I'm a casual Ace-winger. I deliberately limit my participation in tournaments. I used to be a 3-faction player. Splitting my time about 50-30-20 between Rebels, Empire and Scum respectively. A few months ago I quit Scum; sold all the Scum ships I could, traded others, and the remnants reside in my box of shame. I didn't do it out of anger. I lost interest in the ship types and pilot abilities.

I gradually developed some of the common complaints about Scum, but I was never bitter. I enjoyed the challenge of facing popular Scum builds with my home-brew Reb and Imp Aces lists. The anger started when Fantasy Flight announced Guns for Hire. The Vaksai and StarViper Mk2 titles in particular sparked my ire. For the first time I took the time to really compare Scum in detail to the other factions. The more I looked, the less I liked. I analyzed every release since Wave 6 and fumed over the developers' pro-Scum conspiracy.

I completely lost my cool after a close friend proxied some Guns for Hire content. The game loss didn't upset me. I made some squad building and gameplay mistakes. He played a smart, fair game and beat me. The rage came when he told me how many points he spent on Talonbane. I ranted about it to him, my other friends and the internet for a couple weeks. I swore I would never play another game with Scum at the table until FFG fixes everything I saw wrong with the game.

Wave 11 dropped. I cooled off in the excitement of new ships. I even considered swallowing my pride and lifting my Scum ban so my friend could run his Scum Nym against me.

Rage returned again today with the StarViper Mk2 preview. I beat the anti-Scum wardrum for hours in person and online. I threatened to flip a table if I ever saw Thweek on the opposing side. I started drafting my dissertation about the pro-Scum conspiracy. It was nearly complete when the copy-paste malfunctioned on my phone. Every word (and there were many) vanished into digital thin air. I nearly started composing it again from scratch when I realized I was allowing my emotions to run unchecked over an entertainment product. X-wing is something I do for fun with my friends. I was ruining fun and friendship by choosing to be personally offended by the developers' choices.

There is still a pro-Scum conspiracy. I'm just choosing to not rage against the Scumist Establishment. I will allow Scum to play on my kitchen table, and I might even play the faction again someday.

Why not just quit the game altogether? Nothing about the game is ever an NPE.

4 minutes ago, SaltMaster 5000 said:

Why not just quit the game altogether? Nothing about the game is ever an NPE.

Missed the point you did.

3 minutes ago, jmswood said:

Missed the point, you did.

Work on your Yoda grammar, you must.

Just now, Infinite_Maelstrom said:

Work on your Yoda grammar, you must.

Got any tips?

Just now, jmswood said:

Got any tips?

Separate the fragments with commas, you should.

101 school grammar?

Yoda Professor

You could symbolically rage against scum - just be sure to do it while your a youngster, else you'll be old man teroch'ing against the Sabine.

TL:DR,

You play mostly rebels, but don't like the Biggs damage sponge lists. You least preferred faction Scum is on top of the meta and is getting all the cool stuff now after two years of being the adopted step child faction of the three. As for Imperials your second favorite, they are struggling now and have to play lists that don't feel imperial (arc dodgy, high movement high firepower glass cannons, no turrets).

So just relax, this was long coming for a while now, some might say the Scum got their boost too early but I expect the next couple of waves to revers the totem poll again.

I remember fondly seeing Talonbane Cobra flying his Romulan star cruiser on the big screen... No wait I never saw that flying turd anywhere before. Thanks Alex and Frank! The Flying Turd miniatures game is so fun to play!

Vaksai titles are painted on in the tears of our inferiors. The Scum Cartel Hierarchs appreciate your generous donation.

6 hours ago, Marinealver said:

TL:DR,

You play mostly rebels, but don't like the Biggs damage sponge lists. You least preferred faction Scum is on top of the meta and is getting all the cool stuff now after two years of being the adopted step child faction of the three. As for Imperials your second favorite, they are struggling now and have to play lists that don't feel imperial (arc dodgy, high movement high firepower glass cannons, no turrets).

So just relax, this was long coming for a while now, some might say the Scum got their boost too early but I expect the next couple of waves to revers the totem poll again.

People keep saying that but:

- The scums never struggled to be competitive. From the very beginning Bro-bots were at the top of the meta. They never needed a boost. Did they need more diversity? Yes. Does that justify going overboard with them and releasing so many OP stuff to a point where the game is starting to feel broken?

- How can you expect things to get better when FFG keeps releasing those powercreeps? If they had released only 1 or 2 ships like that and made rapid fixes we would understand. But when we know something is broken just by reading the preview articles, we have to wonder if any of this is not done voluntatily.

6 hours ago, Marinealver said:

TL:DR,

Translate please.

6 hours ago, Marinealver said:

You play mostly rebels, but don't like the Biggs damage sponge lists.

Nailed it.

6 hours ago, Marinealver said:

You least preferred faction Scum is on top of the meta and is getting all the cool stuff now after two years of being the adopted step child faction of the three.

Meta is a symptom, not a root cause. I won't say meta isn't a factor. Even my local, casual playgroup has a micro-meta. I'm also not going to expound any further on the problem as I see it because that discussion distracts from the point of my original post.

