My A-wings keep dying really early. I'm not going to chalk it up to bad rolling either. I am missing something fundamental.

Specifically Tycho keeps dying.

You should not be getting hit in the first place. So I would guess, fly better?

1. Don't get shot at.

2. If you can't avoid getting shot at then try to make sure you have the advantages when it comes to the exchange.

3. Avoid things that can directly deal damage cards especially without needing to "hit" the A-Wing first.

I'm not sure who Tycho is dying to but if it's Fel or some other PS 8 or 9 Ace then you may have trouble avoiding arcs so you should be stacking tokens. Against lower PS ships you should be able to outfly them. Why Tycho build are you using besides PtL?

For Jake and Tycho, avoiding arcs is crucial. Autothrusters helps against turrets. As a secondary tactic, don't let Tycho be the most threatening ship in your list. Give you opponent a higher target priority so Tycho can survive to be a late game hunter.

You are using Autothrusters and staying out of arc, right?

Utilize the terrain to your advantage. Big rocks, nice and tight in the center. Approach through them, flee through them. Your opponent can't follow and will have to split off. You turn faster, so come up from behind before they can turn around and get situated. Rush into range 1 for your procket shot, rush out to range 3. Utilize Jake's barrel roll as much as possible. If you can dodge an arc at range 1, even if it puts you into someone else's arc at range 2, do it. Play the statistics game. Don't second guess yourself. Stay confident, stay cool, stay in control.

What is your common A-wing build?

Every A wing ace needs Push the Limit, A Wing Test Pilot, and preferably Autothrusters (though I've read good arguments for Hull Upgrade). Jake needs Vet Instincts. Tycho needs something that synergies with stress, like Rage, Wired, Daredevil or Predator.

Not getting shot and setting up for the next pass is the way to go. Don't joust. Dance.

Don't get shot at. If not, Evade action is always useful.

Every A wing ace needs Push the Limit, A Wing Test Pilot, and preferably Autothrusters (though I've read good arguments for Hull Upgrade). Jake needs Vet Instincts. Tycho needs something that synergies with stress, like Rage, Wired, Daredevil or Predator.

Not getting shot and setting up for the next pass is the way to go. Don't joust. Dance.

Also piggy backing off the old FFG article, Expert handling is also a decent secondary option. Barrel rolls, Target lock removal, something Omega leader hates, and you still get to PTL.

When flying multiple A-wings, breaking formation extends the life of each ship. Scatter in a way that forces your opponent to change targets as frequently as possible. Converge on a target, break again. Block every chance you get and K-turn only when absolutely necessary.

Every A wing ace needs Push the Limit, A Wing Test Pilot, and preferably Autothrusters (though I've read good arguments for Hull Upgrade). Jake needs Vet Instincts. Tycho needs something that synergies with stress, like Rage, Wired, Daredevil or Predator.

Not getting shot and setting up for the next pass is the way to go. Don't joust. Dance.

Tycho with Expert Handling is nice too and my favourite

Every A wing ace needs Push the Limit, A Wing Test Pilot, and preferably Autothrusters (though I've read good arguments for Hull Upgrade). Jake needs Vet Instincts. Tycho needs something that synergies with stress, like Rage, Wired, Daredevil or Predator.

Not getting shot and setting up for the next pass is the way to go. Don't joust. Dance.

Tycho with Expert Handling is nice too and my favourite

Have not tried this yet, but now I'm going to.

Also take that evade action!

Every A wing ace needs Push the Limit, A Wing Test Pilot, and preferably Autothrusters (though I've read good arguments for Hull Upgrade). Jake needs Vet Instincts. Tycho needs something that synergies with stress, like Rage, Wired, Daredevil or Predator.

Not getting shot and setting up for the next pass is the way to go. Don't joust. Dance.

Also piggy backing off the old FFG article, Expert handling is also a decent secondary option. Barrel rolls, Target lock removal, something Omega leader hates, and you still get to PTL.

I disagree with both of these statements.

