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...

Not really - After playing Psycho Tycho for a year in 2015 (before rage was announced), I haven't played him but a handful of fun games since. What I did find when I was playing with Rage/EI/Expose - I really missed the maneuverability of DD. And with that in mind, I'd find it difficult to play Tycho without EI/DD - but by using rage, you could drop PTL. You lose the DD -> Boost ability, but you increase your offensive capability via F+rerolls. It may/may not be a better build (being able to go 5 straight, hard turn, and boost directly into the side of your opponent is HUGE), but it's at least 2 points cheaper.

It's your job to build and sell the FLANKING narrative by racing them 5 + boost, only to Hard-1 then inwards to cheat an ARC that turned to face the FLANKER.

If you "slow-roll," you're aren't selling enough of a "threat," and the enemy has a lot of time to pinch off your wiggle-room.

Arc dodging is my primary problem. I have been flying him in formation with Poe assuming autothrusters and evades would be enough to keep him alive.

Arc dodging is my primary problem. I have been flying him in formation with Poe assuming autothrusters and evades would be enough to keep him alive.

You can't really fly aces in formation, as to my knowledge. The issue is that then you have a big target for your opponent to shoot at, and you aren't taking advantage of your high PS. Also, the A-Wing and T-70 have radically different dials, so it's hard to fly them together, especially if you have R2-D2 one Poe.

Arc dodging is my primary problem. I have been flying him in formation with Poe assuming autothrusters and evades would be enough to keep him alive.

You can't really fly aces in formation, as to my knowledge. The issue is that then you have a big target for your opponent to shoot at, and you aren't taking advantage of your high PS. Also, the A-Wing and T-70 have radically different dials, so it's hard to fly them together, especially if you have R2-D2 one Poe.

Flying aces together does give your opponent a better idea of where to point hit stuff but formation flying can still be useful to concentrate fire.

As for the A-Wing and T-70 having "radically" different dials I guess that comes down to what radical means. The A-Wing has speed 5s which the T-70 doesn't and they have don't share a single speed 1 maneuver but all the basic speed 2 and 3 maneuvers can be done by each. The greens may be different but the only reds on either dial are the trick turns. Still, if they're trying to go slow or race the dial differences would certainly catch up with them.

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.

Out of curiosity, when do he normally get killed? Is it on first approach?

If so, check out this YouTube video about the rule of 11.

https://youtu.be/HX6SOM7HR0I

With an A-Wing's speed and boost ability, there's no reason you can't blow right past them and swing back around to be in a better position. Just a thought.

You don't.

You just call them Phoenix Squadron and expect them to come back, somehow...

Again, and Again, and Again......

Prototype, proton rocket, guidance chip. I don't care if he dies because there are more where he came from and they generally kill something much bigger than they are...

Avoid Gemmer while learning how not to be seen. Teaches the wrong lesson.

Yeah, I'd avoid tying Tycho or Jake to other Aces in formation. They have the most value when they are unencumbered and can zorch all over the map. The minute an A-wing becomes predictable, it is probably dead.

Soo ... what do you guys think about this very silly list?

Soo ... what do you guys think about this very silly list?

Tycho Celchu (36)

A-Wing (26), A-Wing Test Pilot (0), Proton Rockets (3), Daredevil (3), Experimental Interface (3), Rage (1)

Green Squadron Pilot (21) x 3

A-Wing (19), A-Wing Test Pilot (0), Chardaan Refit (-2), Snap Shot (2), Juke (2)

Silly? (...silly...hmmm...) Nope! Don't see silly at all. I see "...this very genius list..."

Don't join Phoenix Squad...

Soo ... what do you guys think about this very silly list?

Tycho Celchu (36)

A-Wing (26), A-Wing Test Pilot (0), Proton Rockets (3), Daredevil (3), Experimental Interface (3), Rage (1)

Green Squadron Pilot (21) x 3

A-Wing (19), A-Wing Test Pilot (0), Chardaan Refit (-2), Snap Shot (2), Juke (2)

That actually looks pretty fun.

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...

Not really - After playing Psycho Tycho for a year in 2015 (before rage was announced), I haven't played him but a handful of fun games since. What I did find when I was playing with Rage/EI/Expose - I really missed the maneuverability of DD. And with that in mind, I'd find it difficult to play Tycho without EI/DD - but by using rage, you could drop PTL. You lose the DD -> Boost ability, but you increase your offensive capability via F+rerolls. It may/may not be a better build (being able to go 5 straight, hard turn, and boost directly into the side of your opponent is HUGE), but it's at least 2 points cheaper.

