So have recently gotten back into X Wing, and I'm getting eaten alive by Defender lists, and by Defender Episolon shuttle lists.

Can anyone tell me how to not get pummeled every time I go against these lists.

Just for info I play all three factions.

Stress and blocking work against TIE/x7 since the last FAQ. Homing Missiles and Mines are great ways to negate the agility and token stacks.

The Upsilon can't turn around; get behind it.

Carnor Jax and/or Omega Leader are nice counters. Add Echo in there and you should do all right.

As a general suggestion bring big asteroids.

4-LOM crew and Homing missiles. Bossk can 1 shot a Defender if a few things go his way, but it is unlikely. Still, a Defender relying on greens with 0 mods can be a scary prospect. Also focus fire, they have 1 focus and 1 evade generally. Get 2-3 ships shooting at 1 Defender and it should crumble in a turn or two, but sometimes that's easier said than done.

Thanks for the advice with Imps and Scum. Any suggestions for Rebels out there.

Black One title, I assume its PTL Ryad and Vessery. Get rid of target locks. M9G8 is also a good droid to take, as defenders like to save tokens for defense or they already used the focus for defense, so make them roll those hits into eyeballs and blanks. My brother chewed up any defenders he came across at regionals running Thane with M9G8 and Weapons Engineer along with Miranda w/ missiles and Biggs.

Kwings can slam passed the shuttle, then TLT it to death also.

GET BEHIND THE SHUTTLE!

ARCs. Braylen with R3A2 and gunner to double-stress and Norra with Tailgunner and the upgrades of your choice to destroy them. Biggs, unfortunately, is needed too.

For Defenders, bring things that will stress them (Tactician, Thermal Detonators, Flechette torp/cannons), remove or steal tokens (Palob, Old Teroch, Hot-Shot Copilot) and reduce agility (tractor beams, Outmaneuver). Autoblaster Cannon/Turrets too.

And get behind them.

These are generally good suggestions for attacking any foe!

You need to be able to consistently crack evade, focus, and 3 green dice with your attack to play against them heads up. Few lists can do that round to round... Maybe Rey, or superdash, or TLTs...etc.

If you are playing a list without something like that, you need to deny them their tokens and focus fire on a blocked ship. How do you block a defender? Well, If your ship moves first you block their 3 speed manuever that puts them pointing towards you- this will force them to give up shots if they want their defensive stack. If your ship moves after the defender you need to position to block their 4k next turn (Ryad is a different beast). Stress makes them easy targets as it denies thier action economy.

Any list that uses a shuttle to boost defenders, that shuttle is your first target. It is a much easier target to hit and it goes down faster, making the defnders easier once it dies. It is possible to fly straight past defenders on the opening engagment since they often commit to 3 or higher speed moves...

IMO the key to beating defenders is to create 2 or 3 on 1s. They aren't manueverable like high PS aces with repositioning so you can outmanuver them if you reduce the numbers in the enemy list. If your approach doesnt get you more than 1 round on the same target, you are playing into their hands, allowing their k-turn to get them behind you.

5 hours ago, wurms said:

Kwings can slam passed the shuttle, then TLT it to death also.

TLTs also work well against Defenders. They can't take autothrusters so their defense against turrets is finite. 2-3 TLTs will burn through their token stacks pretty quickly and start laying damage on them. Even 1 TLT will generally soften them up as long as you have something else to hit them with. This is quite an effective list I like to run and it works well against Defenders.

42 Miranda Doni (29), TLT (6), Homing Missile (5), Extra Munitions (2), Long Range Scanner (0), Chopper (0)
32 Bryalen Stramm (25), R3-A2 (2), Gunner (5), Alliance Overhaul (0)
26 Biggs Darklighter (25), R4-D6 (1), Integrated Astromech (0)
100 Total

I have this build and i can´ t modifi mi build, how i can beat a triple defender list?

TalonBane cobra
-Attani Mindlink
-Engine upgrade

Fenn Rau
-Attani Mindlink
-Title
-Authotrusters

Contracted Scout
-Attani Mindlink
-plasma torpedos
-K4
-EM
-Unhinged astromech
-Guidance chips


TRiple defender

Vessery
-Swarm leader
-Tie/x7

Gailve squadron
-Tie/x7
-Trick Shot

Ryad
-Tie/x7
-Adaptability

FennBoats crush them, well the last time I played 'em. And, @Karhedron is correct, that d*** Miranda, Biggs, Bryalen/Stresshog works quite well too.

....or, anything with Plasma Jumpboats really.

Scum up, it's where it's at right now!

If they are rolling well and tokened up they are almost impossible to kill.

I had a game the other night with 3 shots on a ps1 x7 defender with focus and evade.

First shot was range 1 bossk. Got 3 hits and a crit after modifiers which gives him the chance to use his ability for extra damage. Defender rolled 3 evades and spent token for a fourth. No damage.

Second shot was range 1 firespray with fearlessness. Got 5 hits/crits after modifiers. Defender rolled 2 evades and a focus and spent focus. 2 shields damage.

Third shot was concussion missile. Got 4 hits/crits. Defender rolled 2 evades. Took a shield and a crit. Crit was DH but still alive at 1 hull.

Simply ridiculous.

On 4/30/2017 at 3:51 AM, markcsoul said:

If they are rolling well and tokened up they are almost impossible to kill.

I had a game the other night with 3 shots on a ps1 x7 defender with focus and evade.

First shot was range 1 bossk. Got 3 hits and a crit after modifiers which gives him the chance to use his ability for extra damage. Defender rolled 3 evades and spent token for a fourth. No damage.

Second shot was range 1 firespray with fearlessness. Got 5 hits/crits after modifiers. Defender rolled 2 evades and a focus and spent focus. 2 shields damage.

Third shot was concussion missile. Got 4 hits/crits. Defender rolled 2 evades. Took a shield and a crit. Crit was DH but still alive at 1 hull.

Simply ridiculous.

On the flip side of this I have played Defenders and have rolled 2 natural evades out of 12 rolls... If the dice are hot or cold, you just have to roll with it. I think this is where ye olde 4-LOM and the Homing Missile comes into play, but knowing my luck they would roll nothing but evades anyway.