I think Pattern Analyser and Primed Thrusters are very important for the /sf because it helps you to mitigate the otherwise-crappy dials, which have powerful maneuvering options but they're almost all red.

Arguably my Wired/Primed Thrusters on Backdraft should be Trick Shot/Pattern Analyser, but I wanted to try both configurations out.

And I found a Kenner toy of Captain Phasma's TIE

Nice! I tried a silver repaint of a TIE/fo for precisely that reason (I use it occasionally for Epsilon Leader).

I think Pattern Analyser and Primed Thrusters are very important for the /sf because it helps you to mitigate the otherwise-crappy dials, which have powerful maneuvering options but they're almost all red.

Arguably my Wired/Primed Thrusters on Backdraft should be Trick Shot/Pattern Analyser, but I wanted to try both configurations out.

Either works. Pattern Analyser/Twin Ion Engines MkII/Push The Limit is a powerful set of abilities.

Wired/Primed Thrusters is cheap as hell, though, and very powerful. Throw in Backdraft's ability and collision detectors and you're very cost-effective, and keep your total cost under 30 points - and you're probably even nastier than one of Fickle's beloved ARC-170's to try and chase through dense debris.

And I found a Kenner toy of Captain Phasma's TIE

Nice! I tried a silver repaint of a TIE/fo for precisely that reason (I use it occasionally for Epsilon Leader).

I think Pattern Analyser and Primed Thrusters are very important for the /sf because it helps you to mitigate the otherwise-crappy dials, which have powerful maneuvering options but they're almost all red.

Arguably my Wired/Primed Thrusters on Backdraft should be Trick Shot/Pattern Analyser, but I wanted to try both configurations out.

Either works. Pattern Analyser/Twin Ion Engines MkII/Push The Limit is a powerful set of abilities.

Wired/ Primed Thrusters is cheap as hell, though, and very powerful. Throw in Backdraft's ability and collision detectors and you're very cost-effective, and keep your total cost under 30 points - and you're probably even nastier than one of Fickle's beloved ARC-170's to try and chase through dense debris.

That sounds great; a good ship build under 30 is a fantastic spot in a squad. So what's the cheapest way to get Primed Thrusters in my folder?

Currently only in Heroes of the Resistance.

Currently only in Heroes of the Resistance.

Crap, I don't need another Falcon and repainted T-70....or the need to throw that amount of cash out.

Worse, it's one of the only non-unique cards that the box only contains one of.

Believe me, I feel the same. Pattern Analyser is good for expensive ships and T-70s, but primed thrusters is great when you're trying to keep things cheap. I'd be tempted to run a swarm of TIE/fo fighters all equipped with them (it pairs with their tendancy to segnor's loop a lot - I think 5 with wired and primed thrusters might work rather well) if getting the cards wouldn't bankrupt me.

It's an innocent enough card, I think it'll be in another expansion at some point.

All I can say, it's a business first...I know. But I think in this instance; they're should have been 2 in each new released small ship (TIE SF, ARC, etc.), not just one in a large expensive box expansion. FFG, I think you treated the players very badly in this design and packaging detail.

I'm just glad the TIE/sf came with Wired. The idea of a really-good-for-17-point-generics elite talent only being available as a one-off in a core set was rather a unpleasant one.

In fairness, most of the new cards - trick shot, snap shot, burnout SLAM, integrated astromech, pattern analyser - do come in pairs. The only non-unique cards that don't are smuggling compartments (which, being Falcon & Outrider specific, you'd struggle to want more than one of), Hotshot Copilot (an expensive crew card, again unlikely to be needed en masse ) and, irritatingly, primed thrusters.

Yeah i really hope something in Wave11 has the two techs because im probably going to get a 2nd HOTR eventually for various reasons but many many people wont. Also a third primed thrustors would be nice.

Pattern Analyzer is just insane, on any ship really that can take it. I have a triple X70 list that is shockingly nimble because of PA giving me mods after a TRoll or doublemods on a green w/o stress. The same applies to SFs. I put PA on Backdraft the instnat i got my hands on that card and he has never been without it since.

True. The one thing to note with the TIE/sf, though, is that system slot. Fire Control System can go a long way to giving you action-independent modifications, too, for the same price

Reporting back, played a couple of games against Rey/Poe (PS8 both) which wasn't a great matchup for the list. I lost initiative both times and Black One obviously played havoc with all the target locks I needed for my Missiles, and Rey could range control a lot with her boost. I won both games even though. Second game I managed to box Poe into a corner and get all three of my ships pointing at him with target locks, but he boosted into Range 1 of Tomax and used Black One to clear Backdraft's target lock so I got no missile shots, and was at range 3 of Quickdraw so got autothrusters. All three of my guys fired and I only took one shield, which he immediately regenerated. What an arsehole.

Quickdraw - Draw Their Fire worked nicely in first game and I got three extra shots off Quickdraw, and he was the star as Tomax and Backdraft tried in vain to get missiles off. Game two Quickdraw took a beating and lost 3 shields in one hit, so did a lot less. Pattern Analyser was good.