I've played both Psycho Tycho and Angry Tycho in Regionals and placed top 4 in both. If I had to choose which one I prefer it'd have to be Psycho. The maneuverability just beats everything, but Angry is in no way weak. Running PtL-Rage-EI might seem like taking it a bit too far, but that combo makes your choices a bit easier. More weight is placed on selecting your maneuver, but in the action phase you're basically choosing between double focus or boost. First action is always evade, then boost/focus, then rage for focus and rerolls. He gets stronger on both offense and defense, but more predictable and will thereby need the extra tokens. Though Rage makes your life incredibly easy when it comes to delivering Prockets as you will always have focus and rerolls, allowing you to shoot Prockets at any target(within arc and range naturally), any round, no TLs giving your intentions away.

Basically take your pick, continuous offense or surgical precision.

I've been flying Jake with Test Pilot, PtL, Predator, Chardaan refit, Stealth Device.

I have managed to keep him alive through most of my games, sometimes I give him Auto thrusters and tried him with Vectored Thrusters and if points allow I'll throw proton rockets on him.
Mostly I skirt around and get in behind the enemy and try to tail them or if they choose to give chase I'll dodge about and let my other ships hammer them.

I've been flying Jake with Test Pilot, PtL, Predator, Chardaan refit, Stealth Device.

I have managed to keep him alive through most of my games, sometimes I give him Auto thrusters and tried him with Vectored Thrusters and if points allow I'll throw proton rockets on him.

Mostly I skirt around and get in behind the enemy and try to tail them or if they choose to give chase I'll dodge about and let my other ships hammer them.

Vectored thrusters on Jake? Why?

I've been flying a list that has Jake w/chardaan, title, vi, outmaneuver and autothrusters. He's great, never stressed, usually out of arc

I love Jake.

I've done well with this list:

Jake Farrell (33)

A-Wing (24), A-Wing Test Pilot (0), Proton Rockets (3), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2), Veteran Instincts (1)

Green Squadron Pilot (20) x 2

A-Wing (19), A-Wing Test Pilot (0), Chardaan Refit (-2), Crack Shot (1), Autothrusters (2), Adaptability (0)

Green Squadron Pilot (27)

A-Wing (19), A-Wing Test Pilot (0), Proton Rockets (3), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2), Adaptability (0)

And sometime soon want to try its Snap Shot variation:

Jake Farrell (33)

I've been flying Jake with Test Pilot, PtL, Predator, Chardaan refit, Stealth Device.

I have managed to keep him alive through most of my games, sometimes I give him Auto thrusters and tried him with Vectored Thrusters and if points allow I'll throw proton rockets on him.

Mostly I skirt around and get in behind the enemy and try to tail them or if they choose to give chase I'll dodge about and let my other ships hammer them.

Vectored thrusters on Jake? Why?

It came about due to a game where a couple of times after giving him a focus he really needed to boost then follow that up with a barrel roll to end up in a prime position, so I tried out Vectored Thrusters - not really that great on him.

I've been flying Jake with Test Pilot, PtL, Predator, Chardaan refit, Stealth Device.

I have managed to keep him alive through most of my games, sometimes I give him Auto thrusters and tried him with Vectored Thrusters and if points allow I'll throw proton rockets on him.

Mostly I skirt around and get in behind the enemy and try to tail them or if they choose to give chase I'll dodge about and let my other ships hammer them.

Vectored thrusters on Jake? Why?

It came about due to a game where a couple of times after giving him a focus he really needed to boost then follow that up with a barrel roll to end up in a prime position, so I tried out Vectored Thrusters - not really that great on him.

Yeah, that's the one downside of Jake, is you have to have the vision to know whether or not you want to boost + BR or just Boost.

Has anyone had success with Cool Hand and PTL on Jake?

This is a good solid A-Wing list that, if flown more defensively while waiting for that sweet spot, is really good (IMO and if I recalled the squad points correctly):

Tycho Celchu + PtL + VI + Prockets + Title + Autothrusters (35)

Jake Farrell + PtL + VI + Prockets + Title + Autothrusters (33)

Green Squadron Pilot + PtL + Crack Shot + Title + Homing Missile + Autothrusters (32)