I think deterring people from going after you is important in a build. 1 agility ships that can be easily damaged may be first prey off the board. Toward end of game, you want to keep points also. So good defense and evasion to secure and hold onto your hard earned points.

Share your ideas!

Aces High rules as I know them:

1) Ship build (any size) up to 80pts (all upgrades legal as far as I know)

2) 4-players

3) Score 1pt for first blood (first damage to an enemy ship)

4) 1pt for kill shot + 1 bounty point (which can be taken if you die?) So shooting first and not necessarily moving last may be key to winning)

5) Dying loses you 1pt (and all bounties or just one bounty? not sure)

Rebels:

Corran allows a nice double tap for killshot. Beefy 3 green dice with lone wolf for defense, may deter people from wasting shots firing at him. Also included spare parts canister for running away and dumping locks after double tap. With LW and R3, you basically have rerolls against all three of your opponents.

Corran Horn (66) 80pts total
Lone Wolf (5)
Fire-Control System (2)
R3 Astromech (3)
Spare Parts Canisters (4)

Luke is pretty simple, AB into range 1 for a big kill shot for points. Heightened to steal kills from i6's on 1 or 2 hull enemies. Infinite defensive force to stay alive.

Luke Skywalker (62) 80pts total
Heightened Perception (3)
Adv. Proton Torpedoes (6)
R3 Astromech (3)
Afterburners (6)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

EMPIRE

Simple explanations. Im taking all three ships for other side event pods or something, so no extra packing required. Just good fun ships that should do well in dancing around enemy ships and hopefully stay alive...and killing things.

“Echo” (51) 78pts total
Lone Wolf (5)
Advanced Sensors (10)
Fifth Brother (9)
Targeting Computer (3)

Soontir Fel (53) 73pts total
Lone Wolf (5)
Shield Upgrade (8)
Hull Upgrade (7)

“Whisper” (57) 78pts total
Juke (6)
Fifth Brother (9)
Stealth Device (6)

SCUM

This faction was built for this format. So many tools and tricks and overloading ships is all but encouraged.

Talonbane - all the tools anybody would ever want to fly Talonbane with. Scary mofo who can decloak, move, boost into range 1 with focus and lone wolf reroll. Should be able to kill ships.

Talonbane Cobra (50) 75pts total
Lone Wolf (5)
Contraband Cybernetics (3)
Cloaking Device (5)
Afterburners (6)
Shield Upgrade (6)

IG is just a tough ship, adv sensors for sloops. Or just boost into range 1 with 3 greens, evade, and fearless. Getting and keeping points by boosting away with evades.

IG-88C (65) 78pts total
Fearless (3)
Advanced Sensors (10)

Palob has two focuses with Moldy, and evade with debris gambit. He can steal a green token, use that for lando rerolls (offense or defense). If he stills has evade token when attacking, that can be used for offense rerolls as well. Feels a like a solid offense and defense ship.

Palob Godalhi (40) 80pts total
Debris Gambit (4)
Lando Calrissian (8)
Deadman’s Switch (2)
Shield Upgrade (6)
Engine Upgrade (2)
Moldy Crow (18)

1 hour ago, wurms said:

“Echo” (51) 78pts total
Lone Wolf (5)
Advanced Sensors (10)
Fifth Brother (9)
Targeting Computer (3)

Talonbane Cobra (50) 75pts total
Lone Wolf (5)
Contraband Cybernetics (3)
Cloaking Device (5)
Afterburners (6)
Shield Upgrade (6)

IG-88C (65) 78pts total
Fearless (3)
Advanced Sensors (10)

Oo, I like these 3.

Loaded TB is a beast.

I think I'd possibly prefer IG-D to C, in these circumstances. As a bonus, you could fit Seismics as well....

I fear for Echo tbh. But that wouldn't stop me loving it. Personal flavour would be Outmanouevre and Collision Detector.

My contribution.

