Lieutenant Karsabi (24)
Wired (1)
Heavy Laser Cannon (7)
Linked Battery (2)
Advanced SLAM (2)
XG-1 Assault Configuration (1)

Major Vynder (26)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Harpoon Missiles (4)
Advanced SLAM (2)
Os-1 Arsenal Loadout (2)

"Pure Sabacc" (22)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Adaptive Ailerons (0)

Total: 97

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

This is more designed to get a feel for how the two named pilots fly, and also give me a chance to fly a striker, as I've never done it before! I could also swap out for a TLT Agressor, but I think sabacc could be a lot more fun.

I really want PTL Vynder to work, but I think his PS is going to hurt him for max offense, so VI will be the name of the game here. It's way to easy to get gunboats loaded up... I think for these guys they will play very differently because of the pilot abilities, and I'm leaning towards Karasabi to be the better pilot.

I think Kar will be the better ace because he synergizes better with cannon builds, which right now are looking much stronger than missile builds. OS builds also need extra action economy or you're not likely to ever really have mods for your attacks, specially if you're only running a single harpoon.

12 minutes ago, Jimbawa said:

I think Kar will be the better ace because he synergizes better with cannon builds, which right now are looking much stronger than missile builds. OS builds also need extra action economy or you're not likely to ever really have mods for your attacks, specially if you're only running a single harpoon.

Thats why I really like PTL Vynder with advanced slam. He will often have 3 evades and 2-3 agility... I just think he's going to get evaporated at PS7

you're less fragile than a T-70 or a TIE/sf, though, to be fair.

Push The Limit/Advanced SLAM is a really nice idea, though. Being able to SLAM/Reload/Target Lock means Vynder can actually do some decent work with missiles.

It's expensive, but it does give you some flexible options and Vynder is that (potentially critical) fraction tougher.

20 hours ago, Wiredin said:

I just think he's going to get evaporated at PS7

Thing is, if you're worried about being evaporated in a high PS alpha strike, it's probably arriving at PS10+, so even taking veteran instincts won't necessarily make a difference.

@Magnus Grendel your right, a high PS alpha will still annihilate him quickly regardless if he is 9 or 7. The extra green dice is a very nice thing to have making him a bit tankier, and the PTL ups the action economy with a nice little bow. Even better would be a coordinate action from the Upsilon if I could fit it lol, but then thats just extreme janky waste of time.

24 minutes ago, Wiredin said:

@Magnus Grendel your right, a high PS alpha will still annihilate him quickly regardless if he is 9 or 7. The extra green dice is a very nice thing to have making him a bit tankier, and the PTL ups the action economy with a nice little bow. Even better would be a coordinate action from the Upsilon if I could fit it lol, but then thats just extreme janky waste of time.

If you give him another missile/torpedo that works in range 1, then you don't have to worry so much about higher PS alpha strikes, since you can fairly easily slam into range 1 of the enemy on the first turn of engagement (and probably get your TL from advanced slam). And still fire that range 1 ordnance (such as proton rocket, cluster missile or adv. pro torp). Too bad Vynder's ability didn't add +1 agility, because then it would make prockets even better!

My personal on this would be to swap Wired for Marksmanship on Karsabi. it allows you to change your heavy lasers to getting a crit, to carry out the harpooned condition. also can't be re-moved etc on a focus token standpoint.

Also I would drop Sabacc to Countdown. Countdown sticks around for longer and won't take a crit damage. you'd lose the VI but being guaranteed he won't be one shot is more comforting.

that puts you at 4 points under for PS bid, if you're not that worried about it, I'd maybe add unguided missles (2) to Vynder for those people you stay at range 1 with (tlt's, etc). it allows you to slam into range 1, and still fire since it's a missile while you have a weapons disabled token.

2 minutes ago, SkyCooper said:

My personal on this would be to swap Wired for Marksmanship on Karsabi. it allows you to change your heavy lasers to getting a crit, to carry out the harpooned condition. also can't be re-moved etc on a focus token standpoint.

Also I would drop Sabacc to Countdown. Countdown sticks around for longer and won't take a crit damage. you'd lose the VI but being guaranteed he won't be one shot is more comforting.

that puts you at 4 points under for PS bid, if you're not that worried about it, I'd maybe add unguided missles (2) to Vynder for those people you stay at range 1 with (tlt's, etc). it allows you to slam into range 1, and still fire since it's a missile while you have a weapons disabled token.

I just remember SLAM's don't let you activate Markmanship. I'd hit it over to PTL then.

Wired gives Karasabi the re-rolls for defense and attack and synergies well with his ability in my opinion, main reason to take it in my opinion.

Lieutenant Karsabi (24)
Wired (1)
Heavy Laser Cannon (7)
Linked Battery (2)
Advanced SLAM (2)
XG-1 Assault Configuration (1)

Major Vynder (26)
Push the Limit (3)
Harpoon Missiles (4)
Cluster Missiles (4)
Advanced SLAM (2)
Os-1 Arsenal Loadout (2)

"Countdown" (20)
Lightweight Frame (2)
Adaptive Ailerons (0)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

So with these alterations I "loose" my bid, but I don't think it would matter much anyways. Countdown is a bit tankier, Vynder has more action efficiency and a R1 attack that can still hurt, and Karasabi remains essentially unchanged.

