A Meditation on Jabba in 100/6

By E Chu Ta, in X-Wing Squad Lists

Contemplate this upon the tree of woe.

...TO IT'S LOGICAL, STUPID END.

STRESS TOKEN JENGA!

100 points

PILOTS

Bossk (48)
YV-666 (35), Fearlessness (1), Cluster Missiles (4), Jabba the Hutt (5), Boba Fett (1), Glitterstim (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Ketsu Onyo (52)
Lancer-class Pursuit Craft (38), Fearlessness (1), Dengar (3), Glitterstim (2), Contraband Cybernetics (1), Shadow Caster (3), Engine Upgrade (4)

jabba hutt hutt%20gif black and white horror star wars creepy bw hutt GIF

I've always wanted to try Jabba on a slaver with 4 Z-95s and hot shot blaster.

A Slaver with thread tracers, linked battery, Janna the hut, cikatro vizago, hotshot blaster is 40 points.

4 z95s with hotshot is 60 points.

22 minutes ago, Ohnoeszz said:

I've always wanted to try Jabba on a slaver with 4 Z-95s and hot shot blaster.

A Slaver with thread tracers, linked battery, Janna the hut, cikatro vizago, hotshot blaster is 40 points.

4 z95s with hotshot is 60 points.

is Janna a distant cousin to Jabba the Hutt? ;P

1 hour ago, SkyCooper said:

is Janna a distant cousin to Jabba the Hutt? ;P

His sister, actually.

Plus his brother Javva the Hutt.

Focus, children! (heh.)

We've got drugs, we've got illegal body modifications, we can jump into the pile of resulting stress tokens like so many fallen autumn leaves, but can we make this better.

I love fearlessness Bossk. However, you probably want Dengar on Bossk for re-rolls on him. Especially if you are trying for 4 dice clusters. The times I've run fearlessness Bossk, I've found that a long range missile works better. Your opponent will try to avoid range one anyway because of a 5 dice range 1 primary. A long range missile like Harpoons or concussions will give you more options.

As for Jabba, yeah, I think he's too expensive. You're spending 10 points on illicits. I would rather go Dengar, 4lom, Vizago on the bus, use scavenger crane and try and get a second missile. Than, assuming the crane doesn't go away, switch it to glitterstim, or some other upgrade depending on the situation, and have it be multi-functional. Having 2 glitterstims is not a bad thing, but my opinion is the points are better spent elsewhere

4 hours ago, Biggsy_boy said:

I see what you're saying, but this isn't about how to make a party bus, its about hot to make Jabba work in 100/6 and abuse Contraband Cebernetics/ Glitterstims on the Lancer. A longer-range missile may well work better than Clusters, or indeed scrap missiles entirely and go with a Mangler Cannon. Dengar on the YV-666 rather than the Lancer is a worthwhile debate, and you're right that in the above build Dengar would probably be a wiser choice hanging out with Bossk, leaving the crew slot on the Lancer open to have an Inspiring Recruit sitting there to burn off the hot stack of stress...

The YV-666 is just a place for Jabba to fit, as I see it the star of this show is really Ketsu Onyo, who has unprecedented freedom to snort 'stims and then still pull a that red k and take actions... twice! The first version of the list had her with PtL, which was a touch too expensive but would be even more abusive of all the mechanics that boat is bringing to the table.

On 12/13/2017 at 1:49 PM, Ohnoeszz said:

I've always wanted to try Jabba on a slaver with 4 Z-95s and hot shot blaster.

A Slaver with thread tracers, linked battery, Janna the hut, cikatro vizago, hotshot blaster is 40 points.

4 z95s with hotshot is 60 points.

Linked battery small ship only... 2 POINT BID!!!’

12 hours ago, E Chu Ta said:

its about hot to make Jabba work in 100/6 and abuse Contraband Cebernetics/ Glitterstims on the Lancer.

