From a Scum perspective, Palob just got even better.

I believe its only unique due to Epic... Imagine the craziness you could pull off.

In a 100 point list I can't see any combos that would be too OP. You just can't generate enough Evades to feed a couple of them.

Seems easy enough. You can get 7 TIES with 3 of these, and that would get some big shots flying in the early game.

s/Push the Limit/Swarm Leader

Black Squadron Pilot (14)

Push the Limit (3)

Black Squadron Pilot (14)

Push the Limit (3)

Black Squadron Pilot (14)

Push the Limit (3)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Total: 99

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

This is probably why it's unique...

Still, that's only at most one 4 dice attack and two 3 dice attacks (if you want modifiers for the BSPs). Then a bunch of unmodified two die attacks, granted you don't lose a Tie or two before they even fire. Nothing OP about that list.

s/Push the Limit/Swarm Leader

Reload the page. All of the cards from the preview were added to https://geordanr.github.io/xwing/ some time yesterday.

Still, that's only at most one 4 dice attack and two 3 dice attacks (if you want modifiers for the BSPs). Then a bunch of unmodified two die attacks, granted you don't lose a Tie or two before they even fire. Nothing OP about that list.

Or you can toss Howlcrack and two black cracks instead to make the attacks less anaemic.

s/Push the Limit/Swarm Leader

Reload the page. All of the cards from the preview were added to https://geordanr.github.io/xwing/ some time yesterday.

I know, but youcan't put more than one Swarm Leader in a list

In my continuing series of "lists that won't be competitive but should be fun to play":

MMMK

98 points

PILOTS

Talonbane Cobra (35)
Kihraxz Fighter (28), Swarm Leader (3), Glitterstim (2), Vectored Thrusters (2)

Cartel Spacer (21) x 3
M3-A “Scyk” Interceptor (14), “Heavy Scyk” Interceptor (2), Autoblaster (5)

Bonus points if you deliver every maneuver and action as the voice of Mr. Mackey.

Can't do it.

Drugs are Bad... Mmmmk Mister Cobra?

Epic ships don't get EPT's.

Okay - that's nice.

that's got 0 relevance to what I was actually saying.

it would easily get out of hand if it wasnt unique.

I would gladly run 2 groups of 3 TIE fighters with a Swarm Leader. 2 blacks w/ SL and 4 Academies is 82pts, throw in Howlie for flavor or a 7th blocker and squeeze some cracks in there.

That would literally be a swarm with the bite of a 2ship list. Twice over.

Hmm omega ace might no longer be the worst pos ever as a swarm leader

Huge problem is youll need to support him either a systems or fleet officer/hux

it would easily get out of hand if it wasnt unique.

I would gladly run 2 groups of 3 TIE fighters with a Swarm Leader. 2 blacks w/ SL and 4 Academies is 82pts, throw in Howlie for flavor or a 7th blocker and squeeze some cracks in there.

That would literally be a swarm with the bite of a 2ship list. Twice over.

That doesn't seem out of hand. A good swarm player may be able to do a lot with it but I don't know that it is any stronger than a swarm of Crack shot TIEs.

A lot of squads are going to be able to burn down a Swarm Leader Black Squad TIE before it gets to shoot. For those Swarm Leader ships to do much, you'll need to be able to put a lot of arcs on your target and all of your other TIEs aren't taking actions that will modify their shots. If you can pull off getting multiple 4+ attacks in the first couple rounds of a game, you earned it because you outplayed the other guy to make it happen.

Hmm omega ace might no longer be the worst pos ever as a swarm leader

Huge problem is youll need to support him either a systems or fleet officer/hux

Or Targeting Synchronizer.

even crackties requires a good player to fly them right. Any swarm does. Swarms arent easy to fly, thats why people dont do them much - not because they suck. If i somehow beat a dengaroo with 8 unupgraded idiot tie fighters and no howlie, they dont suck. Be lying if i said i wasnt sweating my balls off that game though lol

I just want swarm Leader, glad it is unique so hopefully plenty on the market.

M3-A Interceptor: Tansarii Point Veteran (17)

Juke (2)

"Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (2)

Tractor Beam (1)

M3-A Interceptor: Tansarii Point Veteran (17)

Juke (2)

"Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (2)

Tractor Beam (1)

HWK-290: · Palob Godalhi (20)

· A score to settle (0)

Autoblaster Turret (2)

Stygium Particle Accelerator (2)

Intelligence Agent (1)

· Cloaking Device (2)

Protectorate Starfighter: Concord Dawn Ace (23)

Swarm Leader (3)

Autothrusters (2)

Concord Dawn Protector (1)

-- TOTAL ------- 100/100p. --

Hmm omega ace might no longer be the worst pos ever as a swarm leader

Huge problem is youll need to support him either a systems or fleet officer/hux

Or Targeting Synchronizer.