7 hours ago, Marinealver said:

As for Imperials your second favorite, they are struggling now and have to play lists that don't feel imperial (arc dodgy, high movement high firepower glass cannons, no turrets).

The only standard play Imperial ship I don't own is Decimator, and I probably never will. I have affection for every TIE variant except the Punisher. (It's in the same box of shame as my remaining Scum.) That design was lazy escallation of the TIE form factor. My Imperial lists have been neatly balanced between jousting and dodging.

7 hours ago, Marinealver said:

So just relax, this was long coming for a while now, some might say the Scum got their boost too early but I expect the next couple of waves to revers the totem poll again.

I am now relaxing. That was the point of this thread. I want other people raging at Scum to see me relaxing and know it's possible.

8 minutes ago, Thormind said:

People keep saying that but:

- The scums never struggled to be competitive. From the very beginning Bro-bots were at the top of the meta. They never needed a boost.

Brobots were never at the top of the meta, IMO at least. They were a very good list, but once the novelty factor wore off they always felt close, but a little bit weaker than the top Rebel and Imperial lists. Even at the height of the Brobots, Scum was the underperforming faction.

28 minutes ago, jmswood said:

Translate please.

TL:DR - Too Long : Didn't Read

I still find Tbane to be a strictly and sharply inferior Fenn rau

Apart from PRS ion passing shenanigan

Here's hoping off spreads the interesting new pilot abilities to other factions

41 minutes ago, jmswood said:

The only standard play Imperial ship I don't own is Decimator, and I probably never will. I have affection for every TIE variant except the Punisher. (It's in the same box of shame as my remaining Scum.) That design was lazy escallation of the TIE form factor. My Imperial lists have been neatly balanced between jousting and dodging.

Whoa there, don't hate on the Punisher! It may suck, but it literally was made to be a tier 3 upgrade for the TIE Bomber in a videogame I like a lot. It was never supposed to be anything else.

34 minutes ago, ficklegreendice said:

I still find Tbane to be a strictly and sharply inferior Fenn rau

Apart from PRS ion passing shenanigan

Here's hoping off spreads the interesting new pilot abilities to other factions

He can carry a Cruise Missile, which can make any arc he catches you in, painful. Now he can take ATs which can help against TLTs. Problem is secondary weapons still ruin his range 3 defense.

Good write up @jmswood. People are getting too riled over the power of scum lists lately. I am a more competitive player, and will be going again to Regional's this year in Dallas and Austin knowing that there will be some broken scummyness that I have to fight. But even the best lists can be beaten by outflying them or preparing for them. In the end, this is a game we play to have fun! Even in losing I will have fun pushing my spaceships around, making pew pew noises and quoting star wars.

If you don't like the meta, then don't play it like me! I made top 16 at Austin, 20th at Dallas and won my local store champ with Tie/D Ruthlessness Vessery, Ryad and OL. Not exactly the most meta list! But its beaten Bossk/Dengar, Dengar/Tel, Rey/Norra, and Biggs + multiple times.

After Guns for Hire, Scum will have:

1.) The best swarm lists (Vaksai)

2.) The best arc-dodger lists (Protectorate+StarViper Mk. II)

3.) The best large ships (JM5K+Shadowcaster)

4.) The most upgrades (more than twice the available upgrades than Imperials, many more than Rebels)

The only things Scum won't be 'the best' at is bombing (Ks takes that title) and Regen, though even Regen is becoming a Scum tool with Pulsed Ray Shields (no fun for Imps with that one).

I honestly don't understand why FFG just focuses on one faction, over and over and over again. I have Scum players at my FLGS who actually feel guilty when they play the broken Scum stuff- and they're some of the loudest proponents of a new anti-Scum FAQ. Though not the Scum here on the forums- they seem to enjoy that the game is going down the tubes.

8 hours ago, BlodVargarna said:

I remember fondly seeing Talonbane Cobra flying his Romulan star cruiser on the big screen... No wait I never saw that flying turd anywhere before. Thanks Alex and Frank! The Flying Turd miniatures game is so fun to play!

To be fair, some of us spent years behind the controls of a Kihraxz or Scyk in Star Wars Galaxies, and remember fighting Talonbane Cobra personally at Tansarii Point, so those ships are very, very familiar for us, and probably almost as beloved as the X-Wing is to others.

Personally, I want my Rihkxyrk back.

Thing was a nimble as a bantha, but could take and give helluva punch.

19 minutes ago, Johen Dood said:

I honestly don't understand why FFG just focuses on one faction, over and over and over again.

They don't.

19 minutes ago, Johen Dood said:

I have Scum players at my FLGS who actually feel guilty when they play the broken Scum stuff.

Probably because they're used to seeing hyberbolic responses like the above.

14 minutes ago, Johen Dood said:

I honestly don't understand why FFG just focuses on one faction, over and over and over again.

Because it is the "fun" faction. There are no rules, and no theme to stick to except not-Rebel/not-Imperial. So, creatively, they have a lot more room to design in. Not that I don't disagree with all of the above; both Rebel and Imperial need some creative work. I can easily think of a direction for each faction.

