Been looking at a third ship for a list (alongside Daredevil Snap and a Blue Ace) and Stramm jumped out at me but I'm not sure I wanna go with the usual stress build. Wouldn't mind some feedback on...

Stramm - Sabine, Munitions, Cluster Mines, Overhaul.

Now he still has room for a stress bot but I'm thinking something a bit more defensive to help his survivability, or even R6 to give him a cheap EPT.

Any thoughts?

I'm not sure a ship with a dedicated rear arc needs bombs.

I'm also not sure you want to stick Sabine on a ship that's going to pop very quickly, once your opponent sees the graffiti-covered Mandalorian sitting in the crew seat...

Mmmmmm putting Sabine on Thane with an action bomb and EM is sounding like a hilariously good idea right now. Maybe with a K Wing, M9G8, and Biggles?

It's probably terrible though.

I was just considering Stramm because his ability means that he also has a fair chance of K-Turning right infront of an opponent, clearing stress, dropping a bomb and shooting backwards.

Would need proper support though I agree. Maybe a bigger threat etc.

An ARC with a pair of Bombs and Sabine is a nice idea. Given that you tend to end up being chased, it's a nice trick - and might be an alternative to turning him into a stressmule.

Given his pilot skill, [Action] mines are definitely the way to go. Cluster mines would be nasty.

For that matter, given his propensity for mid-combat-phase actions, you could take Braylen Stramm as a minelayer, instead.

I think the main problem is the fact that if you're wanting to drop a bomb, you're assuming the enemy is behind you, and if the enemy is behind you then Tail Gunner is just awesome for its cost.

I think the main problem is the fact that if you're wanting to drop a bomb, you're assuming the enemy is behind you, and if the enemy is behind you then Tail Gunner is just awesome for its cost.

I guess this is more my issue. If you're trying to K-turn & bomb... I'd rather K-turn and take an offensive action, then use tail gunner to really make them regret it.

Also, there are better bomb caddies, especially on the Rebel side.

Not saying you need to fly the most optimal build to have fun, I just don't see this is particularly effective.

And anyone "chasing" an ARC is kind of a dope, especially with most of them being low on the PS scale.

I think the main problem is the fact that if you're wanting to drop a bomb, you're assuming the enemy is behind you, and if the enemy is behind you then Tail Gunner is just awesome for its cost.

I guess this is more my issue. If you're trying to K-turn & bomb... I'd rather K-turn and take an offensive action, then use tail gunner to really make them regret it.

Also, there are better bomb caddies, especially on the Rebel side.

Not saying you need to fly the most optimal build to have fun, I just don't see this is particularly effective.

And anyone "chasing" an ARC is kind of a dope, especially with most of them being low on the PS scale.

I probably wouldn't want to K-turn and drop the bomb. Thane, on the other hand, might be nice - you can joust with the best of them, but if your opponent is dumb enough to accept a head-on pass, you can kick out a cluster mine or connor net as a free action during the combat phase to punish them after they overfly you.

It is an interesting use for the ARC-170, and I salute the imagination. It's worth remembering that some of the cheap crew and astromechs can make an ARC behave very differently to the slow-moving tank most people are used to seeing. Last night I saw one player field Shara Bey with Hera Syndulla and a Targeting Astromech, along with a Nien Numb Norra Wexley and a Kyle Katarn/Targeting Astromech Braylen Stramm.

ARC-170s are not supposed to go that fast, but no-one apparently told him.

Now that Norra build gives me an idea...

I think the main problem is the fact that if you're wanting to drop a bomb, you're assuming the enemy is behind you, and if the enemy is behind you then Tail Gunner is just awesome for its cost.

I guess this is more my issue. If you're trying to K-turn & bomb... I'd rather K-turn and take an offensive action, then use tail gunner to really make them regret it.

Also, there are better bomb caddies, especially on the Rebel side.

Not saying you need to fly the most optimal build to have fun, I just don't see this is particularly effective.

And anyone "chasing" an ARC is kind of a dope, especially with most of them being low on the PS scale.

I probably wouldn't want to K-turn and drop the bomb. Thane, on the other hand, might be nice - you can joust with the best of them, but if your opponent is dumb enough to accept a head-on pass, you can kick out a cluster mine or connor net as a free action during the combat phase to punish them after they overfly you.

It is an interesting use for the ARC-170, and I salute the imagination. It's worth remembering that some of the cheap crew and astromechs can make an ARC behave very differently to the slow-moving tank most people are used to seeing. Last night I saw one player field Shara Bey with Hera Syndulla and a Targeting Astromech, along with a Nien Numb Norra Wexley and a Kyle Katarn/Targeting Astromech Braylen Stramm.

ARC-170s are not supposed to go that fast, but no-one apparently told him.

I played against a BB8/PTL/Kyle Katarn Norra that was an amazingly shifty ship.

