I've been tinkering with Tractor Beams, and after a few variations, came up with this:

Pammich Nerro Goode (36)
Tractor Beam (2)
C-3PO (6)
R4 Astromech (2)

Jessika Pava (51)
BB Astromech (3)
Integrated S-Foils (0)

Red Squadron Expert (47)
Heroic (1)
Integrated S-Foils (0)
Tractor Beam (2)

Red Squadron Expert (47)
Heroic (1)
Integrated S-Foils (0)
Tractor Beam (2)
Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0

Haven't played against a real opponent yet, but simulating it on FlyCasual is showing some potential. Rock placement is essential to maximise the likelihood of throwing enemy ships on rocks - although the primary goal is to reduce agility to ensure maximum damage going through. Everyone at the same I3 makes it super flexible to decide who moves/shoots first - with the extra benefit of the coordinate. Pammich's ability is also a neat trick, going backwards regardless of stress in key moments can make a big difference.

Jess is there because she's just awesome (and I have that cool alt art card from the Hyperspace Trials, so I want to use it 😁 ), although she could be swapped for another Tractor RSE, leaving 4pts to beef up Pammich with Larma or Shield upgrade.

I will give my version a try in the Hyperspace qualifier in Paris. Fortunately it's legal there, and I expect that Finn will take quite some people by surprise

Buona Fortuna my friend!

2 hours ago, GreenDragoon said:

I will give my version a try in the Hyperspace qualifier in Paris. Fortunately it's legal there, and I expect that Finn will take quite some people by surprise

Even if he's not performing in a offensive potential, if most unaware players may take him as easy points, he can absorb maybe 1 or 2 round of fire. That's more than enough time for the 3 X-wings to put enough hurt on to most list to stay ahead.

I'm gonna have to put this on the table soon but I'm playing around with a 3 pod + Nein and L'ulo list. Plus quite honestly the XXXx list was all I was playing before UK open and used it there as well, little jousted out. Hope it goes well for you tho.

2 minutes ago, Tyhar7 said:

Even  if he's not performing in a offensive potential, if most unaware players may take him as easy poin  ts, he can absorb maybe 1 or 2 round of fire. That's more than enough time for the 3 X-wings to put  enough hurt on to most list to stay ahead. 

That's mainly what I'm banking on tbh. The offense is a nice bonus. But who else do you attack? Bastian or Snap. Snap can easily bug out and outrun most others, and Bastian is kinda the least consequential piece. Both have the same agility as Finn, and 3 more health.

Someone has to be familiar with him to not target him, I think.

5 hours ago, GreenDragoon said:

That's mainly what I'm banking on tbh. The offense is a nice bonus. But who else do you attack? Bastian or Snap. Snap can easily bug out and outrun most others, and Bastian is kinda the least consequential piece. Both have the same agility as Finn, and 3 more health.

Someone has to be familiar with him to not target him, I think.

Even if they are, they might still bet the odds that the 4 HP ship will go down first. He’s good bait.

2-0 so far. The surprise factor is real. Just joust, get underestimated, and win

Edit: 3-0. first guy who asked for a judge (as he should!), who asked for the marshall, who confirmed but said he puts it on his list.

e: 3-1. took a top4 SOS Madrid and cut Paris player with Soontir Vader and 3 academies to take it out. That's the limit of the list IMO

And 4-1 (The guy who beat me dropped right after ;_;)

Turns out the list is quite good

edit: just to emphasize the list some more: I had played 3 games with the old XXXx. And now games 4-8 with the Finn version. That got me to 12/162 in the hyperspace qualifier, where people obviously don't try as hard.

The list seems to be very solid and can be played much better than I did. At least until Finn gets that errata...

Was flying against a Finn earlier. My opponent had Poe, Tallie, L'ulo, and Finn with Heroic C-3PO. The Coordinate+Calculate to help Poe was pretty handy, he wasn't too bad at throwing out a decent pot-shot. Double-hit happens 25% of the time, so you'll know if it's safe to toss in a strain-eye for the last hit. Likewise, Finn was tanky, when he had an action. First game he got blocked, and then zeroed in two shots. I still lost that game (went 1-1 with two games vs 5 Belbullabs), due to A-Wings being squirrelly as all get out, but he's certainly a worth-his-points ship. As far as a support piece goes, with the potential durability and offense while coordinating, Finn seems like a great piece.

And that's only Calculate version. Optics double Focus is going to be so **** consistent for damage, and a absolute tank defensively.

i wrote it up a bit

https://greendragoon.home.blog/2019/07/30/the-big-xxx-deal/

Battle reports will follow later this week, I hope

Nice write up! Thanks especially for your thoughts on set up.

I ran the M9-G8/C3PO version in 2 games today. Both close losses. Very good combo and gives Finn plenty of options. But not sure it’s better than the AO/PerCop version.

I’m packing both for GenCon.

