1 minute ago, william1134 said:

I will just quickly say that Gunboats will have a harder time with cannons as the HLC is bullseye only, which is tough for the gunboat as it doesn't have barrel roll.

I never really used HLC for my boats. I typically ran lower PS boats with control cannons. I think the cost of the HLC will be much lower as to make it a "nice to have" weapon for ANY ship.

The new assult configuration on the Boats allows them to roll up to 3 dice for any equiped cannon even if they have a weapons disabled token. I think this will make them VERY strong in the cannon configuration. That being said, I still think the missile and torpedo configuration will still be more popular.

So another question to ponder. Lots of Swarm love happening. Usually that means pick a class of ship and spam it to death. If pricing is low enough to have say a mix of ships that allows the “roles” to play out what looks like they would combine well together?

Example, 2 Fighters, 2 Intercepters and a Bomber.

or how about 3 Strikers, Reaper, Phantom

what looks like they are going to “Play Well With Others”

10 hours ago, Parakitor said:

Ooh, this is a juicy topic. I remember from the stream that Alex or Frank said something along the lines of, "Or if you are into more advanced ships in fewer numbers, maybe the First Order is more your style." Paraphrasing, but that's what I remember. I think you may be right - Imperials are about the swarms. Even the TIE phantom seems to have been brought down in price (we can assume). TIE defender is an obvious exception, but I don't think exceptions are necessarily bad.

The Special Forces TIE fighter is just so different from anything in the Imperial faction. I think the reasons it's been so popular are Lightweight Frame and Harpoon Missiles. Without either of those in 2.0, I'm not sure how it will perform now, nor do I have an idea of what could fill the role as a similarly tanky, yet offensive ship. Maybe nothing can replace it. The TIE aggressor does have the missile slot and the arc coverage. I've never flown one, so I can't really speak to that. It's likely that it will be a key difference between the two Dark Side factions.

It is certainly a different ship. I think you’re overestimating what made it popular. It was Primarily it’s Aces, combined with a lot of action economy it could be customized for. It was supremely well costed, its dial was decent, and it had a bit of a scare factor with its ability to double tap in the right situations.

It was suggested perhaps we end up with a TIE Avenger to replace it with down the road. Not an unreasonable idea. The question would be point cost within the Empire for that. If the Defender is the Creme-Dela-Creme, that makes it hard to see things like the Avenger or Hunter being brought in. So it goes back to what if anything fills that void and how?

I know from very limited experience that you don't put lower ps anything in front of multiple strikers

So lowest ps (in squad) strikers + higher ps generics like phantoms sound like dang good fun

Any single phantom, striker, or xg-1 should be a great flanker for your block of whatever you choose to spam

Said block could even be a pair of bomb launching punishers (provided there's an easy way to launch, as promised by deathrains's ability) which are GREAT jouster counters

Bombers with their honest to God WHITE TWO TURNS are going to be exciting to field in larger numbers

And our good friend, the Lamda, is better than ever at being a doorstop for your opponent's squad (reinforce, aux arc, advanced sensor coordinate, and crew will be HUGE) while your TIE whatevers blow them apart

33 minutes ago, BDrafty said:

I never really used HLC for my boats. I typically ran lower PS boats with control cannons. I think the cost of the HLC will be much lower as to make it a "nice to have" weapon for ANY ship.

The new assult configuration on the Boats allows them to roll up to 3 dice for any equiped cannon even if they have a weapons disabled token. I think this will make them VERY strong in the cannon configuration. That being said, I still think the missile and torpedo configuration will still be more popular.

Especially if Mangler Cannons are unchanged.

28 minutes ago, Ronu said:

So another question to ponder. Lots of Swarm love happening. Usually that means pick a class of ship and spam it to death. If pricing is low enough to have say a mix of ships that allows the “roles” to play out what looks like they would combine well together?

Example, 2 Fighters, 2 Intercepters and a Bomber.

or how about 3 Strikers, Reaper, Phantom

what looks like they are going to “Play Well With Others”

Will probably have to give that a try to start with if only because I'll probably only be able to afford 1 conversion pack to start with, and that won't let you run a 'pure' squad of anything.

I'd suggest picking two classes of ship. 3 or more ship types in a swarm, and you're starting to make the movement picture too complex for my poor little brain, but 3 bombers with two escorts, or 2 bombers with 3 escorts, or a command ship with 4 fighters flying wing, or whatever, should all work well.

17 minutes ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Will probably have to give that a try to start with if only because I'll probably only be able to afford 1 conversion pack to start with, and that won't let you run a 'pure' squad of anything.

Ah but, that’s not entirely true. 4 TIE’s for the conversion kit. 2 TIEs for the starter which will be needed for the templates and rules. So there is the potential for 6 out the gate with a single conversion kit.