So first, realize that there are two categories of A wings, and Ray specifically called out A wing Aces, but it's more than that - it's primary threat A wings vs. support A wings. A 22 point Jake may be an Ace, but he's in a different category than a 38 point Tycho even though they're both "aces." Furthermore, I disagree that anyone should be considering EH as a viable second EPT to PTL.

So, to start with, you need to understand your A wing's role in your squad. Starting from the cheapest A wing, a 15 point Prototype Pilot, its job is to be an annoying gnat. They are supposed to get in your opponents way, and force your opponent to make a hard choice - do I take the R1 shot on the 15 point Prototype, or the R2 shot on the regenerating Poe? They are supposed to be flown aggressively, but well coordinated. They are purely support ships, and timing/engagement is everything. If they engage too soon, it will die before it's useful, and if you engage too late, then they can't help the rest of your squad. But typically you want to fly these suckers like kamikaze pilots.

This reckless abandon can be dialed back a bit when you step up to the Green Squadron Pilots. These typically have some tricks and cost 5-10 points more than the Prototypes, and that is typically put into their offensive capability via things like PTL, Juke, Crackshot, and now Snap Shot. They may or may not have Auto Thrusters on them, but I'm of the opinion they're not needed. Once again, these want to get right in the fray of things, but need to do so much more strategically than the Prototypes. Greens typically do better in multiples since they need to focus a target and disengage, so if you're flying along side a slow ARC, they will leave the ARC behind with they disengage. This might be why you often see 5x Green as a complete squad. So as I said, these guys need to get right in the fray of things, but they can't afford to stay right there, once the positioning starts to favor the enemy, they need to use their speed to disengage, regroup and take another strafing run.

From there, you step up to Gemmer (and Arvel) who is basically a Green with a predefined unique second EPT. Fly him pretty much just like a green, but he trades offensive capability for defensive capability. In today's meta, this is typically not a good trade.

There's a not-often explored area of the 22-25 point Jake these days, but just because it's not often discussed doesn't mean that it's not a valid option. He starts at 22 points with a native PTL-lite ability, and PS7. You can slap adaptability on him, along with either trick shot or A debt to settle, and he's good to go. This can be a tricky area because he's going to draw more ire than his point tally should dictate, so he himself is unlikely to last very long, but he can have a Biggs effect for less. I've used him to great effect of eliminating an opponents Ace from the first half of the fight. Jake can arc dance with the best of them and can preoccupy a Fel/Inq/Defender for a long while all by himself without ever taking a shot. As such, he can be used to alllow your 75ish points to take on your opponents 60ish points, dominating the main battle.

Finally, we find ourselves at the A wing Aces, which are typically outfitted with Proton Rockets. Their total points are somewhere in the 30s, and they have to make sure they do enough damage to make up for costing basically the same as two prototypes. Thus far, the role of the A wing has shifted from getting in the middle of things and almost begging your opponent to shoot at them, to dancing with them keeping them preoccupied and not part of the main fight, to now making sure that you make each shot matter without getting shot at yourself. Jake and Tycho both excel in this area for different reasons. Jake is basically a Fel-lite, primarily changing 3 attack power for 2 attack power plus Proton Rockets. At first glance, this seems like a poor trade off, and in general I believe it is, but the 5 dice 1 shot attack (plus a second 3 dice attack) is typically worth more than 2 4 dice attacks. But as the game goes on, Jake's lack of continue offensive power, probably indicates that he's a worse buy. Which is why you need to make every shot count (while playing the same arc dodging game that Fel needs to play).

