[Tawa]

So, I'm busy banging my head against the wall trying to create a list to take with me. I'm trying to build a - fairly - competitive list to get some good fights out of the day.
Not too fussed what my final position is, as long as it's not 20th! :laugh:

Ideas so far include:

Omicron Group shuttle pilot - Ion Cannon & Rebel Captive.
Bounty Hunter (Generic, "Mango Fett") - HLC.
Darth Vader - Proton Rockets.
99pts.


Rexlar Brath - HLC & Veteran Instincts.
Night Beast.
3x Obsidian Sqd TIEs.
99pts.


Darth Vader.
5x Black Sqd TIEs.
99pts.


Darth Vader - Cluster Missiles & Munitions Failsafe.
Night Beast.
2x Obsidian Sqd TIEs.
2x Academy TIEs.
99pts.


Darth Vader - Concussion Missiles, Marksmanship, Munitions Failsafe.
Onyx Sqd Defender - HLC.
2x Academy TIEs.
100pts.


This is the list I'm more inclined towards however;

Bounty Hunter (Generic) - Slave 1, HLC, Seismic Charge, Mercenary Co-pilot, Flechette Torpedoes.
Night Beast - Stealth Device.
Darth Vader - Veteran Instincts, Cluster Missiles, Munitions Failsafe.
99pts.




Any thoughts from anybody? @Logaan?

 

[ntaw]

While I am excessively new to this, the Imperial list that I am almost at playing is:

Vader - Swarm Tactics (need to buy)
Howlrunner - Swarm Tactics
4x Academy Pilot TIEs (two for each character) (need to buy one more TIE)

Two squads hunting down Rebel targets with four guys (two each) shooting at PS8/9. Howlrunner buffs his squad very nicely on the attack, which makes up for the seemingly constant evading due to the lack of shields on TIE fighters. Vader doesn't buff the squad outside of Swarm Tactics, but his ability to target lock and focus looks pretty solid for getting results on the attack dice.

Though, that list at the bottom of your post looks mighty tasty. I really really want to get Slave 1 as well.

 

[Logaan]

Last list looks good. The only thing that I would change would be to drop VI on Vader and try and find the points to give him Squad Leader or Expose.

Expose is good on Vader as you get an extra attack die and then take evade as his second action.

I too am taking part in this shindig and, like Tawa, am struggling for a definitive list. On the drawing board so far are;

Soontir Fel +Push the Limit+Stealth Device
Turr Phennir + Veteran Instincts+ Stealth Device
Dark Curse + Stealth Device
Winged Gundark + Stealth Device

99pts


Darth Vader + Expose+Stealth Device
Soontir Fel +Push the Limit+Stealth Device
Turr Phennir + Veteran Instincts+ Stealth Device

99pts


Bounty Hunter + Ion Cannon + Tactician
Bounty Hunter + Mara Jade
Omicron Group Pilot + Darth Vader

98pts


And if I was feeling particularly ballsy....

Commander Kenkirk + Expose+ Mara Jade + Ysanne Isard
Whisper + Outmanoeuvre + Rebel Captive + Fire Control System + Advanced Cloaking Device

99pts

 

[Tawa]

Bounty Hunter (Generic) - Slave 1, HLC, Seismic Charge, Mercenary Co-pilot, Flechette Torpedoes.
Night Beast - Stealth Device.
Darth Vader - Squad Leader, Cluster Missiles, Munitions Failsafe.
100pts.


I could get Expose onto Vader if I ditch the Seismic Charges

Vader - Swarm Tactics (need to buy)
Howlrunner - Swarm Tactics
4x Academy Pilot TIEs (two for each character) (need to buy one more TIE)

That could actually be quite dirty! :good:

Soontir Fel +Push the Limit+Stealth Device
Turr Phennir + Veteran Instincts+ Stealth Device
Dark Curse + Stealth Device
Winged Gundark + Stealth Device

This :crazy:

 

[Tawa]

Krassis Trelix - Slave 1, HLC, Mercenary Co-pilot, Flechette Torpedoes.
Night Beast - Stealth Device.
Darth Vader - Squad Leader, Cluster Missiles, Munitions Failsafe.
99pts.



Boom. HLC, all crits have to change down to hits, but I'll be able to keep one at range 3 due to the co-pilot. Plus, I get a free re-roll on one attack die for Krassis......

 

[Logaan]

Plus, I get a free re-roll on one attack die for Krassis......

.....which can become a crit. The HLC effect is for the initial roll. Any re-rolled dice from an ability (Krassis, Howlrunner etc....) or from a target lock can become crits.

 

[ntaw]

That could actually be quite dirty!

Thanks man, I'm still trying to take in all the upgrade options. It's a simple to play list that packs a decent punch if you play your formations right and watch your stress tokens.

Forgive my new-ness but why would you take a HLC, for the extra shot(s)? It doesn't seem very worthwhile to me, since you don't modify the dice that didn't hit you only modify the ones that did. Is there a reason to take normal hits over critical ones? Personally I'd go Ion Cannon all day, I love the drift it puts ships in. Makes it real easy to sweep in the following phase for the kill since you know where they'll be.

