Hello!

I am thinking about entering and X-Wing regional tournie and I want to have a better showing than my 1-4 record last tournament. But I have so many ideas and I need to focus on what can do better. Please look at my list and let me know which has a better chance, even if it needs tweaking. i am trying to do something other than a TIE swarm list.

Wedge

-R2D2

Tycho

-Push the Limit

-Stealth Device

-Assault Missile

Dutch

-Ion Cannon

-R5

Standard three amigos fleet. Tycho lets the assault missile fly ASAP against swarms.

Lando

-Nien Nunb

-Millenium Falcon Upgrade

Wedge

Prototype Pilot

-Stealth Device

-Assault Missile

Kinda the same as the other rebel fleet. Assault missile out ASAP. Lando can give extra actions to Wedge or the A-wing.

Krassis

Heavy Laser Cannon

-Assault missile

-Proximity mine

Alpha Squad

Black Squad

-Marksmanship

Dark Curse

-Stealth Device

Krassis sends out the Assault Missile with Dark Curse backing him up. And the Black Squad pilots cover the flank. Would this work better with more Interceptors?

Soontir Fel

-Stealth Device

Black Squad

-Marksmanship

-Engine Upgrade

Black Squad

-Marksmanship

-Engine Upgrade

Saber Squad

-Stealth Device

This one is more designed to be evasive and to be able to move out of firing arcs No assault Missiles but I am hoping the evasiveness of the squad will save it.

Alpha Squad

-Stealth Device

Darth Vader

-Assault Missile

Black Squad

-Marksmanship

-Engine Upgrade

Black Squad

-Marksmanship

-Engine Upgrade

A slight swarm fleet with a little more quality to it. I hope the Markmanship can tip the scales. Vader will fire the Assault missile against swarms of course

Black Squad

-Marksmanship

Black Squad

-Marksmanship

Turr Phennir

-Stealth Device

-Push the Limit

Soontir Fel

-Stealth Device

-Push the Limit

This one has Interceptors on the flanks and the Black Squad in the middle.

Any advice on any of these squads would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Captain_Arrr said:

You have a lot of Black Squadron Pilots with Marksmanship. In my experience, this is not a very good way to spend 17 points. With only two attack dice, Focus results don't come up that often, and even if they do, there's a pretty decent chance for the opponent to dodge the hit and the crit. I think Marksmanship is better on craft with 3+ attack dice. So if Black Squadron Pilot is at Range 1, it would work, but if you don't roll any [Focus] results, you can't use that action on defense the way you can the Focus action. I'd skip the last three squads, or take out the BSP + Marks.

I like your Krassis list, but I would change the Proximity Mine to Seismic Charges, to give you an extra point that you can spend on the Black Squadron Pilot to bump him up to another Alpha Squadron Pilot. Much better firepower there. And Seismic Charges are easier to use than Proximity Mines (in my experience).

I also like your first Rebel list. Not a lot of hit points, but you have some nice abilities. Dutch will be really helpful I think because nobody will shoot for him, and as long as he is alive he will make Wedge a killer pilot! The second Rebel list I can't really comment on because I haven't ever played with the YT-1300.

I thought I finally found a use for Marksmanship! Ah well. I could always bring in another favorite, Dark Curse with a Stealth device for one of the TIEs.

Here's a change with the Krassis list:

Krassis

Heavy Laser Cannon

-Assault missile

-Seismic charge

Alpha Squad

Alpha Squad

Dark Curse

-Stealth Device

Another to add to the List for the Imps:

Soontir Fel

-stealth Device

-Push the Limit

Turr Phennir

-Push the Limit

-Stealth Device

Vader

-Assault Missile

Your last imp list…Turr would be better served with VEt Instincts..and give Vader an elite talent

jetsetter said:

I don't know, Turr can be pretty scary with Push The Limit. If you face high-skilled pilots then Veteran Instincts will be helpful IF you get initiative. But initiative is generally bad for Imperials at PS 9 because you can't use your Barrel Roll/Boost in the activation phase to react to your opponent's maneuvers. Most squads will have a few low-skilled pilots, so even without Veteran Instincts Turr should be able to use his ability to great effect. It really depends on what kinds of squads you'll be facing, which is impossible to predict. So then it comes down to personal taste.