As for Tycho, he's a monster. I highly recommend running him with Experimental Interface and _____ as a second EPT. And actually depending on your second EPT, you might not even need PTL as your first. I have the most seat time with PTL, DD, and EI, but I also support Rage, expose , and EI - I'll get to why in a moment. Rage + EI can pretty much replace PTL for most options, allowing you to do some funky things with that second EPT slot. But as for Psycho Tycho (PTL, DD, EI), the most important thing that I cannot stress enough - select a maneuver that cannot be blocked, and let his actions get him to where he wants to be afterwards. A blocked Tycho is a dead Tycho. With DD + Boost, he can pretty much end up where ever he wants, and shouldn't have any issue getting out of arcs. Don't forget you can DD into someone to deny exchanging R1 shots in a pinch. For more Psycho Tycho tips, I'll refer you to my 2015 Gencon write up: https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/184059-how-i-brought-psycho-tycho-to-the-top-16-of-gencon/?hl=psycho+tycho

But as for other options, his native PS8 is rather high these days, so if you're brave enough to use him in general, you can couple Rage, Expose, and EI to get a double modifier 4 dice shot, as determined at PS8 (make sure you're out of arc to start with). This can be a viable (for as viable as he is in the meta today) alternative to Prockets, and helps maintain his damage throughout the game. And you can always Evade + EI -> Rage (for a focus) to turtle up just as much as you would normally via PTL.

As a closing comment, I don't particularly like Auto Thrusters on any A wing. The main difference between A wings and Interceptors is that A wings thrive in R1, while Interceptors want to stay at R3. As such, ATs should only be triggering against PWT, and arent' typically worth their return - I'd rather the PWT shoot at the R1 Prototype anyways, and ATs just make them more inclined to shoot at the meat of my list. Tycho synergizes too well with EI to downgrade to AT. So Jake is about the only thing I'd consider putting EI on. Oh, and I started by saying nay to EH - you don't want to double stress yourself, and PTL > EH. As for Tycho, DD > EH because otherwise you're just paying a premium over Fel for a less effective ship. DD provides you the ability to do what no other ship in the game can do.

DD provides you the ability to do what no other ship in the game can do.

Except blue ace

If you want to learn A-wings, run them with outmaneuver until they stop dying, then build them the way you want.

My A-wings keep dying really early. I'm not going to chalk it up to bad rolling either. I am missing something fundamental.

Specifically Tycho keeps dying.

When I play my son, he loves fielding A-wings, he always seems to go away around the outside of the main battle and "coast" around the far edge during the first 2 or 3 rounds.

Then when the dust settles (and many flies/ships have fallen) he sneaks in and assists whatever he has left and usually finishes me off with that BLASTED A-wing!!! Aaaaarrrggghhh! (He's done this tactic to his old man more than once . God's blessed him with tactical genius!)

well I had a high bit of success dropping bombs on some A-Wings earlier. Miranda with bombs made them go away. Especially the cluster mines.

If you want to learn A-wings, run them with outmaneuver until they stop dying, then build them the way you want.

Probably some of the best training advice I've seen in a long time. That and always give the newbie a shuttle to fly.

DD provides you the ability to do what no other ship in the game can do.

Except blue ace

Nope. DD allows Tycho to do a manuever, tyrn 90 degrees, and the tutn another 45 degrees. Since Blue ace is perform a boost with a turn templatr, even if you had PTL, you couldn't do what Tycho can... Though I suppose if you put R2D6, DD, and EI on BA, you could turn boost followed by DD turn. But then you'd have 2 stress.

Khyros, great post, thanks for your thoughts!

Have you had much experience running PTL/EI/Rage? Being able to take focus/focus/rage reroll/evade looks pretty nice to me...

I always regret not taking autothrusters. Those green dice just cant be counted on. I had a Falcon and a B Wing strip two shields and a hull off of Tycho at range 3 in a game not long ago. As much as I love the idea of taking EI on him instead, I stick to auto thrusters now. I was using Tycho with Rage, VI, Prockets, and EI. Its awesome being at PS 10, makes getting that range 1 procket shot off so much easier, but dang its hard to keep him alive without autothrusters. I suppose it has a lot to do with your group too. I see lots of Falcons, Dash all of the time, and the occasional TLT filler so its incredibly useful to me in every game.

Answer : keep 'em secure in a nice sturdy Plano box. They'll never die .

Fly Arvel, bump everything.