So I've flown a little Ketsu lately, and the standard Fearless/Maul/Shadowcaster build is pretty sweet. You're just a bully, tossing stuff around and reducing agility. That kind of works out like a global buff for each attack in the rest of your squad, and scales well with increased numbers of attacks.

But another strength of Ketsu is the fact that she's Init 5, and getting lots of attacks against a target usually means going low-init generics. However, that's not the only way. Kavil and Captain Nym are both Init 5 ships which can equip Turrets and Veteran Turret Gunner. Also of note: Ketsu's tractor can pull someone in, and each step closer in the range band greatly benefits VTG ships, whether by giving them the double-attacks in the first place at Range 2, or taking someone into Range 1 for the bonus on attack dice. This seems like a list where Shadowcaster probably can't be cut.

Here's the outline:

• Ketsu (Fearless, Maul, Shadowcaster) 90
• Kavil (Dorsal Turret, Veteran Turret Gunner) 51
• Nym (Dorsal Turret, Veteran Turret Gunner) 56

So there's 3 points to spare.

• Seismic Charge is cool, with the way that Nym can hold it until the right time to pop it. On the downside, tractor shennanigans prefer there to be obstacles around. However, a lot of folks are bringing clouds, so good riddance.
• Getting dial help for Kavil with R4 Astromech or Expert Handling might not be bad.
• Hull Upgrade fits on a 1-agiltiy ship. I'd be inclined towards Kavil.
• There's maybe potential in bringing Tobias Becket, to help Asteroid placement.
• For something really cheeky, Marksmanship. With two double-taps, and Marksmanship working on both primary and special attacks (unlike Predator or Crack Shot), you might have a little crit-factory. But neither ship is too nimble or wants to spend their action to reposition, so bullseye strategies probably aren't the most optimal.
• *e* How did I miss saying "an Ion Cannon for one of them"?
• I never hate a baby-bid, either.

Anyone have any thoughts on specifically double-tap ships with Ketsu? (don't get me wrong, Old Terroch and Talonbane are great, but they're a different style of ship, with different concerns)

I guess it's worth noting that 3x Crymorah Goons with Dorsal and VTG would fit with Ketsu (and she'd have 13 points to play with, for some reasonable options... Fearless/Shadowcaster/L3-37? Predator/Shadowcaster/0-0-0). I think I'd rather have two Init 5s rather than three Init 1s (and anyhow, I can only convert 2 Scum Y-Wings).

Ketsu is MY LOVE. I like her with Fearless, title, and 0-0-0, rather than Maul - it synergizes phenomenally with her other conditions, and adds another element of control.

As for maximizing later attacks? What about 2 Loks, both with Dorsal and VTG, one with PerCo, and one with IG-88D? More mods, more health

It's tough to push damage through with a Dorsal Turret unless you're Kavil. I'd try putting an Ion Turret on whichever Scurrg you end up running (it doesn't have to be Nym, and Sol is arguably a better bomber if you find room for those).

18 hours ago, theBitterFig said:

So there's  3 points  to spare

... to bid

Love your list, flow it myself with similar loadout and liked it a lot!

I always look out for preceptive copilot, but I must admit that Maul on the lancer does his job.

6 hours ago, Quarrel said:

It's tough to push damage through with a Dorsal Turret unless you're Kavil. I'd try putting an Ion Turret on whichever Scurrg you end up running (it doesn't have to be Nym, and Sol is arguably a better bomber if you find room for those).

I'm sure I'd thought about an Ion Turret, but forgot to mention it. Pushing damage, however, should be easier against an agility-reduced target. At least, that's the premise. There's certainly the points for a ICT on the Scurrg, and Ion Control can be particularly punishing with Tractors putting enemies into bad positions.

Sol's bombing seems pretty sweet, but there isn't too much room for bombs here, and the fact of all Init 5 seems like an advantage. Taking out a Braylen or a Ten Nunb before it could attack would be sweet, and the list has a decent enough chance of doing that.

@theBitterFig So I happen to have came up with the same list

I am 8-0 with it so far, 4-0 at two weekly Xwing nights and 4-0 for the win at a small tournament last weekend.

I took this:

Ketsu: Fearless, Maul, Shadowcaster

Nym: Dorsal, VTG, Seismic

Kavil: Dorsal, VTG,

200 Points

I started with Ketsu, Nym, Old T., but dropped Teroch for Kavil because I don't like it when I take a range 2 shot with Teroch and my agility dice blank out on me. Like you mentioned, the whole squad is just a bunch of bullies. I found the seismic to be crucially important for zoning out ships, but I almost always get some damage out of it to since I can just leave it there with Nym until it will hurt something.

1 hour ago, Burius1981 said:

@theBitterFig So I happen to have came up with the same list

I am 8-0 with it so far, 4-0 at two weekly Xwing nights and 4-0 for the win at a small tournament last weekend.

I took this:

Ketsu: Fearless, Maul, Shadowcaster

Nym: Dorsal, VTG, Seismic

Kavil: Dorsal, VTG,

200 Points

I started with Ketsu, Nym, Old T., but dropped Teroch for Kavil because I don't like it when I take a range 2 shot with Teroch and my agility dice blank out on me. Like you mentioned, the whole squad is just a bunch of bullies. I found the seismic to be crucially important for zoning out ships, but I almost always get some damage out of it to since I can just leave it there with Nym until it will hurt something.

good work. how do you deal with high init guys that flank. jedi and soontir/vader have superior repositioning and can be a handful to get shots on, esp once u lose a ship. Old T and to a lesser extend Talonbane, although more fragile have the speed to chase/evade other pesky aces when flown well.

@Da_Brown_Bomber

I played against a guy running Vader, Soontir, and two barrage bombers at a tournament last week. When I set them up, I put Ketsu on the outside with Kavil beside her and then Nym goes further towards the center aiming to fly right between the first two obstacles I can get him to to drop a seismic. This is how I deter flankers. My opponent sent Vader and Soontir wide and did short moves followed by barrel rolls to give himself some more time for his aces to get into position but I went at him fast. Ketsu tractored a bomber and it burned down before it could fire. The second bomber gave me more trouble because I let Ketsu peel off to bully the aces.

Once I'm engaged with the aces in this sort of match up, I turn my turrets to get more shot opportunities. Looking for blocks with any of the three ships is important, and not that difficult to do with two of them having barrel rolls. Ketsu plus support eats low health high agility ships alive, and most opponents know that so you can push them around and look to corner them. The seismics are huge for this because of the zoning they do.

Soontir, Vader, Jedi, Kylo, they are all rightfully scared of getting caught in front of any of these three ships. Tractor beams and double taps are scary. They won't engage head on so I just herd them like cattle toward one side of the board or the other. At some point they run out of room and you take 3-5 shots. Seismics are so key to this, I can't stress it enough. The other nice thing is that if it is two aces like Vader and Soonts and they split up I have three turrets. I can herd one while still threatening the other with a couple of turrets and/or the seismics.