6 minutes ago, Superstrength79 said:

You shoot before they have a chance to take actions (no reinforce, evade, or focus), and when the first ship moves out of that Range 1 band, they can't use the spreading abilities.

Sounds great in theory and I'd love it to work exactly as amazing as it sounds, BUT Snap Shots can't be modded and at best you can use Juke against them. On average you'll get 1 result out of the 2 rolls and you've likely parked at least one of your AWings in range 1 of most of the Farship list and they'll obliterate that 1 AWing. So that's 1 AWing down from your list of at max 5 (maybe 3 AWings + 1 other ship) and they're likely still going at full strength. To make the Snap Shot count enough overall in that matchup, you'd have to get that Snap Shot with Juke off EVERY turn you're engaged with them and that's not happening.

43 minutes ago, Ailowynn said:

Swarms, though . . . why aren't swarms a thing right now? If you manage to get six TIE fighters into Range 1 of Biggs and Co., he's going to die. You'll never touch Lowhriick . . . IF he has his Reinforce. But you've got a whole swarm; you'd best be able to block one lumbering gunship. Snapshot is also a viable option since it goes off before your opponent has actions, which also lets you chew through the Wookiee real quick. What's keeping these guys out of the meta? Is it Fenn? Is one ace enough? Is it Nym? Can we somehow NOT chew through his one agility die?

My guess is that it may be an answer, but they still need to be able to a) beat other good lists (that have kept them out of play for awhile now) or b) hope those other good lists go away.

1). Bombs.

2). High PS turrets

3). the "Alderaan Collider": W. Space Fringer, title, tractor beam, Snuggling Compartment, FBA, R2-D2 Crew and APL. Just bowl that thing into the formation and they start to scatter enough you can nail them a couple of Z's with missiles. Throw Rex in for flavor if you like.

15 minutes ago, Kdubb said:

Pretty sure a Dash Norra list lost twice (once pretty handily) to it at the store champ which radiotcx streamed. It sounds great in theory, but it is definetly not an"eat it alive" scenario by any means.

I agree. I played a variant (DtF Jess/Selflessness Low + Regen Norra) yesterday and flew into the teeth of a YV/IG list, both with HLC. He targeted Jess, hit with all 4 each time and she took a total of 3 damage, that was without even using Selflessness. Granted, in the "main" list, Biggs won't get the re-rolls that Jess did, it just means Selflessness probably would have been popped and maybe 1 damage on Biggs.

2 minutes ago, Ailowynn said:

Biggs, R4-D6, Integrated Astromech

Jess, R2-D6, Draw Their Fire, Integrated Astromech

Lowhriick, Selflessness, your choice of crew

Rex, no upgrades.

I'd think DTF is best on Lowhhrick, Selflessness on Jess, because (1) putting Selflessness on Lowhhrick puts a big target on him for ordnance, and (2) if you lose him, you also lose his Reinforce. (Which is a bigger loss than losing DTF.)

My version puts in Wookiee Liberators (Zeb, Jyn Erso) in place of Jess, and Commandos on Lowhhrick. You gain 2 HP, customizable offense/defense, a bigger arc, and the ability to block and shoot what you blocked, which was huge for me; you lose a little bit of maneuverability, but honestly I never missed it. It wins the mirror-match, and I think it's objectively better. (I do like Tactician, though, in that 180-degree (really, in practice, significantly wider) arc ... )

I'm still thinking whisper + 2 TLTs. Something along these lines:

If I knew I'd go up against the list for sure, I'd swap Veteran Instincts for Expertise and Hotshot Co-pilot for Intelligence Agent.

5x TIE Strikers running away for 75 minutes and a 15 dice final salvo. Jess is the only ship that could potentially catch you so if she breaks off to attack then you turn and throw 15+ reds at her, then continue running away. Even if you get unlucky and trade one of your Strikers for her, now you're up on points.

Honestly at this point, you should figure out if the list you plan to play has any chance of defeating Immortan Biggs before the tournament. If the answer is no (and you still want to play it) then just stay away from them as best you can and take the final salvo for better or worse. You'll at least get 100 MoV out of it, and give them the worst win possible. WOPR was right, sometimes the only winning move is not to play.