Now, at the last 3 local tournaments based on the timing chart, and they got this ruling from a recent regional, it has been ruled that the triggering from harpoon and the changing of crit to hit from TLT and HLC happen at the same time, so you can decide in which order it triggers, meaning I can trigger harpoon before turning crits to hits on the HLC. So until we see that changed locally I think the HLC will be just fine.

I'm going to give it a go tomorrow and see what happens.

1 hour ago, Wiredin said:

Now, at the last 3 local tournaments based on the timing chart, and they got this ruling from a recent regional, it has been ruled that the triggering from harpoon and the changing of crit to hit from TLT and HLC happen at the same time, so you can decide in which order it triggers, meaning I can trigger harpoon before turning crits to hits on the HLC. So until we see that changed locally I think the HLC will be just fine.

I'm not sure what you mean here. HLC having to change crits into hits absolutely does not happen at the same time as TLT. They don't even work remotely similar? HLC is pretty bad at triggering harpoons, but it still can do it simply by re-rolling a die into a crit either from linked or wired. So its still worth taking, but I don't know what you are getting at with this reference to TLT?

37 minutes ago, blade_mercurial said:

I'm not sure what you mean here. HLC having to change crits into hits absolutely does not happen at the same time as TLT. They don't even work remotely similar? HLC is pretty bad at triggering harpoons, but it still can do it simply by re-rolling a die into a crit either from linked or wired. So its still worth taking, but I don't know what you are getting at with this reference to TLT?

I went back and re-read the timing chart and all three cards, and yes you are right, I had that wrong. I'll have to talk to the player that used the HLC crits against me and had it ruled as such by the TO that day that it triggered harpponed. Yes, the rerolls after would still work to trigger it, so should be good to go on this one.

The reason TLT was brought up is that after the TLT "hits" it only deals the one damage, but the compare results stage happens, and the rolled crit, if not cancelled by defense dice/mods would still trigger harpoons... making TLT stupidly good at trigger harpooned.

Why not a third Gunboat? <3

Vynder without Clusters, with VI. gives you 28P

Rho Squadron Veteran (21)
Trick Shot (0)
"Mangler" Cannon (4)
Linked Battery (2)
XG-1 Assault Configuration (1)

or

Nu Squadron Pilot (18)
Heavy Laser Cannon (7)
Linked Battery (2)
XG-1 Assault Configuration (1)

Because I don't own a third gunboat yet.... yet!!!! muphahahahahahaha

So I really dig the Karsabi and Sabacc builds, but I really question whether Vynder has the dice mods to pack enough punch. He needs to avoid spending that lock, as every second turn he will have to reload. For that reason, I like PTL more, it can provide much more reliable mods, and PS 7 vs 9 isn't the biggest difference these days.

Depending on how close/separated you plan on flying the gunboats, lone wolf on Vynder might be a decent call. It'll help dice mods on offense, and will give him a little extra survivability.

On Karsabi, does advanced slam even work?

Assuming you are swapping the weapons disabled token for a stress when you slam (so as to still be able to fire the hlc) won't the stress prohibit you from taking the free action off advanced slam?

On 12/15/2017 at 4:28 PM, Greebwahn said:

So I really dig the Karsabi and Sabacc builds, but I really question whether Vynder has the dice mods to pack enough punch. He needs to avoid spending that lock, as every second turn he will have to reload. For that reason, I like PTL more, it can provide much more reliable mods, and PS 7 vs 9 isn't the biggest difference these days.

I agree, I really like PTL better, but the ace race is very high in my local group. I really feel like that is the way to go.

On 12/15/2017 at 5:06 PM, namdoolb said:

Depending on how close/separated you plan on flying the gunboats, lone wolf on Vynder might be a decent call. It'll help dice mods on offense, and will give him a little extra survivability.

On Karsabi, does advanced slam even work?

Assuming you are swapping the weapons disabled token for a stress when you slam (so as to still be able to fire the hlc) won't the stress prohibit you from taking the free action off advanced slam?

Lone Wolf isn't a bad idea, I'm not opposed to that. After the initial engagement he does go off and do his own thing. You bring up a good question with Karsabi and Aslam. The way I've played it, and no one questioned, is that both trigger at the same time so I can take the action. But your right, that could be wrong.

Karsabi will need to be FAQ'd re: Advanced Slam. It's unclear whether or not Weapons Disabled is received after or before the free action from Advanced Slam. There's a ". Then" formation on the Advanced Slam card, which is what makes it ambiguous. I would love to see it work where you could take the action -and- the stress, because that would make up slightly for Karsabi's lack of pilot skill yet still have a reasonable drawback.

For now, I would play it safe and take Long-Range Scanners instead.

It seems perfectly clear to me. The Weapon's Disabled token is received as part of performing the SLAM action. After the SLAM action resolves, you may then preform a free action. Since Karsabi takes a stress in response to removing a Weapon's Disabled token he received, the Adv Slam upgrade does not get to resolve, as the stress was received during the resolution of the first action.

"To SLAM, choose and execute a maneuver on the ship's dial... Then assign that ship a weapons disabled token." - SLAM Action card

"After performing a SLAM action... you may perform a free action on your action bar." - Advanced SLAM card

Seems fairly unambiguous to me.

To me, it seems clear that it should work with either ruling. Either they both trigger at the same time and you can choose what order to perform them (choosing the free action then removing the weapons disabled token) or you get the free action before the weapons disabled token is assigned, then Kar removes it in exchange for stress with his ability. There is nothing saying Kar's ability must trigger before advanced slam would in any reading of those actions.