I watched a playthrough that was posted here the other day, and the rebel player used two flotillas, each with Jamming Fields. His logic is he wanted to keep his fighter screen alive, which consisted of X-Wings and A-Wings.

I noticed during the game that the JF's ended up hurting him a lot more than helping him, as his A-Wings each lost a counter die and his X-Wings didn't have the punch to finish off TIE fighters.

The only consideration I can think of is perhaps shielding bombers in on an attack run.

Am I missing something here? What do you guys use them for?

Exactly as you said.

Taking a mass of Y-Wings backed up with a couple of HWKs (protected by X -wings) and basically just ignoring the Squadron game.

I'm going to bomb you, and the Jamming field is precious Anti-Anti-Squadron from your Squadrons to survive...

I know we don't want the craziness of toggleable Jamming Fields, but I wish you could choose to have them disabled at the start of a game. It would make it a lot more worthwhile if I knew it could go away in the event that I'm the only one who brought squadrons to the game.

I think a small number of Imperial aces acting as a fighter screen could get good mileage out JF. With their buffs to each other they could power through the penalty, and the loss of incoming dice means unique squadrons are more likely to have their defense tokens unblocked, so they'll survive longer.

Agreeing with Dras that its most straightforward use is for fleets that intend to ignore fighter squadrons and just keep pushing bomber squadrons after ships.

You can use it to compliment a more well-rounded approach, but you want to check as many of the below as possible:

• Intel squadrons so you can activate your fighters to go outside of the Jamming Field before sneaking your JF flotilla back into range
• Few if any Counter squadrons because Counter gets particularly hosed by Jamming Fields (weakening that squadron several times over)
• A means to further improve survivability on your JF-shielded squadrons (Jan Ors, Gallant Haven, Biggs) to really double down on its benefit to significantly increase your squadrons' durability
• Flight Commander on your JF flotilla for improved flexibility on whether you want to activate the squadrons before or after the JF bubble moves
• Serious flak ships don't get affected by Jamming Fields and are happy to pound away at squadrons having pillow fights in a Jamming Fields.
  • Ruthless Strategists in particular love this approach with high-hull blobs.

I know we don't want the craziness of toggleable Jamming Fields, but I wish you could choose to have them disabled at the start of a game. It would make it a lot more worthwhile if I knew it could go away in the event that I'm the only one who brought squadrons to the game.

I think a small number of Imperial aces acting as a fighter screen could get good mileage out JF. With their buffs to each other they could power through the penalty, and the loss of incoming dice means unique squadrons are more likely to have their defense tokens unblocked, so they'll survive longer.

I tinkered with jamming fields quite a bit. First I tried Rebel Anti-Squadron with them and that was disastrous. Then I tried rebel bombers just ignoring the squadron game, but in that game I was going up against a flight controller-ed ball of Imperial Aces. Between Howl, FC, and all the re-rolls Jamming Field wasn't even a noticeable help.

So then I figured I would try it WITH those Imp Aces and sure enough it worked pretty well. It was the only game I used it in that I won, but it was a favorable match-up as I was playing against a B Swarm.

Still, typically B-Wings can be turned on squadrons early to delete a 60pt Ace ball and then start bombing, and JF helped that not to happen. They just ignored my Aces and let me blow them out of the sky rather than attempt to take out my significantly smaller squad investment with neutered AS attacks.

I mean, I won't lie... last time I took them to a 3 round Tournament, I got this:


Game 1:

All Ship Build. Jamming Field did nothing.

Game 2:
Enemy had X-Wings, but brought his own Jamming Field. Jamming Field Flotilla spent the whole game doing Nav-DoubleClick-DoubleClick Right turn Burnout Donuts in the Deployment Zone.

Game 3:
Enemy had A-Wings. Jamming Field helped me pump the damage on one of his Large Ships while the A-Wings effectively hurled insults.

I mean, I won't lie... last time I took them to a 3 round Tournament, I got this:

Game 3:

Enemy had A-Wings. Jamming Field helped me pump the damage on one of his Large Ships while the A-Wings effectively hurled insults.

