Above: Rexler Brath w/Juke
Below: 4x Academy TIEs
Range is just beyond 3.

What do the Academies do?
What does Rexler do?

The most obvious maneuver for Rexler is a 3 bank towards them. TIE A might be able to block it with a 3/4straight+roll, so A has to try that. If the defender gets blocked it‘s over.

Same maneuver for the TIEs, simply 3 bank towards Rexler and get the shot from as close as possible. If they were to do that then the next round, too, leaves both sides the option to Kturn.

Going with that scenario (3bank rexler gets blocked) then 3 range2 shots with focus deal 1.8dmg. Best case is 3 range1 shots with focus, and that deals 3.65dmg and a 1in7 * chance to outright kill Rexler. Rexler‘s attack at range 4 deals 0.56dmg, so not a good idea. All this is just to show that Rexler really has to avoid getting blocked, and that means the 3bank is not a good idea.

A 4k is not far enough, so not an option. A 3straight can‘t roll past the blocking TIE A and won‘t get a shot. That means Rexler might best do one of these two: disengage entirely (3turn left), or go slow, take and tank range2 shots and then 4k behind them. A 2bank should fit, but a 1bank is also an option. Then he takes these 2shields mentioned earlier, maybe deals a damage on his own, and has set up the next turn at a small price.

edit: *not 14% to kill, only to deal 6 damage. But defenders have 7 now...

Rexler 3 bank left to park on the asteroid, granting him a bonus defense die vs the TIEs.

The following turn, dial in a fast enough bank or straight off the board edge and the TIEs cannot give chase as they don't have hyperdrives.

Next scenario please ?

I think Rexlar does a 5 straight then boost,roll, or lock depending on academy's position. Set up for the K-Turn as the obvious move for the TIEs is to bank toward him. That is assuming that's not the board edge right there that is. 3-sharp might clear the block thrown for the 3 bank position, so that would work just as well in the same capacity.

If there is enough room on top (outside the area shown) to allow a k-turn in the following round, I am with @GreenDragoon on the disengage, and 3-turn left (up), possibly boost, to have the shoots from the ties on range 3 and obstructed by the rock: 2 red versus 5 green for 4 shoots should have a hard time land any damage at all.


Love these scenarios - thank you @Quarrel

1 bank, evade. The ties that br to block are made defenseless to his juke. Go fast to disengage next turn. Then k turn. If sensors are equipped, then 3 bank from the get go, as getting blocked becomes a good thing. In that case, focus for the R1 shot.

2 hours ago, Sciencius said:

d  isengage  ,  and 3-turn left (up), possibly  boost, to have the shoots from the ties on  range 3 and obstructed by th  e rock: 2 re   d    versus 5 green for 4 shoots should have a hard time land any damage at all.

I‘m torn between disengage and 1bank in. I would probably disengage if ahead with points, but bank in if behind and because I tend to play aggressively.

My instinct is to go for a 1-bank right - the TIEs can cover most of the 'speed 3+' area with blocks and ol' Rexler definitely can't afford to be blocked, so as much as one would want that sweet free evade it isn't worth the risk of being caught out. The 1-bank, though, is too far for any of them to reach, and without any named pilots (particularly Howlrunner) to buff them I'd be confident in Rex being able to tank their shots for the round.

All that assumes Rex is undamaged, of course - if he's taken heavy damage (say...3 or more of his 7 health gone), the 3-turn away would make more sense.

If Rexler 1banks right: what is the correct move for the TIEs?

What about eg 1hard left, focus and tank the shot*, then next turn again 1hard right?

The defender can‘t kturn behind that (I think @Quarrel ?) and will have to disengage then, with TIEs still together and in pursuit

What else can the TIEs do?

edit: 3red with focus juke on 4 green with focus have 0.35 expected or 27% for 1+ damage.

Disengage- 3 bank to the left, then boost to put the Defender behind the rock. Reengage on better terms, either waiting for the TIEs to split or getting in on a flanking attack.

The 3 obviously good moves for Rexler are 3-bank in, 5 straight and 3-turn away.

Given that the 3-bank is blockable, I would go for the 5-straigh if I played Rexler.

This is why I like sensors on them. BR away and 1 bank. Take a little dmg at R3. Next turn, dial in a 4k if they closed the gap or a 3 turn if not. AS should let you dodge a couple arcs, it'll be very hard for them to block all his options. Repeat ad finitum till they're all dead. With Outmanoeuvre attached as well, you can forgo tokens to a degree. You're asking a lot of natural dice but Rex needs a fair bit of bad luck to run afoul of 1 or 2 2 dice attacks a round.

Without AS and with only Juke, I think I 1 bank in, evade and hope for the best You should have the advantage once they turn if you started on full health.

I do kind of feel that a skilled swarm pilot should be able to shut Rex down there, with or without AS. But I'm not one of those.

Obviously. I'd probably just mess it all up and 4k him onto a rock.

Interested in what the TIEs would do so I can adjust my AS Rex plan... I'd be most worried about them splitting up for blocks and a kill box.

I never field Rexler without advanced sensors, so my brain immediately goes to a boost to the right and a 4k. This should have the TIEs move past this position and Rexler has clear shots at their rear. This is also why I always field Rexler with Outmaneuver.

