So the Wedge, Luke, Biggs, combo is a classic. I hope it will always be a great choice in this game, but there are 18 points left. What do (those of you who like this comb) do with those last 18 points?

I would say a prototype A-Wing and a adrenelen rush on wedge.

What do you say?

Luke (28) (39 total)

-R2D2 (4)

-Draw their Fire (3)

-Shield Upgrade (4)

Wedge (29) (33 total)

-Push the Limit (3)

-R2 Astromech (1)

Biggs (25) (28 total)

-Stealth Device (3)

This gives Biggs some extra survivability in the form of more defense without spending tons of points on him, Luke is a regenerative monster that can pull crits off Wedge and Biggs and get the shields back later, and Wedge can TL/Focus in a single turn against whatever he's pointed against, with the R2 to open more options to ditch the stress.

That... is a brutal list, Eruletho. Scary even. However, I'd switch out R2-F2 for that Stealth Device.

Luke (28) (39 total)

-R2D2 (4)

-Draw their Fire (3)

-Shield Upgrade (4)

Wedge (29) (33 total)

-Push the Limit (3)

-R2 Astromech (1)

Biggs (25) (28 total)

-Stealth Device (3)

This gives Biggs some extra survivability in the form of more defense without spending tons of points on him, Luke is a regenerative monster that can pull crits off Wedge and Biggs and get the shields back later, and Wedge can TL/Focus in a single turn against whatever he's pointed against, with the R2 to open more options to ditch the stress.

DTF is only 1 point. So with 2 points remaining, the question becomes do you drop 1 point somewhere to add R2-F2 to Biggs (and maintain the Stealth Device) Really the only place I can see potentially pulling a point from would downgrading Luke's Shield to a Stealth, which is not an obvious choice, but it would be interesting... See my thread regarding Luke for the math behind whether you think that extra point to put R2-F2 on Biggs is worth it... Off the top of my head I think it is.

I always wanted to try Biggs with R2-F2 & stealth, but giving him a focus as well would help a lot so I always try for Kyle or Garven.

but more on topic, I'd ditch the R2 on Wedge for R2-F2 on Biggs & keep the shield upgrade on Luke & see how that does.

Luke (28) (39 total)

-R2D2 (4)

-Draw their Fire (3)

-Shield Upgrade (4)

Wedge (29) (33 total)

-Push the Limit (3)

-R2 Astromech (1)

Biggs (25) (28 total)

-Stealth Device (3)

This gives Biggs some extra survivability in the form of more defense without spending tons of points on him, Luke is a regenerative monster that can pull crits off Wedge and Biggs and get the shields back later, and Wedge can TL/Focus in a single turn against whatever he's pointed against, with the R2 to open more options to ditch the stress.

DTF is only 1 point. So with 2 points remaining, the question becomes do you drop 1 point somewhere to add R2-F2 to Biggs (and maintain the Stealth Device) Really the only place I can see potentially pulling a point from would downgrading Luke's Shield to a Stealth, which is not an obvious choice, but it would be interesting... See my thread regarding Luke for the math behind whether you think that extra point to put R2-F2 on Biggs is worth it... Off the top of my head I think it is.

Does taking the hit from draw their fire destroy the stealth device though?

Luke (28) (39 total)

-R2D2 (4)

-Draw their Fire (3)

-Shield Upgrade (4)

Wedge (29) (33 total)

-Push the Limit (3)

-R2 Astromech (1)

Biggs (25) (28 total)

-Stealth Device (3)

This gives Biggs some extra survivability in the form of more defense without spending tons of points on him, Luke is a regenerative monster that can pull crits off Wedge and Biggs and get the shields back later, and Wedge can TL/Focus in a single turn against whatever he's pointed against, with the R2 to open more options to ditch the stress.

DTF is only 1 point. So with 2 points remaining, the question becomes do you drop 1 point somewhere to add R2-F2 to Biggs (and maintain the Stealth Device) Really the only place I can see potentially pulling a point from would downgrading Luke's Shield to a Stealth, which is not an obvious choice, but it would be interesting... See my thread regarding Luke for the math behind whether you think that extra point to put R2-F2 on Biggs is worth it... Off the top of my head I think it is.