(59) Latts Razzi [YV-666 Light Freighter]
(6) Jabba the Hutt
(12) Han Solo
(3) Contraband Cybernetics
Points: 80

Just park it in a corner and shoot everywhere. Doesn't fit the no 1ag big target criteria but does create a nice dilemma for anyone wanting to get close, knowing everything else is a shark sniffing for blood

11 hours ago, wurms said:

I think deterring people from going after you is important in a build.

Agreed. Ships which actively discourage people from attacking you might be a good idea. A tooled-to-the-nines Viktor Hel, for example (go on, shoot me; no-one will take advantage of you being stressed, obviously....).

First Order:

• Kylo Ren
  • Hate

It's not sophisticated, but shooting at Kylo is going to leave you with the ever-nasty I'll Show You The Dark Side floating over your head, and a Silencer should be manoeuvrable enough to avoid being killboxed if it doesn't wish to be.

• "Quickdraw"
  • Fanatical
  • Collision Detector
  • Pattern Analyser
  • Special Forces Gunner
  • Homing Missiles
  • Shield Upgrade

Lurking at long range and lobbing homing missiles should be good for snagging first blood a couple of times, and then it's the classic problem of "do you really want to shoot quickdraw?"

Empire

If you don't have to have a unique pilot (not sure on that rule?):

• Onyx Squadron Ace
  • Lone Wolf
  • Jamming Beam

Because trying to kill a focus/evading TIE defender with a defensive reroll is "fun"... yes, TIE defenders are easily killed (for their points, anyway) if blocked....but who's going to use their ship to block to let someone else get the kill in a furball?

Resistance: You could fit out Poe, but I think Nien Numb could be hideously nasty in this environment.

Nien Nunb (55)
Lone Wolf (5)
R2 Astromech (4)
Shield Upgrade (6)
Integrated S-Foils (0)
Pattern Analyzer (5)
Black One (2)
Autoblasters (2)
Total: 79

I suspect if you're going to take Autoblasters then you'd really love to have Marksmanship - with a 3-dice primary naturally the T-70 really needs that automatic critical to make the cannon's ability 'zing'.

Shield Regeneration isn't a bad idea, and Black One is good for bravely running away - you're unlikely to lose the ship in one engagement phase.

Alternate option - fly fast and be really annoying:

• Captain Feroph
  • Lone Wolf
  • Darth Vader
  • Seventh Sister
  • Shield Upgrade

Technically only agility 1, but is going to take some killing in practice.

8 minutes ago, Magnus Grendel said:

I suspect if you're going to take Autoblasters then you'd really love to have Marksmanship - with a 3-dice primary naturally the T-70 really needs that automatic critical to make the cannon's ability 'zing'.

Shield Regeneration isn't a bad idea, and Black One is good for bravely running away - you're unlikely to lose the ship in one engagement phase.

Alternate option - fly fast and be really annoying:

• Captain Feroph
  • Lone Wolf
  • Darth Vader
  • Seventh Sister
  • Shield Upgrade

Technically only agility 1, but is going to take some killing in practice.

Autoblasters is entirely an incidental upgrade, and I wouldn't want to sacrifice Lone Wolf for Marksmanship in this scenario. Once we know the full rules, dropping it for a 'bid' may be sensible.

I like the idea behind Feroph, but I'd expect it to get focused down hard by people chasing points. Too risky to leave the control offered by Seventh Sister on the board.

The Grand Inquisitor might be worth a look, too - he's about the most capable pilot who can afford to equip Supernatural Reflexes, and a TIE/v1 can really make use of it with linked boost/roll and a good blue dial.

My only concern there would be the very low health total; you may be behind three green dice and at have the potential to have focus/evade/force for modding them, but all it takes is a very poor defence roll you are done. Still, could be a very nasty knife fighter.

Be bold, take Dengar.

• Dengar
  • Lone Wolf
  • Punishing One
  • R5-P8
  • Contraband Cybernetics
  • Spare Parts Canister

Luke Skywalker (62) 80pts total
Heightened Perception (3)
Adv. Proton Torpedoes (6)
R3 Astromech (3)
Afterburners (6)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Aces High is a fun format. Had a blast playing it. Took the above loadout to the Aces High Side Event and it was awesome.

