But you can get target locks on the initial engagement... Targeting synchronizer makes it so that any ship shot by Quickdraw can be cruise missiled regardless of PS. As long as Quickdraw gets a lock at PS 9, you'll be able to fire his cruise missile and 1 of the sienar's. Those sienars have white 3 speed turns which provide good maneuverability and 4 die cruise missiles (5 is nice but unnecessary). I think it's worthwhile pushing the sienars forward, just ahead of Quickdraw, into the range 3 for their target lock on the opening engagement... If the enemy turns into range one you have locks and evades on your 3 dice range 1 shots and otherwise you have cruise missiles. After the initial engagement, you can still line up cruise missiles by kturning sienars (5 cruise dice for a 4 speed k) and having Quickdraw shoot the most convenient to provide a target lock through FCS/Targeting synchronizer.

Has anyone played something like this? There's a lot of pure firepower and it has a sort of ace + miniswarm appeal to it. "Quickdraw" (29) 40 Swarm Leader (3) Fire-Control System (2) Cruise Missiles (3) Targeting Synchronizer (3) Special Ops Training (0) Guidance Chips (0) Sienar Test Pilot (16) 20 Cruise Missiles (3) TIE/v1 (1) Guidance Chips (0) Sienar Test Pilot (16) 20 Cruise Missiles (3) TIE/v1 (1) Guidance Chips (0) Sienar Test Pilot (16) 20 Cruise Missiles (3) TIE/v1 (1) Guidance Chips (0)

An imp list with the dream of unloading 25 modified red dice in a single turn: "Quickdraw" (29) 40 Swarm Leader (3) Fire-Control System (2) Cruise Missiles (3) Targeting Synchronizer (3) Special Ops Training (0) Guidance Chips (0) Sienar Test Pilot (16) 20 Cruise Missiles (3) TIE/v1 (1) Guidance Chips (0) Sienar Test Pilot (16) 20 Cruise Missiles (3) TIE/v1 (1) Guidance Chips (0) Sienar Test Pilot (16) 20 Cruise Missiles (3) TIE/v1 (1) Guidance Chips (0)

This is the same list I use. You get a bit extra oomph out of the three x-7s.

So we get a change that outright eliminates the original intended usage of an upgrade. I don't think we need more proof that the game is not being managed well by FFG recently.

I don't see any reason whatsoever for predator over swarm leader for as long as those As are using juke. Predator will give you one extra reroll each shot. Swarm leader is likely to give you at least an extra red die each shot. I think the lack of a k on the auzituck will hurt you. Jess "being Biggs" is beneficial. If your opponent flies through the teeth of your list to attack a ship with defensive rerolls... That's a good start of a game for you. Attack shuttles should be used more in these lists. It has a natural evade and a tlt on Ezra offers a lot of flexibility post joust.

X wing is a mathematically based game. Every single component of the game is based on a number. The idea - that applying mathematics to it's initial creation is inorganic and a potential source of spikes trouncing casuals - is silly. There is theory and reality. Major juggler works in theory. On the competitive side of the game, no matter how well he perfects a numerical system it will not be able to account for the anecdotal nature of reality. I think this is shown by Major Jugglers sub 100% win percentage (I'm assuming here. Correct me if I'm wrong MJ). I appreciate the fear of these mathematical endeavors squeezing the unknown from the game but if they are able to do that the game was lacking in its original form. I think that fear exists here - that the game could become so charted that choice is forgone in favor of efficiency in competition. I think we see that in action, at a small scale, on a daily basis when you see a new player play their first list and each experienced player comes by and explains the upgrades they should have used. By the end of this process the new player, can rarely un-see the advice given him... Why choose hull upgrade when he can have integrated astromech? Why choose synced turret when he can have TLT? We can all see the superiority of TLT to synced turret right? No one wants to challenge that? Okay... So why is it better? Just as important, if not more, how much is it better? It is better because it performs better in a wide variety of circumstances. Our best manner of comparison is to isolate those circumstances and juxtapose the two turrets within them. The TLT outperforms the competition through a preponderance of circumstances (different ranges and obstacles and such). It is therefore better and a part of the game trends towards maximizing the circumstances in which tlt succeeds - repetitive range 3 shooting out of arc. So, without delving into how something like TLT then in turn goes on to shape the meta, what if that synced turret was tweaked? What if as that circumstantial mathematical comparison was made between the two turrets, the synced turret was then altered to far exceed the value TLT provided in certain circumstances - thus reducing the preponderance of circumstances in which TLT was superior, thereby providing a niche for synced turret to be effective and used in lists which strive to create those favorable circumstances. There was an opportunity for synced turret to exist side by side with TLT as a viable option. As it is, I am unaware of anyone successfully using synced turret. This is what people talk about when they pine for a more nuanced mathematical undertaking at the creation point of the game. Why are cards made that so entirely miss the mark when it comes to evaluating their opportunity cost? Yes this can be done with simple logic, know how, effort and care. But it is not being done. Math would be the way to ensure that things are better balanced.

