The new "Operations Specilist" crew from the Upsilon shuttle - is it part of the anti-ace theme? It is 3pts, but looks like it could be used to enhance chances of pushing damage through on the really elusive targets.

I mean, if we're really talking about anti-ace stuff in the Upsilon shuttle, then General Hux is the winner. Turning any ship into a mini-autoblaster is pretty much made for combating high-agility tokened up ships. Nevermind the action economy for pushing shots in after that.

It's kind of a mini-Tarkin, as it can influence a ship out to Range 5, if I comprehend it correctly.

It's kind of a mini-Tarkin, as it can influence a ship out to Range 5, if I comprehend it correctly.

Actually, in the right circumstances it can go beyond 5. The ship that misses needs to be at range 1-2 of the ship with Operations Specialist. The ship that gets the token needs to be at range 1-3 of the ship that misses. A small base ship at the edge of range two can miss an attack and the token can go to a ship at the edge of range three from the ship that missed. That's over range 5. Make the ship that misses an attack a Large or a Huge ship and it gets even further out.

I don't think it's as much anti-ace as it is something that helps out squads that don't have great action economy.

I don't think it's as much anti-ace as it is something that helps out squads that don't have great action economy.

This. An extra focus token still doesn't help damage Soontir. Hux on the other hand...

It's kind of a mini-Tarkin, as it can influence a ship out to Range 5, if I comprehend it correctly.

Actually, in the right circumstances it can go beyond 5. The ship that misses needs to be at range 1-2 of the ship with Operations Specialist. The ship that gets the token needs to be at range 1-3 of the ship that misses. A small base ship at the edge of range two can miss an attack and the token can go to a ship at the edge of range three from the ship that missed. That's over range 5. Make the ship that misses an attack a Large or a Huge ship and it gets even further out.

And even then Hux hands out the Condition during Activation, and the rest of this takes place during Combat, so who knows where all the ships could end up?

I don't think it's as much anti-ace as it is something that helps out squads that don't have great action economy.

Could do a trick for Crack Swarms.

IE., the old "I rolled one hit, you rolled one evade and one focus....so...do you burn your focus token to convert it? Well? Do ya?"

If they don't, then you Crack the evade, and push your point of damage through.

If they do burn their focus...then you go ahead and hold on to your Crack Shot - you missed. Which triggers a 'focus' token generation for your wingman who is about to make the exact same shot.

So...whaddya think? "Operation: Crack Swarm"... OGP + OpSpec alongside 5x BSP + Crack? Suppose you could also do the same thing with a TIE Shuttle, toting along a Rebel Captive, as well, for good measure...

Hux is the antiace here

Op spec is...idk, a lot crazier in epic?

I think it will see a lot more play in Epic, for sure. In 100pt deathmatch the squads just aren't big enough to justify missing an attack for a buff. I think the crackswarm example is an outlier, it may work in that situation, but mainly it's use seems pretty niche. Swarms will see the biggest benefit though. Perhaps on action synergy rebels as well, like Airen Cracken or Dutch.

It isn't anti ace, but I'll certainly try running Rex or Zeb with it on their TIE and four Snap Cracks. If Zeb is 13 (reasonable), then you could run him with the card, Sabine's Masterpiece (required), and Hull Upgrade with four of those Snap Crack As. If you've set up a great spread where the enemy will have to snap or evade, feel free to take a target lock or two on the As. One of them will probably miss and that means it's focus time. If they don't miss, then you probably did very effective damage. Either way, you win and you help offset the PtL-less A Wing's lack of action economy.

Neato.

I don't think it's as much anti-ace as it is something that helps out squads that don't have great action economy.

Could do a trick for Crack Swarms.

IE., the old "I rolled one hit, you rolled one evade and one focus....so...do you burn your focus token to convert it? Well? Do ya?"

If they don't, then you Crack the evade, and push your point of damage through.

If they do burn their focus...then you go ahead and hold on to your Crack Shot - you missed. Which triggers a 'focus' token generation for your wingman who is about to make the exact same shot.

So...whaddya think? "Operation: Crack Swarm"... OGP + OpSpec alongside 5x BSP + Crack? Suppose you could also do the same thing with a TIE Shuttle, toting along a Rebel Captive, as well, for good measure...

Eh, I'd probably prefer Dormitz+Hux+HowlCrack, 3xBlackCrack.

