Inspired by Radio TCX's fantastic recent podcast about learning how to not joust, I've decided to try and learn how to fly aces. Now, I'm not going to go 100% aces in my squad, so I came up with a half and half squad that I feel is solid with a low floor and a mid-to-high ceiling.

I was really hoping I could get some pointers on deployment and approach , as that is where I struggle the most. I'm pretty good at knife fighting. I've tried several variations and this list seems to fit me the most - so respectfully, I'm not asking for list-building advice.

I know that every situation is different and every list you face is different - but the general principles are the same. Would any of you be so awesome as to help me out with those?

Thanks a million, I really mean it.

Looks like a fun, great flying, defensive list that can do almost anything. Heck, the one arc-dodgy ship can shoot out its butt, so you can fly this list any way you want.

Anyway, having also listened to Radio TCX podcast (which was awesome) you certainly should try pushing the anti-joust (we should all do that, haha), if nothing more, learn how arc dodger pilots you face might roll out turn 0-3. Anyway, I could never speak for Carson or Tim, but my advice is, save this list, it will be great to fly, but start with more fragile, mid to higher initiative ships (without any defensive mods or support ships) to learn how to fly insuring you don't get easily tagged. Then, when you roll out this squad and fly it more like that, you'll really have some new options as a pilot. Have fun mate!

Is there a reason for your half-and-half approach over going full-aces with Poe/Nien/L'ulo?

32 minutes ago, BlastyMcBlasterFace said:

Inspired by Radio TCX's fantastic recent podcast about learning how to not joust, I've decided to try and learn how to fly aces. Now, I'm not going to go 100% aces in my squad, so I came up with a half and half squad that I feel is solid with a low floor and a mid-to-high ceiling.

I was really hoping I could get some pointers on deployment and approach , as that is where I struggle the most. I'm pretty good at knife fighting. I've tried several variations and this list seems to fit me the most - so respectfully, I'm not asking for list-building advice.

I know that every situation is different and every list you face is different - but the general principles are the same. Would any of you be so awesome as to help me out with those?

Thanks a million, I really mean it.

T-70 X-wing - Blue Squadron Rookie - 46
Blue Squadron Rookie - (46)
Integrated S-foils (Open) (0)

T-70 X-wing - •Lieutenant Bastian - 48
•Lieutenant Bastian - Optimistic Analyst (48)
Integrated S-foils (Open) (0)

T-70 X-wing - •Nien Nunb - 67
•Nien Nunb - Sarcastic Survivor (55)
Elusive (3)
R4 Astromech (2)
• Black One (2)
Integrated S-foils (Open) (0)
Pattern Analyzer (5)

RZ-2 A-wing - •L’ulo L’ampar - 39
•L’ulo L’ampar - Luminous Mentor (38)
Heroic (1)

Total: 200/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

Well I see 3 aces in the list so first question is who’s doing what for your list and why? Lulo is a pretty assured flanker, the question becomes assignments for the others. How do you see yourself flying the list?

11 minutes ago, kempokid said:

Is there a reason for your half-and-half approach over going full-aces with Poe/Nien/L'ulo?

Yes, because when I lose one of my three ships it's frankly devastating, and as a less experience ace flier it's bound to happen. When I have four ships it doesn't hurt nearly as bad.

My idea here is that I have two workhorse ships that can muck things up while Nien and Lulo do the Ace thing.

Two-ship beam defense, with the jouster leading and ace trailing in each wing pair.

So you will want to understand your ships and what they do and who’s priority for an opponent. You will have to push hard to force your opponent to take on your lower X-wings in favor of turning towards the obvious threat of Nien. That said you have to kinda slowly play Nien and lulo. Nien can go slow lulo much less so. Setup is probably the two lower x-Wings middle to 1/4 of the board side near debris/asteroids but enough room to maneuver and force opponents to come through or go around them. Lulo should be towards board center so she can change directions and disengage if she is in a bad spot because you didn’t control the distance early. She may also want to open with a 1 turn while facing the closer board edge and turn to middle to force her to start slow behind the Xwing’s. Nien I would personally set to the other side and force you opponent to pick left or right. The issue I have with your particular list is Bastion. He’s probably #2 of priority ships given the options and he’s the one jousting. If I have to delete him or the Blue I want him gone first, no need to risk free actions and worse free mods if not needed. His ability screams flanker while Nien is the jouster. Nien wants range 1 for stress management and close up fighting to deal damage. Bastion wants to watch someone be damaged and then finish them off.