1. It can be good when your fighters are throwing lots of dice so the minus one die is a lower proportion of your overall attack than those of your enemy.

Flight controllers + X-Wings, Wedge, YT2400s for the rebels.

Flight controllers + Tie Interceptors (+ Howlrunner), Vader, Aggressors for the Imperials.

Rerolls from swarm, Dash or Toryn will also help.

2. Also good for a load of bombers who wish to ignore fighter screens, suffer slowly, and concentrate on ships.

3. The last reason I can think of is for a moderate Imperial fighter screen which uses Mauler, 2-3 Tie Advanced and a Jumpmaster. Here your blue dice are secondary and you are mainly trying to get damage inflicted by Mauler with his bull in a china shop special rule. The Jamming field helps keep the escorts alive for long enough for Mauler to do more area damage.

Here's the conundrum: If you use the JF Flotilla to protect your bombers, you put that flotilla very close to the enemy's ships...

Here's the conundrum: If you use the JF Flotilla to protect your bombers, you put that flotilla very close to the enemy's ships...

Its a Flotilla.

Either it shrugs off the relatively weak attack that a ship threw at it.

Or an ISD wasted its front Arc on destroying a 20pt Flotilla.

Win-Freakin-Win.

Game 2 is my favorite game.

do jamming fields stack if you have more than 1? I still have to play against this.

Game 2 is my favorite game.

I forgot to mention - it was my Most Wanted nomination, too....

... just doing burnouts in the deployment Zone...

do jamming fields stack if you have more than 1? I still have to play against this.

No, Obstructed is Obstructed.

Its a Yes/No thing...

Same as if you're shooting through 2 Debris, an Asteroid, and a Ship... You only lose one die to the attack being "Obstructed".

Jamming fields is just an obstruction to the attack... So it won't stack with itself, or an actual obstacle... The -1 die applies as -1 die...

...

Of course, if an actual obstacle is involved in the Squadron-to-Squadron fight, then there's a whole other Engagement mess to sort out, potentially

Here's the conundrum: If you use the JF Flotilla to protect your bombers, you put that flotilla very close to the enemy's ships...

Its a Flotilla.

Either it shrugs off the relatively weak attack that a ship threw at it.

Or an ISD wasted its front Arc on destroying a 20pt Flotilla.

Win-Freakin-Win.

I thought that in a game last month.

I Brought my flotilla in close almost as bait to protect the bigger ships.

Dastardly ISD-II with Gunnery teams. One dead flotilla and an MC80 with no side shield.

Here's the conundrum: If you use the JF Flotilla to protect your bombers, you put that flotilla very close to the enemy's ships...

Its a Flotilla.

Either it shrugs off the relatively weak attack that a ship threw at it.

Or an ISD wasted its front Arc on destroying a 20pt Flotilla.

Win-Freakin-Win.

I thought that in a game at the regionals last weekend.

I Brought my flotilla in close almost as bait to protect the bigger ships.

Dastardly ISD-II with Gunnery teams. One dead flotilla and an MC80 with no side shield.

You don't throw them away, of course But for me, it was very much a case of "I have an MC80 Home one and a Liberty here, and Flotilla there... Even with GTs, pick who you shoot."

do jamming fields stack if you have more than 1? I still have to play against this.

No, Obstructed is Obstructed.

Its a Yes/No thing...

Same as if you're shooting through 2 Debris, an Asteroid, and a Ship... You only lose one die to the attack being "Obstructed".

Jamming fields is just an obstruction to the attack... So it won't stack with itself, or an actual obstacle... The -1 die applies as -1 die...

...

Of course, if an actual obstacle is involved in the Squadron-to-Squadron fight, then there's a whole other Engagement mess to sort out, potentially

ahh yes it's obstruction, not just die removal.

I just want to throw out there that in today's squad-heavy environment, I don't think bombers driving in and ignoring enemy fighters (even with jamming fields) is a viable tactic anymore. And as people shift builds to incorporate greater antisquad capabilities it won't be viable anytime soon.

