Arvel seems like a tier 1 blocker to me, with double re-positioning and the possibility of shooting at range 0. The idea of combining him with Sense or Cassian was discussed a little in this thread, pairing him with Lando and Luke. I tried that a couple of times but have more recently been running him with Wedge, Ezra and Biggs. The idea is to sense with Ezra, block with Arvel and cripple with Wedge. Biggs is in there to keep things alive.

Biggs Darklighter (48)
R2 Astromech (4)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Ship total: 52 Half Points: 26 Threshold: 3

Wedge Antilles (55)
Proton Torpedoes (13)
R2 Astromech (4)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Ship total: 72 Half Points: 36 Threshold: 3

Ezra Bridger (TIE Fighter) (32)
Sense (5)

Ship total: 37 Half Points: 19 Threshold: 2

Arvel Crynyd (34)
Predator (2)
Intimidation (3)

Ship total: 39 Half Points: 20 Threshold: 2


Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=Rebel Alliance&d=v8ZsZ200Z7XW2WW142Y5XW136W2WW142Y14X75WY51X127W122W&sn=Unnamed Squadron&obs=

I'd be interested if anyone's flying something similar or if anyone's got any suggestions for improvements. R2 for Biggs seems like the right call. I've found that it's been useful on Wedge as well although it's not always easy to dis-engage.

I'd love to double mod Wedge's shots, but hey, you can't have everything!

Re-surfacing this in the hopes of getting some input. I can't build it as above anymore since R2 went up. I've been thinking how to evolve it in any case. Two possible iterations, one that keeps Ezra as a Sense pilot and one that uses Luke instead.

List #1

Arvel Crynyd (34)
Crack Shot (1)
Intimidation (3)

Ship total: 38 Half Points: 19 Threshold: 2

Ezra Bridger (TIE Fighter) (31)
Sense (5)

Ship total: 36 Half Points: 18 Threshold: 2

Red Squadron Veteran (41)
Crack Shot (1)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Ship total: 42 Half Points: 21 Threshold: 3

Red Squadron Veteran (41)
Crack Shot (1)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Ship total: 42 Half Points: 21 Threshold: 3

Red Squadron Veteran (41)
Crack Shot (1)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Ship total: 42 Half Points: 21 Threshold: 3


Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=Rebel Alliance&d=v8ZsZ200Z51X116W122WY14X75WY2X116WWWW142Y2X116WWWW142Y2X116WWWW142&sn=Unnamed Squadron&obs=

List #2

Luke Skywalker (62)
Sense (5)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Ship total: 67 Half Points: 34 Threshold: 3

Arvel Crynyd (34)
Intimidation (3)
Crack Shot (1)

Ship total: 38 Half Points: 19 Threshold: 2

Wedge Antilles (55)
Crack Shot (1)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Ship total: 56 Half Points: 28 Threshold: 3

Hera Syndulla (38)
Crack Shot (1)

Ship total: 39 Half Points: 20 Threshold: 2


Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=Rebel Alliance&d=v8ZsZ200Z4X75WWWW142Y51X122W116WY5X116WWWW142Y65X116WWWW&sn=Unnamed Squadron&obs=

Questions:

- Can <pilot> w/ Sense + Intimidation Arvel be good?

- How would you build it?

- What will it struggle against, and how would you mitigate?

I like Arvel with Predator, since he usually ends up with ships in his bullseye and might or not have an action to mod. Is 1 extra point but seems worth it.

Building a list around Arvel seems like a bad idea to me.

He's so much faster than the rest of the Rebel favourites that it's really easy for him to get isolated and focused down by the ships he doesn't bump. His Initiative is also in kind of an awkward place. You really want him as a blocker, but if you end up dialling him short of anyone lower I than he is, even the boost bump option can come up short and he fails to get the range 0.

Honestly, I prefer including him as filler, flying him like a normal ship and only pushing for the block or bump if it really makes sense and you know everyone can benefit.

That said, if anyone can benefit it's Luke and Wedge - I like the idea of both of them being the heavy hitters with Arvel around.

I quite like Hera here too, actually, as a cheap I5 3 dice attack. Personally, I think I prefer ICT Horton Salm as he can get extra benefit from Arvel being flown as a blocker and he's got a stack more health, but he is quite tricky to fly. You basically want him getting range 1 or 2 ICT shots out his side arc, but that can put him in the firing line of a lot of ships, if you're not careful.

Still, if you drop all the upgrades except Intimidation, you can also get Proton Bombs on him which can work really well.

2 hours ago, GuacCousteau said:

Building a list around Arvel seems like a bad idea to me.

Maybe it is!

I've only played it in real life a handful of times and it absolutely relies on you getting good blocks. If you do, the game can go in your favor super-quickly. I think that's why I see Sense as a key upgrade. I'm ideally looking for a range 3 engagement with Luke so that I can Sense the following turn and get Arvel in there.

2 hours ago, GuacCousteau said:

I prefer including him as filler, flying him like a normal ship and only pushing for the block or bump if it really makes sense

Against lower init I don't think I'm looking for the blocks so much any more but flying Arvel more like an Ace. Against aces, I think he's pretty scary for them because of the nasty things that can happen if they do bump into him.

4 hours ago, LUZ_TAK said:

I like Arvel with Predator

I do too. What's turned me to crack shot is the feeling that Arvel may well be targeted first (less time to benefit from predator over crack shot) and also because to some extent this is a kind of alpha list that is going to try and front load damage and init kill stuff. Not sure yet though. I'll be experimenting ...

