"Guns for Hire"... Generic Pilots even worse options

By Hexdot, in X-Wing

Boost the Scum K and Starviper...thumbs up. But we will see as usual only Unique Pilots.

Scum K. Awesome if you load a Hero with upgrades. Per example 3 mods plus EPT plus Ordnance... -5 pts. But if you choose to field a basic Generic... Suboptimal.

Starviper. Guri and Xizor (second place) are on the tables. And they will be. If you gain a 3 pts discount and you can equip 2 Titles but Virago is unique... No point choosing a low PS generic.

IMHO as times goes by X Wing is more a game about Named Heroes skirmishing and dodging rocks. No love towards Squadrons, Ground Targets or...

So I will buy this pack (give me 2) but I encorage you to adapt and improve your X Wing to improve your casual game experience. Aproaching a trio of AT ATs with your Rogue Squadron fixed T 65s is UOUHHHHH... Try it.

Umm. You do realise there are two brand new generics for the StarViper in the pack right? At PS5 so they can equip Virago, and almost certainly with EPTs...

And Vaksai works just as well on Generics.

3 minutes ago, Hexdot said:

Boost the Scum K and Starviper...thumbs up. But we will see as usual only Unique Pilots.

I wouldn't count on it. There's already been plenty of theorycrafting using generics for both ships. Even the old faithful FIVE. CARTEL. MARAUDERS. gets a nice buff in damage output and versatility.

5 x Cartel Marauders - Vaksai (0) XX-23 Thread Tracers (0), Munitions Failsafe (0), Black Market Slicer Tools (0), Guidance Chimps (0) - 100 points.

2 minutes ago, FTS Gecko said:

I wouldn't count on it. There's already been plenty of theorycrafting using generics for both ships. Even the old faithful FIVE. CARTEL. MARAUDERS. gets a nice buff in damage output and versatility.

5 x Cartel Marauders - Vaksai (0) XX-23 Thread Tracers (0), Munitions Failsafe (0), Black Market Slicer Tools (0), Guidance Chimps (0) - 100 points.

I think your opinion is much better than mine. A bunch of free mods... +1

6 minutes ago, FTS Gecko said:

I wouldn't count on it. There's already been plenty of theorycrafting using generics for both ships. Even the old faithful FIVE. CARTEL. MARAUDERS. gets a nice buff in damage output and versatility.

5 x Cartel Marauders - Vaksai (0) XX-23 Thread Tracers (0), Munitions Failsafe (0), Black Market Slicer Tools (0), Guidance Chimps (0) - 100 points.

The Tracers look so strong here - miss and you don't lose them, hit and increase your lists damage by a metric ton. Its like the Bunkeswarm (BunkeJunk?) on steroids. Personaly, I'd go for Inertial Dampeners over BMSTs because they are more flexible and movement shenanigans speak to me more than damage chances you my or may not get, but at 0 points that certainly is preference.

Edited by Admiral Deathrain

...then there's the Black Sun Aces, who can now take Attanni Mindlink (or Crackshot, or VI, or Deadeye etc) for free...

Yeah I'd go with intertial Damps too. Kriahsldns get a free stop once per game? sure. =) BMST for fREEEEE?? SURE.

I'm still of the opinion you should run only 3 or 4 though, and have something else. ex. an ion or flechette Syck.

Also, Generic PS1 starviper with AT for 22+2=24??? HECK YES.

I played both 5 Kihraxz and 4 Starvipers before. Now I'm just crying for the joy!

5 Kihraxz list will be amazing, but no one is thinking about 4 Starvipers. You can play 4 of them with AT for 24 points, or you can even fly SSSSZ now.

Or 4 Starvipers with PlasmaTorp+Guidance Ships.

Or with PRS.

So many options! And I'm curious about those Harpoon Missiles. I Love this exp pack, K and Vipers were my first ships, I love them (:

Edited by Cerve
43 minutes ago, FTS Gecko said:

...then there's the Black Sun Aces, who can now take Attanni Mindlink (or Crackshot, or VI, or Deadeye etc) for free...

...and Hot shot blaster for 1, munitions failsafe for both the tracer and the hotshotblaster and guidance chips all for free.

If anything, I'm very excited to run 4X Black Sun Ace that can dish out fully modified 3 dice in/outside arc against hi ps arc dodgers.

Edited by Grivoire
3 minutes ago, Grivoire said:

...and Hot shot blaster for 1, munitions failsafe for both the tracer and the hotshotblaster and guidance chips all for free.

If anything, I'm very excited to run 4X Black Sun Ace that can dish out fully modified 3 dice in/outside arc against hi ps arc dodgers.

HSB is 3 points normally... E: but Mindlink, HSB, Tracers, Chips and Failsafe is 25. 4 of those would be pretty solid...

Edited by thespaceinvader
2 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

HSB is 3 points normally...

Drats yer right. 2 points with pimp mah ride!

But yeah it's still the same calculation so a Black Sun Ace with Mindlink/Tracer/Hotshot/Chips/Munitions Failsafe come down to a neat 25 pts.

Edited by Grivoire

How to get munition failsafe valuable again, lol

hell, take four cartel marauders, give them all shield and hull upgrades and that aint too shabby aside from the lack of repositioning

I think Black Sun Ace is now a pilot to have in serious account:

You can make Lists as:

Palob Godalhi:

  • Attani Mindlink
  • Blaster Turret
  • Recon Specialist

3x Black Sun Ace:

  • Vaskai
  • Attani Mindlink
  • Pulsed Ray Shield

Even you can Drop the Recon Specialist in order to have Vectored Thrusters in every Black Sun Ace.

