HMP Gunship help

By Chudley, in X-Wing Squad Lists

I am struggling to build a “good” or “reasonably competitive” casual list using the HMP. I’m either spending too many points, or just not spending enough.

Any ideas would be great.

How many do you have?

Anyhow, start with Sideslips, get the DRK-1 Probes in there.

//

@Kleeg005 was running this:

On 10/14/2020 at 9:32 AM, Kleeg005 said:

I finally got good, meaningful games last night. Two games with 2x SyncLaser Geonosian HMP, 2x MMP FCS Baktoid Hyena, 1x DFS-311[.] All those wide, wide arcs and token sharing and rerolls. [...]

Impressions, then: I've long struggled with just exactly what to do with Hyenas - they've always felt remarkably fragile for their price once they've been kitted-up. MMP+FCS is where they sing for me. I'm in love. The Synched Laser Geonosians seem to be pretty solid - cheap enough, with some flexibility and some punch. But I definitely feel the need for so much more practice with that sideslip jank. Wow. Just, wow.

//

@Ryuneke was testing out this, and has some batreps. Takes 5 ships, but seems like the heart of what HMP can do.

DGS-047 (35)
Repulsorlift Stabilizers (3)

Baktoid Drone (34)
Ion Missiles (3)
Repulsorlift Stabilizers (3)

Baktoid Drone (34)
DRK-1 Probe Droids (5)
Repulsorlift Stabilizers (3)

Baktoid Drone (34)
K2-B4 (5)
Repulsorlift Stabilizers (3)

Baktoid Drone (34)
Repulsorlift Stabilizers (3)
Total: 199

Not sure you’re looking to fly multiples, but this made top cut last weekend at Ryloth. Running one of these seems like a good route. I’d keep them at or below 50.

(34) Baktoid Drone [HMP Droid Gunship]
(3) Repulsorlift Stabilizers (Inactive)
(3) Concussion Bombs
(6) Concussion Missiles
(4) Cluster Missiles
Points: 50

(34) Baktoid Drone [HMP Droid Gunship]
(3) Repulsorlift Stabilizers (Inactive)
(3) Concussion Bombs
(6) Concussion Missiles
(4) Cluster Missiles
Points: 50

(34) Baktoid Drone [HMP Droid Gunship]
(3) Repulsorlift Stabilizers (Inactive)
(3) Concussion Bombs
(6) Concussion Missiles
(4) Cluster Missiles
Points: 50

(34) Baktoid Drone [HMP Droid Gunship]
(3) Repulsorlift Stabilizers (Inactive)
(5) DRK-1 Probe Droids
(3) Ion Missiles
(4) Cluster Missiles
Points: 49

Total points: 199

I was looking at something like this:

Geonosian Prototype (35)
Discord Missiles (4)
Synced Laser Cannons (6)
Repulsorlift Stabilizers (3)

Ship total: 48 Half Points: 24 Threshold: 4

Geonosian Prototype (35)
Discord Missiles (4)
Synced Laser Cannons (6)
Repulsorlift Stabilizers (3)

Ship total: 48 Half Points: 24 Threshold: 4

Onderon Oppressor (40)
Diamond-Boron Missiles (6)
DRK-1 Probe Droids (5)
Repulsorlift Stabilizers (3)

Ship total: 54 Half Points: 27 Threshold: 4

Onderon Oppressor (40)
Concussion Missiles (6)
Repulsorlift Stabilizers (3)

Ship total: 49 Half Points: 25 Threshold: 4


Total: 199

Sure, one of them is over 50, but now you've got cannons and discords, and calcs after red maneuver or action, which is nice. Those oppressors can use 1 and 3 bank sideslips and still have mod, or barrel roll and have mod...

Thanks guys.

Hmmmm... So more than 2? Interesting. I thought 2 may be enough, but a massive swarm list with 4 ships. Well, I’ll have to try and find some more! 😋

Edited by Chudley

I had some success with 2 Baktoid drones, 4 vultures, and Berwer.

3 hours ago, Chudley said:

Thanks guys.

Hmmmm... So more than 2? Interesting. I thought 2 may be enough, but a massive swarm list with 4 ships. Well, I’ll have to try and find some more! 😋

Outside of the Belly Boy and Sith Infiltrator, the Separatists are THE spam faction. They do it better than even the empire.

I do have a feeling that something like this is very degenerate(then again so is anything with nantex).