It's going to depend if the Tie Bomber gains a crew/bombadier slot, as the Rebels episode suggests. Bombadier tie bombers are one thing, but Admiral Sloan in a cheap platform is going to be essential for swarms, which look to be a major imperial archetype.

Also, lets not forget 2.0 krennec. He needs a target lock for his prototype to strip shields, but the Lambada has a title for that.

16 minutes ago, Ronu said:

It is certainly a different ship. I think you’re overestimating what made it popular. It was Primarily it’s Aces, combined with a lot of action economy it could be customized for. It was supremely well costed, its dial was decent, and it had a bit of a scare factor with its ability to double tap in the right situations.

You're probably right. It's just that NOBODY seemed to see that when they first came out. At the risk of sounding hipster, I was having great success with this ship when it released, before Lightweight Frame was out, but everybody was saying the ship was a dud. Then Lightweight Frame came out, and people started to try them out again, and found they were good. Eventually, some people even stopped using Lightweight Frame in certain builds. And then people started beating me when their TIE/sf's, so I got a little bitter. Guess I'm just bummed because it's another case where high PS is king in 1.0, which I hope is not the case in 2.0.

Back to the Galactic Empire, I will add that I'm excited for TIE interceptors. I hope they are good, because I have eight of them (twice as many squints as I have Strikers). That will fly different than strikers, but I like some variety. Also curious to try Decimator supporting TIE advanced with Coordinate to help them get their locks.

Re: Ciena Ree: did I hear correctly that to coordinate, both ships must have the action being given away on their action bars? If so, Ciena Ree never works, right? I don't see anything that has coordinate and barrel roll/boost. Maybe that was misinformation.

3 minutes ago, Parakitor said:

Back to the Galactic Empire, I will add that I'm excited for TIE interceptors. I hope they are good, because I have eight of them (twice as many squints as I have Strikers). That will fly different than strikers, but I like some variety. Also curious to try Decimator supporting TIE advanced with Coordinate to help them get their locks.

Re: Ciena Ree: did I hear correctly that to coordinate, both ships must have the action being given away on their action bars? If so, Ciena Ree never works, right? I don't see anything that has coordinate and barrel roll/boost. Maybe that was misinformation.

Coordinate is unchanged. It’s Squad Leader that has the adjustment to what your action bar has.

Now this is another interesting if not terrifying thought. What’s going to happen to Swarm Tactics and Swarm Leader EPT’s? Do those change at all?

10 minutes ago, Rakaydos said:

It's going to depend if the Tie Bomber gains a crew/bombadier slot, as the Rebels episode suggests. Bombadier tie bombers are one thing, but Admiral Sloan in a cheap platform is going to be essential for swarms, which look to be a major imperial archetype.

Also, lets not forget 2.0 krennec. He needs a target lock for his prototype to strip shields, but the Lambada has a title for that.

Ooh, that does pose some interesting ideas. The Bombadier would allow some crazy bomb options. The Bomber itself does say use a 1 bank specifically just too use a bank instead of the same distance. Sloan perhaps in a Reaper for something light. I suspect a Shuttle is the better safer option for him though as he has to be a obvious first target. Krennic, might be in that crew upgrade sleeper category, better than you shrink once it’s figured out the best use for him.

Here's a question (Maybe currently unanswerable): what are the heavy hitters going to be in the Imperial faction? I'm talking shios with a high likelihood of 4 dice hits, things that can really drop damage.

Coordinated Bombers seem like a good possibility. Proton Torps with another ship coordinating a Focus seem like the easiest way. The other obvious option I can think of is any 3 dice ship that can reliably get Range 1 with re-rolls. That's Vader, and maybe Fel Interceptor or Defender aces with Predator.

7 minutes ago, Biophysical said:

Here's a question (Maybe currently unanswerable): what are the heavy hitters going to be in the Imperial faction? I'm talking shios with a high likelihood of 4 dice hits, things that can really drop damage.

Coordinated Bombers seem like a good possibility. Proton Torps with another ship coordinating a Focus seem like the easiest way. The other obvious option I can think of is any 3 dice ship that can reliably get Range 1 with re-rolls. That's Vader, and maybe Fel Interceptor or Defender aces with Predator.

Bio, there may not actually be one. There may be ways to get a big shot in but nothing consistent. Depending on price with everything they are showing it seems the Empire is mass numbers death by a thousand cuts. With only 2 large based ships now it really increases the nail gun vs hammer and anvil tactics of old.

11 minutes ago, Biophysical said:

Here's a question (Maybe currently unanswerable): what are the heavy hitters going to be in the Imperial faction? I'm talking shios with a high likelihood of 4 dice hits, things that can really drop damage.

Coordinated Bombers seem like a good possibility. Proton Torps with another ship coordinating a Focus seem like the easiest way. The other obvious option I can think of is any 3 dice ship that can reliably get Range 1 with re-rolls. That's Vader, and maybe Fel Interceptor or Defender aces with Predator.

