I know, this is getting to be a rather worn out topic. Though, I found myself brainstorming some ideas while at work today, and felt the need to share.

Guidance Astromech

When attacking with your primary weapon, you may choose to roll an additional attack dice. If you do, your attack dice cannot be modified on this attack.

1 point

This is a change to a previous idea that I had. The concept is to slightly increase the primary weapon's damage output on the X-Wing, T-70, and E-Wing. My previous idea, I feel, was a bit too powerful in comparison to what I was aiming for, since I wanted one that only marginally increased their jousting ability. Once I started playtesting the older version, I found it had a bit too much oomph:

Guidance Astromech

When attacking with your primary weapon, you may change 1 die result to a [hit] result. If you do, you cannot spend target locks or focus tokens on this attack.

1 point

For what it does, this 1 point astromech idea was simply overpowered. Driving up your average attack result from 1.5 on three dice to 2.5 on three dice, which is more than a focus or a target lock, which average around 2.25. With my updated version, it only increases the average expected firepower from 1.5 to 2, which means you'd really only want to do it when you don't have a focus or a target lock to spend. Or when facing an opponent with a ton of defensive mods, if you're hoping for peak damage.

It's got a bit more swing to it than the previous idea, but I feel it's fairly balanced. It's by no means an auto-include, even on generics, but it does give a pretty nice bump to the X-Wing's jousting ability. It's also worth noting that with the new wording, things like Elusiveness and Sensor Jammer couldn't modify the attack either, making it a good counter to those types of abilities. The biggest problem here is that I'm not sure if it'd be too powerful on the Y-Wing. Would five 8 health ships with three attack a piece be too powerful if they couldn't mod their attacks?

Anyway, that aside, I've also got one more idea to share. This time around, I've actually play-tested it a bit. As always, I will drive home my idea for giving the X-Wing a unique type of maneuver/repositioning in order to make it more fun to fly. I've tested my idea in a few casual games now, and it's actually really fun when you can get it to work.

T-65 X-Wing

X-Wing only, Rebel Alliance Only

After performing a [left bank] or [right bank] maneuver, you may rotate your ship 90 degrees, and position your ship's base along the template as if performing a barrel roll. If you do, treat that maneuver as a red maneuver.

0 points

This makes it extremely difficult for the opponent to predict where your X-Wing will be facing at the end of a maneuver. When an arc dodger can't predict which direction your ship is facing while they're setting the dial, it can be pretty tricky for them to arc dodge it. And when you're a higher PS than your opponent, you can simply change the direction of your arc to face your opponent pretty easily. It also helps to avoid asteroids slightly (Which I wasn't really expecting, but was pleasantly surprised by how effective it was). And of course, since it treats the maneuver as a red maneuver, it also pairs well with Targeting Astromech, giving it far more use on X-Wings, who typically only have one red maneuver. All-in-all, this has been my favorite "fix" to fly on the table since I started playing Rebels and trying to get the X-Wing to work. For what it's worth, this title also works fine with my idea for a Guidance Astromech, as the Guidance Astromech can trigger even when stressed.

So, what do you guys think? Is the Guidance Astromech still too powerful, even after I changed the old version to something a bit less consistent? Or would the old version have been just fine?

I like the earlier version of your astromech. It actually gives you an expected 2.375 hits, not 2.5, you forgot to account for the 1/8 chance that you will roll all hits/crits naturally.

I like the earlier version of your astromech. It actually gives you an expected 2.375 hits, not 2.5, you forgot to account for the 1/8 chance that you will roll all hits/crits naturally.

Ah, you're totally right. I did completely neglect that. Either way, though, I still feel it's too powerful for what I was aiming for. I wanted an ever-so-slight bump to get the X-Wing above the B-Wing in pure jousting value. What I ended up getting was a bump that was more efficient than focus or target lock individually. Which means this 1 point astromech would totally, 100% invalidate the 2 point Targeting Astromech on anything that doesn't have torpedoes. Hence why I came up with the newer idea. Slightly less powerful than a focus or target lock, but more reliable in how often you can use it, and more chance for variance being totally awesome in your favor.

Yea the earlier version at least has some use. The new Guidance Astromech would be useless because focus is more useful than adding any attack die. At least in my style of play I'd never hope to achieve peak damage, because let's face it. It never happens. If you want to help the X-Wing joust, the earlier form would have use at least.

Yea the earlier version at least has some use. The new Guidance Astromech would be useless because focus is more useful than adding any attack die. At least in my style of play I'd never hope to achieve peak damage, because let's face it. It never happens. If you want to help the X-Wing joust, the earlier form would have use at least.

The newer version would be far from useless. It could be used any time you do a red maneuver or are blocked. Basically, whenever you can't focus or target lock, the newer option at least gives you some benefit. For a 1 point astromech, I think this is pretty fair.

Intelligent thoughts to be sure, but the Mouse has insured that ship has sailed with their focus on the release, re-release, re-re-release of the T-70....maybe they'll release a pink one so girls will buy it to.

Don't worry though, there's always a sliver of hope that we can finally break the game:

Intelligent thoughts to be sure, but the Mouse has insured that ship has sailed with their focus on the release, re-release, re-re-release of the T-70....maybe they'll release a pink one so girls will buy it to.

Don't worry though, there's always a sliver of hope that we can finally break the game:

Why do you call FFG "the Mouse"?

"The Mouse" refers to Disney, parent-company of Lucasfilm. And Marvel. And the Muppets. And their own original properties. Hmm, I guess they own about 90% of my childhood now...