Just wanted to share a ship I think is a monster for the cost: A Smashmouth Smuggler.

At very least, it's incredibly fun.

• Syndicate Smugglers
  • Boba Fett - This little guy is what makes the ship work. Deploy at Range 3, zoom in with a 3-straight, and light them up. Worried about a CR-90 with Turbolasers? Just get in their face.
    • Note: it'll probably be handy to fit Tobias Beckett into the list on some other ship, to ensure you've got a good deployment spot.
  • Point Defense Battery - Dakka Dakka. This is a short-range ship, so it needs a short-range hardpoint.
  • Tibanna eserves - The ship is incredibly energy hungry, so it will need something to help with that Tibanna seems better than .
  • IG-88 D - With this many attacks, it's handy to have multiple green tokens to spend.
    • The only useful IG-2000 synergy is IG-88 A, which isn't bad, but isn't essential.
  • Damage Control Team - This bugger really needs to Reinforce, since it really gets into an opposing list's grill.
    • With just these upgrades, this is an 80 point ship. Sure, tossing it out there is a bit of a risk, but this sucker is so cheap.
  • Optional: Deadman's Switch (+2 points) - If you're in their face and dying, taking them with you is nice. But this isn't really essential, and if you need the 2 points elsewhere in your list, this is totally cut-able.
  • Optional Title Package: Horn Captain (+10 to +12 points)
    • Stalwart Captain - With a large-ish investment like a Huge ship, losing a round of attacking seems bad. It'd only be 10 points to add the package, and it's probably worth it, but engaging at Init 1, you'll never get killed by another huge ship before you can attack.
    • Broken Horn - mostly for the extra crew slot, but with as energy-hungry as this ship is, reducing the difficulty of the faster red moves is also nice.
      • If you've got a 2nd Illicit slot, having Contraband Cybernetics could be handy. Pop it before you think you'll crash through some ships to prevent stress fro shutting down your actions. Not vital, but it's cheap.
      • *edit* Given how easy it is for one of these to get stressed due to crits, Contraband would be really handy for a mid-fight Reinforce/Calc/Calc + Tibanna.
  • Alternate Title Package: Merchant Turret (+13 points)
    • Merchant One - It's expensive, but gaining an extra attack that works without energy is pretty nice.
    • Dorsal Turret or Ion Cannon Turret - it's one more attack for more Dakka, and it can also be pointed to the side/rear, so can help out if you somehow survive the initial combat, but can't get stuff in front arc.
    • IG-RM Thug Droids - With this much Dakka, the number of crits can add up fast, and put a lot of hurt into a Huge ship. However, getting the extra tokens from the DCT/IG-D combo seems too important, so this is only the second choice of team.
  • Dubious Package? (+15 points)
    • Jamming Beam - If you're at Range 1 of another huge ship and about to lay a 4-dice primary and four 3-dice PDB attacks into it, getting rid of that Reinforce token seems pretty useful. Downside? You've got to spend 15 points to get a Jamming Beam.
      • Don't get me wrong: Jamming Beam is an AMAZING upgrade when attacking a huge ship. But still... 15 points? This is mostly designed to be a disposable ship.
    • Corsair Refit - Only here for the Cannon slot. The extra energy only covers you'll have to spend energy on the bonus attack, so it doesn't really add anything other than the bonus Jamming Beam attack.

@theBitterFig I love this! I think I might give that 82 point Deadman's Switch version a try.

I like the idea. I have even attempted something similar. There is trouble brewing, though: the placement requirements of the Fett crew versus set-up allowances of Epic battles. The one game in which I attempted to abuse this, there was no legal space in which to place my Smugglers using Fett. I ended up having to place the ship normally, the only bonus being that it placed last instead of first - which wasn't bad, it just wasn't the hijinks I wanted. All that said, the hijinks are solid, and scratch an itch long left untouched by "standard" Scum in 2.0.

If you skip Fett, you can get this, which accomplishes almost the same things nearly as cheaply:

Syndicate Smugglers (58)
Stalwart Captain (6)
Point-Defense Battery (9)
IG-88D (3)
Damage Control Team (3)
Tibanna Reserves (3)
Deadman's Switch (2)

Ship total: 84 Half Points: 42 Threshold: 8

Or spend a few more points and double down on the crit-factory:

Syndicate Smugglers (58)
Stalwart Captain (6)
Point-Defense Battery (9)
IG-88D (3)
Damage Control Team (3)
Tibanna Reserves (3)
Deadman's Switch (2)
Merchant One (8)
Dorsal Turret (3)
IG-RM Droids (2)

Ship total: 97 Half Points: 49 Threshold: 8

Or here's the one that I like:

Syndicate Smugglers (58)
Ion Cannon Battery (5)
Boba Fett (4)
IG-88D (3)
Bombardment Specialists (6)
Tibanna Reserves (3)
Deadman's Switch (2)

Ship total: 81 Half Points: 41 Threshold: 8

Put that CR-90 on lockdown. Get into Range 1, use the Bombardment Specs and IG-D to get ICT range on the big bugger no matter where it ends up, and just...take it out of the fight.

