So,

4 X-Wings works well as we all know. 4 Y-wings with Ion Turrets is a real challenge to beat, it not a top tier build.

I believe (and will be testing) that 4 B-Wings with fire control systems will be quite a good squad. What do you all see as tactics and drawbacks?

I'll post my thoughts later when I have more time.

probably movement and defense will be your biggest problems. 1 def. is stupid low.

Stealth device with only 1 base agility die isn't going to be much help. The chances of it getting knocked out on the first shot are too high. 1 extra shield may be a better choice.

Stealth device with only 1 base agility die isn't going to be much help. The chances of it getting knocked out on the first shot are too high. 1 extra shield may be a better choice.

maybe, but two def is better than one for a while

I wasn't planning on stealth, I was going to use Fire Control Systems for continuous target locks on the targeted ship.

All you'd need is a good squad of TIE Interceptors to destroy a fleet like this. The B-wing is not maneuverable enough to keep up with most Imperial fighters, even if it can get in some good shots. Just pull in behind them and let 'em have it.

If you focus fire with all your B-wings theres a good chance what you're shooting at wont be there next round, minimizing the effectiveness of the FCS upgrade. Advanced sensors looks more attractive but it makes it a really expensive list unless whoever you play with is cool with useing proxies.

All you'd need is a good squad of TIE Interceptors to destroy a fleet like this. The B-wing is not maneuverable enough to keep up with most Imperial fighters, even if it can get in some good shots. Just pull in behind them and let 'em have it.

Except few people run a squad of just TIE Interceptors because it can easily get taken out with a few lucky shots. Yes, pull in behind them, and hope they don't pull a 2 Koiogran...I agree they aren't as fast, but they are nearly as maneuverable as Imps with their 1 hards, barrel rolls, and such.

I personally think that 4 B-wings would be best with 4 Ion Cannons to maximize range 3 shots and make ships be exactly where you want them, it minimizes their weaknesses and gives them far more chances for good shots.

Except few people run a squad of just TIE Interceptors because it can easily get taken out with a few lucky shots. Yes, pull in behind them, and hope they don't pull a 2 Koiogran...I agree they aren't as fast, but they are nearly as maneuverable as Imps with their 1 hards, barrel rolls, and such.

I personally think that 4 B-wings would be best with 4 Ion Cannons to maximize range 3 shots and make ships be exactly where you want them, it minimizes their weaknesses and gives them far more chances for good shots.

True (though the three named TIE/Int pilots with Stealth Device would probably survive). But still, I have a bad feeling about fielding four of the same ship when all four of them have poor maneuverability, even if they have amazing weapons and sensors. It'd be putting all your eggs in one basket. At least sacrifice one of them for a couple of cheap A-wing escorts.

Agreed

Ion cannons would be fairly nasty :-)

Imagine hunting any imperial ship (besides the shuttle and, to a lesser extent, the firespray) with a B-Wing. It's just not maneuverable enough or agile enough. Ties, adv ties, interceptors, even tie bombers out maneuver b-wings all day. Don't be fooled by its offensive power, the B-Wing is a liability besides its singular application: hitting hard for 1-2 turns a game.

One B-Wing is great, two is meh, three is bad and four is straight stupid. Spam won't work in the wave 3 meta. Try it for yourself if you disagree.

You're exactly right. Diversity is the name of the game. Using a spam list of only one ship type was a bad idea in Wave 1 and Wave 2, and I don't see Wave 3 being any different. Not to say it couldn't work, but for the same points there are far better options.

Imagine hunting any imperial ship (besides the shuttle and, to a lesser extent, the firespray) with a B-Wing. It's just not maneuverable enough or agile enough. Ties, adv ties, interceptors, even tie bombers out maneuver b-wings all day. Don't be fooled by its offensive power, the B-Wing is a liability besides its singular application: hitting hard for 1-2 turns a game.

