7 hours ago, Slade said:

Sorry to ask but I don't get it why Gravitic Deflection is so good on Hive Guards.

I have only 2 Hive Guards so in order to use Gravitic Deflection both ships have to be tractored and have their attack arc's pointing at eachother in order to get 1 reroll for each one of the Hive Guards, right?

I assume a tractored Hive Guard is not in its own attack arc but maybe I'm wrong.

@Kleeg005 is right that it depends on the attacker's arc, so a tractored ship will always get a reroll.

If there's only one Hive Guard, Gravitic Deflection essentially negates the penalty of the agility reduction. 2 green dice with a reroll is statistically almost the same as 3 green dice. At it's most basic, you could almost pretend the text on Gravitic Deflection is "you do not roll fewer green dice when Tractored."

However, there are also other cases. Perhaps a damaged Nantex simply focuses and doesn't tractor itself, but an undamaged Nantex does take the tractor. Now, if your opponent wants to try to finish off the wounded one, it has a reroll and 3 green dice.

Thx. I should have read the whole sentencr instead of the last part only *slaps forehead*.

With being tractored is it better to role 2 evade dice with 2 rerolls ,if using 2 guards, compared to roling 3 dice only once if not tractored? I guess ‘yes’ but depends on situation.

I’m thinking about screening the 2 guards with vultures to have the guards stay at range 2-3 from the attackers.

P.S. Just saw theBitterFig reply

2 hours ago, Slade said:

With being tractored is it better to role 2 evade dice with 2 rerolls ,if using 2 guards, compared to roling 3 dice only once if not tractored? I guess ‘yes’ but depends on situation.

Swings and roundabouts.

3 dice with focus produces an average of 1.875 evades, whilst 2 rerolled dice with focus produces 1.72 evades. (so the former is better)

3 dice without focus produces an average of 1.125 evades, whilst 2 rerolled dice with focus produces 1.22 evades. (so the latter is better)

The difference either way is pretty minimal, and, of course, no amount of luck can let 2 dice cancel 3 incoming damage (a lot of the time, when I take hits, it's from taking a 3-hit-attack. However, 2 rerolled dice is incredibly reliable - if you have a focus token, the odds of not getting at least one evade is less than 2%, and with 4 hull not 3, the Nantex is that touch tougher than a vulture or TIE fighter, making it almost impossible to one-shot, even at range 1 or with a torpedo, and - just as importantly, if you're taking concentrated fire, that means you're going to be taking several attacks, and gravetic deflection works on every incoming shot. If you're getting to use it 2-3 times per turn on the same ship, that's a huge deal. @Kleeg005 has the core of it - one Nantex with Gravetic Deflection is okay, but they have a mutually reinforcing effect, especially when bonus defence dice (for whatever reason) come into play, which makes Gravetic Deflection en masse worth more than the sum of its parts, with one tractored ship potentially applying defence bonuses to multiple allies.

As an aside - note that it's the "attack arc" - pay attention to the benefits and limitations of this. A normal ship firing a primary weapon is using a arc. Even if they are also using predator, or crack shot, dead to rights, or what have you, the arc of the attack is , unlike heavy laser cannon which only attacks in the . Also, you can be in the attack arc without being a legal target - A nantex at range 3 in your when your is pointed that way is still "in the attack arc", but is NOT a valid target for a range 2 weapon like an ion cannon turret, so can protect a wingbug at range 2 without risk to itself.

Plus, as noted by @theBitterFig , if you don't kill off a ship, I have the option to not tractor that one next turn, but to tractor its undamaged wingbug. Now it has full agility and rerolls, so landing a killing blow is really hard, and there's a comparatively vulnerable other Nantex also in arc; which tempts your opponent to do the absolute worst thing you can do when facing a swarm of tough ships - split fire rather than finishing off wounded ships...

