Don't know if this has been discussed recently, but here goes.

A number of pilots are likely to show up in the future for the Rebels. Some of them make sense for inclusion in a possible "Rebel Aces" package. I assume this pack would be a pair of repainted X-Wings, but maybe not. Perhaps a pair of mixed re-paints?

Here are some possibilities:

X-Wing Pilots from Rogue Squadron

Arhul Narra: I had never heard of this guy, but being listed as a co-founder of Rogue Squadron alongside Wedge and Luke makes him a very attractive "Ace".

Derek "Hobbie" Klivian: Has to be involved somewhere. Actually has some screen time in the OT.

Gavin Darklighter: guy from many novels

Corran Horn: a notable guy from a good series of novels

Tycho Celchu: The first cross-vessel guy (here flying his X-Wing instead of an A-Wing).

Flew Against a Death Star, Yavin or Endor (and died, like Biggs & Arvel)

Pretty select company. These people have screen time, too.

John D Brannon: X-Wing, Red 4

Elyhek Rue: X-Wing, Red 7

Bren Quersey: X-Wing, Red 8

Theron Nett: X-Wing, Red 10

Tiree: Y-Wing, Gold 2 (shot down by Vader)

John Vander: Y-Wing, Gold Leader (shot down by Vader)

Davish "Pops" Krail: Y-Wing, Gold 5 (shot down by Vader)

Grizz Frix: X-Wing

Ekelarc Yong: Y-Wing

Sila Kott: A-Wing; female pilot

Keir Santage: X-Wing, Red 7 (flew into 2nd Death Star with Lando, Wedge, Tycho, Horton, and Farrell)

Flew Against a Death Star, Yavin or Endor (and Lived!)

Jake Farrell: A-Wing, flew into Death Star II with Lando

Gemmer Sojan: A-Wing vs DSII and GR-75 Transport pilot at Hoth ("Bearing Lifter")

I assume this pack would be a pair of repainted X-Wings, but maybe not.

Most of us don't expect to see any X's released in a Rebel Aces pack, for a couple reasons.

One, the X-Wing is a great ship right now, it doesn't need much for improvement, which seems to be part of the goal with the Imp Aces pack, it offers improvements to the Tie Interceptor.

Two, there's already new X-Wing pilots coming with a new alt paint X-Wing with the Rebel Transport.

Between those two things, I don't think you'll see a 3rd X-Wing released anytime soon.

Tycho's red X-Wing would obviously make a distinctive re-paint option for the "Rebel Aces" set.

Corran Horn's green X-Wing would be cool too.

I think we might see an A-wing aces pack, which adds Scouty A-wings with system slot. Possibly a Y-wing pack that adds bombs to Y-Wings and the Crew member Y-wing version?

I assume this pack would be a pair of repainted X-Wings, but maybe not.

Two, there's already new X-Wing pilots coming with a new alt paint X-Wing with the Rebel Transport.

I can see the single X-Wing re-paint included with the Rebel Transport as taking some of the steam out of this idea.

I would imagine they could make at least one Rebel Aces pack of X-Wing repaints and they'd sell fine. You sneak a few more notable Rebel pilots in there as well.

I assume this pack would be a pair of repainted X-Wings, but maybe not.

Most of us don't expect to see any X's released in a Rebel Aces pack, for a couple reasons.

One, the X-Wing is a great ship right now, it doesn't need much for improvement, which seems to be part of the goal with the Imp Aces pack, it offers improvements to the Tie Interceptor.

Two, there's already new X-Wing pilots coming with a new alt paint X-Wing with the Rebel Transport.

Between those two things, I don't think you'll see a 3rd X-Wing released anytime soon.

That's not to say we shouldn't see anything for Y-wings or A-wings, or maybe even B-wings (as if they need any help)

I like the notion of a mixed pack, too. Perhaps an A-Wing and a Y-wing, along with cards like Bilisknir mentions that would add optional functionality to both vessels.

I would imagine they could make at least one Rebel Aces pack of X-Wing repaints and they'd sell fine.

The problem is, in order to make it on par with the Imp Aces, you have to put in pilots that come rather close to breaking the X-Wing.

Myself I wouldn't spend $30 on repainted X-Wings, just for the sake of the model itself. If I want a different looking X-Wing I can paint it myself. Right now 6 or 7 X-Wings does me no good, I have 4 and plan on getting the Transport which will give me 5. With the epic rules, perhaps I'll want more then.

But the major selling point behind the Imperial Aces is the new pilots and upgrades. You put new pilots in for X-Wings and you might just find that the X becomes too powerful for the game.

Right now, if they do go with a Rebels Ace pack, which I think is likely... I'm betting it is more likely to be either 2 Y's, 2 A's or a Y and A.

The X-Wing already has three unique card sets (Core, X-Wing Expansion, Rebel Transport), That's more than any other craft in the game. I expect that those ships that need a boost are going to get the treatment first. So, my money is on Y-Wing or A-Wing. Y-Wings were popular until Wave 2 came out, but now they are a rarity or a support craft. A-Wings get more love, but they would make a nice counterpoint to the Interceptor Aces.

I lean towards Y-Wing though, since right now there are only two turrets and two torpedoes, which account for most of their upgrades. Further, there are only two non-unique astromechs and a whole ton of unique astromechs that aren't in the game yet. So we have a ship that isn't played much, with a lot of upgrade slots that don't have many options, and is a very iconic craft. If I were FFG, this is the one I would pick to give the Aces treatment.

