Welcome to this preview of the first of the Season 2 CCL Expansion packs! Armed and Dangerous aims to raise the power of several underused Rebel starfighters, and incudes a Corsec Green Xwing and a Bladewing Prototype Bwing.

[images removed for screenwarp reasons]

First up is the venerable Xwing. The T65 is an old veteran of the Galactic civil war and the T70 is the hero of the Battle of Starkiller Base, but outside a few Aces with powerful abilities, these ships are rarely seen.

We hope that will change with the release of cards like High Yield Launchers, which gives the Xwing it's signature weapon across the series- Powerful proton torpedos, killer of 2 Death Stars and Starkiller Base, along with Ion and Advanced torpedos. integrated Astromech being such a powerful card on the Xwing

Equipped to a pilot like Corran Horn, along with the Deflector Shields (Angled) dual card, we can expect a powerful alpha strike to level the playing field against more advanced craft like x7 Defenders, while increasing survivability both in the initial joust and in rounds where breaking away is a possibility.

Myn Donos, meanwhile, likes to keep his Deflector Shields (Double Front), after a tragic betrayal of his old Talon squadron led to fits of uncotrollable rage. When triggered, he pursues the target of Talon's Revenge no matter how buried in stress he becomes, but is easilly torn apart by a simple open comunication from his nemisis.

Top Xwing and Ewing aces have long been limited by the capability of their dial, despite the accomplishments of their EU namesakes, but Rogue Squadron always has a few tricks up it's sleave. With sloops at all speeds, some of which are effectively white, the Xwing, Ewing, and T70 gain nearly unprecedented maneuverability. Along with droids like Veteran Astromech, even generic pilots have access to the kinds of tricks previously reserved for arcdodging superaces.

Imma Chargin mah lazor

The Bwing has always been considered powerful craft, all the way back to the initial concept art, showing a squadron of this new craft flying away victoriously from an exploding Star Destroyer. Cross section books show it armed with a laundry list of equipment- Powerful lasers, torpedos, ion cannons and autoblasters, all at the same time- while the canon Rebels TV show has introduced it with an expirimental weapon system based on the LAAT Door gun "composite beam" technoligy... of which the Death Star cannon itself is an extremely large example.

Until now, equipping a Bwing properly has run into a problem- you're paying full price for weapons that are just one option of many, making it unlikely you will get your point's worth out of each and every one. The Ywing and Tie Defender introduceways to use multiple weapns at once, but as an Integrated Weapons Platform, the Bwing becomes a swiss army knife, able to pick up the right tool for any job for cheaply enough that you arnt punished for carrying the wrong tools as well. a simple Blade Squadron bwing with this upgrade can bring an ion cannon, tractor beam, a rack of Plasma torpedos... even the Snap shot EPT.

That's a lot of weapons... but it's not really BETTER weaponry. The tractor beam and ion do less damage than the main guns, and the torpedos are missing out on Guidance chips. For one point, you are gaining options, not power. Anything bigger and more powerful will cost you.

The other defining feature of the Bwing is it's rotating cockpit, which in some sources are supposed to reduce strain on the pilot during intence manevering. This Gyro Stabilization System rewards Bwing pilots like Ibtisam, Keyan Farlander, and Braylen Stramm for setting up their abilities with a bit of extra survivability, and even the other pilots can benifit from a red maneuver, a debris cloud, or a Push of the Limit.

But sometimes you just need a bigger gun. Rebels introduced the Composite Beam cannon, capable of destroying a capital ship in just 2 shots, and this pack would be incomplete if we didnt include it in some form. Our Composite beam cannon is a powerful weapon, packing more punch than even short ranged Ghost... but it's starfighter tracking is as bad as a Turbolaser from epic, and when it flips to the Recharging side, it's effectively a self-inflicted Weapons Damaged critical, reducing your damage output until you recharge it.

Combined with Opportunist, it is entirely reasonable for this weapon to kill an Imperial Raider in 2 shots, but it's effectiveness against most Imperial Aces is decidedly lacking.

Also, check out this bumpmaster Farlander build:

The upgrades brought to you in Armed and Dangerous are useful for more than just the Xwing and Bwing.