 

[Logaan]

Forgive my new-ness but why would you take a HLC, for the extra shot(s)

The main reason I take HLC's on my Firespray (except for Kath) is precisely for the four dice. Its a secondary weapon so your opponent gets no additional evade dice for shooting at range 3. Sure you don't get the crits but when you are using the HLC to whittle down the shields from a YT-1300 or a B Wing, its the hits that counts. Not many weapons in the game can fire at that range with four dice.

Two Bounty Hunters equipped with HLC's totals 80 points. For that you are getting four attacks at range with no range modifiers. The HLC is only a range 2-3 weapon so if you do find yourself taking range one shots, it will be with your primary so with four dice that can roll crits. Equip this with Recon Specialist and you're doing some serious damage.

Another option would be Tactician - four shots at range two, no evade modifier and a stress token for the target just for being shot at. Double stressing a YT-1300 with two Firesprays would be nasty.

It is also good to combine with the Gunner crew member. Blast away with the HLC and force the opposition to use their evade/focus tokens to avoid damage......then follow it up with a free attack with your primary weapon. Two Firesprays with HLC/Gunner eats focus and evade tokens.

The HLC was made for Krassis's re-roll ability. On the generic Bounty Hunter it increases the firepower of an already solid ship. Kath Scarlett is the only Firespray pilot I wouldn't equip with a HLC as her ability is all about rolling crits. Yes its expensive at 7 points but I rarely fly a Firespray without one.

 

[Tawa]

.....which can become a crit. The HLC effect is for the initial roll. Any re-rolled dice from an ability (Krassis, Howlrunner etc....) or from a target lock can become crits.

Don't forget the merc co-pilot means I'll be able to keep one crit I roll at range 3. Skadoosh!

Thanks man, I'm still trying to take in all the upgrade options. It's a simple to play list that packs a decent punch if you play your formations right and watch your stress tokens.

Forgive my new-ness but why would you take a HLC, for the extra shot(s)? It doesn't seem very worthwhile to me, since you don't modify the dice that didn't hit you only modify the ones that did. Is there a reason to take normal hits over critical ones? Personally I'd go Ion Cannon all day, I love the drift it puts ships in. Makes it real easy to sweep in the following phase for the kill since you know where they'll be.

Yeah, Ion is good fun :good: But crits are nifty as you can negate certain upgrade cards, do double damage, force stress etc upon the damaged ship depending upon the card.
Makes for some comical moments and can sometimes be game changing, can't it @Logaan? :laugh:

 

[Logaan]

Commander Kenkirk + Expose+ Mara Jade + Ysanne Isard
Whisper + Outmanoeuvre + Rebel Captive + Fire Control System + Advanced Cloaking Device

99pts

Oddly I was nearer the money with this list. Bar any last minute pummeling in my matches tomorrow night, I plan on taking;

Rear Admiral Chirenau- Predator + Gunner + Ysanne Isard
Whisper - Veteran Instincts + Sensor Jammer + Advanced Cloaking Device

99 points.

Tried two matches with the list I was planning on taking and it was massively underwhelming, was far from impressed and there was very little synergy between the ships with an Alpha Interceptor doing rag all before being one shotted.

Third match I stumbled onto the RAC build with a TIE Fighter and Doom Shuttle for chums. The Shuttle was next to useless and flew off the table and Dark Curse flew like he'd put his helmet on back to front. Only RAC came out with any glory after dispatching a mini TIE swarm with the time limit being reached.

So, a bit of tinkering ensued. I kept RAC but dropped Rebel Captive from the initial build due to points. To this I added Whisper with the upgrades above but again had to drop Rebel Captive from an earlier build. This brought in the list to 99 points. With Whisper you NEED initiative.

Anyhoo, flew the list in the last match......it was fugging horrible and brutally clinical. The combination of high PS, large numbers of attack dice at range one and the pilot abilities of each ship worked. Its rare I have flown a list where two ships compliment each other so well.

The 360 fire arc of the Decimator is like a new toy for an Imperial player and RAC's ability is rather brutal. Whisper, while brittle when de-cloaked, is deadly efficient when allowed to shoot and re-cloak with the the ACD and getting a free focus for hitting the enemy. The de-cloaking is a lot easier to handle than Echo.

I know tomorrow I will be facing B Wing heavy lists so should be interesting to see how that pans out. Under no illusions that the list will suffer against twin YT and turret lists but this seems to be my list of choice at the moment.

 

[Sethis]

Are you part of the Xwing UK/IRL Facebook group? They recently linked the top 16 lists from the Indonesian Championships, and something like 9 of them were running a Decimator and Phantom combo. Cue lots of moaning about how OP the Phantom is and how boring turreted ships are to play.

It's a strong combo. I happen to prefer Echo over Whisper, I like the arc changes and flexibility you can plan into the move, and often take Recon Specialist so I don't miss out on the Defensive Focus when I need it.

