I'm looking to run a Deathrain squad for a local league game. I'm having trouble figuring out what to throw in with her. This is what I'm pretty sold on for Deathrain:

• Deathrain (26) [36]
  • Bomblet Generator (3)
  • Advanced Sensors (3)
  • Lightweight Frame (2)
  • Unguided Rockets (2)

Unguided Rockets is probably the only thing I'd consider dropping, since I think I'll get a lot of mileage out of LWF. I do like running Vader and Juno and are some of my top contenders as wingmen, but that leaves me with 32-36 points left. Any suggestions? I have 1 Advanced, 1 Defender, 1 Striker, 1 Bomber, 1 Aggressor, 2 Interceptors, 3 FO's, 1 SF.

Drop AS and put Enhanced Scopes. Then you're good.

8 minutes ago, Celestial Lizards said:

Drop AS and put Enhanced Scopes. Then you're good.

Advanced Sensors is significantly better than Enhanced Scopes for this Deathrain because she can drop maneuver bombs in at least 8 different places with it. I like Enhanced Scopes with Action bombs, but I think this is what I want.

Any suggestions for wingmen would be more welcome.

Just now, Praetorate of the Empire said:

Any suggestions for wingmen would be more welcome.

Possibly a Range-3 built XG-1 or OS-1 to stay out of the way of the bombs. Use them as flankers, taking potshots with Homing Missiles, Harpoons, Mangler, and HLC

18 minutes ago, Celestial Lizards said:

Possibly a Range-3 built XG-1 or OS-1 to stay out of the way of the bombs. Use them as flankers, taking potshots with Homing Missiles, Harpoons, Mangler, and HLC

I think I will enjoy the OS-1 loadout, but they aren't out yet. I'll need something to work with beforehand. I am really wishing to run Vader + Inquisitor alongside, but I don't have the Inquisitor...

Just now, Praetorate of the Empire said:

but I don't have the Inquisitor...

You need to change that.

Just now, Celestial Lizards said:

You need to change that.

Yeah, for sure. It's the second one on my list. I need another TIE Bomber before another Ace-y ship.

I love this Deaththrain build. Other than the future Gunboats, I think it would pair nicely with Tomax w/ Unguided Rockets, LWF, and Crack Shot, and Quickdraw or Vader

I'm planning on running the exact same Deathrain build but with two Tie advanced prototypes -

Inquisitor, push the limit, title, autothrusters and prockets

Valen Rudor, intensity, title, autothrusters and cruise missiles

Should be some insanely manoeuvrable ships. I'm particularly interested in how Valen with intensity works. I'm hoping to take a Target lock, gaining an evade, as his action most turns. Once he has defended, using the evade if necessary, his ability will trigger letting him boost or barrel roll to get out of arcs plus gain a focus/evade from intensity. May also help get range to fire off his missiles.

Not that useful to you I know, seeing as you don't have any prototypes at the moment. Just something I'm thinking about trying out.

Sorry to spoil your ideas - but Deathfire can not equip Bomblet Generator, because it requires two bomb upgrade slots and Deathfire only has one.

23 minutes ago, Everyday Ace said:

Sorry to spoil your ideas - but Deathfire can not equip Bomblet Generator, because it requires two bomb upgrade slots and Deathfire only has one.

Praetorate was talking about using Deathrain (the punisher pilot), not Deathfire (the bomber pilot). Luckily the punisher has two bomb slots (yay it can be used for something besides UGR!!).

I had to go look it up and make sure the punisher had two bomb slots. Good to know that I know nothing about the punisher!!

Got that one wrong

2 minutes ago, Everyday Ace said:

Got that one wrong

Watch it be he really meant Deathfire and has fooled us all!!

13 hours ago, Cow-of-Doom said:

Watch it be he really meant Deathfire and has fooled us all!!

Ha, no, I definitely meant Deathrain. Deathfire is my main go-to to fill 26 point slots, though.

Deathfire would be pretty useless with it even if he could equip it since he wants those action bombs the most.