For instance, the Tactical Avionics Package is intended to make Blocker Knave Ewings a possibility. Combining the effects of an Intel Agent with the ability to not waste a third of your list doing the "Rebel Arc-dodge", you can punish imperial aces without having to play the PS game

Deflector shields can help any number of rebel ships who are willing to pay the price, from Tycho's Awing to a Fat Norra to an Outrider or Uwing. Regeneration is mainly a rebel thing, however- one shudders at the thought of an x7 Defender with Double Front Deflectors.

T70 Xwings can combine Rogue Squadron mobility and high yield launchers with tech slots and autothrusters

Even imperials can make use of Tactical Avionics, using a forgotten shuttle upgrade or a Tie Punisher to get an infinite range Intel Agent.

Most of the pilot cards are showing up as black images. No actual pilot cards

They show up as red-tinted to me- it's happening to pilot cards that I export from Strange Eons.

I'm not sure how to fix it.

It's a bug with an old version of Strange Eons's X-Wing plugin: happens if you haven't updated it in forever.

There's a workaround I can do in my image upload service, but how do I update Strange Eons?

Toolbox/Updates.

Workaround in place. Should be at least readable now.

I like the cost reduction of secondary weapons on the b wing. Very interesting way to go about making it easy to pack the B to the gills the way they should be thematically. Might be a little too good because of cheap heavy laser cannons? Hard to tell right now, and you could probably find a workaround if that was a big problem.

Even the "cheap" HLC is 5 points after buying the price reduction mod, if you arnt actually interested in other weapons, more than Expose or Opportunist. Throwing an autoblaster to cover the range 1 gap is only another 2 points, though.

Yeah, that's why I'm only a little worried about it.

There are not enough likes in the world. I would buy this in a heartbeat

Might want to add to a minimum of zero to the weapons platform. Otherwise you can get a b-wing down to 16 points.

What is Talon's Revenge actually supposed to do? Because as written, it does nothing at all AFAICT, because you put the condition on a destroyed ship. But even if you put it on another friendly ship, it gets an action that... damages your own ships, so IDGI.

What is Talon's Revenge actually supposed to do? Because as written, it does nothing at all AFAICT, because you put the condition on a destroyed ship. But even if you put it on another friendly ship, it gets an action that... damages your own ships, so IDGI.

It's suposed to go on the enemy ship that killed your friend. "My name is Indigo Montoya" and all that.

Suggestion on how to change the wording to make that clearer?

So you're looking at a condition that goes on the ship that did the destroying, and lets Myn deal damage to the destroyer as an action? Because what you've got is almost the exact inverse of that.

"When an enemy ship at range 1-3 destroys another friendly ship (probably best to range limit it) you may give it the Talon's Revenge condition. At the start of combat, if a ship has the Talon's Revenge condition and that ship is not in your firing arc at range 1-3, you must execute a white 1 bank manoeuvre then receive 1 stress token. If the ship is not in your firing arc after the manoeuvre, the condition is discarded."

Then the condition just says "When Myn Donos dies, discard this card".

And there would be a unique title "Talon" which applies to Myn:

"Action: if the ship with the Talon's Revenge condition is at range 1-3, it suffers 1 damage."

It needs a lot of parts because it's a complex thing - you have to put the condition on, tell Myn's ship what to do if the ship gets too far away, tell the condition when to GO away, AND give Myn the action. That's way too much for one pilot card. You might be able to write the Action onto the condition (Whilst this is in play, Myn Donos gains "Action: blah") but there's no mechanic for amending the wording of a card in play the way there is in some CCGs, so that doesn't work.

And that's ignoring the balance part. An action for a single damage is probably fine given the restrictions - I added the 'discard if Myn doesn't have arc/range' to account for that. With a random roll as well it's probably too complex to be worth the faff over just taking a focus token.

So you're looking at a condition that goes on the ship that did the destroying, and lets Myn deal damage to the destroyer as an action? Because what you've got is almost the exact inverse of that.

