Ani + Snips - Friend or Foe?

By Ryuneke, in X-Wing Squad Lists

27 minutes ago, Samurai33 said:

What would you do with the points if you drop R2? Increased bid?

I don't like bids.

I think R2 is fine, maybe R4 instead....

The list worked really well and has good potential. I really like flying those Jedis and I think they're in a good spot in Hyperspace.

Now I want to alter the list. Try Anakin with CLT and add Obi-Wan. Another idea I have is SR Mace with Obi. The two Torrents will stay.

Edited by Ryuneke

From my (limited) experience with B7 Anakin, while I'd like to give CLT a spin (that's a good trick!), I'm concerned with the force management of such build.

Putting him even further at the mercy of your green dice, Ani is very likely to double reposition consistently (1 force + action). Now, putting aside that arc-dodging and bullseye-catching may antagonise one another, landing the latter only grants you an eyeball results, craving for another force use to flip it.

Given the meta of 4+ ships, it's still unlikely that Anakin is not taking *any* shot coming at him and with how fragile he is, one stray crit may make all the difference in the world. But, by now you've got 1 force left to use and you better make it count, so you may go for Brilliant Evasion, to make sure you've got a sporting chance at coming out alive.

So, now that you've landed your shot and lived to see another turn... Just pray to survive another two, because you can only make such a memorable moment every third one. And in the process, you've saved yourself 2 points to spare.

I'm not entirely sold on that.

On the other hand - @Ryuneke, have 2xGolds outperformed a single ARC by much? They probably are more resilient, but don't they struggle to punch some damage through? Or are they mostly excelling at settings up blocks? If so - isn't their 'kinda-high' INI, coupled with the notion to go second for Ani's sake cripple their potential against other generics?

Edited by Ryfterek
7 minutes ago, Ryfterek said:

From my (limited) experience with B7 Anakin, while I'd like to give CLT a spin (that's a good trick!), I'm concerned with the force management of such build.

I have the same concern. Gotta try it out and report back.

7 minutes ago, Ryfterek said:

On the other hand - @Ryuneke, have 2xGolds outperformed a single ARC by much? They probably are more resilient, but don't they struggle to punch some damage through? Or are they mostly excelling at settings up blocks? If so - isn't their 'kinda-high' INI, coupled with the notion to go second for Ani's sake cripple their potential against other generics?

Until the very beginning of the tournament I wasn't sure about that, either. Wolffe would have been my alternative. I took the Torrents because 1) They might get ignored by my opponents. 2) They can block. 3) two focused attacks can do some damage. All three points came true. Because they were ignored, both clones dealt some damage here and there.

Of course Wolffe hits a lot harder but he will also get focused down really quick. On the other hand he may draw some fire away from the Jedis...

2 hours ago, Ryfterek said:

From my (limited) experience with B7 Anakin, while I'd like to give CLT a spin (that's a good trick!), I'm concerned with the force management of such build.

Putting him even further at the mercy of your green dice, Ani is very likely to double reposition consistently (1 force + action). Now, putting aside that arc-dodging and bullseye-catching may antagonise one another, landing the latter only grants you an eyeball results, craving for another force use to flip it.

Given the meta of 4+ ships, it's still unlikely that Anakin is not taking *any* shot coming at him and with how fragile he is, one stray crit may make all the difference in the world. But, by now you've got 1 force left to use and you better make it count, so you may go for Brilliant Evasion, to make sure you've got a sporting chance at coming out alive.

So, now that you've landed your shot and lived to see another turn... Just pray to survive another two, because you can only make such a memorable moment every third one. And in the process, you've saved yourself 2 points to spare.

I've been quite impressed with CLT Anakin. He needs using in a similar way to Soontir, super squishy but super squirrelly. He's not there to win you a damage race, he's there to Init kill the hurt ships. So the rest of the squad needs to punch pretty hard, while you keep him safe with his dial and single repo, using the focus action to fuel CLT.

The real issue with it is that it's a debatable role for such an expensive piece. He is ever so good at it though and is quite the pain to suddenly have at R1 of you.

What did you lose to?

