I got two defender today. Any good build with Them you guys can recommand? Thx.

2 deltas and an ace like whisper or soontir work well.

I've had a lot of fun with this recently, might want to give it a try:

Delta Squadron Pilot (67)
Fire-Control System (2)

Ship total: 69 Half Points: 35 Threshold: 4

Delta Squadron Pilot (67)
Fire-Control System (2)

Ship total: 69 Half Points: 35 Threshold: 4

Colonel Jendon (48)
Passive Sensors (3)
Emperor Palpatine (11)

Ship total: 62 Half Points: 31 Threshold: 5


Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=Galactic Empire&d=v8ZsZ200Z198X113WWY198X113WWY167X240WW29WWW&sn=Jendon's Defenders&obs=

43 minutes ago, matshodan said:

I got two defender today. Any good build with Them you guys can recommand? Thx.

Palp Defenders is solid. Two Deltas, plus a Lambda with Palp.

Personally, I like running Omicron Group Pilot. I think the same-initiative aspect of the OGP allows me to switch up activation order, and I think that's really handy. I personally prefer that to the tricks the other shuttles have. Access to pre-move coordinated boosts and barrel rolls can go a long way towards putting predictable defenders into nice places. For the rest of the upgrades, the last ones I used was Heavy Laser Cannon (I liked it), but Collision Detector on the Deltas, or maybe on the shuttle even, seems solid. FCS is a decent upgrade on the Defenders, too.

//

Overall, I think a Delta Defender is just a plain good ship. Bring one and Vader and some other ace, and that should be solid. Defenders can be *BEASTLY* in a 1-on-1 situation with those 3 green dice and Full Throttle.

I’m enjoying this:

Fel and Friends

(53) Soontir Fel [TIE Interceptor]
(2) Predator
Points: 55

(35) Inquisitor [TIE Advanced v1]
(5) Sense
Points: 40

(35) Inquisitor [TIE Advanced v1]
Points: 35

(67) Delta Squadron Pilot [TIE/D Defender]
(0) Jamming Beam
Points: 67

Total points: 197

Rexler Brath (81)
Juke (7)
Advanced Sensors (10)

Ship total: 98 Half Points: 49 Threshold: 4

Darth Vader (67)
Precognitive Reflexes (13)
Fire-Control System (2)
Afterburners (6)

Ship total: 88 Half Points: 44 Threshold: 3


Total: 186

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=Galactic Empire&d=v8ZsZ200Z196X123W111WWY173X250W113WW105&sn=Unnamed Squadron&obs=

For those who are supremely certain of their ace play, passive sensors is probably the better add in Vader's sensor though

VaderFifthzBrotherDefender

(67) Darth Vader [TIE Advanced x1]
(6) Afterburners
(3) Passive Sensors
Points: 76

(67) Delta Squadron Pilot [TIE/D Defender]
(2) Fire-Control System
Points: 69

(42) Fifth Brother [TIE Advanced v1]
(5) Sense
(6) Mag-Pulse Warheads
Points: 53

Total points: 198

is passive sensors the right fit on Vader or would it make more sense on the defender?

9 hours ago, pakirby said:

VaderFifthzBrotherDefender

(67) Darth Vader [TIE Advanced x1]
(6) Afterburners
(3) Passive Sensors
Points: 76

(67) Delta Squadron Pilot [TIE/D Defender]
(2) Fire-Control System
Points: 69

(42) Fifth Brother [TIE Advanced v1]
(5) Sense
(6) Mag-Pulse Warheads
Points: 53

Total points: 198

is passive sensors the right fit on Vader or would it make more sense on the defender?

Defender doesn't need Passive Sensors. They don't really have a reason to Lock instead of Focus, and FCS adds something in late-game situations where you'll have red dice mods while spending your action on a defensive focus or to move.

Meanwhile, Passives on Vader are great when you're low on bid.

I'd probably squeeze FCS onto Fifth Brother, though, or maybe even Passive Sensors. Init 4 isn't super high, and Passives might make it a lot easier to get a Lock in the first place. Might be worth more than FCS on the Defender... Hrm.

One last thought: Would it make more sense for Vader to have Sense? Fifth Brother largely wants to conserve his force for his pilot ability.

None of those are necessarily better ideas, just things to think about.

How about this?

New Squadron

(67) Darth Vader [TIE Advanced x1]
(1) Instinctive Aim
(6) Concussion Missiles
(6) Afterburners
(3) Passive Sensors
Points: 83

(67) Delta Squadron Pilot [TIE/D Defender]
(2) Fire-Control System
Points: 69

(42) Fifth Brother [TIE Advanced v1]
(1) Predictive Shot
(3) Passive Sensors
Points: 46

Total points: 198

Darth gets instinctive aim so he can let loose with the concussion missiles without needing a lock. I see a lot of formation flying theses days, so concussion missiles seem sweet. Predictive shot on Fifth Brother would be to enhance the chances of scoring hits on high agility ships, or on shots that are long range or obstructed. When the shots are in close, Fifth Brother’s native force ability would be a better use of his powers. The Defender is there to dish out pain when an opponent focuses on the aces. I have also thought about giving a jamming beam to the Defender...just to strip target locks....especially from bogus E wings that can target lock anywhere on the board but range 1....that is some OP BS.