One B-Wing is great, two is meh, three is bad and four is straight stupid. Spam won't work in the wave 3 meta. Try it for yourself if you disagree.

Their agility is a serious problem. And i don't know if they are on par with 4 X-Wings for this sole reason.

By the way i have flown spam lists and fought against them. They are generally very strong actually. I can't try 4 B-Wings since you can not buy any wave 3 ships around here. But i see no reason why they would make an exception to spam lists in general. Also there are stronger and weaker spams (8 Tie/ln vs 5 Y-Wings for example).

Also what have you tried and why do you think these lists are not good.

I certainly am not an absolute partisan of these lists but you really got to give some reasoning for this...

You're exactly right. Diversity is the name of the game. Using a spam list of only one ship type was a bad idea in Wave 1 and Wave 2, and I don't see Wave 3 being any different. Not to say it couldn't work, but for the same points there are far better options.

In Wave 1 Tie Swarms were the strongest list around, and they remain one of the strongest lists up to now.

At the moment Triple Bounty hunter is also very strong, and at Gencon i heard it was 3 X-Wings vs a 7 Tie Swarm in the Final.

Again i am not a huge fan of spam lists but this has nothing to do with the fact they can be really strong and in a lot of cases stronger than diversified lists!

Are you looking at the same dial as me? The B-wings are very manuverable, they are just slow. Very very slow. 4 B-wings with HLCs should be pretty good. The HLC makes up for their lack of speed, and with their dial, you should be able to get all 4 to focus fire on a single target a turn and bring them down.

That being said, I think 4 Bs with HLC will put you over the 100 point limit

Blue sq = 22

HLC = 7

= 3 blue sq pilots w/HLC's @87 pts, upgrade as you see fit. Not saying it will live though.

Blue sq = 22

HLC = 7

= 3 blue sq pilots w/HLC's @87 pts, upgrade as you see fit. Not saying it will live though.

I'm definitely favoring 2 B-Awing, 2 A-Wings. I think they have a nice synergy.

My idea for B-wing squadron:

3x Blue Squadron Pilot (22) + Fire Control System (2) + Ion Cannon (3) + APT (6)

I haven't test it yet but here is how I imagine that: you fire ion cannons at range 2-3 to disable enemy starfighters. You get target lock for FCS. In the following turn you move into range 1 and fire APT's.

I don't find B-wing's maneuvers so tragic. It's the only small fighter with turn 1, bank 1 and straight 1 all on one dial. In addition to that It may perform barrel rolls.

Imagine hunting any imperial ship (besides the shuttle and, to a lesser extent, the firespray) with a B-Wing. It's just not maneuverable enough or agile enough. Ties, adv ties, interceptors, even tie bombers out maneuver b-wings all day. Don't be fooled by its offensive power, the B-Wing is a liability besides its singular application: hitting hard for 1-2 turns a game.

So you've clearly tried playing 4 B-wings right? Cause I imagine it (like you ask) and I just dont see how its harder to hunt with a B-wing than say...an X-wing. They have pretty nearly the same Speed 1 and 2 Maneuvers, and they have a ridiculously small koiogran. The main difference is that it has Barrel Roll, which as anybody should know, massively increases maneuverability. So explain how it's not as maneuverable?

They (In my opinion) have a better Dial than Tie Bombers and Tie Advanced, and have a good slow speed range of options. I just don't see where you are getting the impression it's not maneuverable. It can't pull a 1 hard without stressing, but other than that, it can easily stay on the tail of a Tie.

Imagine hunting any imperial ship (besides the shuttle and, to a lesser extent, the firespray) with a B-Wing. It's just not maneuverable enough or agile enough. Ties, adv ties, interceptors, even tie bombers out maneuver b-wings all day. Don't be fooled by its offensive power, the B-Wing is a liability besides its singular application: hitting hard for 1-2 turns a game.

