I'm still trying to understand, plan and play my ships from waves 1 thru 7....but I was at one LGS and saw this little beauty and gave in. I've read a few posts about it's great, it's terrible, it's overpriced, it's underpowered, it's great fun.

Help me out here; I'm intrigued...

Backdraft 27

Outmaneuver (3)

Fire Control System (2)

Mk2 Engines (1)

Title (0)

Pattern Analyzer (2)

Total: 35pts

Dont let his price/2agi scare you. Backdraft is a menace, ive ran him almost exclusively since i got my hands on him (added in PA once HOTR released, and it just makes him sing the song of destruction to my foes!) and he 9/10 of the time causes a lot of pain.

SFs arent easy to fly though. You want the aux arc because it usually means you avoided retaliation shots, which is why Backdraft is the only one worth bothering with imo. If you can fly them right they will consistently get a shot on someone and rarely get shot back at, or if they do its range3 // through a rock.

Outmaneuver procs out both arcs, so he actually does get it a LOT.

Goes great with bombers, tie fighters, decimator, or defenders.

I have had great fun with Quickdraw and Backdraft.

QD with rage and electronic baffle is just great way of swooping in rage then baffle lose a shield and fire still in movement phase, you have a focus and 2 dice reroll. Then combat phase you fire again with a 2 dice reroll and if you didn't use the focus 1st time well you can use it now.

Backdraft I also found good with ducking and weaving getting right in the mix is great when you can fire both sides. Might be good with enhanced scopes to be a good blocker too.

Quickdraw with title, ptl, and electronic baffle is a beat stick.

Quickdraw is a glass cannon. The consensus says to equip her with Rage + Baffle + Title and thats it. Fly her, rage action, baffle a stress, get an attack in activation. Then in combat phase, another attack with rage mods. This is a nice alpha strike, but then leaves her exposed to attacks without fear of repercussion.

That brings to PTL + Baffle + MK.II + Title. This option is just 2pts more, gives you the option of an activation attack, or just double actions plus the opponent having fear of attack her knowing a return shot is coming. Its weakness is both shots wont be full modded, or one shot could be no mods.

Backdraft is a different beast, he wants to survive, but its hard for him with 2 agi, and PS7. Lot of people toss VI on him in an instant, but that limits his offensive power or repositioning. Vineheart has a nice build above. I have been trying a tad bit more expensive version, still needs lots of practice before returning a verdict on this build though:

Backdraft

PTL

FCS

Pattern Analyzer

Engine Upgrade

Title

38pts, but he can duck and weave and aim his butt wherever he likes. Very unpredictable because he can go left or right with his bum still pointed at the enemy, and with PA, he can even do those sweet hard 1 turns, and boost or b-roll, or focus, etc. I have been contemplating replacing PTL with Daredevil. With pattern analyzer he can do a green then aim his butt any 90 degree he wants and end stress free.

Keep the Sensor Cluster and Collision Detector, sell the rest.

Just kidding.

Backdraft can do some work, see above builds. Also Quickdraw with Baffle and Push or Rage is fun, if a little fragile and gimmicky.

ive contemplated doing the daredevil shenanigans on backdraft. Issue is i really dont want EU on him, as SFs are a very punishing ship if someone does predict you and get a range1 shot.

Ive tried slimming my own backdraft build down and he kinda falls off if he isnt abusing FCS/PA at the minimum...least for me

In our smaller meta the SF's have left quite the splash. I personally like flying backdraft, but others like quickdraw a lot.

Before Heroes, I went with Backdraft + Adaptability + FCS + Title to keep him lean and be able to fit 2 defenders in. I won a small tournament with this setup. What I found is that, while he is generally the weak link in a defender list, you can put him in positions where it's generally better for the opponent to be attacking something else. Defenders fit this very well since they project a lot of danger.

I've also run the outmaneuver version and it's pretty cool.

QD with rage and electronic baffle is just great way of swooping in rage then baffle lose a shield and fire still in movement phase, you have a focus and 2 dice reroll. Then combat phase you fire again with a 2 dice reroll and if you didn't use the focus 1st time well you can use it now.

Quickdraw with title, ptl, and electronic baffle is a beat stick.