Just a quick recap, as opposed to a full batrep. I managed to get a couple kitchen table games against a jank Moralo/Guri list with 3x Gravitic Hive Guards and 2x Cluster Mine/Seismic Bombards. Split the games, with the first one being a semi-close victory and the second game being a pretty bad blow-out loss. In the first game, I managed to taunt the YV into the rocks, and the bugs just tore it to shreds. Second game, he played much cagier and I did some unfortunate self-bumping. And Guri's dice hotted up pretty strongly. I likely should have disengaged entirely on about turn three of game two, and regrouped to try to once more draw Moralo away from the edge, and maaaaaaybe get a better killbox set up for Guri. I think I was probably just too aggressive - but while the Nantex is a pure beauty to fly, the Hyena is...more challenging...and once engaged has difficulty disengaging.

Positive takeaways: 1) The Nantex is **** good at herding Aces (but my continuing refusal to buy an Infiltrator still leaves me looking for a solid anvil against which to hammer said Aces.). 2) Cluster Mines feel *good*. Out of something like 30 dice rolled for Prox mines, I reckon I'm at about six points of damage scored (not including the auto-hit) - which is 21 damage out of a possible 45!!!!. I dropped three Cluster Mines in two games for a total of 8 damage including a killshot on Moralo in game 1 (with two cluster "nodes" not hitting) - which is 8 damage out of a possible 14. Of course, I ran over one of those leftover nodes and killed a damaged Bombard Drone, but them's the breaks. Cluster Mines would likely be broken if they had more than one charge or could be reloaded, but **** I wish I had more of them.

Other takeaways: 1) I *really* miss having any way of rerolling my (attack) dice in this list. The damage race leans so hard into the variance. Ouch. 2) Not sure how I feel about the Seismic Charges. I hit myself as much as my opponent, although in the second game that was the *only* damage I managed against Guri. If I drop them, I can get Kret (for the i5), or two Arena Aces. Dunno. Somehow that seems...less good than having everything at i3? 3) I fear that the HMP Gunship will be far too expensive to run in the place of the Hyenas, but won't hit hard enough to compensate for the continuing refusal to buy an Infiltrator. I know, I know; we know virtually nothing about the HMP, least of all costing. I can only listen to my gut - and continue to eschew the large base ship that just plain doesn't interest me. And continue to feel that the Hyenas just aren't quite pulling their weight.

@Kleeg005 Every time I think of running Nantex with bomber I think that is exactly what Berwer Kret's ability was designed for.

Upgrade one Nantex to Berwer, drop another one to add two vultures. You have a mini swarm of 4 droids and Nantex flankers. You can make sure all your ships are getting target locks and use Berwer to get the calculate mod. I'm not sure how well it will work, but it might be worth a shot? Let me know if you try it, I'm not going to get to try this out for a while (too many other lists in the cue).

9 hours ago, dunhop said:

You can make sure all your ships are getting target locks and use Berwer to get the calculate mod. I'm not sure how well it will work, but it might be worth a shot? Let me know if you try it, I'm not going to get to try this out for a while (too many other lists in the cue).

Now that you need actual missiles - instead of just Energy-Shell Charges - if you want to load the cost-reduced Hyeenas with ordnance, they'll be target-locking a lot more.

Having Probe Droids to support the locks and Berwer Kret to provide calculates without giving up a 'combatant' ship to do it feels like it could be pretty good; yes the free calculate is red but thanks to networked calculations you don't need everyone who can to do so.

15 hours ago, dunhop said:

@Kleeg005 Every time I think of running Nantex with bomber I think that is exactly what Berwer Kret's ability was designed for.

Upgrade one Nantex to Berwer, drop another one to add two vultures. You have a mini swarm of 4 droids and Nantex flankers. You can make sure all your ships are getting target locks and use Berwer to get the calculate mod. I'm not sure how well it will work, but it might be worth a shot? Let me know if you try it, I'm not going to get to try this out for a while (too many other lists in the cue).