Hux Devotes a black and throws focus tokens to the blacks. The TIEs all evade. One of them may well do autodamage (it might even be worthwhile rerolling a hit to look for it).

Then Hux himself fires off a 4 to 5-die primary. Sadly with only Howl's reroll for mods though.

Gonna take some careful flying but should be fun.

Ops specialist on a tie shuttle in your howlrunner swarm that flies forward and evades. VI on howl, who will probably miss. Give the focus to whoever's most likely to eat shots. Then whenever a mook fails to get a shot through, buff the next mook in line to fire.

Hux is a little bit confusing for me, I mean, I get the strengths but people seem to be avoiding the negative side of Fanatical Devotion in that you cannot spend focus tokens to modify your defence dice, am I right in assuming that people are just giving this to the Upsilon Shuttle every time?

Because if you don't, what ever has the misfortune of being shot at is going to have a really bad time, more so in a world of Zuckuss crew.

Plus, from a list building perspective, Upsilon Shuttle and two other ships seems to be common list, so you are paying quite a lot of points for handing out a focus token. . which can be done just as easily via Fleet Officer and a TIE Shuttle, for 19 points.

Hux is a little bit confusing for me, I mean, I get the strengths but people seem to be avoiding the negative side of Fanatical Devotion in that you cannot spend focus tokens to modify your defence dice, am I right in assuming that people are just giving this to the Upsilon Shuttle every time?

Because if you don't, what ever has the misfortune of being shot at is going to have a really bad time, more so in a world of Zuckuss crew.

Plus, from a list building perspective, Upsilon Shuttle and two other ships seems to be common list, so you are paying quite a lot of points for handing out a focus token. . which can be done just as easily via Fleet Officer and a TIE Shuttle, for 19 points.

With defenders, that's why you have shields. With anythign with Evade, he doesn't stop you spending those...

He's worth taking over Fleet Officer for the extra token, but that semi-autoblaster effect is just WAY too good to pass up. Unblockable damage is something the Empire has almost no access to otherwise, Vader crew and bombs being the only other ways And unblockable damage is SWEET.

Hux is a little bit confusing for me, I mean, I get the strengths but people seem to be avoiding the negative side of Fanatical Devotion in that you cannot spend focus tokens to modify your defence dice, am I right in assuming that people are just giving this to the Upsilon Shuttle every time?

Because if you don't, what ever has the misfortune of being shot at is going to have a really bad time, more so in a world of Zuckuss crew.

Plus, from a list building perspective, Upsilon Shuttle and two other ships seems to be common list, so you are paying quite a lot of points for handing out a focus token. . which can be done just as easily via Fleet Officer and a TIE Shuttle, for 19 points.

With defenders, that's why you have shields. With anythign with Evade, he doesn't stop you spending those...

He's worth taking over Fleet Officer for the extra token, but that semi-autoblaster effect is just WAY too good to pass up. Unblockable damage is something the Empire has almost no access to otherwise, Vader crew and bombs being the only other ways And unblockable damage is SWEET.

And unlike the other two, this one counts as actually hitting.

Which is to say, Imperials now have an upgrade card that boasts most of the effect of Ten Numb. And will work on a turret.

RIP, Stealth Device. You were an interesting card, once.

I don't think it's as much anti-ace as it is something that helps out squads that don't have great action economy.

Could do a trick for Crack Swarms.

IE., the old "I rolled one hit, you rolled one evade and one focus....so...do you burn your focus token to convert it? Well? Do ya?"

If they don't, then you Crack the evade, and push your point of damage through.

If they do burn their focus...then you go ahead and hold on to your Crack Shot - you missed. Which triggers a 'focus' token generation for your wingman who is about to make the exact same shot.

So...whaddya think? "Operation: Crack Swarm"... OGP + OpSpec alongside 5x BSP + Crack? Suppose you could also do the same thing with a TIE Shuttle, toting along a Rebel Captive, as well, for good measure...

Eh, I'd probably prefer Dormitz+Hux+HowlCrack, 3xBlackCrack.

Hux Devotes a black and throws focus tokens to the blacks. The TIEs all evade. One of them may well do autodamage (it might even be worthwhile rerolling a hit to look for it).

Then Hux himself fires off a 4 to 5-die primary. Sadly with only Howl's reroll for mods though.