14 minutes ago, Hawkstrike said:

Two-ship beam defense, with the jouster leading and ace trailing in each wing pair.

Like so?

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Lulo playing around in the rocks and Nien flanking?

1 hour ago, BlastyMcBlasterFace said:

Yes, because when I lose one of my three ships it's frankly devastating, and as a less experience ace flier it's bound to happen. When I have four ships it doesn't hurt nearly as bad.

My idea here is that I have two workhorse ships that can muck things up while Nien and Lulo do the Ace thing.

That's fair. So, I actually made the post that inspired them to do the topic (and Carson gave some good commentary on that post). So I'm in the same boat as you.

Getting Over the Jousting Syndrome

I've decided to just tackle the ace flying head-on and go with three Ace ships to work and get better at it. But it's still certainly valid to have the workhorse ships as well.

7 minutes ago, kempokid said:

That's fair. So, I actually made the post that inspired them to do the topic (and Carson gave some good commentary on that post). So I'm in the same boat as you.

Getting Over the Jousting Syndrome

I've decided to just tackle the ace flying head-on and go with three Ace ships to work and get better at it. But it's still certainly valid to have the workhorse ships as well.

I tried Nien, Rey, and Lulu and it definitely has some promise. But once I lost Nien, it really felt like a kick in the gut.

1 hour ago, BlastyMcBlasterFace said:

I tried Nien, Rey, and Lulu and it definitely has some promise. But once I lost Nien, it really felt like a kick in the gut.

See, it's weird flying FO aces because it's Kylo, QD, and one other ship. People usually go for QD first, which is what I want because of her ability. So I'm usually OK losing her since it usually leads to me getting decent return damage.

But I can see how losing the top ace in those other lists is devastating. And it's not as simple as "well just don't lose Nien."

2 hours ago, BlastyMcBlasterFace said:

I tried Nien, Rey, and Lulu and it definitely has some promise. But once I lost Nien, it really felt like a kick in the gut.

Yeah, Just flew Rey, Nein, PS1 Awing yesterday. Tried to keep Nein in the back with range 3 shots until Rey did enough damage. Worked great first game as it came down to Nein 1v1. Second game, I loss Nein early, and it was just all down hill.

6 hours ago, BlastyMcBlasterFace said:

Like so?

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A X ]

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Lulo playing around in the rocks and Nien flanking?

Ideally you need to be away from the board edge here. It’s easy to predict and trap Nien if he is along the edge.

I'm beginning to think about avoiding merge engagements, but I'm not sold on this approach.

However, if you want to try this team, I would recommend setting up two flights (of two ships) with a slow ship paired with a fast ship.. Like pair Blue Squad with Nien Nunb and Lt Bastian with L'ulo L'ampar. Each flight is going to operate with the slower ship in the lead (The low PS ships move first and if you try to do in the other way, you'll end up bumping into your team a lot).

1) Try setting up your flights in the center with one flight pointed left and the other pointed right. The point is to get one of these flights to flank the opponent. If the opfor sends his team after one pair, have that pair avoid. If he turns to take on the other pair, THEY disengage, while the other team moves back in to attack.

2) Another thought, set up the flights in the center with one flight pointed 45 degrees to the left and the other pointed 45 degrees to the right, hoping to get the opponent in the center of a pincer.

Another thought, based on limited observation. People who tend to do well avoiding the merger are flying to avoid contact. They make unpredictable moves, that temporarily disengage their team to avoid damage.

My other tactical thought is that you keep the pairing that I've already described but let the "fast" ships fall about range one behind the slow ship. This offers the slower and sacrificial ships up first and people tend to go for the closer target. (However you want to make sure that during that first pass that both of your ships in a flight perform their engagement together, even if it means zooming in with the rear ship). And after this pass, let the slow ships get involved with the cauldron (aka 'knife fight') while you set up the other two fast ships as a new team and maneuver them to flank the opposition.

Not sure if ANY of this is useful or valid, but this is what I'd try.

I flew this list at our local regional and wound up going 2-2 and getting 12th place. Both losses real close. I was real happy with the results.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I found this list to be very versatile.