So we are in a state were Rebels seem to be still recovering from Torpscouts, but were not quite on the same level as the other 2 factions. Now with Rey and HotR i do believe that balance is finally back to the force. For a few weeks...

(Yes i know they had 2 semifinals list, and no this is not at all a proof that Rebels are fine all of a sudden. They had the worst participation and an even worst percentage making the cut. Before Torpscout nerf they were barely existent on top tournament tables!)

Because now the next dark and potentially devastating cloud under the form of Kylo Ren is on the horizon. It's pretty safe to say that he counters rebel Regenerating Aces. All of them! Corran takes 2 hits and dies with full shields. The others get 0 PS and can't shoot twice, dying in the process.

But since these Aces basically aside from the Ghost and possibly Rey (which also gets completely hosed by Kylo) ARE the rebel meta, this just means that they will, unless FFG would immediately nerf Kylo again, which is unlikely, go on having poor participation in tournaments and poor winrates too!

Now as you can tell from my other thread about Kylo, i am not really happy about this, but i don't want to complain any more about this.

Instead, let's sum up: Rebel faction identity is

• low agility
• mostly no evade
• acceptable firepowerm
• mostly worse mobility than their counterparts
• good access to turrets (both PWT and others)
• astromechs (and therefore limited access to shield regeneration)
• generally rely on high HP and shields instead of green dice for tankiness
• mostly expensive in comparison to their stats and dials
• action economy can be good, but they often rely on mutual support instead of self sufficiency
• therefore need formations, which are inflexible
• Biggs (yes i guess he is THE faction support just as Manaroo and Palpmobile are for the others)

There are some inherent Problems with that. Their low agility Ships like the B-Wing, Y-Wing, K-Wing and ARC-170 are just put on a clock the moment they enter the playfield. If they can't put enough damage out fast enough they lose to attrition. And putting enough damage out is very difficult in a meta that relies on token stacking 3 agility Palped/Manarooed up ships.

So they are just not doing it for the Rebels. We could arguably take the K-Wing off this list, because it can be flown competitively, as TLTs combined with Bombs, SLAM and Miranda's pilot ability

B-Wings, Y-Wings (yes even TLT ones) and ARC's (Or have you seen hyped Norra anywhere, win a flowerpot yet?) however, just can't find a place in the current meta with extremely few exceptions.They lack the sustained durability they would need to really fulfil their roles.

So my proposition is to make these ships what they are supposed to be, i suggest a common upgrade that gives them a bit more flexibility and durability. Are you still reading? Okay, some will hate this, but here comes:

Power distribution system 2 Points/3points for named pilots

Modification.Rebel only. K-wing, Y-wing, B-Wing, Arc-170 only.

At the beginning of the activation phase you can divert energy to one of the following sytems:

• Engines. All straight maneuvers become green for this turn or after performing a non-red maneuver, you may perform a boost or barrel roll action shown in your action bar.
• Weapons. When attacking, you may reroll one attack die.
• Shields. After completing a non-red maneuver this turn, recover a shield.

Yes, you read right, i suggest giving the 1 agility Rebel ships shield regeneration, and a toolbox on top of that. Because shield regen is everything that really keeps rebels in the game at the moment. And these ships would by no means become unkillable, but they would punish you for not focusing them properly very hard.

On the other side, named pilots can become very, very hard to kill now, but still not as hard as a lot of imperial ones! That's why they pay a little premium on it too. But like this, they don't just go down to casual 2 dice taps, but need to be focused properly and are worth their big price tag.

The Card is of course inspired by the X-Wing and Tie Fighter games, where you could manage your energy in order to be faster, recharge your lasers or your shields. The big hulls of these lumbering ships fluffwise would have no problems accomodating the improved power systems...

I feel that the meta was in a state long enough and will soon again be, that something like this would be justified to help Rebels. It would also actually only help very few ships that are already frequently played in the meta. In fact just Miranda comes to mind. And she would still die to the same things as before. Focused fire over 1-2 rounds. 4 TLTs would not be possible if it costs 2 points, which is important too. But it would also undeniably make them a bit better.

The main focus here is on generic pilots, and elite pilots that are rarely seen. And that's the main reason why it would be welcome!

It also does nothing at all against Kylo Ren actually. That's not the intention either!

I know this will draw a lot of hate, but i don't care, i don't think this would make Rebels OP, just a lot more attractive for competitive players, and it would open up a lot of new possibilities if suddenly you could play a Ten Nunb or Dutch Vander in competitive lists.

The only thing i really regret is borrowing this awful slogan for the title. But it should draw the attention to my thread as planned XD

I like the idea, but some of these are too good. Shields for example would allow Y-Wings to recover 2 shields a turn. That's too strong.

If this were to be a game mechanic, it should be for all factions, not just rebels.

• Engines. All straight maneuvers become green for this turn or after performing a non-red maneuver, you may perform a boost or barrel roll action shown in your action bar.
• Weapons. When attacking, you may reroll one attack die.
• Shields. After completing a non-red maneuver this turn, recover a shield.

To reflect the PC game better in my mind and to help with balance I would suggest:

(Remember, your reducing power to your engines if you transfer to shields or weapons)

SMALL SHIP ONLY

Engines: After performing a green or white strait maneuver, you may perform a free boost action.

