I'll keep doing these if people are interested.

Basically the goal is to talk about some ships that very rarely get flown. So the first one is the MEGACHONKER of the Rebel faction, which seems almost a mystery... according to Pink Brain Matter a handful of Heras and one Kanan have been flown at all competitive events combined. Surely there's some undiscovered builds there?

Ghost has

- tons of health

- doesn't care about green dice variance

- good dial

- white reinforce

- tons of different slots

how would you use these to make it good? Have you flown a ghost or seen one? Is it priced correctly? What should it cost in an ideal world?

My own experience with the VCX:

At the Walker Classic I flew against a Hera/Luke/Wedge build. Hera was essentially just a big X-Wing: she had more health, no green dice, but was similarly arc locked and similarly flown. I managed to trap her in a killbox and kill her rather quickly, but she was pretty scary.

Recently, I flew my own Ghost as a Lothal Rebel casually with a list that was the Lothal with Leia, and five Tala Squadron Pilots with Crackshot. The Talas slowrolled while the Ghost aggressively jousted up there and reinforced. The Ghost was able to avoid dying quickly, and distracted enough for the Z-95s to get ahead in the damage chase. I'm guessing this list is a one-trick pony though, and once the opponent has seen it once, they know to leave the Ghost alone and just alpha strike the Z's.

I flew a different variant that was three A-Wings with Crack Shot and Proton Rockets, and Hera with Nien, Leia, Ion Turret, and Trick Shot. It seemed good but matchup dependent - Hera would be a lot worse if she had had to fly against i5s and/or i6s and not just do whatever she wanted with her dial.

I'm not sure what to do with the Ghost but I like the looks of the Lothal Rebel as basically a bigger Y-Wing that can carry Leia. If the Ghost went down 2 points, I'd absolutely fly three, but I'm not sure that's good for the game.

AP-5 coordinate for reinforce(or focus) + passive sensors (depending on cost) is going to make these pretty efficient jousters.

These two cards make me think the VCX without a turret is kinda interesting. I cant believe it has a K-Turn.
Look at that amazing dial:

Yeah that dial is crazy good

So I was JUST messing with VCX builds today and I came up with this. I really want to try it because it feels like it has potential.

Kanan Jarrus (84)
Hate (3)
Collision Detector (6)
Ion Cannon Turret (4)
Maul (11)
Cassian Andor (6)
Veteran Turret Gunner (6)
Ghost (0)

Ezra Bridger (41)
Sense (6)

Phoenix Squadron Pilot (30)
Intimidation (3)

Total: 200

Basically Kanan is the centerpiece and he can always change his dial with Cassian after Ezra senses the most threatening ship. Two arcs and double attacks with superabundance of force let him pound away with locks or reinforce, and the intimidation A-Wing (also with full knowledge) makes a great blocker/agility reducer, setting up awesome shots for Kanan. Meanwhile Kanan can keep the annoying Ezra and A-Wing alive, while Maul and Hate provide unlimited force regen.

Best thing about the list though is that it's super fluffy. Just have to figure out why Cassian would have joined up with them for a mission.

Generally I prefer Hera, but this makes me seriously consider taking Kanan.

A thread about the VCX and @SpiderMana hasn't jumped in yet. Even has a Hatin' Kanan variant. Wow.

Hatin' Kanan is an incredibly fun idea, but generally dies before you can remotely take advantage of his 120 points (if you're using Ezra gunner. I never felt it was worth it to pay another 10 points to use the shuttle, but maybe that's what kept me from succeeding with him.) I will continue to attempt to make him work as new upgrades/points changes occur, though.

Outside of that, in 2.0 I've only flown Hera. Great pilot ability, lots of fun, and I particularly enjoy flying Zebtimidation on her. Four points to not care if you bump (or bump on purpose), and take one of their defense dice away on your 5-die attack roll. At that point, dice mods are just a bonus. I also enjoyed flying AP-5 docked and Composure on Hera, so that she can get a free focus each turn. Expensive, but fun to toy around with. I think I used Luke as a wingman, and had an alternative build with Corran, though I don't recall if I ever flew that one.

Best moment in a game with her: it was just her and an i1 Defender left on the table. Wasn't putting a ton of damage through, and was largely just trying to avoid getting shot. I dialed in a K-turn for what we both assumed was the last turn, just hoping to get some good dice in and maybe initiative kill him. The problem: I only had one hull. And then. He did a 2k, certain that I'd be flying past him. I used Hera's ability to switch to a 1-turn, which bumped him and gave me a Zeb shot for the win.