3 hours ago, Imperialist said:

How about this?

New Squadron

(67) Darth Vader [TIE Advanced x1]
(1) Instinctive Aim
(6) Concussion Missiles
(6) Afterburners
(3) Passive Sensors
Points: 83

(67) Delta Squadron Pilot [TIE/D Defender]
(2) Fire-Control System
Points: 69

(42) Fifth Brother [TIE Advanced v1]
(1) Predictive Shot
(3) Passive Sensors
Points: 46

Total points: 198

Darth gets instinctive aim so he can let loose with the concussion missiles without needing a lock. I see a lot of formation flying theses days, so concussion missiles seem sweet. Predictive shot on Fifth Brother would be to enhance the chances of scoring hits on high agility ships, or on shots that are long range or obstructed. When the shots are in close, Fifth Brother’s native force ability would be a better use of his powers. The Defender is there to dish out pain when an opponent focuses on the aces. I have also thought about giving a jamming beam to the Defender...just to strip target locks....especially from bogus E wings that can target lock anywhere on the board but range 1....that is some OP BS.

Instinctive Aim on Vader is just bad. You have to burn a force to meet prerequisites to fire Missiles. You can as well just pop passive Sensors and spend a Force to perform whatever action you wish, after your Passive Sensor's Lock/Calculate triggers. More flexibility, 1 point cheaper.

As for the Tie V1, I would fly them with Foresight and take Evade actions. They can be super tanky that way, while having a assive mod on their attacks, if you can aim the bullseye right. Brother also gets that sweet 2 Force > Crit, although I much prefer the Grand Inquisitor in this ship.

1. Rexler Brath (81)
- Juke (7)
- Fire-Control System (2)
2. "Duchess" (42)
- Fifth Brother (11)
- Predator (2)
3. Grand Inquisitor (52)
- Fire-Control System (2)

Total: 197

or...

1. Rexler Brath (81)
- Juke (7)
- Fire-Control System (2)
2. "Duchess" (42)
- Predator (2)
- Fifth Brother (11)
Maarek Stele (45)
- Marksmanship (1)
- Fire-Control System (2)

Total: 193

You have a somewhat resilient Ace who can dodge like crazy and is not afraid of Range 1, with a tanky Defender and a flanking monster. Or you have a Critical Hits fiesta, where Maarek can pick a specific critical, which Rexler can fish to trigger a second time. Also... Everyone is I5, so that is also cool and easier to fly.

EDIT: As to the E-Wing being OP, that Range 1 restriction is quite limiting. Consider the fact, they also have 1 Hard as Red and the ships are not so fun to fly anymore. You can either slap them with R4 Astromech to make them semi decent knife fighters, or you can slap them with R3 to make them decent jousters. Either of the two suffers from having the ridiculous Roll/Boost > Red Lock, which with their ship ability makes no sense at all... Maybe Roll > Red Lock might be used to gain distance... Now if it was Lock > Red Boost... That would be OP as ****.

9 hours ago, Imperialist said:

How about this?

New Squadron

(67) Darth Vader [TIE Advanced x1]
(1) Instinctive Aim
(6) Concussion Missiles
(6) Afterburners
(3) Passive Sensors
Points: 83

(67) Delta Squadron Pilot [TIE/D Defender]
(2) Fire-Control System
Points: 69

(42) Fifth Brother [TIE Advanced v1]
(1) Predictive Shot
(3) Passive Sensors
Points: 46

Total points: 198

Darth gets instinctive aim so he can let loose with the concussion missiles without needing a lock. I see a lot of formation flying theses days, so concussion missiles seem sweet. Predictive shot on Fifth Brother would be to enhance the chances of scoring hits on high agility ships, or on shots that are long range or obstructed. When the shots are in close, Fifth Brother’s native force ability would be a better use of his powers. The Defender is there to dish out pain when an opponent focuses on the aces. I have also thought about giving a jamming beam to the Defender...just to strip target locks....especially from bogus E wings that can target lock anywhere on the board but range 1....that is some OP BS.

As @Schanez points out, the Concussion Missiles/Instinctive Aim combo doesn't add anything to Vader: he gets locks easily with his pilot ability and Passive Sensors, and any lock gets him a 3-dice attack, so he doesn't need the missiles. Cut Instinctive Aim, cut Predictive Shot (it's not really worthwhile), and move Concussion Missiles to Fifth Brother, who benefits greatly from a 3-dice attack.

That's only a minor change, but one which make it work better, while still feeling almost exactly the same.

//

As to OP E-Wings... They've been one of the most buffed ships in the game. The Init 2 version started at 61 points, and has been cut down to 50, because the long-range lock wasn't that strong. It's the kind of ability which is really scary on paper, but not that potent on table. I'm glad FFG was somewhat cautious with the price of E-Wings, but ultimately they're a rather fair ship.