6 minutes ago, Heimdall Ulf said:

Honestly at this point, you should figure out if the list you plan to play has any chance of defeating Immortan Biggs before the tournament. If the answer is no (and you still want to play it) then just stay away from them as best you can and take the final salvo for better or worse. You'll at least get 100 MoV out of it, and give them the worst win possible. WOPR was right, sometimes the only winning move is not to play.

Hah, I'm not that defeatist about it, but that is why I posted the thread in the first place. It seems to be Paratanni levels of prevalence right now, so should probably know how to address it, even is the answer is to kill Rex and run, lol.

9 minutes ago, Heimdall Ulf said:

5x TIE Strikers running away for 75 minutes and a 15 dice final salvo. Jess is the only ship that could potentially catch you so if she breaks off to attack then you turn and throw 15+ reds at her, then continue running away. Even if you get unlucky and trade one of your Strikers for her, now you're up on points.

Honestly at this point, you should figure out if the list you plan to play has any chance of defeating Immortan Biggs before the tournament. If the answer is no (and you still want to play it) then just stay away from them as best you can and take the final salvo for better or worse. You'll at least get 100 MoV out of it, and give them the worst win possible. WOPR was right, sometimes the only winning move is not to play.

This brings up an important discussion though- has anyone played a full fledged 7 or 8 tie swarm against the list? With so many moving pieces, I feel like it is inevitable that the formation gets scattered all over the place and the ties can continue to block their targets into oblivion.

Rebel Nym delaying bombs and big rocks to break up formation.

Cheap low PS blockers, also to break up formation. Honestly a 40pt Lothal with ABT and Hera would be solid for this. Just need to fly expertly to get the block without eating 4 shots at range 1.

A regen ace that can get and slow roll behind the list and ignore scattered fire.

I'd like to try this list against either of the two primary lists offered here. I concocted it to challenge Rebel Hug.

Keytsu-

Lone Wolf

Glitterstim x2

Dengar

Countermeasures

Fenn-

VI

Title

AT

Z-95-

Cruise Missile

Glitterstim

GC

Basically you fly Keytsu straight at the formation to joust it. Bump, no bump doesn't matter much. Pop GS and CM use Keytsus ability to barrel roll Biggs or Selflessness out of range 1. Missiles and Keytsu attack rolled ship now at 1 or 0 AG. Keytsu tanks all damage with LW, CM and GS. Fly past, k turn, repeat. Fenn cleans up.

7 minutes ago, Cr0aker said:

Rebel Nym delaying bombs and big rocks to break up formation.

Cheap low PS blockers, also to break up formation. Honestly a 40pt Lothal with ABT and Hera would be solid for this. Just need to fly expertly to get the block without eating 4 shots at range 1.

A regen ace that can get and slow roll behind the list and ignore scattered fire.

My primary list is Miranda/Nym and I agree that Rebel Nym could spell trouble for this list. Leaving unexploded bomblets lying around to block up lanes could be key.

Fire with fire

Except jess and rex get replaced by TLT sabine bomblett miranda with LRS

4 minutes ago, ficklegreendice said:

Fire with fire

Except jess and rex get replaced by TLT sabine bomblett miranda with LRS

.... I ditched sabine for Rey and tactician... and won a SC with it....

But never had the matchup with the Jess/Rex list. The final battle was against Nym/Miranda.

5 minutes ago, ficklegreendice said:

Fire with fire

Except jess and rex get replaced by TLT sabine bomblett miranda with LRS

I've been testing out some lists which dump Biggs and Rex, not Jess.

1 hour ago, Kdubb said:

This brings up an important discussion though- has anyone played a full fledged 7 or 8 tie swarm against the list? With so many moving pieces, I feel like it is inevitable that the formation gets scattered all over the place and the ties can continue to block their targets into oblivion.

I think that the issue against a swarm is that you'll have trouble finishing off the rest of the list once you've spent your Crack Shots killing Biggs. Also with 11 total ships on the board it's going to be hard getting enough turns in to kill the list, which brings up another point...

The list rewards slow play, because the less opportunities your opponent has to do damage to you the better. Planning phases once the engagement starts naturally take longer than normal because you have 4 ships that want to stay near each other, still get shots, but all have different dials at 3 different pilot skills. (I'm not saying that people slow-play intentionally, just the list forces you to do so, which is an added benefit)

I didn't really mean to sound defeatist, just that if you know you can't win then you should try to maximize your loss, even if that means not playing.