For the Imperials, begin to emphasize the officer corps. We have tons of starfighters, but the Imperial war machine also needs officers. Yeah, that probably means more shuttles, but those shuttles would be worth fielding if they were full of officers that changed the course of the game.

For Rebels, give them more oddball one offs like Nym. The "scum" like Han, Lando, Hondo, and Dash that "ain't in in for your revolution, princess" but just keep finding themselves opposing the Empire. Or, entire political entities like the Hapan Empire. Or, start introducing Prequel ships, and make Jedi Force-users a distinctive mechanic in the game.

And lastly, let Scum fight themselves. A mercenary mechanic that lets the the two original/main factions (Reb/Imp) steal/hire Scum faction pilots for a points premium would be a great way to keep faction purity (at least on paper) while allowing some crossover play.

49 minutes ago, Johen Dood said:

After Guns for Hire, Scum will have:

1.) The best swarm lists (Vaksai)

2.) The best arc-dodger lists (Protectorate+StarViper Mk. II)

3.) The best large ships (JM5K+Shadowcaster)

4.) The most upgrades (more than twice the available upgrades than Imperials, many more than Rebels)

The only things Scum won't be 'the best' at is bombing (Ks takes that title) and Regen, though even Regen is becoming a Scum tool with Pulsed Ray Shields (no fun for Imps with that one).

I honestly don't understand why FFG just focuses on one faction, over and over and over again. I have Scum players at my FLGS who actually feel guilty when they play the broken Scum stuff- and they're some of the loudest proponents of a new anti-Scum FAQ. Though not the Scum here on the forums- they seem to enjoy that the game is going down the tubes.

Maybe because Scum faction didn't have:

1) Any Epic ship.

2) Any Aces pack.

3) Less pilots than any other factions.

Also:

1) (just my opinión), I think five ships is not a swarm, I think. Swarms are around six or more ships, with Howrunner-like abilities. Also, Imps players can fly 5 Scarif Defenders with Lightweight frame (Which is quite similar) and don't do this.

2) ¿Best Arc-Dodger the Viper? Without any natural 9 and requiring Veteran Instincts to improve its PH, Viper is not the best-arc dodger by far.

3) Best big ships: Undoubtedly JM5K and Shadow Caster are the best.

4) Most upgrades? I didn't counted that but... The rebels now can use Savaged astromechs and use Ilicit in Millenium Falcon and Sabine's Tie. (Note that Scum have only 3 ships with Savaged Astromechs) And I think they have the same number of exclusive Crew cards, how exactly.

I am not neglecting that Scum are an OP Faction nowadays. Vaskai turns the Khiraxz into a beast, but I think the Star Viper is now a cool ship to fly with in casual gaming but not really a competitive ship (Is to fragile against Ordnance lists and/or bomb lists). The main problem is not scum themselves. The problem with scum is that that faction didn't have the same stuff as rebels and imps and they getting it now. And, what happens now? The answer is power gaming. The ships that are dominating the meta are JM5K (Which after so many nerfs, still needs to be nerfed), Caster and Protectorate, So the things that come to any faction now are better than the things that came in the past.

There is not a Pro-Scum conspiracy, just power gaming issues.

I can predict that the new Tie Interceptor which is going to be in The Last Jedi releases will be far away from the original Tie Interceptor, and will surely have a way to throw as many dices as Fenn Rau or even more, with a build that cost the same, even less, and better action economy.

Same with the new A Wing.

If I would blame something is how slowly FFG is balancing to the factions. And I have to recognize the error that was te JM5K, but is as simple as start forbidding that ship in tournament scenes.

If I go to a tournament, I will surely fly my Slave and Khiraxz (Without Vaskai, until be released), just because I love those ships.

But these are different points of view in the game.

2 hours ago, LordBlades said:

Brobots were never at the top of the meta, IMO at least. They were a very good list, but once the novelty factor wore off they always felt close, but a little bit weaker than the top Rebel and Imperial lists. Even at the height of the Brobots, Scum was the underperforming faction.

I included a link to the meta back then. They were in the top 3 and remained there for quite some time. Being 2nd in the meta just after being created isnt a faction underperforming... And dont forget about Thug ife as well...

Meta between wave 6 (release) and 7: http://meta-wing.com/ship_combos?ranking_start=2015-02-26&ranking_end=2015-08-25&large_tournament_multiplier=true&widespread_use_multiplier=true&use_ranking_data=all&tournament_type=& Brobots are 2nd

Meta between wave 7 and 8: http://meta-wing.com/ship_combos?ranking_start=2015-08-25&ranking_end=2016-03-17&large_tournament_multiplier=true&widespread_use_multiplier=true&use_ranking_data=all&tournament_type=& Brobots are 3rd and Thug life 2nd.

Meta between wave 8 and 9: http://meta-wing.com/ship_combos?ranking_start=2016-03-17&ranking_end=2016-09-22&large_tournament_multiplier=true&widespread_use_multiplier=true&use_ranking_data=all&tournament_type=& Triple scouts are 1st, brobots are still in the top 10

Where do you get your informations from?? Scums performed well from the moment they got released. The only thing they were missing is diversity. Which was kind of normal...