Round 2 vs quickdraw, backdraft, and scim all with poons. First combat round he fired all of his poons into the bomber, killing it, and i was only able to do 5 to his bomber in return, so i wasn't able to trade points wise. He then focused down Rexler, who pulled a Direct Hit to kill him. Maarek finished off the bomber, but he was in quickdraw'a arc, so qd finished off maarek with the fcs. L 100-20.
Favre-wing
Round 3 vs Vader, Inqy Kestral. First combat round vader harpoons Rexler for 1 damage. A whole lot of shots didn't hit, so that was the only damage in the round. Next round rexler is able to ion a stressed Inqy and put 2 more damage on him. Again, no other damage to speak of (we both had sub par dice.) Next round rexler finished off Inqy. Maarek ioned kestral, who was on a rock next round. Next round rexler kills kestral with an ion shot and maarek ions vader. Next round rexler blocked vader and maarek ioned him again. Next round the bomber blocked Vader and the defenders finished him off for the 100-0 win. As a testament to the dice rolls, the only damage I took was the harpoon and clearing the harpooned condition.
Round 4 on Saturday was against triple Khirazx. I later found out he played Jostero's ability wrong, even though i questioned it during the match. This was a dice swingy game, with Rexler dying to a 4 green blanks with a focus roll. I killed 1 of them, but lost, so I was 1-3.
Round 5 against a Han Fenn build. I focused down Fenn quickly, then kept Han ioned for most of the game. It still went down to 1 hull left Maarek killing Han for the win.
Last round against 4 wookiees. They do not like being ioned and focused down. His dice were horrid, and I won 100-0.
I ended 3-3. Not what I was hoping for.
It seemed to me that a large number of squads are dependent upon a high PS trigger happening, usually a poon. (4 out of 6 squads I faced had them.) So I'm going to be doing some e experimenting with Torkil for a while.
Edited by hothieI'm still hung up on making some level of Imperial control work. I've been playing a bit, and came up with this recently...
Slightly tankier QD, FCS to feed TL for Vessery on his shots. Rho w/ VI to simultaneous fire w/ Vessery, XG-1 and Tractor to still fire after a Slam.
Thoughts?
7 hours ago, bydand said:I'm still hung up on making some level of Imperial control work. I've been playing a bit, and came up with this recently...
Slightly tankier QD, FCS to feed TL for Vessery on his shots. Rho w/ VI to simultaneous fire w/ Vessery, XG-1 and Tractor to still fire after a Slam.
Thoughts?
You can do Long Range Scanners on the Rho as well.
After Minnesota, I don't really know what is going on with the meta. I would worry about having 2 PS6 pilots because of Dash, Nymiranda, etc, but then along comes Fenn Kanan and it won't be as big a deal. I think you will struggle to out-damage or control Fenn Kanan, as well as any other large based ship.
I'm moving on to a squad that I think can beat Fenn Kanan, going back to my roots, trying to make TIEs viable again.
https://geordanr.github.io/xwing/?f=Galactic Empire&d=v4!s!15::-1:-1:;17:205:-1:-1:;151:205:-1:-1:;239:8:48:31:;188:150,-1:-1:-1:&sn=New Squadron&obs=
I haven't put it on the table yet, but the thought of it intrigues me. I tried out a version for 2 games on vassal, but neither game was completed, so I can't really glean much except that I know I'm rusty flying TIEs. I missed a key block on Soontir Fel in one of the games, which I believe I would have had on the table. The other game I was running into myself too much, so I need to be better.
Looking for your advise here Hothie!
I took two Defenders and a TIE Shuttle to a Regional in the UK recently and managed to break into the top 32 (just) and just wanted your thoughts on some of what I felt was the more difficult match-ups:
My list:
Maarek with Ion Cannon, TIE MkII, VI and TIE/D title
Rex with Adapt, Tractor Beam, TIE MkII and TIE/D title
Scimitar with Fleet Officer, TIE MkII and TIE Shuttle title
Lothal / Fenn / Zeb
This list absolutely ruined me and stopped me going 5 - 1 on the first day. Attacking Fenn meant that I was essentially token less when the Ghost fired and my god. . when it did . . nothing short of maximum dice due to Ezra / Maul combo. It was filth. I lost within 10 - 12 minutes I think. How would you approach this kind of match up?
Dash (LW, Rey, Title, Engine & HLC) / Poe (VI, BB8, Adv.Optics and Autos)
I figured taking Dash down first would be the best option due to the 360 HLC and if I could get Maarek into a fight with Poe, I would win due to Ion + K turn.
