Expose, Palpatine, Intelligence Agent, Engine) 63pts

Notes:

• Ryad with Lone Wolf and Stealth Device is a major problem for the enemy
  • She's fairly predictable without the Engine Upgrade - but this plays into the idea that she is not the best target - they know what she will do, but still feel like they can deal with her better after RAC is down
  • She shakes off stress
  • She blocks attacks for days (rarely if ever needing Palpatine backup)
  • With Lone Wolf - she is constantly getting better defense and offense
• RAC is strictly more valuable in this 2 ship build than Oicunn. I'll get a chance to test Kenkirk later in the week.
  • To elaborate, RAC's pilot ability stacks crits pretty quickly
  • But more importantly, RAC hits first or near the top of the list
• The EPT choice is looking pretty clear...
  • VI was outstanding, and looking to be my preference
  • Expose is super powerful, but its just more important to shoot first
• The Crew choice is getting clearer...
  • Vader/ Gunner was considerably deadly - and against certain builts will be a quick and nasty win
  • But Palpatine just does more work and affords more control of the board
  • I need to give Gunner/ Vader one more chance - not sure the right pick for the final crew slot (Ysanne was good, but i kept feeling that Rebel Captive would be more valuable)
  • I suspect Gunner/Vader is better with a different Defender (Maybe Rexler with PTL, x7, SD?)
• In terms of playstyle...
  • The Decimator wants to chase and circle enemies
  • Ryad wants to stay wide and look for isolate-able non-360-shooting targets

how often were you using palpatine on ryad in the games? was palp just modding the decimators dice primarily?

Almost always, i used palpatine for boosting attacks.

Ryad and a Decimator does sound interesting.

I've decided that in my next game I'm going to be extremely aggressive, and these two ships could do just that.

Think I'm going to try:

Ryad/Stealth/Lone Wolf/x7

RAC with VI, gunner, rebel captive, engine upgrade and hot-shot co-pilot

The RAC idea is taken from a topic in the main bit of this forum. The hope is RAC strips focus and dishes out as much damage as possible. Ryad flies wide and tries not to die.

Yo Martini, how did the Kenkirk testing go?

I ran the below list recently winning 3 out of 4 games for 3rd place. Out of my winning games I lost Kenkirk once, in the game I lost Kenkirk was still alive. My loss was to triple X7 Defenders which I had no answer for. Though I feel I flew very well ensuring bumps to reduce incoming fire on the Decimator I just found it incredibly difficult to punch through 3 green Dice, an evade and a focus. I think Gunner would have worked beautifully, but then I'd lose Ysanne which makes the fat Kenkirk lost much weaker.

VT-49 Decimator: · Commander Kenkirk (44)

Predator (3)

Engine Upgrade (4)

· Emperor Palpatine (8)

· Ysanne Isard (4)

TIE Defender: · Countess Ryad (34)

PTL (3)

MK2 ions (1)

TIE/x7 (-2)

The engine upgrade on Kenkirk was wonderful though,speed 4 and boosted past a Swarm and tore it up from behind (hurr) forcing it to run over rocks to get back on target.

Not sure what my next tweak would be here. Fat Kenkirk is incredible, but really needed more damage output, I could go for expose but then get no modes other than Palp, and mathematically an extra Dice with no mods is the same as/weaker than 3 Dice with mods. So might run RAC. But then he has no defence and melts to 3,3 Dice attacks that can K turn/3 bank after him all day. Ugh.

Edit: I'm going to try a Palpatine/Gunner build on RAC.

I've seen the following list perform with decent results... It's damage output is quite something!

Admiral Ryad

===========

100 points

Rear Admiral Chiraneau (64) VT-49 Decimator (46), Expose (4), Emperor Palpatine (8), Rebel Captive (3), Experimental Interface (3)

Countess Ryad (36) TIE Defender (34), Push the Limit (3), TIE/x7 (-2), Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)

Expose and Experimental Interface is wonderful, I genuinely love it, but as CBMarkham will no doubt attest, there is something to be said for being PS 10 and boosting in a Decimator, you can reduce incoming fire from some lists dramatically. If there was a way to make it barrel roll.... Hoo boy that'd be incredible.

I tried recently following build:

CRRAC

Countess Ryad with LW, x7 and SD (37)

Rear Admiral Chiraneau with VI, Rebel Captive, Gunner, HotShot Co-Pilot and Engine Upgrade (63).

3 wins out of 3 games. Quite easy to escape arcs with RAC which helps a lot. Hotshot Co-Pilot is very good, but not over powered as that is mostly thanks to Gunner (as I can do another shot and the opponent has no focus or stressed to keep it). CR is there to either draw some fire, while RAC is devastating enemies in the initial engagements. Initially, the intention was to keep CR to the endgame where her 4 green with LW, evade and focus would be really good but so far she was going down first (torpedoes and/or Zuckuss).

I tried recently following build:

CRRAC

Countess Ryad with LW, x7 and SD (37)

Rear Admiral Chiraneau with VI, Rebel Captive, Gunner, HotShot Co-Pilot and Engine Upgrade (63).

