Going back to chopper, while he's just a silly gimmick on an EM Y (since r5p9 offers infinte Regen for action) he could be useful as very cheap Regen (so just bomb loadout and chips, paying 1 point for some Regen instead of 3)

He could also be not the worst on Rau, who can pack chopper with the 0 point crew Droid and adaptability/trickshot and chips for 3 charges of Regen

Of course you're completely dependent on Raus ability as you cannot coordinate and Regen, but it's something to consider

3 minutes ago, Schu81 said:

How about a cheap Falcon` with rerolls?

Resistance Sympathizer (38)
Ezra Bridger (3)
Maul (3)

Total: 44

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Add the Evade title, and it's not that bad. But how much better is it than just Wookiee Commandos? Wookiees gives an average of 1.875 hits, and a 24% chance of three hits. Maul-for-one and Ezra gives an average of 2.5 hits, and a 59% chance of three hits. Is that worth five points? I'm kind of thinking yes, with the understanding that sometimes you'll be forced to take green turns.

Hera:”Chopper why can’t we undock the phantom 2 from the ghost?!”

Chopper: Triumphant cheer/beeps

Hera:”CHOPPER!!! What do you mean you removed the docking clamps to fix the shields?!”

2 hours ago, ficklegreendice said:

this is true, but we have to keep in mind that it isn't "AT ALL" but "to modify dice" when attacking

it's a pedantic but important distinction when it comes to Ordnance...well, assuming we ever care about spending tokens to fire ordnance ever again

still, it's something and it's also DTF and Pulse Ray Shield able. Probably not PRS, though, as Rau's ability works out of both arcs and ionization will prevent you from shedding stress. Maybe r5?

Well, FFG has basically said that spending tokens TO attack is not the same as spending them WHEN attackING. But yeah, I should have been more accurate.

That said, I think there will be plenty of counterplay for Rebel Rau's ability. Not being in arc, for one. Modifications that do not depend on tokens work as well, such as Guidance Chips, Mangler Cannons or anything similar. Crack shot will still work, as will things like Accuracy Corrector or Advanced Targeting Computer. It's similar, but IMO not really comparable to Omega Leader, but Omega Leader prevents any and all modification. RebRau only prevents anything to do with tokens, and ONLY for attacking. The target ship is free to spend defensive tokens, even against Rau's (admittedly 2R) attack.

The problem with Flight Assist is that it is pretty good for high PS, but does next to nothing for low-PS.

A Rookie Pilot, for instance, can move, not qualify for Flight Assist, and then still end up with no shot.

It should have been at the end of activation. The restrictions on it are already enough. This would boost the lower PS pilots relative to the higher PS pilots, but still give a boost (okay, I'm just now catching the pun) to the higher PS pilots.

FFG is so wildly uneven when it comes to "fixes."

1 hour ago, FlyingAnchors said:

Hera:”Chopper why can’t we undock the phantom 2 from the ghost?!”

Chopper: Triumphant cheer/beeps

Hera:”CHOPPER!!! What do you mean you removed the docking clamps to fix the shields?!”

I may have seen too much Rebels when I can not only picture this, but I can hear it in the correct voices when I'm reading it.

My buddy and I, until sometime last season, were convinced that Chopper was an Imperial plant. (Still the worst character on the show ... )

1 hour ago, FlyingAnchors said:

Hera:”Chopper why can’t we undock the phantom 2 from the ghost?!”

Chopper: Triumphant cheer/beeps

Hera:”CHOPPER!!! What do you mean you removed the docking clamps to fix the shields?!”

Priceless! Thanks for the laugh. I could totally see this in an episode!

AP-5's ability is crazy good for cost

15 AP-5 w/ Chopper (crew)

lets you trigger AP-5's ability even with a pile of stress (at the cost of burning one of your 4 hull). Paired with an elusive ace or two and the places your ships can end up gets nuts.

Example:

Dengar with Maul?

7 minutes ago, Jadotch said:

Dengar with Maul?

Maul would turn off if he used it for his first attack at all. I wish Maul was Imperial because Yorr would pair nicely in a list with him.

16 minutes ago, Tbetts94 said:

Maul would turn off if he used it for his first attack at all.

would turn off himself AND expertise

2 hours ago, Boba Rick said:

Does anyone know the lore on this type of ship?

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sheathipede-class_transport_shuttle

Not much. Built by Haor Chall, who were subcontracted by the Neimoidians for a lot of things. They're the same manufacturers as Vulture and Hailfire tank droids, and those big ****-off landers the TF uses. Comes in a couple configurations.

BTW, this means rebels have two Prequel-era ships now.

