Soooo... up until now, I don't think there's been a reliable way to get 9 Dice Norra to work more than once - it's been possible to do it once per game, but not, I don't think, more than that reliably. 8 dice has been possible, and I think it's been possible to get 9 more than once using R3 Astromech, but getting 9 more than once per game without RNGesus needing to get involved hasn't been possible.

Until Intensity.

THe core of it is this:

Shara Bey (28)
Intensity (2)
Rey (2)
Vectored Thrusters (2)
Alliance Overhaul (0)

Norra Wexley (29)
Swarm Leader (3)
Finn (5)
Alliance Overhaul (0)

Jan Ors (25)
Intensity (2)
Vectored Thrusters (2)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

OR replace Rey and Shara's VTs with R7-T1 to get boost-evade-TL and keep it a bit more reliable - Rey lets you flip Intensity more often, R7-T1 gets you the TLs more often. Fortunately you can't fit Moldy Crow in as well or you could actually get 9 dice every round with a bit of slow-rolling prep time.

You can only get 8 dice *every* round, but you can potentially get 9 fully modifiable dice every other round out of Norra.

The red dice creep is real...

Quote

The red dice creep is real...

Old news.

Could you walk me through the 8 dice please?

6 minutes ago, BlodVargarna said:

Could you walk me through the 8 dice please?

ARC (2), Alliance Overhaul (+1), Norra Wexley ability (+1), Finn (+1), Swarm Leader (+2), Jan Ors (+1) = 8

I don't think you can do it every round? I'm not sure how he's flipping Intensity back down if the Evades are being burned with Swarm Leader.

9 minutes ago, BlodVargarna said:

Could you walk me through the 8 dice please?

Ninja'd Extra dice come from:Intensity gives them two evades for Swarm Leader (2), Finn gives an extra (3), Jan Ors (4), and Nora's ability (5). R1 gives another possibly (6)

However, I'm not seeing where Nora is getting her modifier from for the shot if the other ships are taking actions to get evades.

It's not really that reliable or consistent either since Swarm Leader and the Evade are conditional, but yes possible.

17 minutes ago, AlexW said:

Ninja'd Extra dice come from:Intensity gives them two evades for Swarm Leader (2), Finn gives an extra (3), Jan Ors (4), and Nora's ability (5). R1 gives another possibly (6)

However, I'm not seeing where Nora is getting her modifier from for the shot if the other ships are taking actions to get evades.

It's not really that reliable or consistent either since Swarm Leader and the Evade are conditional, but yes possible.

It probably doesn't work every round, you're right, but every ther round is definitely possible.

It's 2 dice base, +1 from title, +1 range 1, +1 Jan, +2 Swarm Leader that are rolled, then Finn and Norra's ability add 2 more after rolling, and Shara's lock lets you reroll any blanks. Norra has to have a TL already and get a focus from elsewhere.

So yeah, every round isn't actually possible (Jan can't flip Intensity every round, and Norra can only have TL AND Focus every other round. But 7 dice is double every round - 2 base, 1 title, 1 range 1, 1 jan, 1 finn rerolled with shara's TL, 1 norra's ability rerolled with Shara's TL.

And Shara's still getting 3 die shots herself. Fortunately Jan is in an otherwise naked HWK.

But I think the take-home is that whilst the swarm leader version remains janky, the Shara/Norra combo together can have a 5 die attack every round, 6 at range 1, and bring Biggs to not die, and can do it reliably, every round, as long as they can both get locks on the same target and Norra can PTL.

This has been possible since the ARC and HotR came out though; Intensity doesn't change that. Does make me wonder why people don't do it more often though, it seems scary.

11 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

This has been possible since the ARC and HotR came out though; Intensity doesn't change that. Does make me wonder why people don't do it more often though, it seems scary.

Maybe there's more important things in the game than red dice creep? Bending over backwards just to roll an extra dice is only occasionally worth it.

Just now, Stay On The Leader said:

Maybe there's more important things in the game than red dice creep? Bending over backwards just to roll an extra dice is only occasionally worth it.

Norra/Shara/Biggs doesn't seem to be bending over backwards that much tbh.

Shara is the weakest ARC pilot, by and large, and unless I'm missing something she doesn't inherently add anything to Norra's damage output that Norra can't already get by herself?

1 minute ago, Stay On The Leader said:

Shara is the weakest ARC pilot, by and large, and unless I'm missing something she doesn't inherently add anything to Norra's damage output that Norra can't already get by herself?

Shara gives Norra rerolls, without Norra needing to spend her lock to get them and thus be unable to use her pilot ability, meaning she could use Finn and her ability in the same round.

You could get the rerolls elsewhere, I suppose.

So you're bringing a whole ship just to reroll a couple of dice? That's probably why you don't see it often.

When Shara DOES fly with Norra it's usually to buff Norra's defense not her offense (either with more TLs to discard for defensive focus with Kyle 2nd focus, or with Jan Ors to turn Kyle focus into Evade).

You can do that too.

And you, you're bringing a whole ship to reroll a couple of dice AND shoot things of its own accord.

Same reason you bring M9G8.