Round 1 played against a Torkhil, Wolfe, and Miranda. It was hilarious. Torkhil and Miranda were dropping proxy mines all over the place. I went for Torkhil and Adv proton torp him off the board. Then loaded out wolfe kills me. But I then get to recharge my APT and kill Wolfe instantly next round for the bounty points. It was great. So fun. I won first round with 13pts, while second place had like 7 or 8pts? Everyone seemed to enjoy the game.

Round 2 vs a Luke with proton torps, Wedge with Proton torps, droid that hurts himself at range 0 with electro bombs and discord missiles, etc. This was another great and fun game. Wedge was gonna get kill shots and I heightened perception to shoot before him, HAHA. My luke killed 4 ships. So, Im sitting out there with 4 bounties. And I dont want second place to get the points and surpass me, so I fly myself in front of other Luke and let him take the points. lol. That hyena bomber kept dropping electro bombs and at one point we were all staring each other in teh face at range 2 and every single once of us got weapons disabled and ion'd, then we just 1 straight next round and we are all range 1 of each other. It was a blood bath. Won that round with 16pts total, while second had I think around 9pts?

Round 3 was 3 T65 Xwings (Luke luke wedge nien)

This game was a low point scoring round. Not alot of ships died. It was mostly just the two lukes that died maybe twice. Winner had like 9 points. The other luke was same loadout as me, but with Ion Torpedoes and he kept torpedoing me early in game, so I never got anything going. Nien Nunb whooped our butts though. He was a beast with his ability.

Made top 16 and got a lot of tickets for prize wall. Woo wooo!

This format is really good. Lots of fun. Highly recommend it. It was what most people were playing around the event on side tables. Definitely the best alternate format FFG has created. All we talked about while eating dinner was ridiculous 80pt builds to play the next day.

19 hours ago, wurms said:

This format is really good. Lots of fun. Highly recommend it. It was what most people were playing around the event on side tables. Definitely the best alternate format FFG has created. All we talked about while eating dinner was ridiculous 80pt builds to play the next day.

Glad to here it! Furballs were always the best fun for non-serious games, and throwing in respawns and bounties prevents someone being stuck twiddling their thumbs for ages after being killed in the first shot.

Are the format rules written down anywhere?

29 minutes ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Are the format rules written down anywhere?

Question: is Lone Wolf going to be autoinclude in any ship with a talent slot? Any case were you would choose a different one?

If all Aces High matches are full of lone wolves, maybe a house rule to leave it out of the game for sake of variety?

36 minutes ago, LUZ_TAK said:

Question: is Lone Wolf going to be autoinclude in any ship with a talent slot? Any case were you would choose a different one?

If all Aces High matches are full of lone wolves, maybe a house rule to leave it out of the game for sake of variety?

Not necessarily. It is a great choice, but it's not an automatic one - it essentially gives you a guaranteed reroll every turn but it's also one of the most expensive talents out there short of Ensnare and Force Powers. I would seriously consider no talent and a better base pilot as a viable alternative.

For that matter, force powers are a good case in point; a fair proportion of 'aces' don't have access to it, but do you want a one-die reroll enough to not take the version of a pilot with force charge?

3 hours ago, LUZ_TAK said:

Question: is Lone Wolf going to be autoinclude in any ship with a talent slot? Any case were you would choose a different one?

If all Aces High matches are full of lone wolves, maybe a house rule to leave it out of the game for sake of variety?

Lone Wolf was on a lot of ships (probably 90% who could take EPTs), but not every single one. Sabine Shuttle took debris gambit. There was a Wedge with Marksmanship. Lulo with SnapShot. Whisper with Juke, etc. I flew Corran with predator, adv proton torps, and afterburners. Threw 9 attack dice in 1 round

I can totally see a ban on LW though just to see a mixup of EPTs, but it is not broken. It's one reroll and when they spend it once, then people start licking their lips at the easy prey since they have no more defensive rerolls, and if its a full health ship, then you want that first blood point.

