I'm helping my buddy practice for -- I guess? -- Coruscant, and he's asked me to fly Imperials.

I've intentionally paid very little attention to the pilots and upgrades so far, so I'd like to ask for some list suggestions to challenge him. He'll appreciate it if I fly a very strong list against him.

The list must use Ruthlessness, but one instance of Ruthlessness is free in the list.

I have a large collection, with multiples of almost every Imperial ship, so that shouldn't be much of a factor. I don't have any strong preferences for what I fly against him, and what preferences I do have are aesthetic preferences. (I'd love to see a Punisher on the board at long last, and the TIE Aggressor is the only ship I never flew in 1.0, so I wouldn't mind giving it a try.) But power is more important than my preferences, since this is formal practice for him.

He will be flying high-Init Rebel Alpha Strike. Again, since he wants to be pressed hard, feel free to use that info in your suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

Oh that tournament

Okay, it's easy: use Kestal

Kestal's ability makes it hard to get modifiers, ruthless helps

But what will be Ruthlessness? Why, bombers of course!!!!

Jonus' provides extra mods to kestal (she has barrage rockets and ion turret)

To his own barrage rockets

And EVERYONE'S barrage rockets!!!!

Barrage Swarm

(36) Lieutenant Kestal
(6) Barrage Rockets
(6) Ion Cannon Turret
(1) Ruthless
Points 49

(34) Major Rhymer
(6) Barrage Rockets
(6) Adv. Proton Torpedoes
Points 46

(28) Scimitar Squadron Pilot
(6) Barrage Rockets
Points 34

(28) Scimitar Squadron Pilot
(6) Barrage Rockets
Points 34

(28) Scimitar Squadron Pilot
(6) Barrage Rockets
Points 34

Total points: 197

Note, kestal is actually REALLY strong for her cost. She gives bombers recourse against aces (and especially force users) that they wouldn't normally have

And she also counters evade tokenss because of their need in 2nd Ed

Nice shooting ... you bulleyed the womp rat in my collection! (I only own three TIE Bombers.) Also, you listed Rhymer but said Jonus?

How about this: https://raithos.github.io/?f=Galactic Empire&d=v4!s!187:128,138,97,-1,-1,-1:-1:-1:;203:133,-1,97,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1:-1:-1:;208:-1,-1,97,-1,-1,-1,-1:-1:-1:;208:-1,-1,97,-1,-1,-1,-1:-1:-1:;164:-1,-1,97,-1,139:-1:-1:U.-1,U.-1&sn=_2E Coruscant Practice&obs=

Lieutenant Kestal (36)
Ruthless (1)
Ion Cannon Turret (6)
Barrage Rockets (6)

Captain Jonus (36)
Trick Shot (1)
Barrage Rockets (6)

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (28)
Barrage Rockets (6)

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (28)
Barrage Rockets (6)

Nu Squadron Pilot (35)
Barrage Rockets (6)

Total: 201

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0

Whoops, clerical error

Just get Jonus in there

But since you have but a paltry 3 bombers,

Palp and Pals

(41) Scarif Base Pilot
(13) Emperor Palpatine
Points 54

(36) Lieutenant Kestal
(6) Barrage Rockets
(1) Ruthless
(6) Ion Cannon Turret
Points 49

(36) Captain Jonus
(6) Barrage Rockets
(3) Elusive
Points 45

(34) Major Rhymer
(6) Barrage Rockets
(6) Adv. Proton Torpedoes
(3) Elusive
Points 49

Total points: 197

Or

No One Expects...

(58) Grand Inquisitor
(12) Supernatural Reflexes
Points 70

(36) Captain Jonus
(6) Barrage Rockets
Points 42

(28) Scimitar Squadron Pilot
(6) Barrage Rockets
Points 34

(36) Lieutenant Kestal
(6) Barrage Rockets
(1) Ruthless
(6) Ion Cannon Turret
Points 49

Total points: 195

Why the FP bid? Is it really worthwhile at I4 (especially given I'm expecting I6)?

(Also, it amuses me how much I recoil when I see Elusive listed unironically.)

Bid isn't needed, just didn't commit to additional upgrades yet. Probably put a hull on the reaper. Could drop elusive off Rhymer to get Feroph too, just amused by Scariff's utility as a blocker

Elusive is really good turns out, especially with Palp to mod

Might need bid for Inquistor, a LOT of good pilots are I 5. Else, collision detector or fcs

Uno mas:

Jendon Synergy

(46) Colonel Jendon
(5) Director Krennic
Points 51

(34) Major Rhymer
(6) Barrage Rockets
(6) Adv. Proton Torpedoes
Points 46

(48) Seventh Sister
(5) Collision Detector
Points 53

(36) Lieutenant Kestal
(6) Ion Cannon Turret
(6) Barrage Rockets
(1) Ruthless
Points 49

