Fell off the RAC

By dsh7718, in X-Wing Squad Lists

So I have found a list from a certain podcast that looks like a cool and fun list to fly for a local league. And I have been looking for an excuse to put fell back on the table. The only problem is I don't have a upsilon shuttle yet so I am missing kylo crew. But I may get the ship soon if it looks viable. What do you guys think?

(100)

•Soontir Fel (35) - TIE Interceptor
Push The Limit (3), Royal Guard TIE (0), Autothrusters (2), Stealth Device (3)

•Rear Admiral Chiraneau (65) - VT-49 Decimator
Predator (3), Ion Bombs (2), •Kylo Ren (3), •Rebel Captive (3), •Ysanne Isard (4), Engine Upgrade (4)

As a comparison, I made my own version of this list minus kylo crew.

(100)

•Soontir Fel (35) - TIE Interceptor
Push The Limit (3), Royal Guard TIE (0), Autothrusters (2), Stealth Device (3)

•Rear Admiral Chiraneau (65) - VT-49 Decimator
Expose (4), Inspiring Recruit (1), Gunner (5), •Rebel Captive (3), •Dauntless (2), Shield Upgrade (4)

What at do you guys think?

Edited by dsh7718

If you're running Kylo, you probably want to take Dauntless too so you don't get blocked into next tuesday and actually get some use out of him. Mods are to taste; if you're just using Kylo for blinded pilot, EU is great. If you plan to use more of them, you will probably Kylo every turn, so a passive mod like countermeasures or antipursuit lasers might get you more mileage. Ysanne is better vs 2 and 3 ship builds, and starts to lose effectiveness the more attacks you are taking each round. Probably a safe pick, but one you could swap out if you're looking for points. Ion bomb goes the same way. Predator is awesome on RAC; a soft focus and reroll every attack does wonders for making those shots count. VI is another option if you are worried about trying to beat out other 9s and 10s, but both would work just fine.

For the second list, 3 dice with mods tends to be better than 4 dice raw and I'm not sure that the single soft focus is enough to compensate. If you had experimental interface and target locked into expose each round, you'd be a monster. The decimator is probably the only ship that works exceptionally well on, otherwise predator or some kind of reroll or action economy ept will probably get you better results.

I like both lists; I think they should do well. Throw it on the mat a few times and get a feel for it and see how you like it.

First, love the name.

Second, Expose pairs much better with EI, and if you have Ysanne in the mix, you can trigger EI when you perform Ysanne's free evade action.

I'm not an Empire player, but love to theory craft with it and played with Expose RAC a couple of times and loved it, this is how I'd use it now:

Soontir Fel (27)
Push the Limit (3)
Autothrusters (2)
Targeting Computer (2)
Royal Guard TIE (0)

Rear Admiral Chiraneau (46)
Expose (4)
Rebel Captive (3)
Ysanne Isard (4)
Inspiring Recruit (1)
Experimental Interface (3)
Dauntless (2)

Total: 97

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Although Expose RAC is fun, I think this version of the admiral is probably better:

Soontir Fel (27)
Push the Limit (3)
Autothrusters (2)
Targeting Computer (2)
Royal Guard TIE (0)

Rear Admiral Chiraneau (46)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Kylo Ren (3)
Emperor Palpatine (8)
Engine Upgrade (4)
Dauntless (2)

Total: 98

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

It's reaaaaaally good, I gave a friend of mine a list similar with it, but with a PS10 Quickdraw and he went 6-0 on a tournament. So I would advise the second, problem might be getting the cards, like Palp.

However I would follow @Jimbawa 's advice, try your lists, see what you like and what you don't, and refine to your taste and playstyle, and, most importantly, have fun!

Edited by DanteStorm

Those Ion Bombs have potential.

As always, Soontir probably needs a bid of around 2 points or so. Another fun RAC is Gunner/Hotshot Copilot. Miss the first shot, remove a focus token, and shoot again. It's strong both offensively and defensively (attacking a Soontir is hard; even harder without a Focus token to get those hits). This is also one list where there is a case for Adaptability instead of VI. Sometimes it'll be useful to move RAC first to make room for Soontir, and the point probably goes straight to the bid. There's a risk, however, against PS 9+, which is popular these days.

Soontir (standard 34 or 35 points, with Targeting Computer or Stealth Device as the second mod depending on preference)

RAC (59 points baseline, plus 3-4 for crew, etc.) Adaptability, Gunner, Hotshot Copilot, Engine Upgrade. Dauntless could be skipped here, but it's not bad. RAC would also want another crew. Kylo is good, but you don't have him handy. Rebel Captive or Yssane Isard also would be strong. There's also a case for Operations Specialist (miss the gunner shot and toss another focus on Soontir), but that's only in the same expansion as Kylo.

I think a lot of the responses so far are very helpful!

I've flown A LOT of decimator + Ace over the years and I've found a few things that work quite well.

I think the first list you posted is decent and could do well in a competitive environment, but its not the most 'optimized' list I've ever seen (at least from the perspective of getting the most out of Kylo).

First of all, Palpatine is a huge help in this sort of list. I would not recommend running Kylo without Palp UNLESS you are in a meta that is heavy on high agility aces and X-7 defenders. If that's the case, then Gunner + Hotshot Co-pilot becomes better than Palp.

Secondly, Dauntless is also 'auto-include' if you are taking Kylo. In fact, its an essential part of flying this kind of list when facing 3+ enemy ships. You WANT RAC to bump so that you can shut down your opponent's offense (one ship loses its shot because its in base contact with RAC and then another loses its shot because of Kylo putting on the blinded pilot).

Thirdly, if you are going to run Kylo crew, Fel is the wrong ace to go with the Rear Admiral. You want to maximize your crits, because you basically win by applying Kylo as often as possible, and Fel cannot reliably do (although if you have Palpatine, then it becomes possible to get reliable crits out of Fel). In Fel's place, I would suggest Darth Vader.

So in conclusion, if your goal is to run Kylo on a decimator and run a high PS imperial ace alongside it, then this is the 'best' list:

RAC w/ VI*, dauntless, Kylo, Palpatine* & Engine = 64

Vader w/ lone wolf, X-1, ATC & engine = 36

100

* If you are facing ALOT of high agility enemy ships (such as Soontir, Fenn and any X-7 Defenders), then you are better off with Adaptability, Gunner & Hotshot Co-pilot.

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However, if you JUST want to run Fel + RAC, then I would not bother with Kylo, although admittedly he can work if you have Palpatine in your remaining crew slots. This gives you a hard-hitting, squirrely decimator that your opponent needs to kill to win, alongside a dangerous flanking Fel:

RAC w/ predator, rebel captive, gunner, ion bomb & engine upgrade = 63

Fel w/ PTL, title, autothrusters & target comp = 34

97