So you've clearly tried playing 4 B-wings right? Cause I imagine it (like you ask) and I just dont see how its harder to hunt with a B-wing than say...an X-wing. They have pretty nearly the same Speed 1 and 2 Maneuvers, and they have a ridiculously small koiogran. The main difference is that it has Barrel Roll, which as anybody should know, massively increases maneuverability. So explain how it's not as maneuverable?

They (In my opinion) have a better Dial than Tie Bombers and Tie Advanced, and have a good slow speed range of options. I just don't see where you are getting the impression it's not maneuverable. It can't pull a 1 hard without stressing, but other than that, it can easily stay on the tail of a Tie.

I also predict that Ibtisam will be played a lot, perhaps more than Ten Numb even. She has a really really good ability for a ship with that much red manoeuvers while Ten Numbs ability can be counterproductive whenever enemy ships have evade tokens. Your one crit is evaded and then they throw more dice to counter your normal hits...

Not to mention the only red manuevers that the B-wing has are its Speed 3 Manuevers and the 1 hard turn. It's 2's are all white, and most of it's 1's are white.

Not to mention the only red manuevers that the B-wing has are its Speed 3 Manuevers and the 1 hard turn. It's 2's are all white, and most of it's 1's are white.

None of b-wing's 1's is white. Straight and bank are green.

Imagine hunting any imperial ship (besides the shuttle and, to a lesser extent, the firespray) with a B-Wing. It's just not maneuverable enough or agile enough. Ties, adv ties, interceptors, even tie bombers out maneuver b-wings all day. Don't be fooled by its offensive power, the B-Wing is a liability besides its singular application: hitting hard for 1-2 turns a game.

So you've clearly tried playing 4 B-wings right? Cause I imagine it (like you ask) and I just dont see how its harder to hunt with a B-wing than say...an X-wing. They have pretty nearly the same Speed 1 and 2 Maneuvers, and they have a ridiculously small koiogran. The main difference is that it has Barrel Roll, which as anybody should know, massively increases maneuverability. So explain how it's not as maneuverable?

They (In my opinion) have a better Dial than Tie Bombers and Tie Advanced, and have a good slow speed range of options. I just don't see where you are getting the impression it's not maneuverable. It can't pull a 1 hard without stressing, but other than that, it can easily stay on the tail of a Tie.

That's exactly what i also meant. The B-Wing has pretty much the same low speed manoeuvers (and that is clearly where it matters) than an X-Wing, just with more red and the disadvantage of not being able to fit an R2. But it can compensate this to some extent with their barrel rolls and Fire control system.

I also predict that Ibtisam will be played a lot, perhaps more than Ten Numb even. She has a really really good ability for a ship with that much red manoeuvers while Ten Numbs ability can be counterproductive whenever enemy ships have evade tokens. Your one crit is evaded and then they throw more dice to counter your normal hits...

I thought you had to cancel normal hits first and use evade last? Which means that the defender would need to roll, possibly wastingan evade result or two depending on the exact rolls involved, get rid of all the standard hits, then spend an evade token to cancel a crit.

Not that Ibtisam isn't awesome. Her ability is great, especcially for an easily stressed ship since it turns a weakness into a strength and is the only way so far to actually reroll a defense die.

Anyway, I like B-wings but I don't know if I'd want to take four red heavy ships with low agility and no enhanced firing arcs in a single 100 point squad. While Bs are slippery when they need to be I think they will be in the worse tactical situation more often then not against most squads.

You are correct Vonpenquin. The evade token is used last, and it follows normal cancellation of hits (normal hits evaded first). So even if they have an evade token, they still need to evade all the normal hits with dice, or else that Evade is used on a hit.

Nobody's considered Sensor Jammers?

True, an enemy just needs to focus to negate it, but it passively forces them to choose Focus to get the most out of their hits (over barrel rolling and other actions). I'm supposing Sensor Jammers are going to play havoc against TIE swarm lists, but obviously I won't know until I have them and try them out in combat.