Total points: 199

Well, I was playing with Ruthless ideas earlier and had something I like but just saw you only have 3 bombers. Darn. I'll leave the idea here anyways in case it's useful as a starting point or for laughing at or whatever, and because I find the idea of running 4 copies of Ruthless entertaining

Captain Jonus — TIE Bomber

36

Ruthless

1

Barrage Rockets

6

Ship Total: 43

Lieutenant Kestal — TIE Aggressor

36

Ruthless

1

Ion Cannon Turret

6

Barrage Rockets

6

Ship Total: 49

Scimitar Squadron Pilot — TIE Bomber

28

Barrage Rockets

6

Ship Total: 34

Gamma Squadron Ace — TIE Bomber

30

Ruthless

1

Barrage Rockets

6

Ship Total: 37

Gamma Squadron Ace — TIE Bomber

30

Ruthless

1

Barrage Rockets

6

Ship Total: 37

Two

Words

X-Wing

Players

There

Are

Good

Ships

Besides

Tie Bombers

And

Tie Punishers

41 minutes ago, Boom Owl said:

Two

Words

X-Wing

Players

There

Are

Good

Ships

Besides

Tie Bombers

And

Tie Punishers

Yeah, like Kestal ?

16 minutes ago, ficklegreendice said:

Yeah, like Kestal ?

Ha!

Also there are upgrades besides Barrage Rockets!

12 minutes ago, Boom Owl said:

Ha!

Also there are upgrades besides Barrage Rockets!

Like ion cannon turrets ?

That aside, in the specific context of ruthless, I'm not certain you can do better than kestal (her ability my minimizes the risk of damaging yourself just to bounce off greens)

And, as an Aggressor THAT NEEDS to focus, you're stuck with barrage rockets

For ruthless targets, barragebombers at 34 points of 6 health and VERY relevant offense a pop

And then Jonus synergizes with Kestal further by buffing her rockets too

Outside the specific context of ruthless, it's anyone's game.

(Though half tempted to try kestal with xg-1, ICT + Aslam + procket Nus because they're chunky, go fast, ion gets four dice at r1 and bullseye is easier to land)

This one looks like a lot of fun to me:

Since Ruthless is free, you could afford Whisper instead.

Let those expensive alpha strikers double-stress themselves taking out academies and then mob them.

Also, if you want both a Punisher and an Aggressor on the table, I think Deathrain fits nicely into the types of lists @ficklegreendice has mentioned:

"Deathrain" (42)
Trajectory Simulator (3)
Barrage Rockets (6)
Proton Bombs (5)
Seismic Charges (3)
Ablative Plating (4)

Lieutenant Kestal (36)
Ruthless (1)
Ion Cannon Turret (6)
Barrage Rockets (6)

Captain Jonus (36)
Barrage Rockets (6)

Major Rhymer (34)
Adv. Proton Torpedoes (6)
Barrage Rockets (6)

Total: 200

I like this list in general, but it might be a bad matchup against a high-init alpha strike. It’s a lot weaker if no one gets to shoot while Jonus is alive.

I think the assumption is Coruscant be wall to wall TIE Swarms with 1 copy of Ruthless.

Howl, Iden, 5 Academy.

5 hours ago, SOTL said:

I think the assumption is Coruscant be wall to wall TIE Swarms with 1 copy of Ruthless.

Howl, Iden, 5 Academy.

Depends how successful @ficklegreendice is gonna be till then with his plea for his lord and savior the TIE Bomber. ^^

I ain't going, but if any swarm player channels my luck they're losing a tie per guided rocket, easily

Pretty sure five Jonus guideds will beat out a tie swarm (esp with initiative advantage over the academies) just gotta beware blockers

Running Deathrain ala Kerbariam helps too, though I wouldn't apt Thomax

43 minutes ago, ficklegreendice said:

Pretty sure five Jonus guideds will beat out a tie swarm (esp with initiative advantage over the academies) just gotta beware blockers

Running Deathrain ala Kerbariam helps too, though I wouldn't apt Thomax

Oops! That was supposed to be Rhymer (fixed).

You can also fit both Deathrain and the 5x Barrage with Jonus if you really strip down Deathrain.

Deathrain + Barrage + Traj Sim + Proton Bombs
Jonus + Barrage
Scimitar + Barrage
Scimitar + Barrage
Scimitar + Barrage

That comes out to an even 200, and then you can stick the free Ruthless on Jonus. But that brings us back to the problem of Jeff only having three bombers, and it's also hurt even more if Jonus is taken out in an alpha strike.

Went 3-0 with the list in the third post above. All close games, all fun. Two against a Swarm Tactics Wedge/Norra/Dutch list (with free Leia), one against an OiCunn/double-Inquisitor list. Never used Ruthless; had a couple of chances, but forgot it.

Anyway, I need to quit 2.0 now, be 100% forever.