Does taking the hit from draw their fire destroy the stealth device though?

I think it does. Check the FAQ.

No, DTF does not destroy the stealth device. From the most recent version of the faq:

as the defender, is hit by an attack

With DTF, you are not the defender and you were not hit by an attack.

No, DTF does not destroy the stealth device. From the most recent version of the faq:

Q:

If a ship equipped with Stealth Device

suffers damage from any source, does it

discard Stealth Device?

A:

No. Stealth Device is only discarded when the ship,

as the defender, is hit by an attack

With DTF, you are not the defender and you were not hit by an attack.

Would Biggs lose his stealth device if Luke drew the crit away?

Also, here's a bit of heresy: Is Wedge even the best choice to accompany Biggs and Luke anymore?

No, DTF does not destroy the stealth device. From the most recent version of the faq:

Q:

If a ship equipped with Stealth Device

suffers damage from any source, does it

discard Stealth Device?

A:

No. Stealth Device is only discarded when the ship,

as the defender, is hit by an attack

With DTF, you are not the defender and you were not hit by an attack.

Would Biggs lose his stealth device if Luke drew the crit away?

Also, here's a bit of heresy: Is Wedge even the best choice to accompany Biggs and Luke anymore?

Yes. Stealth Device doesn't depend on damage, it depends on getting hit. If DTF takes the single hit, that ship was still hit by an attack so the Stealth Device is discarded.

Personally, my version of the list is as follows:

Wedge

-Push the Limit

-R2 Astromech

Luke

-R2-D2

-Draw Their Fire

Biggs

-R2-F2

-Stealth Device

I can't express how much I LOVE this squad! It's probably one of the most brutal and devastating squads I've ever fielded, and many times I've come out of it with nary a scratch on Luke and Wedge thanks to tight maneuvering and practiced formations. I do have to say that it's heavily dependent on being able to keep your ships in a group thanks to Biggs' ability, so I wouldn't use it unless you're really good at doing that, but if you are able to keep both X-wings within range 1 of Biggs and make sure the enemy can't get off a shot on Wedge easily, then you're practically guaranteed to last a long time.

Personally, my version of the list is as follows:

Wedge

-Push the Limit

-R2 Astromech

Luke

-R2-D2

-Draw Their Fire

Biggs

-R2-F2

-Stealth Device

How's R2-F2 & stealth without a focus? how many rounds does Biggs usually last?

No, DTF does not destroy the stealth device. From the most recent version of the faq:

Q:

If a ship equipped with Stealth Device

suffers damage from any source, does it

discard Stealth Device?

A:

No. Stealth Device is only discarded when the ship,

as the defender, is hit by an attack

With DTF, you are not the defender and you were not hit by an attack.

Would Biggs lose his stealth device if Luke drew the crit away?

Also, here's a bit of heresy: Is Wedge even the best choice to accompany Biggs and Luke anymore?

Yes, Biggs would lose his stealth. Taking damage and getting hit are two separate things. Biggs got hit, Luke took the damage. That is also in the FAQ.

If you're asking if Wedge is the best person for 29 points (or in this case, 33 points) that's a much harder question. Since you're asking "anymore" I'm going to assume that you mean since wave 3 hit. So what all could be considered in this debate?