I would definately ban Sun Fac from this format though. We played one game with him and it was just horrible. You all just have to gang up on him or he just ruins the fun for people.

18 hours ago, wurms said:

I would definately ban Sun Fac from this format though. We played one game with him and it was just horrible. You all just have to gang up on him or he just ruins the fun for people.

It'd depend on the size of game. At 50 points he's unavailable by default and at 75 points he's available but cannot be equipped with Ensnare, so he's "just" a manoeuvrable I6 pilot (nasty but not inherently more so than Fenn Rau or Soontir). It's at 100 points that Ensnare/Sun Fac pops up, and at 100 points you're looking at people who should be able to offer a credible fight (not least because 'ace' medium ships should start popping up).

Playing at 80 points feels like it tailors too much to Sun Fac - it's just enough to allow you to field him with all the toys you want, not enough for an opponent to take advantage of his lack of slots by gunning up further.

That said, 50 points would allow Chertek with Ensnare, which could be just as bad in theory for a smaller game.

Is there any space for <=I4 pilots in this format, or is it I5 & I6 only? Obviously shooting last is going to put you at a big disadvantage, but is it just dependent on the other players?
Genuinely asking, I've not played the format but as someone whose gaming group is 7 people most nights, a big multiplayer x-wing would be grand.

Had a 50 point aces high game last night - I agree it's great fun.

The roster was:

• Commander Malarus - Elusive, Stealth Device
  • Almost invulnerable for the first couple of turns of the game, but it all went badly wrong after 5 evade dice with an elusive reroll couldn't generate a single evade.
  • From this point on basically spent the game trying to avoid being shot, and never really had the firepower to do anything. The only ship to finish on 0 points.
• Major Vynder - OS-1 Arsenal Loadout, Fire Control System, Advanced Proton Torpedoes
  • Incredibly fast around the board but without Advanced SLAM couldn't SLAM and get a lock - taking that instead of Fire Control would have been better.
  • At the wrong end of the initiative stick, didn't manage to fire torpedoes the whole game. Ion Torpedoes for the same price would have been much more threatening.
• Anakin Skywalker (N-1) - R2 Astromech, Passive Sensors, Crack Shot
  • Due to some unfortunate piloting errors, Anakin was responsible for one of the asteroids nominally coming in 5th place for points after getting 'first blood' off him twice. Bear that in mind - using shield regeneration does mean you can find yourself being hit whilst on full health multiple times!
  • It's my first time facing Naboo ships, and one thing I learned is that Anakin in an N-1 is next to untouchable with 2-dice attacks; it took pretty much everyone on the field concentrating fire to hurt him.
• Duchess - Predator, Afterburners
  • Spent most of the game going 'nope' after being locked by Vynder.
  • Came third despite not actually getting a kill due to a huge stock of first bloods.
• Quickdraw - Fanatical, Fire Control System
  • Despite lacking Special Forces Gunner, having the highest initiative and bonus shots meant Quickdraw came second, especially due to getting a 'bounty' point for getting the kill on Thane (before subsequently exploding in a hail of initiative 5 crossfire).
• Thane Kyrell - R4 Astromech
  • Eventual winner
  • His ability was brutal - winning the game by turning up a face-down direct hit on Vynder despite the latter's ridiculous numbers of defence dice against the shot.

Everyone thought it was great fun, and we've provisionally agreed to try the 'heavyweight' class (125 points) next time there's an opportunity.

22 hours ago, GhostOfAFlea said:

Is there any space for <=I4 pilots in this format, or is it I5 & I6 only? Obviously shooting last is going to put you at a big disadvantage, but is it just dependent on the other players?
Genuinely asking, I've not played the format but as someone whose gaming group is 7 people most nights, a big multiplayer x-wing would be grand.