Gonna take some careful flying but should be fun.

Why Dormitz and not just a regular Starkiller Base Pilot with, say, Hypercomm to give everyone tokens at start of the game? Or a Tactical Jammer?

I don't think it's as much anti-ace as it is something that helps out squads that don't have great action economy.

Could do a trick for Crack Swarms.

IE., the old "I rolled one hit, you rolled one evade and one focus....so...do you burn your focus token to convert it? Well? Do ya?"

If they don't, then you Crack the evade, and push your point of damage through.

If they do burn their focus...then you go ahead and hold on to your Crack Shot - you missed. Which triggers a 'focus' token generation for your wingman who is about to make the exact same shot.

So...whaddya think? "Operation: Crack Swarm"... OGP + OpSpec alongside 5x BSP + Crack? Suppose you could also do the same thing with a TIE Shuttle, toting along a Rebel Captive, as well, for good measure...

Eh, I'd probably prefer Dormitz+Hux+HowlCrack, 3xBlackCrack.

Hux Devotes a black and throws focus tokens to the blacks. The TIEs all evade. One of them may well do autodamage (it might even be worthwhile rerolling a hit to look for it).

Then Hux himself fires off a 4 to 5-die primary. Sadly with only Howl's reroll for mods though.

Gonna take some careful flying but should be fun.

Why Dormitz and not just a regular Starkiller Base Pilot with, say, Hypercomm to give everyone tokens at start of the game? Or a Tactical Jammer?

Because I think the deployment shenanigans are better than the extra tokens, but it's by no means certain. The generic with a Hypercomm would be just as nice I think, but in different ways.

Tac Jammer isn't worth it though.

Ideally you'd get 5 black cracks, but they've priced Hux perfectly so that you can't get him in a SpaceCow with 5 Black Cracks by a single measly point.

Hux is a little bit confusing for me, I mean, I get the strengths but people seem to be avoiding the negative side of Fanatical Devotion in that you cannot spend focus tokens to modify your defence dice, am I right in assuming that people are just giving this to the Upsilon Shuttle every time?

Because if you don't, what ever has the misfortune of being shot at is going to have a really bad time, more so in a world of Zuckuss crew.

Plus, from a list building perspective, Upsilon Shuttle and two other ships seems to be common list, so you are paying quite a lot of points for handing out a focus token. . which can be done just as easily via Fleet Officer and a TIE Shuttle, for 19 points.

That downside can mess with your opponent's targetting priority. Do you take the shot at Howlrunner or do you shoot the TIE that can't spend focus on defense that can shoot through evade results? Do you shoot the TIE with with one health but a focus and evade or the full health TIE that has Fanatical Devotion this round?

Hux is a little bit confusing for me, I mean, I get the strengths but people seem to be avoiding the negative side of Fanatical Devotion in that you cannot spend focus tokens to modify your defence dice, am I right in assuming that people are just giving this to the Upsilon Shuttle every time?

Because if you don't, what ever has the misfortune of being shot at is going to have a really bad time, more so in a world of Zuckuss crew.

Plus, from a list building perspective, Upsilon Shuttle and two other ships seems to be common list, so you are paying quite a lot of points for handing out a focus token. . which can be done just as easily via Fleet Officer and a TIE Shuttle, for 19 points.

With defenders, that's why you have shields. With anythign with Evade, he doesn't stop you spending those...

He's worth taking over Fleet Officer for the extra token, but that semi-autoblaster effect is just WAY too good to pass up. Unblockable damage is something the Empire has almost no access to otherwise, Vader crew and bombs being the only other ways And unblockable damage is SWEET.

I just can't see it.

FD changes a focus to a nearly unavoidable hit. Most of the targets that proves useful against will have an evade token anyway and even then, you have to roll a focus to be able to use it. Due to the amount of points the Hux shuttle takes up in a list, you are likely going to either have FD on the shuttle most of time because you don't want TIE Fighters rolling unmodified defence dice or you are only going to have one other ship next to the shuttle.

Its OK, but situational I reckon, especially due to the cost.

However, I don't have any experience with this ship card yet so will be more than happy to post here again in a few months time if it becomes a "thing" and I lose to it on the reg.

(In my head, the shuttle is running with a swarm or a single ace/large ship and I just don't see it punching through a X7 defender with stealth and two focus tokens due to fleet officer once it performs a speed 3 move.)

