New Squadron

(45) "Quickdraw" [TIE/sf Fighter]
(10) Special Forces Gunner
(2) Fanatical
(2) Fire-Control System
Points: 59

(51) Sienar-Jaemus Engineer [TIE/vn Silencer]
Points: 51

(51) Sienar-Jaemus Engineer [TIE/vn Silencer]
Points: 51

(34) "Scorch" [TIE/fo Fighter]
(2) Fanatical
Points: 36

Total points: 197

This actually seems interesting. You lose the damage consistency from the test pilots for 2 insane blockers but you pick up fanatical scorch. Hmm

I haven't played in about 2 and a half to 3 months.

I took the following to one of our monthly tournaments this past weekend:

Kylo Ren: Supernatural Reflexes, Pattern Analyzer

Backdraft: Fanatical, Fire Control System, Concussion Missiles, Special Forces Gunner, Hull Upgrade

Null

Our community is tiny but competitive. I placed 3rd out of 10. Not too bad. Most of our players think FO isn't any good at the moment but there are some real gems in this faction. Backdraft did a lot of good work with that hull upgrade (negated half points once and death once as well) and the concussions.

Toughts on
Kylo - Hate, Advanced Optic
First Order Test Pilot - Fanatical, Advanced Optic
Backdraft - Fanatical, FCS, Hull Upgrade

195 points total

Can 3 ships, 2 of those at ps4, have any chance of success against high I aces? Or do you need 4+ ships or super high I to have any chance at all in competitive games?

6 hours ago, eRADicator67 said:

I haven't played in about 2 and a half to 3 months.

I took the following to one of our monthly tournaments this past weekend:

Kylo Ren: Supernatural Reflexes, Pattern Analyzer

Backdraft: Fanatical, Fire Control System, Concussion Missiles, Special Forces Gunner, Hull Upgrade

Null

Our community is tiny but competitive. I placed 3rd out of 10. Not too bad. Most of our players think FO isn't any good at the moment but there are some real gems in this faction. Backdraft did a lot of good work with that hull upgrade (negated half points once and death once as well) and the concussions.

Can you usemissles whilst your arc is backwards? Still firing out the front for clairification

6 minutes ago, Glattyator said:

Can you usemissles whilst your arc is backwards? Still firing out the front for clairification

Yes, but you fire them backwards. "Heavy Weapon Turret" on the SF overrides the arc requirement on missiles and requires it to become a turret arc requirement.

9 hours ago, Glattyator said:

Can you usemissles whilst your arc is backwards? Still firing out the front for clairification

As stated above, yes you can!

Backdraft's ability doesn't work with the concussions but you should shoot from the front once or twice, once out the back and you should be digging into hull at this point. Once the hull is being hit, you use the concussions (which also negates range bonuses as you fly off into the sunset).

The Heavy Turret ability and Backdraft's ability mean I don't require Pattern Analyzer on the SF and it's extremely good at hit and run tactics.

As soon as I'm in range I go for the lock which I was always hesitant about with QD/FCS because I wanted to reduce damage taken a lot more. Not so much with Backdraft because while he can fly past and still shoot, my opponent normally needs to K-turn or similar and BD always ends up with lock/focus for 2-3 attacks which helps a lot with pouring the damage on.

It's not an easy list by any means. Mistakes were made 😂

Another variation on some of the 5+ ship lists that are showing up:

"Quickdraw" (45)
Fanatical (2)
Pattern Analyzer (5)
Special Forces Gunner (10)

Ship total: 62 Half Points: 31 Threshold: 3

"Backdraft" (39)
Swarm Tactics (3)
Advanced Optics (4)

Ship total: 46 Half Points: 23 Threshold: 3

Zeta Squadron Survivor (32)
Ship total: 32 Half Points: 16 Threshold: 3

Zeta Squadron Survivor (32)
Ship total: 32 Half Points: 16 Threshold: 3

Lieutenant Rivas (28)
Ship total: 28 Half Points: 14 Threshold: 2


Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=First Order&d=v8ZsZ200Z243X181W206WW182WWY242X132W186WWWWY259XWWWWY259XWWWWY265XW&sn=Lets Get Weird FO&obs=coreasteroid0,core2asteroid0,core2asteroid2

Swarm Tactics or Fanatical on Backdraft is the choice I'm sitting on right now. I think Fanatical might be better, but Tactics is there because of the prevalence of I4 ships showing up across the meta. That gives me three shots before (most) lists would be able to burst a ZSS, as a lot of ace lists have a token I4 or lower in there as support or damage dealer.