It's why I evolved my Worlds list from Y-heavy to more of a balanced X and Y list, when I realized that squadrons were becoming a serious enough threat that ignoring them was no longer viable.

I just want to throw out there that in today's squad-heavy environment, I don't think bombers driving in and ignoring enemy fighters (even with jamming fields) is a viable tactic anymore. And as people shift builds to incorporate greater antisquad capabilities it won't be viable anytime soon.

It's why I evolved my Worlds list from Y-heavy to more of a balanced X and Y list, when I realized that squadrons were becoming a serious enough threat that ignoring them was no longer viable.

I am abusing the Meantime.

of course, I've also upped my Anti-Squadron game from ships at the same time as a balancing factor.

But I like it when my opponent spend more and more on Anti-Squadron... They're never going to claim more than 100pts for their investment, whereas Dedicated Bombers have the potential to claim much more.

I just want to throw out there that in today's squad-heavy environment, I don't think bombers driving in and ignoring enemy fighters (even with jamming fields) is a viable tactic anymore. And as people shift builds to incorporate greater antisquad capabilities it won't be viable anytime soon.

It's why I evolved my Worlds list from Y-heavy to more of a balanced X and Y list, when I realized that squadrons were becoming a serious enough threat that ignoring them was no longer viable.

Yeah, but isn't this why you didn't win worlds?

Shooting fighters is inefficient, so finding a way to avoid doing so should surely be the aim?

I just want to throw out there that in today's squad-heavy environment, I don't think bombers driving in and ignoring enemy fighters (even with jamming fields) is a viable tactic anymore. And as people shift builds to incorporate greater antisquad capabilities it won't be viable anytime soon.

It's why I evolved my Worlds list from Y-heavy to more of a balanced X and Y list, when I realized that squadrons were becoming a serious enough threat that ignoring them was no longer viable.

It's not a valuable tactic when Intel is destroyed. Then you're screwed. But if you kill a carrier in 1-2 turns without losing Intel, you can jump around with initiative since your opponent has to chase you now. All or nothing is the way to go. Dividing your forces will stall the game until you die.

I've been working up a plan to use jamming fields with instigator and friends, this should help keep the esorting ties alive, who's job it is to keep the bombers from killing instigator. I'm not bothered to much about the ties losing an attack dice as instigator is the main damage dealer.

I've been working up a plan to use jamming fields with instigator and friends, this should help keep the esorting ties alive, who's job it is to keep the bombers from killing instigator. I'm not bothered to much about the ties losing an attack dice as instigator is the main damage dealer.

The problem is that enemy intel will enable them to shoot at instigator, killing it fairly quickly.

It's not a bad tactic, just don't expect your raider to last.

On the other hand they are not bombing something more valuable.

I've been working up a plan to use jamming fields with instigator and friends, this should help keep the esorting ties alive, who's job it is to keep the bombers from killing instigator. I'm not bothered to much about the ties losing an attack dice as instigator is the main damage dealer.

The problem is that enemy intel will enable them to shoot at instigator, killing it fairly quickly.

It's not a bad tactic, just don't expect your raider to last.

On the other hand they are not bombing something more valuable.

Intel ships are fairly weak, especially the non-unique ones. Add in Agent Kallus to deal with the uniques.

I've been working up a plan to use jamming fields with instigator and friends, this should help keep the esorting ties alive, who's job it is to keep the bombers from killing instigator. I'm not bothered to much about the ties losing an attack dice as instigator is the main damage dealer.

The problem is that enemy intel will enable them to shoot at instigator, killing it fairly quickly.

It's not a bad tactic, just don't expect your raider to last.

On the other hand they are not bombing something more valuable.

Intel ships are fairly weak, especially the non-unique ones. Add in Agent Kallus to deal with the uniques.

I used instigator and ties with my wave two lists and tend to aim instigator at the Intel ship, stop it bouncing around, the ties then come in basicly to try and engage as many bombers as they can ( staying outside the Intel circle). This keeps instigator alive for as long as the ties live..........