So, I've been playing around with building a squad that uses X-Wings, and realized something goofy. It's not too hard to make double action X-Wings (Or the equivalent of) who get to frequently focus and target lock, and yet end every turn without stress.

Hobbie Klivian with a Targeting Astromech and Integrated Astromech, Jek Porkins with Expertise (Effectively a perpetual focus on him as far as attack is concerned), R5-D8 (A 3/8 chance of damaging himself, a 5/8 chance of healing himself. I'll take those odds) and Integrated Astromech, and Nien Nunb with Stay On Target, Targeting Astromech, Pattern Analyzer, and Integrated Astromech.

These three ships can often get a target lock every turn, and still have an action for a focus (Or the occasional boost for Nien Nunb to put him in Range 1). The squad isn't perfect, I'll readily admit, but I still think it'd be fun to fly and might actually make X-Wings kind of neat. Still not as good as three x7 Defenders, though. Ah well, back to the drawing board.

BB-8

Therein lies the issue. No problem getting focus and TL. Much tougher getting repositions and PS...and still getting focus and TLs

3 minutes ago, StevenO said:

BB-8

Is unique and only works on green maneuvers, which makes you rather predictable when you have as few green maneuvers as the X-Wing has.

Besides, which of these would you put it on in this squad? BB-8 doesn't really help Hobbie, but Targeting Astromech seems made for him. Nien Nunb is the best ship to do the Targeting Astromech/Stay On Target on, due to his ability and his access to boost. And Porkins having access to something that lets him discard those face-down cards that he deals himself is pretty vital to letting him survive a couple rounds of getting stress here and there.

7 minutes ago, StevenO said:

BB-8

Combined that with EU and intensity.

Porkins and Hobbie are good - essentially a sort of TIE defender analogue (albeit getting target lock/focus on a Koiogran turn, not evade/focus). I'm not sure who I'd recommend as the third ship, though (personally I don't really like mixing era ships, although I must admit Nien Numb's a good idea).

Biggs is an obvious one - making sure your two "super K-turn" ships don't get shot down in the approach - but if you're trying to avoid cliché squads, biggs is probably not high on your list.

The other option is a B-wing - with B-wing/E2 and Hera Syndulla, you can just keep doing red moves. Add in Ibtisam's ability to make stress actually useful and you've got a nice heavy fighter which can join in with the two X-wings. You can pack Collision Detector, Wired and a Heavy Laser Cannon and the numbers work out just right.