In first edition, the Advanced Prototype's linked action was the title card, letting you evade upon snagging a target lock. Seeing how this was such a core part of the ship's identity in first edition (much like the TIE X7 had to go fast to get the free evade action), it is strange to note that it is losing this iconic link for something more generic. After all, even the intended first edition TIE agressor's linked action of barrel-rolling into an evade (employing the included-in-pack Intensity card in a suboptimal build) has been integrated into the core ship itself!

Are there any game balancing reasons as to why one of the game's first linked actions has been removed?

To my knowledge, there is no linked action in the game that gets you two different tokens. That's probably deliberate.

I'm kind of disappointed in this too, tbh.

The TL linked evade was one of the more interesting parts of the 1e TAP.

17 minutes ago, Squark said:

To my knowledge, there is no linked action in the game that gets you two different tokens. That's probably deliberate.

Absolutely this. And it's a good thing.

Just now, Ixidor said:

Absolutely this. And it's a good thing.

*shrug* I mean, target lock+evade isn't that different from two focus/calculate tokens (And there's a couple ways to do that). You still can't get double mods on the same roll from a single action phase. While I see why it was cut, I think the Tie/v1 could have been kept for 2.0. On the other hand, it would probably jack up the TAP's cost, and expensive 2-die ships are awkward.

It's probably to bring it down in line with the 2e power curve.

Target lock into evade gives you both an attacking and defensive dice modification. No other ship can do this natively, all other ships involve a reposition action or turret movement as at least one of the linked pair/ship ability.

Even with the stress cost, it seems FFG simply don't want to be handing out guaranteed multiple dice mods without paying additional points costs for certain upgrades.

Yes, the TAP loses a little of its 1e identity, but I think it's for the best in terms of balance.

10 minutes ago, Squark said:

*shrug* I mean, target lock+evade isn't that different from two focus/calculate tokens (And there's a couple ways to do that). You still can't get double mods on the same roll from a single action phase. While I see why it was cut, I think the Tie/v1 could have been kept for 2.0. On the other hand, it would probably jack up the TAP's cost, and expensive 2-die ships are awkward.

Don’t forget the TAP has generic inquisitors with force as well as two force user pilots, so target lock linked to focus give those ships essentially target lock evade and focus( even if it’s only for one die it’s still very strong in combination with the other 2 tokens as the target lock and evade on average should make a single focus change all you need.

plus the grand inquisitor with triple actions would no doubt be very powerful

3 minutes ago, TheOz said:

Don’t forget the TAP has generic inquisitors with force as well as two force user pilots, so target lock linked to focus give those ships essentially target lock evade and focus( even if it’s only for one die it’s still very strong in combination with the other 2 tokens as the target lock and evade on average should make a single focus change all you need.

plus the grand inquisitor with triple actions would no doubt be very powerful

Never underestimate the power of the force.

7 minutes ago, TheOz said:

Don’t forget the TAP has generic inquisitors with force as well as two force user pilots, so target lock linked to focus give those ships essentially target lock evade and focus( even if it’s only for one die it’s still very strong in combination with the other 2 tokens as the target lock and evade on average should make a single focus change all you need.

plus the grand inquisitor with triple actions would no doubt be very powerful

Especially if you can also combine this with Juke. The Grand Inquisitor would be able to reroll, spend Force to modify attack results, and also convert one of your evade results into an eyeball to force you into a choice.

Yeah, the move to make the V1 essentially the Inquisitors with Force Points is why they title had to go, even as linked actions. I strongly think we will get 2 more unique Inquisitors in the pack when it finally releases.

Also: it really was kind of silly from a 'lore' perspective.

I mean, really, what about working a computer to get a target lock suddenly makes your ship more evasive? At least 'do a barrel roll to get an evade' or 'go really fast to get an evade' made some thematic sense - but target lock generating an evade? WTF??

31 minutes ago, xanderf said:

Also: it really was kind of silly from a 'lore' perspective.