Glad to see it worked okay. I was hoping that primed thrusters, wired, twin ion engines and collision detector would be a nice build on Backdraft - it's so **** cheap (30 points all-up) and should (in theory) make him a squirrely son of a female canine.

Glad to see it worked okay. I was hoping that primed thrusters, wired, twin ion engines and collision detector would be a nice build on Backdraft - it's so **** cheap (30 points all-up) and should (in theory) make him a squirrely son of a female canine.

Yeah, I'd be happy to strip him down to that if the missiles don't work out. I'm not sure the TIE MKII would be especially necessary. What Wired/Primed gives you is that you can select a white move when stressed and not be completely dead in the water so you don't necessarily need those extra greens.

My main problem with the TIE/sf is that it melts before it reaches the enemy every. single. time.

I need more testing of course. What do you guys do to make sure that the beast survives until it's close enough to bring its rear arc and maneuverability to bear?

Fair point. It's more for shedding stress to allow for another segnor, but I guess Backdraft doesn't really need to bother.

True. The one thing to note with the TIE/sf, though, is that system slot. Fire Control System can go a long way to giving you action-independent modifications, too, for the same price

That is true but given that it has 2 red dice front and back, has anyone tried Accuracy corrector with it? Not as good at Range 1 perhaps but action independent and works on both shots.

True. The one thing to note with the TIE/sf, though, is that system slot. Fire Control System can go a long way to giving you action-independent modifications, too, for the same price

That is true but given that it has 2 red dice front and back, has anyone tried Accuracy corrector with it? Not as good at Range 1 perhaps but action independent and works on both shots.

It's been suggested many times. I think at the moment 2 guaranteed hits isn't actually that good - certainly not worth paying 3pts for. You use the front-rear double shot pretty rarely.

If all you wants a ship to do 2 damage go with AC advanced it's cheaper has a better dial and can evade.

True. The one thing to note with the TIE/sf, though, is that system slot. Fire Control System can go a long way to giving you action-independent modifications, too, for the same price

That is true but given that it has 2 red dice front and back, has anyone tried Accuracy corrector with it? Not as good at Range 1 perhaps but action independent and works on both shots.

It doesn't have two red dice front and back, it has 3 to the front.

AC isn't good on Quickdraw (Baffles) Backdraft (FCS, conflicts with pilot ability), or any of the generics (too pricey), so I'm just not seeing it.

Fair enough, makes sense I guess.

Hang on, did I just change my opinion as a result of internet debate? Isn't there some kind of law against that?

It's certainly discouraged.

My main problem with the TIE/sf is that it melts before it reaches the enemy every. single. time.

I need more testing of course. What do you guys do to make sure that the beast survives until it's close enough to bring its rear arc and maneuverability to bear?

Need to fly more erratic. Its not a jouster, its a funky arcdodger. It flies sideways and barrelrolls a LOT, which is why FCS is mandatory on them.

If you are flying it like your other ships, its going to get hammered. If you fly it with its own pattern due to the aux arc, odds are a lot of arcs missed you.

My main problem with the TIE/sf is that it melts before it reaches the enemy every. single. time.

I need more testing of course. What do you guys do to make sure that the beast survives until it's close enough to bring its rear arc and maneuverability to bear?

Need to fly more erratic. Its not a jouster, its a funky arcdodger. It flies sideways and barrelrolls a LOT, which is why FCS is mandatory on them.

If you are flying it like your other ships, its going to get hammered. If you fly it with its own pattern due to the aux arc, odds are a lot of arcs missed you.

Agreed. To expand on that. The most dangerous turn in my experience (mostly Quickdraw) is the first turn of fire is the most dangerous. After that, the huge number of good moves and the Barrel Roll mean that I can do a bunch of damage and stay alive while rarely getting shot. Your mileage may vary for lower PS ships, but the principle is the same. If you think of the x7 Defender as a jouster (lining up, running at someone, repeat), the SF is a street fighter. It comes at you from weird angle and has a bunch of dirty tricks that add up to more than it seems like they should.

True. The one thing to note with the TIE/sf, though, is that system slot. Fire Control System can go a long way to giving you action-independent modifications, too, for the same price

That is true but given that it has 2 red dice front and back, has anyone tried Accuracy corrector with it? Not as good at Range 1 perhaps but action independent and works on both shots.

On generics, its fine. A 26pt Zeta is actually not that bad especially if you can set up splitshots to auto 2-hit on 2 ships.

Backdraft doesnt want AC. Remember theyre a 3die ship out the front, Backdraft is a 2die + Crit out the aux. His aux arc is effectively nastier than his front, since guaranteed crit added in > 1 die to roll.

Quickdraw would be "fine" with AC but shes suicidal so you really dont want pricy things on her. Shes usually used as a beatstick anyway, attempting to get range1 on the front arc on somebody for 2x4 dice so AC wouldnt be as amazing.

The named pilots break 30pts without even trying. Anything above 30pts better be elusive as gak or hits like a truck, otherwise its going to feel like a loose wheel in your list. SFs are only elusive in their flight pattern, they dont actually dodge shots very well.