Arvel with friends

(34) Arvel Crynyd [RZ-1 A-wing]
(3) Intimidation
Points: 37

(62) Luke Skywalker [T-65 X-wing]
(5) Sense
Points: 67

(41) Jan Ors [HWK-290 Light Freighter]
(7) Leia Organa
Points: 48

(48) Thane Kyrell [T-65 X-wing]
Points: 48

Total points: 200

How about this?

4 hours ago, Minimono said:

How about this?

It's the kind of thing I'm going for. I'm not sure I like this better than Luke / Wedge / Hera / Arvel though. I don't think it will hit as hard (no crack shot, one less three-dice gun). Also, Jan without engine upgrade is possibly a soft target for my opponent.

3 hours ago, eljms said:

It's the kind of thing I'm going for. I'm not sure I like this better than Luke / Wedge / Hera / Arvel though. I don't think it will hit as hard (no crack shot, one less three-dice gun). Also, Jan without engine upgrade is possibly a soft target for my opponent.

If Leia was removed, you got 7 points to do something with. My experience with Jan without Moldy Crow, is that is not the first target the opponent goes for, because Jan is furter behind and not that costly as with Moldy. Often they are more worried about Luke/Thane seeing end-game.

making Luke (or whoever has something in arc) punch in a 3/4 dice attack, and having 2 shots fired before Thane flips cards is not bad either. My logic with Leia, was that having no red moves after first engagement, made Arvel/Luke/Thane very able to respond to the info provided with sense. But I see your point about less firepower.

I really like the Intimidation talent on ships that can deliver much pain with it. I have been toying around with a few lists and here are my musings about an Intimidating Rebel Salad.

• Sabine Wren (45) : Intimidation (3), "Zeb" Orrelios (1)
• Arvel Crynyd (39) : Intimidation (3), Predator (2)
• Braylen Stramm (57) : Jamming Beam (0), Autoblasters (3), Stabilized S-Foils (2)
• Ten Numb (55) : Fire-Control System (2), Jamming Beam (0), Autoblasters (3), Stabilized S-Foils (2)
• List in YASB 2.0

Or...

• Sabine Wren (45) : Intimidation (3), "Zeb" Orrelios (1)
• Arvel Crynyd (39) : Intimidation (3), Predator (2)
• Luke Skywalker (67) : Sense (5), Servomotor S-Foils (0)
• Thane Kyrell (48) : Servomotor S-Foils (0)
• List in YASB 2.0

The lists have two mobile blockers, both of which can have double reposition, if needed. Sabine in the Attack Shuttle is also able to fly around with a Focus and Evade for free, every turn. Making her somewhat of a Mini X-Wing to me, regardless of the lower Shield and Hull points.

The first list is all about setting up both B-Wings into position to murder anything, that dares to bump into Arvel or Sabine. You have Jamming Beam to strip pesky Reinforcement, Evade or Focus, if the target would have them. Both Bees can deliver a lot of pain with the option to double tap with Autoblasters. You have 4 points to play around with a little, Marksmanship on both B-Wings seems like a decent idea, due to Autoblasters of course.

The second list is more about the Sense gameplay you were going for initially, with two very good I5 X-Wings. Luke is kind of tanky and Thane is very good at crippling enemies later in the game. You should be able to Sense every turn, because of the Luke's native ability to recover Force when being attacked.

Just watched Oli Pocknell v. Michal Nowak at the world champs last year. Michal was flying Intimidation Arvel. He picked b-wings and a Cassian as a Leia carrier.

Braylen Stramm + Hull Upgrade + Crack Shot
Cassian Andor + Leia Organa + Pivot Wing + Crack Shot
Ten Numb + Crack Shot
Arvel Crynyd + Crack Shot + Intimidation

The ability to shed stress is pretty cool. I actually think I like Cassian more than Leia here in terms of importance as it opens up Arvel's dial quite a bit. No Sense in this list though, which is something I want if at all possible.

Could do:

Arvel Crynyd (34)
Intimidation (3)
Crack Shot (1)

Ship total: 38 Half Points: 19 Threshold: 2

Cassian Andor (51)
Crack Shot (1)
Pivot Wing (0)

Ship total: 52 Half Points: 26 Threshold: 4

Luke Skywalker (62)
Sense (5)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Ship total: 67 Half Points: 34 Threshold: 3

Red Squadron Veteran (41)
Crack Shot (1)
Servomotor S-Foils (0)

Ship total: 42 Half Points: 21 Threshold: 3


Total: 199

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=Rebel Alliance&d=v8ZsZ200Z51X122W116WY32X116WWWWW140Y4X75WWWW142Y2X116WWWW142&sn=Unnamed Squadron&obs=

This is probably just worse than Michal's list though. I get Sense. Luke is good. But with no Leia the U-Wing is trickier to fly and the Red Squadron Vet is a bit meh.

15 hours ago, eljms said:

Just watched Oli Pocknell v. Michal Nowak at the world champs last year. Michal was flying Intimidation Arvel. He picked b-wings and a Cassian as a Leia carrier.

(...)

Enzeru (Michal's nickname) is using Cassian to shed Stress from the B-Wings most of the time. His Arvel is a blocker. I do not think you need means to shed stress from the A-Wing, the all blue 2 Speeds make him still quite an agile knife fighter. Maybe not as much as the Tie V1, but a potent one.

I would probably swap the Cassian in there for K-2S0 if you have access to him. He was sold separately in Hotshots and Aces pack. He can Coordinate and get a Calculate from it, giving you a bonus action each turn. Points saved on that, I would use to bump Red Vet to Thane Kyrell and swap Crackshots for Predator on Arvel.

Now during activation you can Coordinate Thane/Arvel into either bumping or double moding their attack. Thane can take Lock and get a Focus from Coordinate. Or you can take Focus with Arvel and use Coordnate to avoid stress from linking a Red Boost.