Asked in another thread, just wanted wider exposure.
"Countdown" has a pretty snazzy special ability. Adaptive Ailerons and his Special ability fold when he's stressed. Would you go with Lightweight Frame, Stealth Device, or Twin Ion Engine MkII? I'm thinking TIE MkII, to get him back on his legs (Ailerons?) faster.
I think it ups to your list.
Targeting Computer if he is along with Vessery. He gets to TL, Vess fires, then countdown uses the TL. His ability is the defense.
If you're wanting a more defensive list, Stealth Device is great as it may let you Dodge hits that you'd otherwise need to use the ability on, and using the ability doesn't discard it.
But if you don't think you have any other stress mitigation, and you're worried that you'll need that open dual, then go for the TIE Mk ii.
11 hours ago, wurms said:I think it ups to your list.
Targeting Computer if he is along with Vessery. He gets to TL, Vess fires, then countdown uses the TL. His ability is the defense.
This.
Countdown needs the offensive mods a lot more than he needs the defence, but if you do go for the defence, LWF is way better than SD.
Light weight frame is the upgrade you must have on ships with 2 defense dice.
i have used it with the phantom just out of curiosity and it works.
In a bad roll if you don't loose the ship, the next defense you have to make you have lost the SD.
light weight frame just sucks when someone fires 2 dice at you within range 2. So avoid this at all costs.
5 hours ago, Pedro Vladimiro said:In a bad roll if you don't loose the ship, the next defense you have to make you have lost the SD.
That's typically true, but on Countdown you don't lose the SD.
You can move, take evade if you'll be attacked, and then have 3 dice and evade on defense.
If you don't defend, you can trigger his ability, and keep the SD.
For me, his goal is to throw dice and be a major distraction/deterrent that last at least 4 rounds of combat.
I plan on using debris fields as my obstacles, tightly clustered, possibly near a corner of the play area. I've found I can AA through them then follow up with a green maneuver to clear the stress from having done so. In practice, I'd nip in behind debris for cover, AA out from behind, green maneuver to clear stress, then take an action appropriate to my final position. Crap versus turrets, yes, but the my special ability helps mitigate their threat, and the open dial would keep me moving.
Arc dodge, zip away, turn back in, use debris, zip out, clear stress, action, attack, rinse and repeat. I just think SD has less longevity than TIE MkII; am I wrong?
My experience of Countdown is that he needs rerolls to make up for all the blank reds he'll get. You need to give him them somehow or he's the perfect thing for your opponent to leave til last - tough but basically nonthreatening, with just 3 red/focus not really cutting it for a single attack in the current metagame.
Hence suggesting Targetting Computer, but a friendly Systems Officer or a /sf with FCS and Targetting Synchroniser would also work.
For Countdown, hull Upgrade trumps Stealth Device every time.
Lightweight frame