In general, Snap shot is fantastic both on nien nunb stressbot and in lists with operations specialist as jousting efficiency skyrockets if you trigger snap shot (you either damage their ship or put a focus where it's most needed). For your list, snap shot really helps add an element of area control and close range firepower. Snap shot works really well with aggressive kturns and talons if that's how you fly. The targeting astro fits that style as well. Another benefit often forgotten is that snap shot makes lower ps ships more relevant in a late game situation chasing ships with higher ps as you can catch them before action and hit before focus. The firepower can change how you approach matches - in particular, games against large base ships with limited dials. Try it. It's probably my favorite ept and it plays well on multiple t-70s that can focus fire or cover each other.

I really prefer ptl on bb-8 Poe so that he can boost off the bb-8 roll and really reposition well. I'd consider cutting expertise in favor of gunner. Double stress counts for a lot and the extra shot of gunner should help push damage through. Lightning reflexes seems like it would pay off for a cheap price as you could double stress on the first pass then turn around behind them to hound them all game.

I love the archetype and I love snapshot... But I see a lot of ships that are very easy to kill. A 1 point bid isn't enough for Soontir who will be the obvious target. Overall I think it might end up too easy to avoid arcs and ps kill the fighters. It will be difficult to get all snapshots on in the same turn (or even just 2). If you get snap shot off, you will have a 3 hull ship taking a range one before it fires. The damage from soontir isn't enough to deter a joust. I think you're better off cutting a ship and using f/os.

I am fairly certain this archetype is superior to 3 T70s which have gotten a lot of love here. At the same time, it is not nearly as well explored... Let's address that. Jess Pava - R2-D6, snap shot, integrated astromech, comm relay Nien Nunb - snap shot, r3-a2, integrated astromech, comm relay Wookie Liberator - snap shot, operations specialist, Jan Ors This list has as many as six attacks at range one. With comm relay and IA, these are 8 health x wings with the ability to restock an evade midgame to immitate regen. If one of these ships attack, they either do damage or token stack. You can get a focus and evade onto a stressed ship in the same turn. This list plays like a bully. It will joust most anything. Snap shot, operations specialist T-70s provide some high end knife-fighting with the ability to k or talon. This is a variant of a list I've been playing with success in tourneys. (other list features no comm relays, Jan ors or auzituck, but eaden vrill as area control with anti-pursuit lasers, and feedback array to punish high PS low health) I have more, but I want to see some 2 T-70 lists meant to maximize the t70s. SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT

Point adjustment is simple and elegant. Far more so than hamfisted nerfs that get leaked. In this case we could easily drop the base cost of most pilots of certain ship types: t-65, tie fighter, e-wing, b-wing, tie interceptor... etc. The alternative I keep seeing offered for these ships is to power-creep them with titles and/or upgrades. Additionally, when nerfing something with a point increase, players who love that upgrade can simply pay the higher price while the players who want efficiency can move on to the next efficient list. Consider simply raising the cost of JM5Ks to reflect their utility. They remain torp boats but you can no longer fit 3 in a list. In other lists they start to squeeze out the upgrade space. This is a simple matter of increasing their point opportunity cost. It is a far simpler system than what is currently being done. Card errata should be reserved for instances where point adjustment doesn't well enough address the cards in-game impact (Biggs for instance). In this instance in particular, the t-65 is an out of date model. It doesn't need new bells and whistles. Simply decrease the base model's cost by 2 points, allowing for 5 t-65s with integrated astromechs. Adjust the others to make it point feasible to add vectored thrusters. Leave Biggs alone or preferably nerf his ability somewhat.

@Ninotik Sorry for the late reply... been taking a short break since most of my x-wing stuff was stolen. That looks really good actually. I've been thinking of dropping Anti-pursuit and/or feedback in favor of some help against alpha strike lists and other things. One thing I was considering was a Flechette torpedo on Nien to get more flexibility with stress on my approach. I often find Nien wanting to k-turn or talon after the 1st round so the ability to get a stress on a target without stressing him is nice. Thane is good value. I don't know if snap shot is as good without boost available, but he should damage and tank about as well as Jess and he is dealing stress. How do you tend to fly Thane and Nien? I liked black one against contracted scouts but it won't help much with high PS lists which seem to be returning now.