The other option:

  • Being able to do actions whilst stressed is nice, but you're only stressing yourself by using glitterstim in the first place; a Lancer is not big on performing red moves.
  • You could instead field two Glitterstim upgrades, which with Jabba on board gives you enough space-cocaine to support a small mid-eighties rock band tour and allow four combat phases worth of action-free, unlimited focus tokens.
  • The lancer pilot most capable of abusing unlimited focus tokens is probably the oft-overlooked Sabine Wren ; combined with glitterstim, her mobile arc essentially becomes a Reinforce Token, but - unlike a Wookie Gunship - it's a reinforce token attached to an agility 2 ship which still gets focus for its normal evade roll and can have an evade token on top.

Suggestion:

  • Bossk
    • Expertise
    • Cruise Missiles
    • Jabba The Hutt
    • K4 Security Droid
    • Hot Shot Blaster
    • Scavenger Crane
    • Guidance Chips
  • Sabine Wren
    • Dengar
    • Glitterstim
    • Glitterstim
    • Gyroscopic Targeting

5 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Sabine Wren with quadruple Glitterstims is inspired. I am greedy for the EPT slot, but she may not need it...

Also, you've got 2 illicits on Bossk, which is unacceptable, but forgivable.

I like the idea of running the Shadowcaster + YV together! I think I would prefer something more akin to this, but like the concept!

Asajj Ventress (51)
Lancer-class Pursuit Craft (37), Lone Wolf (2), Latts Razzi (2), Glitterstim (2), Scavenger Crane (2), Shadow Caster (3), Counter-Measures (3)

Bossk (49)
YV-666 (35), Adaptability (0), Harpoon Missiles (4), Dengar (3), Jabba the Hutt (5), Scavenger Crane (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Bossk would Adapt down and fire after Shadowcaster title adds a tractor token. Might be too 'gimmicky' though so her are some other YV options:

Trandoshan Slaver (47)
YV-666 (29), “Mangler” Cannon (4), Harpoon Missiles (4), Jabba the Hutt (5), Dengar (3), Scavenger Crane (2), Guidance Chips (0)

Moralo Eval (49)
YV-666 (34), Heavy Laser Cannon (7), Dengar (3), Jabba the Hutt (5)

On Friday, December 15, 2017 at 6:09 PM, AT Leader said:

I like what you're cooking with here, I tend to always build the Shadow Caster to shoot first in my lineup, punishing the victim with a tractor token to let squadmates dogpile on that rabbit. Harpoon Missiles and Scavenger Cranes on the same yacht is a bit of anti-synergy, as the missles are range 2-3 and so can't refill themselves immediately after being used to blow something up. The Asajj build is phenomenally tanky, the only thing I'd futz with is her EPT, maybe find a point for Predator? Lone wolf with 2 big bases can make you make bad flying decisions to mantain the Lone Wolf bonus, though maybe that's just me...

On Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at 1:49 PM, Ohnoeszz said:

I've always wanted to try Jabba on a slaver with 4 Z-95s and hot shot blaster.

A Slaver with thread tracers, linked battery, Janna the hut, cikatro vizago, hotshot blaster is 40 points.

4 z95s with hotshot is 60 points.

On Thursday, December 14, 2017 at 10:45 PM, FlyingAnchors said:

Linked battery small ship only... 2 POINT BID!!!’

Put a Tractor Beam on the YV-666, then punish the victim with a hail of steaming Hot Shot.

47 minutes ago, E Chu Ta said:

I like what you're cooking with here, I tend to always build the Shadow Caster to shoot first in my lineup, punishing the victim with a tractor token to let squadmates dogpile on that rabbit. Harpoon Missiles and Scavenger Cranes on the same yacht is a bit of anti-synergy, as the missles are range 2-3 and so can't refill themselves immediately after being used to blow something up. The Asajj build is phenomenally tanky, the only thing I'd futz with is her EPT, maybe find a point for Predator? Lone wolf with 2 big bases can make you make bad flying decisions to mantain the Lone Wolf bonus, though maybe that's just me...

Though I haven't put it on the table, range control is going to be critical in this list as you really want to be shooting at R2 with the Harpoon to be able to pick it up with SC, which raises again your point about Asajj's EPT choice. I really want to be able to have the defensive re-roll that Lone Wolf provides over Predator, and i'll have to play it and see if I have the skill and mindpower to maintain enough range control, especially with the notoriously un-maneuverable bus that that is the YV-666.