But mostly, yeah, investing in a REALLY big punch can be a very sound investment when it's a big enough punch to wipe ships off the board in one or two shots even if they roll the best defence they possibly can, and to push through significant damage even at range 3.

3 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

LLY big punch can be a very sound investment when it's a big enough punch to wipe ships off the board in one or two shots even if they roll the best defence they possibly can, and to push through significant damage even at range 3.

And yet almost all the tournament results suggest that this is a gimmick and just having a balanced and effective squad is more successful.

13 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

Shara gives Norra rerolls, without Norra needing to spend her lock to get them and thus be unable to use her pilot ability, meaning she could use Finn and her ability in the same round.

You could get the rerolls elsewhere, I suppose.

Sharra isn't giving rerolls if she is taking an BR/Boost action to gain an evade, though.

16 minutes ago, Stay On The Leader said:

And yet almost all the tournament results suggest that this is a gimmick and just having a balanced and effective squad is more successful.

Attani Fen Boats "Balanced and Effective" Maybe that could be a new slogan for a political party. ?

14 minutes ago, AlexW said:

Sharra isn't giving rerolls if she is taking an BR/Boost action to gain an evade, though.

She is if she has R7-T1.

But yeah, I don't think Swarm Leader norra is anything other than a gimmick, pure and simple.

But say, Norra/PTL/Finn, Shara and biggs with some upgrades, gets a 5-die range 3 punch from Norra, up to 6 at range 1, without much investment beyond 'bringing a second ARC'.

2 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

She is if she has R7-T1.

But yeah, I don't think Swarm Leader norra is anything other than a gimmick, pure and simple.

But say, Norra/PTL/Finn, Shara and biggs with some upgrades, gets a 5-die range 3 punch from Norra, up to 6 at range 1, without much investment beyond 'bringing a second ARC'.

And bringing Finn. So aside from investing ~35pts in Shara and Finn to reroll a blank dice into maybe a hit... yeah, it's minimal.

I've seen Norra/Shara/Biggs do well without Fenn TBH, in various formats.

I guess the biggest difficulty they face right now is Scouts and their Torpedoes ignoring Biggs.

Red Dice Paradise

Red Squadron Veteran (26)
Intensity (2)
Comm Relay (3)

Red Squadron Veteran (26)
Intensity (2)
Comm Relay (3)

Cassian Andor (27)
Swarm Leader (3)
Finn (5)
Rey (2)
Pivot Wing (0)

Total: 99

This means less red dice than the list of @thespaceinvader , but at you'll get to roll 6 dice (7 at range 1) AND you can still modify via Focus (Rey) and TL (action).

And it works more than once.

Comments, ideas? How could we improve this even more?

Use something other than Cassian to do it because Cassian will die WAY too quickly.

Yeah, I also think Cassian is a weak point in this. He's most obviously the primary target and he might get killed soon.

Not an improvement but 5 or 6 dice out of an A-wing is pretty funny:

Jan Ors (25)
Intensity (2)
Twin Laser Turret (6)
Intelligence Agent (1)
Moldy Crow (3)

Red Squadron Veteran (26)
Intensity (2)
Comm Relay (3)
Autothrusters (2)

Jake Farrell (24)
Swarm Leader (3)
Chardaan Refit (-2)
Push the Limit (3)
Autothrusters (2)
A-Wing Test Pilot (0)

Total: 100

I have just realised, that Jess Pava would be even better than one of the Red Squadron veterans, because she'd cost the same, got her Pilot Ability for her own rerolls and she HAS TO take R2D6 to get an Elite Skill Slot. So she'll also get one additional health via Integrated.

Comparison

Red Squadron Veteran (26) -> Total Points 31
Intensity (2)
Comm Relay (3)

Jess Pava (25) -> Total Points 31
R2-D6 (1)
Comm Relay (3)
Intensity (2)
Integrated Astromech (0)

6 minutes ago, Jo Jo said:

Not an improvement but 5 or 6 dice out of an A-wing is pretty funny:

Jan Ors (25)
Intensity (2)
Twin Laser Turret (6)
Intelligence Agent (1)
Moldy Crow (3)

Red Squadron Veteran (26)
Intensity (2)
Comm Relay (3)
Autothrusters (2)

Jake Farrell (24)
Swarm Leader (3)
Chardaan Refit (-2)
Push the Limit (3)
Autothrusters (2)
A-Wing Test Pilot (0)

Total: 100

intensity is useless on Jan unless you give her vectored thrusters or Engine upgrade

5 minutes ago, Jo Jo said:

Not an improvement but 5 or 6 dice out of an A-wing is pretty funny:

Jan Ors (25)
Intensity (2)
Twin Laser Turret (6)
Intelligence Agent (1)
Moldy Crow (3)

Red Squadron Veteran (26)
Intensity (2)
Comm Relay (3)
Autothrusters (2)

Jake Farrell (24)
Swarm Leader (3)
Chardaan Refit (-2)
Push the Limit (3)
Autothrusters (2)
A-Wing Test Pilot (0)

Total: 100

This actually feels like it could have some real legs with the change from Red Squad to Jess, already noted. Jake's major issue is his weak attack, this gives him some real punch, but unlike most Swarm Leader lists, doesn't also end up with him being the obvious first target as he's a pain to take down.