I tried to engage Dash quickly to stifle any Rey/Focus build up but ended up eating two rounds of fire from Dash which, believe it or not, killed Rex outright.
I managed to use the Scimitar to block Dash for six consecutive turns but Maarek wasn't punching through and constantly taking shots from a double mod Poe.
Did I mess up my target priority here, should I have punched Poe out of the game early on instead?
I'm thinking of continuing with this list but I really wish I had access to auto thrusters sometimes. 
6 hours ago, Viktus106 said:Looking for your advise here Hothie!
I took two Defenders and a TIE Shuttle to a Regional in the UK recently and managed to break into the top 32 (just) and just wanted your thoughts on some of what I felt was the more difficult match-ups:
My list:
Maarek with Ion Cannon, TIE MkII, VI and TIE/D title
Rex with Adapt, Tractor Beam, TIE MkII and TIE/D title
Scimitar with Fleet Officer, TIE MkII and TIE Shuttle title
Lothal / Fenn / Zeb
This list absolutely ruined me and stopped me going 5 - 1 on the first day. Attacking Fenn meant that I was essentially token less when the Ghost fired and my god. . when it did . . nothing short of maximum dice due to Ezra / Maul combo. It was filth. I lost within 10 - 12 minutes I think. How would you approach this kind of match up?Dash (LW, Rey, Title, Engine & HLC) / Poe (VI, BB8, Adv.Optics and Autos)
I figured taking Dash down first would be the best option due to the 360 HLC and if I could get Maarek into a fight with Poe, I would win due to Ion + K turn.
I tried to engage Dash quickly to stifle any Rey/Focus build up but ended up eating two rounds of fire from Dash which, believe it or not, killed Rex outright.
I managed to use the Scimitar to block Dash for six consecutive turns but Maarek wasn't punching through and constantly taking shots from a double mod Poe.
Did I mess up my target priority here, should I have punched Poe out of the game early on instead?
I'm thinking of continuing with this list but I really wish I had access to auto thrusters sometimes.
Did you find the MKII useful on the defenders? The reason I ask is because I really think double ion cannons is the way to go. And my personal feeling is you attack the ghost first in that matchup and try to ion it and whittle it down. That way if you choose to spend your focus, you're at least damaging him in return.
Second matchup go after Poe first with both. Ion poe is an unhappy x-wing. You should still have both defenders left to be able to ion Dash and take him down.
Again, without being there, these are my thoughts. Good job going 4-2 though!
I've done a lot of soul and meta searching after the Minnesota Regional. Four out of the six squads I faced had Harpoons, and 3 of those 4 had multiple harpoons. The other 2 were 4 JM5K and 4 wookiees, which rely solely on beef to whittle you down. So I have thought a lot about how to combat harpoons, as well as the ever-present ghost-fenn combo.
I have been squad building around 5-7 ship Imperial lists, but TIEs just don't hold up to the continual onslaught of 4-5 dice attacks round after round. So, instead, I built a squad that should be able to outlast my opponent. I hope.
Yesterday on vassal I ran this list:
Delta, x7, Stealth
Delta, x7, Stealth
Dormitz with electronic Baffle, Fleet Officer, Systems Officer, Hyperwave Comm Scanner
(I call it Frat House, because it's Delta Delta Dorm)
against a Poe, miranda, Ap5 list.
I was able to get the round 1 engagement, removing a shield from Miranda and taking no damage in return. The subsequent rounds I was able to block Poe repeatedly, not giving him a shot, and focus on Miranda. I got her down to 2 hull, but was unable to kill her, and she flew away and regenned. She must have regenned at least 10 shields throughout the game. I did kill Ap5, but my opponent was finally able to crack one of my defenders. He was able to kill it with Miranda at 2 hull and 1 shield, and Poe back up to full. My other Delta was untouched, but I called it there, as he could just run away with Miranda and regen back up again. I utilized the crew fairly well, i think, getting free focus and TLs often. but I need Dorm to be a better hitter, so I changed it up a little to this:
Delta, x7, Stealth
Delta, x7, Stealth
Dormitz with FCS, Hotcop, Hyperwave Comm Scanner
I played against a Quickdraw, Ryad, Omega Leader list on vassal. Round 1 I went right after Quickdraw, soaking up all of my opponent's shots (despite rolling 1 evade in my first 10 dice) in return for removing all of QD's shields. next round I brought Dormitz into the fight and continued the pressure on QD. I think I finally killed QD in the next round, then turned my attention to OL. I managed to get OL down to 1 hull left, but was unable to kill him until much later. So I focused on Ryad. Some key blocking by Dormitz led to Ryad's downfall. OL finished off Dormitz, but was unable to touch either defender for the rest of the game. I finished OL off a few turns later.