5 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Now that you need actual missiles - instead of just Energy-Shell Charges - if you want to load the cost-reduced Hyeenas with ordnance, they'll be target-locking a lot more.

Having Probe Droids to support the locks and Berwer Kret to provide calculates without giving up a 'combatant' ship to do it feels like it could be pretty good; yes the free calculate is red but thanks to networked calculations you don't need everyone who can to do so.

My only real hesitation is getting Kret to actually *hit* - given that he doesn't have any reliable ways to mod his little pea-shooter. Like Sun Fac and Chertek, I feel like the Kret is just another blank pilot ability. It certainly can trigger, but I strongly hesitate to build around it and chase after it. That's one lesson I've learned all to well from trying to build on Scum's jank "synergies."

Actually, I think the next permutation I attempt will a Gravitic Sun with four TFD's and a Relay-toting DBS-32C. Sun becomes simply a glorified, overpriced flanker, the scalpel to push the enemy against what should be a proper anvil. If I may mix my metaphors like that.

Or 3x Gravitic Hive Guards and 3x TFD supported by DFS-311. But I still worry that won't hit hard enough.

2 hours ago, Kleeg005 said:

My only real hesitation is getting Kret to actually *hit* - given that he doesn't have any reliable ways to mod his little pea-shooter. Like Sun Fac and Chertek, I feel like the Kret is just another blank pilot ability. It certainly can trigger, but I strongly hesitate to build around it and chase after it. That's one lesson I've learned all to well from trying to build on Scum's jank "synergies."

Those were my concerns with Kret as well, maybe I will have to push trying him out to the top of my list just to see how it works.

2 hours ago, Kleeg005 said:

Sun becomes simply a glorified, overpriced flanker, the scalpel to push the enemy against what should be a proper anvil. If I may mix my metaphors like that.

I like mixing metaphors as well, that feels like a very accurate description.

7 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Having Probe Droids to support the locks and Berwer Kret to provide calculates without giving up a 'combatant' ship to do it feels like it could be pretty good; yes the free calculate is red but thanks to networked calculations you don't need everyone who can to do so.

I like this idea. Red calculate doesn't matter at all if you can get your guys parked on a rock since you'll be shedding that stress every round. Action economy is critical in this game and if you can get everyone to target the same ship you can blow it out of the water quickly. The real struggle will be keeping your guys alive long enough to do so.

17 hours ago, Kleeg005 said:

My only real hesitation is getting Kret to actually *hit* - given that he doesn't have any reliable ways to mod his little pea-shooter. Like Sun Fac and Chertek, I feel like the Kret is just another blank pilot ability. It certainly can trigger, but I strongly hesitate to build around it and chase after it.

Agreed. I'm not saying it'll come up that reliably.

But if you plan on fielding a bunch of Techno Union Bombers (not a bad call, they're cheap), and want to have some sort of ace to support them, then I'd rather take Kret than Sun Fac.

Yes, you lose I6, but both have essentially blank pilot ability, and Kret only pays a 2 point surcharge over a Petranaki Ace rather than 16 - and Kret's ability will trigger every so often, as opposed to Sun Fac's (who literally cannot trigger his ability ever in a hyperspace setting unless an opponent tractors their own ship), and Hyeenas with missiles are likely to be able to benefit from it as and when it does.

So I broke down and picked up an Infiltrator. This evening I dropped Dooku with title/Informant/Grievous/Protons/Heightened Senses and Hive Guards with Gravitic Deflection. My opponent ran Garvin, Porkins, Ten, and Dutch, all with very limited upgrades if any. Lost 200-0. First round of engagement I lost a bug to a one-shot, doing one shield in return. Wash, rinse repeat. In the meantime, my Proton Bombs did as much damage as all shots fired. Rebel Synergy(tm) was just too strong. Dice variance was too strong.

