I've always liked the sf model. It's got a lovely feel about it. TIE + if you will.

Last night I flew Backdraft an really enjoyed it. Managed to get into a great position getting R1 out of front and back on two ships.

So what are the main things people do with sfs? I've been speaking to some friends and it either appears to more a general ship with good utility, or the trickier rage/baffle/quickdraw sort of thing.

Do people use the lower PS? Is Backdraft the best? What makes good wingmen?

Just looking to get a good overall view on it.

I used Rage Baffles QD for a little while but my prediction that he was a one trick pony who'd stop working shortly after I started using him was accurate.

The current trick I'm enjoying with them is FCS/Targettign Synchroniser. They can trade off each others' TLs in a very effective manner. QD/BD/OL is a really nice list with that in mind. Or QD/BD/Duchess fits as well.

Lightweight Frame gave tham such a new lease of life that I struggle to believe they weren't designed with it in mind.

Just now, thespaceinvader said:

I used Rage Baffles QD for a little while but my prediction that he was a one trick pony who'd stop working shortly after I started using him was accurate.

The current trick I'm enjoying with them is FCS/Targettign Synchroniser. They can trade off each others' TLs in a very effective manner. QD/BD/OL is a really nice list with that in mind. Or QD/BD/Duchess fits as well.

Lightweight Frame gave tham such a new lease of life that I struggle to believe they weren't designed with it in mind.

I borrowed an LF card last night to use on Backdraft and it was rather useful . Used Pattern Analyzer too. Enjoyed that.

I'm not a big fan of OL; I can't seem to get him to work well for me. But an excuse to get a striker is interesting.

If you only had one sf what else would you consider?

Haha, I was literally about to post a topic called 'Quickdraw Options', so I'm going to piggyback into this instead.

It seems like Quickdraw is the most popular TIE/sf but that there's a bunch of different ways to use him...

• Rage / Electronic Baffle
• Draw Their Fire
• Fire Control System / Targeting Synchroniser
• Expertise / Fire Control System (dead now with stress meta?)

I'm really intrigued by how different he can be, from super offensive Rage to almost a support ship with Draw Their Fire or Targeting Synchroniser.

1 minute ago, Stay On The Leader said:

Haha, I was literally about to post a topic called 'Quickdraw Options', so I'm going to piggyback into this instead.

It seems like Quickdraw is the most popular TIE/sf but that there's a bunch of different ways to use him...

• Rage / Electronic Baffle
• Draw Their Fire
• Fire Control System / Targeting Synchroniser
• Expertise / Fire Control System (dead now with stress meta?)

I'm really intrigued by how different he can be, from super offensive Rage to almost a support ship with Draw Their Fire or Targeting Synchroniser.

Haha, feel free to chime in dude!

I understand they could be a support ship, but which ever pilot I choose I don't want to use it that way. The sf is a beefier/cooler TIE and I want to use it!

Another really strong Quickdraw option is Baffle/Expertise. Like with FCS/Expertise you rely on the Dengar effect in many games, but when you get to the late game unscathed you can pull reds to attack. Or you can dodge stressing mechanics by gaining an attack. Especially good versus Asajj.

2 minutes ago, Admiral Deathrain said:

Another really strong Quickdraw option is Baffle/Expertise. Like with FCS/Expertise you rely on the Dengar effect in many games, but when you get to the late game unscathed you can pull reds to attack. Or you can dodge stressing mechanics by gaining an attack. Especially good versus Asajj.

Ok, I can see that. Does QD ever get lategame with shields, though?

Anyone ever invested 4pts in Shield Upgrade?

8 minutes ago, SDCC said:

I borrowed an LF card last night to use on Backdraft and it was rather useful . Used Pattern Analyzer too. Enjoyed that.

I'm not a big fan of OL; I can't seem to get him to work well for me. But an excuse to get a striker is interesting.

If you only had one sf what else would you consider?

OL you have to use very conservatively until the endgame. He's the absolute king of endgame but he pops like a soap bubble against focus fire.

Lothal (or was it Yavin?) runner-up. Best use of Quickdraw ever.

2 minutes ago, Vitalis said:

Lothal (or was it Yavin?) runner-up. Best use of Quickdraw ever.

Yeah I'm stealing that for a bit of a janky list, just switching Carnor out for something that's probably awful (Sigma Sqd Phantom with Kylo Ren Crew, Protons on Tomax to force the crits).

1 minute ago, Stay On The Leader said:

Yeah I'm stealing that for a bit of a janky list, just switching Carnor out for something that's probably awful (Sigma Sqd Phantom with Kylo Ren Crew, Protons on Tomax to force the crits).

Then it totally different list anyway. Carnor + Homing was the whole point - to shoot fully modded dice while enemy has no mods.

Just now, Vitalis said:

Then it totally different list anyway. Carnor + Homing was the whole point - to shoot fully modded dice while enemy has no mods.

There were no Homing Missiles in the list?

And yeah, I said it was jank!