Edit: I can also lose advanced optics on backdraft and add afterburners or shield upgrade to QD, but I think that may nerf backdraft a little more than I want.

Played my Ups + 3xSF list at the weekend.

It was hard to get anything meaningful from Hux.

TBH most any list with Silencer/SF/Ups is playable.

Played a few games with 5 x Omega Experts with Adv.Op and Fanatical - awesome. So much time on target and the number of times you just get 2 hits is amazing. Reminds me of Vader - Vader always max hits. Well the SF's almost always get 2, and with 5 ships and 10 perma-arcs, they almost always get shots.

No shenanigans, no tricks, just concentrate on flying well.

12 hours ago, MarkEmm said:

Played a few games with 5 x Omega Experts with Adv.Op and Fanatical - awesome. So much time on target and the number of times you just get 2 hits is amazing. Reminds me of Vader - Vader always max hits. Well the SF's almost always get 2, and with 5 ships and 10 perma-arcs, they almost always get shots.

No shenanigans, no tricks, just concentrate on flying well.

Yup, it's a list that kills the enemy with a thousand cuts. 30 health with half of them shields behind 2agi makes them last frustratingly long.

No need for formation flying and sooo many Arcs for ace coverage.

On 7/28/2019 at 7:57 AM, battlestarbill said:

New Squadron

(45) "Quickdraw" [TIE/sf Fighter]
(10) Special Forces Gunner
(2) Fanatical
(2) Fire-Control System
Points: 59

(51) Sienar-Jaemus Engineer [TIE/vn Silencer]
Points: 51

(51) Sienar-Jaemus Engineer [TIE/vn Silencer]
Points: 51

(34) "Scorch" [TIE/fo Fighter]
(2) Fanatical
Points: 36

Total points: 197

This actually seems interesting. You lose the damage consistency from the test pilots for 2 insane blockers but you pick up fanatical scorch. Hmm

See my post on last page. List is good but not great. Does nothing special but is beefy. I will fly it again cuz its fun, but probably not in a tournament.

Reddit user FrankDodger shared this list with me yesterday. Apparently, he's 16-2 with it.

(45) "Quickdraw" [TIE/sf Fighter] (10) Special Forces Gunner (5) Pattern Analyzer (2) Fanatical (6) Shield Upgrade

(64) Lieutenant Tavson [Upsilon-class command shuttle] (5) Pattern Analyzer (5) Captain Phasma (2) Electronic Baffle

(39) "Backdraft" [TIE/sf Fighter] (5) Pattern Analyzer (10) Special Forces Gunner (2) Fanatical

Went 2/2 at a store championship in Portland with this:

TIE/fo Fighter - •Commander Malarus - 41
•Commander Malarus - First Order Enforcer (39)
Fanatical (2)

TIE/vn Silencer - •“Recoil” - 70
•“Recoil” - Quantity Over Quality (58)
Marksmanship (1)
Proton Rockets (7)
Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/vn Silencer - •Kylo Ren - 83
•Kylo Ren - Tormented Apprentice (76)
Hate (3)
Advanced Optics (4)

Total: 194/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

Really fun to fly. I'll probably replace Malarus with Midnight. Her pilot ability looks good on paper but... didn't prove all that useful.

5 hours ago, fantomenos said:

Went 2/2 at a store championship in Portland with this:

TIE/fo Fighter - •Commander Malarus - 41
•Commander Malarus - First Order Enforcer (39)
Fanatical (2)

TIE/vn Silencer - •“Recoil” - 70
•“Recoil” - Quantity Over Quality (58)
Marksmanship (1)
Proton Rockets (7)
Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/vn Silencer - •Kylo Ren - 83
•Kylo Ren - Tormented Apprentice (76)
Hate (3)
Advanced Optics (4)

Total: 194/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

Really fun to fly. I'll probably replace Malarus with Midnight. Her pilot ability looks good on paper but... didn't prove all that useful.