Blue Squadron w/ HLC comes in at 29 points

Dagger w/ HLC comes in at 31 points

Blue w/ HLC + FCS is 31

Blue w/ HLC + Adv Sensors is 32 points

Ibby w/ PTL + FCS is 33 points

Jan w/ Ion + Nien is 31 points

HLC vs. full agility is going to do more damage than Wedge vs. -1 Agility. But that's not taking into account PTL or R1 where Wedge is more deadly. If we look at Wedge w/ PTL at R2 vs. HLC at R2, HLC comes in at about 10% more damage (1.23 vs. 1.12 if the defender is 3agility w/ Focus). At R3, Wedge's damage drops to .93. So HLC is still more damage. But PS2 vs. PS9 makes a huge difference. Advanced Sensors and Fire Control just just make the HLC better. So it basically comes down to how much do you value your PS. The effective health of the two ships is about the same, the B wing is actually more hearty than the X wing across the board (and likely won't have as big of a target on his back)

I haven't done Ibby's reroll calculations yet, so I can't comment on that (and lets be honest, most people would turn Ibby's FCS into AS, but I didn't want to exceed the 33 points of Wedge +PTL + R2), but it is an interesting combo.

And finally, how much extra does Jan give you? Her Ion is unlikely to be that great of a damage increase, though knowing where someone is going to be is very useful for setting up ordnance (I learned that I was spelling this wrong today!) and R1 shots out of their arc. But her true damage increase is from her ability, which actually ends up increasing someone's attack just as much as the HLC (1.23 vs. 1.12). She does not have as large of a concern about PS as the Blue and Daggers due since she's at 8, and you already have Luke at 8 to take advantage of the extra attack die.

It's an interesting idea to consider these days - is Wedge worth his cost? I'd say preliminary analysis shows that he may not be, but its far from clear cut enough to make a ruling.

That... is a brutal list, Eruletho. Scary even. However, I'd switch out R2-F2 for that Stealth Device.

I'm not sure I love the stealth device on a ship with only 2 agility to start with, but I hate R2-F2, he costs you an action. Any upgrade that costs your action tends not to be as good as you might think.

No, DTF does not destroy the stealth device. From the most recent version of the faq:

Q:

If a ship equipped with Stealth Device

suffers damage from any source, does it

discard Stealth Device?

A:

No. Stealth Device is only discarded when the ship,

as the defender, is hit by an attack

With DTF, you are not the defender and you were not hit by an attack.

Would Biggs lose his stealth device if Luke drew the crit away?

Also, here's a bit of heresy: Is Wedge even the best choice to accompany Biggs and Luke anymore?

If you get hit you lose stealth, not if you take damage.

I love Wedge, he is the hardest hitting rebel after Han, or a named YT-1300 with a gunner.

Would Biggs lose his stealth device if Luke drew the crit away?

Also, here's a bit of heresy: Is Wedge even the best choice to accompany Biggs and Luke anymore?

No, DTF does not destroy the stealth device. From the most recent version of the faq:

Q:

If a ship equipped with Stealth Device

suffers damage from any source, does it

discard Stealth Device?

A:

No. Stealth Device is only discarded when the ship,

as the defender, is hit by an attack

With DTF, you are not the defender and you were not hit by an attack.

Yes, Biggs would lose his stealth. Taking damage and getting hit are two separate things. Biggs got hit, Luke took the damage. That is also in the FAQ.

If you're asking if Wedge is the best person for 29 points (or in this case, 33 points) that's a much harder question. Since you're asking "anymore" I'm going to assume that you mean since wave 3 hit. So what all could be considered in this debate?

Blue Squadron w/ HLC comes in at 29 points

Dagger w/ HLC comes in at 31 points

Blue w/ HLC + FCS is 31

Blue w/ HLC + Adv Sensors is 32 points

Ibby w/ PTL + FCS is 33 points

Jan w/ Ion + Nien is 31 points

HLC vs. full agility is going to do more damage than Wedge vs. -1 Agility. But that's not taking into account PTL or R1 where Wedge is more deadly. If we look at Wedge w/ PTL at R2 vs. HLC at R2, HLC comes in at about 10% more damage (1.23 vs. 1.12 if the defender is 3agility w/ Focus). At R3, Wedge's damage drops to .93. So HLC is still more damage. But PS2 vs. PS9 makes a huge difference. Advanced Sensors and Fire Control just just make the HLC better. So it basically comes down to how much do you value your PS. The effective health of the two ships is about the same, the B wing is actually more hearty than the X wing across the board (and likely won't have as big of a target on his back)

I haven't done Ibby's reroll calculations yet, so I can't comment on that (and lets be honest, most people would turn Ibby's FCS into AS, but I didn't want to exceed the 33 points of Wedge +PTL + R2), but it is an interesting combo.