"When an enemy ship at range 1-3 destroys another friendly ship (probably best to range limit it) you may give it the Talon's Revenge condition. At the start of combat, if a ship has the Talon's Revenge condition and that ship is not in your firing arc at range 1-3, you must execute a white 1 bank manoeuvre then receive 1 stress token. If the ship is not in your firing arc after the manoeuvre, the condition is discarded."

Then the condition just says "When Myn Donos dies, discard this card".

And there would be a unique title "Talon" which applies to Myn:

"Action: if the ship with the Talon's Revenge condition is at range 1-3, it suffers 1 damage."

It needs a lot of parts because it's a complex thing - you have to put the condition on, tell Myn's ship what to do if the ship gets too far away, tell the condition when to GO away, AND give Myn the action. That's way too much for one pilot card. You might be able to write the Action onto the condition (Whilst this is in play, Myn Donos gains "Action: blah") but there's no mechanic for amending the wording of a card in play the way there is in some CCGs, so that doesn't work.

And that's ignoring the balance part. An action for a single damage is probably fine given the restrictions - I added the 'discard if Myn doesn't have arc/range' to account for that. With a random roll as well it's probably too complex to be worth the faff over just taking a focus token.

Er, it's not Myn who gets the action, it's the evil Imperial taunting Myn, using a BMST-type effect on Myn only until Myn dies.

So...

"When an enemy ship destroys another friendly ship you may give it the Talon's Revenge condition. At the start of combat, if a ship has the Talon's Revenge condition and that ship is not in your firing arc at range 1-3, you must execute a white 1 bank maneuver, then receive 1 stress token."

"Talon's Revenge: (condition)

Action: roll 1 attack die. If it's a hit or a crit, Myn Donos takes 1 damage. If Myn Donos dies, remove this condition"

The upgrades the B-wing deserves, but not the one it needs right now.... until the time is right. Also maybe a title that allows to equip both mods at the same time (but only B-wing only mods. Don't need to give it Hull/Shield or some other crazy combo.)

So you're looking at a condition that goes on the ship that did the destroying, and lets Myn deal damage to the destroyer as an action? Because what you've got is almost the exact inverse of that.

"When an enemy ship at range 1-3 destroys another friendly ship (probably best to range limit it) you may give it the Talon's Revenge condition. At the start of combat, if a ship has the Talon's Revenge condition and that ship is not in your firing arc at range 1-3, you must execute a white 1 bank manoeuvre then receive 1 stress token. If the ship is not in your firing arc after the manoeuvre, the condition is discarded."

Then the condition just says "When Myn Donos dies, discard this card".

And there would be a unique title "Talon" which applies to Myn:

"Action: if the ship with the Talon's Revenge condition is at range 1-3, it suffers 1 damage."

It needs a lot of parts because it's a complex thing - you have to put the condition on, tell Myn's ship what to do if the ship gets too far away, tell the condition when to GO away, AND give Myn the action. That's way too much for one pilot card. You might be able to write the Action onto the condition (Whilst this is in play, Myn Donos gains "Action: blah") but there's no mechanic for amending the wording of a card in play the way there is in some CCGs, so that doesn't work.

And that's ignoring the balance part. An action for a single damage is probably fine given the restrictions - I added the 'discard if Myn doesn't have arc/range' to account for that. With a random roll as well it's probably too complex to be worth the faff over just taking a focus token.

Er, it's not Myn who gets the action, it's the evil Imperial taunting Myn, using a BMST-type effect on Myn only until Myn dies.

So...

"When an enemy ship destroys another friendly ship you may give it the Talon's Revenge condition. At the start of combat, if a ship has the Talon's Revenge condition and that ship is not in your firing arc at range 1-3, you must execute a white 1 bank maneuver, then receive 1 stress token."

"Talon's Revenge: (condition)

Action: roll 1 attack die. If it's a hit or a crit, Myn Donos takes 1 damage. If Myn Donos dies, remove this condition"

Why on earth would anyone ever use it?! Free pseudo-boosts are not worth someone getting that ability.

o_O

This is a thing, right? These cards are real and I can have some if I give you some money? Because I would like that.

This is a thing, right? These cards are real and I can have some if I give you some money? Because I would like that.

This is an entry for the Custom Card Vassal League, where we make up cards and ships pick the best ones, then play a tournament, online, using those custom cards.