Weapons: If you performed a green maneuver this turn, during the attack phase, if you are not stressed, you may reroll one attack die. (Limits PTL aces)

Shields: After performing a green maneuver, recover a shield up to your shield total.

or

Shields: Roll one fewer attack die when attacking during the combat round, at the end of the phase, recover a shield up to your shield total. (Would impact both TLT or Corran's double taps so not to be OP with existing Regen mechanics)

While the idea for Power Distribution System is interesting (especially for the token happy FFG), that cost is unbalanced. For the shield regen alone, you're talking something better than R2-D2, and I've seen plenty of debates that he's undercosted.

If you add drawbacks like you are pulling power away from other systems (ie, whites become red because you're pulling energy away from them, and so on) then the cost might work. Otherwise, the price has to go up. But I think it'll still be worth it.

Yeaaaaaah! We need to make the Rebels GREAT AGAIN!

Wait... I have to have boost or BR in my action bar? You realize that only the B wing has BR right? None of those other ships have either, and being a mod, they can't take VT. And even if you said "well, you can use EH to add a BR to the named ones"... No you can't - it doesn't add the BR action to your action bar (nor does it add EH to your action bar).

It should be "after completing a maneuver, you may perform a free boost or barrel roll action."

No need to call out non-red because you'll be stressed and unable to take a free action. And you want it completing - otherwise you can pump and get a free BR to undo the bump.

Again ForceM, you are quite the thinker and writer, well done my friend. However, this thread, I believe, is incorrect in it's initial unstated proposition that the Rebel faction is markedly less-great than the other two factions. In contrast to your assumption, ship to ship, crew to crew, mod to mod, the Rebels are just as great to the other factions, in my humble opinion.

Different in their strengths? Yes. Less great overall? No. In crew the Rebels may not have the super-low amazing dudes Scum has, but they fair better than the Imps (save the new Shuttle as these dudes might be quite good, we'll see). In ship upgrades, they have the best AI and have access to the easiest rides for those **** TLTs, and they are the only faction with that stinking regen ability (stinking because I have irritated a buch of my friends with Horn R2).

I agree with Cr0aker, your ideas are very interesting, but would have to be open to all factions.

I agree the mechanic could be applied to any ship, but the decision here would be to help these rebel ships.

In the same logic, yes it is very inexpensive for what it does. But these are at the moment mostly overcosted unplayable ships that were created as "durable" because they have high hull points and/or shields. But as it is now they are not at all rugged or durable. This is a pseudo-durability. They eat damage at alarming pace which makes them plain unplayable without Biggs.

So regenerating 2 shields per round for 6-7 (R2-D2 and R5-P9) points is too powerful? In a meta where Palpy plus evade action plus AT gives you 3 guaranteed evades per turn? I don't think so. Focus the ship. It will probably cost more than 1/3 of the rebel list. If we can expect players to need to counter Soontir Fel's defense(for example), they can also be expected to counter 2 shields regenerated in one turn!

I was never in the camp that said nerf Palpy, but then maybe other very powerful stuff should also be allowed in!

Wait... I have to have boost or BR in my action bar? You realize that only the B wing has BR right? None of those other ships have either, and being a mod, they can't take VT. And even if you said "well, you can use EH to add a BR to the named ones"... No you can't - it doesn't add the BR action to your action bar (nor does it add EH to your action bar).

It should be "after completing a maneuver, you may perform a free boost or barrel roll action."

No need to call out non-red because you'll be stressed and unable to take a free action. And you want it completing - otherwise you can pump and get a free BR to undo the bump.

I'd say shields could work without being unbalanced if you make it 'after executing a green manoeuvre, if you didn't overlap a ship or obstacle, regain a shield'.

Two shields a round is probably too good though. I mean, a single regen ship is already very, very hard for a single non-regen ship to take down. Doubling the regen capacity basically makes that impossible, whereas dice will always fail the non-regen ship eventually.

I'd say shields could work without being unbalanced if you make it 'after executing a green manoeuvre, if you didn't overlap a ship or obstacle, regain a shield'.

Two shields a round is probably too good though. I mean, a single regen ship is already very, very hard for a single non-regen ship to take down. Doubling the regen capacity basically makes that impossible, whereas dice will always fail the non-regen ship eventually.

At first when i was writing this up, i was also thinking this. But then as i already said, We are right now telling per people to deal with 2 automatic (Palp&AT) evades plus Evade token on some 3 agility imperial ships. So maybe it's only fair to make people deal with 2 shield regenerations per turn on one 1 agility ship

I was if course being a bit provocative when writing the card. It's obviously on the powerful side. But one thing is a fact. If Rebels ever got something like this, which is on a similar powerlevel as Emperor or Zuckuss and the like. I could already hear the whining! They are spoilt, and complain about the few valid Rebel strategies. That's why i wrote this up. I know something like this is unrealistic.

If however they ever got this it would probably be fair to limit shield regen to unblocked green maneuvers as it was proposed. Still totally worth it but can be prevented and requires some more planning from a Rebel player too. We would also have to think more about the possible interactions with SLAM and Doni's innate ability. Because on her it could get disgusting really fast... i know!