Regarding the Firespray with HLC, I guess it depends on what you're playing against. I've only used mine in one game, but it spent roughly 50% of it's time using it's rear arc to target enemy ships. I'm not sure I'd be happy spending 7pts on something that is only used for 50% of your attacks - I'd be a bit happier with an Ion because it sets you up for a 4-dice (with Crits) attack next turn when you zoom into range 1, having hopefully dropped the enemy shields.

 

[Tawa]

So, a bit of tinkering ensued. I kept RAC but dropped Rebel Captive from the initial build due to points. To this I added Whisper with the upgrades above but again had to drop Rebel Captive from an earlier build. This brought in the list to 99 points. With Whisper you NEED initiative.

Anyhoo, flew the list in the last match......it was fugging horrible and brutally clinical. The combination of high PS, large numbers of attack dice at range one and the pilot abilities of each ship worked. Its rare I have flown a list where two ships compliment each other so well.

Never have I had a list taken apart so quickly as against this.


Nothing I tried out yesterday worked even remotely well, and I am no closer to having a list for the event next Sunday......

 

[Logaan]

Never have I had a list taken apart so quickly as against this.


Nothing I tried out yesterday worked even remotely well, and I am no closer to having a list for the event next Sunday......

It actually shocked me how it functioned. Like you said, I have never seen X Wings taken down as quickly and efficiently as that last match. It really was rinse and repeat.

Hows is the tinkering with the Vader mini-swarm going?

 

[Logaan]

Are you part of the Xwing UK/IRL Facebook group? They recently linked the top 16 lists from the Indonesian Championships, and something like 9 of them were running a Decimator and Phantom combo. Cue lots of moaning about how OP the Phantom is and how boring turreted ships are to play.

Not a part of the group no. I just sort of stumbled upon the list and literally had no idea how it would perform.

I don't get people moaning about the Phantom. Its a very unforgiving ship. One mistake and you have more than likely just lost 45% of your total points in one shot.

Flying a 360 fire arc ship was a totally new, and rather refreshing experience!

 

[Sethis]

People complain about the Phantom because there isn't a single small based ship that can take it 1v1, regardless of upgrades or anything else. Even higher PS ships like Wedge can't deal with the superior maneuverability.

Yes, if you make mistakes, it can die quickly. I've had mine drop on turn 2 twice now because I've badly estimated firing arcs. However on the rest of the games where it survived, Echo basically won me the game by herself.

 

[Logaan]

After my last practice matches last night, my list has been tweaked slightly to;

Rear Admiral Chirenau- Rebel Captive + Gunner + Ysanne Isard
Whisper - Veteran Instincts + Fire Control System + Advanced Cloaking Device

On RAC I have dropped the Predator EPT for Rebel Captive and dropped Sensor Jammer on Whisper for a Fire Control System.

The thought behind the FCS on Whisper was one of offense; a free target lock just for attacking and a free Focus for hitting. A target lock at range one with five attack dice sounds good to me.

It was a bit different for RAC. He is going to get shot at....a lot if the opposition chooses to ignore Whisper so Rebel Captive is a bit of a prickly thorn for any high PS's shooting at him. To take advantage of RAC's ability I need to be rolling as many dice as possible so I am going to be using a target lock most turns so the ability of a re-roll with Predator is a bit redundant.

Now this leaves me with a bit of a decision. Currently the list is at 97 points....I want to have initiative but do I risk bumping it up to 99-100 to take an EPT on the Decimator? I would only want to go to 99 points maximum so the options are:

Veteran Instincts - increase RAC's PS to 10
Intimidation - any ship in contact with the Decimator reduces its agility by one.

Two PS's of 10 and 9 would be pretty funky mind.

 

[Tawa]

Hows is the tinkering with the Vader mini-swarm going?

I've not looked to be honest. I was considering heading down to the shop to pick up the IA box, but I'm unfamiliar with Interceptors so it would probably be worse for me :laugh:

Not a part of the group no. I just sort of stumbled upon the list and literally had no idea how it would perform.

The luddite isn't even on farcebook :laugh:
However, I am a member of said group who is waiting for chance to get a t-shirt :good:

Yes, if you make mistakes, it can die quickly. I've had mine drop on turn 2 twice now because I've badly estimated firing arcs.

Defenders can be just as brittle too
I had Rexlar die in two turns - twice - on Thursday night.

 

[Tawa]

@Logaan

Off the wall, thrown together Rebel list.


Wedge: R5-P9 & Outmanoeuvre.
Green Sqd: Refit & SD.
Green Sqd: Refit & SD.
Gold Sqd: R2 mech & Ion turret.

 

[Logaan]

I've not looked to be honest. I was considering heading down to the shop to pick up the IA box, but I'm unfamiliar with Interceptors so it would probably be worse for me :laugh:
.

That would be big brass cojones right there.....:laugh:

At the last tournament my lone Interceptor had a massive bullseye painted on it.....it was singled out for extermination early on in most matches.....

 

[Tawa]

Jealousy..... :laugh: