Hello,

I played X-Wing casually when it was new but stopped shortly after B-Wing and Hwk-290 were released. I recently found the box where I store the ships and saw the Hwk and it occurred to me that I've never ever flown it. I looked at its ship cards and it looks interesting.

However, I'm not sure if I want to start playing X-Wing again or not but I would like to test the ship I've purchased. I have a friend who plays X-Wing a lot and has all the ships as well as multiple copies of each ship so squadron compositions are not an issue as I'll most likely play against him. I've been away from X-Wing a long time so I have no idea what the current ships can do (or even what ships there are) or what the upgrades are, so any recommendations on what I could do to make the Hwk-290 work? And estimates on what the ship can achieve these days before it's blown into a cloud of dust?

I have had some fun with this build:

Palob Godalhi (31 points)

Debris Gambit, Twin Laser Turret, Dengar

Maybe not all that competitive, but it is quite an irritating and resilient little bug. Put on the Moldy Crow title for even more fun, if you have the points.

Oh, there's a Scum version of the Hwk-290 these days. Wow. The more you know...

This opens all sort of new and interesting options. I've been looking at just Rebel cards so far.

Just now, Elrath' said:

Oh, there's a Scum version of the Hwk-290 these days. Wow. The more you know...

This opens all sort of new and interesting options. I've been looking at just Rebel cards so far.

Yeah, just ignore the Rebel HWK...everyone else has

*waves hand* you want to play x-wing again.

I'd do fly something similar but rebel instead...

Advice... It's a super fragile ship (like anything below 6 hits right now) but it can be so much fun to play because it's slots and abilities of her pilots. Due to this I always try to fly it like a support ship that grants benefits to the squad while staying beyond range 2 of the enemy, this because it needs an extra die for defense. Secondly, it's poor primary weapon doesn't leave you any choice than to use it's turret slot. Honestly, I think that have tried all turrets in this ship, and dorsal turret and twin laser have proven to me to be better than others. It's dial it isn't anything near great and doesn't leave so much options than flying it carefully, try to adjust to this limitations planning ahead. Avoid to "fat" her, title's no so good at the moment, expensive crew and mods... Because if your opponent chooses it as it primary target, he will need just two of his ships to bring her down... But even with all this against, beleive me, it's a fun ship to fly.

I would play a couple of ultra simple battles to remember the 101s of X wing. Cheap generic with TLT. Plus Inspiring Recruit crewmember. Optimal? No. A good run for your money? Perhaps. Good re learning ship? Of course

6 minutes ago, Hexdot said:

I would play a couple of ultra simple battles to remember the 101s of X wing. Cheap generic with TLT. Plus Inspiring Recruit crewmember. Optimal? No. A good run for your money? Perhaps. Good re learning ship? Of course

That is a very good idea. I played one quick game in the summer and I collided few times and messed up my firing arcs because I couldn't estimate the movement correctly. Many times in the game I had planned a maneuver and then when it came to the ship's turn to activate and I picked up the maneuver template, I could immediately see that it would go badly before placing the template on the table. So yeah, maybe my Hwk test needs to a two parter. One to re-memorize the game a bit more and a second to actually test the Hwk.

My friend says that the new T-70 X-Wing is very good. Might be worth it to play a quick game with just few X-Wings vs. some Ties to get a feel for the game again. It'll certainly motivate to try out the Hwk.

Back around Wave 1 or 2?, the Y-Wing was my favorite of the Rebel ships because it was a challenge to fly, didn't have as strong dice as the X-Wing but could be expanded with good weaponry. However, my absolute favorite thing in the game is/was the Tie Interceptor though. Fast, maneuverable, relatively cheap, barrel roll and boost! It was also fragile but there are always drawbacks.

49 minutes ago, Elrath' said:

However, my absolute favorite thing in the game is/was the Tie Interceptor though. Fast, maneuverable, relatively cheap, barrel roll and boost! It was also fragile but there are always drawbacks.

Look into the Tie Silencer that just dropped. It’s the new and upgraded version of that interceptor archetype. But point heavy (PS9 costing you low-to-mid 40s when loaded out) but man is it a great ace ship.

2 hours ago, Elrath' said:

Oh, there's a Scum version of the Hwk-290 these days. Wow. The more you know...

Most Wanted has the Scum HWK pilot cards. Torkil Mux is one of my favorite Scum pilots.

With Rebels, Jan Ors is my girl. Great ability. I don’t mind paying for it.

You can help your HWK’s survive with Pulsed Ray Shield.

1 hour ago, Elrath' said:

Back around Wave 1 or 2?, the Y-Wing was my favorite of the Rebel ships because it was a challenge to fly, didn't have as strong dice as the X-Wing but could be expanded with good weaponry. However, my absolute favorite thing in the game is/was the Tie Interceptor though. Fast, maneuverable, relatively cheap, barrel roll and boost! It was also fragile but there are always drawbacks.

Scum also has Y-wings. The generic Scum astros are better than Rebel ones, and Scum has the only Y-wing ace with EPT.

If you like Interceptors, you’ll be happy to discover they got an Ace Pack and some great upgrades in the waves since you quit. Sadly, they’re more glass than ever.

Other new ships for the Interceptor aficionado: TIE Advanced Prototype and TIE Striker

I think you need to fly Death Rey:

Rey (45)
Expertise (4)
Finn (5)
Kanan Jarrus (3)
Millennium Falcon (TFA) (1)

Jan Ors (25)
Wired (1)
Autoblaster Turret (2)
Chewbacca (4)
Vectored Thrusters (2)
Moldy Crow (3)

Total: 95

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

This list hits hard, and as long as Rey keeps your opponent in arc, she has pretty good durability with the Finn/blank rerolls. I found it fairly easy to fly.

I use Chewie crew mainly for extra durability, but with 5 extra points, you can use Sabine Crew and a bomb if you wanted, or give the Falcon Missiles and an Illicit upgrade like Scavenger Crane to reload. I prefer Autoblaster or Dorsal Turret, (they're cheaper) but most people run Jan with TLT. Lots of options.

The biggest counter I had the last time I played this list was Kylo Crew.

With the crazy PS race happening at the moment, and the ease with which multiple harpoons will delete you, the HWK I run is Roark Garnet with a TLT - it means one ship can fire at PS12, usually another is firing at PS10, and *POOF* there goes one of the harpoon carriers, or at the very least their dice mods. And if they focus on killing the HWK, then they aren't killing the real threat.

Well, our friend here isn't going out to spar with people on the cutting edge of the meta just yet. So, @Elrath' , don't let too much of that influence you so soon. Get a few "just for fun" home games under your belt and enjoy the game.

When you're ready, join us in the shops and tourneys. There's always room for one more.

Casual games is all I'm looking for atm.

I generally don't like dueling games since they often follow the route "you do an action, your opponent counters it and does something which you try to counter and so on and on" which is why I stopped playing dueling card games like Heartstone, MTG or Star Wars LCG. Though X-Wing feels more dynamic and less abstract so I haven't had the same annoyance with it than I do with regular dueling board- and card games.

I enjoy X-Wing as a duel where it's highly tactical and also as team based fight where it just dissolves into pure chaos. Feels like two completely different games with same rules and components.

EDIT:

But back to topic:

I actually went through all the cards I have.

Jan Ors looks like a wonderful pilot. Certainly more interesting than the other rebel pilots. I thought about giving her Nien Nunb as crew since then she'd have more green maneuvers to help clear that stress. Plus it's a cheap upgrade. However, that extra die. I'm a bit unsure who to bring with her. B-Wings seem like a powerful choice but they're not the most maneuverable. I've always liked Wedge since he removes a defense die. But not sure what to bring with Jan. Probably best to start with X-Wings and then modify the build as things go badly.

EDIT 2:

Oh from the current ships, I'm getting the Alpha Wing Gunboat regardless of whether I'm going to start playing X-Wing or not. I have fond memories of the ship when I played Tie Fighter on PC so I want the figure just for nostalgia.

In a true Scum fashion, here is a nasty little HWK-290 trick:

Palob Godalhi (20)

Attanni Mind Link (1)
Cikatatro Vizago (0)
Cloaking Device (2)
Pulse Ray Shields (2)

Total - 25 points

The idea is after you cloak, use Cikataro to exchange the Cloaking Device (and now you won't lose the cloak token) for a Feedback Array. Hit the Feedback Array when in a good position take the Ion and Damage, and regenerate the damage with the Pulse Ray shields and clear the 2 Ion tokens. Palob's ability, the feedback array and the pulse ray shields are not action dependent . So you still have one free action left for the mindlink.

You will not be able to fire, that cloak token is stuck on the HWK-290, but you are at 4 agility, and able to regenerate. And deal a strategic damage now and then. Plus support your mindlink ship for 25 points. Not bad for 25 points.

Expandtions Required: HWK-290, Most Wanted, C-ROC, Punishing One and the Mist Hunter.

If you want to try the T70 X Wing, fly another X Wing and the HWK, here is my suggestion. Two aces (Wedge antilles+that astromech has a certainly good repositioning, and with expose is permanently focused at attacking) and BB8+PTL is incredibly fun to play, and, if the enemy has a pilot over 9 PS, you can use Roark's ability.

100 points

PILOTS

Wedge Antilles (34)
X-Wing (29), Flight-Assist Astromech (1), Expose (4), Integrated Astromech (0)

Roark Garnet (28)
HWK-290 (19), Ion Cannon Turret (5), Nien Nunb (1), Moldy Crow (3)

Poe Dameron (PS9 Version) (38)
T-70 X-Wing (33), BB-8 (2), Push the Limit (3), Integrated Astromech (0)

I play Kyle Katarn+Jan Ors (Crew)+Ion Cannon Turret+Moldy Crow. It enables one of your ships to stack focus and evade tokens. Or yourself if you need.

Here’s my recommendation for the HWK:

I'm thinking of flying a HWK at casual night tomorrow.

Jan Ors with Wired/TLT/Nein Nunb/Pulsed Ray Shield. Comes out to 35 points if I recall. I know--KNOW--it wouldn't be as good as, say, a Selflessness/Maul/Ezra Lowhhrick, but it's casual night, and I haven't flown a HWK in a while.

The HWK-290 is easily my favorite ship in all of X-wing! I've won more than a few tournaments using Scum builds involving 2 HWKs & a Y-wing, as well as 2 HWKs & 2 Scyks.

Roark Garnet is the single most underrated pilot in the Rebel faction. He’s perfect RNG insurance for four ship Rebel builds; he gives you two bites at the apple.

This build won (or at least placed well?) in at least two Store Champs this past season:

Roark Garnet (TLT, Inspirint Recruit)

Jess Pava (R2-D6, Trick Shot, Pattern Analyzer, Integrated Astro)

Captain Rex

Braylen Stramm (R3-A2, Gunner, Title).

Roark makes Rex PS 12, unless someone has a kill shot; then you go for the PS kill.

Jan Ors is also solid in an alpha strike list. Jan, Miranda, and I think Airen Cracken won a Regional last year.

10 hours ago, Jadotch said:

In a true Scum fashion, here is a nasty little HWK-290 trick:

Palob Godalhi (20)

Attanni Mind Link (1)
Cikatatro Vizago (0)
Cloaking Device (2)
Pulse Ray Shields (2)

Total - 25 points

The idea is after you cloak, use Cikataro to exchange the Cloaking Device (and now you won't lose the cloak token) for a Feedback Array. Hit the Feedback Array when in a good position take the Ion and Damage, and regenerate the damage with the Pulse Ray shields and clear the 2 Ion tokens. Palob's ability, the feedback array and the pulse ray shields are not action dependent . So you still have one free action left for the mindlink.

You will not be able to fire, that cloak token is stuck on the HWK-290, but you are at 4 agility, and able to regenerate. And deal a strategic damage now and then. Plus support your mindlink ship for 25 points. Not bad for 25 points.

Expandtions Required: HWK-290, Most Wanted, C-ROC, Punishing One and the Mist Hunter.

The feedback array and cloaking device interaction no longer functions as you described. They FAQ'd Feedback Array during the great JM5K beatdown.

"Using Feedback Array does not count as an attack, and can be used against touching ships and while a ship has a Blinded Pilot Damage card (original Damage deck) assigned to it. Feedback Array cannot be used while a ship is overlapping an asteroid or has either a weapons disabled or cloak token."

9 hours ago, Madtheos said:

The feedback array and cloaking device interaction no longer functions as you described. They FAQ'd Feedback Array during the great JM5K beatdown.

"Using Feedback Array does not count as an attack, and can be used against touching ships and while a ship has a Blinded Pilot Damage card (original Damage deck) assigned to it. Feedback Array cannot be used while a ship is overlapping an asteroid or has either a weapons disabled or cloak token."

I guess my info is out of date. I guess exchange the cloak for a slicer than? Not as reliable.

Norra Wexley (29)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Rey (2)
Flight-Assist Astromech (1)
Alliance Overhaul (0)

Jan Ors (25)
Adaptability (0)
Twin Laser Turret (6)
Nien Nunb (1)

Wedge Antilles (29)
Expertise (4)
Flight-Assist Astromech (1)
Integrated Astromech (0)

Total: 99

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

very fun, hits like a ton of bricks, causes target priority issues for the enemy, actually moves very quickly. my current fav rebel list. top tier?? no...but it still won me 100% of the games I've played with it. (4)

On 1/15/2018 at 8:40 PM, theBitterFig said:

I'm thinking of flying a HWK at casual night tomorrow.

Jan Ors with Wired/TLT/Nein Nunb/Pulsed Ray Shield. Comes out to 35 points if I recall. I know--KNOW--it wouldn't be as good as, say, a Selflessness/Maul/Ezra Lowhhrick, but it's casual night, and I haven't flown a HWK in a while.

Flew against TLT Y-Wings. She wasn't shot at first round. Second round she was blown off the table.

On 1/16/2018 at 12:22 AM, Ailowynn said:

Roark Garnet is the single most underrated pilot in the Rebel faction. He’s perfect RNG insurance for four ship Rebel builds; he gives you two bites at the apple.

This build won (or at least placed well?) in at least two Store Champs this past season:

Roark Garnet (TLT, Inspirint Recruit)

Jess Pava (R2-D6, Trick Shot, Pattern Analyzer, Integrated Astro)

Captain Rex

Braylen Stramm (R3-A2, Gunner, Title).

Roark makes Rex PS 12, unless someone has a kill shot; then you go for the PS kill.

Jan Ors is also solid in an alpha strike list. Jan, Miranda, and I think Airen Cracken won a Regional last year.

So here's what I'm thinking. Swap Pattern Analyzer and Trick Shot on Jess for Swarm Tactics. Boost Jess to PS 12, then she boosts Rex also. That's probably over-investing in the trick, but hey.