I mean, really, what about working a computer to get a target lock suddenly makes your ship more evasive? At least 'do a barrel roll to get an evade' or 'go really fast to get an evade' made some thematic sense - but target lock generating an evade? WTF??

Because the TAP's targeting computer is an advanced model (it's in a prototype, after all) able to use active scanning on locked ships to assess its flight patterns and weapons system and provide predictive information to aid the pilot in avoiding its attacks. It was successful, but deemed too expensive and used up too much computing power that could have been used for better avionics and so not included on the later x1 in favour of a system that aided in precision and identifying weak spots.

I dunno. I just made that up on the spot.

Point is, it's pretty easy to come with any suitably handwavey lore reason you feel fits. It's a decent game mechanic that gives the ship a unique niche. In Star Wars, the 'science' can always be dreamed up later.

8 hours ago, player3010587 said:

In first edition, the Advanced Prototype's linked action was the title card, letting you evade upon snagging a target lock. Seeing how this was such a core part of the ship's identity in first edition (much like the TIE X7 had to go fast to get the free evade action), it is strange to note that it is losing this iconic link for something more generic. After all, even the intended first edition TIE agressor's linked action of barrel-rolling into an evade (employing the included-in-pack Intensity card in a suboptimal build) has been integrated into the core ship itself!

Are there any game balancing reasons as to why one of the game's first linked actions has been removed?

It's a core progression for 2.0, the neat tricks that they decided to keep got converted into either ship abilities or linked actions. The Target Lock > Evade combo in 1.0 wasn't really iconic to the ship in a flavour sense, you just did it because it was the only ship that had it, and it was free actions. Whilst the Inquisitor wasn't a powerhouse hitter, his defensive stack was formidible. The dev's had said defensive stacks were on the culling floor, evident in Soontir's changes.

Secondly, the ship carries generic Inquisitors and all the goodness that comes with the power of the force. Most will utilise the force power for something auxiliary, but its still a free dice mod nonetheless. If the ship still carries a missile slot, and with it 2 or more charges, coupling that with instinctive aim or heightened perception, they have actually given the base ship a lot more fire power than it ever had outside of Inquisitor in 1.0.

Defensively, Grand Inquisitor, Seventh Sister and the generic Inquisitors will have access to Sense, Supernatural Reflexes, afterburners, linked boosts and barrel rolls, and a native force token or 2 force points for the uniques. They will all still be able to pseudo stack, but more importantly will be able to manoeuvre out of harm's way just as well (if not better) than their 1.0 counterpart.

This is one of the ships I'm most excited about in 2.0, we'll see how it really works come September, but I don't think it'll disappoint.

7 hours ago, PhantomFO said:

Especially if you can also combine this with Juke. The Grand Inquisitor would be able to reroll, spend Force to modify attack results, and also convert one of your evade results into an eyeball to force you into a choice.

I believe force users lose the talent slot in favour of the force power slot. Seventh Sister's ability is a regenerating Crack Shot though so the premise still works in a way.

2 hours ago, xanderf said:

Also: it really was kind of silly from a 'lore' perspective.

I mean, really, what about working a computer to get a target lock suddenly makes your ship more evasive? At least 'do a barrel roll to get an evade' or 'go really fast to get an evade' made some thematic sense - but target lock generating an evade? WTF??

Z-targeting in Zelda not only makes your attacks more accurate but also enables you to defend better. But this explanation of mine is so dumb in a spaceship setting that it makes Concord Dawn Protectorate seem reasonable.

2 hours ago, GuacCousteau said:

Because the TAP's targeting computer is an advanced model (it's in a prototype, after all) able to use active scanning on locked ships to assess its flight patterns and weapons system and provide predictive information to aid the pilot in avoiding its attacks. It was successful, but deemed too expensive and used up too much computing power that could have been used for better avionics and so not included on the later x1 in favour of a system that aided in precision and identifying weak spots.

I dunno. I just made that up on the spot.