That said, playing within the confines of what you've dictated, Rex has two options:

a. 5 straight and boost for the 4k next turn

b. 3 turn right and boost for the 4k next turn

The TIE player should simply roll forward with a 2 straight or maybe a 2 bank and hope to catch Rex in a bad spot - maybe even block him if he tries for a 3 bank into the TIEs. Really, this is a bad spot for Rex - the range is not good. I've found Defenders to be amazing in super close quarter battle or range 3. Range 2 is the danger zone for them.

7 minutes ago, Bad Idea Comics said:

I never field Rexler without advanced sensors, so my brain immediately goes to a boost to the right and a 4k. This should have the TIEs move past this position and Rexler has clear shots at their rear. This is also why I always field Rexler with Outmaneuver.

I'd be super wary of them going slow, blocking that and ending up dead to rights. If they 2 bank, I think you slam into the lead TIE. Ryad on the other hand, if in doubt, 5 straight, every time. Nothing blocks a 7k

If Rexler has advanced sensors, wouldn't a boost right, 3-hard right be a good move? That's potentially a great position for a 4k next turn.

1 hour ago, Ikka said:

Disengage- 3 bank to the left, then boost to put the Defender behind the rock. Reengage on better terms, either waiting for the TIEs to split or getting in on a flanking attack.

4 minutes ago, Yearfire said:

If Rexler has advanced sensors, wouldn't a boost right, 3-hard right be a good move? That's potentially a great position for a 4k next turn.

Won‘t that land on the rock (or have the boost blocked for Ikka)?

1 minute ago, GreenDragoon said:

Won‘t that land on the rock?

It's been a while since I last played on Vassal, so I'm not sure if it's clear. My first reaction was that it's clear.

But even if you land on the rock, is that so bad? You're not shooting anyway, and the only maneuvers from the TIE-fighters that give them shots are 1-hard and k-turns. And I think both of them can be dodged with different Adv. sensor options. (Remember that full throttle works after overlapping obstacles now)

I agree with the 1 bank and evade. Defender gonna defend. I suck at vassal distances, but worst case you are looking at 1-2 range 2 shots with 2 dice. Then maybe 2 more range 3, two dice attacks. You *maybe* take one damage in that exchange.

22 minutes ago, Yearfire said:

And I think both of them can be dodged with different Adv. sensor options. (Remember that full throttle works after overlapping obstacles now)

Full Throttle will work if you hit an asteroid, but not debris. And it also gets shut down when using Advanced Sensors, obstacle or no.

7 minutes ago, nexttwelveexits said:

Full Throttle will work if you hit an asteroid, but not debris. And it also gets shut down when using Advanced Sensors, obstacle or no.

True

Assuming my perspective is right, i'd 3turn with Rex and Boost. Jousting a formation even if its just 4 TIEs is asking for trouble, a defender's biggest strength is its ability to simply not get shot at all w/o sacrificing actions via red moves.

Unless they 1turned to catch me, they wouldnt have a shot. The ones on the left might be able to roll in for a shot, but thats a bad move for them as then it'd be 2 TIEs vs a Defender.

I think im off slightly on judging the 3Turn though, as im not used to doing it digitally. Might clip the rock.

It's Princess Bride X-Wing. If the TIE Defender wants shots and bonuses, the correct answer is a 3 bank or turn into them, but being the right answer makes it the wrong answer. The actual right answer is that the TIE Defender doesn't leave itself with no good speed 3 maneuvers to engage with and no good K-Turn options. It definitely should've barrel rolled previous turn or plotted a previous position that leaves it more open. In it's current position, a 3 hard to the left to disengage and K-turn next turn is the absolute right call and it's a good opportunity if this puts him at range 3 to pick a lock to use later.

TL:DR you would've know that and counted on it, so he clearly cannot pick the 3 bank in front of him

7 minutes ago, Vineheart01 said:

Assuming my perspective is right, i'd 3turn with Rex and Boost. Jousting a formation even if its just 4 TIEs is asking for trouble, a defender's biggest strength is its ability to simply not get shot at all w/o sacrificing actions via red moves.

Unless they 1turned to catch me, they wouldnt have a shot. The ones on the left might be able to roll in for a shot, but thats a bad move for them as then it'd be 2 TIEs vs a Defender.

I think im off slightly on judging the 3Turn though, as im not used to doing it digitally. Might clip the rock.

The TIEs would be crazy not to block both the 3 right bank and 3 right turn.

7 hours ago, Yearfire said:

If Rexler has advanced sensors, wouldn't a boost right, 3-hard right be a good move?

He may or may not hit the rock. As it turns out, he misses it by a pixel by pure chance in my setup, but real games are sloppy.

6 hours ago, nexttwelveexits said:

The TIEs would be crazy not to block both the 3 right bank and 3 right turn.

Okay. The best(*) way to do that is TIE-A does a 3T left, BR forward-right and TIE-C tries a 5S and BR back-left. And that doesn't actually fit (should have done a pinwheel instead of a square!) but let's assume it does. What do the other two TIEs do?

(* The other way is to have C turn left and A go straight, but that leaves C facing directly into a rock.)