Edit:

3 minutes ago, Hiemfire said:

A thread about the VCX and @SpiderMana hasn't jumped in yet. Even has a Hatin' Kanan variant. Wow.

You ninja'd me I just got home from work 😜

Now that you post an image of a boo next to it, I demand that someone paints a VCX to look like a boo.

Hera with Nien Nunb and a Seasoned Navigator can be brutal. As long as she dials in one of her red turns, she has access to everything on her dial except the 2-hards and the 3-4 straight.

5 minutes ago, PhantomFO said:

Hera with Nien Nunb and a Seasoned Navigator can be brutal. As long as she dials in one of her red turns, she has access to everything on her dial except the 2-hards and the 3-4 straight.

This is pretty much the one thing about the VCX coming to hyperspace that I don't like.

It's an interesting ship so long as it's not an I5 dial-changing arc dodger! Saw/Magva "burn-down" builds seem really cool.

5 minutes ago, player3010587 said:

Now that you post an image of a boo next to it, I demand that someone paints a VCX to look like a boo.

Ooo I've only had one so I hadn't really considered painting it, but when I pick up the new one I might paint my original with a Nintendo Boo theme

5 minutes ago, PhantomFO said:

Hera with Nien Nunb and a Seasoned Navigator can be brutal. As long as she dials in one of her red turns, she has access to everything on her dial except the 2-hards and the 3-4 straight.

Can you... Does that...

Really? 🤔

Not my playstyle, but that's janky as heck if it works. 👌

9 minutes ago, svelok said:

This is pretty much the one thing about the VCX coming to hyperspace that I don't like.

It's an interesting ship so long as it's not an I5 dial-changing arc dodger! Saw/Magva "burn-down" builds seem really cool.

I actually rather like the archetype. I think she was always meant to be an arc-dodger, but not in the traditional sense. She doesn't have access to any repositioning actions, so she has to maneuver really well. Even though she can change her maneuver, she has to position herself well so she's not screwed/stressed the next turn. She suffers a lot from poor action economy, especially without force users on board (and given the poor efficiency thereof for Rebels). Tactical Cassian mitigates both of these downsides, but I tend to find he doesn't deal enough damage to pay for himself. AP-5 can be great, but is extremely fragile. Perceptive Copilot and VTG ends up making a super expensive combo which only gets worse with Advanced Sensors.

Lots of tough choices going around, so I don't think there's one right answer. I really like Hera though. Very eager to see her in some small ships, but please please with a different ability (something Tycho- or Ten-like) and not just a "fix my mistake" ability. Ace platforms don't need her ability nearly as much anyway, and if she's an I6 as Phoenix Leader (which is a distinct possibility) her current ability would be flat-out busted.

9 minutes ago, PhantomFO said:

Hera with Nien Nunb and a Seasoned Navigator can be brutal. As long as she dials in one of her red turns, she has access to everything on her dial except the 2-hards and the 3-4 straight.

That combo only locks out the 2 turns for her to shift to since the difficulty increase from seasoned navigator happens during executing and not at reveal dial step. She can combo into a 4 straight from a 1 or 3 turn via her ability (change to a 4 K-Turn) then the seasoned navigator's ability (Change to a 4 straight). 3 straight is similar. Either change directly to it via Seasoned Nav from a speed 3 turn or jump to a speed 3 turn first through Hera then season nav it to a 3 straight.

Oh, something I forgot to mention: Kanan Crew is amazing and I love putting him on Hera's ship. You just start running into the issue of how many points is one 4-die attack per round worth, or even that plus a 2-3 die attack from a turret.

Purely coincidental:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/213529332539101/permalink/427133871178645/

Anyways, on the topic of points, I think there's a strong possibility the VCX is correctly costed for Hyperspace already.

14 hours ago, Boom Owl said:

These two cards make me think the VCX without a turret is kinda interesting. I cant believe it has a K-Turn.
Look at that amazing dial:

A friend of mine used to run Hera this way, with Dorsal Turret and AP5. It would hurt so bad when it caught you and arc dodging it was not a simple thing.

Tbh, AP5 would often damage me more....

It's a great shepherd though.

Lucas Turner went 6-0 with Hera at the UK System Open a couple of weeks ago.

https://listfortress.com/tournaments/557

He got knocked out of the cut against the Euros winner last year playing 4 Phantoms I think.
He also told me he beat a 4xPhantom squad in one of his swiss games which is impressive.