I'm a big fan of the SF in general, and with missiles in particular. This has been forming the core of one of my main lists for a while:

While a bit fragile, it does good work and can defend itself by taking ships off the board remarkably quickly. I've been able to kill a Defender before it gets to shoot most games I've played, and the combo of an alpha strike and high PS can really mess with the way people approach the list. It's currently at 99 points, but it might benefit from a larger initiative bid now that the 100 point Parattanni isn't the dominant list in the meta.

With the remaining 26 points, I've been pairing them up with one of Duchess (VI, LWF, AA), Omega Leader (Juke, Comm Relay, as if there's another way to run her), or Pure Sabbacc (VI, LWF, AA, and Primed Thrusters on Backdraft as well). Omega Leader is probably the most consistent of these three, but Duchess is incredibly slippery and Pure Sabbacc can really help to draw fire away from the SFs in the early game.

I'm getting the impression that Pattern Analyser isn't a card often used on an sf? Seemed handy when I used it. Is it just that other things are better?

No, it's used pretty often.

2 minutes ago, SDCC said:

I'm getting the impression that Pattern Analyser isn't a card often used on an sf? Seemed handy when I used it. Is it jus

t that other things are better?

For a ship that doesn't salivate over tech options and ALSO has a bunch of red, Pattern Analyser seems like such a perfect fit so I'm with you on being surprised it doesn't get brought up more often. Maybe the lack of angled greens to shed the stress after the sloops makes it not so great in practice? I'm interested in trying it

It's a very good option. 1 turn barrel roll is a great move for the SF, as is driving through debris then barrel rolling.

Pattern Analyser is pretty great, and works really well on the SF. I just often find myself running short on points and having to opt for Primed Thrusters or no tech at all.

The /sf is a tough ship to price, if you overinvest in it then it will die pretty quickly so there's a sweet spot to hit where you'll get value. Something like Pattern Analyser tends to fall foul of that, it's 2 pts you can live without.

I've been running this list with good results recently:

TIE Bomber: · Tomax Bren (24)
Crack Shot (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Plasma Torpedoes (3)
Lightweight Frame (2)

TIE/sf Fighter: · "Backdraft" (27)
Adaptability (Increase) (0)
Fire Control System (2)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Special Ops Training (0)
Targeting Synchronizer (3)

Upsilon-class Shuttle: · Major Stridan (32)
Collision Detector (0)
Pattern Analyzer (2)
-- TOTAL ------- 100/100p. --

Backdraft can take a TL, shoot, reroll dice, Reaquire TL with FCS, then Tomax can shoot a missile spending his own TL, and then use Backdrafts TL to reroll if needed. Then the shuttle can shoot. If Backdrafts TL is still in place the shuttle can use it. The shuttle is great at being a threat that is often left alone and is fantastic for providing additional actions.

If you manage to get the same ship on front and rear arc you can add a crit to BOTH arc shots, which is nice. Pulled this ooff earlier on the week.

40 minutes ago, Stay On The Leader said:

Ok, I can see that. Does QD ever get lategame with shields, though?

Anyone ever invested 4pts in Shield Upgrade?

SU doesn't cut it for me, she tends to be best when cheap. It makes her go from a third/just a hair above a third to the lists pointhog. I had her be montrous in late game situations whenever I had another hate-drawing target. Vessery fit that bill for some people who really hate him. Redline did in a more...experimental setup (33 points of Redline - at least it is an experience not too insufferable). Of course some players know how important it is to cut down her ability uses, but even in those situations Baffle/Expertise isn't much worse. And of course you should fly defensively and not just chug her up the other lists throat. Works pretty well with Exertise and the freedom to barrel roll.

Before I got distracted into something else this was the plan for last night.

TIE Defender: · Colonel Vessery (35)
Juke (2)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/x7 (-2)
TIE/sf Fighter: · "Backdraft" (27)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Fire Control System (2)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Special Ops Training (0)
Pattern Analyzer (2)
TIE Fighter: Black Squadron Pilot (14)
Crack Shot (1)
TIE Fighter: Black Squadron Pilot (14)
Crack Shot (1)
-- TOTAL ------- 100p. --

I like the idea of it. Get to use my favourite ship (Defender) whilst the blacks are always handy/annoying.

I wouldn't fly the sf without lightened frame two dice will see QuickDraw trigger exactly once, TC is pretty standard as well.

Me I'd take the tech that let's you use focus to make a blank an evade, anything to increase the chances QuickDraw will be more than a one pump chump.

Still don't really rate the sf though when you've got defenders.

I really like

Outmaneuver, Primed Thrusters, Accuracy corrector

Allows you to be super mobile to maximize your arcs every turn. Don't care if you don't get a focus (or if a main target you woulda had locked with fcs system manages to escape), cause you can still do consistent damage from all sides.

I like QDmost as someone who can consistently roll 4-8 hits every turn, force them to burn through tokens and stuff because one less dice from outmaneuver, so that way another big hitter (Inquisitor, OL, RAC) can put the real damage through.

45 minutes ago, Hobojebus said:

Still don't really rate the sf though when you've got defenders.

I've found they fill quite different roles. Quickdraw is a very different type of threat to Ryad or Vessery for example. Pleasingly, they complement each other quite well though.