Hmmn I'm really unsure of the order of operations here- I'm like 70/30 that its meant to be an if- then rather than a and/or. Also I think they went with "If a game effect..." to limit it to secondary weapon fire conditions rather than saying something more straight forward like "...may spend your target locks" which would allow firing ordnance, re-rolling dice while still preventing passive ability (that is OL and ATC) abuse. Still its not very well worded. I think its vain for anyone to go nailing their colours to the mast at this point.

I want it to not be restricted to just firing secondary weapons.

Cause otherwise it's overpriced at 3 points.

A cost benefit analysis between this and a thread tracer would be interesting.

14 minutes ago, PaulTiberius said:

A cost benefit analysis between this and a thread tracer would be interesting.

If skewed by the fact that tracers are rng as **** AND eat your attack

Ah yes, the eternal mechanics conundrum.

"Target Locks suck butts for action economy, but are important to prevent ordinance from becoming too easy - how do we make TLing less bad without just removing target locks from every munition?"

I feel like we may have been softly building towards TS for a few waves of mechanics, and we'll see if it's a decent solution.

Generally I believe that the use of "game effect" instead of "card effect" seems to me to indicate that using it for a normal target lock is legal, but it will be interesting to see the resulting FAQ. It could definitely go either way.

Targeting Synchroniser/FCS does seem like and interesting combo but it also pretty pricy.

As far as I could see game effects are just the rules and things that happen and upgrades just add new rules for new other game effects. I'm assuming game effect doesn't pop up in the list of game terms, I don't have the rule book handy.

On 1/30/2017 at 9:27 AM, Warlon said:

I want it to not be restricted to just firing secondary weapons.

Cause otherwise it's overpriced at 3 points.

Me too mate but FFG certainly have form for over pricing things/pricing in a way that's only fair if everything comes together perfectly.

On 30.01.2017 at 0:20 AM, ID X T said:

Generally I believe that the use of "game effect" instead of "card effect" seems to me to indicate that using it for a normal target lock is legal, but it will be interesting to see the resulting FAQ. It could definitely go either way.

Targeting Synchroniser/FCS does seem like and interesting combo but it also pretty pricy.

At the same time, FCS is pretty much stapled to the Upsilon anyway and it greatly benefits from it.

7 hours ago, costi said:

At the same time, FCS is pretty much stapled to the Upsilon anyway and it greatly benefits from it.

FCS+Pattern Analyzer also seems really strong considering the Upsilon has coordinate to use along with focus. Full mods or an extra action for a buddy and a TL for you seems strong.

Backdraft:
VI
FCS
LW F
title
TS

Cpt Jonus:
CS
EM
HM
Chimps

Bren:
CS
EM
HM
Chimps

Plus 3 pts to play with. Add Adv Homing to Bren?

IF TS allows you to use that TL like Bey, then jonus shooting last could use it to modify dice.

12 minutes ago, Cr0aker said:

Backdraft:
VI
FCS
LW F
title
TS

Cpt Jonus:
CS
EM
HM
Chimps

Bren:
CS
EM
HM
Chimps

Plus 3 pts to play with. Add Adv Homing to Bren?

IF TS allows you to use that TL like Bey, then jonus shooting last could use it to modify dice.

I'd probably put IPM's on Bren instead of Advanced Homing Missiles. Like Homing Missiles, they don't require spending the target lock and can help setup focused fire the following round.

34 minutes ago, WWHSD said:

I'd probably put IPM's on Bren instead of Advanced Homing Missiles. Like Homing Missiles, they don't require spending the target lock and can help setup focused fire the following round.

Neither does AHM and with Jonus re-rolls, chimps, and CS it has a reasonable chance to get through.

Thinking about it a little more, drop CS on Jonus for VI and put plasma on Bren. That way any low agi high hp ship with shields can be fired at with rerolls after jonus fires homing.

On 1/27/2017 at 2:30 PM, WWHSD said:

I'm really wanting to see a FAQ on how Targetting Synchronizer is actually supposed to work.

My take on it is that it only works when checking to see if you have a target lock to fire ordnance and to pay the cost if there is one. Using it for modifying dice or something like Colzet's ability would not work with it.

It does seem like it's made for Homing Missiles though.

Synchronizer covers modifying dice because while attacking you are using a game effect that instructs you to discard a target lock. Rules reference, page 3.
It does not cover Colzet's ability because that's the end phase, and during the end phase you are not attacking.

23 minutes ago, Cr0aker said:

Neither does AHM and with Jonus re-rolls, chimps, and CS it has a reasonable chance to get through.

I think that I'd prefer the ion control over the face-up card.

I'd actually be tempted to dig up a point to put Cluster Missiles on Tomax to let him really tear through lower agility, high HP ships. If you give Jonus VI and Adaptability to Backdraft, you get everyone at PS8 and free up a point. There are a lot of lists that have a chance to burn a PS6 Jonus down before he gets off his first missile, if everyone is PS8 you should rarely lose one of your ships in the first round of combat. Bren gets Cluster Missiles to have a bit more punch at range one, since he has the same PS as Jonus, you can have him fire the Cluster Missiles after Jonus has fired a Homing Missile if you can line the range up correctly.

Bren sticks out as an obvious priority target but as long as he can get off two shots, I think that's okay. You really want Backdraft around as your closer.

"Backdraft" (27)
Adaptability (0)
Fire-Control System (2)
Targeting Synchronizer (3)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Special Ops Training (0)

Captain Jonus (22)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Guidance Chips (0)

Tomax Bren (24)
Crack Shot (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Cluster Missiles (4)
Guidance Chips (0)

Total: 100

WWHSD, it takes my plasma and VI idea a notch further. Will have to try this now.

Will the alpha and beta be enough? Or are too many points still sitting on 6hp and 2 agi?

6 minutes ago, Cr0aker said:

WWHSD, it takes my plasma and VI idea a notch further. Will have to try this now.

Will the alpha and beta be enough? Or are too many points still sitting on 6hp and 2 agi?

I think that's going to be the real risk with any list that tries to make the named TIE Bombers work. I don't think it will be consistent enough to be a top tier competitive squad but I do think that it would be fun to play and effective against a decent number of squads. If Jonus and Bren can both get off two missiles before dying and leave you with an untouched Backdraft, you should be able to get some work done with him.

The nice thing about T.Sync+FCS being your source of Target Locks is that it takes Black One on a high PS Poe from being something that shuts down your squad to being just a minor annoyance because it keeps Backdraft from using it for rerolls.

4 hours ago, Kdubb said:

FCS+Pattern Analyzer also seems really strong considering the Upsilon has coordinate to use along with focus. Full mods or an extra action for a buddy and a TL for you seems strong.

Luckily, the Upsilon has two tech slots.