I'd look at something different on Malarus, Elusive or Juke could work well

Which is better and why?

Kylomegas (200/200)

==================

TIE/vn Silencer: Kylo Ren (76 + 4) + Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/sf Fighter: Omega Squadron Expert (34 + 6) + Fanatical (2) + Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/sf Fighter: Omega Squadron Expert (34 + 6) + Fanatical (2) + Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/sf Fighter: Omega Squadron Expert (34 + 6) + Fanatical (2) + Advanced Optics (4)

ScorchLOmegas (200/200)

======================

TIE/vn Silencer: Kylo Ren (76 + 4) + Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/FO Fighter: "Scorch" (34 + 6) + Fanatical (2) + Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/sf Fighter: Omega Squadron Expert (34 + 6) + Fanatical (2) + Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/sf Fighter: Omega Squadron Expert (34 + 6) + Fanatical (2) + Advanced Optics (4)

It comes down to preference:

Do you want three ships moving at the same initiative with 6 Arcs to shoot from but will only put out 2 hits most of the time?

or

An I4 who can occasionally dole out 4 hit/crits at range 1 but is more vulnerable to blank outs on defence and restricted to blue moves to get most value out of?

So I think I like trip SFs more but what's the better way to kit them out?

Kylomegas (200/200)

==================

TIE/vn Silencer: Kylo Ren (76 + 4) + Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/sf Fighter: Omega Squadron Expert (34 + 6) + Fanatical (2) + Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/sf Fighter: Omega Squadron Expert (34 + 6) + Fanatical (2) + Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/sf Fighter: Omega Squadron Expert (34 + 6) + Fanatical (2) + Advanced Optics (4)

Shirtless and the Survivors (199/200)

==========================

T IE/vn Silencer: Kylo Ren (76)

TIE/sf Fighter: Zeta Squadron Survivor (32 + 9) + Passive Sensors (3) + Concussion Missiles (6)

TIE/sf Fighter: Zeta Squadron Survivor (32 + 9) + Passive Sensors (3) + Concussion Missiles (6)

TIE/sf Fighter: Zeta Squadron Survivor (32 + 9) + Passive Sensors (3) + Concussion Missiles (6)

If you give the Zetas Ion Missiles instead of Concussions, you can afford to give Kylo Hate & Advanced Optics. This makes him a much deadlier endgame piece, and you force your opponent to worry about mass Ionisation.

3 hours ago, AceDogbert said:

If you give the Zetas Ion Missiles instead of Concussions, you can afford to give Kylo Hate & Advanced Optics. This makes him a much deadlier endgame piece, and you force your opponent to worry about mass Ionisation.

I'll agree with this. Zetas are your blockers too.

Kylo needs a upgrade or two. You'll have to play around to find the upgrades which suit your style with the end game in mind. I for instance play PA and hate on Kylo.

On 7/31/2019 at 9:51 AM, dsul413 said:

Another variation on some of the 5+ ship lists that are showing up:

"Quickdraw" (45)
Fanatical (2)
Pattern Analyzer (5)
Special Forces Gunner (10)

Ship total: 62 Half Points: 31 Threshold: 3

"Backdraft" (39)
Swarm Tactics (3)
Advanced Optics (4)

Ship total: 46 Half Points: 23 Threshold: 3

Zeta Squadron Survivor (32)
Ship total: 32 Half Points: 16 Threshold: 3

Zeta Squadron Survivor (32)
Ship total: 32 Half Points: 16 Threshold: 3

Lieutenant Rivas (28)
Ship total: 28 Half Points: 14 Threshold: 2


Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=First Order&d=v8ZsZ200Z243X181W206WW182WWY242X132W186WWWWY259XWWWWY259XWWWWY265XW&sn=Lets Get Weird FO&obs=coreasteroid0,core2asteroid0,core2asteroid2

Swarm Tactics or Fanatical on Backdraft is the choice I'm sitting on right now. I think Fanatical might be better, but Tactics is there because of the prevalence of I4 ships showing up across the meta. That gives me three shots before (most) lists would be able to burst a ZSS, as a lot of ace lists have a token I4 or lower in there as support or damage dealer.