The k is a strictly superior bomber in every way sans bb8 drop on reveals

I love the idea of a Barrel Roll bomb drop, especially at PS9 with VI but seems a bit too much of a novelty since its about 41 once loaded up and Alot of nothing points after 2 drops.

Couldnt imagine it on norra because youre wasting her ability

Vi shara seems more ideal, even if shes whack

Gives her something to do at least.

The k is a strictly superior bomber in every way sans bb8 drop on reveals

Agreed. You won't make the ARC-170 a dedicated torpedo boat, or dedicated bomber, and match up to the ships designed to do that. But it can provide a nice use for a crew slot that can really surprise someone who's not expecting it, and definitely throw a spanner in the works of someone who thinks he knows how to handle a "copied from the interwebz" squad.

I still think Thane is probably the best minelayer - none of the pilots has amazing PS - as noted, Veteran Instincts Shara Bey is PS8 which isn't bad, but it's still not amazing (especially since if the bombs are a secondary 'trick' you don't want to throw too many points at an initiative bid), which means bombs are so-so. Mines which are lay-on-action, though, suit thane down to the ground - he gets plenty of free actions, which means dropping them in the combat phase, and potentially barrel roll then drop them if you work it right (he has got vectored thrusters, right?).

I'd recommend Connor Nets. Cluster Mines aren't bad, but a handful of dice will probably not do all that much more damage than you'll lose from not having a tailgunner. Connor Nets, by comparison, can make a world of difference to an agile fighter trying to outmaneuver an ARC-170 (like a Mandalorian Fang trying to get to range 1, a TIE interceptor getting tazed whilst still stressed, you name it).

Mod is Vectored Thrusters or Engine Upgrade.

So the question is, since Thane rolls in near 40 points (added r2 d2 too) for that build, what would you run with him?

I don't know. I'd probably start by trying him as the third ship in a 2-arcs-and-biggs list.

Norra Wexley and Biggs Darklighter are a good pairing for heavy duty gunship work, and then there are several third ships you could use.

• "Stressmule" Braylen Stramm - Fickle's preferred wingman - more expensive than a "Stresshog" Y-wing, but you get what you pay for. The rear arc is a godsend on a ship that's usually buried in stress tokens.
• "AWACS" Thane Kyrell - I've seen this a couple of times locally, using Weapons Wngineer and M9-G8. It makes Norra's primary weapon even nastier, and is a good defensive tool for Biggs - because whilst M9-G8 isn't that great at turning hit into not-hit, he is good at turning critical into not-critical....which is great for R4-D6.
• "Railgun" Thane Kyrell - there's an ARC-170 player at the club who uses this one - R2-D6/Expose/Finn is expensive, but it turns Thane's primary weapon into something every bit as scary as Norra Wexley's - which (a) improves the chances of killing someone before Biggs dies, but also (b) means people are hesitant to concentrate fire on Norra once he does.

I guess a 'minelayer' Thane is just another option. Less useful on an initial pass, but a pair of connor nets can mess with someone just as much as Braylen's stress tokens if you time their use right (such as stopping someone k-turning in behind you after the initial joust), especially with sabine to make them extra explode-y.

A Veteran Instincts Shara Bey could have the pilot skill to make use of bombs, but....I'm hesitant to take a 'dedicated bomber' ARC-170. If you're going to pay in the order of 30-40 points for a bomber or minelayer, a K-wing is designed from the ground up to do that, and does it better. You could manage something - maybe do double duty handing out target locks with either R7-T1 or a targeting Astromech - But I feel like you're making her into an expensive support ship which is a bit confused what it's there to do.

The real trouble I guess with Minelayer ARC is that Minelayer K Wing costs roughly the same, fits roughly the same role, and has more mines. I mean, Thane/EM/Sabine/Conner/VT/M9G8 costs the same as Warden/Conner/Cluster/EM/TLT, and the latter is probably more useful overall I'd say.

THe real thing you get with a minelayer arc would be Thane's ability to dump them mid-combat which seems like it could be really handy at the right times.

The real trouble I guess with Minelayer ARC is that Minelayer K Wing costs roughly the same, fits roughly the same role, and has more mines. I mean, Thane/EM/Sabine/Conner/VT/M9G8 costs the same as Warden/Conner/Cluster/EM/TLT, and the latter is probably more useful overall I'd say.

THe real thing you get with a minelayer arc would be Thane's ability to dump them mid-combat which seems like it could be really handy at the right times.

Agreed. That's what I mean about "you'd never take a dedicated ARC minelayer".

The point is that Thane with Vectored Thrusters and....let's say R7-T1 (M9-G8 is best if you also have a weapons engineer) is a decent ship by itself; you're using two free slots and 8 spare points to throw some minelaying capability into an ARC-170 squad, rather than buying a ship specifically to do the job.

Yea I never said this was the optimal Rebel Bomber, but I like the idea of a surprise option that isn't a traditional 'net list' build.