You are really obsessed with assault missiles and Marksmanship.

Assault missiles are useful, no question, and there are quite some squads they are good against like Rebel synergetic squads, or swarms. But to me it seems like you must have been losing consistently to such squads. Beleve me there are in myny squads better ways to spend 5 points.

Marksmanship, and this has meen talked about lots of times is a really overpriced skill that takes up your valuable elite slot and is really weak and situational in comparison to other skills and lacks even the flexibility of basic focus actions. It can be good in some rare configurations, but generally on ships with lots of attack dice or multiple actions (combined with target locks for example) or on someone like Kath Scarlett.

and yes, an Alpha squadron is generally better than a Black squadron with Marksmanship…

Parakitor said:

You are partially right, especially about the part with initiative for imperials.

But then apparently you have to use PTL on Turr only after his bonus boost/barrel roll after he has shot. Because if you don't he is stressed before shooting if you use PTL and this means he loses his pilot ability. He can't do a boost or barrel roll action while stressed, it is clearly pointed out being a performed action…

So if you plan on doing one action, then two after shooting (if you have a target), PTL is ok, but if not you would better be off taking a Saber Squadron Pilot with PTL as he is cheaper and has no pilot action to lose…

Slightly different take on the Imperial list that won a local for me recently without losing a ship:

Vader + Engine Upgrade + Daredevil + Homing Missile

Fel + Push the Limit + Stealth Device

Phenir + Veteran Instincts

Has the fire power to take down a YT-1300 quickly and the maneuverability to stay out of other ships' firing arcs. Daredevil on Vader ends up being pretty crazy with his ability to do 2 actions. When you can toss a boost and a Daredevil on the end of any maneuver, finding a green maneuver on his dial is pretty easy.

Under the current rules interpretation, daredevil doesn't stress you. That will be FAQ'd though, so the Vader combo is even better for now.

Englishpete said:

Oh I know that interpretation, but given that the "it will be fixed" was given and I think that's a silly way to interpret it (a strict reading that way means that you do the turn without placing the movement template or removing it, after all) I will continue playing the daredevil gives stress.

ForceM said:

That is spot-on. Push The Limit has the potential to make him untouchable after an attack. But he can'd do the, what do people call it -- turtling? Taking Focus+Evade completely negates his pilot ability, and I agree that Saber Squadron Pilot is a better choice if that's how you want to use Push The Limit.

I also forgot to say in my original analysis that Black Squadron Pilots do have their place because of their pilot skill, shooting before Bounty Hunters, Rookies and Gold Squadron Pilots. I just think that slapping Marksmanship on them makes them much more expensive than they are worth. Because they have no shields, Determination is a great help, I think (though I haven't used it on Black Squadron TIEs yet). But then you could take "Night Beast" or even better, "Winged Gundark"!

…yes, that was a joke. But I'm starting to REALY want to play "Winged Gundark" now since he doesn't get any love.

Let me see if I can answer everything:

-Yes i like to bring an assault Missile. I ran a foul of two TIE swarm lists last tournie and they clustered. I want a way to soften them up, especially if I bring fewer pilots. Are you suggesting the Assault missile is not worth it?

-So with the conversation going, I should bring an Imp list?

-I have abandoned marksmanship. You are right it is not worth it with only 2 dice.

-Point taken on Turr Phennir. PTl is not the way to go. Although engine upgrade on Vader……..

Pick the one you would think be the most fun to play.

I think I will go Imps. I have an idea of what to do. i want to bring that nice vader combo, but what to do regarding his wingmen?

Vader

-Engine Upgrade

-Assault Missile

-Daredevil

Soontir Fel

-Push the Limit

-Stealth Device

Turr Phennir

---------------------------------------------------------

Or

Vader

-Engine Upgrade

-Assault Missile

-Daredevil

Alpha Squad

-Stealth Device

Alpha Squad

-Stealth Device

Dark Curse

Which seems better?

i like version one but id drop stealth device on soontir and also a put push the limit on turr.

