Since pilots with offensive skills (Wedge/Backstabber) typically get focus fired down at the beginning of the game while defensive skilled pilots get ignored (Luke/Dark Curse), I think it might be best to gear them with what they are lacking.

For example:

Wedge + R2D2

Luke + Marksmanship

This creates a bit of confusion for your opponent when deciding who to focus fire. And it allows flexibility for both fighters to perform well offensively or defensively depending on the situation.

On a related note, it seems inefficient to load up one ship with multiple upgrades (even though some upgrades synergize well like Marksmanship and Torps/Rocks). Mostly because your opponent can largely ignore your other ships and focus the one expensive ship down early to secure an easy win. I've been spreading the upgrades and taking less of them in favor of more rookie ships for this reason.

Anyone else doing this?

Thoughts?

I like mixing Upgrades and natural abilities so that both offense and defense are covered.

For X-Wings I really like Wedge + R2-F2 (action = +1 Agility for the turn), especially good when having to take on higher numbers (which is pretty much all the time)

I have also been taking X and Y wing pilots with lower skills but with turrets, droids and torps to give them a less generic feel.

Can't really do that with TIEs due to a lack of upgrade options except with the occasional Black Squadron Pilot. But usually they only get Determination.

My last 60pt game was the wedge combo above + determination because I had a point to kill. Then I took a Rookie with an R5-K6 to get the occasional free target lock and a torp. That made both ships about the same point value.

Both pilots did pretty well. The torp actually opened the game up with a critical. Wedge did a lot of the heavy hitting, but the Rookie was plenty effective to. So I don't look down on the lower skilled pilots. The only time a low skill really hurts is when you're about to have a shoot out with a higher skilled pilot.

-DavicusPrime

That just sort of balances the game out either way though, doesn't it?

I'd typically save Luke for last so I don't waste glancing shots on regenerating shields, and get rid of Wedge as soon as I can so he doesn't tear through my TIE's.

If you generalize their skills rather than focus them, like the Wedge/Marksmanship and Luke/R2 combos, then you certainly make them less obvious in terms of target priority, but at the same time, you also hamper their effectiveness at doing what they excel at; Wedge at killing stuff, and Luke at not dying.

I'm not saying don't do it, but for the same points cost either way, from a "winning" perspective, i think the popular choice is still the default focused combos. Having said that, I enjoy tactical challenges in my games, so to me, getting out of that comfort zone is how you sometimes discover obscure load outs that really make you pull out wins in new ways. As well, confusing your opponent's notions of target priority is an advantage in itself.

Besides, Wedge can still do some damage with a Target Lock, sans Marksmanship, so it's not like he's totally unable to tear it up, and Luke still gets the free Evade, R2 or not.

DavicusPrime said:

Very true, but if the higher skilled pilot is something like a 8 or 9, that's most of your forces anyways. I find a lot of utility out of putting Torpedos on the Rookie Pilot X-Wings and use them to rip open a TIE Advanced, after a higher skilled pilot (like Wedge ) takes their shields down.

The only thing I have no practical experience with yet, is the Y-Wing. It's totally on my radar to buy, don't get me wrong, but for personal taste, I'm just not a fan of the ship in the mythology sense, so it doesn't really excite me to field one. I totally see the value for gameplay, but for now I'm having a blast with my X-Wings getting it done, so I tend to frame my Rebel strategies I talk about here around an all-X-Wing load out.

I was looking at running Horton Salm with an Ion cannon and R2-F2, his ability to re-roll blanks is sorta a free focus (2 chances of a blank 2 chances of an eye) just that it's not gauranteed to roll up a hit like focus is, but R2-F2 will double his defensive die pool

Also a Gold squadron pilot with an Ion + R5-D8 to try and take advantage of those 5 hull points.

I'd also like to try the basic R2 in a variety of ships as I like the Koiogran (however it's spelt) turn and it'd allow a wider range of manuevers to be executed and get the stress off.

As for your idea I think R2-D2 on Wedge might but not really be usefull as X-wings only green choices are 1 and 2 straight than the 1 turns (in general I think R2-D2 is far to predictable but if you don't over utilize him it could become a big advantage as they might often move anticipating you to use a green to get your shield back). But Marksman on Luke is a good idea as he's naturally good at staying alive but now he'd be much more menacing and something that needs to be shot down

Too Many Daves!

I like balance just fine. I guess the question is, do you want jacks of all trades or masters of one? Inasfar as goodie distribution is concerned, I'm planning to play a few games with at least one Y-Wing loaded for bear. I mean everything. I want to use it like a C-130 gunship and see how things go with a two or three ship escort. I'll post results.

Clear, no love for the Y-Wing? Didn't you ever play LucasArts' X-Wing for Windows95? (yes, I know it's called X-Wing) The ship is a beast!

qwertyuiop said:

Not enough! We're gonna take over the world, man!

I love Y-wings. I was always annoyed that back in the day, they didn't make Y-Wings for my action figures. They've always been visually appealing to me and the turret has always made me think they would have an advantage. Too bad you couldn't use it at a turret back in that old video game.

So far, they've been quite useful on the table, except the one time I rolled a near perfect Concussion missile hit on one followed by a coordinated attack from Mithel and Backstabber… Bye-bye Mr. Y.

-DavicusPrime