So, I was thinking to myself, "Self? What's the best way to use Captain Jonus?".

I replied, without much thought, "Well, clearly it's alongside a ship with a Heavy Laser Cannon. The excellent interaction with the missiles and torpedoes is great, but you only use each of those upgrades once per game, if that!"

I thought some more, and continued "Well, if I wanted to just re-roll one HLC, I could just purchase Push the Limit on the ship to give it the Target-Lock/Focus combo it would want, easy-peasy, so Jonus becomes better the more HLCs I have, like Howlrunner in a regular swarm."

To this, my inquisitive side replied "Self? What's the maximum number of HLCs I can put in a fleet alongside Captain Jonus?"

To this, I replied "Well, the cheapest ship that can grab an HLC is the Omicron Group Pilot at 21, or 28 after acquiring it. 100-Jonus is 78, into which 28 can fit only twice. Annoyingly, the cheapest Firespray would be 40 points with an HLC, so you can't do two of them. Perhaps a mix of the two?"

"Hmm" thought I. "Wouldn't it be a delight if the Firespray was Krassis, who loves the HLC more than even Jonus?"

My fact-checker replied "Aye, and we'd have 7 points for upgrading the Omicron to something more useful as well"

"Seven, you said?" said I. "Why, that's enough for an Advanced Sensor and Engine Upgrade, which gives the old brick almost enough maneuverability to become useful!"

"Why don't you post this fleet idea?" inquired my inquisitor.

Thusly:

Captain Jonus

[22]

Krassis Trellix

+ Heavy Laser Cannon
[43]

Omicron Group Pilot

+ Heavy Laser Cannon

+ Advanced Sensors

+ Engine Upgrades

[35]


"Hold on a tick" thought I. "We've got some survivability issues. Poor Krassis is a 43 point behemoth, but with no points spent to soften the target painted on his back, wouldn't he be too easily killed?"

"Perhaps we ought to look at the significance of his re-roll to damage, vis-a-vis Jonus, as opposed to a Bounty Hunter with a Recon Specialist aboard."

"Bah. That takes math skills. Who wants those?"

"You do"

"Well, you've got me there. Anyway, assuming both hold a Focus for defense, we're looking at 3/4 a Target Lock for 4 dice vs 1/2 a Target Lock + Focus for 4 dice. There's still the possibility that Krassis wants to use an Offensive Focus, and doesn't need to, so there's that as well. We might do the math a bit later on, 'cause it looks annoyingly complicated for half-past midnight, but its certainly something to consider."

"Would a defensive focus be better than the Evasion token option at 2 dice?"

"Well, no, those odds don't cross into Focus' favor until 4 defensive dice, but if you can boost both offense and defense, that's probably the correct option, aye?"

"Well, there's the problem: With 3 re-rolls, or even 2, where the odds are already 50/50 on each die, do you even NEED the offense boost?"

"Something else to consider, then. Mayhaps I'll let folks comment on their opinions after posting the thread."

Good talk. Self talks are usually the most helpful. Other people never seem to be able to figure out what I'm thinking, which just slows the whole process down.

Jonus+ anything with a HLC is quite possibly one of my favorite combos on paper. This one has two HLC. Awesome.

Could do 3 Omicron Group pilots with Autoblasters instead, but you'd never get in range.

Could also do 2 OGPs like the one above, and give them each a Saboteur and a Merc Co-pilot as well. Nothing says "Range 3" like a full-stop, after all, and Merc Co-Pilot does his thing AFTER HLC loses its crits...

If we are going crazy conversions with our selves then I had a very similar one.

I dint like any of the squads I came up with but have never been able to shake the thought of an omicron with HLC and 2 merc pilot crew.

You can fit 2x Omicron +hlc +double merc + adv sensors+ engine

And Jonus

100pts

Still don't think I want to fly it but .... Ooo to just dish out all those crits once would make me smile

I keep thinking of sticking Jonus in a squad with 2 HLCs but then I wonder if it's really worth sticking Jonus in just for those rerolls, as otherwise he just feels like a sturdier tie with less agility and maneuverability. Not bad, no, but optimal? I keep feeling like it's not. I think I'm just gonna have to try it out a few times.

I keep thinking of sticking Jonus in a squad with 2 HLCs but then I wonder if it's really worth sticking Jonus in just for those rerolls, as otherwise he just feels like a sturdier tie with less agility and maneuverability. Not bad, no, but optimal? I keep feeling like it's not. I think I'm just gonna have to try it out a few times.

Kind of like Howlrunner, no matter the upgrades you give Jonus, most of his damage will be through other ships.

If we are going crazy conversions with our selves then I had a very similar one.

I dint like any of the squads I came up with but have never been able to shake the thought of an omicron with HLC and 2 merc pilot crew.

You can fit 2x Omicron +hlc +double merc + adv sensors+ engine

And Jonus

100pts

Still don't think I want to fly it but .... Ooo to just dish out all those crits once would make me smile

Wait, wait, wait. Wait. Wait. DOUBLE MERC CRITS???? Oh holy crap that's amazing.

I just realized, if you go with Double Mercenary Co-Pilots in each, you have a very easy time of getting into Range 3, and potentially of staying there, with how little the fleet can actually move.

This has 3 parts.

1) The Shuttles have a Full-Stop movement

2) If a shuttle collides with something else, it only catches up to them.

3) Captain Jonus has a 1 forward, and can then barrel-roll back.

It looks like this: Set up so that the shuttles are adjacent, and Jonus can turn into a position where both will run into him next turn. Both Shuttles open with a full-stop.

Turn 2: Jonus is in front. Both shuttles do a 1 Green forward, and run into Jonus, clearing their stress. He does a 1 forward and barrel rolls back, so he's only in front of one shuttle.

Turn 3: The shuttle Jonus isn't in front of does a full-stop. The other runs into him. He goes 1 forward, and barrel rolls the other direction.

Turn 4: The stressed shuttle does a 1 Green forward, clears its stress, and runs into Jonus. The unstressed shuttle may as well, or can do a full-stop.

Et c. Et c.
If they have Advanced Sensors, the "Unstressed" shuttle(s) can still perform their target lock and/or focus actions for the turn.

This is still useful even if you don't have a double-Merc, as Range 3 gives you the survival advantage.
I still like Saboteur as a ride-along, as it gives the shuttle Range 1 defensive capability, which it sorely needs, but a double HLC with 4 Merc Co-Pilots and Jonus might have enough of an alpha-strike potential not to need it.

I see a shuttle hit the table and I'm setting up opposite side and coming full straight and in behind. Once behind a shuttle is screwed. I would park an x wing right behind your shuttles and bump the first round and take a range 1 shot on you in the next.

A shuttle works as a support ship! Shuttles fly like a garbage truck can. Remember that. Get that HLC on a B.H. where it will be way more useful.