Ibtisam (28)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Collision Detector (0)
Ezra Bridger (3)
B-Wing/E2 (1)

Keyan Farlander (29)
Adaptability (0)
Collision Detector (0)
Maul (3)
B-Wing/E2 (1)

Red Squadron Veteran (26)
Intensity (2)
Flight-Assist Astromech (1)
Comm Relay (3)
Autothrusters (2)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Ezra gives Ibtisam focus results, maul gives Farlander rerolls, and the red vet plays flanker/token stacker.

In the article, they say that the Rebels are all about inter-ship synergy, but at least in my local group the Rebel players seem to be more about piling as much as they can onto one nigh-untouchable ship, and then having exactly one other ship with just enough upgrades to be a decent threat. Never have I once seen any Rebel player use ships that interacted in any way with any of their other ships (other than bumping and avoiding bumping, of course).

Maybe I'll be lucky and some of this synergy-talk will inspire some of our Rebel players to actually try using more than two ships in a list!

1 minute ago, JJ48 said:

In the article, they say that the Rebels are all about inter-ship synergy, but at least in my local group the Rebel players seem to be more about piling as much as they can onto one nigh-untouchable ship, and then having exactly one other ship with just enough upgrades to be a decent threat. Never have I once seen any Rebel player use ships that interacted in any way with any of their other ships (other than bumping and avoiding bumping, of course).

Maybe I'll be lucky and some of this synergy-talk will inspire some of our Rebel players to actually try using more than two ships in a list!

Pretty sure FFG just had to nerf some rebel inter-ship synergy.

5 hours ago, Kieransi said:

No X-Wing fix here... Courier Droid is a crew and Chopper is unique (and best on ships with tons of upgrades).

Edit; oops! Missed this guy. Is he useful?

I actually rather like the looks of this card. Extra maneuvering is always nice, especially when I just need that little bit extra to line up a shot on someone. I've got a just-for-fun list that uses a couple T-65s with R2 Astromechs. I may have to try equipping them with this instead and see if that improves them at all.

1 minute ago, Rakaydos said:

Pretty sure FFG just had to nerf some rebel inter-ship synergy.

I know there are probably people out there doing the Rebel synergy thing; I'm just saying it's not happening in my area. (I think mostly I was just taking the opportunity to vent a little because of a particularly bad match-up I had the other night.)

5 hours ago, ficklegreendice said:

in my opinion, it's absolute trash meh because of how incredibly situational it is. HOWEVER it's LEAGUES better than R3 (yeah, don't think I'll ever forgot that steaming pile of bantha poodu)

so the one big use I see for FAA is against drop-on-activation bombs, as it allows you to disengage and then boost to clear the predicted blast radius. It's very good for that, at least, and for re-configuring your arc on a high PS pilot to get a shoot without action cost. Small issue being that high PS pilots will generally want something more useful in the astro slot

apart from the hilarity of Chopper, this expac is a massive miss for me. Nothing stands out as predictably powerful, other than the stressbug Ezra everyone and their one-eye, blind dog could have predicted (r3-a2 gunner)

PS: if we ever get a reload astromech ship, oh baby Chopper could be amazing

I was going to say you were crazy until I realized I missed the 'no enemies in your firing arc' clause. I thought it seemed way too good to be true for 1 point, and it was.

4 minutes ago, Otacon said:

I was going to say you were crazy until I realized I missed the 'no enemies in your firing arc' clause. I thought it seemed way too good to be true for 1 point, and it was.

there's always a catch

1 hour ago, UnitOmega said:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sheathipede-class_transport_shuttle

BTW, this means rebels have two Prequel-era ships now.

Sssshhhhhh!!!!! Not too loud! FFG might bring out the yellow banana ship!

I really love the whole "_______ ONLY. IGNORE THIS RESTRICTION IF _______" concept. Opens up all kinds of neat design possibilities.

If the dial on this ship is _amazing_, I can see folks doing ezra + PTL to get the coordinate action a bunch of times.

As it is, it's going to need to take actions to punch damage through, which means it isn't doing coordinate as much as it ought to be, and then why did you take this instead of an A-Wing?

Having said that: Ezra/Maul looks like a good combo to use coordinate and then use Maul for dice mods. And AP-5 looks interesting for coordinate + stress removal. But. Eh. None of these look like they're doing enough to be worth giving up the points.

And I'm not sure giving up double tap is worth sometimes getting a free coordinate action. I say "some times", because you need to be unstressed to make it work. Double tap has no such restrictions.

5 minutes ago, Punning Pundit said:

If the dial on this ship is _amazing_, I can see folks doing ezra + PTL to get the coordinate action a bunch of times.

With R2 astromech slotted in, it will have a PTL worthy dial, barring some unprecedented 2 speed restrictions.

48 minutes ago, SabineKey said:

With R2 astromech slotted in, it will have a PTL worthy dial, barring some unprecedented 2 speed restrictions.

Yeah, I meant to add that caveat in.

I'll give it a whirl.