I like the idea of Tobias Beckett maybe making the Fett placement more likely - but put him on another ship in your fleet and save the points on what is definitely a doomed ship.

Well hey, we're setting up an epic game at home today and I appear to have to have independently created a mega Smashmouth. I doubt any of this is wise, but it looks like fun.

C-ROCK n ROLL

(58) Syndicate Smugglers [C-ROC Cruiser]
(3) Tibanna Reserves
(4) Azmorigan
(3) IG-88D
(4) Boba Fett
(6) Proximity Mines
(9) Point Defense Battery
(5) Quick-Release Locks
(2) Deadman's Switch
(3) Damage Control Team
(4) Broken Horn
Points: 101

(56) Old Teroch [Fang Fighter]
(2) Veteran Wing Leader
Points: 58

(41) Zealous Recruit [Fang Fighter]
Points: 41

(41) Zealous Recruit [Fang Fighter]
Points: 41

(54) Dalan Oberos [StarViper-class Attack Platform]
(2) Veteran Wing Leader
(6) Collision Detector
(4) Trick Shot
Points: 66

(48) Black Sun Assassin [StarViper-class Attack Platform]
(6) Collision Detector
(4) Trick Shot
Points: 58

(48) Black Sun Assassin [StarViper-class Attack Platform]
(6) Collision Detector
(4) Trick Shot
Points: 58

(25) Cartel Spacer [M3-A Interceptor]
(2) Veteran Wing Leader
Points: 27

(25) Cartel Spacer [M3-A Interceptor]
Points: 25

(25) Cartel Spacer [M3-A Interceptor]
Points: 25

Total points: 500

My main objective, build wise, was to get those 3 wings in. Then ended up sucked into C-ROC hi-jinks and sending more and more points that way....

An extra turn of Stalwart shooting would be nice but I expect it'll be out of luck by that point anyway. If I get 2 turns to let loose the Point Defence and drop ALL THE CRUD before detonating, I'll be happy.

Azmorigan made more sense when I had points and impact in the M3's, but hey ho.

@Cuz05 - Ooooh, I hadn't considered Dalan as a 'Viper Wing leader. That's feckin' awesome! That C-ROC is phat; can't wait to hear how it does.

1 hour ago, Kleeg005 said:

@Cuz05 - Ooooh, I hadn't considered Dalan as a 'Viper Wing leader. That's feckin' awesome! That C-ROC is phat; can't wait to hear how it does.

Dalanwing really was awesome, the 1 hard, rotate sidestep is ridiculous. But the C-ROC got utterly wrecked before doing anything much at all!

We just called time on the game, 249-185 to his Imps. Basically, he pulled a smart switch on me with his SuperInq Agent of the Empire. Baiting the C-ROC in and destroying it in one turn, thanks to a combo of Point Defence Blood Crow, Tarkin and a suddenly undocked and R1 wing of Vader, Maarek and Zertik.

At the risk of spamming this with too much batrep, I did take some pics.... I'll just hide it here, since it's probably only you that's really interested 😄

@Cuz05 Thanks for posting the batrep and pictures! I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Scum just plain struggles against the super-synergies of Imperial and Rebel forces. I can't stop using them, though. Glutton for punishment, I guess. I've tried the PDB on both single and double C-ROCs, and on a phat CR-90, and it's just a little underwhelming - the amount of energy it eats up is astonishing. I haven't tried a Turbolaser yet, but I plan to soon.

Since you're already proxying the C-ROC, give this build a shot: 2xSmugglers, each with Bombardment Specs and Ion Cannon Battery. And nothing else. Use your Wings, use any other combination of small and medium base ships, but use those C-ROCs to hunt, control, and burn down the enemy Huge and Large ship(s). Let your Wings concentrate on their Wings and let the Huge ships slug it out. I've walked Dash off the board, and that felt soooo good. I've almost walked a Raider off the board, but the crits from the ICB were too strong, ha ha. I am aching for the day when Scum gets its own Corvette, but until then a lightly built C-ROC is pretty darn entertaining.

8 hours ago, Kleeg005 said:

Since you're already proxying the C-ROC, give this build a shot: 2xSmugglers, each with Bombardment Specs and Ion Cannon Battery.

Thanks 🙂

I'd love to give that a go, but the boy has already declared he wants 2x Gozanti in our next Epic, which is all our huge bases. I imagine, after my hoards of small ships have eaten them, he'll let me return the favour with 2x C-ROC 😄

So I decided to revisit Corsair Refit - it's been several months since the last time I tried to make it work with the Point Defense Battery - and given my previous poor showing with PDB I decided to try it with Ordnance Tubes this time out. But as Corsair Refit only allows Missiles, not Torpedoes, it went about as well as could be expected. I mean, it got off all three Concussion Missiles before it died, with three or four card flips. And the Deadman's Switch put out four points of damage at the end there, but Corsair Refit is so bloody expensive. And then you have to pay for all the gear it allows you to equip, and then find the energy to use all that gear. It just ain't worth it, I don't care what galaxy you're flying in. It really feels as if Ordnance Tubes are designed specifically for the Raider - I've certainly had them used against me to very great effect on that chassis.

