I was excited about the Jamming Beam finally getting into xwing, right up until they revealed the card. Am I missing something, or does it just not have anything going for it. When would I ever take this over a Tractor Beam or plain old primary weapons fire? Best case scenario you trade your attack for their action. Imagine how broken the reverse would be. Now why would you make the trade in their favor?

The only thing to note is that the Jamming Token is not discarded at the end of the round. So a Jamming beam is actually better than a TB in some situation on a low PS ship. However all in all it seems pretty useless. As it has the potential to shut OS-1's down by removing their Target Locks I imagine FFG included these as a failsave if OS-1 would have ended up as OP however as OS-1 and other TL-based ordnance builds are still pretty meh there is no much use for the JB.

The big thing holding Jamming Beam back is that it's only range 1-2 where as Tractor Beam is 1-3. That alone makes Tractor Beam more valuable since the rng 3 band covers a large area. Then there's Scrambler Missiles which are also not desirable being that they cost 2 pts and don't do any damage with only 3 dice to try and make it's effect work.

I get the feeling that this might end up like Tractor Beam where it was introduced, never used, and then ships came out that just handed it if you did X thing (Ketsu ability & Shadowcaster title on hit) and it showed up much more. So maybe expect Jamming tokens as part of a ships title or pilot ability as a mechanic.

I've used it a few times; It's not bad on /D Defenders, but you normally want to take either Ion/Stress cannons due to doing damage.

3 /D with a combination of these (inc TB due to PTS) is a fun list, but it is just that fun. not gonna set the meta on fire

6 minutes ago, Hannes Solo said:

The only thing to note is that the Jamming Token is not discarded at the end of the round. So a Jamming beam is actually better than a TB in some situation on a low PS ship. However all in all it seems pretty useless. As it has the potential to shut OS-1's down by removing their Target Locks I imagine FFG included these as a failsave if OS-1 would have ended up as OP however as OS-1 and other TL-based ordnance builds are still pretty meh there is no much use for the JB.

It persisting would have been useful if the beam would have given a token for each uncancelled hit result, allowing you to potentially trade one attack for up to three actions.

4 minutes ago, RStan said:

The big thing holding Jamming Beam back is that it's only range 1-2 where as Tractor Beam is 1-3. That alone makes Tractor Beam more valuable since the rng 3 band covers a large area. Then there's Scrambler Missiles which are also not desirable being that they cost 2 pts and don't do any damage with only 3 dice to try and make it's effect work.

I get the feeling that this might end up like Tractor Beam where it was introduced, never used, and then ships came out that just handed it if you did X thing (Ketsu ability & Shadowcaster title on hit) and it showed up much more. So maybe expect Jamming tokens as part of a ships title or pilot ability as a mechanic.

The XG-1 title should have also let you double tap like the /D (with cannons costing three or less) if you didn't have a weapon disabled token. That would have added a bit of utility to these 0 damage cannons.

Jamming beam is great against ships that like to hold onto tokens like Poe or Omega Leader. It can also reduce the effectiveness of things like Advanced Targeting Computer, Comm Relay, Fire Control System, Long-Rang Scanners and Advanced Optics. With some builds that rely on Hyperwave Comm Scanner to hand out evades to ships that normally can't take them, a Jamming beam can completely ruin someone's plan.

It's situational, but it can be really useful in those situations.

4 minutes ago, Nspace said:

With some builds that rely on Hyperwave Comm Scanner to hand out evades to ships that normally can't take them, a Jamming beam can completely ruin someone's plan.

This one is less likely given that a simple counterplay exists - TL someone and do not spend it. However Jamming beam will bring some pain to these builds.

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I tried it on the /D but it's 1-2 range really kills it the whole match i was wishing i had TB instead.

The range 1-2 restriction is maddening. Harpoons should have been 1-2, not this.

Ive used jamming beam on a tie d and gunboat each once.

I have absolutely no desire to use it ever again.

No damage secondary weapon is a big drawback.

