I still love Kylo with Intensity, Comm Relay, FCS, Autothrusters and the title. With three agility, Autothrusters, a banked Evade token, a focus action and the title, it makes him very tanky for 46 points, while FCS helps him maintain offensive output.

I'm still trying to work out a good wingman for him, but have been happy with the results so far.

In what Expansion Pack was Intensity introduced?

5 minutes ago, Wookiee_Slayer said:

In what Expansion Pack was Intensity introduced?

TIE Aggressor

Thank you @impspy

30 minutes ago, Wookiee_Slayer said:

Thank you @impspy

No problem; I love Intensity on Vader but PS Wars have made VI better on him, sadly...

On 1/7/2018 at 4:18 AM, Biophysical said:

It's been about a month since Silencers hit tables. Unlike the Gunboats, they didn't get a ton of pre-release play, so many of the initial build ideas were more extrapolation from similar ships than practice.

I started this thread to compile experiences of people that have put this ship through its paces in any if it's many, many build options.

So I'll start:

The first build I put in a serious quantity of games with is the PS4 generic with FCS, Advanced Optics, and Autothrusters. This comes out to 32 points and packs a ton of action efficiency. It feels like flying an ace, where you lost the bid. I wonder if some thing like this is what the Defender would feel like if it was made today. It has a similar ability to flip around (although not in back to back turns), and is very fast and very maneuverable. It feels like a terrific chassis overall, gets where it needs to go, and hits hard when it gets there. I haven't used the 1-hard so much since I was flying TIE Fighters.

I'll note that I was not prepared for how good Advanced Optics is, and whatever your build, Optics probably makes it better.

Having flown these PS4 guys, I added 10 points to make it PS11 Kylo. It flies very much like the PS4 guys, but you get to reposition a little and get some PS kills. It feels like a very solid 42 points that isn't going to blow anyone's mind, but is probably the best PS11 ship out there if you think the meta warrants it.

I also played some games with Kylo, title, Lone Wolf, Advanced Sensors, and Optics. It seemed like a very strong build that I never found a good match for. It was also early in my Silencer experience, which almost certainly had an effect. It did convince me that Advanced Sensors didn't require PTL, mostly because of how good Optics is. The ability to disengage, bank a Focus, and come back in is great. Alongside the considerable maneuverability that even a single action grants with Advanced Sensors.

This idea influenced another build: Blackout, Trick Shot, Advanced Sensors, Optics, Autothrusters, title for 40 points. I'm not at all convinced Trick Shot is good, but it's zero points and fits in the list i was messing with. I do really think I like Blackout. The ability is worth some extra damage, and it makes playing defensive by lurking behind asteroids also playing offensive. Advanced Sensors is tremendously useful for this asteroid dancing game. I'm not sure this is a long-term winner, but it is a lot of fun. I think you could go FCS on this guy and treat him like a high PS generic that occasionally got a nice bonus (much like Kylo). I don't know.

I'm still not experienced with the AS/PTL combo. This is largely because I don't really have a head for all those maneuvers. I've never really enjoyed flying Whisper either. I have trouble enough with that Blackout AS build. Consequently, I'm especially interested to hear how PTL/AS Kylos have been doing. On top of that, though, I know there are plenty of other builds out there that might be good, but not commonly discussed.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for any insights you can share on this ship.

How did you miss the benefits of Advanced Optics, out of interest? I mean, they're literally a Comm Array for a more common token, at a point cheaper.

I get the initial arguments were "Yeah, but you'll probably spend a focus token every round anyway", but the ability to bank any actions is always potent, and if I had to pick just one to bank a Focus is pretty much the ideal...

3 hours ago, Reiver said:

How did you miss the benefits of Advanced Optics, out of interest? I mean, they're literally a Comm Array for a more common token, at a point cheaper.

I get the initial arguments were "Yeah, but you'll probably spend a focus token every round anyway", but the ability to bank any actions is always potent, and if I had to pick just one to bank a Focus is pretty much the ideal...

It was more that I went from "this card is pretty good" to "this card is one of my favorite cards of all time".

what is the best tech + system combo for the TIE/VN that you guys have found?

Yeah I go between AO and Primed. I have found that the ability to Talon Roll behind an obstacle and then still be able to avoid it the next turn is worth it, But I also love having a banked focus so I can take a TL and then Talon roll behind a target.

On 6-1-2018 at 5:18 PM, Celestial Lizards said:

23 points. I originally had a TIE Shuttle in there, but it melted before I could use an Agent.

Tie Shuttle?

53 minutes ago, smccaughan said:

Yeah I go between AO and Primed. I have found that the ability to Talon Roll behind an obstacle and then still be able to avoid it the next turn is worth it, But I also love having a banked focus so I can take a TL and then Talon roll behind a target.

I was thinking along the same lines there! thanks!

