I've got a core of a squad that I want to play can't decide on the last few points.

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

Colonel Vessery (35)
Veteran Instincts (1)
TIE/x7 (-2)

Tomax Bren (24)
Crack Shot (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Guidance Chips (0)

Total: 93

1. Homing Missiles for Bren, Lightweight Frame for Backdraft.
2. Concussion Missiles for Bren, Lightweight Frame for Backdraft, Twin Ion Engines for Vessery.
3. Concussion Missiles and IPM (or Plasma Torps) for Bren.

As much as I want to give Bren a couple of more ordnance shots, I feel like there will be enough games that he gets burnt down without using all of his ordnance that I don't want to make him too expensive, especially if it makes Brackdraft squishier to do so. His two dice primary with Crackshot isn't great but should be okay if he's still alive after taking two shots.

Homing Missiles would definitely be my choice for Bren if I was confident that he could spend Backdraft's target lock to modify the Homing Missile attack. I think that Concussion Missiles are the safer bet until a FAQ is released regarding Targeting Sync.

Number 1 or 2, but I would do it otherwise: Lightweight frame for both Tomax and Backdraft and IPM, AHM or plasma torps on Tomax

I could also just scrap the idea about being Defensive at all and go with:

Colonel Vessery (35)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Tractor Beam (1)
TIE/D (0)

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

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

Total: 100

Łukasz Golonka Final last weekend

Golona (100)

Tomax Bren (34) - TIE Bomber
Crack Shot (1), Ion Pulse Missiles (3), Concussion Missiles (4), Extra Munitions (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Carnor Jax (31) - TIE Interceptor
Adaptability (0), Royal Guard TIE (0), Autothrusters (2), Hull Upgrade (3)

"Quickdraw" (35) - TIE/SF Fighter
Draw Their Fire (1), Fire Control System (2), Targeting Synchronizer (3), Special Ops Training (0)

Expertise is really, really good on Vessery. Even better with tractor beam Vessery. However, TIE/D on Vessery means the list becomes pretty much 100% glass cannon (therefore high risk/reward).

If it were me, this is how I'd run it:

Vessery w/ Expertise & X-7 = 37

Backdraft w/ Adapt, title, FCS & target synchronizer = 32

Bren w/ crackshot, proton torps & extra munis & GC = 31

100

4 hours ago, blade_mercurial said:

Expertise is really, really good on Vessery. Even better with tractor beam Vessery. However, TIE/D on Vessery means the list becomes pretty much 100% glass cannon (therefore high risk/reward).

If it were me, this is how I'd run it:

Vessery w/ Expertise & X-7 = 37

Backdraft w/ Adapt, title, FCS & target synchronizer = 32

Bren w/ crackshot, proton torps & extra munis & GC = 31

100

The problem with giving Vessery Expertise is that now he's benefiting from Backdraft's target lock in rounds that Tomax fires his missiles. Concusions seem like they are a stronger choice for Tomax since he will usually have a focus token to modify his attack. It seems like Proton Torps is what you want when you have rerolls and Concussion Missiles are what you want if you'll have focus.

11 hours ago, WWHSD said:

The problem with giving Vessery Expertise is that now he's benefiting from Backdraft's target lock in rounds that Tomax fires his missiles. Concusions seem like they are a stronger choice for Tomax since he will usually have a focus token to modify his attack. It seems like Proton Torps is what you want when you have rerolls and Concussion Missiles are what you want if you'll have focus.

I don't see it as a problem, but as a way to eliminate some dependency.

Your list will go something like this:

Backdraft shoots and applies TL w/ FCS. Vess shoots and benefits from that TL. Bren then shoots and can spend Backy's TL to fire the concussion missile and still have fully modded shot (with his own focus). That's fine and dandy synergy, but depends entirely on all 3 ships having the same target in arc and falls a part slightly if you don't get that ideal set up.

My list means that only Vessery depends on a TL (and even without it, he has Expertise for good offense and always has his focus for defense). Bren can get his own and fire his torps if need be, or he can use Backdrafts. It frees up my maneuvering though. I can split targets if I want, or I can use a ship as bait and do a feint or whatever. I'm not stuck in 'must joust mode' for the list to work.

Not saying that your list can't also try to do these things, because of course you can, but with the concussion missile, Bren is more dependent on Backdraft, and with VI, Vessery is more dependent on Backdraft for maximized damage. In my list, all of my ships can do better damage than yours when operating independently.

If backdraft happens to die early due to say, a PS9 Bossk + Dengar alpha strike, for example, then your list is in trouble. Mine is still a little bit in trouble (because losing a ship before it shoots sucks), but I think it could recover better. Rare circumstance, admittedly, but that's just how I build lists. I like them to work best when chips are down rather than work best when things are going your way.

I got in a few gamea with this squad. I ended up going with Concussion Missiles, LWF, and MK II Engines.

I feel like just the one piece of ordnance on Bren was about right. In the games where he got off both shots he ended up with just a couple of hull left. I don't think that more points invested in him would be a good choice for me.

In three games LWF didn't prevent a single point of damage. That's not a great sample size but if I needed to cut points, that would probably be the first thing to go. It did however probably provide some benefit that is harder to quantify. Given a choice between shooting at Bren and shooting at Backdraft, my opponents all preferred Bren. LWF probably helped influence that.

I liked having Mk. II Engines on Vessery. The speed 1 turn from a Defender seems to take people by surprise. Being able to easily ditch the stress from doing it makes it an easier decision.

My favorite move so far is having Tomax pull his 5 K-Turn to get behind people and then fire off a missile using Backdraft's target lock.

Having all three ships at the same PS was nice. The target lock shenanigans definitely worked better when I could change up my firing order to suit the situation. Being able to activate in any order really helped out more than once.

I think this is a squad I'm definitely going to play more.

I've had a chance to play this squad some more. Since the clarification to Targeting Synchronizer, I've dropped the Mk. II Engines and switched the Concussion Missiles out for Homing Missiles. I miss having the extra greens on Vessery but not having to spend the target lock on Tomax is nice.

With Homing Missiles, I think that I probably should call this squad "Puff, Puff, Pass". If he rolls poorly with his Homing Missiles and needs to spend the lock to reroll, Tomax will **** up the rotation.

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

Colonel Vessery (35)
Veteran Instincts (1)
TIE/x7 (-2)

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

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

8 hours ago, WWHSD said:

I've had a chance to play this squad some more. Since the clarification to Targeting Synchronizer, I've dropped the Mk. II Engines and switched the Concussion Missiles out for Homing Missiles. I miss having the extra greens on Vessery but not having to spend the target lock on Tomax is nice.

With Homing Missiles, I think that I'll probably should call this squad "Puff, Puff, Pass". If he rolls poorly with his Homing Missiles and needs to spend the lock to reroll, Tomax will **** up the rotation.

Is keeping that target lock worth it (assuming that Tomax shoots last?)

44 minutes ago, pt106 said:

Is keeping that target lock worth it (assuming that Tomax shoots last?)

At the most basic level it allows Backdraft to modify his attack with it in the following round.

The other thing that it allows is for Tomax and/or Vessery to benefit from the same target lock in the following round before Backdraft uses FCS to change the target.

I don't think I'd keep a poor Homing Missile roll just to have the target lock the following round in most cases.