Budget x-wings with a few dirty trick options

I don't think anyone will claim they are BETTER than x-wings. But they are cheaper.

I am relatively newish and the more experienced players in my community seem convinced that they are terrible and I shouldn't waste my time. But I suspect there is real potential here.

But I fear that in trying to make them work I would be attempting to recreate a weaker rebel or resistance 4X or 3xsomething type list. And I pretty sure the scum version would be worse in a direct comparison.

So that makes me think I should consider utilizing them in a different way than the rebellion or resistance uses xwings (not pure jousters since they come off slightly worse in comparison).

With the cheaper points costs, perhaps as missile carriers. Even with 5 point cluster missiles they come in at 43 points the same as a rebellion red squadron xwing.

I dunno yet, gonna need more games. A lot more games. But I can't shake the feeling there is something here.

Thoughts?

The following list finished on the top-8 of the US National Championship, so there is that.

Torkil Mux + Moldy Crow
Captain Seevor
Cartel Marauder
Cartel Marauder
Cartel Marauder

( https://listfortress.com/tournaments/928 )

Yeah I saw that!

Got it saved in my app list. But I don't just wanna steal a competitive net list ya know

Paging @FTS Gecko .....

If you want something simple:

Five. Cartel. Marauders - now available with Deadman's Switches. They're surprisingly effective, because that speed 1 turn covers a multitude of sins, and yes, outmanoeuvring one arc of fire when it's attached to a heavy fighter with no linked repositioning is trivial. But outmanoeuvring five is a nightmare - you can completely dodge one, initiative-kill a second, and still face as much incoming fire as most three-ship squads can muster in total, and watching people trying to avoid getting range 1 shots on you in case you blow up in their face is quite amusing.

Alternatively, there are some really good named pilots. Talonbane and Graz are especially nice. I would probably only recommend a single 'ace' Khiraxz, because you don't want to go nuts on spending on them - they are, as you correctly note - worse than X-wings. But they do have some tricks up their sleeves.

The ability to equip two illicits means you can pack Contraband Cybernetics (essentially a cheap, one-use super pattern analyser letting you get actions whilst stressed - or even do back to back red moves if you don't mind never getting actions again...) and cloaking device. Which is great, but limited to one per squad.

• Graz
  • Outmanoeuvre
  • Cloaking Device
  • Contraband Cybernetics
  • Afterburners

Is expensive at 66 points....but that is, looked at another way, only 1/3 of your list. And the ability to decloak forwards then pull a speed 4 K-turn gives you effectively a 'speed 7 k-turn' - and still get a focus token. If you wind up behind your target (quite likely) you gain a bonus red die and they lose a green die, more than doubling the likely damage.

Lol well I got three. If I picked up any more I would need to buy ANOTHER scum conversion box

which would be very annoying. But I may need to, since it only came with 2 starviper dials and I would need another if I wanted more than 2 vipers

19 minutes ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Alternatively, there are some really good named pilots. Talonbane and Graz are especially nice. I would probably only recommend a single 'ace' Khiraxz, because you don't want to go nuts on spending on them - they are, as you correctly note - worse than X-wings. But they do have some tricks up their sleeves.

I had a fun time with triple Kihraxz aces with 8 HP each (Hull + Shield + Afterburners or Stealth Device), but that was before the July Adjustment which swapped their 3rd Modification slot to a 2nd Illicit. I'm sure it's not *good* but it's fun.

Here's where it'd be, with today's points and slots:

• Talonbane Cobra (Predator, Contraband Cybernetics, Shield Upgrade, Afterburners) 67
• Viktor Hel (Elusive, Contraband Cybernetics, Shield Upgrade, Stealth Device) 62
• Graz (Lone Wolf, Contraband Cybernetics, Cloaking Device, Shield Upgrade, Afterburners) 71

Oh dang. This list is so bad. I love it anyhow.

The aces are good fun.

Talonbane's a pretty fair kamikaze - he won't be killed at range 3 because bonus green die, then at range 1 he lobs 5 attack dice, kills something, then tends to explode in a massive fireball.

I'd be tempted to give him a deadman's switch to capitalise on it....works well with Jostero, too.

If you've got a ton of points spare, you could also give him proton rockets, but that might be overdoing it. A 6-dice attack is nothing to sneeze at, though.

Viktor's great because he's just annoying to attack; that auto-stress is pretty rare, and knowing you're going to get stressed when you shoot at him is frustrating.

Just now, Magnus Grendel said:

Talonbane's a pretty fair kamikaze - he won't be killed at range 3 because bonus green die, then at range 1 he lobs 5 attack dice, kills something, then tends to explode in a massive fireball.

I'd be tempted to give him a deadman's switch to capitalise on it....works well with Jostero, too.

If you've got a ton of points spare, you could also give him proton rockets, but that might be overdoing it. A 6-dice attack is nothing to sneeze at, though.

he needs reverse or offensive heroic though. I can't count the number of times I get 6 red dice and then roll 1 hit.

26 minutes ago, buckero0 said:

he needs reverse or offensive heroic though. I can't count the number of times I get 6 red dice and then roll 1 hit.

Heroic wouldn't have helped you there. though. And double modification without, say, a second ship with co-ordinate, or something similar, is deliberately rare.

If you're going for a "raaarghbanzaichargetotheface!!!1!11!!" approach you can do far worse than Fearless.

You're kind of turning him into knock-off Fenn Rau at that point, but that's not inherently a bad thing.

One of the first 2.0 squads I flew was Fenn, Graz, Cobra, L337. Was really good and at range 1, the three fighters can toss 15 red dice. I one rounded a 4lom with 14 red dice from the three.

