A-Wing: Green Squadron Pilot (19)
Crack Shot (1)
Harpoon Missiles (4)
Guidance Chips (0)
A-Wing Test Pilot (0)
Deadeye (1)

A-Wing: Green Squadron Pilot (19)
Crack Shot (1)
Harpoon Missiles (4)
Guidance Chips (0)
A-Wing Test Pilot (0)
Deadeye (1)

A-Wing: Green Squadron Pilot (19)
Crack Shot (1)
Harpoon Missiles (4)
Guidance Chips (0)
A-Wing Test Pilot (0)
Deadeye (1)

A-Wing: Green Squadron Pilot (19)
Crack Shot (1)
Harpoon Missiles (4)
Guidance Chips (0)
A-Wing Test Pilot (0)
Deadeye (1)

-- TOTAL ------- 100/100p. --

After watching Blair take 3 harpoons on 7 Z95s to runner up in the Fresno Regional, I wanted to try to get as many Harpoons as I could into a list and quickly realized that getting them off was going to be the crux of the matter, so enter chips and crack. Spice it up with Deadeye so I wouldn't need the TL's (and the thread tracer Zs that Blair did) and multiply by 4. I'm going to run this in my FLGS's Q4 tourny this week. Thoughts?

Here is my best thinking on this...

Green Squadron Pilot (25) - A-Wing
Deadeye (1), Harpoon Missiles (4), A-Wing Test Pilot (0), Guidance Chips (0), Calculation (1)

Calculation allows for more consistent ‘poon triggering.

You can still fit 4 in a list! ?

Hmm, might have to try 2 of each.

PS 12 Harpoons! Roark boosts A-wing #1, who passes the PS 12 to A-wing #2 with Swarm Tactics. #2 passes to #3, then #3 passes back to Roark!

@Innese, I started with something very similar but I didn't want to be vulnerable to Harpoons myself. With the 4 A's I can stay spread out.

Why bother with deadeye if you're going to be PS12? Might as well just target lock on your turn and crack shot your target.

@Jimbawa You aren't PS 12 until the Combat phase, so you won't get to move first and get the locks.

@Innese I really like this list idea. The only thing I would change is Swarm Tactics on the last A-wing; the HWK doesn't really need to shoot at PS 12, and it probably won't be able to shoot in the first round anyways with ABT. "Chopper" and an Ion Cannon Turret, plus A Score to Settle on that last A-wing maybe, is how I'd be inclined to go.

22 minutes ago, DeathToJarJar said:

@Innese I really like this list idea. The only thing I would change is Swarm Tactics on the last A-wing; the HWK doesn't really need to shoot at PS 12, and it probably won't be able to shoot in the first round anyways with ABT. "Chopper" and an Ion Cannon Turret, plus A Score to Settle on that last A-wing maybe, is how I'd be inclined to go.

I looked at tweaking the loadout of the last A-wing to fit more on the HWK, but in the end decided not to. While it may not be able to boost the HWK up in a truly beneficial way, it makes planning engagements/maneuvers that much easier. Knowing my luck, if I tweak the build of an A-wing, it would be the one that somehow ends up in the middle of a chain right when I need it to pass a PS down.

@Jimbawa Deadeye is there because the A-Wings are PS3, meaning that I will most likely be moving first and usually out of range to take the TL until the opponent moves. This way as long as I have a focus, I'm dangerous.

Problem with these guys is, they are useless after the harpoons are gone. They might wipe a ship or two, but they will die in turn really fast.

@Greebwahn I know, that's what I'm curious about. Can they do enough in the alpha strike to survive? If not, I will see about dropping 1-2 of them for some support.

I like the idea of getting some support. Don't get me wrong, I think As can be viable, but I think they kinda need Juke for that. However, 2 of these with some long-game support could be interesting.

What to support them is the question? 2 Harpoons alone aren't very scary, so the support needs to make up for that. I'd love to get a Targeting Synchronizer in there and change the Deadeyes out for Calculations, but that means a T70 is the only viable support.

Bringing this to my FLGS's Q4 Tournament in a few hours, will report back.

1 hour ago, Javelin said:

Bringing this to my FLGS's Q4 Tournament in a few hours, will report back.

Good luck dude. I love me some A-wings but with a bomb heavy meta and autoblaster turrets etc., it just seems like some rough waters for them out there. Be interested in seeing how you do though.