Admittedly, I altered my opening strategy. I had initially intended to simply toilet bowl around the central obstacle field and see if I could break up his formation. I turned in a turn early when it appeared that I could get some more or less uncontested shots on the end of the formation, to be followed by a strong disengage. Except that dice variance happened, and one bug was one-shotted in spite of Range 3, Gravitic rerolls, and a focus. And the remaining bugs blanked out against a tokenless Y-Wing.

I just don't know. It certainly seems that the cumulative tractor nerf and the points increase has rendered the Nantex kinda useless. Feels real bad even trying to put them on the table.

@Kleeg005 Sorry to hear... That sounds painful.

The only advice I can give for the Nantex is that they do not perform well formations. They are bugs, fly them like a bunch of gnats. Buzz around from all angles where they are least likely to get shot and use their little pea-shooter turret to annoy. The Infiltrator is your wasp that puts in the heavy sting. The Nantex ability to rotate their arc and barrel roll is one of their key strengths for arc dodging and still being able to get shots in. If you can combine moving them into a place where they can get a block and rotate their arc to shoot someone else, that is ideal.

If you aren't enjoying flying the ship, that might be reason to move on to something else. The Infiltrator can be a great ship to try next since you just picked it up. I enjoy O-66 with 7 vultures (yeah, I bought way too heavily into Seperatists when they first came out)

On 3/11/2020 at 11:16 PM, Kleeg005 said:

So I broke down and picked up an Infiltrator. This evening I dropped Dooku with title/Informant/Grievous/Protons/Heightened Senses and Hive Guards with Gravitic Deflection. My opponent ran Garvin, Porkins, Ten, and Dutch, all with very limited upgrades if any. Lost 200-0. First round of engagement I lost a bug to a one-shot, doing one shield in return. Wash, rinse repeat. In the meantime, my Proton Bombs did as much damage as all shots fired. Rebel Synergy(tm) was just too strong. Dice variance was too strong.

Admittedly, I altered my opening strategy. I had initially intended to simply toilet bowl around the central obstacle field and see if I could break up his formation. I turned in a turn early when it appeared that I could get some more or less uncontested shots on the end of the formation, to be followed by a strong disengage. Except that dice variance happened, and one bug was one-shotted in spite of Range 3, Gravitic rerolls, and a focus. And the remaining bugs blanked out against a tokenless Y-Wing.

I just don't know. It certainly seems that the cumulative tractor nerf and the points increase has rendered the Nantex kinda useless. Feels real bad even trying to put them on the table.

My experiences have been similar. Granted, I'm just starting the game and not the best at figuring out maneuvering, but the biggest problem is that my friend's B\X-wing list usually ends up one-shotting a Nantex at some point in the fight, while I can't even take out the shields on one of his B-Wings or X-wings, even though I basically get a Bullseye attack almost every turn and at least two other attacks on the same target each turn. (whoever can't shoot my primary target is usually just taking a pot-shot at another of his ships) If my friend actually used R2's than he could probably end the game with no damage on his ships. Luckily, he keeps trying to do fun stuff instead.

I still like the Nantex conceptually (which is good considering it's the only ship I have, and I have 5 of them), but it seems super weak, at least against the list of X-wings/B-wings. I plan on getting an Infiltrator soon and some HMP's when they come out, so maybe I can figure out some good lists with a mix of those and Nantex.

I had originally planned on posting some Battle reports here, but I haven't been doing it because I feel like luck has been too great a factor in the games I've played so far.

4 hours ago, Black_Rabbit_Inle said:

My experiences have been similar. Granted, I'm just starting the game and not the best at figuring out maneuvering, but the biggest problem is that my friend's B\X-wing list usually ends up one-shotting a Nantex at some point in the fight, while I can't even take out the shields on one of his B-Wings or X-wings, even though I basically get a Bullseye attack almost every turn and at least two other attacks on the same target each turn. (whoever can't shoot my primary target is usually just taking a pot-shot at another of his ships) If my friend actually used R2's than he could probably end the game with no damage on his ships. Luckily, he keeps trying to do fun stuff instead.

