N'Dru Suhlak (24) - If anyone can get a one-hit kill, its Fearlessness N'Dru.Cluster Missiles
Scavenging Crane
Fearlessness
Guidance Chips
Score to Settle might be better on Ndru. You get 1 GC proc and 2 chances to turn eyeballs to crits, which is a pseudo Glitterstim. He's gonna die soon anyway.
Nice thought on A Score To Settle. I'm hesitant on Fearlessness more because without glitterstim/lone wolf, and with a requirement to be in range 1 in arc, he feels even flimsier than normal....without lone wolf, I'd be hesitant to assume N'Dru will live long enough to reload, especially since (unlike a black sun ace) you don't want him re-arming off a destroyed 'friendly' because that means he's losing his pilot ability.
Scavenger Crane really fits with my desire to make the Kihraxz a unique missile and illicit platform. I'm still hoping for a similar effect for illicits though. Must have to wait for an Aces pack, but I'm glad to see a mechanic like this being added t the game.
Thing is Talonbane has unlimited prockets. (actually better than prockets)
The scavenging crane really makes the Kihraxz better as an ordnance carrier.
Black Sun Ace (31) - A fantastic ordnance carrier, provided you can kill your target. I can see this ruining swarms, but being hopeless against Ghosts.
Homing Missile
Scavenging Crane
Deadeye
Guidance Chips
Why is this hopeless against Ghosts? Is it that other ships aren't blowing up, so you don't get to use the Crane? Don't forget that it works on your ships, too.
It's for that reason alone that I do agree that it's better on Z-95's. If one of your own blows up, then you can use the Crane. The only problem with Z-95's is the lack of high PS ships with an EPT.
The scavenging crane really makes the Kihraxz better as an ordnance carrier.
Black Sun Ace (31) - A fantastic ordnance carrier, provided you can kill your target. I can see this ruining swarms, but being hopeless against Ghosts.
Homing Missile
Scavenging Crane
Deadeye
Guidance Chips
Why is this hopeless against Ghosts? Is it that other ships aren't blowing up, so you don't get to use the Crane? Don't forget that it works on your ships, too.
It's for that reason alone that I do agree that it's better on Z-95's. If one of your own blows up, then you can use the Crane. The only problem with Z-95's is the lack of high PS ships with an EPT.
I suspect you'd need to either use XX-23 Thread Tracers (but without a Lieutenant Blount, that's not guaranteed) or else load down on cluster missiles - range 1-2 missiles get around the normal problem with low PS and target locks (because there's no minimum 'safe range').
A pack of 5 5-95s with cluster missiles and guidance chips makes for an interesting variation on the 'cluster****' TIE Advanced Squad.
The TIE Advanceds:
The Z-95s
Leaves 10 points of upgrades (turning one of them into Glitterstim/Lone Wolf N'Dru Sulhak would be a good start) - the individual platforms are less capable (no accuracy correctors) and more fragile (-1 hull and agility) but you have an extra two shots in the opening spread, and (hopefully) at least one additional missile barrage.
Fearlessness and Vectored Thrusters really make Talonbane a worthwhile ship to fly. That doesn't really save the other pilots, but putting him together with other Scum ships with those updates makes him an important addition to the Scum arsenal.
Great, but do you know what's batter than Talonbane and 1 point less? Fenn Rau with Fearlessness and Protector title. He does the same thing, but on defense as well.
snip
Why not both? If nothing else, this list is fun:
Yeah, two "add an extra dice" PS9 ships are definitely better than one.
Agreed, but I'd strongly, strongly recommend springing for Cloak on Talonbane.
The illicit slot is the main thing the Khiraxz has going for it compared to the protectorate - and the cloak is very nasty once you get used to it.
Fenn Rau is essentially a TIE interceptor equivalent, but the cloak turns Talonbane into a TIE phantom equivalent - not as reactive, but (if he approaches the first pass cloaked) even less predictable.
Attani Mindlink is nice, but if you've already got Attani mindlink feeding focus to whoever wants it, I don't think Manaroo is necessarily that vital - I'd be tempted to take a third 'punchy' ace - maybe Old Teroch or Serissu with a Heavy Laser Cannon.
Manaroo
Manaroo is scum Palpatine and she works very well with Mindlink.
Yeah, two "add an extra dice" PS9 ships are definitely better than one.
It's true, until you discover a PS8/10 with HLC and 3(4)agi (stealth device) instead of Cobra.
