Someone asked about Leebs + Rebel Han Gunner + Roark on the wiki (timing issues), and it turned out to be a really cool idea. I made a list and tried it out and it's really mean.

Basic idea: Roark lets Leeb shoot at Init 7, then Han lets Leeb shoot again at init 7, double-tapping a foe with 3 or 4 attack dice before it can fire. Leebo has lots of calculate tokens thanks to his ability and the extra token from 3PO, helping both his attack and his defense. C-3PO works so, so well with his ability too. I shed an amazing amount of damage that way.

Originally Roark had Sabine Crew + Proton Bombs instead of coordinate, and Leeb had Hull Upgrade and no Deadman's Switch. The bombs were not terribly effective, so I'm going to try out this new Coordinate-based iteration to help Leebo lock or rotate on turns where he needs to do so. Unfortunately Roark can't coordinate a calculate which is what Leebo frequently needs on a bumped round.

Worth noting, the weakpoint is Roark. If he dies, Leebo's power drops by half (because he'll usually only attack once per round after that), in addition to losing Roark's attacks.

I like the fleet so far. It's probably reasonably casual -- I'd hesitate to take it to a serious tournament. But it's fun and I love nuclear attacks. If only I could also field Jan Ors. >:D

Thoughts? Is Squad Leader perhaps a bad choice?

I've spent a few minutes looking at this and I'm not sure it's easy to improve on it. I think Han and C-3PO are essential to the idea on Leebo, and Moldy Crow is essential on Roark. Stripping everything else away leaves 28 points. If you had two more you could fly AP-5 to coordinate calculate tokens for Leebo, but there's no other low cost ship that adds a whole lot in my opinion. A Tala Squadron Pilot has an EPT spot for Selfless (to help protect Roark) or Squad Leader I suppose.

What's the deal with Outrider on a ship that isn't Dash? You still hurt flying through obstacles right, so presumably a lot less useful.

Have flown the list with Dash. It’s more savage but less resilient than the Leebo version.

You really need the coordinate for a TL on one attack otherwise it’s very variance heavy.

But I agree it’s a great fun list and it almost entirely puts the burden of execution on your opponent.

Its one of the reasons they need to be really careful when points balancing comes in. Being able to run a cheaper Roark and ap5 would make this list a meta powerhouse.

That's a good point, the Outrider title is expendable. It works well with debris though! But it's good to recognize it's not at all essential to the list.

If I strip everything but C-3PO and Han (including Moldy Crow), then I'm just 2 points short of being able to field both Roark and Jan as wingmates. ? Dutch also is just 2 points short.

I think I'm willing to give up Moldy Crow to field AP-5. That bonus coordinate that works even on a stressed Leebo could be so useful. That gives me 10 points to spend.

Or maybe just Kyle Katarn with Jyn Erso, to keep either buddy alive?

Alternatively, chop Outrider and produce a less squishy Roark (since Roark can melt pretty quickly if the enemy realizes he's central to Leebo's power):

Yeah - I was half way through a post wondering whether Moldy Crow was worth ditching to get AP-5.

The only thing is that it helps Roark a lot. It extends his firing arc making it easier to help Leebo and the focus obviously helps his survivability / offense.

I guess you'll have to try it and let us know how you get on!

Good point, having a 2nd arc really helps widen the angle of his pilot ability.

As you said, it'll have to come down to testing.

Maybe I don't understand something here, but you can't shoot twice out of the same turret arc with Han? This means you have to split your fire left and right or front and back... so you can't "double tap a foe" as you say...

That's the cool part of the list: you can because of the order of the shots. Roark lets you make your normal shot at initiative 7, so far so good. Then you resolve Han (who has the same timing as your I7 shot, so it can go second) and make another shot. Han then bans making any more shots from that turret, but that doesn't matter because we've made the maximum of 2 shots already. 4-Dice Double-Tap!

Got it, thanks!

I’ve heard there is some debate on it, but the way I read Gunner Han, you get your 2 shots before GH focus.

A week ago, I played Boba/Palob/Sunny vs. Leebo/Roark. Even though I7 shots are great, moving at I3 was still an issue for Leebo. I would prefer Dash if I ran the list.

On 10/12/2018 at 12:43 PM, Wazat said:

“Leebo” — YT-2400 98 Han Solo 12 C-3PO 12 Shield Upgrade 6 Outrider 14 Deadman’s Switch  2 Ship Total: 144

On 10/12/2018 at 1:53 PM, Wazat said:

“Leebo” — YT-2400 98 Han Solo 12 C-3PO 12 Shield Upgrade 6 Deadman’s Switch 2 Ship Total: 130

Why Deadman's Switch?

52 minutes ago, JJH_BATMAN said:

Why Deadman's Switch?