I still like the Nantex conceptually (which is good considering it's the only ship I have, and I have 5 of them), but it seems super weak, at least against the list of X-wings/B-wings. I plan on getting an Infiltrator soon and some HMP's when they come out, so maybe I can figure out some good lists with a mix of those and Nantex.

I had originally planned on posting some Battle reports here, but I haven't been doing it because I feel like luck has been too great a factor in the games I've played so far.

A nantex only list vs rebel beef seems a natural anti list for Nantex. Rebels simply can take too many hits until it really hurts while every bad roll on your side most likely leads to one ship less for the next round.

Instead of running an Infiltrator I would rather suggest to combine them with a Bellubab as a carrier for tactical relax as well as some vultures for additional blockes and higher time on target (more shots)

Captain Sear (45)
K2-B4 (5)
Impervium Plating (4)

Petranaki Arena Ace (38)
Gravitic Deflection (5)

Petranaki Arena Ace (38)
Gravitic Deflection (5)

Trade Federation Drone (19)
Grappling Struts (1)

Trade Federation Drone (19)
Grappling Struts (1)

Trade Federation Drone (19)
Grappling Struts (1)
Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0

9 hours ago, Black_Rabbit_Inle said:

I had originally planned on posting some Battle reports here, but I haven't been doing it because I feel like luck has been too great a factor in the games I've played so far.

Post your batreps anyway. If nothing else, it forces you to analyze your game a little more than you might otherwise. With that kind of reflection, you might find that there was more going than just dice. I mean, as I go back and read through some of my old batreps, I find that I often write something to effect of "I abandoned my initial plan...and lost hard." There's a lesson for me in there somewhere. If I could just figure it out....

4 hours ago, Banjo79 said:

A nantex only list vs rebel beef seems a natural anti list for Nantex. Rebels simply can take too many hits until it really hurts while every bad roll on your side most likely leads to one ship less for the next round.

Instead of running an Infiltrator I would rather suggest to combine them with a Bellubab as a carrier for tactical relax as well as some vultures for additional blockes and higher time on target (more shots)

I see that I forgot to mention that I was testing for Hyperspace for a SC (that has since been postponed, probably to be cancelled). I've run a mixed Nantex/Vulture squad in past, and it can do some work. I haven't run it against Beef, though. My main dig against it is that it was somehow...boring. Dull, lifeless, and unsatisfying. Sometimes I fear that I am too demanding of my lists - that they should be both competitive AND fun? Madness!

Another quick recap. Managed three kitchen table games with Petranaki Aces toting Gravitic and Trick Shot escorting a Daredevil Grievous. Against Outmaneuver Fenn and two Shadowport Hunters, one with IGD and the other with a PerCop. First two games were heavy losses - game two in particular only lasted twenty minutes. Even with Gravitic rerolls, the Nantex leans SO heavily on variance. On the other hand, the third game featured variance that went the Aces's way, as the first engagement saw one of the Hunters into hull with a pair of crits at the low, low cost of a single hit.

Some impressions. Fenn was played pretty cagey, used more as a closer than a hammer, except in game three where he ended up in a killbox and evaporated - and those turret arcs are just marvelous at turning off Outmaneuver. Gravitic saved perhaps a total of twelve damage across three ships and three games - the dice were definitely not in my favor there! And trick shot only turned up maybe six times in all three games, to little practical or evident effect - no rerolls on attack is rough. Grievous used Daredevil maybe twice, and both times it turned out to be a mistake. A local talks up how a guy he plays regularly in a more distant shop uses Daredevil Grievous to good effect and so I wanted to try him out, but I think he needs something more frightening than Nantex to draw attention away from him.

