On 31/10/2017 at 5:29 PM, Awing Test Pilot said:

4xblues w. R2 astr and integrated. is there any other choice?

4xBlues w. FA Astromech and integrated.

I prefer this one.

That's the newer version - we're going to have to see how often the astromech triggers compared to the number of times you wish you could do a speed 2 turn whilst clearing stress (talon roll is the primary culprit here).

It's certainly better in the 'approach' phase - because it's giving you access to barrel roll (a free boost too, but if you're not yet shooting at one another boosting as your action is no great hardship).

The 'if you have no opponent in your arc....it'll depend. Obviously if you have a target, you probably don't care about boosting or barrel rolling, but on a PS2 Novice, that target may have disappeared by the time you actually get around to shooting.

I like the idea of using FAA on approach. At beyond R3 you can set up for their approach if you’re lower PS, or boost into R3 to grab a target lock.

I haven’t had a chance to look into a whole squad for it, yet, but 3 points for Chopper and extra munitons; along with expendable astromech (blanking on the name :P) would give you 2 free shields and a discarded damage :3

At a quick glance, it would put Jess or Biggs at 28 points, so you could fly 3 Blue Novices with either of them, or the cheaper T-65’s if you wanted some more upgrade points. Jess would have a better action economy for Chopper’s ability while still having rerolls, Biggs obviously would gain some sustainability.

7 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

That's the newer version - we're going to have to see how often the astromech triggers compared to the number of times you wish you could do a speed 2 turn whilst clearing stress (talon roll is the primary culprit here).

It's certainly better in the 'approach' phase - because it's giving you access to barrel roll (a free boost too, but if you're not yet shooting at one another boosting as your action is no great hardship).

The 'if you have no opponent in your arc....it'll depend. Obviously if you have a target, you probably don't care about boosting or barrel rolling, but on a PS2 Novice, that target may have disappeared by the time you actually get around to shooting.

Yeah Tallon Roll is a thing....when you don't move. But now, you have basically a boost+b-roll whenever you want!

I've terrorized tournaments with this:

Rookie Pilot (22)
X-Wing (21), R2 Astromech (1), Integrated Astromech (0)

Biggs Darklighter (26)
X-Wing (25), R4-D6 (1), Integrated Astromech (0)

Jess Pava (27)
T-70 X-Wing (25), R2-D6 (1), Integrated Astromech (0), Draw Their Fire (1)

Tarn Mison (25)
X-Wing (23), R7 Astromech (2), Integrated Astromech (0)

Will still work even with the Biggs nerf.

^^^I was thinking almost the same thing.

Here's what I came up with when I was still reading page 1:

Jess Pava (25)
R2-D6 (1)
A Score to Settle (0)
Integrated Astromech (0)

Biggs Darklighter (25)
R4-D6 (1)
Integrated Astromech (0)

Tarn Mison (23)
M9-G8 (3)
Integrated Astromech (0)

Rookie Pilot (21)
Flight-Assist Astromech (1)
Integrated Astromech (0)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

I like the general utility of M9-G8 over draw their fire on Jess. The Biggs nerf might just encourage your opponent to just switch to Jess if she draws fire to protect Biggs. Whereas if she's a hammer, the target priority gets even more confused.

Also, I figure flight astromech will trigger more often than R2 on the rookie.

1 hour ago, Sekac said:

Also, I figure flight astromech will trigger more often than R2 on the rookie.

On a T-65, it's a given - Flight Control gives you a boost you don't have access to without it, so even if you just use it to get a couple of boost moves before the shooting starts, and then eject the poor little trashcan into the path of an oncoming cruise missile, you've probably got way more than a point's worth of utility out of the card.

On a T-70 it's still good but I think a touch less of an automatic choice.

I find myself wondering about a pure T-65 squad (purely personal taste - I don't like mixing eras).

• A 22 Point Flight Assist Rookie is acceptably fast round the board (strategically) and can recover from 'facing the wrong way' pretty quickly because that boost or barrel roll is free, so you can still focus (if shot at) or pick up a lock for next turn (if not).
• 4 Flight Assist Rookies are just 88 points - meaning you can spend 12 points on upgrading one or more of them.