16 hours ago, Han Silo said:

I'm planning on running the exact same Deathrain build but with two Tie advanced prototypes -

Inquisitor, push the limit, title, autothrusters and prockets

Valen Rudor, intensity, title, autothrusters and cruise missiles

Should be some insanely manoeuvrable ships. I'm particularly interested in how Valen with intensity works. I'm hoping to take a Target lock, gaining an evade, as his action most turns. Once he has defended, using the evade if necessary, his ability will trigger letting him boost or barrel roll to get out of arcs plus gain a focus/evade from intensity. May also help get range to fire off his missiles.

Not that useful to you I know, seeing as you don't have any prototypes at the moment. Just something I'm thinking about trying out.

That's the second time I've seen that Intensity Valen Rudor... You'll have to let us know how it goes.

After playing around with the points for some time, I think this might be something I practice with for a bit.

• Deathrain (26)
  • Advanced Sensors (3)
  • Bomblet Generator (3)
  • Lightweight Frame (2)
• Juno Eclipse (28)
  • x1 (0)
  • Advanced Targeting Computer (1)
  • Veteran Instincts (1)
  • TIE mk. II (1)
• Countess Ryad (34)
  • x7 (-2)
  • Juke (2)
  • TIE mk. II (1)

I dropped Unguided Rockets on Deathrain because she will likely not have a focus token since her primary focus will be bombing, so she'll probably do a lot of boosting into bombing locations and I'd rather she still have LWF to boost her terrible defense. Juno knife-fights, Ryad jousts, Deathrain chucks grenades. It'll be fine.

I've also seen Accuracy Corrector on Deathrain, and think it seems viable. It'll keep offense relatively strong, while not having to worry about tokens like Unguided Rockets, and while it doesn't let you boost before you move, boosting after can be highly useful when dropping a front-bomb without catching yourself in the explosion.

As to Juno, that's also the same price for a Vader without Mk.IIs. The action economy seems worth considering. Juno probably has some advantages, but keep Vader in mind. I also kind of like Accuracy Corrector on Juno, since she doesn't always have the same action economy to spend on target locks.

With Ryad, consider Intensity. Intensity is surprisingly good on Defenders. Evade tokens often go unused, whether from being out-of-arc, or from another ship being the focus fire target. Trading that for a Barrel Roll is huge, given how little of the dial a Defender can use. I don't like Juke in general in lists which don't have a way of preventing focus tokens from being used (Carnor Jax, Omega Leader, Hotshot Copilot).

Also, with a TIE Advanced leaving a TL on the target with ATC, I'd consider dropping TIE Mk.II on the defender to upgrade to Vessery. You'll lose some flexibility in K-Turning, but gain TLs on offense. A non-missile Advanced and Punisher might not be the highest damage ships, and getting extra offensive action efficiency may be worthwhile.

On 04/11/2017 at 4:19 PM, Praetorate of the Empire said:

That's the second time I've seen that Intensity Valen Rudor... You'll have to let us know how it goes.

After playing around with the points for some time, I think this might be something I practice with for a bit.

• Deathrain (26)
  • Advanced Sensors (3)
  • Bomblet Generator (3)
  • Lightweight Frame (2)
• Juno Eclipse (28)
  • x1 (0)
  • Advanced Targeting Computer (1)
  • Veteran Instincts (1)
  • TIE mk. II (1)
• Countess Ryad (34)
  • x7 (-2)
  • Juke (2)
  • TIE mk. II (1)

I dropped Unguided Rockets on Deathrain because she will likely not have a focus token since her primary focus will be bombing, so she'll probably do a lot of boosting into bombing locations and I'd rather she still have LWF to boost her terrible defense. Juno knife-fights, Ryad jousts, Deathrain chucks grenades. It'll be fine.

So I tried out my squad last night and I really think I've found the team for me. Valen with Intensity is good, maybe not the strongest combo but definitely made him more unpredictable and dangerous (plus I'm sure at some point I'm going to be able to pull off defending with him and then using one of his abilities to fire his missiles).

Deathrain was a sight to behold, able to move in so many directions that my oppents had no idea were she was going to end up. This made her great for blocking, in fact I got the kill shot on Fel by boosting, then dropping a bomb out the front guides and then doing a one straight to land on top of the bomb. This blocked Fels two bank and meant we both took the blast and let the Inquisitor finish him off.

Flying in with Deathrain to break up formations and then using the two ties to split off and take out isolated ships with their munitions seems to work really well.

Not a competitive list maybe but really fun to use. And with some practice, who knows ?