There is space for i4's and lower. Usually though building to 80pts on a small ship takes a lot of upgrades and then you have leftovers so why not upgrade initiative. Initiative doesnt play TOO much into it. Sometimes higher inits get the kill, and sometimes they leave the ship on 1 or 2 hull for lower inits to clean up.

Vermeil is an excellent i4. Shooting near last means people spent green tokens, proc'ing his ability. And then you get 31pts of upgrades like Vader crew and 7th sister, etc. Palob was used to great effect. Vynder obviously great in this format. Loaded out Echo. Mace, or any i4 jedi. Lots of good options under init 5. And if you go with the 50pt or under build, you will get mostly init 4 and under. Lulo might be the most popular i5 in that point bracket.

A couple ideas, no idea if it works because my group usually just plays standard, but I'd want to bring these if I could convince them to try it.

No Shields, All Guts (48-53) :
Midnight - TIE/FO (43)
Fanatical (2)
Angled Deflectors (3)
*Pattern Analyzer (5)

Real pilots don't need shields! You'd have permanent attack mods from Fanatical, and locks completely shut down the Force/token stacking/Lone Wolf/etc. Without Pattern Analyzer Midnight fits in 50 point Aces High, but Midnight might work in 80 points Aces High as an opportunist that tries to use its outrageously large bid (assuming that's still a thing) to exploit complete board knowledge and put your lock where it'll be the most useful (either preying on a weakened ship or weakening incoming fire).

Garbage Han (80):
Han Solo - YT-1300 (54)
Trick Shot (4)
Jabba the Hutt (6)
BT-1 (2)
Rigged Cargo Chute (4)
Shield Upgrade (4)
Lando's Millenium Falcon (6)

Dump RCCs all over the place, then let the 5 dice attacks flow. Then when you die, dump more RCCs all over the place. Might be too slow of a burn, and it requires a lot of RCC cardboard, but once it gets going it'll be nasty. As a bonus, Sun Fac wants absolutely nothing to do with a large base clogging the board with stress inducing debris.

Krassis Trelix (68)
Snap Shot (8)
L3-37 (4)
Ship total: 80

Krassis is already a 2-agility, 10-health ship, which will take several shots/rounds to wear down (an unappealing target). Her low initiative (3) lets her get into position before anyone else during activation, then possibly snipe kills after other ships soften her targets up. L3-37 makes even less appealing for someone angling for first-blood damage, who later gives you extra blue maneuvers (just in case). And after you establish yourself at the center of the table, Krassis can use Snap Shot out the front or back to get a little bit more damage through - maybe even sniping some of those "first blood" hits on tokenless ships!

I think I forgot the kitchen sink:

"Deathrain" (44)
Trajectory Simulator (10)
Plasma Torpedoes (9)
Diamond-Boron Missiles (6)
Skilled Bombardier (2)
Bomblet Generator (5)
Shield Upgrade (4)

Ship total: 80 Half Points: 40 Threshold: 5


Total: 80

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=Galactic Empire&d=v8ZsZ200Z192X114W234W238WW88W67WW165&sn=Unnamed Squadron&obs=

The format doesn't lend itself to the usual scum aces. Agreed that Talonbane or Palob/Torkil is probably the best for scum.

50) Talonbane Cobra [Kihraxz Fighter]

(5) Cloaking Device
(3) Contraband Cybernetics
(5) Homing Missiles
(6) Stealth Device
(6) Shield Upgrade
(5) Lone Wolf
Points: 80

Total points: 80

(40) Palob Godalhi [HWK-290 Light Freighter]
(8) Lando Calrissian
(3) Seismic Charges
(6) Stealth Device
(5) Lone Wolf
(18) Moldy Crow
Points: 80

Total points: 80

Sun Fac

Ensanre, Predator

80 Points

3 hours ago, IgotTargetlocked said:

Sun Fac

Ensanre, Predator

80 Points

We played a game with Sun Fac and he Sucks Fun out of the game if everyone is small ship. It was basically we all gang up on Sun, or Sun wins the game. Dont recommend him in this format.