Oh and...

Barrel Roll:

B wing: YES

A wing: NO!!!

WTH?

Judging by Episode VI, if you barrel roll an A-Wing, you tend to crash into a Star Destroyer bridge.

And if you barrel roll a star destroyer you will overlap a super stardestroyer in a very unpleasant way.

A gyro has absolutely nothing to fo with the ability to barrel roll. Every TIE in the game can barrel roll. A crop duster can barrel roll. Just not an Awing.

An A wing most certainly CAN barrel roll. Just not ANY A-Wing.

Interceptors. I've found that if you start your engagement from the side or rear at range 2, then you'll get at least one range 2 round followed by a range 1 round (they can stall slower than you but not usually enough to shake you completely in one go). They can't maneuver nearly enough to get out of anything. With 1 interceptor on the tail and supporting fire from at least one other ship, they do indeed "die like rats" as someone said earlier. And if they Kiogran to try to catch you then you're likely matching them attack die for attack die, but you've got 2 more evade dice than they do (and possibly evade or focus tokens to boot), and unless they're Ibtisam then the stress makes them doubly screwed. No actions, and a very predictable follow up maneuvering round.

It's easy to spin on an axis in space - it's a bit harder to move in a lateral-spiral loop while spinning in space.

I have been running a list that uses 4 Interceptors and Swarm Tactics for PS9 shooting across the board and it chews on B-Wings. 12 - 16 attack dice makes short work of B's, especially because you can outmaneuver them.

Focused fire will tear up B-Wings.

You will take return fire, so everyone of my Ints that is in arc either uses evade or focus defensively unless the shot will be a kill shot.

focus fire all the way and fight for the empire son !!

THE EMPIRE NEEDS U !!!

A gyro has absolutely nothing to fo with the ability to barrel roll. Every TIE in the game can barrel roll. A crop duster can barrel roll. Just not an Awing.

Ties have the advantage of having twin (ionized) engines, which allow them to apply immediate torque. They also barrel-roll, just in a different method than the B-Wing.

A-Wings are designed to go very very very fast. They require expert handling to barrel roll, as applying lateral spin to them would be a severe design flaw.

Not that I'm not interested in A-wing or B-wing lore, but getting back to the topic at hand, I'd like to summarize what people have stated as supposed counters to the current trend in B-wing lust:

(In no particular order/rank)

1. Blocking: As B-wings can maneuver well in tight spaces, there are only so many places they can go, thus blocking is still feasible.

2. Ordinance/HLC: 1 agility means most HLC/missiles/torpedoes will hit them.

3. Many small attacks: Again 1 agility means 2 dice attacks are much more efficient against them (i.e. TIEs, A-wings, Y-wings).

4. Ion Weapons: 1 agility means most Ion weapons will hit, and will negate their mobility through Advanced Sensors.

5. Interceptors: PS 5 + Interceptors can counter Adv Sensor B-wings in the maneuver game.

6. Stress-inducing abilities: Kath, Rebel Captive.

7. Focus Fire

Most of these are effective in a vacuum against one list, but they open your squad up to other weaknesses. Blocking means your Pilot skill is rubbish, and the longer the game goes on, the more PS 1 will hurt you. Ordinance/HLC are 1 shot weapons, thus are a high risk investment. In a competitive environment, risk is not your friend. Small attacks are vulnerable to high agility targets. Ion weapons take points away from your damage output, and your list will struggle against high hp, highly defensive squads (i.e. TIE, rebel swarms). Interceptors are still just as frail as they've always been, and 1 Falcon will put them out of their misery pretty quick. Stress-inducing abilities are fine vs. 3-4 ship lists but are rather lack-lust against swarms imho. Focus fire is applicable to any strategy really, but Biggs can help cover B-wings, so they WILL get to the mid-endgame.

Forgive me if I missed something but that seemed to be peoples' general ideas. I'd like to add that simple pilot skill does deny Adv Sensor B-wings their information needed to use their maneuverability well. Investing points into B-wings and Adv Sensors means you're not investing it into Pilot Skill. I see more PS 5, 6 bids just to counter Adv Sensor Daggers for this reason. Not to mention, a few more Swarm Tactics lists popping up, not seen since Wave 1.

That said, I do agree with the original poster, that the B-wing has become a Rebel staple as it offers a very solid, highly maneuverable fighter that has very few competitive counters. I would argue swarms are just as competitive as they've always been, but do struggle against one another so are a bit of a self-destructing policy when running in a tournament. Swarm vs. swarm is ugly, and you'll probably end up in modified win/modified loss deadzone/hell. Thus, I don't see Adv-Sensor B-wings going anywhere anytime soon.

So what you're saying is there's no be-all end-all build that beats everything?

Alright, sounds good to me.

So what you're saying is there's no be-all end-all build that beats everything?

Alright, sounds good to me.

Maybe I'm more negative, but I would sum up his post differently:) The way I read it is that there are very few counters to B-wing lists and that those counters have weaknesses against other lists while Bwing lists remain more flexible.

BTW, great summary by JohnnyD.

I would put 100 points of Interceptors up against 100 pts of B-Wings and consider it a fair fight. I would put 100 pts of Ints up against 100 pts of rebels in general (minus the named YT's) and consider it a fair fight.

The named YT's are a problem for everything, so that's often not a fair fight, but hey, life isn't fair :-)

I would put 100 points of Interceptors up against 100 pts of B-Wings and consider it a fair fight. I would put 100 pts of Ints up against 100 pts of rebels in general (minus the named YT's) and consider it a fair fight.

The named YT's are a problem for everything, so that's often not a fair fight, but hey, life isn't fair :-)

Yup. Especially if those interceptors are named. I know a lot of people like them, but personally I'm not a fan of Sabers + anything. Burned by bad luck with them three games in a row. Three strikes and you're out (or at least, out until I get sick of something and revisit it with a new strategy).

So what you're saying is there's no be-all end-all build that beats everything?

Alright, sounds good to me.

Maybe I'm more negative, but I would sum up his post differently:) The way I read it is that there are very few counters to B-wing lists and that those counters have weaknesses against other lists while Bwing lists remain more flexible.

BTW, great summary by JohnnyD.

Thank you . Basically, there are B-wing counters, but there are counters to the counters, and more counters to the counters of the counters! As perverse as it may sound, that's the sign of a healthy competitive gaming environment.

I would put 100 points of Interceptors up against 100 pts of B-Wings and consider it a fair fight. I would put 100 pts of Ints up against 100 pts of rebels in general (minus the named YT's) and consider it a fair fight.

The named YT's are a problem for everything, so that's often not a fair fight, but hey, life isn't fair :-)

Yup. Especially if those interceptors are named. I know a lot of people like them, but personally I'm not a fan of Sabers + anything. Burned by bad luck with them three games in a row. Three strikes and you're out (or at least, out until I get sick of something and revisit it with a new strategy).

Yeah, I look forward to trying Interceptors again when Imperial Aces is released, and that may be a pushback in response to Adv Sensor B-wings. Royal Guard Interceptors will have a field day against Adv Sensor Daggers .

It all depends on squad make up:

AABBB- focus down those Bwings and hope the As dont get too lucky.

AABBX- hmm... Choices. If I get range 1 shots at the Xwing or bwing I take down the Xwing, especially if I don't have a numbers advantage. Depends on list.

AAXXB- definitely focus down an X while spreading out. A bwing is not a bwing if it has to "chase".

Generally just make sure you get thier numbers down and don't get into a jousting match. Prioritize them more if they at packing HCL as makin them chase at range 2 no matter what the rest looks like.