As for jamming tokens there is already a lot of non token dice modification and not token actions that happened that are better than just a focus or evade token. Maybe if Patrani was still a thing before FFG appeased the laser brained nerf herders it could have had some weight but thanks to things like expertise, and also reposistioning actions which give you no tokens you can play around jamming tokens just like Tycho playing around no red maneuvers.

This would have been a lot better as an action weapon like seismic torps.

Mixing it with fruit has had varying results. I am a fan of the blackberry jam, but the peach flavor I can do without.

Oh you meant the cannon...

maybe something with tie/d defenders, but then tractor goes to range 3 for the same cost so...

If Jam affected Reinforce Tokens like it should, it would be pretty OK in this meta for one point. Reinforce is just so freaking stupid.

41 minutes ago, gamblertuba said:

If Jam affected Reinforce Tokens like it should, it would be pretty OK in this meta for one point. Reinforce is just so freaking stupid.

It's not reinforce that is the problem, it's the chassis they attached it to that is.

Vynder with VI, XG-1, Linked, ASLAM, and Jamming Beam is an amazing Optical Poe counter.

22 minutes ago, Celestial Lizards said:

Vynder with VI, XG-1, Linked, ASLAM, and Jamming Beam is an amazing Optical Poe counter.

That's a lot of points to spend to maybe inconvenience Poe.

23 minutes ago, HolySorcerer said:

That's a lot of points to spend to maybe inconvenience Poe.

No.. no, no, no.. Poe is not an inconvienience. He is the devil.. the quippy rakishly handsome devil.. err.. yeah.. he is frustrating and I hate flying against him.

27 minutes ago, That Blasted Samophlange said:

No.. no, no, no.. Poe is not an inconvienience. He is the devil.. the quippy rakishly handsome devil.. err.. yeah.. he is frustrating and I hate flying against him.

No, I mean that build would only possibly serve as an inconvenience to Poe. It certainly wouldn't be a real threat to anything.

The problem with tractor beam and jamming beam is that if you can tag someone with these, you can also tag them with an attack that will do real damage.

Shadowcaster title/Ketsu work better because you're not giving up your attack to do it.

6 hours ago, Panzeh said:

The problem with tractor beam and jamming beam is that if you can tag someone with these, you can also tag them with an attack that will do real damage.

Shadowcaster title/Ketsu work better because you're not giving up your attack to do it.

^This.

The gunboat aces would have been much better if they had abilities that play with control canons. Like
"After attacking with a secondary weapon that instructs you to cancel all dice results, you may perform an attack with a different weapon."
Or
"Action: Perform an attack with a cannon secondary weapon with a squad point cost of 1 or less. That attack always hits. You may not attack again this phase."

I've been toying with Genisis Red builds with a jamming beam to soften up the enemy's defenses for other scum shenanigans, but I haven't put it on a table yet because I can't decide on wingmates.

Ship's with FCS will have a hard time holding the target lock. Ship's that carry tokens from round to round won't be as efficient. I agree the range should've extended out to R3. Just adjust your squad and/or play style to accommodate the shorter range.

13 hours ago, Nspace said:

Jamming beam is great against ships that like to hold onto tokens like Poe or Omega Leader. It can also reduce the effectiveness of things like Advanced Targeting Computer, Comm Relay, Fire Control System, Long-Rang Scanners and Advanced Optics. With some builds that rely on Hyperwave Comm Scanner to hand out evades to ships that normally can't take them, a Jamming beam can completely ruin someone's plan.

It's situational, but it can be really useful in those situations.

Eh...it's really not, because practically by definition the ships that like to hold onto some specific token do so early on so they can take other actions. And since it's the defender's choice what token they give up...do you really foresee Poe giving up his focus token to keep his blue target lock?

Yeah...no.

If it had been range 1-3, and removed all three token types, then...sure, maybe it would see use. Even then, I dunno - weapons that do no damage just aren't very compelling in the current meta. Control is fine and all, but...it doesn't win you games.

As it is, though - holy heck, NO! It's pure garbage.

I usually like to have some sort of stress control in my list, and continued to fly that as my local meta went more stress-resistant. Against lists like that, Jamming beam has some applications, as there are less ways to counter it right now.

Apart from that, which in itself is suboptimal, I'm not entirely sure.