Point is, it's pretty easy to come with any suitably handwavey lore reason you feel fits. It's a decent game mechanic that gives the ship a unique niche. In Star Wars, the 'science' can always be dreamed up later.

I'd give you that point, if you could only use that evade token against the target locked ship. It works against anyone's attack, though.

But I can play that game, too! "The targeting computer of the TAP was so powerful that the energy it put out when active made the ship difficult to see clearly for targeting. You could cook a mean hotdog on those emitters, too, and it also gave all its pilots cancer, like, instantly."

Still stupid.

The reason TIE/v1 existed was because the formatting of a 1.0 ship card doesn't/didn't allow you to have more than 4 actions on it.

They decided the TIE advanced prototype had boost, barrel roll (like most TIE fighters), focus (like everyone) and target lock (because it was a missile carrier). The only way to give it evade in 1.0 was via a 'free action' in a bolt-on title.

In 2.0, there is space for it to have all 5 actions as separate options, so TIE/v1 isn't needed - and, as noted, free tokens are much harder to come by - all linked actions we've seen have been reposition plus token, not token/token, which, given their stated aim of reducing the sheer amount of 'action-cheap' dice modifiers ships can get, is probably a deliberate and general policy.

Plus....yeah. As a ship with a generic pilot with force tokens, you have to be very careful what you allow because it can already get double tokens (sort of) if you are prepared to spend the force token as a partial focus.

11 hours ago, BVRCH said:

I believe force users lose the talent slot in favour of the force power slot. Seventh Sister's ability is a regenerating Crack Shot though so the premise still works in a way.

Source?

6 minutes ago, Commander Kaine said:

Source?

The (FFG) Imperial Conversion Kit video. They were talking about the Baron Of The Empire and the Inquisitor and how they're basically similar ships but one gives you a Force Ability slot and one gives you a Talent slot.

It's not necessarily universal, but note that quick builds for Vader and Luke both feature force powers and not elite upgrades.

19 hours ago, Squark said:

To my knowledge, there is no linked action in the game that gets you two different tokens. That's probably deliberate.

*Cough* Every linked action gets two tokens.... one of them's red.

11 minutes ago, ghotio said:

*Cough* Every linked action gets two tokens.... one of them's red.

Incorrect. Most linked actions get some sort of reposition (boost roll or turret spin) and a token. Except for ship specific abilities I don't know of any that get two modification tokens.

18 minutes ago, Magnus Grendel said:

The (FFG) Imperial Conversion Kit video. They were talking about the Baron Of The Empire and the Inquisitor and how they're basically similar ships but one gives you a Force Ability slot and one gives you a Talent slot.

It's not necessarily universal, but note that quick builds for Vader and Luke both feature force powers and not elite upgrades.

I'm aware of that, but it sounded like those are exceptions rather than the rule. At least, to me.

12 minutes ago, ghotio said:

*Cough* Every linked action gets two tokens.... one of them's red.

Yeah. Let me grab one of those boost tokens.

6 minutes ago, thespaceinvader said:

Incorrect. Most linked actions get some sort of reposition (boost roll or turret spin) and a token. Except for ship specific abilities I don't know of any that get two modification tokens.

3 minutes ago, Commander Kaine said:

Yeah. Let me grab one of those boost tokens.

I think he is talking about the Stress token.

4 minutes ago, Hannes Solo said:

I think he is talking about the Stress token.

I'm high fam. This is next level sh^t

Srsly tho

1 hour ago, thespaceinvader said:

Incorrect. Most linked actions get some sort of reposition (boost roll or turret spin) and a token. Except for ship specific abilities I don't know of any that get two modification tokens.

Ok hands up I was being facetious. And I hand forgotten about the Turret Action. But that being said no ship has a linked action that allows two re-position actions.

Apart from the linked actions with Turret in them. You will either get a Lock, Focus, or Evade Token and a Stress Token in the end, hence my humor of two tokens.