Just now, heychadwick said:

Yeah, I forget what I say on my podcast all the time.

I found I really like six ships with ESC at I3 and at least another I1. I played a few games last week and it did well. The first two rounds cause a lot of damage, but then they start to whittle down your ships. Some games closer than others, but one game had me firing before his ships and it was brutal.

Thinking of going with six at I3 with ESC, then the I1 named guy mixed with I1 Trade droid. Also need to play more with Buzz Droids and Grapplers.

I bought 2 Servants of Strife and 3 blisters, though I think I'll get another blister tomorrow. I saved since Xmas for this and haven't bought anything since then.

Yeah. This is like the big major purchase...

I don't expect Wave4 to sell well to me, and subsequent waves will kind of be on the low down. Maybe 1-2 Naboos and 1 Hyena. (Maybe 4 Bwings though)
And then Q3 for the Armada SSD.

Just now, Blail Blerg said:

Yeah. This is like the big major purchase...

I don't expect Wave4 to sell well to me, and subsequent waves will kind of be on the low down. Maybe 1-2 Naboos and 1 Hyena. (Maybe 4 Bwings though)
And then Q3 for the Armada SSD.

I will get at least 2 Hyenas, but maybe more if I have the cash. I also don't buy the re-boxing of the old ships, even if a piece moves.

1 hour ago, MajorJuggler said:

My initial reaction was to just plop 8 of those droids down on the table, all with charges, and see how it goes. Seems strong on the initial approach if you can get all 8 in range, then 6 should get to fire, so that's 18 red dice on the initial joust. It's the follow-up I am more worried about, as the ones with the best possible shots the following round will get popped before they can shoot, and it could snowball very quickly against them.

After your Alpha Strike, you're flying a worse TIE swarm. Just use blocking to deny as many actions as possible on shooting turn 2. The sharing of a range 1 calculate is very handy, so stay in formation the best you can.

1 hour ago, markrivett said:

After your Alpha Strike, you're flying a worse TIE swarm. Just use blocking to deny as many actions as possible on shooting turn 2. The sharing of a range 1 calculate is very handy, so stay in formation the best you can.

It's not hard to reload your ESC's. I got to fire mine often enough.

2 hours ago, heychadwick said:

I will get at least 2 Hyenas, but maybe more if I have the cash. I also don't buy the re-boxing of the old ships, even if a piece moves.

You are a stronger man than I. If they were still only $15, I'd be buying FOUR new B-wings.

After exactly 1 game. This list seems worth looking into if you don't mind the up front cost.

Trade Federation Drone (20)

DFS-311 (24)

Separatist Drone (22) x6 (Six Baby!)
Energy-Shell Charges (4)

Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0

41 minutes ago, gamblertuba said:

After exactly 1 game. This list seems worth looking into if you don't mind the up front cost.

Trade Federation Drone (20)

DFS-311 (24)

Separatist Drone (22) x6 (Six Baby!)
Energy-Shell Charges (4)

Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0

That's the next list I want to try. I'm currently running 3 Seps and 3 TFs with Kraken Sear as a minder, but man, those TF Drones fail to launch charges do many times.

6 hours ago, heychadwick said:

It's not hard to reload your ESC's. I got to fire mine often enough.

the *worst* game I've had so far had 8 ESC shots from 6 ships. 5 on the joust, 3 reloaded and came back.

Usually I get 3-4 ESC shots each out of the joust survivors.

17 hours ago, svelok said:

I will, however, commend Afterburners Vultures as absolutely terrible but extremely dank.

Dank is all that matters sometimes

8 hours ago, gamblertuba said:

You are a stronger man than I. If they were still only $15, I'd be buying FOUR new B-wings.

I'm contemplating 4 new Bwings. Cuz... like 3 different moving parts???? Ugh, sweetness.

5 hours ago, skotothalamos said:

That's the next list I want to try. I'm currently running 3 Seps and 3 TFs with Kraken Sear as a minder, but man, those TF Drones fail to launch charges do many times.

Cuz they die?

10 hours ago, gamblertuba said:

You are a stronger man than I. If they were still only $15, I'd be buying FOUR new B-wings.

Yeah, I never liked B-wings. I was pretty heavily an Empire player when they came out, but they just knocked out all reasons to fly T-65's for years and I just never forgave them for that.

That and I have so many of the old ships that I'm fine.

8 hours ago, gamblertuba said:

After exactly 1 game. This list seems worth looking into if you don't mind the up front cost.

Trade Federation Drone (20)

DFS-311 (24)

Separatist Drone (22) x6 (Six Baby!)
Energy-Shell Charges (4)

Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0

Yeah, that's the list I came up with after I dropped Grapplers on my ships. I decided to buy another Vulture to be able to fly it. I called it "Roger, roger 2".

I keep listening to podcasts that seem to think you HAVE to take Kraken in a list with ESC, but I don't agree. Nit saying Kraken is bad, but for the 10 pts and ship carrier you can get more Vultures for it.

I also think the I3 is worth the points.

I also see people dissing V-19's with Missiles and I'm happy. As soon as someone takes Sinker and 4 Blue Squadies filled with Cluster Missiles and I will be a sad droid. *wamp wamp*

25 minutes ago, heychadwick said:

I called it "Roger, roger 2".