2 hours ago, Estarriol said:

What did you lose to?

Wedge+Luke+Partisan... I did lots of mistakes in that game and my opponent played flawless.

Well long time no see but I finally finished that game and 2 others.

The original one with Wolffe and the 2 Jedi went well. Wolffe is a good ship in the right setting, and has a lot of potential, but not with two Jedi. Either he dies super quick, or they target a Jedi and then your arc can't turn around fast enough or do enough damage. While I get that he makes a great damage soak, paying premium points for a damage soak that dies in one round isn't worth it IMO. If you could last generally 2x3 and take a bunch of shots in the process, that would be one thing. But he gets one shot off, and then typically melts, or sucks a bunch of crits and is super low with like ninety stress tokens, a tractor, and four destroyed engines somehow. I want him to be really good, and I think he will: it's just not strictly the single Arc's time to shine in the meta.

I then happened to play a game with the squadron pack only against the SoS pack and discovered that Synched Console was quite good while trying out the dual torrent strategy.

I then played more and have ended up with this list:

CURRENT BOI

(44) Luminara Unduli [Delta-7 Aethersprite]

(16) Delta-7B

(2) Synchronized Console

Points: 62

(25) Gold Squadron Trooper [V-19 Torrent Starfighter]

(5) Cluster Missiles

(2) Synchronized Console

Points: 32

(25) Gold Squadron Trooper [V-19 Torrent Starfighter]

(5) Cluster Missiles

(2) Synchronized Console

Points: 32

(46) Mace Windu [Delta-7 Aethersprite]

(16) Delta-7B

(4) R2 Astromech

(2) Synchronized Console

(3) Heightened Perception (DEBATABLE)

Points: 71

Total points: 197

Heightened is an addition I have yet to try, so it's really 194 if I need to fit other stuff on (like a mech for Luminara. Still haven't figured out which one).

Conclusion is that 2x GST's are totally better than the One Arc. Getting an Extra ship, 2x small base, one more health, and 2 extra evade dice is HUGE. I love the arc but I definitely thing you have to have more than 2 of them in a list to be worth it right now. Luminara is absolutely insane (short of being focus fired. She still pops like a balloon if that happens. If she doesn't though MAN can she pull her weight. Ive consistently dodged four hit attacks at range with her, and she keeps crits and other nasty things off of the torrents. She is ENTIRELY USELESS against focus heavy squads though. Against ships that don't have focus or something though? Simply removing a one hit attack is very, very fun.

Mace is good. His ability gets occasional use, but dang he should have been a five. I'd prefer to take Anakin, but I'm not too good at Anakin's playstyle (never played much Soontir) so I'm kinda just stuck with Mace. He isn't awful, but dies just as quick if he gets killboxed (consistently failing to roll focus results with full force is always entertaining).

In total, I am, at present, doubting the viability of some Republic stuff at tournament right now, outside of the current Meta set squads. I'm not saying they aren't viable (and it seems they're certainly better in hyperspace rather than extended), but I think the current meta builds are going to stay like that until we get the N-1. Playing with the pilots within those archetypes just doesn't seem to be as effective (Roughly same squad as above, but with Anakin instead of Mace, is way more meta and I believe making some impact at tournaments. Swapping to Mace just hurts it in the long run.)

I know that obviously certain pilots aren't the best on the ship, but I think Anakin is basically a must in squads with one or more Deltas plus an arc/torrent. He's the only Jedi that can truly go out on his own and just wreck face, even after playing with Mace who has the only actual force regaining ability of the pilots. I think it's just harder to play without Anakin, as it becomes way easier for opponents to both PS kill you, and just move better (this list would probably die to the same thing with Anakin almost every time with a good pilot. I played mirror matchups but with Anakin/Ahsoka swapped for Mace/Lumi, and got absolutely destroyed.)

Overall, the whole thing is a bucketload of fun. I don't think I'll be taking it to tournament, but it is a blast to play. Luminara is a really good support piece, 7B is a great upgrade, and R2 on your flanker (Mace) is a REALLY good option. I'm super stoked for the N-1: I think that will open up a lot of utility with a set of ships that are already really good.