Silencer is so good! So good. I just played in my first regional, went 3/3 flying VI/FCS/AT/FOV Kylo with 2 Deadeye Rho's.

game 1: dumpstered by 2 defenders and QD - I made mistakes. I lost that game of my own accord. first major tournament jitters I guess.

game 2: 4 TLT Agressors - he killed both boats, final was 2 health agressor vs 3 health Kylo. At that point I decided he wouldn't touch kylo. we went to time.

game 3: Corran Horn/Miranda - poor Corran. even poorer miranda. He thought I wouldn't eat a thermal with Kylo to get a R1 shot on Miranda where she has 2 health left.... he was wrong.

game 4: tie swarm. went to time. if I would have slammed instead of focusing when I checked the clock at 1 minute to round end (like I should have!) I would have won. but I didn't so FML. Kylo never took damage.

game 5: 4 nu's with poons. Lost a gunboat at 15 minutes. No further fire or damage exchanged for 45 minutes. Kylo solo'd 2 of his gunboats off the board. I lost by 6 mov at time. Kylo never got hit

game 6: 4 TLT Unhinged Y-Wings - YOLO'd Kylo right into the Y's, hoping to get R1, but a hair out of R2. Took fire form all four boats. DIDNT RECIEVE A HIT!!!!! Kylo lost shields and one boat eventually, but the other boat reloaded 4-5 times and blew up some Y-Wings. went to time.

4 of my games went to time. I've gone to time once prior to this tournament. PTL would have been nice, but it doesn't matter... it really doesn't matter... Kylo only gets shot when you want him to get shot!

day2 hanger bay I went with Wedge/Jan/Norra and cleaned up. FOR THE REBELLION!!!! @gennataos

56 minutes ago, Wookiee_Slayer said:

Tie Shuttle?

TIE Bomber with "TIE Shuttle" title. Cheapest empire carrier.

1 hour ago, Malasombra said:

TIE Bomber with "TIE Shuttle" title. Cheapest empire carrier.

Ah that explains it... thanks!

One of the builds that I saw was:

PS 11 allowed for shooting first to get a target lock for threat tracker. One of the local players was using this build, and during the game, I was unable to get a shot on Kylo.

17 hours ago, Reiver said:

How did you miss the benefits of Advanced Optics, out of interest? I mean, they're literally a Comm Array for a more common token, at a point cheaper.

I get the initial arguments were "Yeah, but you'll probably spend a focus token every round anyway", but the ability to bank any actions is always potent, and if I had to pick just one to bank a Focus is pretty much the ideal...

I had a similar reaction to Optics. Comm Relay was amazing because the Evade action is normally sub-ideal if it's your only action. A focus action was nearly as effective at giving you an evade result on a defense roll, and the evade was wasted if nobody shot you. Focus at least had a good chance of getting spent on the attack.

I'll fully admit that my confidence in the frame health-wise was completely unwarranted- when I first got my hand on it, I flew it like an X-Wing or a TiE/D. Doing that evaporates its health just slightly less fast than your typical Interceptor, title or no title. I really should have seen it coming. And of course, the tools it does pack are neither the automatic defense of the /x7 or the plus of damage and control /D gives you.

That being said, the first thing I absolutely have to say that this ship is just a lot of fun to play. Its ability to leap across the board is almost on par with a Phantom and with Adv. Sensors allows for even more deliberate control (though less repo distance is of course a possible downside). I stuck to flying it alongside Soontir and basically pretended a had another one with bells on, and that worked miracles on its success rate. The title really isn't necessary, but not too shabby against 2-ship lists and can cover you if variance is biting your backside.

Apart from that, I mostly find myself agreeing with two things:

a) Adv. Optics is great. A ship this fast and expensive with players this accustomed to the green 2 turn can get out of a scrap with all those turning maneuvres, and having a focus after the red maneuvre is worth its weight in gold. Granted, that's not a whole lot of gold, but it's only two points, so take it.

b) Every Silencer that isn't VI Kylo flies like an ace that lost the bid. This is a frame that can absolutely counteract this disadvantage, but the foresight required to pull this off without a "completed" game state at the end of the movement phase is staggering. Sure, you can run and hide in the corners, but the traditional aces can still catch up, as your dial isn't THAT much better and your price is basically a first-kill bounty. But if you can predict the enemy well, the Silencer has all the tools to stay where you need it to be.

I was originally surprised at how a lot of people felt there was a learning curve... but I normally fly A-Wings, and it just feels like flying Jake to me... but with more damage potential.

8 minutes ago, Wiredin said:

I was originally surprised at how a lot of people felt there was a learning curve... but I normally fly A-Wings, and it just feels like flying Jake to me... but with more damage potential.

Reminds me of a Jake Farrell A-Wing as well, or a BB-8/PTL Poe with more movement options.

8 hours ago, Wookiee_Slayer said:

Tie Shuttle?

TIE Bomber with TIE Shuttle title.

Edit: Ninja'd