I have tried Aces with Crack and Predator in the past, and that may really be the best way to go after all; or maybe Gravitic and Predator. Maybe it's better to not put all my eggs in one bullseye, ha ha. While the Bellbullab felt like a decent wingmate for the bugs, its dial is just a little limiting. You really want to lean into those linked actions, especially when Grievous has the opportunity to act like an ace against those large bases, but then that dial hits you. Ugh. But it certainly feels like it lasts longer and hits harder than Vultures, for example. I do have a super-casual list involving three Aces with Predator and Crack escorting an Ion C-ROC, which comes in at only 198 points.... Now *there's* and anvil for you! If anybody out there has a spare Bellbullab they reckon they will never use, I'd happily take it off your hands - two Skokoans and three Stalgasins seems like it would be pretty decent.

Another quick quarantine kitchen-table voices-in-my-head recap. Two games with four Strutting Trade Fed Drones, Outmaneuver/Soulless/Plated Grievous, and fully kitted Ensnare/Deflect Chertek against R4 Poe and two ProTorp Black Squad Aces. First game, the T-70's attempted to joust, trying to get the Proton Torpedoes to nuke a pair of Drones before they could shoot. That didn't work. Even with Locks and three Heroic rerolls, the end result was two Drones with a total of three damage between them and a dead Black Squad Ace. The game didn't last much longer as Chertek and Grievous came flanking in. The Resistance only killed one Drone and halved two more, never even touching the two named pilots. Second game went longer and was much, much closer. Chertek died hard to some nasty variance, but not before he almost soloed an Ace. Grievous lost his shields, and two Drones died with a third on fire and spiraling out of control. But Outmaneuver Grievous is still solid when he gets enough support. And I had forgotten just how good Ensnare is. I mean, I only managed to use it three times in two games, but it was clutch every time. Of course, i need to get it on the table against someone other than the voices in my head, but this might be an okay list. Perhaps I'll just have to try it again and get some more practice in before the lockdown lifts, really surprise my friends.

Today I decided to really challenge my Grievous/Chertek/TFD list: large bases and bombs. Chertek would be all but useless, and the almost total lack of shields in the list would mean that Proton Bombs should have an outsized effect. Two Cobalt Bombers with Protons and Chewie with Rey/title/Kor Sella. Resistance had no bid, so got to move first with the idea that Grievous and Chertek should be able to get some arc dodging against Chewie. Bombers went more of less centered, with an open board - obstacles were placed on the CIS edge and one side. TFD's went on their right, to take advantage of the obstacles over there. Chewie went on the opposite corner, with Grievous and Chertek setting up to joust into a flanking position. I didn't expect Chertek to live too terribly long or to hit very hard - he was effectively just a Petrananki Ace, after all, so I just yolo'd him into Chewie. And all those firing arcs were going to deny much of Grievous's abilities as well. And for a while, it really looked like the Resistance was going to run away with it. Proton Bombs caught Grievous twice, taking a shield and an Impervium charge, and hit three of the four drones, one of them twice. But green dice variance was a MAJOR factor. The Resistance rolled a single natural evade in the entire game, whereas the CIS had a few clutch full natties on defense. In the end, the CIS pulled out the win, with Chertek on one Hull and three crits showing, Grievous on three hull, one Drone on one Hull with two crits showing, and one more drone on two Hull with a Console Fire (which failed to proc on three consecutive turns). If I'd been playing against another person, I'd have been sweating this game hard - it was a knife-edge on either side. Which probably means neither list is competitive, but they sure are fun!

I just wanted to say, as someone who just go their first nantex a few weeks ago (and hasn't had a good opportunity to use it yet) these reports have been helpful, to figure out some of the basic do's and dont's. It's good to see someone who isn't bashing the nantex!

On 2/12/2020 at 2:14 AM, Magnus Grendel said:

Now that you need actual missiles - instead of just Energy-Shell Charges - if you want to load the cost-reduced Hyeenas with ordnance, they'll be target-locking a lot more.

Having Probe Droids to support the locks and Berwer Kret to provide calculates without giving up a 'combatant' ship to do it feels like it could be pretty good; yes the free calculate is red but thanks to networked calculations you don't need everyone who can to do so.

