Seems Imperials are the "balanced" faction and cannot sniff the top tables in the current pre-remaining-FAQ-drop era, least around here at at the tournaments. I guess if FFG gives a slight crap about real "Balance in the Force" they will finish what they started so many months ago. However, this isn't a thread of wine, cause it's early and I don't have the proper cheese.

I have always wanted to run Ruthlessness as a center to a squad since I purchased a RAC. I was pondering the new Harpoon Missile; it might just do the trick. What do you guys think? I mean, I'm not that interested in the Scum Aces pack personally, but the harpoon missile looks like it might be fun for Imps. So do you think one could run it on, let's say:

Double Edge (32) - TIE Aggressor (19), Ruthlessness (3), Twin Laser Turret (6), Harpoon Missile (4)

or

Countess Ryad (43) - TIE Defender (34), TIE/D (0), Ruthlessness (3), Tractor Beam (1), Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1), Harpoon Missile (4)

or

Darth Vader (41) - TIE Advanced (29), TIE X1 (0), Ruthlessness (3), Advanced Targeting Computer (1), Engine Upgrade (4), Harpoon Missile (4)

or

Quickdraw (40) - TIE/SF (29), Special Ops Training (0), Ruthlessness (3), Lightweight Frame (2), Fire Control Systems (2), Harpoon Missile (4)

Harpoon Missile is a good weapon, but keep in mind the majority of tournament lists nowadays are 2 ships that don't have to stay close (FSR is the main exception). You won't get a lot of mileage from the splash abilities.

3 minutes ago, Chibi-Nya said:

Harpoon Missile is a good weapon, but keep in mind the majority of tournament lists nowadays are 2 ships that don't have to stay close ( FSR is the main exception ). You won't get a lot of mileage from the splash abilities.

The plethora of Biggs NPE lists --which is obviously the bane of enjoyable X-Wing battles ATM-- is the reason behind my ruthless thread.....

If you want to try ruthlessness, I'd recommend trying it on a TIE/D with a tractor beam - because you can fling the target around, then trigger your ruthlessness splash, giving it a much bigger effective range, and then primary them and ruthlessness splash again (whilst most other 'double tap' abilities either require you to miss, or need your opponent to cooperate by shooting at you).

That said, a TIE/D can pack a harpoon missile - unlike the TIE/x7 it doesn't have to give up its secondary weapon slots - and just as importantly, with a 3-dice primary it adds a critical with guidance chips - important for setting the harpoon off.

Colonel Vessery - TIE/D, Tractor Beam, Ruthlessness, Harpoon Missiles, Guidance Chips?

with bombs being a thing, I'd advise against the T-beam gimmick and instead pick up an ion cannon

bonus, it actually does damage

10 minutes ago, ficklegreendice said:

with bombs being a thing, I'd advise against the T-beam gimmick and instead pick up an ion cannon

bonus, it actually does damage

Fair point. Although I have seen a rather good defender player locally derive great satisfaction from tractor-sumo-ing miranda into her own goddam mines....

I realise this is somewhat of a niche case, though.

I think you're on the right track with Ruthlessness. Extra damage is always good and you know the Rebels will be packed tight early game.

Last night I ran FSR 2.0 vs Backdraft, Double Edge and a PS 3 Bounty Hunter Firespray. Double Edge and Backdraft had Ruthlessness and it devastated me the first game. The key turn was the 3rd when Biggs bumped and lost an Action.

The second game was different. A bad move by Backdraft left him tokenless at R1 of everybody but Rex. Backdraft died there. That was a case of two moves, one being better offensively the other safer.

FSR is a strong build but not as OP as some think. Ruthlessness gives nice damage to Jess, or Biggs if you controlled your approach. Wjile Biggs is the meat shield, Jess is the key. Re-rolls on offense and defense she is fierce! The Rebel build is designed to absord or deflect a massive, single attack damage, it's not nearly as effective vs the pick, pick, pick of consistent, 1-3 damage per attack.

Of course dice had a lot to do with both games. My greens got better the second game while my opponent's reds waned somewhat.

35 minutes ago, Chibi-Nya said:

Harpoon Missile is a good weapon, but keep in mind the majority of tournament lists nowadays are 2 ships that don't have to stay close (FSR is the main exception). You won't get a lot of mileage from the splash abilities.

But also keep in mind that you don't need the splash to have a great upgrade. 4 points for 4 dice secondary where you keep the TL is better than all alternatives.

1 minute ago, GreenDragoon said:

But also keep in mind that you don't need the splash to have a great upgrade. 4 points for 4 dice secondary where you keep the TL is better than all alternatives.

you need it for ruthlessness, though

Imperials are fine.

Just play RAC/Palp/Kylo and enter god mode with Whisper or QD

2 minutes ago, ficklegreendice said:

you need it for ruthlessness, though

Now that you say that - I probably misunderstood @Chibi-Nya . Just mentioning one card meant I connected splash with Harpoon. Thus I thought they said that the splash of the Harpoon won't help and hence the harpoon is bad.

