Need some input on this squadron please. Primarily meant for fun but might find its use in a local tournament one day.

TIE Striker: · "Duchess" (23)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Adaptive ailerons (0)
TIE Defender: · Countess Ryad (34)
Intensity (Exhausted) (2)
TIE/x7 (-2)
TIE Defender: · Colonel Vessery (35)
Ion Cannon (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/D (0)
-- TOTAL ------- 99p. --

DUCHESS is meant to be a threat for aces. Should be able to get behind most kof them an stay there for one or even two attacks or switch targets as they present. Arc dodge and keep out of harms war. Hit and run.

RYAD get and keep TL on VESSERYS target of choice to trigger VESSERYS pilot ability. Qu ite maneuverable and dodgy. Has 3-5 def dice (base+rng + obs) plus 1-2 evade tokens (TIE/x7 + Barrel Roll + Intensity). Should be quite survivable and relatively hard hitting.

VESSERY heavy hitter of the squadron. Benefits from RYADS TL to trigger his own pilot ability and get rerolls for cannon and prim attack as often as possible during one combat phase. Use focus in conjunction with TL. Easily recovers from stress.

Weaknesses?

Is every K-Turn Ryad does considered a white maneuver?

Thank you all for your feedback on this list!

Ryad's straight-to-K turns are green. Nothing changes their colour, so their colour doesn't change.

You'll face a few issues with this:

1: Vessery is the obvious big threat, and is surprisingly squishy. TIE/d is nowhere near as good as TIE/x7.

2: Once Ryad dies, Duchess can't feed locks to Vessery so he loses his pilot ability.

3: Ryad taking TLs means she's not using Intensity, which means she's likely only to have one token about half the time which a: means she dies and b: means she's not flipping intensity back.

Ryad wants PTL and TIE Mk2.

Also, why doesn't Vess have an EPT? Adaptability would be solid for free, means he can go up if it gets him equal or higher PS than someone else, or go down if it doesn't and you can move/shoot with him and Ryad in either order which can be very handy.

2 hours ago, thespaceinvader said:

Ryad's straight-to-K turns are green. Nothing changes their colour, so their colour doesn't change.

Thats great, thx.

2 hours ago, thespaceinvader said:

You'll face a few issues with this:

1: Vessery is the obvious big threat, and is surprisingly squishy. TIE/d is nowhere near as good as TIE/x7.

Yeah, I think so too. But I believe Duchess and Ryad can dish out a fair amount of dmg too. So even with Vessery gone, there is enough dmg potential left in my opinion. Yet, I dont have any experience concerning TIE Strikers and Defenders.

2 hours ago, thespaceinvader said:

2: Once Ryad dies, Duchess can't feed locks to Vessery so he loses his pilot ability.

Thats absolutly correct, but in my opinion Vessery still poses a rather high threat being able to ionize targets.

2 hours ago, thespaceinvader said:

3: Ryad taking TLs means she's not using Intensity, which means she's likely only to have one token about half the time which a: means she dies and b: means she's not flipping intensity back.

Preferably Ryad should TL at range three and out of enemy arc. If this is achieved with a 3/4/5 maneuver shed still get one free evade action (+ range bonus if in arc), which does not sound like dying to me. Yet she would not be able to flip INT back, unless she would not need that evade. Ill check out PTL never the less.

Maybe I could free some points to put INT on Vessery since he does not neet his TL he could use all of its other actions (focus + br + free evade)

Thank you for your feedback. I am working on adjustments.

I find this kind of list more fun with VI + tractor beam on Vess, though then you'd probably want to drop down to PS8 on Duchess, which isn't great.

I also agree that Intensity doesn't seem like the best choice on Ryad - flying defenders I find that I don't want to BR THAT often. You could go for Juke instead, or PtL to have focus + evade + TL every turn.

I think in principle it could work - Vessery is big and scary, but Ryad is a very solid end-game ship, so there are going to be target priority issues for your opponent. I've never flown Duchess so I'm not really sure how she'll fit in, but she seems like a solid ship too. Your biggest problem is definitely going to be losing one of the defenders early, I think.

Juke wont work since defenders dont have the evade action. Or did I miss something here.

