So in the epic preview, we see the tool that allows fighters to form "wings" of a leader and 2-5 other fighters of the same type. (also a few faction specific "special ship and escort" wings, like Trench Run Vader escored by /LNs)

However, we have not seen any restrictions on WHICH slots on the template have to be filled with the Leader, which are filled with wingmen, and which is left empty.

When flying as a wing, the wing leader executes maneuvers normally and their wingmates form around them!

Consider a formation of a Leader and 3 Wingmen. You can have the leader and his two wingmen in front, but do you put wingman #3 behind the leader, or off to one side in a finger-4 type formation? Or do you only have one wingman on the front line, and have a classic tie block square, or offset diamond formation? Or even leave the leader in the front rank by himself, with a gun line backing him up able to focus fire on anything in his arc, albet at a slightly longer range.

And that's assuming the leader has to be front and center in the wing. We'll see how the rules are written in the next few months.

Another point to consider is that any movement abilities the Leader uses, by default the rest of the wing has to follow on. We can assume that the entire wing has to use the same action phase action as the Leader, but that doesnt stop , say, Turr Phennir from getting his free (barrel roll+)boost in the combat phase and dragging an entire wing of Saber interceptors out of the line of fire with him after they all shoot.

What kind of fighter groups would you make to take advantage of the Wing mechanics? Is there any other points I'm missing?

If you look closely at one of the pictures in the article it shows a card which details how each formation works. Not sure how to link to it since I'm on my phone.

Yeah, the first picture in the “larger world” article shows a card that details how the wingmen have to be arranged around the leader.

Finger Four and Vic!!!

I just realized a wonderful advantage of wings that I hadn't fully realized before: fewer dials required. I just bought the Resistance Conversion Kit, so I have 4 copies of the T-70 dial. However, I am the proud owner of 6 T-70's, so I was worried I'd have to search around for more dials to play them in Epic. Similar situation with X-wings (3 dials, 6 models) and B-wings (2 dials, 3 models) for the Rebel Alliance.

However, with wings, you don't have to worry! From the article:

"Moving together using a single dial, wings let you easily navigate groups of three to six ships through the chaos of battle and use them as a combined force to complete your objectives."

That means I can fly a wing of 6 T-70s, or a wing of 3 and 3 separate T-70's, getting all my models on the table without having to buy more expansions/conversion kits for more dials.

I'm so excited for Epic!

On 7/14/2019 at 11:46 AM, Forgottenlore said:

Yeah, the first picture in the “larger world” article shows a card that details how the wingmen have to be arranged around the leader. 

Here it is:

On the top center. If it's two, they just go on either side. Third goes behind. I imagine four would double up on both sides, and, well, they show what five looks like. So it's pretty clear.

Of note: The Silencer can only be escorted by two or three TIE fighters, not a full five. Of course, I don't know why one would want to pay for that many (to keep SR Kylo alive I guess?) but it'll look just like Kylo and his wingmen in TLJ, which is pretty... well, epic. Incidentally, I'm curious; what is to be gained by using that squad leader command upgrade rather than the generic if you're just a TIE/fo anyway? Maybe there's something different in that restriction box...

I'm just sad we can't do this:

Skerris (whenever we get him) with two TIEs would make for an awesome recreation of the Battle of Lothal:

Still, the options we already have are SO EXCITING!

I CAN'T WAIT!

B-wings

What won't I make Wings out of?!?

I can finally use my 6 Tie Bombers!

Seriously, I will only be slowed by the number of ships.

5 X-wings

12 Tie Fighters

3 A-wings

3 Y-wings

6 Tie Bombers

5 Tie Interceptors

5 Tie Advanced

4 Tie Aggressors

4 Scyks

3 Kihraxes (want more)

3 Starvipers

That's all I can think of at the moment.

I'll be interested to see how collisions work for wings.

5 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

I'll be interested to see how collisions work for wings.

I think we all will. I'm guessing it makes them drop out of the formation, which would be a cool mechanic because you want to plan your wing movements well while your opponent tries to gum it all up. My current ship count is pretty high in terms of duplicates.

Small ships I have more than one of that I want to try wings of:

Star Wing - 3

TIE/ln - 10

TIE/in - 6

TIE/sa - 6

TIE/sk - 2 😢

TIE/v1 - 2

TIE/x1 - 2

TIE/FO - 7

TIE/SF - 3

TIE/D - 2

Z-95 - 8

T-65 - 6

B-Wing - 4

RZ-1 - 3

Y-Wing - 2 😢

Kihraxz - 3

Starviper - 2

I guess I'll be needing more strikers and Y-Wings (2nd edition version starting to look appealing...).

PSA: Two wings of three TIE bombers with Protorps and Proton Bombs on each, plus a Jendon shuttle with Krennic and Tarkin STILL leaves 150 points for some endgame aces to mop up whatever's left.

I too have at least 4 of about 7 or 8 different models and 2-3 of 7 or 8 others.