...looks like a quick strike but an incredibly short life-span. That would be a tough one for me to run 1st time; not sure I have the cojones, haha.

it's got bomber defensive stats (not counting shields, which are significant but do not improve overall survivability against anything sans crits), so I run em cheap

Backdraft? FCS and either Adapt for VI. Tie/mk2 if points left over

Quickdraw? Baffled Rage for glass cannon punch

obvious titles are obvious

these aren't things like soontir or defenders where you can lop on points and expect it to do work before it gets one or two turn killed. It's a squishy little thing

keep em cheap, they can do work

I found them to be good companions to bombers.

For example Backdraft with Adaptability/FCS/Concussion/Chips and Bren with Crackshot/EM/Proton/Chips have a nice alpha strike potential.

You can also opt for Quickdraw with Draw Their Fire (instead of Baffles).

I've just started running a squad with QuickDraw with nothing other than title and draw their fire. He's alongside howlie and is generally getting 1-3 turns of double-shooting with three dice and a howlie reroll. For 30 points he really helps tip that early damage exchange in my favour and gets the snowball going. If people go for him, great! If not he's still a PS 9 pilot and has won out a few games for me on that basis alone.

Not had chance to tinker around anymore with the ship but from my perspective it looks promising.

I found them to be good companions to bombers. For example Backdraft with Adaptability/FCS/Concussion/Chips and Bren with Crackshot/EM/Proton/Chips have a nice alpha strike potential. You can also opt for Quickdraw with Draw Their Fire (instead of Baffles).

I've just started running a squad with QuickDraw with nothing other than title and draw their fire . He's alongside howlie and is generally getting 1-3 turns of double-shooting with three dice and a howlie reroll. For 30 points he really helps tip that early damage exchange in my favour and gets the snowball going. If people go for him, great! If not he's still a PS 9 pilot and has won out a few games for me on that basis alone.

Interesting with the Draw their Fire as it pushes the potential for Quick's ability; very interesting guys....quite.

Well if you play more than imperials, primed thrusters works great with collision detector and wired. Just don't go buying a whole expansion for a 1 point upgrade. Or do. It's your money.

Now you wait for the tie striker and hope lightened frame is good enough to make the sf more survivable that a snowball in hell.

Now you run Juke X7 Vessery together with FCS Backdraft (Adaptability + Primed Thrusters) and let Vessery and Backdraft coordinate their attacks.

Then you have 35 points for another Defender (e.g. PTL Ryad) , PalpShuttle, or a couple of Tie Fighters.

Enjoy!

Interesting with the Draw their Fire as it pushes the potential for Quick's ability; very interesting guys....quite.

Indeed. It's a very nice idea.

Treating the TIE/sf as the First Order's version of the TIE bomber is a nice idea too.

• Quickdraw - Special Forces Training, Draw Their Fire, XX-23 S-Thread Tracers, Guidance Chips
• Backdraft - Special Forces Training, Crack Shot, Fire Control System, Homing Missiles, Guidance Chips
• Omega Specialist - Special Forces Training, Crack Shot, Fire Control System, Homing Missiles, Guidance Chips

Quickdraw is essentially acting as Lieutenant Blount in a false nose and a funny hat, but is significantly more capable after the missiles have been fired, as are the two "bombers".

Dropping Draw their Fire quickdraw into a crack swarm in the place of two black squadron pilots is a very nice idea!

Quickdraw + Marksmanship + fire control system + Pattern Analyser + MKii + title

I loved playing this the other night. It was way more powerful then I first thought. In my head it was just gunna be an x wing but with pattern analyser the dial opens up.

MkII engines are better than you think, too. I tried them on pattern analyser/PTL omega ace, and the ease of swooping into range and then retroactively gobbling up the stress was surprising.

On a TIE/fo, with the auxiliary arc meaning hard turns aren't really needed, I suspect they're even better.

I agree with Fickle, need to keep the TIE/SF cheap as!

Backdraft - VI and FCS. Done.

The ship is the Imperial X wing with an added rear arc in my opinion and since X wings struggle against most things, so does this unless you abuse Backdraft ability.