Hux is a little bit confusing for me, I mean, I get the strengths but people seem to be avoiding the negative side of Fanatical Devotion in that you cannot spend focus tokens to modify your defence dice, am I right in assuming that people are just giving this to the Upsilon Shuttle every time?

Because if you don't, what ever has the misfortune of being shot at is going to have a really bad time, more so in a world of Zuckuss crew.

Plus, from a list building perspective, Upsilon Shuttle and two other ships seems to be common list, so you are paying quite a lot of points for handing out a focus token. . which can be done just as easily via Fleet Officer and a TIE Shuttle, for 19 points.

That downside can mess with your opponent's targetting priority. Do you take the shot at Howlrunner or do you shoot the TIE that can't spend focus on defense that can shoot through evade results? Do you shoot the TIE with with one health but a focus and evade or the full health TIE that has Fanatical Devotion this round?

Indeed. The fact that the Fanatical Devotion ability can move between ships as the game goes on is the real advantage.

The ability to generate massed focus tokens is probably more useful on TIE/fos than TIE/lns. The latter probably already have a focus token, and howlrunner handing out rerolls.

An Omega Squadron Pilot, however, can get a target lock for his action (if he can), then pick up the focus from the operations specialist.

Eh, throwing out focus tokens to /lns means they can take their actions Evading and still mod their attack dice.

Seriously, an Oopsie with Hux and a black crack miniswarm is gonna be a thing to be reckoned with.

Hux is a little bit confusing for me, I mean, I get the strengths but people seem to be avoiding the negative side of Fanatical Devotion in that you cannot spend focus tokens to modify your defence dice, am I right in assuming that people are just giving this to the Upsilon Shuttle every time?

Because if you don't, what ever has the misfortune of being shot at is going to have a really bad time, more so in a world of Zuckuss crew.

Plus, from a list building perspective, Upsilon Shuttle and two other ships seems to be common list, so you are paying quite a lot of points for handing out a focus token. . which can be done just as easily via Fleet Officer and a TIE Shuttle, for 19 points.

With defenders, that's why you have shields. With anythign with Evade, he doesn't stop you spending those...

He's worth taking over Fleet Officer for the extra token, but that semi-autoblaster effect is just WAY too good to pass up. Unblockable damage is something the Empire has almost no access to otherwise, Vader crew and bombs being the only other ways And unblockable damage is SWEET.

I just can't see it.

FD changes a focus to a nearly unavoidable hit. Most of the targets that proves useful against will have an evade token anyway ...

Er, you realize that FD will pierce evade tokens too, right? It's not nearly. It IS an unavoidable hit.

Hux is a little bit confusing for me, I mean, I get the strengths but people seem to be avoiding the negative side of Fanatical Devotion in that you cannot spend focus tokens to modify your defence dice, am I right in assuming that people are just giving this to the Upsilon Shuttle every time?

Because if you don't, what ever has the misfortune of being shot at is going to have a really bad time, more so in a world of Zuckuss crew.

Plus, from a list building perspective, Upsilon Shuttle and two other ships seems to be common list, so you are paying quite a lot of points for handing out a focus token. . which can be done just as easily via Fleet Officer and a TIE Shuttle, for 19 points.

With defenders, that's why you have shields. With anythign with Evade, he doesn't stop you spending those...

He's worth taking over Fleet Officer for the extra token, but that semi-autoblaster effect is just WAY too good to pass up. Unblockable damage is something the Empire has almost no access to otherwise, Vader crew and bombs being the only other ways And unblockable damage is SWEET.

I just can't see it.

FD changes a focus to a nearly unavoidable hit. Most of the targets that proves useful against will have an evade token anyway ...

Er, you realize that FD will pierce evade tokens too, right? It's not nearly. It IS an unavoidable hit.

"The set aside hit result cannot be cancelled by defence dice but the defender may cancel critical hits before it."

This reads to me that, I can cancel it with evade tokens or added evade results, just not the green agility dice themselves.

For example, if you roll a focus and a blank on your red dice, use FD to change the focus to a hit. I can just spend an evade token and avoid it.

However, if you rolled crit, hit focus, used FD to convert the focus result, I would have to generate two evades BEFORE I can declare use of the evade token to remove the FD hit.