I went with "Look sir, Droids!"

Initiative 3 seems like a strong meta call. Initiative 2 Rebel Beef is really not going to like seeing that list. Aces are going to have a hard time dodging all the arcs or killing things fast enough to matter. I'm a little scared that the list has actual legs because it's going to cost me $100 to fly IRL.

11 minutes ago, gamblertuba said:

I'm a little scared that the list has actual legs because it's going to cost me $100 to fly IRL.

Oh, I think it has legs. I played a similar list last week, but did not have DFS-311 and the I3's had Grapplers. I think v2 is better and even more viscous.

I already spent $130 on two SoS and 3 blisters if Vultures, but will be looking to get another Vulture tonight. Yeah, it's my big purchase for 2019. I have not gotten the Sith ship and don't really have any interest in getting it. I just don't like big ships.

47 minutes ago, heychadwick said:

I keep listening to podcasts that seem to think you HAVE to take Kraken in a list with ESC, but I don't agree. Nit saying Kraken is bad, but for the 10 pts and ship carrier you can get more Vultures for it.

The main thing Kraken does is let you spend 3 calculates on defense before it starts eating into your ESC shots. In a way, that's basically what the naked -311 and TFD do in El Ocho, too.

I think I believe in Wat w/ Kraken + 6 ESC TFDs, but El Ocho is interesting.

22 minutes ago, svelok said:

The main thing Kraken does is let you spend 3 calculates on defense before it starts eating into your ESC shots. In a way, that's basically what the naked -311 and TFD do in El Ocho, too.

I think I believe in Wat w/ Kraken + 6 ESC TFDs, but El Ocho is interesting.

I have a list to try tonight with Wat and Kraken. I think it's good, but so many people seem to think it necessary.

I like El Ocho as a name. I might use it. Either that or ESPN 8, "the Ocho".

Just now, heychadwick said:

I have a list to try tonight with Wat and Kraken. I think it's good, but so many people seem to think it necessary.

I like El Ocho as a name. I might use it. Either that or ESPN 8, "the Ocho".

I've been calling 8x TIEs El Ocho since forever, so Vultures would be Los Ocho Buitres or something

2 hours ago, heychadwick said:

I have a list to try tonight with Wat and Kraken. I think it's good, but so many people seem to think it necessary.

I like El Ocho as a name. I might use it. Either that or ESPN 8, "the Ocho".

So I use all Sep Drones, because all I 3 makes maneuvering easier and then benefits of the "I'm Halping!" Bot are just too situational to care about.

I also generally find an edge, move along it and then hard turn, possibly also with Roll + Calculate for the initial engagement. The list had gotten the nickname of space invaders because of the weird formation and maneuvering profile of the droids (I've gone 4 games doing 0 banks).

Call it the 1000. (8 in binary)

6 hours ago, Blail Blerg said:

Cuz they die?

Because they die.

Just curious, has anyone tried Wat with K2-B4 and 6x ESC Trade Federation Drones? Haven’t seen anyone mention this as a variant, but locals told me that their (completely different) lists felt better with K2B4 than Kraken since they didn’t lose fighters quite as quickly.

10 minutes ago, PaulRuddSays said:

Just curious, has anyone tried Wat with K2-B4 and 6x ESC Trade Federation Drones? Haven’t seen anyone mention this as a variant, but locals told me that their (completely different) lists felt better with K2B4 than Kraken since they didn’t lose fighters quite as quickly.

I have a Maul w/ K2-B4 and 5x ESC list that I am planning to try.

It's kind of hard, though, because K2-B4 gives your opponent a choice... you might think you're ready for a matchup, but then your opponent (rightly or wrongly) makes the opposite choice than you were expecting and your gameplan gets weird. Needs a fair bit of testing, I think.

1 hour ago, svelok said:

It's kind of hard, though, because K2-B4 gives your opponent a choice... you might think you're ready for a matchup, but then your opponent (rightly or wrongly) makes the opposite choice than you were expecting and your gameplan gets weird. Needs a fair bit of testing, I think.

I haven't really looked at him, but I kind of like K2. I think he could do a lot. Putting a Strain on other ships could really hurt, depending on who it is. Jedi and others could hate the Strain.

For a list that uses a Tactical it means you will have fewer Droids. This could keep them alive longer. I think it would be especially good once Hyenas come out and need to get their use out of Ordnance.

I think all the Tac Relays are problematic, especially on the Infiltrator.

I think you can do without any of them, and Kraken in particular is a bit of a trap. It's great until a single bad turn of variance wipes out all your tokens then its just dead weight for the rest of the game in a faction that's already wide open to being wiped out by variance. The 'best'is probably K2 as it supports keeping your squishy dudes on the table the best.

Having flown 8x Vultures (6 ESC w/ 2 Discord, and 2 of theESC are i3) I really don’t think they need tac relays, no. I’ve also been eyeing K2 as the most cost-effective in my in-tested opinion.

That said, if Hyenas and/or CIS Sheathipedes can bring Tac Relays—not to mention just getting new Tac Relays in the coming waves—it could certainly change how we view them.