A further note: Buzz Droids are murder on a stick against Huge ships. Jeezusssss.

@Cuz05 , I also tried out Dalan's Wing. There were a couple rounds of magic, but I feel like I misused him a little - like when he got stuck between the board edge and a Huge ship for a couple rounds. *That* was a mistake . Ha ha.

I did take some pics and make some notes, but in the end it felt an awful lot the Scum forces were far too outnumbered by the Separatists, and at a certain point the dice just said, "Nope, you don't get to play any more." If I have a take away from the experiment, it's that it's ALWAYS better to simply take the maximum number of warm bodies over any attempt at "quality." Which is so very sad for Scum. Oh, and the Sith Infiltrator is just a rubbish in Epic as it is in standard, ha ha.

The C-ROC can also be an awesome support ship.

Syndicate Smugglers (58)
Strategic Commander (6)
Ion Cannon Battery (5)
IG-88D (3)
Comms Team (8)
Optimized Power Core (6)

Ship total: 86 Half Points: 43 Threshold: 8

Reinforce and coordinate>2x calculate. Not very good mods for your attacks, but you can coordinate up to 3 ships at initiative 7. So you can make your other ships arc dodge aces, and/or double mod their shots(something scum is lacking in). Maybe bring a trio of proton torp y-wings/scyks for a nasty double-mod alpha strike.

On 4/20/2020 at 5:41 PM, Cuz05 said:

Dalanwing really was awesome, the 1 hard, rotate sidestep is ridiculous. But the C-ROC got utterly wrecked before doing anything much at all!

We just called time on the game, 249-185 to his Imps. Basically, he pulled a smart switch on me with his SuperInq Agent of the Empire. Baiting the C-ROC in and destroying it in one turn, thanks to a combo of Point Defence Blood Crow, Tarkin and a suddenly undocked and R1 wing of Vader, Maarek and Zertik.

At the risk of spamming this with too much batrep, I did take some pics.... I'll just hide it here, since it's probably only you that's really interested 😄

First off, your opponent might have done something at least a little wrong, since you can't dock a Wing. You can deploy manually, fan out with Focus -> Roll, but it won't be a Proper Wing with the advantages that confers.

And looking over the rules reference, Tarkin looks kind of wrong, too. Per the rules reference " During the System Phase, the initiative of the ship docking or deploying is used, not the initiative of the carrier ship. " (RR v1.1.0, Dock, p.10-11). This means the Gozanti will have already had it's opportunity to use effects in the System Phase--Tarkin's timing window will have come and gone--before the first x1 is deployed and could acquire locks. Something a lot like that would work deploying Init 1 ships like Strikers, or some ship other than the Gozanti can carry Tarkin, but there isn't a self-contained Deploy-Tarkin trick for x1 or TIE Bombers or such.

Second, my gut says the right way to deploy the C-ROC would have been on the "lobster claw" Gas Cloud in the corner, and rush in from the side of the Gozanti, kinda where the Fangs came from. I guess that doesn't really stop a "deploy out the side" from the x1s, but if they're all on single-actions, maybe you can survive it. Hrm.

Point Defense Blood Crow looks pretty scary, though. Did it have Perceptive Copilot?

1 hour ago, theBitterFig said:

Point Defense Blood Crow looks pretty scary, though. Did it have Perceptive Copilot?

Yep, and 5th Bro. Terrifying.

Thanks for the rule catches, I was dubious, I let it go rather than bother looking it up. Only playing at home with the boy, so all in good fun, but we do like to know the proper ways.

We jogged our lists around and had another game. The 80pt croc with extra muscle in the wings. It lived this time but didn't smashmouth. A SuperInq led wing is quite the slippery eel!

3 hours ago, Cuz05 said:

Thanks for the rule catches, I was dubious, I let it go rather than bother looking it up. Only playing at home with the boy, so all in good fun, but we do like to know the proper ways.

Took me a whole to work through the rules bits, too. My first thought was that Tarkin was a bloody brilliant trick, particularly with the way x1 can focus/roll.

Launching a bunch of Alpha Interceptors might be pretty sweet, too, since those could focus/roll.... but looking again, Requiem grants folks a lock when they deploy, so you could just launch a bunch of /x1 or TIE Bombers pretty easy. Or TIE Aggressors, since they're cheaper than bombers. Seems a simpler way of doing the same sort of trick, but then you can't bring Blood Crow.

3 hours ago, Cuz05 said:

Yep, and 5th Bro. Terrifying.

5B seems potent, but expensive.

Now that I think of it, Kallus would be amazing on Blood Crow, since he'd work on every attack.

4 hours ago, theBitterFig said:

5B seems potent, but expensive.

Now that I think of it, Kallus would be amazing on Blood Crow, since he'd work on every attack.

5B is and very is. I won the 2nd game, took that thing out as early as possible, it makes a big dent one way or the other. 2 focus, 1 calc, 1 force is quite the arsenal for PD.

Kallus would make it a beastly Huge hunter. I'm not sure how effective it would be against small ships. One would be quickly dead and then you're playing whatever targetting hopskotch the opponent decides.