Lately, I've been demoing some games to new players at my local LGS. Afterwards, some of them immediately goes to purchase product and they ask what to buy. I generally just recommend the core set and the leave the rest for them to decide. However, I was wondering if you had a $100 what would you recommend a person to buy to get a semi-decent 100PT squad they can fly at retail price. The challenge is part of the $100 is one of the $39.95 core sets. Also, the more difficult part is they only can use the upgrade cards they get in the sets they buy.

For the purpose of this, I'm going to assume all the X-Wing product is available. I know some of the core sets and expansions are in reproduction limbo.

Thanks

Using MSRP:

Imperial: Force Awakens Core Set, TIE/FO Expansion, 2x TIE Aggressor Expansions -- $85

Rebel: Force Awakens Core Set, Heroes of the Resistance, T-70 X-Wing expansion -- $95

Alt. Rebel: Original Core Set, Ghost Expansion -- $90

Scum is hard, though. FA Core Set, Most Wanted Expansion, Y-Wing Expansion -- $95 (would push the budget for Scum over $100 to get more viable -- get a Firespray to get the most from Most Wanted)

One idea I had was:

[47PT] Miranda Doni K-Wing
Twin Laser Turret
Extra Munitions
Proton Torpedoes
Conner Net
Advanced SLAM

[53PT] Dash Rendar
Lone Wolf
Heavy Laser Cannon
Outrider
Counter-Measures

Any Core Set $39.95, K-Wing Expansion $19.95 and YT-2400 Freighter $29.95 = $89.95. If folks have other ideas and/or other factions that would be helpful.

Thanks again.

Just now, Hawkstrike said:

Using MSRP:

Imperial: Force Awakens Core Set, TIE/FO Expansion, 2x TIE Aggressor Expansions -- $85

Rebel: Force Awakens Core Set, Heroes of the Resistance, T-70 X-Wing expansion -- $95

Alt. Rebel: Original Core Set, Ghost Expansion -- $90

Scum is hard, though. FA Core Set, Most Wanted Expansion, Y-Wing Expansion -- $95 (would push the budget for Scum over $100 to get more viable -- get a Firespray to get the most from Most Wanted)

Thanks. Are there specific list you had in mind with these expansions for a beginner to fly?

TIE/FO is one of the best packs for imperials since it contains everything for the standard Omega Leader build (one of the best 1v1s in the game - Juke and Comm Relay for a 26 point ace).

Aggressors can just go TLT/LWF at 25 points each for the generic, which with Omega brings you to 76 points... and then you drop in your choice of TIE/FO pilot (my first choices would be either Zeta or Epsilon Leader probably) to fill out the list. You'll have some points to spare that you can substitute other things in with, try out other pilots, etc. You have the advantage of the four models you have that way all running low 20s before upgrades, so it's easy to play around with things and get four on the table.

There have been other threads on this. Lots of good ideas in this one:

Man ... I have spent way too much on this game ... I hate thinking about it.

Here is some suggestions. The expansions contains all upgrade cards in the lists and cost below 100$. The lists are all rather good

Imperial
Expansions: TIE/fo Expansion, Imperial Veterans Expansion, Original core set
Price: 85$
List
Omega Leader (TIE/fo), Juke, Comm Relay (26)
Countess Ryad (TIE Defender), TIE/x7 (32)
Tomax Bren (TIE Bomber), Crack Shot, Proton Tropedoes, Long Range Scanners (29)
TIE Fighter (12)

OR

Expansions: TIE/fo Expansion, Imperial Veterans Epansion, Force Awakens core set
Price: 85$
List
Omega Leader (TIE/fo), Juke, Comm Relay (26)
Countess Ryad (TIE Defender), TIE/x7 (32)
Tomax Bren (TIE Bomber), Crack Shot, Long Range Scanners (25)
Epsilon Ace (TIE/fo) (17)

Rebel
Expansions: Heroes of the Resistance, Original core set
Price: 80$
List:
Rey (YT1300), Determination, Finn, Hotshot Co-Pilot, Millinium Falcon (56)
Poe Dameron PS:8 (T-70 X-wing), Trick Shot, R2-D2, Proton Tropedoes, Pattern Analyser, Black One, Integraded Astromech (42)

Scum
Expansions: Punishing One Expansion, 2 Protectorate Starfighter Expansions and either Core set
Price: 100$
List:
Dengar (Jumpmaster), Attanni Mindlink, R5-P8, Punishing One (48)
Fenn Rau (Protectorate Starfighter), Attanni Mindlink, Concord Dawn Protector (30)
Zealous Recruit (Protectorate Starfighter), Concord Dawn Protector (21)


Note reguarding Scum: In the long run it will be cheaper dollarwise for the scum player to exchange the second Protectorate Starfighter with a Z95 from the Most Wanted Expansion, because any scumplayer will want the Most Wanted Expansion in the long run. So the most economical buy in the long run exceeds the 100$ limit and is this:

Expansions: Punishing One Expansion, Protectorate Starfighter Expansion, Most Wanted Expansion and either Core set
Price: 115$
List:
Dengar (Jumpmaster), Attanni Mindlink, R5-P8, Punishing One, Plasma Tropedoes, K4 Security Droid, Guidance Chips (54)
Fenn Rau (Protectorate Starfighter), Attanni Mindlink, Concord Dawn Protector (30)
Binayre Pirate (Z-95 Headhunter) (12)

The second imperial list you put up works, but the point totals are wrong for Tomax and Epsilon.

Sunny Bounder isn't in the Scyk expansion either, it's in the C-ROC.

55 minutes ago, Polaritie said:

The second imperial list you put up works, but the point totals are wrong for Tomax and Epsilon.

Sunny Bounder isn't in the Scyk expansion either, it's in the C-ROC.

Thx and corrected

F/O expansion - $15

Imperial Vets Expansion - -$30

Defender Expansion = $15

Any core set - $40

Colonel Vessery (35)
Crack Shot (1)
Ion Cannon (3)
TIE/D (0)

Countess Ryad (34)
Predator (3)
TIE/x7 (-2)

"Omega Leader" (21)
Juke (2)
Comm Relay (3)

Total: 100

39 minutes ago, Everyday Ace said:

Thx and corrected

...And now you're using two protectorates with one protectorate pack, also no good. I assume you meant to switch to double protectorates, and at that point I kind of disagree due to lack of flexibility in that pack (it provides little for anything else).

I appreciate the suggestions. Keep them coming.

Also, flexibility is nice in the $100 budget. However, it's not a necessity. I'm looking for decent squads for beginners to field on the table at an initial budget. I'm going to make the assumption that they will invest more money later on to grow their collection to expand their game play.

Yeah, it's one of the reasons Imperial Vets and TIE/fo are such nice boxes. The first enables a lot of extra things beyond just /x7 and Tomax. The second just plops in any imperial list with 26 points free and works (and draws hate from anyone who knows how things go when he's the last one standing).