Because the YT-2400's ship ability encourages enemies to get close; Deadman makes that a gamble. Leebo's init 7 double-tap means they won't be sure about their health when they engage, and if they've only barely survived to kill him, Leeb will take them out with him. It's a dirt-cheap upgrade with an above-mediocre effect, so it feels like a good fit.

Inertial Dampener is the other option I can afford, but Leeb's shields are short-lived and I feel like Deadman synergizes a bit better. Though I do have shield upgrade for 5 shields, so Dampener isn't a terrible option either.

Alternatively I could strip Shield Upgrade and equip a missile, give Roark a proximity mine, etc. I'm open to talking alternatives.

On 10/12/2018 at 2:11 PM, Wazat said:

That's the cool part of the list: you can because of the order of the shots. Roark lets you make your normal shot at initiative 7, so far so good. Then you resolve Han (who has the same timing as your I7 shot, so it can go second) and make another shot. Han then bans making any more shots from that turret, but that doesn't matter because we've made the maximum of 2 shots already. 4-Dice Double-Tap!

It works because the bonus attack granted by Rebel Han Gunner happens like every other bonus attack, in the Aftermath Step, but during the Init 7 Engagement. Meaning that when Roark boosts Leebo's engagement init it follows the normal steps but during Init 7 so Han isn't locking out that arc before Leebo engages.

The thing that amazes me is noone has figured out that Roark + Wexely Y-Wing with Gunner Han and an ICT = Init 7 Ion double tap. Or Dorsal Turret for double tapping with that. Leaves allot of space for squadmates and is still potent...

I'm not sure I understand. Is an ion turret double-tap at init 7 really that strong? You're likely to ionize the ship and do 1 - 2 damage, but that's very different from a 4-dice double-tap at I7 that could remove the ship from the table before it can shoot. Ionizing them doesn't matter until next round, and that's a lot of investment (half your list). It's cheaper and more versatile to field two Gray Squadron Bombers with Ion Cannon Turret + Veteran Turret Gunner (save for lower activation initiative), though maybe I'm missing something in the combo?

On ‎10‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 7:52 PM, Wazat said:

I'm not sure I understand. Is an ion turret double-tap at init 7 really that strong? You're likely to ionize the ship and do 1 - 2 damage, but that's very different from a 4-dice double-tap at I7 that could remove the ship from the table before it can shoot. Ionizing them doesn't matter until next round, and that's a lot of investment (half your list). It's cheaper and more versatile to field two Gray Squadron Bombers with Ion Cannon Turret + Veteran Turret Gunner (save for lower activation initiative), though maybe I'm missing something in the combo?

For what you're investing in points in Leebo alone you get a smaller, nearly as durable and more nimble ship with higher init + Roark upgraded as in your first list. That gives you a fair bit more wiggle room for adding other ships to the list. More friends = more for the enemy to shoot at. Yes you have to get closer and Ionization does have its issues. Swapping for a Dorsal = 3 die where Wexely loves to be, Range 1. What do you think you could add in to boost this squad with 77pts:

Norra Wexley (43)
Expert Handling (2)
Dorsal Turret (4)
R4 Astromech (2)
Shield Upgrade (4)
Han Solo (12)

Roark Garnet (38)
Squad Leader (4)
Tactical Officer (2)
Moldy Crow (12)

Total: 123

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0

A local player and I were spitballing Dash/Roark lists recently and I came up with this Leebo/Threepio list:

“Leebo” (98)
Han Solo (12)
C-3PO (12)
Outrider (14)
Contraband Cybernetics (5)

Roark Garnet (38)
Squad Leader (4)
Tactical Officer (2)
Engine Upgrade (3)
Moldy Crow (12)

Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0

Contraband cybernetics is to combat local stressbots, particularly that wicked Sloane/TIE Swarm list making its rounds on the internet. It works better on Leebo than on Dash because Leebo activates before Roark, so you get full use of coordinate during Leebo's turn. Engine upgrade was because I had 3 extra points and I don't think I need a bid when I only have PS 3 and 4, but I'm not super attached to it. It's more for the late game for if/when Leebo goes down so Roark can get into the fight.

I disagree that Moldy Crow is optional. The 3 front arc primary attack and focus bank gives him significant late-game value (assuming your opponents don't go after Roark first, in which case you have probably two or three turns of double tapping, so make the most of it). Outrider could be optional, but I really have to wonder what you'd do with the extra points. I don't think you need that much of a bid at only PS 3/4, and the title's true value comes from negating the extra defense die on obstructed attacks.

The real problem with Leebo is his lack of an EPT. Obstructed attacks from Trick Shot / Title Dash are absolutely devastating. That being said, I do agree with the above comments that Dash is more fragile than Leebo. That leaves with the classic glass cannon v. tank choice. I think Leebo's tankiness wins out in the end, but that's just me.

I am fond of Contraband Cybernetics for that critical round when you have to have Calculate.