A Y-wing with no turret slot but a crew slot and a 360 or 180 firing arc might be interesting. And the A-wing might gain a system slot and lose missiles, and possibly add a rear firing arc? Lots of cool stuff you could do there!

From the Rebel Transport press release:

"includes...four new X-wing pilots, including Jek Porkins and Rebel ace Wes Janson."

***

I would have said that the other two pilots would have been Red Squadron Pilot and Rookie Pilot, but perhaps not. It does say "four new X-Wing pilots"...maybe they mean it!

The inclusion of the term "Rebel ace" when describing Janson suggests that this may, in fact, be the Rebel analog to the "Imperial Aces" pack. Thus, a strike against the idea of an X-Wing centered Rebel Aces pack coming anytime soon.

The Y-wing could be given bombs too. Not to mention that it could have an alt model that has coverings instead of just an alt paint job.

If I had to bet on what ship the rebel aces might be, it would be either the A-wing or the Y-wing. The X-wing has quite a few options and more on the way already. That being said I don't expect to see a rebel aces pack until summer at the earliest.

Would be nice if they would announce more about the "four new X-wing pilots".

I think that they won't give the Y-wings bombs until the Empire gets a turret of some sort, maybe the TIE Avenger people have been mentioning in other threads.

Currently, turrets are unique to rebels, and bombs unique to imperials. Don't think they'd change one without the other, at least not with announcing their intentions to release one in the near future

Would be nice if they would announce more about the "four new X-wing pilots".

They did announce 2 already, and they shouldn't be the only ones.

If a Rebel Aces did come out and it was all X-Wing stuff, ignoring the Y and A wings...that will confirm to me that the FFG devs are nothing but Rebel Scum.

I think that they won't give the Y-wings bombs until the Empire gets a turret of some sort, maybe the TIE Avenger people have been mentioning in other threads...

Currently, turrets are unique to rebels, and bombs unique to imperials.

FFG doesn't seem to work that way. Consider that with Wave 1 they released the Ion Turret but no bombs for Imps. In fact there were no bombs until Wave 3, a over a full year latter.

The balance in X-Wing is really pretty good. But they won't hold back on something like bombs for Y-Wings just because the Imp's don't have turrets. They don't seem to consider if something is balanced in terms of what upgrades a give faction has.

The Imperials still don't have access to Droids, and until Wave 3 only had access to Torpedo if you took the Slave 1 title, but gave the Reb's full access to missiles with the A-Wings.

Here is another piece from the same Rebel Transport press release:

"While the Rebel transport is only legal in the game’s Cinematic Play and Epic tournament formats, the rest of the expansion is likely to make its impact upon the standard game with five different upgrade options..."

I wonder what they mean by "...five different upgrade options..."

John Vander: Y-Wing, Gold Leader (shot down by Vader)

So we get him in the game twice?

Probably a mix of Astromechs, Torpedoes, and Elite Talents. Stuff that would go well on an X-wing.

I think that they won't give the Y-wings bombs until the Empire gets a turret of some sort, maybe the TIE Avenger people have been mentioning in other threads...

Currently, turrets are unique to rebels, and bombs unique to imperials.

FFG doesn't seem to work that way. Consider that with Wave 1 they released the Ion Turret but no bombs for Imps. In fact there were no bombs until Wave 3, a over a full year latter.

The balance in X-Wing is really pretty good. But they won't hold back on something like bombs for Y-Wings just because the Imp's don't have turrets. They don't seem to consider if something is balanced in terms of what upgrades a give faction has.

The Imperials still don't have access to Droids, and until Wave 3 only had access to Torpedo if you took the Slave 1 title, but gave the Reb's full access to missiles with the A-Wings.

Good point about the turrets in wave 1, hadnt thought about that. But, bombs were introduced with Slave 1 (proxy and siesmic) Also hadn't considered astromechs.

Looking at how the rebellion's ships work, it seems like it'd be more likely to give the Y-wings a boost, rather than the A-wings. Y-wings are more a rebellion-esque play style; eg. slower, less agile, more durability. Bringing them back into the "playable" realm helps differentiate the rebels and imps, from a stragetical standpoint.

What I do like about these "Aces" kits, assuming they continue to produce more of them, is that FFG is interested in keeping older ships in the fold, rather than cycling through models. And, with any luck, it'll help keep the earlier generation models in stock. I can't wait to get another y-wing (odd for a person to say, but i love me some Ion turrets)

Yeah, I'm fairly certain we will continue to get new pilots and upgrades for all the movie ships. I'm excited about EU ships, but not everyone is interested in them.

Wonder if or when we'll see Keyan Farlander. Survived Yavin in a Y-Wing and like Maarek Stele was the persona you were flying in the X-Wing PC game.

One thing to remember about the Imp. Aces is that in addition to all the in-game reasons it has for existing, there is a healthy amount of lore tied to the 181st and the Royal Guard. On the Rebel side, it's difficult to find equivalents that aren't X-Wing units, and even then it's tough to find anything outside of Rogue and Wraith Squadrons because they've had so much attention paid to them in the EU. So, while A, B or Y-wing Aces might be good for game balance, they're definitely missing a fluff component that is probably just as important from a marketing perspective as the crunch is.

Aggresor Squadron for the Y-Wings and Green for the A-Wing are both a bit famous.

But Rebels are getting new pilots and Upgrades in the Transport so I do feel that the Imp Aces is to balance that.