So my first tourney is this Friday. I want to try a RAC Whisper build. I'm trying for a more defensive RAC b/c I don't want Whisper against the world too early. Thoughts?

VT-49 Decimator: · Rear Admiral Chiraneau (46)

Predator (3)

Engine Upgrade (4)

· Ysanne Isard (4)

· Moff Jerjerrod (2)

TIE Phantom: · "Whisper" (32)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Fire Control System (2)

Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

Tactician (2)

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

I'm considering dropping tactician for an initiative bid, but do I really need to worry about other PS9 ships in this meta?

If at all possible, you want Whisper to shoot first. I would give up Moff Jerjerrod for the initiative bid and change Tactician to something that helps Whisper stay alive. Agent Kallus is my go-to crew for Phantoms.

I can see dropping jer for initiative. Why agent kallus on whisper given her pilot ability and taking initiative? If I'm landing Whisper in more than 1 arc I blown the game anyway.

Whisper wants initiative so Advanced Cloaking Device lets her cloak before other PS9's shoot. Decloaking is a Phantom's best opportunity to reposition, so it's more about prediction than conventional arc dodging, which uses boost and barrel roll after movement. Agent Kallus is a matter of personal preference; I like the passive dice mod and it's great for eliminating a threat early. Rebel Captive is a good alternative, as it discourages attacks from high PS aces.

Thanks for the insights on Whisper. I've only flown RAC a handful of times and he seems to die fast. Anyone have advice on RAC? Should I abandon survivability, take Vader crew, and go out in a blaze of glory?

Really just whatever your personal preference is. I think i like VI engine better. This gives you room to go rebel captive on whisper and upgrade moff to a better crew as well. I love mara jade but i seem to be a minority in that regard. Dont get me wrong, predator is awesome.

Whisper - all has been said. Kallus is your way to go on her.

As for RAC there are few things you need to decide:

Engine - a must hands down, thats his main defensive tool to evade arcs, AND YOU WILL EVADE them, trust me last tourney i managed to out maneuver pair of strikers.

VI vs Predator - now you need to asses your local meta a bit: do you have many ps 9-10 aces around? Will you run Vader? If yes go with VI if no Predator is fine.

Crewmembers - while Ysanne and Jerjerrod looks fine they are not. Jerjerrod is well pretty underwhelming in practice. Ysanne is well not so bad.

Your deci is not bad by any means ,its all-rounder, but i found that decimators that focus on one task (offence or defence or distruption) are the best, examples:

Offensive build:

RAC, Pred/VI (thats always a struggle on RAC), Vader, Gunner , optional 3rd crew, engine.

Defensive build:

Kenkirk, Pred, Palpatine,Ysanne,Engine - once you get your shields down you evade 2 hits every turn plus boost out of the harms way

Distruptive/support build

Oicunn, Pred, Palpatine, Captive, APL/Ion Projector - and try to bump for damage or force bumps for APLs or even ION/Palpi combo.

And last dont get discouraged with Decimator - its a hard ship but very rewarding once you had a grip of it. You WILL cry in grief about that "60 points of BS ship, why the hell i took this frakkin brick " but later you will watch your opponents cry while they try to shoot it down.

VI, Gunner, HotShot Copilot is great on RAC. Use that to strip tokens off your opponent and the other ships can swoop in for the kill.

So I've made some changes to based on the above. I couldn't find a RAC build I liked that left enough points for VI, ACD, FCS Whisper, so I'm switching to Echo.

Now the list is

RAC with VI, EU, Emperor, Ysanne

Echo with VI, ACD, FCS

Am I crazy to lose the PS on the phantom? I actually LIKE the 2 bank decloak. Will RAC live long and prosper built like this?

So I've made some changes to based on the above. I couldn't find a RAC build I liked that left enough points for VI, ACD, FCS Whisper, so I'm switching to Echo.

Now the list is

RAC with VI, EU, Emperor, Ysanne

Echo with VI, ACD, FCS

Am I crazy to lose the PS on the phantom? I actually LIKE the 2 bank decloak. Will RAC live long and prosper built like this?

Echo is still very good pilot i had tons of succes and fun with her.

I don't like Ysanne here. I would swap to Captive/Vader on Deci and then you have 1 point for Intel Agent on Phantom that is very usefull with Echo.

RAC, Adaptability +1, Palp, EU

Whisper, VI, Kallus, FCS, ACD

Both PS9 can move them in any order, palp for Defense on Whisper, EU for maneuverability on RAC

So I've made some changes to based on the above. I couldn't find a RAC build I liked that left enough points for VI, ACD, FCS Whisper, so I'm switching to Echo.

Now the list is

RAC with VI, EU, Emperor, Ysanne

Echo with VI, ACD, FCS

Am I crazy to lose the PS on the phantom? I actually LIKE the 2 bank decloak. Will RAC live long and prosper built like this?

You're not crazy to want to try Echo...but in a two ship list I think you're crazy to straight swap Whisper for her. That 1 difference in PS will make a lot of impact in survivability (anything shooting you before you can recloak is going to be a problem), and while the 2-bank decloak is a lot of fun it is much harder to get your head around.

Likewise, I really wouldn't put the Emperor on Chiraneau here - the Decimator itself can only benefit from half of the ability, and if Echo is being shot with only two defence dice (i.e. before she can recloak), it's not a guarantee that Palp can save her.

You mentioned in your original post that you wanted a more defensive Decimator - have you considered trying Commander Kenkirk?

How about this:

'Whisper' - TIE Phantom

-Veteran Instincts

-Fire-Control System

-Advanced Cloaking Device

39pts

Commander Kenkirk - VT-49 Decimator

-Expertise

-Ysanne Isard

-Rebel Captive

-Engine Upgrade

59pts

98pts

Your opponent will still go after the Decimator first here (especially if you throw the thing into their face as quickly as you can), but if you play Whisper carefully enough you should be able to deal a lot of damage before he goes down - the key will be focusing the fire of both ships to obliterate something. Anything that is a significant threat to Whisper 1-on-1 (higher PS, auto-damage, other Rebel Captives, etc) should be burned down as quickly as possible so that she can clean up in the endgame.

Engine on Kenkirk is less essential than for Chiraneau, since you'll be dodging far fewer arcs at PS6, but it can still be a crucial mobility tool (since the ship can't easily turn round), and Expertise frees up your action to use it if need be. However, it could be swapped out for alternatives - crew on Whisper is always a safe bet (Intel Agent makes her like a pre-nerf Phantom, wheras Agent Kallus allows you to identify a ship either that you want dead right away, or that you want a bonus against in the endgame), and you could also add Jerjerrod back onto the Decimator to give it even more survivability. A single Seismic Charge is not a terrible idea either, since so many players seem to forget them, especially when they are on ships not normally associated with them.

Whatever you do, though, keep a minimum of a 98pt initiative bid. Whisper firing first is key both to her effectiveness and her survival, and you cannot afford to lose that to other PS9's on a single die roll.

I agree with the feedback on Emp not being able to help defense. Here's what I'm thinking now:

VT-49 Decimator: · Rear Admiral Chiraneau (46)

Adaptability (Increase) (0)

Seismic Charges (2)

Engine Upgrade (4)

· Ysanne Isard (4)

· Rebel Captive (3)

TIE Phantom: · "Whisper" (32)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Fire Control System (2)

Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

Intelligence Agent (1)

-- TOTAL ------- 99p. --

I'm still stuck on Ysanne to keep my over 50 pt ship alive longer. I think rebel captive should give me a better chance to get out of arc for the 2nd round of shooting. Granted I'm really only taking away red manuevers.

Thanks for all those who have provided perspectives.