Proton torpedoes on Deathrain seem to be able to get double mods, plus whatever else you can slap on it with system and mod slots.

Basically your only four die hits short of range 1 (esp Vader with that ATC crit) are bombers, punishers, and gunboats

Could be deathrain with that sweet boost --> lock + ability

Could be that new force DEADEYE with inquistor (grand or otherwise) if we get a four die missile

Could be Inquisitor crew on a lambda (higher I reveals dial, triggers inq, coordinate lock)

Could just be some good ol fashioned targetlocks fortified by palp's Forcus

Or something with Vader crew if you'd count him as a forth "hit" (which he technically is)

3 hours ago, impspy said:

I base my theory on the fact that they have the x7 title baked in, an additional shield, and the fluff on the card that has the word "expensive" on it.

But x7 was always a minus cost card. Using old numbers, base defender+X7+shield upgrade is 32 points and you can still fit three. Its dial is slightly better but not by much, and it has more actions, but without any linked actions that isn't so strong. If Defenders become too expensive to fit three than they have probably over costed them.

1 hour ago, Ronu said:

It is certainly a different ship. I think you’re overestimating what made it popular. It was Primarily it’s Aces, combined with a lot of action economy it could be customized for. It was supremely well costed, its dial was decent, and it had a bit of a scare factor with its ability to double tap in the right situations.

It was suggested perhaps we end up with a TIE Avenger to replace it with down the road. Not an unreasonable idea. The question would be point cost within the Empire for that. If the Defender is the Creme-Dela-Creme, that makes it hard to see things like the Avenger or Hunter being brought in. So it goes back to what if anything fills that void and how?

Tie Doofus looks like our SF replacement. Avenger would make a better Silencer replacement.

24 minutes ago, Ronu said:

Bio, there may not actually be one. There may be ways to get a big shot in but nothing consistent. Depending on price with everything they are showing it seems the Empire is mass numbers death by a thousand cuts. With only 2 large based ships now it really increases the nail gun vs hammer and anvil tactics of old.

Certainly could be true. The Empire definitely seems like it has the best nail guns. I'm just wondering if anyone has seen something in missing.

I really want to know if I can fit 4 Predator Interceptors in a list.

Can't forget Vader crew

At range 1-2 it's either a hit or a green mod strip, emulating an extra red die but probably always better

Sloan on either a Reaper or Decimator, along with a mini-swarm of TIEs, looks like it should be terrifying.

Same for a murderball of TIE Fighters led by Howl and Iden.

1 minute ago, PhantomFO said:

Sloan on either a Reaper or Decimator, along with a mini-swarm of TIEs, looks like it should be terrifying.

Same for a murderball of TIE Fighters led by Howl and Iden.

Absolutely, I'm just looking for tools against Luke pilot or Han behind an asteroid.

15 minutes ago, PhantomFO said:

Sloan on either a Reaper or Decimator  

Sloan is going to be extremely good. The ability to allow an entire list to reroll is bananas.

Staple: Interceptors. I LOVE Interceptors and I miss using them.

Not Sure: Phantoms. I still have one in a box, unopened. So basically I've never used one and hadn't found a reason to because I've had so much fun with other Imperial ships/pilots, but I'm looking forward to trying them out in 2E.

Wild Card: Bombers and/or Punisher. I have a sneaky suspicion that these will be highly effective and costed appropriately and I've been planning on some fun moves with that new Nimble Bomber ability that Bombers have. And I've always loved Punishers, even when they get blown up. Now they seem even more effective. Can't wait to see how they handle Redline, if they keep him that is.

30 minutes ago, Biophysical said:

Absolutely, I'm just looking for tools against Luke pilot or Han behind an asteroid.

Ah, I hadn't even seen that. Was just replying to the OP.

For Imperial heavy hitters, I think you're going to have Vader with missiles, Gunboats (either missile boats or possibly with the new HLC, which seems better suited to hitting large-based targets than small), Bombers, or maybe Chiraneau with a Reinforce token.

It's hard to say for sure without knowing what upgrades are available to everyone. We're still basically speculating with maybe half the knowledge needed to say things with certainty.

3 minutes ago, PhantomFO said:

Ah, I hadn't even seen that. Was just replying to the OP.

For Imperial heavy hitters, I think you're going to have Vader with missiles, Gunboats (either missile boats or possibly with the new HLC, which seems better suited to hitting large-based targets than small), Bombers, or maybe Chiraneau with a Reinforce token.

It's hard to say for sure without knowing what upgrades are available to everyone. We're still basically speculating with maybe half the knowledge needed to say things with certainty.

Slamboats can't use their locks.

11 minutes ago, Commander Kaine said:

Slamboats can't use their locks.

Only if they have a weapons disabled token, but you could also just not use SLAM that round.