Don't put PtL on Turr, it's just doesn't synergize as well as you'd want with his ability. From my count, you have another point to play around with in the first list, so I'd go with VI on Turr. His ability is even better at pilot skill 9 for getting off shots and then getting out of arc.

Firstly my phone doesn't format posts properly so apologies.

I love the vader, Soontir, turr squad but last night I tried a twist that worked very well.

Kath+boost+ptl+seismic

Turr+vet instinct

Soontir

Kath with boost was on my opponent turn one and forced him towards my innies for next few rounds. He was very surprised to find a bounty hunter in his face so early.

Next time i would drop seismic for elusiveness on Soontir for a little extra protection and free focus. Easy to shift stress on an innie.

Should have said it was against a wedge, Luke, tycho build, yet to see how it fares against a tie or falcon build.

I have run the Vader/Fel/Phenir against a twin falcon build and won pretty easily. It negates your maneuverability advantage, but you can focus fire and bring down the low agility falcons pretty fast. I do run Homing Missile over Assault Missile, which does help push through damage in that first exchange as Vader gets 4v1 focus + target lock at range 3.

dbmeboy said:

I have to say i have come to love homing missiles with either Vader or PTL but just to breifly explain my reasoning for swaping Vader for Kath.

a) I find I want to push up and try and hit in early combat with this squad to force my opponent to fly where I want him to next turn and a big ship helps with that.

b) Even with pilot skill 9 on Vader and Boost there is no garantee of me getting up there Locking + Focus in one turn due to initiative. With a boost and focus from Kath(PTL) then even if I move first they will often move into my firing arc.

C) If they fire first then generally there is no way they can stop me firing back and i have pushed forward with Vader in the past and had him crippled by unlucky rolls and lose his missiles before he returned fire.

I may drop an extra dice in the attack but gain the ressiliance.

All of this can be subjective according to asteroids and set up placement of course.

If i can i set the bounty up on one edge running and run a 4 move straight up as close to an asteroid as possible then boost turning into the middle.

The two innies i set up facing sideways towards the middle and do a two hard to turn them lining them up with asteroid gaps.( equivalent of a one forward) i can then line up for a good attack approach next turn while kath hounds them from behind.

not so breif in the end but hey..

Kath + Boost, eh? Interesting approach. The one time I pushed my Bounty Hunter forward like that (he doesn't even need Boost usually to get the opponent in range on the first turn), he got lit up by Target Locks (this was against an almost identical build that you faced). I barely won that game. I suppose my BH might have been targetted anyway, but it hurt that all my other ships were out of range, so that first exchange was pretty one-sided against me.

Parakitor said:

Bat Rep: for Kath boost, my squad pilot skill 7, 9, 9 against 8, 9, 9,

I think this is what helped. I had initiative and set up Kath at one big base in from edge the majority of asteroids being towards the middle and other side, then i could see where he went with next two ships.

I think he hedged his bets not wanting to face a full force that would shoot first -ish and so set up luke in the middle and tycho slightly further away wanting to use asteroids as cover once we got going.

This allowed me to set up the innies facing sideways along the bottom edge towards the middle and Kath hopefully confusing him., then he set up wedge along the furthest side from Kath in order to run down behind the innies.

After Kath had moved 4 forward and a boost towards the middle even a 1 forward would have put him in my arc. He chose the only move that could have got him just out of my arc, a 3 bank away… lucky.

I felt i would have been locked onto only by one two ships max and all at range 3. Had he done this i would still have been coming at him with Soontir and Turr from a side or rear angle. Good for me.

Had he set up with at least two ships facing me i would have had to option to set up all my ships together still using a couple of asteroids for cover if need be.

Dont know if this helps the reasoning behind my new found love of this squad, feel free to chip in.

Captain_Arrr said:

Squad is 99 points….add Vet Instincts to Phennir to get 3 PS9 pilots.

With Squad 2 I would replace the 2 Alpha Squad with 2 Avenger Squad and put a Stealth Device on Dark Curse….100 points even.