Cue some Lion King memes.

Okay, what do you like using the Hyenas for?

At Init1 26pts, I find the generic Init1 too costly: This is basically a Torrent (networked pretty much equals focus) with a mediocre linked action, red reload (mediocre again), and a mediocre dial and one less PS. The slots are generally 0 cost, and i think FFG is starting to slowly realize that. The dial is mediocre: While there's some good parts, like the 1 straight, and green hard turns... the total lack of 3 slights, and all of the u-turn moves being 2 (and thus hard to use in a scrum) make this dial more poor than good. I find Torrents to be kind of overcosted and not good either, though I think the Torrent dial is worse, I'd want to pay 24 points for a Init2 Torrent (and possibly 22 points for the Rebel Z currently with no good missiles). Thus, a Init1 Torrent theoretically is 24 points, making the Hyena 2 points overcosted.
(I found the Landing Struts are likely good at 1 point on these and Vultures, as trying to pair bombs and swarms is a massive pain.)

No exp on Baktoid yet.

Init3 Sep Bomber is again 1 point higher than the I3 Torrent. I don't know what to put on them either. ESC? Why exactly do I need the extra hull? (Though: The Vulture is paying 7 points per hull, and the Sep Bomber pays 5.8/hull. Though you get more bodies with vultures too, and more ESC)

The Bombardment drone is where we start getting into some crazy. Now for the same values as the I3 Torrent at 28pts, you're paying 32pts for the empty slots of a cheap bomber. That's 4 points overcosted! You do get a semi interesting ability to launch forward too (I think someone showed how hard it is to use though?), and don't get a talent. Sadly, non-TrajSim bombers aren't really some crazy overpowered thing. With TrajSim though, you're paying the premium of 10 points per bomber. That starts to add up hard. Two TS is a whole new vulture.

Maybe it might be cool to launch prox mines at someone, but for 39 points?? And no option to add ESC? yikes.

No exp yet on the others. But the I4 looks decent

I like to use them for target practice personally

(CIS is the only faction I haven’t bought).

They're a good cheap ordnance carrier.

The Hyena's have several important advantages compared to a torrent, which is basically relegated to a cheap blocker role. The first is cheap access to the probe droid for TLs before combat. This helps all those cheap droids with ESCs hit even harder with double modded shots, and gets the Hyena the TL it needs to fire off those sexy plasma torps.

The torp slot for plasmas is the second important difference. A single plasma in your squad to open your salvo is very nice.

Grappling struts makes obstacles a bonus for your swarm rather than something to be avoided. I find I don't deliberately factor the rocks into my strategy, but rather struts just allows me to ignore/use them when i need to.

Finally, networked calc gives easy access to double modded shots (404 loves these) and makes your key ordnance carriers harder to focus fire down.

I keep hearing good things about DRK Probe Droids. I don't have a great sense of it on table, though.

404 with adv protons is 6 red dice, often double-modded as mentioned above, with a crit, and reloadable!

44 minutes ago, theBitterFig said:

I keep hearing good things about DRK Probe Droids. I don't have a great sense of it on table, though.

You just slow-roll forward and send the probes in first to get your locks before you engage. It's a steal at 5pts on a Hyena who is unlikely to use his bomb slot anyway.

my favorites so far

*Techno Union Bomber (henceforth known as TuB) with ESC is just a nice vulture that won't get oneshot all the **** time

*TuB w/ESC can also carry the illustrious probe droid, opening up that option for a droid swarm without springing for the almost-double-the-cost Sith

*404 w/ESC, super cheap I4 with an actually relevant range 1 attack (and never discount the range 0 option, it'll kill fools!). Remember, it only hurts itself in confusion IF ITS ATTACK HITS

*FCS Baktoid w/diamond borons. Diamond borons are incredibly punchy for how cheap they are. I use FCS because Probe droids basically give you the passive sensor effect

*(in theory) TuB or seperatist protorp carriers supported by probe droids will make for a disgusting alpha

Finally, motherloving Landing Struts!!! Some of the most fun you'll ever have!

I haven't had a chance to try them yet due to GenCon prep.