And finally, how much extra does Jan give you? Her Ion is unlikely to be that great of a damage increase, though knowing where someone is going to be is very useful for setting up ordnance (I learned that I was spelling this wrong today!) and R1 shots out of their arc. But her true damage increase is from her ability, which actually ends up increasing someone's attack just as much as the HLC (1.23 vs. 1.12). She does not have as large of a concern about PS as the Blue and Daggers due since she's at 8, and you already have Luke at 8 to take advantage of the extra attack die.

It's an interesting idea to consider these days - is Wedge worth his cost? I'd say preliminary analysis shows that he may not be, but its far from clear cut enough to make a ruling.

You're also ignoring older ships with new upgrades.

An Outer-Rim Smuggler with an Intelligence Agent, Navigator, and Anti-Pursuit Lasers can cause quite a bit of mayhem, and serves to keep Biggs alive for longer with his action-denial collision shenanigans.

You could also do Roark Garnet in a fully kitted-out damage HWK (+ Recon Specialist, Moldy Crow title, Blaster Turret, and 4 points left over for a surprise Boost when you've got focuses in the Crow-Tank)

Personally, my version of the list is as follows:

Wedge

-Push the Limit

-R2 Astromech

Luke

-R2-D2

-Draw Their Fire

Biggs

-R2-F2

-Stealth Device

How's R2-F2 & stealth without a focus? how many rounds does Biggs usually last?

It's less about R2-F2 combined with SD than it is having the ability to have an extra defense die every turn, regardless of whether I have a SD. Against a normal TIE Fighter swarm, it's usually pretty effective. Even TIE Interceptors have a hard time with it if I focus. R2-F2 can either be combined with SD, negating the focus, or he can be saved for later. Flexibility = survivability.

Biggs usually lasts about four or five rounds against a newbie, and three or four against someone who is familiar with his ability, especially if they get a critical hit and I can soak it with Luke. I usually double up dice on a newbie for intimidation (so he's more apt to ignore Wedge or Luke), or then go for Focus+SD on a more experienced person.

Luke (28) (39 total)

-R2D2 (4)

-Draw their Fire (3)

-Shield Upgrade (4)

Wedge (29) (33 total)

-Push the Limit (3)

-R2 Astromech (1)

Biggs (25) (28 total)

-Stealth Device (3)

This gives Biggs some extra survivability in the form of more defense without spending tons of points on him, Luke is a regenerative monster that can pull crits off Wedge and Biggs and get the shields back later, and Wedge can TL/Focus in a single turn against whatever he's pointed against, with the R2 to open more options to ditch the stress.

I like this list. I like it a lot. Lots of slight variations to try out too. thanks!

I don't think it is quite as effective as wedge + ptl + r2 but jan ors + ion plus niem numb + squad leader 33pts

Biggs with r2f2 + SD + focus really does screw with the oposition.

The other thing ive found effective with biggs in the Luke, Biggs, wedge formation is to break away with biggs just before he dies and run.

Make a big loop round and rejoin 5he fight crossing past your other two fighters.

This either works to split the opponents forces and draw fire a little longer or again screw with them when he rejoinder and they think they have carefully line up the shots they wanted on rhe other two.

I don't know if maths can answer whether its better to have an extra ship fire early or have a dif ship target + focus bur i also find letting Biggs shoot sooner helps keep him alive potentially taking out a gun before it shoots at you.

You could try

Wedge + swarm tactics + stealth

Luke + squad leader + r2d2

Biggs + r2f2 + stealth

99pts i think

My list is a little odd but it seems to work well! Iv, gotten rid of Luke all together in favor of dutch!

wedge+r2d2+shield upgrade+draw their fire

dutch+r5 d8+ion turret

Biggs+ stealth+r2 f5

I love the ion turret.