Nien Nunb: Snap Shot, R3-a2, Integrated Astromech Jess Pava: R2-D6, Snap Shot, Integrated Astromech Eaden Vrill: Operations Specialist, Smuggling Compartment, Anti-pursuit Lasers, Feedback Array

Fundemonium - Rohnert Park, CA - Store Champs (24 players): Winner: Daniel ________ (sorry, forgot your last name), flying: Dengar: Attani Mindlink, K-4 Security Droid, R4 Agromech Fenn: Attani Mindlink, Autothrusters, Concord Dawn Protector Inaldra: Attani Mindlink, Light Scyk Runner up: Me, Flying: Eaden Vrill: smuggling compartment, anti-pursuit lasers, feedback array, operations specialist Nien Nunb: snap shot, R3-a2, integrated astromech Jess Pava: R2-D6, snap shot, integrated astromech Rest of the top 8 included: kanan/garven dreis (autoblaster auto correct), Tie-D/Ryad/Backdraft, Old Fennaroo, triple t-65s (yes we were all surprised), PS 9 Scum alpha with Bosk/N'dru and a third wheel, dash/regen Poe, and I belive the final list was an attani build. The finals was a rematch as we had met in Swiss where I beat him 100-0. Cool to be able to say I beat every list I played.

@Ninotik So I got to a 3rd store champs with my list. I went 6-1 losing in the finals (24 people) to an Attani list (Dengar, Fenn, Inaldra) that I had tabled in round 2 of Swiss. I played against: Dash/Miranda, the above attani list twice, howlrunner swarm, Kanan/Ahsoka, Kanan/Garven Dreiss, and a Ryad/PS 1 Tie-D/Backdraft. Some games felt like the table was slanted in my favor. I only lost 1 ship (Eaden Vrill in rd 1 vs dash/Miranda) all night before the finals. Snapshot truly overperformed - killing more than one tie fighter pre-action against the swarm, 3-5 additional damage against the Ghost lists... and countless small interactions aside. Operations specialist also pulled a lot of weight, frequently getting focus on k-turned t-70s. I really think this list has something to it. Also Stress Nien might be the most underrated/underplayed ship in this meta.

If you are going regen, which is absolutely a viable choice, this point is moot... I think PTL bb-8 Poe is superior to intensity bb-8 Poe for the simple fact that you can boost after you barrel roll, wildly increasing your maneuverability. Intensity Poe cannot lock in a 3 straight to joust and then, after seeing the enemy squad square up to Poe's approach, change the trajectory of the 3 straight to arc dodge the trap. Playing these two together is very fun as they are fairly independent ships. The ability to draw the enemy and squeak past is paramount. I can say without a doubt that bb-8 Poe was the only thing that got me the matchup against swarm and intensity would not have given me the same flying option: to dodge arcs before barrel roll, boost, and forward threeing into their back line to escape.

I use Poe/Miranda as my top ace list. Personally, I prefer bb-8/push the limit Poe because you can use black one twice while arcdodging and still have a focus backed up by autothrusters. I'd also add that BB-8 adds a lot you can do on your approach and really thwarts attempts to block you. I definitely see the upside of using vectored thrusters, but you should try Pattern Analyzer in the tech slot to let you use a green move and push the limit to end the turn unstressed. I also think you want a significant bid if your going to invest near 50 points in Poe. I'd drop the flechettes.

I think I'd cut OpSpec since you only have 1 snap shot to trigger it and no more gunner. Tobber has FCS and is unlikely to miss. Vrill could feed him a focus by missing but while that is situationally helpful, that's not ideal. Your two big ships are likely to be blocking a lot of the time and may not be offering shots for Op Spec to trigger.