Geonosian Prototype (35)
Discord Missiles (4)
Synced Laser Cannons (6)
Kalani (5)
Repulsorlift Stabilizers (3)

Ship total: 53 Half Points: 27 Threshold: 4

Geonosian Prototype (35)
Discord Missiles (4)
Synced Laser Cannons (6)
Repulsorlift Stabilizers (3)

Ship total: 48 Half Points: 24 Threshold: 4

Petranaki Arena Ace (30)
Crack Shot (2)
Marksmanship (1)

Ship total: 33 Half Points: 17 Threshold: 2

Petranaki Arena Ace (30)
Crack Shot (2)
Marksmanship (1)

Ship total: 33 Half Points: 17 Threshold: 2

Petranaki Arena Ace (30)
Crack Shot (2)
Marksmanship (1)

Ship total: 33 Half Points: 17 Threshold: 2


Total: 200

Kalani allows the nantexes to acquire locks. This list can both overwhelm with firepower, and hard-counter aces.

I wanted to post up here asking for help using just one HMP.

I fundamentally don’t get the HMP. I mean, I’ve got a HMP, but how to use it is a mystery. What is its role? Seems like it should have some nasty movement tricks and carry big cool upgrades, but that also makes it a big points piñata that sometimes struggles to end up where you need it.

How would I mix one in with a squad of other things, and what would I rely on it to do? (And for reference, I have no interest in spamming HMPs at this time. I want to see one HMP perform for me before I go deeper with the chassis.)

As a just one, I'm not sure this is a chassis that makes a lot of sense.

  • With only one, I think it's probably just a DRK-1 and/or Tactical Relay carrier instead of a Belbullab or DBS-32C. Maybe Grievous crew, since that could make one really tanky at the heart of a list full of Vultures and such. Ion Missile is cheap and 3 dice.
    • I could see something like 3 Vultures with Discords, 3 Vultures with Ions, and an HMP with stuff like DRK-1 and TA-175 and Grievous.
    • Maybe a single Geonosian with SLC and Repulsors could make sense next to a Firespray and some other stuff, but I'm not sure. It's not like putting a single B-Wing into a list makes sense. But then again, sideslip is pretty nifty, and might serve an interesting pest (and probably carries the DRK-1s)
  • With two, I could see a pair of side-slippers (probably just Baktoids, but Synced Cannon Geonosians can hit hard) being a foundation for some Tri-Fighter aces.
    • For example, 2x Phlac-Arphocc Prototypes with Predator, Boosters, 2 SLC Repulsor Geonosian Prototypes, DFS-311 with Struts. Two punchers, two aces, and a mini support.

The HMP is, in essence, a dorsal turret Y-wing with access to rerolls. His roll is to be beef and good arc coverage. If you decide to load it with upgrades, they can be pretty decent munition carriers.

3 minutes ago, LeMightyASP said:

The HMP is, in essence, a dorsal turret Y-wing with access to rerolls. His roll is to be beef and good arc coverage.

Ahhh! Okay thank you, now we’re speaking a language that I understand!

35 minutes ago, theBitterFig said:

With only one, I think it's probably just a DRK-1 and/or Tactical Relay carrier instead of a Belbullab or DBS-32C. Maybe Grievous crew, since that could make one really tanky at the heart of a list full of Vultures and such.

This makes sense too, I suppose. I don’t usually play with relays or DRK-1s due to cost. I’ve long thought Grievous was a natural choice on the HMP, though. Not sure if the config is really necessary or just a fancy points sink...

I dunno. It sounds like I should approach my HMP in about the same way as a toolboxy BTL-B, perhaps like R2-D2. I’ll have to give it a whirl. Or maybe it ultimately doesn’t make sense in my collection. Guess I’ll get there if I get there.

29 minutes ago, CoffeeMinion said:

Not sure if the config is really necessary or just a fancy points sink...

The config makes it hyper maneuverable, sort of like a StarViper. Practically guarantees you have arc coverage even on squirrely aces. The 4x HMP archetype basically hard counters aces.

1 hour ago, LeMightyASP said:

The HMP is, in essence, a dorsal turret Y-wing with access to rerolls. His roll is to be beef and good arc coverage. If you decide to load it with upgrades, they can be pretty decent munition carriers.

With the additional note that the Geonosian Prototype can grab a 3-dice cannon. As always with SLC, it's worth forgetting that the thing has text, but with that, it becomes something more like a B-Wing, kinda almost sorta not quite.

40 minutes ago, CoffeeMinion said:

Not sure if the config is really necessary or just a fancy points sink...

Config seems great, but my guess is that it'll depend on how the ship is used in a list. If it's just a buff-bot, I think I'd just skip it.

But if the ship has room to move independently, yeah, really seems worthwhile.

37 minutes ago, CoffeeMinion said:

This makes sense too, I suppose. I don’t usually play with relays or DRK-1s due to cost. I’ve long thought Grievous was a natural choice on the HMP, though.

I mean, it's 6 Vultures + All the Buffs. I guess it could go to 8 ships, or swap in a few Hyenas (pretty much always a great idea! they're so cheap!), but there's still a tonne of bulk to the swarm.

