How badly is this old school list going to go for me?

By gennataos, in X-Wing Squad Lists

I just got the Rebel Transport yesterday, so I figured I need to fly an all T-65 X-Wing list at least once. Luke, Wedge and Biggs is more canonical, but all PS10's seems fun. These guys are all target lock, all the time!

Wes Janson (29)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Flechette Torpedoes (2)
R3 Astromech (2)
Integrated Astromech (0)

Wedge Antilles (29)
Adaptability (0)
Flechette Torpedoes (2)
R7 Astromech (2)
Integrated Astromech (0)

Luke Skywalker (28)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Flechette Torpedoes (2)
R3 Astromech (2)
Integrated Astromech (0)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

If you can win with this, you can win with anything.

I'd ditch the torps and buy better astromechs. If you can find the Let's Discuss Rogue Squadron vid on YouTube it can give you some ideas.

Three named T-65s can be very strong, don't let the nay-Sayers tell you different. Just practice practice practice.

Luke needs R2-D2. Come on!

Give wes R3-A2 (stress-bot)

Wedge BB-8

Edited by BlodVargarna

Take your R3 cards and throw them away.

X-Wings can do well, but you need to be planning well ahead of your opponent and putting the fight where you want. The dials aren't exactly forgiving on an X-Wing if you mess it up. I know all about messing up the dials on X-Wings... :(

I'm surprised by the VI on Luke. Lone Wolf makes him a bit more survivable in the end game, assuming it's his ship that makes it there. Not saying your approach is wrong, just not expecting 3 Xwings to kill too many things on the first pass with three classic Rebel fighters any more.

R3A2 is generally the more expected droid on Janson these days... Even if you don't use him, that droid tends to make himself noticed.

Wedge with R7 is a peculiar choice as well. You're going to get a target lock and then spend it defensively with Wedge of all pilots? At first I thought you had the unique R7 droid with the boost on it and was curious what it would do for your formation flying... I like standard R2 units just for recovery movement after a K-turn and a cheaper 'hull' point.

You know... we need an offensive type astromech droid. Something to boost the attacks of ships somehow...

1 minute ago, LagJanson said:

You know... we need an offensive type astromech droid. Something to boost the attacks of ships somehow...

Closest we got is m9-g8

17 minutes ago, tortugatron said:

Take your R3 cards and throw them away.

Just not r3a2because hes basically the best astro short only of r2d2

1 hour ago, ficklegreendice said:

Just not r3a2because hes basically the best astro short only of r2d2

They're astromechs, they're all short.

Huh...so the consensus seems to be to put all the standard astromechs on the given pilots, just like everyone else? I suspect some of you guys play a really boring version of this game.

22 minutes ago, gennataos said:

Huh...so the consensus seems to be to put all the standard astromechs on the given pilots, just like everyone else? I suspect some of you guys play a really boring version of this game.

so, there are two logical outcomes to our suggestions

1.) we're all boring computers that can only think of one thing, possibly while interjecting with "yepyepyep"

2.) there's a reason the standard astromechs are standard

(and the reason is that the non-standard astromechs are wretchedly worthless)

(not that R7 is all bad, but there's no real reason for him because you're using your defensive action just to get, essentially, another defensive action..yay? not to mention it absolutely does not stack even the slightest bit with the torps you're carrying on Wedge)

now, if running astromechs that can just fuck you over due to reasons completely outside of your control sounds like an entertaining time for you, then play away. whatever makes you happy and all

but if you're boring enough to want to have your decisions as a player, i.e "the game part of the game", matter more than random triggers, then you go more standard

Edited by ficklegreendice
37 minutes ago, gennataos said:

Huh...so the consensus seems to be to put all the standard astromechs on the given pilots, just like everyone else? I suspect some of you guys play a really boring version of this game.

You said you wanted to fly X-Wings, and so were given suggestions on better X-Wing lists.