But I take this question more as what formations will you use if you have s 3-5 ships instead of a full 6.

Using X's to show ship position here is what I would like to try, though I think I saw that there are only specific formations allowed based on ship numners.

X

X X X

This would be the best way to force the enemy to shoot at your leader who can then spread the damage out to wingmates.

47 minutes ago, pickirk01 said:

I too have at least 4 of about 7 or 8 different models and 2-3 of 7 or 8 others.

But I take this question more as what formations will you use if you have s 3-5 ships instead of a full 6.

Using X's to show ship position here is what I would like to try, though I think I saw that there are only specific formations allowed based on ship numners.

X

X X X

This would be the best way to force the enemy to shoot at your leader who can then spread the damage out to wingmates.

Yeah, they showed that only specific configurations are allowed, namely:

X X X

___________

X X X

X

___________

X X X

X X

____________

X X X

X X X

6 minutes ago, ClassicalMoser said:

Yeah, they showed that only specific configurations are allowed, namely:

X X X

___________

X X X

X

___________

X X X

X X

____________

X X X

X X X

You missed one

X X _

_ _ _

Top center of top center card in this image

26 minutes ago, ClassicalMoser said:

Yeah, they showed that only specific configurations are allowed, namely:

X X X

___________

X X X

X

___________

X X X

X X

____________

X X X

X X X

I knew I had seen it somewhere.

Too bad. The leader forward and three behind would be my preferred 4 ship formation. Anyone trying to get on the Leader's tail would either get blocked or be outside range 1 while anyone from the front would be forced to decide to attack the leader who will basically have the equivalent of triple hull and shields or the wingmates who will probably be at a greater range band.

Oh well, I guess I will have to devise new tactics.

35 minutes ago, Hiemfire said:

Top center of top center card in this image

Hard to tell exactly what that means though. All the wing leader -granting cards specify that you have to have at least 2 wingmen. Maybe it's if you lose one, which just makes sense I guess. It would be unrealistic to be required to lose both at once.

1 minute ago, ClassicalMoser said:

Hard to tell exactly what that means though. All the wing leader -granting cards specify that you have to have at least 2 wingmen. Maybe it's if you lose one, which just makes sense I guess. It would be unrealistic to be required to lose both at once.

All the wing-leader cards that we've seen. Though Dreadnaught H** (top left) is a 2 pip so it might be covered by the 2 member flight layout as well.

Super excited about:

TIE fighters (11)
TIE interceptors (8)
✨ TIE strikers (6) ✨
T-65 X-wings (7)
T-70 X-wings (6)

It's going to be a blast!

6 minutes ago, Parakitor said:

Super excited about:

TIE fighters (11)
TIE interceptors (8)
✨ TIE strikers (6) ✨
T-65 X-wings (7)
T-70 X-wings (6)

It's going to be a blast!

Looks like there is enough space on the template for 6x large bases.

6x YVs could be brutal.

5 hours ago, Hiemfire said:

Looks like there is enough space on the template for 6x large bases.

6x YVs could be brutal.

ARCS

Seriously though, some 6x U-Wings would be s c a r y kinds of durable and hard-hitting. Especially when one is Magva and the leader is Saw...

Just now, ClassicalMoser said:

ARCS

Seriously though, some 6x U-Wings would be s c a r y kinds of durable and hard-hitting. Especially when one is Magva and another is Saw...

Check the 2.0 YV-666 base plate. 6x, 3 red, full front arc, extra beefy boyz. Not that your examples are bad.

1 minute ago, Hiemfire said:

Check the 2.0 YV-666 base plate. 6x, 3 red, full front arc, extra beefy boyz. Not that your examples are bad.

Jyn on Saw and PerCop on each U comes to a total of 324 points, which is EXACTLY the same as 6 Trandoshans.

Except the U-Wings probably never take any damage (between token stack and reroll negation), and when they do, they can spread it around, and if they ever take hull damage, it gives them passive offensive mods.

I can see great arguments for both. And both make me seriously hope it’s small-ship-only.

Oh man, large ships would be intense! I don't know why I've just assumed small ships. Wow.

8 hours ago, Hiemfire said:

Looks like there is enough space on the template for 6x large bases.

6x YVs could be brutal.

No it doesn't, you'd need at least a full base-width of space between the small bases to upgrade them to large bases, and that's clearly not the case. Medium should just about squeeze in though.

4 hours ago, rawbean said:

No it doesn't, you'd need at least a full base-width of space between the small bases to upgrade them to large bases, and that's clearly not the case. Medium should just about squeeze in though.

That's what I was thinking.

On the other hand, there would be plenty of room for large bases on that template to run these 3 formations...

X X X X X

X X X X

14 hours ago, Hiemfire said:

Looks like there is enough space on the template for 6x large bases.

6x YVs could be brutal.

According to my testing the wing tool is exactly the same length as a 4 straight. Not enough room for large bases. 6 medium bases do fit with no space in between. Not sure if they will be allowed though.