Right then. Inspired by the recent discussion over at the endless thread Carolina Krayts is the best X-Wing podcast, I decided to open up a general topic that covers all things Rey. The intention of this thread is to open up as many venues of discussion as possible, since I am personally not good enough of a player to teach other people, but if there is a thread with more targeted questions and ideas then maybe people will join in.
That being said. Here are some thoughts and links, I am not really an organized person so apologies for flowing into different topics at times, Ill try to keep it somewhat neat.
List Fortress
Rey is currently sitting at the dreadfully average position of 84 on MetaWing. Scanning over the notable squadrons, Rey has never placed significantly at a major tournament. The highest placement at a large scale tournament is this:
https://meta.listfortress.com/ship_combos/1053?
This tells us that either Rey isn't viable for high end play or she is just not flown enough for her to unlock her full potential. Judging by the low number of appearances in general, I am hoping that its more due to her not being flown in general. I read a excellent post recently about the viability of non-meta lists so ill just drop it here. It debates the merits of flying off meta and lists that are just non viable. One of the things I would like to see if Rey fits into the under-flown or under-performing category
The Build
One of the consensuses I have noticed so far is that there is a "correct" basic Rey to use. That basic is Rey with Korr, Finn, Rose and Rey's Falcon at 103 points. Here are two excellent posts from the Krayst thread detailing the use of the basic Rey:
Some further discussion that could be interesting is on filling up the rest of the build. Most commonly mentioned are Stealth Device , Contraband Cybernetics and Heightened Perception . In addition to those I feel like Sense is overlooked in this build due Rey really preferring to have an enemy in the front arc for as much as humanely possible . With that being said I am open to any and all discussion about the 4 upgrades already mentioned and if anything else is missing from the upgrade list.
Wing-men
This to me is the centerpiece of the discussion and the reason we do not see enough of Rey. Her point cost combined with the faction she is in puts her in a difficult position. Resistance doesn't have a throwaway cheap ship other than Heroic Finn that could slot in as a third ship in this list, leaving only the option of either a fat teammate as well or two low cost ships. Here are some combinations I tried and some quick thoughts. All lists assume the fattest Rey at 115 points.
Greer/Tallie
Both with Heroic and Advanced Optics. This is the closest I think we have to a "correct" setup. Both of the ships are fast enough and agile enough to keep up with Rey while still maintaining a good position against the enemy. Greer continues to prove to be the most consistent A-Wing and her ability greatly decreases the difficulty of flying an A-Wing. Tallies ability while hard to setup increases Reys defensive setup to a point of absurdity. A Stealth Device, front arc Tallie enhanced Rey can take a single modded Photon Torpedo and realistically expect no damage to punch through.
Tallie/Lulo
Exchanging Greer dependency for additional punching power. This feels like a list with a higher ceiling than the Greer one but also a lower floor. If points drop enough for Advanced Optics to fit on Lulo in this version, it might replace Greer as the default option.
Poe
Fully committing to a two ship build. I do not like it. The main issue I have always found with Poe is his time on target compared to Rey and the A-Wings, the A-Wings turret allows for the entire squad to run away while still shooting, something Poe cant do. This lists probably eats aces for lunch and dinner but struggles more against swarms and beef.
Pava/X-Wing/Some variation of Beef
Again something that I do not agree with, feels like adding training wheels to the list to balance out Rey. Someone correctly described Resistance Beef as a High Floor/Low Ceiling list and I agree. I think going this route only stops you from not going 1-5 in a tournament but it also stops you from going 5-1.
Star Fortress
I use this one for casual night to entertain new players. But I do have to admit it is fun. Maybe in a world where both Rey and Star Fortress drop a ton of points to the point some kind of InVennicble + Rey build fits.
Han
My personal dark horse. Han with Lone Wolf and GA-97. No deployment. You might not win a tournament, but I guarantee nobody will be prepared for you. This comes back to the non meta/non viable discussion. Biggest problem with this list is placing Han correctly and planning out the engagement before Rey arrives. This is something I would like to see what other people think.
Obstacle Choice
Three of the big debris.This I feel is the least debatable thing here. Now that I think about it Rey does feel like Super Dash. Which explains why I am trying so hard to make her happen. My God that Dash was perfect.
Good Match Ups
(not sure, would like input here to fill in as I go)
Bad Match Ups
(not sure, would like input here to fill in as I go)
The Plan
The plan is simple. I have 10 months to the next Worlds. I have my ticket so I get to be stupid for the rest of the year(not to imply I am not stupid otherwise). I have decided to fly Rey at Worlds, the fat Rey is the first large base ship since Super Dash that makes me happy. I am in a position in my life where I am privileged to have enough disposable income to have an X-Wing travel budget. For now my schedule is:
January: Hungarian Nationals if they announce them, otherwise local tournament
February: UK SO
May: Italian SO
I will update as tournaments are announced, and of course post here with new thought and reports. And now I turn the mic to the crowd.
*crickets*