Shuttle Tydirium Episode 50: Imperial Star Destroyer

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Welcome aboard the Shuttle Tydirium for episode 50! This week we're taking a deep dive into Biff's ISD mission, which he will be running at Gencon 2017. It's an epic-scale scenario; not for the feint of heart!

4:45 Captain's Question

23:40 Ready Room: ISD

Check out our background audiodrama for our upcoming gencon event: "GRAYSKULL"

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I'll see if I can get some photos of the ISD that Biff has done. It looks really impressive! @Biff , you have any to post up?

Here is the company that Biff got all the amazing scenery from: Combatzone Scenery

Here are a few.

Just so I don't leave the wrong impression: the last two pictures above are courtesy of Combatzone Scenery. Shaun and Rob get all the credit for the painting and model detail. I've not yet painted my models - but that will start very soon!!!!

The scenery really adds a lot to the scenario; nice work painting it up, and nice job to CZS on the sculpts! I need to get cracking on Grayskull Base (an asteroid base from CZS) soon so we can really show it off as a prize for gencon.

For those that are a bit more interested in the Bridge and Antenna Array scenery, check out the first of several build videos we have created to show how that beauty is assembled and painted:

Looks great Biff!

Jaw drop good. @Biff Sry no sound here (rocking baby), where is that ISD mat from?

5 hours ago, Lobokai said:

Jaw drop good. @Biff Sry no sound here (rocking baby), where is that ISD mat from?

I got the image from scifi3D.com. It was generated from a 3D rendering of an ISD.

Using the image, I had it printed on vinyl through Mats by Mars (matsbymars.com). They offer custom printing using your own imagery. They are super awesome to work with.

20 minutes ago, Biff said:

I got the image from scifi3D.com. It was generated from a 3D rendering of an ISD.

Using the image, I had it printed on vinyl through Mats by Mars (matsbymars.com). They offer custom printing using your own imagery. They are super awesome to work with.

He gave me one, too, the super nice guy. It looks AMAZING.

Gonna be the negative guy and ask if you've got any plans to work on your audio balance in future episodes. When I need to double my usual volume to hear(read: comprehend what they're saying) one or two people who (I think?) have softer voices, or bad equipment, theres a problem. Despite my opinion of how condescending you tend to be toward the competitive mindset, I do like listening to your podcasts, so not having to strain my ears would be great

Re: the comments about S&V, I think their point was "this is the public perception, and that's why we don't see many Imps right now."

Though based on a small local tourney they seem to be comming back in the form of Quickdraw, Omega Leader and Vessery/some other ship.

2 hours ago, RejjeN said:

Gonna be the negative guy and ask if you've got any plans to work on your audio balance in future episodes. When I need to double my usual volume to hear(read: comprehend what they're saying) one or two people who (I think?) have softer voices, or bad equipment, theres a problem.

I thought the last one was too low!!! Yeah.....I'll talk to @Babaganoosh about that. I thought so, too. I had to turn my volume up really high to listen. I hate that. Thanks for the feedback, even the negative ones.

I like S&V and I'm not trying to bash them, but I just get frustrated at times with perceptions. I'm glad to hear that there are other ships coming to the fore.

I'll go ahead and bump the audio for the last episode; not sure why it would have been low

Audio issues? What? I just open the sunroof and blast it.....like 11. That way, one of you may be talking, but the rest are yelling; child of the 80's am I.

And @heychadwick , I gotta say I have a beef with Imperial ships (and your retort of SandV) and their ability to put the hurt on current meta lists of Scum Ace/Mindlink/Boat(s) and Rebel Miranda/Sabine/Biggs/Stresser. I have and are currently trying everything the Imps have on paper, computer matrix, and in games, lots of games (playing both sides to find strengths and weaknesses); and the Imps flat out --without the X7 auto-evade and Palp universal insurance-- can't cut it with any viable reliability. OK, I'm no Duncan Howard, but he'll, he's even running Scum Aces now. There is a potential balancer, maybe....unless, and here's the sad part: you stop being Imperial and strive to play "Rebel" and the newest wave ship design sucks Imperials farther down that rabbit hole. What I'm saying is, the TIE/SF flys all Rebel like to me, but it's the most solid current platform, and the future Aggressor is just a TLT platform (maybe unguided rockets too, but come on, TLTs are OP and the Empire couldn't have them, so FFG is just throwing a **** bone here). Yeah, I'm a bit salty, but I love this game and so desire all factions to be unique (as they were three waves ago) and fairly balanced. It ain't, and Palp at least made it unique (he's supposed to be crazy powerful in SW and he was fine) and helped the heart of the Imps --glass Cannon Aces-- compete, as long as you didn't make mistakes, at the top.

Sorry, I'll stop.....my pointer finger in numb.

?????