Fenn Rau (68)
Predator (2)

Graz (46)

Talonbane Cobra (50)
Predator (2)
Afterburners (6)

L3-37 (26)
Total: 200

3 hours ago, ForrestGrump said:

... I don't just wanna steal a competitive net list ya know

Why not?

Give it a try, see if it fits your style and change what you don't like. It's not like this list will be flown by everyone around, this is scum after all...

What I like about scum lists (apart from the Seevor & Torkil goodness in the above list) are the possibilities for removal of green dice - there are so many options for tractor tokens. The cheap marauders with their 3 reds benefit nicely from weak defense targets. Three marauders leave 86 points for your other ship(s) - a nicely decked or Ketsu, 2 Quadjumpers + gear, 1 Quadjumper + Drea...

A really cheap boba fett or eman

Maybe something like this. This is more my style

New Squadron

(56) Old Teroch [Fang Fighter]
Points: 56

(38) Cartel Marauder [Kihraxz Fighter]
Points: 38

(38) Cartel Marauder [Kihraxz Fighter]
Points: 38

(38) Cartel Marauder [Kihraxz Fighter]
Points: 38

(30) Captain Seevor [Modified TIE/ln Fighter]
Points: 30

Total points: 200

I really, really like the Kihraxz. They're beefy, maneuverable and hard-hitting; there's not much that's not to like. Out of the aces, Graz is my fave...Outmaneuver + Inertial Dampeners makes for hilarious shenanigans. Shenaniganz?

I've had some nice success in flying them teamed with Scyk fighters mounted with Heavy Laser Cannons; there's a lot of red dice coming at your enemy from every range, if you position yourself right.

Maybe something like this, with Kulda there to do some token-stripping:

Cartel Marauder (38)
Deadman's Switch (2)

Ship total: 40 Half Points: 20 Threshold: 3

Cartel Marauder (38)
Deadman's Switch (2)

Ship total: 40 Half Points: 20 Threshold: 3

Cartel Spacer (28)
Heavy Laser Cannon (4)

Ship total: 32 Half Points: 16 Threshold: 2

Cartel Spacer (28)
Heavy Laser Cannon (4)

Ship total: 32 Half Points: 16 Threshold: 2

Torani Kulda (48)
Elusive (3)
R5-P8 (4)

Ship total: 55 Half Points: 28 Threshold: 5


Total: 199

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=Scum%20and%20Villainy&d=v8ZsZ200Z124XW93WWWY124XW93WWWY139XW10Y139XW10Y129X119WWW8WW&sn=Mercenary%20Death%20Squad&obs=

8 minutes ago, ForrestGrump said:

Maybe  something like this. This  is more my st   yle 

Looks fine to me, have fun 🙂

3 minutes ago, flooze said:

Looks fine to me, have fun 🙂

Kinda looks like a jousting rebel list tho doesn't it?

But it has a couple tricks up it's sleeve

I went scum cause I am a huge mandalorian fan

So jousting with some tricks seems apropos doesn't it?

Rebels would have more "help the other guy" shenanigans. Scum is more for the "screw you" shenanigans.

Jousting with this should be fine, I think? Delegate one Khiraxz to blocking, the others with Teroch close behind, seevor somewhat behind to the flank, could work?

29 minutes ago, ForrestGrump said:

Maybe something like this. This is more my style

New Squadron

(56) Old Teroch [Fang Fighter]
Points: 56

(38) Cartel Marauder [Kihraxz Fighter]
Points: 38

(38) Cartel Marauder [Kihraxz Fighter]
Points: 38

(38) Cartel Marauder [Kihraxz Fighter]
Points: 38

(30) Captain Seevor [Modified TIE/ln Fighter]
Points: 30

Total points: 200

I was thinking about Old T, Fenn Rau, and two Cartel Marauders the other day.

Oh man that's tough.

I LIKE having the 5th ship. And the secondary way to strip tokens

But Fenn can be a beast

I like mine better, but I can see to possibilities of your list too

Well I tried it

I lost. But it became quickly apparent that it was my fault. I spent entirely too much effort on barrel rolling/jockeying for position

And not nearly enough effort into modifying my shots

Lesson learned. And looking forward to giving it another shot. Maybe tomorrow

12 minutes ago, ForrestGrump said:

Well I tried it

I lost. But it became quickly apparent that it was my fault. I spent entirely too much effort on barrel rolling/jockeying for position

And not nearly enough effort into modifying my shots

Lesson learned. And looking forward to giving it another shot. Maybe tomorrow

The Focus action is your friend. I've seen it advised to consider a ship with a focus or calc to be the default state of the ship and by taking an action other than focus/calc or performing a red maneuver you're in effect spending that token to perform the other action or the maneuver. It's good advice. Use barrel roll only if it'll get the ship out of enemy arcs or enable a block for other focused ships to pound an unmodded/barely modded target, just be ready for the unfocused ship to take damage.

Well like I said , was jockeying for position and ensuring I had more shots

That part worked. But then my dice crapped the bed and I realllllly missed my focus mod

Lol

Hi!

1 hour ago, Talonbane Cobra said:

Hi!

ummmm
hi!

On 8/7/2019 at 8:04 AM, ForrestGrump said:

I don't think anyone will claim they are BETTER than x-wings.

The only thing for me they really lack over X-wings is the one straight.

On 8/7/2019 at 8:37 AM, Magnus Grendel said:

Five. Cartel. Marauders

Totally agree with this. I've had lots of fun with that. Just fly. No interactions to remember or manage. No combos to set up or have to explain. Firing arcs on targets. Also easy to set up and tear down at the game venue. With a 1 straight I might fly that as much as my ARC-170 lists.

You don't have five though. I like your list. Might give that a shot myself.