You didn't say you wanted to be a special snowflake, in which case, as fgd says, it's not great but do what you want and have fun.

and to be very clear, this has nothing to do with being competitive

(if it was, we'd be telling you to not even bother with x-wings)

it's just that people have this funny habit of thinking that being different somehow = being better in some sense, or being more fun

but r3 is not different than current game mechanics. it gives an EVADE token. We've had evade tokens since wave 1. The only thing new about it is just that you have to dive through several loopholes to maybe have a chance at getting it

it is a dull as dish water upgrade that relies on out-of-your-hands rng and it is so independently of how "good" it is (which is "not even the slightest bit" good)

of course, maybe you might find that fun. I have no way of knowing, so I can only suggest avoiding what I find might (will probably) be a horrible waste of your game time

Edited by ficklegreendice

As much as R3 Astromechs suck, putting them on PS10 X-Wings is probably about as close to useful as you'll get. They are probably shooting first and any eyeballs you have after you spend their target locks to reroll is as good as a blank. If you have your heart set on using R3, I guess this is the list to use it in.

1 minute ago, WWHSD said:

As much as R3 Astromechs suck, putting them on PS10 X-Wings is probably about as close to useful as you'll get. They are probably shooting first and any eyeballs you have after you spend their target locks to reroll is as good as a blank. If you have your heart set on using R3, I guess this is the list to use it in.

That's all I was getting at. It gives an evade token to a ship that doesn't have an evade action. Sometimes you'll be staring down a barrel and will want that evade action, sometimes you'll focus it into a hit because you won't need defense. Oh shit, I just popped a hit, crit and two focuses on a ship with 2 hull left...yay, evade! R7 may not be sexy, but after a couple times of rerolling hits and crits into blanks, it becomes a frustrating deterent. /shrug

We're all special snowflakes.

The issue is that R3's RNG dependent (you need to roll an eyeball) and reduces your offense (no spending Focus tokens here!) in a game that punishes reliance on RNG and that has an offense>defense design.

Wedge + BB-8 at PS10 can let you dodge an enemy arc entirely, negating any chance of needing to trigger R7 - reducing your reliance on RNG.

Luke + R2-D2 lets you recover a shield every turn - reducing your reliance on RNG.

Wes strips their tokens, making it harder for them to punch damage through - and putting stressbot on him makes that even nastier. I'll say that he's the best potential user of R3 you've got in your list, as he doesn't need to hit to strip tokens and can serve as a 'frontman', but that doesn't make R3 good.

An all PS10 X-Wing list would lean on destroying targets before they get the chance to fire back, and focusing on that would benefit you more than trying flechettes or low-tier astromechs. It's intriguing and has potential.

We veteran players want to see the best possible game being played at a competitive level, without losses being chalked up to, "I could have taken Z upgrade but it was too mainstream, man..." hipsterism. Don't be that guy with the metaphorical mustache on your finger in the X-Wing forum.

Hah, it's not about being a hipster, special cool guy who was totally into that band before they got big. I just want to try stuff that I don't see anyone else talking about. From what I've read on here, 2-dice attack ships are virtually unplayable. I took 3 of them and Rey to a local tournament and took 2nd. /shrug

BB-8 is reliant on the X-wing's green-lacking dial. 1 and 2 speed maneuvers aren't going get me out of many arcs, barrel roll or no.

R2-D2, again, is reliant on the X-wings green-lacking dial. I can go ahead and regen that shield then be in a nice, predictable position for more shots.

I use the stressbot once on Wes and he's out of the formation, unless I don't want to K-turn, or I want to get further than a 1 or 2.

I'll grant the Flechettes may not work out and there might be better droids for them, but defaulting to one or two options in a game with myriad options is...well, yeah...that's boring.

I mean...shit...look what Blair Bunke took that regional with.

1 hour ago, gennataos said:

I mean...shit...look what Blair Bunke took that regional with.

This list?

Gold Squadron Pilot (18)
Autoblaster Turret (2)
Plasma Torpedoes (3)
Extra Munitions (2)
Guidance Chips (0)

Gold Squadron Pilot (18)
Autoblaster Turret (2)
Plasma Torpedoes (3)
Extra Munitions (2)
Guidance Chips (0)

Bandit Squadron Pilot (12)
XX-23 S-Thread Tracers (1)
Guidance Chips (0)

Bandit Squadron Pilot (12)
XX-23 S-Thread Tracers (1)
Guidance Chips (0)

Bandit Squadron Pilot (12)

Bandit Squadron Pilot (12)

Total: 100

While it may be surprising that the squad did well there's not any really questionable choices with the upgrades in the squad. It puts a lot of hit points and a lot of bases on the table with two ships that can hit really hard. There aren't a bunch of points invested in questionable upgrades.