I'm still not sold on Outrider on non-Dash; I prefer my shield & hull upgrades. As you say, Leeb's lack of talent for Trick Shot is a hindrance to that strategy. But I also agree that his durability is very valuable!

Engine Upgrade isn't a bad choice; it's hard to find a better use for those 3 points except maybe Deadman Switch. Sometimes a boost is a lot better to position Roark's arcs than a rotate.

HWK-290 Light Freighter - •Roark Garnet - 61
•Roark Garnet - Good-Hearted Smuggler (38)
•Squad Leader (4)
Tactical Officer (2)
Hull Upgrade (5)
• Moldy Crow (12)

YT-2400 Light Freighter - •“Leebo” - 139
•“Leebo” - Dry-Witted Droid (98)
Homing Missiles (3)
•C-3PO (12)
• Outrider (14)
•Han Solo (12)

Total: 200/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

Here’s what I’ve been flying. Hull upgrade helps the hawk survive a little more and the missiles provide a little more arc coverage.

I like the idea of including a missile just for forward arc coverage. Homing missiles are also nice for finishing off a squirrely opponent, and they're dirt cheap.

Today I played my Hefty Double-Tap Leebs

First battle was against 2 X-Wings, and 2 B-Wings with Advanced Sensors. They had a neat combo where Biggs and Red Squadron Veteran with Selfless would redirect damage off of the b-wing I was targeting, extending its lifespan another 2 rounds so the full team could continue to survive and shoot me. Nonetheless, my heavy-nuking list picked them apart one by one and completely wrecked the list, with Leebo shedding massive amounts of damage thanks to 3PO. I only lost 3 shields over the entire battle (2 on leeb, 1 on roark). That said , my dice were hot and his were cold, so it was pretty unfair to him. His list should have really hurt me. Dice swings like that doesn't give a strong assessment of a list.

Next battle I fought an Onyx Squadron Ace (TIE/D) with Advanced Sensors, a Sigma Squadron Ace (TIE/ph) with Trick Shot and Seasoned Navigator, and a Lambda with Palpatine. Not sure of the other upgrades.

I quickly nuked the Lambda with my double-taps, and a few turns after that the Phantom succumbed. Things were looking really good, but shortly thereafter I lost Roark and everything fell apart. It's worse than just losing Leeb's double-tap and Roark's damage... Leebo could not compete with that ship. A single TIE Defender with Advanced Sensors did an amazing job of either dodging arc or staying at range 1 with some or all tokens, shedding all my damage while still pushing damage onto me. I only managed to clip 2 shields off of that ship despite some massive shots. Dice luck may have played a role, but the end result is doom because an init 4 TIE Defender with Advanced Sensors can boost or roll before a k-turn or bank and frequently dodge Leeb's arc, or get into range 1 and block all damage. I got away a couple of times but it was always short-lived, and my hit-hit-crit-crit attacks still didn't land any damage. O_o

Had we quit on time (shortly after I killed his phantom and lost Roark) I'd have won on points, but we didn't check the clock and the store owner never came by to tell us to wrap up (he was cool with letting people go past closing time), so the match dragged on and on. This is what people are talking about when they say Dash is a better choice for his initiative: going last against arc dodgers matters a lot. My opponent flew really well against Leebo and slowly whittled me down while I couldn't land shots to save my life.

On the good side: Roark's defensive and coordinating loadout turned out to be a great boon. He survived a lot longer than he had any right to, and that mattered for removing the first two ships from the board. The longer Roark is alive, the longer Leebs can double-tap every round (plus Roark's attacks help a lot too). And coordinating locks or turret rotation helped a ton with killing ships in the first match.

So this is a fun gimmick list. I'd still hesitate to take it to a really serious tournament. It all hinges on Roark's survival and Leebo's ability to keep foes away, both of which are fragile.

If I fly it again, I may try something like this:

Dash Rendar — YT-2400 100

Trick Shot 1

Han Solo 12

Outrider 14

Ship Total: 127

Roark Garnet — HWK-290 38

Trick Shot 1

Ship Total: 39

AP-5 — Sheathipede-Class Shuttle 30

R4 Astromech 2

Ship Total: 32

I don't like not having Moldy Crow on Roark, but I'm not sure whether to trade Outrider or AP-5 for it. A 5-dice double-tap against an obstructed foe rolling -1 dice seems terrifying, and shedding bad tokens for Dash being Dash is great too. But coordinate from AP-5 even while stressed could really help Dash keep his damage up. I think I'm fine leaving Roark in more of a pure support role, using his turret to power Dash and occasionally getting a shot.

You're going with the Outrider title ahead of C-3PO? Nvm - forgot you're switching to Dash, makes sense.

What about this?

57 minutes ago, JJH_BATMAN said:

What about this?

Yes, adding homing missile to the Hefty Roark version of the list works reasonably well. That way if you have a lock and your turrets are sideways, you can still shoot forward. And the missile is a solid way to finish off an evasive foe that just needs a tap.