I'll just echo that a single HMP is so far in my testing the best Relay carrier in the CIS - but I'll add that the Config is extremely useful for keeping it alive due to the added squirrelliness. It is beefy but squishy, so it needs to be flown with a little more care than might otherwise seem necessary, and that's where the Repulsorlifts shines. I've had some decent success, though, when I can get my engagements right - with just about any combination of Vultures and Hyenas. I have high hopes for adding a Tri or two to the swarm (when it finally arrives locally).

So I was goofing around with the HMP last night, came up with a couple of promising ideas. Here’s one of my favorites (still theorycraft, as I haven’t yet received the Tri-Fighters)...

Vulture, HMP, HMP, Tri, Tri

(41) Phlac-Arphocc Prototype [Droid Tri-Fighter]
(1) Intercept Booster
(2) Predator
Points: 44

(41) Phlac-Arphocc Prototype [Droid Tri-Fighter]
(1) Intercept Booster
(2) Predator
Points: 44

(35) Geonosian Prototype [HMP Droid Gunship]
(6) Synced Laser Cannons
(3) Repulsorlift Stabilizers
Points: 44

(35) Geonosian Prototype [HMP Droid Gunship]
(6) Synced Laser Cannons
(3) Repulsorlift Stabilizers
Points: 44

(21) Haor Chall Prototype [Vulture-class Droid Fighter]
(1) Grappling Struts
(2) XX-23 S-Thread Tracers
Points: 24

Total points: 200

Pretty straightforward. The HMP’s and the Vulture provide a backstop that matches slowly forward, while the Tri-Fighters rocket up the flank(s), and try to get behind the enemy. The Synced Laser Cannons ensure good damage output at any range. The Vulture with Thread Tracers hopefully gets some locks for the team. I like that the Tri’s and HMP’s in this list are both 44 points, which allows me to treat them as more or less modular elements. I could swap out a Tri for a third (slightly different) HMP, or an HMP for a (slightly different) Tri (the P-A Prototype and the Geonosian Prototype are both two dot limited). The Hyena Bomber DBS-404 with Landing Struts, Shield Upgrade, and Advanced Proton Torpedoes comes in at 42 points, and could plug in to replace one of these elements easily.

This other list, I’ve actually used, and it worked very well, and it contains just one HMP:

Chancellor’s Coordinated Drones

(35) DGS-047 [HMP Droid Gunship]
(3) Repulsorlift Stabilizers
(14) Chancellor Palpatine
(5) TV-94
Points: 57

(23) DFS-311 [Vulture-class Droid Fighter]
(1) Grappling Struts
Points: 24

(21) Haor Chall Prototype [Vulture-class Droid Fighter]
(1) Grappling Struts
(4) Discord Missiles
Points: 26

(21) Haor Chall Prototype [Vulture-class Droid Fighter]
(1) Grappling Struts
(4) Discord Missiles
Points: 26

(20) Trade Federation Drone [Vulture-class Droid Fighter]
(1) Grappling Struts
(4) Discord Missiles
Points: 25

(20) Trade Federation Drone [Vulture-class Droid Fighter]
(1) Grappling Struts
Points: 21

(20) Trade Federation Drone [Vulture-class Droid Fighter]
(1) Grappling Struts
Points: 21

Total points: 200

They’re all i1, which means blocks for days. I also really like the matching initiative, especially with Coordinate, as open activation order means flying in formation is much easier.

A list I’d love to make (but can’t, because I only have two HMP’s) would be four of them flying in block formation, with some sort of nasty ordnance or cannon upgrades. They’d be great as a jousting list, and have the ability to all suddenly sideslip either in formation, or spreading out from center to present a massive threat area. Keep them all in the low-to-mid 40’s, points-wise, and you even have room for a Thread Tracers Vulture or Hyena. Make them even a bit cheaper, and you could pack a more serious threat.

I’ve had some success recently with this. It’s so consistent on offence, and anything two ships that stay too close to one another and wind up at range 1-2 just get shredded by double-modded Clusters. The key is locking the right ships, DGS’s ability can help to correct that in some cases.

(34) Baktoid Drone [HMP Droid Gunship]
(3) Repulsorlift Stabilizers
(5) DRK-1 Probe Droids
(4) Cluster Missiles
(6) Concussion Missiles
Points: 52

(35) DGS-047 [HMP Droid Gunship]
(3) Repulsorlift Stabilizers
(5) Diamond-Boron Missiles
(11) Kraken
Points: 54

(34) Baktoid Drone [HMP Droid Gunship]
(3) Repulsorlift Stabilizers
(4) Cluster Missiles
(6) Concussion Missiles
Points: 47

(34) Baktoid Drone [HMP Droid Gunship]
(3) Repulsorlift Stabilizers
(4) Cluster Missiles
(6) Concussion Missiles
Points: 47

Total points: 200