To fly this list successfully you definatly need to choose maneuvers very carfully.

Yeah, I also think that target priority is not that clear for the oponent. If he chooses Vessery he leaves dodgy Ryad. If Ryad is chosen she would evade alot and give Vessery way more time to engage. Duchess on the other hand could be not considered at all, but she could get realy annoying for the oposing player. I have not flown her, but in my opinion the maneuver options are just superb.

I am also not quite sure if I want an initiative bid or not. Duchess does not need it. The others thou, I am not sure.

12 minutes ago, SOLAR FLARE said:

Juke wont work since defenders dont have the evade action. Or did I miss something here.

To fly this list successfully you definatly need to choose maneuvers very carfully.

Yeah, I also think that target priority is not that clear for the oponent. If he chooses Vessery he leafs dodgy Ryad. If Ryad is chosen she would evade alot and give Vessery way more time to engage. Duchess on the other hand could be not considered at all, but she could get realy annoying for the oposing player. I have not flown her, but in my opinion the maneuver options are just superb.

I am also not quite sure if I want an initiative bid or not. Duchess does not need it. The others thou, I am not sure.

Juke needs an evade token, which you'd be getting out of the x7 title.

I'd still be tempted with Push the Limit, instead of Intensity. It just gives Ryad so many options, and with MkII Engines, there's plenty of greens to shed that stress.

I'm a sucker for the TIE/D title, always have been. I am a partial to the tractor beam combo though, particularly as it's cheaper However as mentioned before, it is a risk for Vess to be left with the Striker, there won't be any more TLs to feed his ability.

Finally, while Duchess (particularly VI Duchess) is a fine ace hunter, I have been increasingly leaning more towards Pure Sabacc when Strikers are concerned. He can be nasty and annoying, plus he can draw some of the heat off the Defenders, as people could be tempted to go after him first.

This is my version of it:

Dead Man's Hand (99)

"Pure Sabacc" - Veteran Instincts; Lightweight Frame; Adaptive Ailerons0

Countess Ryad - Push the Limit; Twin Ion Engine Mk. II; TIE/x7

Colonel Vessery - Veteran Instincts; Tractor Beam; Twin Ion Engine Mk. II; TIE/D

But hey, give that one a go and see what goes right and wrong and then do a post mortem and tweak it.

Thanks for all the productive inputs.

Ill settle with this list so far:

TIE Striker: · "Duchess" (23)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Adaptive ailerons (0)
TIE Defender: · Countess Ryad (34)
Push The Limit (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/x7 (-2)
TIE Defender: · Colonel Vessery (35)
Adaptability (Increase) (0)
Tractor Beam (1)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/D (0)
-- TOTAL ------- 99p. --

Althou Ill definatly try my first build (see first post) too.

Ok, I want this list to become as competetive as possible. Consider Duchess and Ryad mandatory with their current build. I realy like them this way.

39 pts to go. But what would fit in?

TIE Striker: · "Duchess" (23)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Adaptive ailerons (0)
TIE Defender: · Countess Ryad (34)
Push The Limit (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/x7 (-2)

20 minutes ago, SOLAR FLARE said:

Ok, I want this list to become as competetive as possible. Consider Duchess and Ryad mandatory with their current build. I realy like them this way.

39 pts to go. But what would fit in?

TIE Striker: · "Duchess" (23)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Adaptive ailerons (0)
TIE Defender: · Countess Ryad (34)
Push The Limit (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/x7 (-2)

Might give one of the SF's a go?

"Quickdraw" — Adaptability; Fire-Control System; Concussion Missiles; Pattern Analyzer; Lightweight Frame; Special Ops Training

Ship Total: 39

Could work...Or just go back to Vessery

Waht about Inquisitor or Vader? Sry but I have no build yet.

Those could be good options as well. Both Vader and Inqui would fit the bill.

You have the points for Predator Vader (Lone Wolf makes it even cheaper) and the standard Title+ATC+EU.

For the Inquisitor Ptl+title+autothrusters and some kind of ordnance (prockets are cool, or concussions) fits nicely as well.

All options will make for very little margin for error but should be fun to try regardless.