Omega Ace + swarm leader

Epsilon Ace + Targeting Synchronizer

Inquisitor + title + thrusters + Adaptability

NightBeast + MKII

AP

Not the greatest thing since sliced bread but it would get the job done at Omega Ace Swarm Leading...

Hmm omega ace might no longer be the worst pos ever as a swarm leader

Huge problem is youll need to support him either a systems or fleet officer/hux

Or Targeting Synchronizer.

Or a Coordinate action.

New-Fangled Swarm:

Indeed. The problem with Co-ordinate, is that for the trick to work, you need to supply Omega Ace with an external focus or target lock and 1-2 evade tokens on other ships.

Given that the shuttle is 30 points and can't evade itself, you're starting to make the squad a little too focused on Omega Ace's ability for my taste.

Epsilon Ace w/Targeting Co-ordinator is not a bad ship generally - he can lend his target lock to anyone else who wants it (rerolls for Omega Leader, anyone?), at PS12 shouldn't have trouble getting the lock you want, and at 4 hit points and agility 3 for only 20 points is not exactly an appealing target.


Looking at the 'old school' swarm:

Chaser is best used when everyone is taking a Focus, except in this list, everyone is taking an Evade. So, not sure on him.

Thing is, I'm pretty sure the swarm leader himself will be taking a focus action, and you can garuantee the swarm leader will be firing before chaser. Equally, if paired with Night Beast, you can both evade, but Night Beast generates a free focus on a green move and then hands it to Chaser after he's used it. They were not a bad pairing before - now you can actually get decent use out of those evades even if someone doesn't shoot at them, I think they're a very nice pairing.

• "Night Beast" - Twin Ion Engines MkII
• "Chaser"

Is 30 points on the dot and is a very nice support element for a Swarm Leader.

New-Fangled Swarm:

Epsilon Ace w/Targeting Co-ordinator is not a bad ship generally - he can lend his target lock to anyone else who wants it (rerolls for Omega Leader, anyone?)

This is the one thing he can't do actually. Targetting Synch doesn't let you share your target lock for its base effect, only for paying costs on cards.

Yes, but Omega Leader can keep his target lock (to prevent you modifying dice) and spend Epsilon Ace's target lock (to get more hits).

Rerolls for hits is definitely "a game effect" - it doesn't specify it must be an effect from an upgrade rather than an effect from the core rules, or it would have said "if an upgrade card instructs..."

Yes, but Omega Leader can keep his target lock (to prevent you modifying dice) and spend Epsilon Ace's target lock (to get more hits).

Rerolls for hits is definitely "a game effect" - it doesn't specify it must be an effect from an upgrade rather than an effect from the core rules, or it would have said "if an upgrade card instructs..."

"When a friendly ship at Range 1-2 is attacking a ship you have locked, the friendly ship treats the " Attack (target lock): header as " Attack: ." If a game effect instructs that ship to spend a target lock, it may spend your target lock instead."

The only possible reason I can see for such complex wording (as opposed to the much simpler working used for Shara's pilot ability, for instance) is that Targetting Synch is only supposed to apply to things which spend a target lock to do a thing, rather than using it for its basic effect as well. The examples given in the article in addition to the obvious use for munitions were Norra and Omega Ace. The reason it doesn't say 'upgrade card' is because then it wouldn't work on pilot abilities.

I'd agree that a priori using a target lock for its default effect would be a game effect, but if they wanted it to work that way... why not just use Shara's wording? "When another friendly ship at Range 1-2 is attacking, it may treat your blue target lock tokens as its own."

But it is unclear enough that it would definitely merit an FAQ to clarify.

Because then there would be other interactions. Every possible version of wording allows some interactions and prevents others.

Taking the example of Shara Bey, Norra Wexley can spend shara's target lock when attacking, but NOT when defending.

Imperials have quite a few abilities which trigger off target locks, so you need to be cautious.

Colonel Jendon, for example, can pass "his" target locks to others, who might be further away than the range limit on targeting co-ordinator.

"When another friendly ship at Range 1-2 is attacking, it may treat your blue target lock tokens as its own."

Would definitely permit Omega Leader to say "well, a target lock token that I can 'treat as my own' is on the target, so no Concord Dawn Protector for thee!" which is definitely an interaction FFG would want to be cautious around (given that he's a very popular and very effective pilot already).

The wording as listed says:

• You may spend this ship's target lock
• You may spend it for a 'game effect' - i.e. any reason, attacking, defending, or neither (like lieutenant colzet, who spends one in the end phase to flip a damage card face-up)
• The lock never at any point counts as "yours", so the various imperial pilots who want to maintain a target lock for an effect (Vader and Omega Leader) cannot use the other ship's lock for this reason, Jendon can't pass it on to a third party, and the Inquisitor can't claim to have acquired a target lock (and hence receive a free evade).

It remains to be seen.

It's certainly a lot more useful if it does work the way you suggest, and it feels a little marginal for its cost at the moment, so maybe it is supposed to go that way.