Quickdraw, to me anyway, is a trap. PS9 means you will most likely be firing at tokened ships anyway and you have to damage yourself to be able to do it. If you time it wrong, then you will lose your 38 point ship in a blink of an eye and then taste the salt when you realise that had you of had one more hit point, you may have survived.

They're brutal little ships. Both the aces are the stars in standard play. Generics are great for epic. Never underestimate the 1 straight or the flexibility of having an aux arc (especially on backdraft). In my experience the strange way they fly compared to any other imperial small ship and the way they fight (front or back) makes them great ace hunters. Outmaneuver works well, but backdraft had enjoyed Veteran instincts more. 1 sf and 2 defenders is fun, 2 sf and 1 defender is fun, and backdraft with fcs makes vessery super happy. Good luck with your new ship.

Melt it down, and remold it into a pile of plastic. That way its unique in its appearance and the pressure of trying to figure out how to use yet another uninspired looking Tie Fighter will be gone.

Interesting with the Draw their Fire as it pushes the potential for Quick's ability; very interesting guys....quite.

Indeed. It's a very nice idea.

Treating the TIE/sf as the First Order's version of the TIE bomber is a nice idea too.

• Quickdraw - Special Forces Training, Draw Their Fire, XX-23 S-Thread Tracers, Guidance Chips
• Backdraft - Special Forces Training, Crack Shot, Fire Control System, Homing Missiles, Guidance Chips
• Omega Specialist - Special Forces Training, Crack Shot, Fire Control System, Homing Missiles, Guidance Chips

Quickdraw is essentially acting as Lieutenant Blount in a false nose and a funny hat, but is significantly more capable after the missiles have been fired, as are the two "bombers".

Dropping Draw their Fire quickdraw into a crack swarm in the place of two black squadron pilots is a very nice idea!

I've finally got around to buying some TIE/sf and plan on using them tonight - your list is very close to what I'm going to put onto the table!

Quickdraw - Draw Their Fire, Fire Control System, Pattern Analyser, Special Ops Training (34)

Backdraft - Wired, Primed Thrusters, Collision Detector, Homing Missile, Guidance Chips, Special Ops Training (34)

Tomax Bren - Crack Shot, Homing Missile, Extra Munitions, Guidance Chips (32)

And I found a Kenner toy of Captain Phasma's TIE, so here is my Quickdraw... http://imgur.com/a/2S0Mx

I like the generic a lot.

Back arcs are very good at making up for generic pilot's weakness to arc-dodging, you can ply it raw or with one token upgrade (FCS, PA).

Also, Backdraft is a beast. Give him outmaneuver and Pattern analyser or somesuch and he'll perform very well

Interesting with the Draw their Fire as it pushes the potential for Quick's ability; very interesting guys....quite.

Indeed. It's a very nice idea.

Treating the TIE/sf as the First Order's version of the TIE bomber is a nice idea too.

• Quickdraw - Special Forces Training, Draw Their Fire, XX-23 S-Thread Tracers, Guidance Chips
• Backdraft - Special Forces Training, Crack Shot, Fire Control System, Homing Missiles, Guidance Chips
• Omega Specialist - Special Forces Training, Crack Shot, Fire Control System, Homing Missiles, Guidance Chips

Quickdraw is essentially acting as Lieutenant Blount in a false nose and a funny hat, but is significantly more capable after the missiles have been fired, as are the two "bombers".

Dropping Draw their Fire quickdraw into a crack swarm in the place of two black squadron pilots is a very nice idea!

I've finally got around to buying some TIE/sf and plan on using them tonight - your list is very close to what I'm going to put onto the table! Quickdraw - Draw Their Fire, Fire Control System, Pattern Analyser, Special Ops Training (34) Backdraft - Wired, Primed Thrusters, Collision Detector, Homing Missile, Guidance Chips, Special Ops Training (34)

Tomax Bren - Crack Shot, Homing Missile, Extra Munitions, Guidance Chips (32)

And I found a Kenner toy of Captain Phasma's TIE, so here is my Quickdraw... http://imgur.com/a/2S0Mx

I do like that thought; Bren is a guy that has done very well in my squads; probably made the most kills if I kept records.