I really like the FCS on Dormitz, and the Hotcop should help deal with Poe, and anyone else with Optics. Hot cop should help the defenders hit as well. I like getting into combat round 1 against Harpoon Missiles, because most squads aren't set up for round 1 harpoon shots with TL only. Plus I have 4 agi, focus, and 2 evades waiting, so the odds are at least a little more in my favor vs focus+TL harpoons. And many harpoon squads aren't set up to do much more after they are fired. Most people aren't used to round 1 combat, so I think it will take some people by surprise. Plus it has the added effect of driving my opponents crazy trying to hit the defenders, so then they go after Dormitz, who has Hot Cop. I debated about Rebel Captive, but I think I like Hot Cop better, especially against Poe. I could be swayed, though. Especially since now everyone is going for Expertise to counter Fenn Ghost, and Captive will help shut down Fenn. I dunno. I like the squad, though, for its staying power if nothing else.
Edit: Another vassal game, this time against 3 Resistance Bombers. I wasn't looking forward to this match-up, because bombs don't care about my green dice or evades. i also thought about how I have played Dormitz, and I'm usually aggressive with him and block with him, so with the 4 points I went with Tactician and APL over Hotcop.
I actually didn't go full speed this time with the defenders, because running right into the bombs is a recipe for disaster. So I gave up some evade tokens, but I stayed away from the bombs, mostly. I was able to bring Dormitz right in the middle of his 3 bombers and blocked them up for many rounds. APL did 1 damage in 2 rolls. This was bloody, as he rolled hits on his plating, so he only really got to use the bombs sporadically, and I had ridiculous unmodified reds late game. i ended up winning, but just, as I 4k a defender off the board on the last turn of the game, in which he suicided a bomb to kill himself. brutal, brutal game, but I was able to pull out the win. I didn't use tactician at all because he stalled round 1, which threw off the ranges round 2. Hot cop might have been better here, although I'm still torn between that and captive.
For those few of you still reading, some thoughts:
I ran the hotcop version of Frat House against a Boba Asajj list on vassal. Asajj's stress really hampered my squad. He ended up killing Dorm, and he had both Deltas shieldless, and I had only gotten Boba to half and barely touched Asajj when we called it. Main lesson to take from that game though was that x7 Deltas really hate stress.
With so many stress givers in the game now, I knew i needed to make a change. The only logical change to make was replacing Dormitz with Yorr. I could run Palpatine on Yorr like most meta competitive squads do, but Palp has never really been my style. Plus, I still believe in making control work. So last night I flew this squad on the table:
Delta, x7, Stealth
Ryad, x7, Stealth, Juke
Yorr, Rebel Captive, Tactician, Tractor Beam, Ion Projector, Collision Detector
My thought is I have the high agility Defenders dissuading you from shooting at them. So instead, you shoot at the agi1 Yorr, with Rebel Captive. Yorr can take the stress away from the Defenders. Juke and Ryad's ability make her worth bringing. And the Tractor (only using it at range 3) might help the Delta hit better. Plus you get the Tractor/Tactician combo with Ion Projector next round. The squad has some good control elements with high durability.
I flew against a Ketsu/Asajj list. Yorr did his job and the squad worked really well because of it. He got half on Yorr but that was it.
Edited by hothie
For the Omaha regionals, I took this squad:
Delta, x7, Stealth
Ryad, x7, Stealth, Juke
Yorr with Palpatine
Sorry I'm not going to be game by game recaps, but I started 2-0 (game #2 was my favorite, against Sam from Denver. A game in which I completely forgot about Juke the entire game,) ran into 2 straight Nymirandas, and finished 3-3 on the day. I really wished that I had brought my Minneapolis Regional squad of double Ion TIE Ds, but oh well. The Ion TIE Ds can handle Nymiranda easily, much better than stealth x7s can.
So in the 12 games I played between MN and Omaha, 8 of those 12 had Harpoon Missiles, and 6 of those 8 had multiple harpoons. So fully half of the games I played I faced multiple harpoon missiles. I'm sorry, but something needs to be done about them. I know there are lots of "fix it" threads out there, and I'm not going to propose anything, but they have obsoleted nearly every other missile out there because they are too unbalanced.
So, when I get back to playing at the LGS again, I'm going to be bringing a big surprise for my opponent. I won't give in to the multiple harpoon spam lists, but I will beat them to the punch, so to speak. I am going to make triple batwings a thing.