SC might need to become GS, and I think there is sufficient argument for Moralo over Bossk given that Moralo can fire that HLC in a 180 arc everyturn. Bossk being able to turn a crit with Guidance Chips is nice, but is the known consistency of Moralo better for how this list wants to fly?

I imagine using Asajj as bait to lead them into the path of Bossk's Harpoons or Moralo's HLC. SC allows Asajj to recover Countermeasures or GS, Lone Wolf providing a reroll, etc.

I love the Lancer Sabine + Glitterstim idea; only trick is finding the YV to pair it with. It comes out to 44 points, so maybe something like this:

  • Bossk (35)
    • Rage (1)
    • "Mangler" Cannon (4)
    • Inspiring Recruit (1)
    • Jabba (5)
    • "Hot Shot" Blaster (3)
    • Hound's Tooth (6)
    • Maneuvering Fins (1)

Statistically, the Hound's Tooth is probably going to get shot down first; It's the Jabba carrier and is way easier to kill than a pseudo-reinforce Lancer. I know the Hound's tooth title doesn't get a lot of love, but I think it's a better investment than a second cannon / missile which will be hard to use once the initial engagement passes and they get behind you. Rage + Recruit is a good and cheap way to ensure damage output.

I was just thinking of something else with Quad Glitter Sabine. Ketsu crew. Realistically, Sabine is probably the only Shadowcaster who'd use it. It can be really nice to keep those tractor tokens around. It'll wreck something pretty hard, like a Poe.

And then, perhaps it'd be better to have Sabine shoot first, which could mean Decoy, or perhaps just a lower PS YV-666. So let's try Latts. Her ability will allow the initial tractor hit from the Shadowcaster to have a better chance. Jabba is a must, then how about Dengar + Glitters? That'll leave 12 points for the real MVP of the list Sunny Bounder.

Oh god. This list is terrible. Dengar crew on Sabine with a Bossk wingman is almost surely better. This list is terrible. But awesome. But more terrible.

Sabine Wren [Ketsu Onyo, Glitterstim, Glitterstim, Shadow Caster, Gyroscopic Targeting] (45)

Latts Razzi [Jabba the Hutt, Dengar, Glitterstim] (43)

Sunny Bounder [“Light Scyk” Interceptor] (12)

@theBitterFig OK, Latts and Ketsu is just kind of silly. I'd be tempted to go for Hound's Tooth title rather than Sunny, since the Z-95 retains her pilot ability (which is definitely the best of the 3 abilities to have on a Z-95). May I present:

No Agility for You!

  • Sabine Wren (35)
    • Ketsu Onyo (1)
    • Glitterstim (2)
    • Glitterstim (2)
    • Shadow Caster (3)
    • Gyroscopic Targeting (2)
  • Latts Razzi (33)
    • Tractor Beam (1)
    • Jabba (5)
    • K4 Security Droid (3)
    • Glitterstim (2)
    • Engine Upgrade (4)
    • Hound's Tooth (6)

Total 99

So I'm pretty sure this is the best Jabba ketsu bossk i've seen, it's easy to fly and extermely powerful:

YV-666: •Bossk (51)
Guidance Chips (0)
Fearlessness (1)
Cluster Missiles (4)
•Jabba the Hutt (5)
•Dengar (3)
"Hot Shot" Blaster (3)

Pursuit Craft: •Ketsu Onyo (49)
•Shadow Caster (3)
Fearlessness (1)
K4 Security Droid (3)
Glitterstim (2)
Glitterstim (2)

Total: 100/100

15 hours ago, DeathToJarJar said:

I know the Hound's tooth title doesn't get a lot of love, but I think it's a better investment than a second cannon / missile which will be hard to use once the initial engagement passes and they get behind you.

Well.....my thought on that front is that the best user of the Hound's Tooth title is Latts Razzi; on Moralo Eval it's useless, and on Bossk it requires you to get a crit through your opponent's defences with a 2-dice primary weapon, so it might as well be useless. Latts, however, can keep using her ability to full effect even in the Pup, and -1 agility on the lancer's heavily modified shot is probably worth more than a reroll on her own.

