What to Do with My New Decimator?

By Firebird TMK, in X-Wing Squad Lists

Christmas 2020 got me a VT-49 Decimator. I've never run one, so I'm trying to come up with a fun list, not necessarily tournament-level. Wanted to get some comments while this forum is still alive.

1) VT-49 Decimator (111)

Captain Oicunn

Ion Torpedoes

Freelance Slicer

Tactical Officer

Novice Technician

Veteran Turret Gunner

Static Discharge Vanes

Dauntless

2) TIE/sk Striker (41)

Vagabond

Deadeye Shot

Skilled Bombardier

Proton Bombs

3) TIE Advanced x1 (48)

Fire-Control System

Mag-Pulse Warheads

Total pts: 200

YASB 2.0 - Firebird's Striking Decimator #1 (raithos.github.io)

Thoughts:

Decimator locks on opponent ship, then rams next round. Gets to do a white action (which becomes red), fires on rammed ship which loses a defense die. VTG gives a second shot. On defense, Freelance Slicer jams locked attacker, then if it gains a jam, pass it on to another nearby ship via Static Discharge Vanes. Meanwhile, Vagabond maneuvers to line up bomb drops and shots, and Zertik maneuvers to lock and expose damage cards.

Comments are welcomed.

Edited by Firebird TMK
Added total points.

Try the Darthimator

Darthimator

(67) Patrol Leader [VT-49 Decimator]
(14) Darth Vader
(12) Admiral Sloane
(5) 0-0-0
(6) Proximity Mines
(2) BT-1
(2) Hull Upgrade
(4) Dauntless
Points: 112

(22) Academy Pilot [TIE/ln Fighter]
Points: 22

(22) Academy Pilot [TIE/ln Fighter]
Points: 22

(22) Academy Pilot [TIE/ln Fighter]
Points: 22

(22) Academy Pilot [TIE/ln Fighter]
Points: 22

Total points: 200

23 hours ago, Firebird TMK said:

Christmas 2020 got me a VT-49 Decimator. I've never run one, so I'm trying to come up with a fun list, not necessarily tournament-level. Wanted to get some comments while this forum is still alive.

Freelance Slicers is 98% not worth it most of time because rerolling your misses on attack is WAY more important. A few builds use them that get free locks and can also convert blanks (like Rey with Rose crew).

Static Discharge is another mostly useless card."If this happens, and this is the ship state, and this ship is in range, then this can happen." Lots of "ifs" that are out of your control most of the time.

Veteran turret gunner doesnt trigger as often as people think. Getting ships lined up in front and back (or left and right) is rare, and with a ship like Decimator, you might get it once a game, and mostly the second shot is unmodded.

Tactical Officer. Unless you are gonna be coordinating every round, its an expensive card. I think Oicunn can survive on blue maenuvers cause he doesnt really care about bumping. More points for more fun things.

I would look to swap out some of these upgrades.

Same ships, different loadout:

Captain Oicunn (74)
Intimidation (3)
Hondo Ohnaka (6)
Darth Vader (14)
Seventh Sister (9)
Dauntless (4)

"Vagabond" (34)
Thermal Detonators (3)

Maarek Stele (45)
Fire-Control System (2)
Afterburners (6)
Total: 200

Maarek is your ace/bruiser and nothing is more fun than choosing your enemies crits! Vagabond is a fun support piece. Never knowing when bomb drops will occur can catch your opponent off guard. And Oicunn. If he bumps, intimidation drops agility. Vader and Hondo can be a mean and fun combo. Oicunn bumps, triggers Hondo to coordinate one ship and jam the other (enemy or friendly). Then Vader triggers at engagement phase, and you can now damage the ship you just jammed, OR remove a green token from enemy ship you coordinated. All while still having offensive mods with 7th Sister.

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll give them a try.

@wurms that's an awesome list. I still not get what the role of 7th sister is... some ideas that crossed my mind were:

- extra force charge

- jamming at range 0 (Hondo is range 1-3) for Vader to damage.

- tractoring to help Oicunn bump

All that sounds good, but don't see how it gives you defensive mods. And the enemy ship needs to strees for it to trigger. Is she that good?

Edited by LUZ_TAK
27 minutes ago, LUZ_TAK said:

@wurms that's an awesome list. I still not get what the role of 7th sister is... some ideas that crossed my mind were:

- extra force charge

- jamming at range 0 (Hondo is range 1-3) for Vader to damage.

- tractoring to help Oicunn bump

All that sounds good, but don't see how it gives you defensive mods. And the enemy ship needs to strees for it to trigger. Is she that good?

7th sis is there mostly for offensive mods. Her ability can be useful at certain times, like if a fang fighter boost and stresses to focus for a range 1 attack, you can tractor them onto a rock, etc. But 90% of time is just for the offensive mod.

Trick for hondo is you can basically jam two ships. One with vader removing green token, and one with hondo, while coordinating another, but usually there is a stressed ship on the enemy side you can choose to coordinate and it will fail, or a two dice gun that you dont mind having lock and focus, etc.

Fat Chiraneau + Fat Whisper (if you own a phantom)

That 's a list archetype I have a lot of fun with. It feels so good to load things up with upgrades... XD