Plasma Torpedoes are the best value in torpedoes when you are modifying your attack with focus tokens and GC.

Thread Tracers are cheap as hell and give the PS 2 Y-Wings the opportunity to shoot at higher PS targets with their Plamsa Torpedoes the first round of engagement.

Autoblaster Turrets are another cheap upgrade that shores up a weakness in the squad.

Edited by WWHSD
1 hour ago, gennataos said:

Hah, it's not about being a hipster, special cool guy who was totally into that band before they got big. I just want to try stuff that I don't see anyone else talking about. From what I've read on here, 2-dice attack ships are virtually unplayable. I took 3 of them and Rey to a local tournament and took 2nd. /shrug

BB-8 is reliant on the X-wing's green-lacking dial. 1 and 2 speed maneuvers aren't going get me out of many arcs, barrel roll or no.

R2-D2, again, is reliant on the X-wings green-lacking dial. I can go ahead and regen that shield then be in a nice, predictable position for more shots.

I use the stressbot once on Wes and he's out of the formation, unless I don't want to K-turn, or I want to get further than a 1 or 2.

I'll grant the Flechettes may not work out and there might be better droids for them, but defaulting to one or two options in a game with myriad options is...well, yeah...that's boring.

You got the answers son! Why are you asking questions here? Play that list and let us know how it goes.

If you want to be unconditionally unique and have some outside the box thinking, drop the Torps and the IA's and give the ships Vert. Thrusters. Put something not expected and easily forgettable on them. Those paired with the R-3's... okay I get it. You want value from your attack roll one way or another.

You asked for input you get it then get defensive? Tough to offer input that way. If you want outside the standard box input preference that.

Many players go to similar builds and what not because it's worked. Not always pretty but it has worked. If you want unique or different that's all good and well, at least then provide thought processes. Perhaps someone tried it once and can give you feedback on using things a certain way.

Example the R3: I personally have had it do more good than harm, others see it as kindling. R3 does warrant some validation though compared with some of the other mechs, especially the more common ones.

Example R7-T1: Underutilized IMO. It's understanding how to maximize him though that makes him brutal especially with Wedge.

Many will tell you R-7 was tailored to Tarn. It syncs with his Pilot trait so well. Other ships not so much.

R5-p9 for luke, r2d2 for wedge. Get rid of torps.

I tried R3 astro on Wedge with Juke to try to make him a little more survivable on the first pass, while not really losing the offensive punch because now Juke triggers, negating an evade. I flew him next to Wes so the defender wouldn't have a focus token to deal with Juke. It works when it works but sometimes you don't get the focus and 5 points are wasted unfortunately.

I love X-wings and have done some pretty cool things with them including beating an 8 TIE Swarm with Wes, Wedge, and Poe. Just try to be open minded when asking and taking advice because when you ask the whole of the X-wing community for it, you should honestly expect to hear what MOST people are doing. If you just want to play whatever you want to play and not listen to people, then I would say don't bother making a post here.

As most non-personal interaction goes, I thought I implied more meaning than I did, folks inferred more meaning than there was. I could have prefaced the whole topic by saying that I already knew what some of the standard builds would be for each pilot, but that I was trying for something different. My apologies, I didn't mean to get snarky.

I played a couple games with it last night and it had middling success...one win, one loss. They can focus fire the daylights out of just about anything in an initial pass, then Wedge explodes and things get nasty. I can really see some value in Wes and Wedge, but Luke is very "meh".

14 minutes ago, gennataos said:

As most non-personal interaction goes, I thought I implied more meaning than I did, folks inferred more meaning than there was. I could have prefaced the whole topic by saying that I already knew what some of the standard builds would be for each pilot, but that I was trying for something different. My apologies, I didn't mean to get snarky.

I played a couple games with it last night and it had middling success...one win, one loss. They can focus fire the daylights out of just about anything in an initial pass, then Wedge explodes and things get nasty. I can really see some value in Wes and Wedge, but Luke is very "meh".

Maybe swap him out for Biggs? That should keep Wedge on the table for at least another round or two.