Normally, Latts isn't an option for a Lancer/Hound pair, because she's a crew card pretty much nailed to Assaj. But if you're using sabine, not assaj.....

I think @DeathToJarJar and @theBitterFig ;a ideas are really good ones.

I'd probably pack something more frightening than a tractor beam, though; with only a 2-ship list I wouldn't want to give up a ship's fire for a -1 agility.

  • Latts Razzi
    • Hound's Tooth
    • Heavy Laser Cannon
    • K4 Security Droid
    • Jabba The Hutt
    • Contraband Cybernetics
  • Sabine
    • Shadow Caster
    • Dengar
    • Glitterstim
    • Glitterstim

Per @DeathToJarJar and @Magnus Grendel , Latts is certainly fun with Hounds Tooth. And now that I think about it Contraband Cybernetics is almost surely better than Glitterstim in my version of the list. Being able to take a TL while stressed seems stronger than a Glitterstim on this particular ship.

Here's what strikes me about Dengar on Sabine: it isn't the more offensive option, it's the more defensive option. That might be necessary when flying a 2-ship list, but the big strength is you can take Evade actions. Dengar + Evade will love longer. Ketsu + TL will hit harder, and help the rest of your list hit harder.

Ignoring the other ships in a list, it's also interesting to think about Dengar vs K4 Security Droid on Latts. Dengar means you need to take TL actions, and if you bump or get rocked or so forth, you'll lose Latts ability. K4 restricts your dial a bit more, but you can take more versatile Focus actions, and your ability will work if you bump. I think Latts is probably slightly better than conventional wisdom. Playing around with the dice calc, reducing a target's agility is slightly better than getting a focus token on an attack. It's kind of like coordinate, except that it can stack with another ship which already has double-mods.

1 minute ago, theBitterFig said:

Being able to take a TL while stressed seems stronger than a Glitterstim on this particular ship.

as does (in theory) being able to 'park up' for three turns in a row and shell people with a heavy laser cannon from a commanding position. Not that you're likely to be able to do that (moralo eval might with his 180' arc cannon, but not latts).

3 minutes ago, theBitterFig said:

Ignoring the other ships in a list, it's also interesting to think about Dengar vs K4 Security Droid on Latts. Dengar means you need to take TL actions, and if you bump or get rocked or so forth, you'll lose Latts ability. K4 restricts your dial a bit more, but you can take more versatile Focus actions, and your ability will work if you bump.

I generally think Dengar is better than K4 unless you specifically need a target lock for a non-reroll effect (firing torpedoes, Latts' pilot ability) - which is why I think it's better to put Dengar on Sabine's ship.

Because they're both PS5, they can chop and change movement order (always nice with large ships) but also firing order - in theory Latts can reduce a target's agility for Sabine's shot, Sabine can shoot the target with Dengar's rerolls, and then Latts can shoot the target with the agility reduction from the Shadow Caster's tractor token.

6 minutes ago, theBitterFig said:

I think Latts is probably slightly better than conventional wisdom

It depends on the target, obviously. -1 agility matters way, way more on (say) autothrusters Poe Dameron, or Lone Wolf Dash Rendar, because that die was an all-but-garuanteed evade that you've kicked out from under the target. By comparison, a ghost or decimator will be far more " I lose a point of what now?"

and largely ignore the effect.

I've always thought Latts was good - the problem was the reverse of the Dengar Crew Card (which you rarely see in favour of his pilot card); you never see Latts' pilot card because her crew card as a match for Assaj Ventress is just so darn good.

Wow. I'm really impressed with the quality of list building in this thread. I particularly like the idea of Sabine Lancer with a Jabba carrier. I would throw this into the fray:

Sabine

Dengar

Glitterstim x 2

Countermeasures

Latts

K4

Jabba

HSB

EU

Title

Most of the stuff above, including Hound's Tooth with Latts, is the same arguments as above. CM on Sabine greatly improves her survivability, which EU on Lattz helps her get arc/turn around.