12 hours ago, bahourmat said:

Might give one of the SF's a go?

"Quickdraw" — Adaptability; Fire-Control System; Concussion Missiles; Pattern Analyzer; Lightweight Frame; Special Ops Training

Ship Total: 39

Could work...Or just go back to Vessery

QD would be great but with Duchess in play, you should look very seriously at Targetting Synchroniser for Duchess to get rerolls.

QD with TSYNC looks good.

What about Whisper or Echo. Something like this:

TIE Striker: · "Duchess" (23)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Adaptive ailerons (0)
TIE Defender: · Countess Ryad (34)
Intensity (2)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/x7 (-2)
TIE Phantom: · "Whisper" (32)
Adaptability (Increase) (0)
Advanced Cloaking Device (4)
· Mara Jade (3)
-- TOTAL ------- 100p. --

3 minutes ago, SOLAR FLARE said:

QD with TSYNC looks good.

What about Whisper or Echo. Something like this:

TIE Striker: · "Duchess" (23)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Adaptive ailerons (0)
TIE Defender: · Countess Ryad (34)
Intensity (2)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/x7 (-2)
TIE Phantom: · "Whisper" (32)
Adaptability (Increase) (0)
Advanced Cloaking Device (4)
· Mara Jade (3)
-- TOTAL ------- 100p. --

I think Whisper suffers a bit with PS8. That's why I don't fly Echo as much as I would like

Haven't tried Intensity yet, but might be a good shout on Ryad.

I hope Squadron Benchmark gets an update soon so I can get used to the Intensity sequence and proper timing.

I have not decided yet on the third ship. Difficult choice. I realy enjoy fast and agile ships that are kind of slippery to shoot at.

QD still looks good but he is rather slow in my opinion.

43 minutes ago, SOLAR FLARE said:

I hope Squadron Benchmark gets an update soon so I can get used to the Intensity sequence and proper timing.

I have not decided yet on the third ship. Difficult choice. I realy enjoy fast and agile ships that are kind of slippery to shoot at.

QD still looks good but he is rather slow in my opinion.

You can always start playing around with it on Vassal. I've only recently started playing on it and it's been a godsend, especially since my "live" X-wing attendance has been very low lately.

Yeah, the SFs are not Strikers or Interceptors that's for sure They're a bit more "heavy-set" in that regard.

Does Vassal have an AI System?

9 minutes ago, SOLAR FLARE said:

Does Vassal have an AI System?

No - solitaire mode but no AI. But there are ton of great people to play against. No need for AI!

And it's rare that you can log on and not expect to get a pick-up game within a few minutes.

Sounds great! Ill give it a try. Thx. I am desperatly in need of some training.

1 hour ago, SOLAR FLARE said:

Sounds great! Ill give it a try. Thx. I am desperatly in need of some training.

My username's the same there. If we every bump into each other, happy to give you a game.

Great! Looking forward to it.

Ok, I finaly tweaked the list expansion wise. Meaning the least spent amount of actual bucks.

TIE Striker: · "Duchess" (23)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Adaptive ailerons (0)
TIE Defender: · Countess Ryad (34)
Intensity (Exhausted) (2)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/x7 (-2)
TIE Defender: Glaive Squadron Pilot (34)
Outmaneuver (3)
Tractor Beam (1)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/D (0)
-- TOTAL ------- 100p. --

If I am correct Ill need to get one of each of the following:

- TIE Striker

- Imperial Veterans

- TIE Defender

- TIE Aggressor

- Slave 1

- TIE Punisher (already part of my collection)

Would minor tweaks reduce the amount of expansions needed?

I think Ive now completely fallen for Interceptors + my favorite Defender:

TIE Interceptor: · Turr Phennir (25)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Autothrusters (2)
Royal Guard TIE (0)
Stealth Device (3)
TIE Interceptor: · Carnor Jax (26)
Push The Limit (3)
Autothrusters (2)
Royal Guard TIE (0)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE Defender: · Countess Ryad (34)
Push The Limit (3)
Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)
TIE/x7 (-2)
-- TOTAL ------- 99p. --

Let me know what you think about this.