14 minutes ago, clanofwolves said:

And @heychadwick , I gotta say I have a beef with Imperial ships (and your retort of SandV) and their ability to put the hurt on current meta lists of Scum Ace/Mindlink/Boat(s) and Rebel Miranda/Sabine/Biggs/Stresser. I have and are currently trying everything the Imps have on paper, computer matrix, and in games, lots of games (playing both sides to find strengths and weaknesses); and the Imps flat out --without the X7 auto-evade and Palp universal insurance-- can't cut it with any viable reliability. OK, I'm no Duncan Howard, but he'll, he's even running Scum Aces now. There is a potential balancer, maybe....unless, and here's the sad part: you stop being Imperial and strive to play "Rebel" and the newest wave ship design sucks Imperials farther down that rabbit hole. What I'm saying is, the TIE/SF flys all Rebel like to me, but it's the most solid current platform, and the future Aggressor is just a TLT platform (maybe unguided rockets too, but come on, TLTs are OP and the Empire couldn't have them, so FFG is just throwing a **** bone here). Yeah, I'm a bit salty, but I love this game and so desire all factions to be unique (as they were three waves ago) and fairly balanced. It ain't, and Palp at least made it unique (he's supposed to be crazy powerful in SW and he was fine) and helped the heart of the Imps --glass Cannon Aces-- compete, as long as you didn't make mistakes, at the top.

Sorry, I'll stop.....my pointer finger in numb.

?????

OK....so what I hear you saying is that playing those other ships, like the TIE/SF, makes you feel like you are playing Rebels. This is because Imperials to you are all about top Aces, Swarms, or Tie Defenders? I can understand that, but will still stick to my guns that that doesn't mean that the Imperial faction is dead in the water. It's just that why you liked Imperials is not valid anymore.

Also, have you tried 4 x Tie Bombers?

17 minutes ago, heychadwick said:

OK....so what I hear you saying is that playing those other ships, like the TIE/SF, makes you feel like you are playing Rebels. This is because Imperials to you are all about top Aces, Swarms, or Tie Defenders? I can understand that, but will still stick to my guns that that doesn't mean that the Imperial faction is dead in the water. It's just that why you liked Imperials is not valid anymore.

Also, have you tried 4 x Tie Bombers?

That I think is dawning true, and that is sad........

Yes, I love Bombers, I really enjoy them casually. I cannot get them to turn the corner in tournament situations. It seems no matter how I practice against the current powers, when the pressure is on from the expert pilots (who are really good at the easier to fly top lists) are across the mat flaunting the meta monsters, well, it's tough as hell to get wins in a row. Yes, I win sometimes, but it is an uphill fight as the synergies of Mindlink Aces/Jumps and Sabine/Regen/Bombs/TLT just outclass them in almost every statistical category. Even when you get the munitions all off with good shots and average rolls, it's not enough. However, one that is surprisingly just a bit under .500 is:

Scimitar Squadron Pilot - (16), TIE Shuttle (0), Fleet Officer (3), Systems Officer (2)

Gamma Squadron Veteran - (19) Deadeye (1), Proton Torpedoes (4), Extra Munitions (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Gamma Squadron Veteran - (19) Deadeye (1), Proton Torpedoes (4), Extra Munitions (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Gamma Squadron Veteran - (19) Deadeye (1), Proton Torpedoes (4), Ion Pulse Missiles (3), Guidance Chips (0)

I've tried Lightweight frame, and although good, couldn't pay for itself vs. the munitions in my trial runs. Now on a single Bomber like Tomax, it's grand. Plus, I'm pretty good at getting the shots off pre-death, so that mod slot comes in handy otherwise. Long Range Scanners also are a usual suspect in my trial baloons, but I have found they work best when you don't have a support Bomber....but that support is so sweet when paired with this squad, IMO.

16 minutes ago, clanofwolves said:

Yes, I love Bombers, I really enjoy them casually. I cannot get them to turn the corner in tournament situations. It seems no matter how I practice against the current powers, when the pressure is on from the expert pilots (who are really good at the easier to fly top lists) are across the mat flaunting the meta monsters, well, it's tough as hell to get wins in a row. Yes, I win sometimes, but it is an uphill fight as the synergies of Mindlink Aces/Jumps and Sabine/Regen/Bombs/TLT just outclass them in almost every statistical category. Even when you get the munitions all off with good shots and average rolls, it's not enough.

I'd probably go with:

Gamma Squadron Veteran (19)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Guidance Chips (0)

Gamma Squadron Veteran (19)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Guidance Chips (0)

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Long-Range Scanners (0)

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16)
Extra Munitions (2)
Homing Missiles (5)
Long-Range Scanners (0)

Total: 100 [/url]

I haven't tried lately, though. Vets at PS 7 helps. Scimitars with LRS can get people at a distance and either force them to veer off or will hit someone with TL and Focus (minus Evades).

I've not tried VI, but I have flown the full-homers list with LRS quite a few times. I can see the PS bump helping a bit. I try so much stuff, a bunch of it just is fun and pretty much stands up like jello. However, believe it or not I am 3-0 (against 2 Jump-link-Ace Scum and 1 Kanan blah, blah, and Biggs) with this jank list....but it was always super down to the wire and everyone is laughing as it does it's actual unbelievable work, cause it doesn't look like it can do much of nothing beyond minor obviousness....I can see, however, that there is no real way it would hold up long term against the same great lists and pilots twice. But once? Now beer must in some way have been or be involved. And to your point last episode, good beer at that. It would be really good in Epic too.

Captain Oicunn (42) , Gunner (5), Hot-shot copilot (4), Darth Vader (3)

Gamma Squadron Pilot (18) , Advanced Homing Missiles (3), Flechetti Torpedos (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Gamma Squadron Pilot (18) , Advanced Homing Missiles (3), Flechetti Torpedos (2), Guidance Chips (0)

I noticed that I had to run the volume up on Radio TCX as well. I'm listening to these podcasts through the iPhone podcast app.