I'm pretty sure I'd be using Kraken as well.

I think he's golden with ordinance Hyenas.

Question: Should I get a second Nantex. As of right now, I have only one. Is it worth getting a second one? And if so, what are some good lists to try out with it?

12 hours ago, Gupa-nupa said:

Question: Should I get a second Nantex. As of right now, I have only one. Is it worth getting a second one? And if so, what are some good lists to try out with it?

Man, as to your first question, we just don't know. They gutted the thing with the increases to Ensnare *and* the changes to tractor. So, currently, it's an oddity; a ship with a cool signature move that it can't afford to use. It's fun to fly, but it's not hugely effective competitively. It has difficulty earning back its points. It's just weird. And that brings us to your second question. The Nantex doesn't really fit with the rest of the faction - it doesn't fit anywhere, which would make it the perfect Scum ship, ha ha. You know from reading above that the Bughouse Swarm can perform, if you practice it obsessively. Sun Fac makes great but hugely overpriced bait. But beyond that, it...remains to be seen? Because no one flies it following the successive waves of nerfs, no one has demonstrated the secret sauce to make it competitive. And if you're flying for funsies, well.... Don't worry about the list; just chuck it in with any old thing and see what happens. Because it just doesn't fly of move like anything else in the faction.

I feel like none of that was helpful. Maybe the caffeine hasn't kicked in yet?

I'll try again. My experience, flawed though it may be, is that the Nantex rolls either as an Acey flanker with a bunch of droids, or as a 3+ miniswarm with an Infiltrator. We know it can work as 5-piece swarm. YMMV. I would advise, personally, just trying Sun Fac with Gravitic Deflection and...Crack Shot(?)...with whatever you usually fly in CIS. Use him solely as a flanker/bait. See how you feel about it. I have the strong feeling that FFG will change the Nantex significantly in the next points/rules update, but I haven't the foggiest which way they will go. So maybe don't invest just yet. Unless you go all-in and snag at least two more. But until then. Sun Fac. Cheap as possible. For the i6 alone.

Awesome! Thanks for the insight!

Quote

Finally in terms of points updates, we have reevaluated the Nantex -class starfighter’s points. The change to tractor tokens and points increase in last update proved enough to push the Nantex out of the competitive scene completely. This isn’t entirely surprising that the ship would need a points revision after a rules change with implications on its primary build (the Nantex equipped with Ensnare).

Laughs in Bughouse Swarm

If I've done the numbers right, what was a swarm of five Hive Guard with Gravetic Deflection are now Arena Aces with Intimidation as well, and still get a better initiative bid on top of initiative 4....

@Magnus Grendel , yeah, my lists suddenly have an embarassment of points. I only have three of the bugs, and it's almost difficult to decide how to escort them now, ha ha.

Except those few lists in which I still tried to make Ensnare work. Which never worked. But still. They're pretty well and truly nuked. Maybe a single Sun Fac doubling down on the bait/flanker role can still do...something?

Either way, I can't wait to try.

I couldn't help myself. I had to try. I promoted my Deflecting Hive Guards to Arena Aces and gave them Marksmanship as well, kept them escorting a medium-bulk Maul - all hyperspace legal. Put them down against Nym, two Goons, and Kulda - lots of Proton Bombs, a Snap Shot, Dorsal Turrets, some Seismics. It was a good test. Marksmanship on a super-mobile frame is money against slow-moving, low-agility ships. Conversely, those bombs *really* affected the way I flew, and did do a wee touch of nasty damage to my bugs. At time, the CIS lost by just ten points, and Maul was the weak link. Without Hate, he's just not good; I think he got a total of four shots off before he burned (including a doubletap). On the other side, I burned down Kulda, fast, then focused Nym - who would have been first priority but he took the long way 'round to the engagement.

I think the Nantex - the generics, at least - might be okay now.