I like this: 2 I6 Han shots followed by Hera shot. Used Adv Sensors for the inevitable bumps that come from jousting with a large base.

Han & Hera

(82) Han Solo [Modified YT-1300 Light Freighter]
(8) Perceptive Copilot
(14) Bistan
(2) Trick Shot
Points: 106

(73) Hera Syndulla [VCX-100 Light Freighter]
(8) Saw Gerrera
(10) Advanced Sensors
(3) Intimidation
Points: 94

Total points: 200

19 hours ago, ClassicalMoser said:

So I was JUST messing with VCX builds today and I came up with this. I really want to try it because it feels like it has potential.

Kanan Jarrus (84)
Hate (3)
Collision Detector (6)
Ion Cannon Turret (4)
Maul (11)
Cassian Andor (6)
Veteran Turret Gunner (6)
Ghost (0)

Ezra Bridger (41)
Sense (6)

Phoenix Squadron Pilot (30)
Intimidation (3)

Total: 200

Basically Kanan is the centerpiece and he can always change his dial with Cassian after Ezra senses the most threatening ship. Two arcs and double attacks with superabundance of force let him pound away with locks or reinforce, and the intimidation A-Wing (also with full knowledge) makes a great blocker/agility reducer, setting up awesome shots for Kanan. Meanwhile Kanan can keep the annoying Ezra and A-Wing alive, while Maul and Hate provide unlimited force regen.

Best thing about the list though is that it's super fluffy. Just have to figure out why Cassian would have joined up with them for a mission.

Generally I prefer Hera, but this makes me seriously consider taking Kanan.

As long as Ezra is docked, would that give you a third attack with the VCX? Seeing as Ezra gives you a bonus primary attack from the rear after a primary attack from your front arc or turret, and the Veteran Turret Gunner gives you a bonus turret attack after your primary attack...

Would go something like, first attack primary from the front, Ezra comes in play so you shoot from the back with your rear bonus primary attack, after which you can use the Veteran turret gunner to use one of your side arcs...?

2 minutes ago, Jaden Corr said:

As long as Ezra is docked, would that give you a third attack with the VCX? Seeing as Ezra gives you a bonus primary attack from the rear after a primary attack from your front arc or turret, and the Veteran Turret Gunner gives you a bonus turret attack after your primary attack...

Would go something like, first attack primary from the front, Ezra comes in play so you shoot from the back with your rear bonus primary attack, after which you can use the Veteran turret gunner to use one of your side arcs...?

You can never do more that 1 bonus attack.

If you have multiple effect giving a bonus attack, you can only resolve 1 each turn.

(And any attack that is not you normal attack is a bonus attack.)

Just now, NerroSama said:

You can never do more that 1 bonus attack.

If you have multiple effect giving a bonus attack, you can only resolve 1 each turn.

(And any attack that is not you normal attack is a bonus attack.)

Thanks. Was confused due to the wording on how it was a bonus primary attack...

Kanan Jarrus (84)
Sense (6)
Dorsal Turret (2)
Cassian Andor (6)
Leia Organa (2)
Hull Upgrade (2)
Veteran Turret Gunner (6)

Ship total: 108 Half Points: 54 Threshold: 8

Luke Skywalker (62)
Supernatural Reflexes (24)
R2-D2 (6)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Ship total: 92 Half Points: 46 Threshold: 3


Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=Rebel Alliance&d=v6!s=200!62:75,,,137,19,46,164,90,:;4:74,,3,,142:&sn=New Squadron&obs=

what if my dials never mattered?

I've put it on the table a half dozen times now. it feels very unfair to do whatever I want and then punish people for it. until I ran into parking brake han.

10 minutes ago, Wiredin said:

Kanan Jarrus (84)
Sense (6)
Dorsal Turret (2)
Cassian Andor (6)
Leia Organa (2)
Hull Upgrade (2)
Veteran Turret Gunner (6)

Ship total: 108 Half Points: 54 Threshold: 8

Luke Skywalker (62)
Supernatural Reflexes (24)
R2-D2 (6)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Ship total: 92 Half Points: 46 Threshold: 3


Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=Rebel Alliance&d=v6!s=200!62:75,,,137,19,46,164,90,:;4:74,,3,,142:&sn=New Squadron&obs=

what if my dials never mattered?

I was just toying with an attack Shuttle build using Hera + Cassian. Put in the maneuver you think is wrong, then look at the dial. If you’re right, change your dial. If you’re wrong, you have the right maneuver but you can change it anyway and then barrel roll and evade too.

Just wish FlyCasual had Cassian!