What about pairing 2 of them with Ezra in a Sheathipede w/ Gunner, Snap Shot, Stressbot for some wild stress control, and then a Gold Squadron Y-Wing w/ Ion Cannon Turret and Chopper, with the Title, Bomb Loadout, and GC for some cheap regen and to spring open the turret when needed?

6 hours ago, Skeether said:

Good luck dude. I love me some A-wings but with a bomb heavy meta and autoblaster turrets etc., it just seems like some rough waters for them out there. Be interested in seeing how you do though.

3 rounds of swiss, and I went 2-1 and got second overall.

Opened with a super close loss to Nym/Miranda (3rd) where I killed Miranda early, but wasted 3 harpoons doing it. Had Nym at less than half and managed to avoid all but one bomb, but the last 15 minutes so me go from 3 A's left to none. L 48-152

Second round was against 4 TLT Aggressors, which my list is the hard counter to. I would have tabled him but managed to daisy chain one Harpooned! Aggressor into another one which got 2 A-Wings in the radius. W 150-50.

Third round was against Kylo/RAC and was brutal. 3 A's ganged up on Vader first round of combat and wiped him and then plunked away at the Decimator. Only got 3 of the Harpoons off this one. Hot Shot Copilot was killing my focus until I realized that Deadeye was *may* and TL'd the punk. W 150-50

2-1, 348 MOV, 2nd overall

First was TLT Ghost, TLT Roark?, and TLT Y-Wing. He went 3-0, didn't play him. I thought the list was actually really good. The A-Wings are so fast that they can avoid a lot of bombs, and boost is your friend when you don't have a shot! I think Deadeye might not be needed, and Crackshot was like a non factor, I forgot to use it a couple of times even. I don't know that I'd change it yet though.

I bought all of the new waves last night and opened them up today. Nothing that would change this squad at 4 A's, but I may swap one out for the Sheathipede to get them some support as 4 missiles did seem like overkill.

4 procket crack snap shot A-Wings is my life

I tried replacing 1 A-Wing with a Sheathipede to try and get some Coordinate, and it was measurably worse. The whole point is all 4 ships completely scatter. Next experiment is replacing 2 of them with a Resistance Bomber, Hammer & Sickle style.

I like the idea and I think the first list is decent if flown well.

I have a list that gives them deadeye, cruise missile, chips and snap shot. I've yet to try it but Cruise missiles have shown well for me in other lists.

Another list type I have uses a T-70 of choice with targeting synchronizer, Jake Farrell with VI + Intensity + chips + cruise, two z-95s with chips and cruise. Jake is fantastic here, routinely hitting his cruise for 5 while double repositioning and token stacking. The rest of the list is pretty basic but it threatens with firepower.

That list was the rebel variant of a Quickdraw swarm leader build that used targeting synchronizer, guidance chips, cruise missile, fcs, and swarm leader. Quick was complemented by 3 20pt PS 2 Tie Prototypes with chips, cruise missiles and titles.

I think targeting synchronizer definitely holds a lot of potential for the meta right now - particularly in these sorts of 3-4 ship missile lists. The imperial SFs with FCS and rear arcs are fantastic for shooting your target to provide the lock for your missile carriers.

The problem with Targeting Synchronizer is that it's only range 1-2, which keeps you in a formation. The A-Holes like to fly completely separately so that one can get behind you when the opportunity strikes.

FYI, you fly all four ships as separate as you can. Try to stay at range 3 and get on someone's 6 to launch the Harpoon. I kept making the mistake of getting too close since I was used to Snap/Juke A-Wings.

Have you tried switching crackshot for rage? With Rage giving 3 re-rolls (and the one from guidance chips), and a focus token you have fully modded harps. Yes, you have 2 stress to work off, but since you're playing the initial volley, it might be worth it especially since you're running with A-wings that have a large number of green maneuvers (all 2's and up to 5 straight).

it might even add to the long term longevity in the right circumstance.

do you find that spending 7 points an A-Wing for a single harpoon shot each is a little inefficient use of points? that's 28 points you are using in the list solely on 4 shots. naked A-wings with snap shot and no mods are... well as much as I love A-wings, pretty fun but not very dangerous. Even "5" points each for Prockets is hard to swallow int his meta.