Separatist is the best Vulture Droid as the I3 is well worth it in my book, so I3 Hyena is where I will start. I am also going to try to use a Proton Torp and Grapplers. My plan is to use a big rock on my side of the middle. Park on that and lob Torpedoes at the enemy while my 5-6 Vultures try to joust with ESC.

What are you flying at GenCon @heychadwick ?

You may be able to get away with the I1 with the Hyenas, as there is less out there that will just trash the Hyenas prior to their initiative during engagement. I haven't gotten them on the table enough yet either though, they're my next challenge.

Real life has prevented me from testing this out, but I’m eager to do so. Plus I love calling a Techno Union Bomber with torpedoes a TorpyTubbie.

TorpyTubbies

(26) Techno Union Bomber [Hyena-class Droid Bomber]
(5) DRK-1 Probe Droids
(9) Plasma Torpedoes
Points: 40

(26) Techno Union Bomber [Hyena-class Droid Bomber]
(13) Proton Torpedoes
(1) Landing Struts
Points: 40

(26) Techno Union Bomber [Hyena-class Droid Bomber]
(13) Proton Torpedoes
(1) Landing Struts
Points: 40

(26) Techno Union Bomber [Hyena-class Droid Bomber]
(13) Proton Torpedoes
(1) Landing Struts
Points: 40

(26) Techno Union Bomber [Hyena-class Droid Bomber]
(13) Proton Torpedoes
(1) Landing Struts
Points: 40

Total points: 200

Bring the big rocks and place them near your side. Send out the Dork droids. It causes a hard decision for your opponent because they would like to rush you so you can’t establish locks before the first round of engagement but who wants to charge Hyenas camped out on rocks?

I've considered springing for sep bombers, but that's a hefty 3 point investment that can easily be rendered useless depending on the matchup

Republic arcs? Party time!

All those nifty i4+ pilots?...no bueno

And I personally REALLY dislike i1 when it comes to things I actually wanna shoot with (rather than just block and die) but not much you can do there apart from investing in the (sadly unique) 404. Not only is it a nifty i4, but its ability is always relevant!

So what do we do about i1 other than crossing our fingers with five hull (and networked)? STRUTS!!! Only a third of the investment of an i3 upgrade and ALWAYS relevant (you brought rocks, right?)

Wait someone explain to be the probe droids? Can't your opponent just blow them up if you're trying to get far range TLs?

I think I'm gonna need more run down. Are we really getting good competitive fleets?

4 minutes ago, Blail Blerg said:

Wait someone explain to be the probe droids? Can't your opponent just blow them up if you're trying to get far range TLs?

I think I'm gonna need more run down. Are we really getting good competitive fleets?

The droids move in the system phase, locks are grabbed in the activation phase. Your opponent could then attempt to blow them up in the following engagement phase, but it'd be too late to prevent the locking.

1 minute ago, Okapi said:

The droids move in the system phase, locks are grabbed in the activation phase. Your opponent could then attempt to blow them up in the following engagement phase, but it'd be too late to prevent the locking.

so, you launch them in end phase, then they move immediately the next turn??

hmmmm. But then, you'd take TL, you'd have to delay one turn if you wanted double mods.

2 hours ago, dsul413 said:

What are you flying at GenCon @heychadwick ?

I am helping run Battle for Ord Gorim campaign. All scenarios and only 1 of each unique. If they die, they are gone.

I don't really do tournaments and play far removed from the meta. Ot seems like I play a different game sometimes.

48 minutes ago, Blail Blerg said:

so, you launch them in end phase, then they move immediately the next turn??

hmmmm. But then, you'd take TL, you'd have to delay one turn if you wanted double mods.

You can use either another ship using Kraken or Butterbot to pass a Calc token to one.

Yeah and if i wanted double mods on all my ESC that'd be even harder.

6 minutes ago, Blail Blerg said:

Yeah and if i wanted double mods on all my ESC that'd be even harder.

Hyena's slow boat nicely...

23 minutes ago, Hiemfire said:

Hyena's slow boat nicely...

that just makes it sound like picking between 3 hull and 5 hull versions of the same gameplay....