Here’s my 3 1/2 X-Wing list:

Bro’s Before Poe’s

(55) Nien Nunb [T-70 X-wing]
(0) Integrated S-foils
(1) Heroic
(5) Pattern Analyzer
(0) Jamming Beam
Points: 61

(56) Ello Asty [T-70 X-wing]
(0) Integrated S-foils
(1) Heroic
(0) Jamming Beam
Points: 57

(51) Jessika Pava [T-70 X-wing]
(0) Integrated S-foils
(0) Jamming Beam
Points: 51

(29) Finn [Resistance Transport Pod]
(1) Heroic
Points: 30

Total points: 199

it’s been really fun. I fly 3 together in a block as wingmen with Nien being the left hook.

2 hours ago, Mistborn_Jedi said:

Nice write up! Thanks especially for your thoughts on set up.

I ran the M9-G8/C3PO version in 2 games today. Both close losses. Very good combo and gives Finn plenty of options. But not sure it’s better than the AO/PerCop version.

I’m packing both for GenCon.

I would really think about pattern analyzer if you have the points. It mitigates one of the two big problems of Finn as far as I can tell. A 3k without focus is deadly. A 3k with 2 focus tokens is no problem at all.

2 hours ago, GreenDragoon said:

I would really think about pattern analyzer if you have the points. It mitigates one of the two big problems of Finn as far as I can tell. A 3k without focus is deadly. A 3k with 2 focus tokens is no problem at all.

Feels like a 47 point Finn is prob too much investment.

4 minutes ago, Tyhar7 said:

Feels like a 47 point Finn is prob too much investment.

43. just 1 more than adv optics

e: 29+1+8+5

1 minute ago, GreenDragoon said:

43. just 1 more than adv optics

Ah sorry I thought you were advocating for Finn + Heroic + PerCo + Adv Optics + pattern A.

A Finn + Heroic + 3PO + PatA would come in at 41.

1 minute ago, Tyhar7 said:

Ah sorry I thought you were advocating for Finn + Heroic + PerCo + Adv Optics + pattern A.

A Finn + Heroic + 3PO + PatA would come in at 41.

He only has 1 tech slot, so no choice to take both

1 hour ago, GreenDragoon said:

He only has 1 tech slot, so no choice to take both

Course... That's what you get for looking at posts when you first get up.

Ended up playing fin with the perceptive copilot and optics. Played 2 solid games and ended up winning both. Alot of people are taken off guard by fins durability/firepower. So far having a blast with the list.

I've got a friendly store tournament on Sunday, having not played enough with my other lists I'm gonna take the Finn + PerCo + PatA version and see how I do. Played enough with the XXXx list to know how to run it and I know not everyone there has played with Finn yet.

I’ll be playing the list this afternoon, it really caught my attention... all the blame to @GreenDragoon

51 minutes ago, Tyhar7 said:

I've got a friendly store tournament on Sunday, having not played enough with my other lists I'm gonna take the Finn + PerCo + PatA version and see how I do. Played enough with the XXXx list to know how to run it and I know not everyone there has played with Finn yet.

Just as an fyi, I tried a game with PA and didn't like it. I rather have 2 really strong attacks and slowly (=2 turns) circle around than no downtime and worse attacks

1 hour ago, GreenDragoon said:

Just as an fyi, I tried a game with PA and didn't like it. I rather have 2 really strong attacks and slowly (=2 turns) circle around than no downtime and worse attacks

Doesn't PA also give a little dial flexability? There's a lot of red on the Pod dial. Also, AOptics does nothing for you if you had to spend the focuses on defence...

I'm figuring out which one to take if I take the list on for a spin, was thinking PA.

2 minutes ago, Rojek said:

Doesn't PA also give a little dial flexability? There's a lot of red on the Pod dial. Also, AOptics does nothing for you if you had to spend the focuses on defence...

I'm figuring out which one to take if I take the list on for a spin, was thinking PA.

yes, the dial flexibility was the idea. I have to try both some more, the benefit probably depends on the matchup, too. In the one game I'd have loved to have optics. But in many other matchups, PA is probably better. The question is now which one has worse or better ones, and how many.

Here's the battle report: https://greendragoon.home.blog/2019/08/02/paris-sos-hyperspace-qualifier/

My key lessons, which I'd happily discuss:

Overall Lessons and Conclusion:

• Beware of (double) repositioning aces;
• Beware of i1 or i2 blockers with first player;
• More of the game is already decided after setup;
• Thus, list requires way more work in turn 0, building lanes and the correct setup and position is more important;
  • Consider a diamond in the beginning;
• Rule of 11 is important;
• Initial engagement specific:
  • Go fast if you want to turn (or: turn if you went fast);
  • Go slow if you want to bank (or: bank if you went slow);
• Ship specifics:
  • Finn is happy in the rear;
  • Don’t leave Jess alone;
  • Bastian doesn’t mind stress as much;
  • Don’t over-commit on the free lock with Snap;
• Target specifics:
  • I can erase a 9HP 1 agility ship in a turn, or a 6HP 2 agility ship;
  • Finn is great at range 3 potshots.