To me, that suggests either 3 generics and a high-end ace:

• Wedge Antilles
  • Predator
  • Flight Assist Astromech
  • Integrated Astromech
• Rookie Pilot
  • Seismic Torpedoes
  • Flight Assist Astromech
  • Integrated Astromech
• Rookie Pilot
  • Flight Assist Astromech
  • Integrated Astromech
• Rookie Pilot
  • Flight Assist Astromech
  • Integrated Astromech

Or - possibly better - swap out two rookies for the "support aces" who can hand out free focus tokens and rerolls a-go-go to the other pilots.

• Garven Dreis
  • Cool Hand
  • R2-D6
  • Integrated Astromech
• Tarn Mison
  • M9-G8
  • Integrated Astromech
• Rookie Pilot
  • Seismic Torpedoes
  • Flight Assist Astromech
  • Integrated Astromech
• Rookie Pilot
  • Flight Assist Astromech
  • Integrated Astromech

Tonight I'll be giving this a go:

Rookie Pilot

• Seismic Torpedoes
• Flight Assist Astromech
• Integrated Astromech

Rookie Pilot

• Flight Assist Astromech
• Integrated Astromech

Rookie Pilot

• Flight Assist Astromech
• Integrated Astromech

Braylen Stramm

• Gunner
• Title
• R3-A2

This is my normal 'Scruff Squadron' but with FFA instead of R2s, will let you know how much (it at all) of an improvement it is.

2 minutes ago, BCooper85 said:

Tonight I'll be giving this a go:

Rookie Pilot

• Seismic Torpedoes
• Flight Assist Astromech
• Integrated Astromech

Rookie Pilot

• Flight Assist Astromech
• Integrated Astromech

Rookie Pilot

• Flight Assist Astromech
• Integrated Astromech

Braylen Stramm

• Gunner
• Title
• R3-A2

This is my normal 'Scruff Squadron' but with FFA instead of R2s, will let you know how much (it at all) of an improvement it is.

I think I stole your list after a tournament in Brighton. It’s great fun!

I'm guessing that aftermarket prices for the Flight Assist Astromech are going to go through the roof (and then we'll get Rebel Veterans

3 minutes ago, Estarriol said:

I think I stole your list after a tournament in Brighton. It’s great fun!

Awesome! You're the third person to use it that I know of

2 hours ago, FTS Gecko said:

I'm guessing that aftermarket prices for the Flight Assist Astromech are going to go through the roof (and then we'll get Rebel Veterans

It's practically the only non-unique in the pack - and inevitably it's only in as a singleton and something you might realistically want 3-4 of.

Anyone might suspect they planned this stuff, eh?

3 X-wings and an ARC-170 looks interesting. (depends how stress-sensitive your average opponent is, I guess)

I've seen a similar idea with 3 X-wings and an Operations Specialist U-wing, which might work rather well, too.

3 Rookies and [Thing] does leave you a fair amount of space. Heck, theoretically you could even take Etahn A'Baht - with 4 x 3-dice attacks, his ability starts to become a bit more impressive (rebels can't normally pack 4+ mangler cannons in a squad), and he can take Adaptability, Collision Detector and Guidance Chips and get a fair mileage out of Chopper.

However, remembering the thread title.....

...If you want a purely X-wing squad with a sort-of-stresshog, then

• Wes Janson
  • Veteran Instincts
  • Flechette Torpedoes
  • R3-A2
  • Integrated Astromech

Is a rather nice one. Your sustained ability to stress an opponent is obviously much less than Braylen and you're much more fragile, but it's harder to dance around your arcs when you move after 90% of opponents. More importantly, dropping stress at PS10 is good for messing up the expertise crowd, and Wes can strip off a target lock to boot - turning an expertise/target lock cruise missile into an unmodified primary weapon shot (especially embarrasing for TIE bombers)....