How do you guys value A-Wings? Do they need to have Missles of some kind on them to really help earn their points?

While messing around with a squad or two, I have come up with two possible options for lists. Have not played or tested either one, but it prompted my two questions. Here are the lists:

List 1

Wedge w/R2 D2

Gold Squad w/Ion

Prototype Pilot w/Assault Missles

Prototype Pilot w/Assault Missles

or

List 2

Wedge w/R2 D2, Swarm Tactics

Biggs w/R2 F2, Stealth Device

Prototype Pilot

Prototype Pilot

Like I said, not played them yet…and may not, but it made me wonder if A-wings need a load out to earn their place in a list or not.

Thanks!

I use my a wings on a flank usually as out riders. their speed makes them the fastest thing in a rebel fleet so this and turbo boost can make them deadly if used right. as for missiles I normally spend the points to put missiles on at least 1 of them so they can deliver their payload early in the game. their primary weapons i normaly use for finnishing off damaged ships and with their high agility they can normally evade incoming fire aswell.

all in all a valuble ship to use if used right but suppose ypu could say that about any ship. i think the list with missiles your best bet, try assault missiles against tightly packed swarms.

You should try the homing missile instead of the assault missile. You don't have to spend your target lock to shoot it so you still have a reroll to use if needed.

Musicman4163 said:

Last game I ran a Green Squadron A-Wing with Homing Missiles and Push the Limit. I used PtL to play Target Lock and Focus and then fired off my Homing Missiles! I really love PtL on those little guys because they have so many green maneuvers to mitigate the stress token.

I don't think the A-Wings need missiles to be effective, though. With their 3 defense dice, A-Wings can be very difficult for Imperial players to bring down (seeing as most of their ships have only 2 attack dice). I've also had a lot of success running a low-skill A-Wing out into the path of my opponent's Firespray, depriving him of his action and preventing him from firing on the A-Wing itself.

a4rino said:

Me thinks this is not the pilot your looking for, there is another, one who is brave enough to be able to do that and to ensure you can still shoot back :-)

take tycho with push the limit if you really want to use them to their full potential, with him you can technically do a one koigran turn(3 u turn +turbo boost) then apply a target lock or focus or evade, all of the foreward green manuvers are a help in shifting stress tokens, for a great combo double him up with arvl crynwd, these are awesome if used right, deffinetly worth the points, they have won many a game for me, also on the note of push the limit try it on the falcon with niem numb, exellent.

Bazinga said:

I didn't want to use Arvel because his pilot skill would be too high for him to block Krassis or Bounty Hunter, and I wasn't sure which Firespray pilot my opponent was going to field. He ended up using Boba Fett (so I was at first sad that I didn't play Arvel), but as it turned out my Green Squadron Pilot could still fire on his ties from where he landed while blocking Firespray, so it wasn't a total loss, anyway.

Tycho was a liability for the same reason (high pilot skill), although I absolutely LOVE him with Push the Limit. A regular A-Wing with PtL is really almost as good, though; there are a few situations in which Tycho can really bring down the house with his ability, but Green Squadron Pilot is a full 7 points cheaper than Tycho. That means I could field Green Squadron Pilot + Push the Limit + Homing Missiles for only 1 point more than fielding Tycho with no upgrades.

Tycho can't do red manuvers when stressed. Just something to keep in mind. I've seen a lot of players let the stress tokens pile up and then forget about them and try that 3 turn-a-round only to then let me choose how he flies next.

Picasso said:

Given the range and flexibility of the A-wing's maneuver dial, the could go very, very badly for the ship's owner. Hope he wasn't within six inches of a table edge…

Yea,that's happened. I've also put them on asteroids just to get lit up by a heavy canon.

If you run a list that does a lot of Free Action passing, A-Wings really come into their own…

In a more straightforward, operate on their own type list that doesn't require those subtlties, you may be better off running X-Wings in most cases instead.

As I posted in the Battle Report folder regarding A-Wings. What I like the most about the A-Wing is Boost Action . Combined with it's zippy maneuver dial, boost action allows the ship to dance around the opponent, staying out of firing arcs while bringing others into your sights. Every Pilot card has the missile upgrade icon and two out of the four have the medallion upgrade icon. Truly the only thing missing from the A-Wing's action bar is barrel roll, but it's not necessary to add via Expert Handling.

The other thing I like about the A-Wing is it's Shields. I'd rather have a point of shields than an extra point of hull any day, because a critical damage to a shield is like water off a ducks back. Also, though it is seemingly less offensive when compared to the X-Wing, it's greater ability to position it's self in the battle space allow for more opportunities to fire as opposed to fewer times with greater success.

The best A-Wing to me is Arvel Crynyd. His Pilot Ability combined with boost action allow me greater control of engagements and make me less likely to be concerned about getting in close. He is also great for making the weak primary weapon more effective, by staying in range one of the opponent while using boost action to take away their ability to fire back. Although his lack of a medalion icon may seem bothersome, the missile icon allows him to make up for the weak primary weapons at greater range (even if for only one attack).

The A-Wing adds greater depth to the Rebel Fleet making any build more versatile. I agree that it can function well in support but also feel it has offensive capabilities given it's extreme maneuverability.

Sunsteel said:

How does boost benefit Arvel more than anyone else? Since you can't overlap another models base with boost per the card, it doesn't seem to really help Arvel unless you can boost out of someone's arc.

I've found Arvel very hard to use, personally, unless playing against a large base. Perhaps I just haven't used him enough?

Endgame124 said:

His boost allows me more maneuverability to make an opposing ship to run into me or at least touch bases so Arvel cannot be engaged. At least that is one way I use it.

I usually play Empire, but I'm thinking about making a Rebel list soon. I'm thinking about putting Expert Handling on Arvel, it just seems great, enabling him to Barrel Roll for 2 points, and he won't lose actions from the stress. It makes him just a tad more maneuverable than he already was, Barrel Rolling can be useful in a pinch. Correct me if I"m wrong but you don't HAVE to have a target lock on you to use Expert Handling.

Just a thought.

PRINCEOFDANKNESS said:

There is no requirement to have a [Red] Target Lock on you in order to execute the action for barrel roll. I have been play testing with the Tie Interceptor a lot lately and the usefulness of barrel roll is notable. Combined with boost action, it's versatility is amazing. So as much as I think the A-Wing is highly maneuverable already, I can't fault you for adding Expert Handling, besides you are adding it to the ship with the most green maneuvers on it's dial in the game!

PRINCEOFDANKNESS said:

Arvel Crynyd doesn't have an elite talent upgrade slot.

Vorpal Sword said:

So true, that would be Tycho Celchu or Green Squadron Pilot.

Yes I meant to put Tycho. I put Arvel cause I saw others talking about him and thought it was about the other haha. My bad!