And Manaroo loves any 3(4)agi+evade ship.
Why not both? If nothing else, this list is fun:
Talonbane Cobra (28)Attanni Mindlink (1)Vectored Thrusters (2)Fenn Rau (28)Attanni Mindlink (1)Autothrusters (2)Concord Dawn Protector (1)Manaroo (27)Attanni Mindlink (1)Plasma Torpedoes (3)K4 Security Droid (3)Unhinged Astromech (1)Guidance Chips (0)Total: 98
Or a variation, letting Initiative go ...
Edited by Ob3ron
Yeah, two "add an extra dice" PS9 ships are definitely better than one.
It's true, until you discover a PS8/10 with HLC and 3(4)agi (stealth device) instead of Cobra.
And Manaroo loves any 3(4)agi+evade ship.
Serissu? Nice!
The scavenging crane really makes the Kihraxz better as an ordnance carrier.
Black Sun Ace (31) - A fantastic ordnance carrier, provided you can kill your target. I can see this ruining swarms, but being hopeless against Ghosts.
Homing Missile
Scavenging Crane
Deadeye
Guidance Chips
Why is this hopeless against Ghosts? Is it that other ships aren't blowing up, so you don't get to use the Crane? Don't forget that it works on your ships, too.
Because Ghosts love range 1 above all else - especially the extremely common FCS/Accuracy Corrector + Autoblaster builds. You could swap to cluster missiles to combat this, but then you're left with a range 3 blindspot that aces can take advantage of.
As for Fenn and Talonbane together:
Fenn Rau (32)
Fearlessness
Concord Dawn Protector
Autothrusters
Talonbane Cobra (35)
Predator
Cloaking Device
Vectored Thrusters
Serissu
Heavy Laser Cannon (32)
Stealth Device
Heavy Scyk
Adaptability
Total: 99 points.
This is my variation of the '999 Special' that you see imperial players run. Ideally, you fly Fenn in for a joust, Talonbane on the side for some unobstructed shots, and keep Serissu in range 3 taking potshots for as long as possible. The ideal endgame here is actually Serissu with stealth device intact - so hard to hit.
That's a nice version.
You lose the action economy of Attani Mindlink, but you've got a lot more flexibility by being able to chop and change movement order, and any scum triple ace list hits like a tonne of bricks.
Thanks. This is about the only time that I believe the Kihraxz and Protectorate are on the same level.
I've never liked Mindlink, mainly because it takes up that precious EPT slot. Fenn's fearlessness and Cobra's predator does the same amount off work offensively, and they both have their own defensive tools to use (PS 9, CCD Protector, Cloaking), so a bonus focus token isn't super useful. As for Serissu, a target lock will get the job done.
You can also be cruel and swap out Fenn's autothrusters for a cloaking device - AGI 5 at range 1 with CCD Protector title for added defense.
Fenn has no Illicit slot - again, however you use it, it's probably the single biggest edge the Khiraxz has.
Attani Mindlink is surprisingly useful once you rack your brain around it. One of the best players at our local club has started using the three named protectorates mindlinked, and it's annoyingly good. Being able to reliably get focus tokens, and not have to rush to shed stress, is very effective. The fact that you essentially can't block someone is very annoying. Allowing them to act broadly independently with separate talents has its own appeal too, though.
Edited by Magnus GrendelSorry - this is what I get for not double-checking my posts. I meant stealth device. I do agree that the Illicit slot is the Kihraxz's best claim-to-fame.
I've just never enjoyed the pseudo-action economy. Sure, its almost 2 actions per turn for every ship, but it's also very dependent on green maneuvers, and even more so against stress-dealing lists. Independent ships are my way to fly.
Actually, Attanni Mindlink helps protect you against stress dealing lists. You only need one ship to do a green maneuver and that ship which has just been passed multiple stress tokens by R3-A2 still gets to receive a focus token.
I've just never enjoyed the pseudo-action economy. Sure, its almost 2 actions per turn for every ship, but it's also very dependent on green maneuvers, and even more so against stress-dealing lists. Independent ships are my way to fly.
To each their own.
Stress mechanics and the need to do greens never seems a big deal to me - 2/3 of the squad on any given turn are generally doing a white move, and getting a free focus token, whether they're stressed, or not.
If there's one thing I don't like with mindlinks, it's probably more the inability to koiogran turn more than one ship.