47 minutes ago, Chibi-Nya said:

Harpoon Missile is a good weapon, but keep in mind the majority of tournament lists nowadays are 2 ships that don't have to stay close (FSR is the main exception). You won't get a lot of mileage from the splash abilities.

All the more readon for TBs on Ds.

There is something to be said about the way missiles have given Imperials real tools to work this. Vader has seen a revival because of his PS and actions (he's still made of tissue paper, of course - thanks, FFG) -- and paired with QD, who still holds his own... Problem remains to be no regen and low HP.. Also the points just aren't kind. Example:

TIE Advanced: · Darth Vader (29)
Adaptability (Increase) (0)
Proton Rockets (3)
Engine Upgrade (4)
TIE/x1 (0)
Advanced Targeting Computer (1)
TIE/sf Fighter: · "Quickdraw" (29)
Adaptability (Increase) (0)
Fire Control System (2)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Special Ops Training (0)
TIE Striker: · "Duchess" (23)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Adaptive ailerons (0)
-- TOTAL ------- 96p. --

Leaves room for missile of your choice on QD. Duchess ain't my first pick for a third Ace but it's that or OL. And frankly I don't like either in this meta..

Ruthlessness on Kestal is a great/fun thing. I got into top 8 at a store championship, my first ever tournament, with that ship. It was underestimated to say the least.

I have found Double Edge wants munitions failsafe. The reason being, that you want the enemy to have to spend tokens/whatever to avoid the shot, so you can fire again.

You might also consider the XX-23 s thread tracers. They only require a focus to attack, cost one point, AND, can benefit from Ruthlessness.

The downside, of course, is Double Edge's pilot skill. He is good for setting up shots for the following turns.

Kestal and the harpoon.. add in some guidance chips and her ability.. that could be nasty. Remember a Ruthless Kestal's best wingmate is Quickdraw.

2 hours ago, Boom Owl said:

Imperials are fine.

Just play RAC/Palp/Kylo and enter god mode with Whisper or QD

Sabine/Bane and Bombs kind of **** all over Imperial lowhull aces

I used to play QD with a Ruthlessness Vessery Tie D. The combo was a ton of fun. TB can move small ships around to get better mileage out of Ruthlessness and the double tap makes the ept more cost effective.

As mentioned earlier spreading one damage onto QD to trigger another shot is great fun. I once put 23 red dice in one turn on Dengar using this combo.

8 hours ago, clanofwolves said:

The plethora of Biggs NPE lists --which is obviously the bane of enjoyable X-Wing battles ATM-- is the reason behind my ruthless thread.....

Awww, you were making so much sense until then.... your list suggestion looks fun though, let us know how it goes

I don't get it. No one uses Ruthlessness. For a reason.

Why would it be good with Harpoon Missiles?

2 hours ago, MrAndersson said:

I don't get it. No one uses Ruthlessness. For a reason.

Why would it be good with Harpoon Missiles?

I like ruthless Ryad and even more ruthless Backdraft with QuickDraw. Biggs likes them much less.

Not saying it's tourney winning. But there's plenty of hard to hit ships that hangout at R1 of easy targets

3 hours ago, MrAndersson said:

I don't get it. No one uses Ruthlessness. For a reason.

Why would it be good with Harpoon Missiles?

fsr 2.0 will hate it with a passion?

5 hours ago, Ralgon said:

fsr 2.0 will hate it with a passion?

Harpoon Missiles, yes.

But what would Ruthlessness add to that equation that other EPTs won't do better?

22 minutes ago, MrAndersson said:

Harpoon Missiles, yes.

But what would Ruthlessness add to that equation that other EPTs won't do better?

Extra auto damage on jess/biggs that doesn't give a stuff about the lists tricks? Make rex go pop without even the need to target him? Also the fsr list really only works but staying at range one of each other so you can count on there being a target?

Theres certainly better ept's out there for general use (ruthlessness is good, but it's rather overcosted with new tricks we have now and will have very little use vs some other lists around) but if you have a rather rebel heavy meta locally it makes sense, especialy from an imperial standpoint that needs the extra damage to eat up that huge effective hull/shield disparity.

16 minutes ago, MrAndersson said:

Harpoon Missiles, yes.

But what would Ruthlessness add to that equation that other EPTs won't do better?

More autodamage.

The reason FSR hates harpoons is the damage spreading.

It's not hard to HIT the ships in FSR, particularly, it's hard ot make damage stick without it spreading everywhere.

With Harpoons and Rthlessness you can snipe Rex without ever actually shooting him, for instance, and make it a lot less comfortable to use Selflessness and DTF to spread damage because things might start dying.

Again, I get Harpoon missiles. They are a good missile in general and have the added bonus against swarm type lists. Definitely useful.

But Ruthlessness. Yes, it can be used against swarms to splash a little bit of extra damage. But against 2 ship lists (which are still super common), it's pretty much worthless. It has a good chance of doing more damage to yourself than to your opponent. That's not a good use of 3 points and an EPT slot.

Everyone has probably already noticed this, but i just realised that harpoon doesn't state ''friendly'' ships, just ''each other ship''...so the harpooned ship could turn into a kamikaze and stick itself amongst your ships at r1, forcing you to either inflict splash damage on yourself, or not attack that ship