3 wins out of 3 games. Quite easy to escape arcs with RAC which helps a lot. Hotshot Co-Pilot is very good, but not over powered as that is mostly thanks to Gunner (as I can do another shot and the opponent has no focus or stressed to keep it). CR is there to either draw some fire, while RAC is devastating enemies in the initial engagements. Initially, the intention was to keep CR to the endgame where her 4 green with LW, evade and focus would be really good but so far she was going down first (torpedoes and/or Zuckuss).

This is the list I'm planning of flying next. Glad to hear it works well. Anything you think would be worth changing? I was pondering tactician over reb captive maybe.

I don't think Tactician would work well here, as usually, you want to be out of opponents arc and you don't want to care about your arc at all if possible. Captive makes shooting RAC a bit painful, which makes CR more of a target which she wants to be (with all that greens).

I think there is something "missing" or could be improved in the list but I don't know what (yet). Ryad, which was supposed to stay fresh till he end game is not fulfilling her role in that spot, which makes me wondering on changing her to something that hits better, though I have "only" 37 points, which means no Whisper... Maybe QD? Not sure here, but most of the usual aces has well to little fire power to jump into Ryad's place.

Anyway, I need to play few more games with it. A problem (not sure yet if that is a major or minor) is that HSCP will not work that great without Gunner, while it would be beneficial for that list to take Kylo Ren instead of him. Due to that I am thinking that I will drop Captive once next wave is released.

I don't think Tactician would work well here, as usually, you want to be out of opponents arc and you don't want to care about your arc at all if possible.

I'd forgotten that. Kylo is a definite when he's out. That'll be terrifying.

Maybe backdraft? Especially when lightened frames hit. QD isn't worth the points and you'll get a lot more damage from BD. I don't think it's worth it at the moment though; SFs die far too fast.

So far I found out that what you need is some damage from the other ship and Ryad is not that reliable in getting damage through. Unless you get a good blocking position you can't really take TL, and if there is any lower PS ship on opponents side then you don't want to spend Focus (letting even one damage through means you lose one green die).

I'm very intrigued by this Ryad/RAC combination.

I have a tournament coming up that will be before W10 hits. My local meta's only consistency is how inconsistent it is. I don't expect there to be many Defenders but I do expect quite a bit of HotR and to see a Dengaroo or two (best guesses). Perhaps a few Fang builds too.

I can't figure how it would fair in this environment.

You might want to consider Gunner/Hotshot Copilot as a nasty pairing. It makes the Decimator very efficient at stripping off focus tokens - which might in turn pair well with Juke on Ryad.

• Rear Admiral Chiraneau - Predator, Gunner, Hotshot Copilot, Ysanne Isard, Engine Upgrade
• Countess Ryad - TIE/x7, Juke

What about RAC with determination, gunner, jerjerrod, issard, eu with Ryad?

The combo of determination jerjerrod and issard will help to keep RAC alive longer?

What about RAC with determination, gunner, jerjerrod, issard, eu with Ryad?

The combo of determination jerjerrod and issard will help to keep RAC alive longer?

VI RAC dodging arcs would keep him alive longer than Determination.

And keeping him alive is better achieved by killing the crap out of your enemies.

If anything, Hotshot Copilot becomes pretty defensive in terms of crew, as he makes it so certain enemies won't benefit from focus tokens during their return fire.

Isard is ok, but she does require the Decimator to be unstressed, which means she can be countered, especially with Assaj and Stresshogs being a thing.

Hotshot and Gunner, or Vader and Gunner, are the way to go, IMO.

And Palp is always a decent answer, but less needed.

What about RAC with determination, gunner, jerjerrod, issard, eu with Ryad?

The combo of determination jerjerrod and issard will help to keep RAC alive longer?

VI RAC dodging arcs would keep him alive longer than Determination.

And keeping him alive is better achieved by killing the crap out of your enemies.

If anything, Hotshot Copilot becomes pretty defensive in terms of crew, as he makes it so certain enemies won't benefit from focus tokens during their return fire.

Isard is ok, but she does require the Decimator to be unstressed, which means she can be countered, especially with Assaj and Stresshogs being a thing.

Hotshot and Gunner, or Vader and Gunner, are the way to go, IMO.

And Palp is always a decent answer, but less needed.

I don't have Hotshot or Palp so it looks like Vader and Gunner for me!

Ryad - LW, SD, X7

RAC - VI, EU, Recon Spec, Gunner, Vader

99 Points.

Ryads damage output is great with PTL, MK2, X7 she has TL, focus and evade every turn. She's perfect in that build.

Ryads damage output is great with PTL, MK2, X7 she has TL, focus and evade every turn. She's perfect in that build.

I'd personally go this route as well, as I don't care for Lone Wolf (even in a two ship build), but it depends on how you fly. I actually don't use Ryad, because I only prefer her with PtL, and I tend to fly my Defenders into situations where they are likely to bump -- a Juke carrying, x7 Vessery really isn't all that upset about bumping an enemy -- I'm not wasting any points on my upgrades, and he's likely still getting the benefit of TL, Juke, & an Evade.

It's a nice tactic, because your opponent generally won't expect you to take an obvious bump.

Smashing into things with Ryad is inefficient.

So would RAC with hotshot, gunner, issard, vi be the preferred choice leaving no initiative bid?

I'd want an engine upgrade I'm there if I'm taking VI(dumping Issard if needed, as much as I love her)