Edit: I can also lose advanced optics on backdraft and add afterburners or shield upgrade to QD, but I think that may nerf backdraft a little more than I want.

I’ve run 5 in several games, including a tourney a couple weeks back. I’ve had mixed results, but that is more me than the list. I never new this was a “thing” now.

(45) "Quickdraw" [TIE/sf Fighter]
(10) Special Forces Gunner
(2) Fire-Control System
Points: 57

(39) "Backdraft" [TIE/sf Fighter]
(10) Special Forces Gunner
(2) Fire-Control System
Points: 51

(34) "Scorch" [TIE/fo Fighter]
(2) Fanatical
Points: 36

(28) Lieutenant Rivas [TIE/fo Fighter]
Points: 28

(26) Epsilon Squadron Cadet [TIE/fo Fighter]
Points: 26

Total points: 198

I’ve started flying the following and am really enjoying it. Nice mix of blocking and consistent shots from the Zetas, spike damage from Scorch and Quickdraw’s usual beastiness. Started with Fanatical Omegas, but I’m not convinced they’re worth the points unless you’re spamming them. Still tweaking the list but this iteration is a lot of fun!

FO Heavy Squad

(32) Zeta Squadron Survivor [TIE/sf Fighter]
(10) Special Forces Gunner
(4) Advanced Optics
Pointss: 46

(32) Zeta Squadron Survivor [TIE/sf Fighter]
(10) Special Forces Gunner
(4) Advanced Optics
Points: 46

(34) "Scorch" [TIE/fo Fighter]
(4) Advanced Optics
(1) Crack Shot
Points: 39

(45) "Quickdraw" [TIE/sf Fighter]
(5) Pattern Analyzer
(1) Crack Shot
(2) Fire-Control System
(6) Afterburners
(10) Special Forces Gunner
Points: 69

Total points: 200

Entourage (200/200) ==================

TIE/vn Silencer: Kylo Ren (76 + 9) + Sense (5) + Advanced Optics (4)

TIE/FO Fighter: "Scorch" (34 + 2) + Fanatical (2)

TIE/vn Silencer: Sienar-Jaemus Engineer (51)

TIE/FO Fighter: Lieutenant Rivas (28)

On 7/10/2019 at 5:39 AM, Magnus Grendel said:

I've considered "Avenger" with a swarm

On 7/10/2019 at 8:19 AM, theBitterFig said:

The other Avenger Swarm occurring to me: 3x Fanatical Omega Expert SFs, Fanatical Omega Ace FO, Fanatical Avenger. I've thought about (and played once) Blackout, 2x SF, 2x FO, so it's a question of whether Blackout worth enough to downgrade one SF to an FO.

So it seems @Oldpara might have unlocked the Avenger swarm: more ships.

Also, if possible, be Old Para. That helps no doubt.

The list was Avenger, 3x Epsilon Cadet FO, 2x Zeta Survivor SF. Sounds kind of nice. First Order generics are fairly cheap, SFs are really nice for time-on-target, and it seems like Avenger can be clutch sometimes.

Some games here:

@theBitterFig

This is similar to a FO list from worlds where someone (Evan?) Flew 3 Epsilon Fo, 2x zeta SF and QD.

6 hours ago, Amc879 said:

@theBitterFig

This is similar to a FO list from worlds where someone (Evan?) Flew 3 Epsilon Fo, 2x zeta SF and QD.

Yes, Evans list was inspiration for Avenger swarm.

I dunno about ‘best’ fo lists. But I flew this last night and had a lot of fun.

Kylo and the Upsilon Escort

(64) Lieutenant Tavson [Upsilon-class command shuttle]
(1) Biohexacrypt Codes
Points: 65

(76) Kylo Ren [TIE/vn Silencer]
(3) Hate
Points: 79

(26) Epsilon Squadron Cadet [TIE/fo Fighter]
Points: 26

(26) Epsilon Squadron Cadet [TIE/fo Fighter]
Points: 26

Total points: 196

The Ties were suppose to be blockers to help Tavson have more time on targets. It kinda worked. If I was better anyways. I’ve hardly got to play all year and a very casual player but had fun with this list.