2 hours ago, Jeff Wilder said:

I'd think DTF is best on Lowhhrick

Brings a whole new meaning to the word, "Shag".

1 hour ago, Heimdall Ulf said:

5x TIE Strikers running away for 75 minutes and a 15 dice final salvo. Jess is the only ship that could potentially catch you so if she breaks off to attack then you turn and throw 15+ reds at her, then continue running away. Even if you get unlucky and trade one of your Strikers for her, now you're up on points.

Honestly at this point, you should figure out if the list you plan to play has any chance of defeating Immortan Biggs before the tournament. If the answer is no (and you still want to play it) then just stay away from them as best you can and take the final salvo for better or worse. You'll at least get 100 MoV out of it, and give them the worst win possible. WOPR was right, sometimes the only winning move is not to play.

Sadly, FFG is creating a game where this is a real good game strategy against some lists. So the best way to win at a game you love, is not to play the game you love....this is a senseless direction for the designers to push the game, but, you must play the cards you're delt I guess. ?

1 hour ago, Kdubb said:

This brings up an important discussion though- has anyone played a full fledged 7 or 8 tie swarm against the list? With so many moving pieces, I feel like it is inevitable that the formation gets scattered all over the place and the ties can continue to block their targets into oblivion.

In my headsim, I really like the Pattiswarm (Howl, 3 Academies, 3 Black/Crack). It can block up the formation denying all kinds of actions, and so many attacks basically don't care about the the astromech, the wookie's ability or Selflessness. Maybe they won't 1-round Biggs, but they don't have to.

Low and biggs cant turn for poop after the 1st round of shooting. Use it......

2 hours ago, Heimdall Ulf said:

Honestly at this point, you should figure out if the list you plan to play has any chance of defeating Immortan Biggs before the tournament. If the answer is no (and you still want to play it) then just stay away from them as best you can and take the final salvo for better or worse. You'll at least get 100 MoV out of it, and give them the worst win possible. WOPR was right, sometimes the only winning move is not to play.

My Stage 4 list has 11 dice in it.

4 minutes ago, Ralgon said:

Low and biggs cant turn for poop after the 1st round of shooting. Use it......

So hint for the Rebel Jankyard fliers -- you do not want a head-to-head joust for the initial engagement. You want to hit your opponent at and angle, 22 to 70 degrees on. That way, as you merge, Lowhhrick can take a 45 to 90-degree turn, and the 180 arc will do the rest, keeping your opponents in arc as he turns. The large arc works to your advantage, but not if you do a traditional jout where you and your opponent engage, merge, and k-turn.

I find a way to help this set up is never to set up at 90 degrees to the board edge flying directly in to the board. Always set up at an angle (which also makes you more unpredictable against ordnance as it screws up rule-of-11 calculations).

Maybe I've missed something but... can't you just block them? The list usually flies in a pretty tight formation, right? Put a large ship in front of them, say a Bumpmaster, and without actions they doesn't get Low's extra evade and will probably shoot pretty poorly. Ping some shields of Biggs and finish him off the turn after.

Somehow people are acting like if you don''t kill him in the first turn, it's game over.

Just play for the long game.

2 hours ago, Kdubb said:

Pretty sure a Dash Norra list lost twice (once pretty handily) to it at the store champ which radiotcx streamed. It sounds great in theory, but it is definetly not an"eat it alive" scenario by any means.

Yeah, but in I think the top 4 game, he lost Norra quick and Dash nearly solo'd the list, came down to Rex and Biggs in last round and they were able to get two shields off dash for half points and the win.

Dash is a solid choice not just for this list, but the meta in general since double positioning aces aren't popular right now

25 minutes ago, wurms said:

Yeah, but in I think the top 4 game, he lost Norra quick and Dash nearly solo'd the list, came down to Rex and Biggs in last round and they were able to get two shields off dash for half points and the win.

Dash is a solid choice not just for this list, but the meta in general since double positioning aces aren't popular right now

I saw part of both of those games, and it did look to a passing observer like he didn't get a lot out of Norra. I didn't see enough to guess at a reason for this.