Another option is having a Black Sun Ace based in secondary weapons, something as:

Black Sun Ace (23+5):

  • Vaskai (0)
  • Crack Shot (0)
  • Pulsed Ray Shield (1)
  • Guidance Chips (0)
  • Munitions Failsafe (0)
  • Homing Missiles (4)
  • Scavenger Crane (1)

You can run 2 of these guys with 1 solid big support ship, an ace (Viper or Protectorate) or 2 small ship/blockers (Quadjumper, Z95...), or running 3 of these trying different pilots. Even you can run 4 Cartel Marauders at 25 each With Cluster Missiles, PSR, Guidance Chips, Munitions and Scavenger Crane.

28 minutes ago, Cerve said:

How to get munition failsafe valuable again, lol

Having a 2nd chance with one-shot weapons if they miss was never really valuable due to the price of the upgrade and the opportunity cost of taking it over other modifications.

Remove both of those costs, however, and it might as well be an auto-include!

Whilst I agree that we are in a age of unique pilots everywhere, the below list is going to be disgusting:

Black Sun Ace - PS 5 - 23 points
Veksai Title
Deadeye (0)
Concussion Missile (3)
Guidance Chips (0)
Scavenger Crane (1)
27 points

Black Sun Ace - PS 5 - 23 points
Veksai Title
Deadeye (0)
Concussion Missile (3)
Guidance Chips (0)
Scavenger Crane (1)
27 points

Ketsu Onyo - PS7 - 38 points
Veteran Instincts (1) PS9
Dengar Crew (3)
Shadow Caster Title (3)
45 points

Total: 99 points

Ketsu moves into range 1, assigns you a tractor beam token. Ketsu fires four dice with a focus and re-roll/s, assigns you a second tractor beam token.

Black Sun Aces fire two disgusting Concussion Missiles again your zero / one agility ship.

Laters.

if Dengar / Tel is still a concern, you can swap out SC for Glitterstim and add Tactical Jammer to Ketsu to ensure that your black sun aces survive long enough to remove Dengar from the board.

Edited by Viktus106

Oooh, yeah, this gives some new potential wingmate for my Ketsu plus two punchers list. Thanks, I need to take another look at that one.

At least every option for both obscure EU ships is better than all the T-65 x-wing pilots now, that's a plus. Right?...

I think the starvipers will see more love than the Kihraxzs in the long run, due to their ability to equip autothrusters slightly cheaper.

3 hours ago, Astech said:

At least every option for both obscure EU ships is better than all the T-65 x-wing pilots now, that's a plus. Right?...

Plus if they ever get really tired of running awesome named pilots they can always hop over to Contracted Scouts and smash face.

SCUMWING: Because why should anyone else have any fun? ( ) Disney

I think that it's become viable to have more jousters in your list than before. I've heard of people playing 4 X-wings and having really good results. The meta is still shifting a bit and people need to try old things out to see if they are viable now. I also expect a nerf for the top Worlds lists and that will bring the power level down to a more reasonable level. I think it will allow generics to do more.

6 hours ago, Hexdot said:

Boost the Scum K and Starviper...thumbs up. But we will see as usual only Unique Pilots.

Scum K. Awesome if you load a Hero with upgrades. Per example 3 mods plus EPT plus Ordnance... -5 pts. But if you choose to field a basic Generic... Suboptimal.

Starviper. Guri and Xizor (second place) are on the tables. And they will be. If you gain a 3 pts discount and you can equip 2 Titles but Virago is unique... No point choosing a low PS generic.

IMHO as times goes by X Wing is more a game about Named Heroes skirmishing and dodging rocks. No love towards Squadrons, Ground Targets or...

So I will buy this pack (give me 2) but I encorage you to adapt and improve your X Wing to improve your casual game experience. Aproaching a trio of AT ATs with your Rogue Squadron fixed T 65s is UOUHHHHH... Try it.

Epic is where the love for the generics is, and you will see them plenty there and plenty effective as well.
Skirmishes at the other hand had always been dominated by the aces and X-Wing is doing a great job at simulating just that. ;-)

As a primarily scum player, guns for hire is everything I dreamed of and more. Literally jumping for joy right now! :D and with the C-ROC right around the corner and the H-6 Scurrg later in the year my heart is actually beating faster over a table top game lol

24 minutes ago, Phoenix5454 said:

As a primarily scum player, guns for hire is everything I dreamed of and more. Literally jumping for joy right now! :D and with the C-ROC right around the corner and the H-6 Scurrg later in the year my heart is actually beating faster over a table top game lol

You and me both! This is going to be an awesome year for playing with scum ships that aren't Jumpmasters or Fenn. I want at least two guns for hire plus the old expansions to make even sets of "fixed" scum fighters.

7 hours ago, FTS Gecko said:

I wouldn't count on it. There's already been plenty of theorycrafting using generics for both ships. Even the old faithful FIVE. CARTEL. MARAUDERS. gets a nice buff in damage output and versatility.

5 x Cartel Marauders - Vaksai (0) XX-23 Thread Tracers (0), Munitions Failsafe (0), Black Market Slicer Tools (0), Guidance Chimps (0) - 100 points.

Plz proxy this for a few games and write up a report!

7 hours ago, Hexdot said:

Starviper. Guri and Xizor (second place) are on the tables. And they will be. If you gain a 3 pts discount and you can equip 2 Titles but Virago is unique... No point choosing a low PS generic.

22 points for the PS1 is a great reason to run the PS1. I've always played the Starviper as if it filled the same role that the B-Wing does. Now it is priced for it.