I think ESC Hyenas are probably a trap. You're paying double for the reload (on the upgrade and the ship), and you're not really doing anything a Vulture can't do just as well. I suppose I could be wrong on this, but it seems to me like the Hyena is best viewed as a toolkit. Don't bring a bunch of identical ones like you would Vultures, or try to turn them into pseudo-X-Wings. Take a couple of different ones.

• Maybe bring a cheap Probe Droid carrier that's mostly blocking and handing out calculates once it's delivered its cargo.
• Try the Diamond-Boron Baktoid. It is seriously powerful. If you have probes you're good to go; if not, try Passive Sensors.
• A second Baktoid with another missile could be useful. Being able to fire a conc right after the DB missile is nice, and I'm sure there's a use case for Homing Missiles as well.
• Ion Torps are generally underestimated I think. Can't be combined with PS unfortunately, but if you're bringing probes, take a TUB with one of these. We're talking a 32 point ship with a potentially double modded 4 dice attack at R3, ignoring the range bonus and leaving any small ship ace in serious trouble if it hits.
• Maybe hit that ioned ace with an APT carrying 404 next turn?

Definitely don't try non-boron baktoids

I'll save you the misery I experienced: i1 'yenas are generally NOT getting past the second or third round of combat. If it ain't a Boron you can offload quickly for potential heaps of damage, don't bother

Any other kind of baktoid is just an overpriced ESC TuB. Use those points for an ESC w/probes or 404 instead

I flew 5 proton torp hyenas with probes in a tournament this weekend. They wreck large base ships. Grievous and a mini swarm of hyenas and vultures is also pretty good. People tend to ignore Grievous to go after the swarm which gives him time to flank. By the time they realize how hard he hits, their ship is dead. I know a lot of people are saying they are bad but I am loving CIS!

1 hour ago, ficklegreendice said:

Definitely don't try non-boron baktoids

I'll save you the misery I experienced: i1 'yenas are generally NOT getting past the second or third round of combat. If it ain't a Boron you can offload quickly for potential heaps of damage, don't bother

Any other kind of baktoid is just an overpriced ESC TuB. Use those points for an ESC w/probes or 404 instead

Wait, so what should I try? PS3 s with borons?

Do you put anything on 404? (Reminder, ability only works on Primary)

10 minutes ago, Blail Blerg said:

Wait, so what should I try? PS3 s with borons?

Do you put anything on 404? (Reminder, ability only works on Primary)

404's ability to shoot at range 0 is primary only. The extra die at 0-1 is not restricted to primary attacks.

11 minutes ago, Blail Blerg said:

Wait, so what should I try? 1 PS3 s with borons?

Do you put anything on 404? ( 2 Reminder, ability only works on Primary)

1: Out of the Hyenas Diamond Boron Missiles can only be equipped to the I1 Baktoid Prototypes due to the double missile slot requirement.

2: Re-read the Pilot card. The bonus red die happens on any attack 404 makes range 0-1. 404 has the additional ability to make primary attacks at range 0. For your convenience:

1 hour ago, Blail Blerg said:

Wait, so what should I try? PS3 s with borons?

Do you put anything on 404? (Reminder, ability only works on Primary)

People have already covered the distinction with 404

Personally, though, I really don't like going all in on range 1 or bust. So I run 404 with ESC; effective at all ranges (even 0!)

Also, hyenas are weird in that they all have different loadouts apart from the "standard" (tub, Seperatist, and 404 being """"'''standard"""""")

The other three all got systems and HYPER specialized upgrade slots, which is why the Baktoid is the ONLY one who can take Borons (double missile)

For me, it boils down to this:

(Struts are rated E for Everydroid)

TuB, 404 --> ESC :

With probes in list:

Tub/seps --> a Torp

Baktoid --> fcs + diamond boron

32-c also helps guarantee locks with low I but dude be pricey!

So, basically the only missiles I give half a **** about are ESCs and Borons. The three Hyenas I bought are almost invariably:

404, ESC

TuB, ESC + probes

Fcs, baktoid Boron (struts!!!)