It was the Endgame Store Champs in Oakland that Jeff Wilder ended up winning (check the store champs thread on the main page). I think we had 21 people..... Game 1: I was matched against Jossle Sison (Trinity squad gaming on YouTube). He was playing: 1. RAC with VI, Kylo, Vader, Gunner, Dauntless, and Engine Boost 2. Quickdraw with VI(?), FCS, Spec Ops, Lightweight Frame I set up first in the middle with Eaden center and Jess to his right and Nien to her back and right. He set up in his right corner with both ships, Quickdraw about range 2 towards the inside. I turned my ships left to start and opened with a small blunder not having enough room to barrel roll back towards the board edge after a 1 turn on Eaden. This left him further into center on turn 2 and reduced my ability to block the outside corner if RAC went wide. His first and second turn are straights with both ships, RAC pushing the pace on the outside). Turn two Eaden is the only one at range 3 of his ships (the x wings are turned left and don't have quickdraw in arc. I lose some shield on Eaden for very little in return. Next turn I make my big mistake, out thinking myself. I see two options: both have me using Vrill to block quickdraws left turns but one option pulls the t-70s short with a 2 straight to punish an overaggressive quickdraw with double snap shots and the other option is to bank 3 left and double snap the RAC that needs to turn around the final corner asteroid at this point. I decide that he'd see the quickdraw trap coming and turn so moving on to damage the RAC seemed best. I did double snap RAC giving a two crits (blinded and no actions except damage cards) and bringing him down to around 6 health with just the x wing over the course of the turn but he put quickdraw right behind my T-70s getting a double shot on Nien and Vrill. Nien's shields disappear and Vrill goes down to gunner before he can shoot on RAC. Had I done the x wing two forwards, I'd have caught a focusless quickdraw with 4-5 attacks at range 1. As it was my x wings had Quickdraw behind them and RAC or the board edge blocking the Ks and talons. Quickdraw proceeded to mop up and RAC ran. 32-100 loss Game two: I don't remember the name of the player but he was playing RAC with Kylo, boost, Gunner and some other things as well as a Whisper with VI, Kallus and the works. I set up similar to my first game with similar asteroids creating outside lanes. He places Whisper to the outside of RAC making me expect an aggressively decloaking forward whisper. That is exactly what plays out so I turn right and k-turn in the opening turns. I swing Eaden out towards the center as he takes the corner. We begin engagement and I catch his decimator with my x-wings at range 3 while Whisper ticks shoots range 3 on Jess for no effect. The Deci knocks a shield off Nien but gets stressed back and must turn. Next turn Eaden blocks whisper from turning in and my x wings snap shot RAC. All three of my ships primaries at range 1 on the decimator brings it to 1 hull, 4 stress, and can't go straight next turn. He forgets the critical dialing in a 2 straight. This lets me set his dial to fly off the board at 1 health, preventing Eaden needing to chase. From there it became a short positioning game of blocking whispers options with Eaden and Nien until he was forced into a k-turn he couldn't cloak after. This let me catch him with snap shots and death soon after. 100-0 win Game 3: was against a scum list using genesis red, Quinn Jast and Xizor. The scyks had pulse Ray shields to soak up extra damage from xizor, who had PTL and FCS. Nast had missiles and Red had a mangler. Asteroid placement created a ring with space in the center. I deployed to take the center and from his deployment - a tight pinwheel aimed for a gap between the rocks - so did he. We both moved forward towards the center -I moved my YT-2400 out in front, just next to an asteroid, as it was to the left of my x wings who were head on with his 3. His squad would have to move into the space between asteroids next turn. Turn 2 I 3 right turned Eaden and barrel rolled to block his path into the asteroids as the t-70s caught up. The Scycks bump and lose action. Xizor gets a shot on Eaden as Genesis Red tanks with green dice to survive with light damage. Next turn Eaden 1 turns right blocking a path to funnel his ships into the x wing snap shots. That is exactly what happens and Xizor goes down. The rest of the game is mop up as his scyks end up out of position with X wings behind them. Xizor did pull half health off Eaden though. 100-19 win Game 4 I face the other member of trinity squad gaming ( sorry can't remember name). He is running Biggs Kanan with m9-g8, tactical jammer, twin laser, Finn, Rey... This was one list I haven't gotten to play before and I was concerned about going in. How do I get to Biggs through the Ghost when my typical action denial is more difficult to execute? We place asteroids leaving a diagonal line across the board and the rest focused to my left. He placed in his right corner pointing horizontally as I set up in the center. I turned left to start making sure his path put him clear of the rocks eventually. Slowly I turned back right, with Vrill center field and the two x wing banking 3 this turn to catch up. He was headed towards his left corner with the decision of k-turning while there is still room or turning in. From here I advance my ships out of the asteroids, 2 bank with a barrel roll up from Eaden to prepare for next turn. Jess went 3 forward to keep direction while maintaining arc if the Ghost turned in. The Ghost turned in with a 2 turn and Biggs followed suit. Nien pulls up right behind Jess and shoots first stressing and knocking two shields from Biggs. Next Biggs misses Nien from range 3. Then Kanan rolls a perfect 4 dice for 2 hits 2 crits. Finn + m9-g8 give the 5th hit. I blank my dice and I'm forced to integrated a blinded pilot. Jess and Eaden reduce Biggs but at the end of round TLT hits for 2 and then 3 to finish Nien. I knew that was the end of it right then. Nien was the 3rd ship boxing in his movement next turn as Jess would k-turn to one side of them, vrill would turn and barrel roll to block the other, and Nien would move last blocking their forward move before k-turning behind to shoot first. This was a game where I felt I had the exact approach I wanted to kill Biggs and get position on the Ghost but variance betrayed me. From that point on I made some risky piloting gambits (block Biggs to shoot the Ghost) to try and make up for lost ground but it was to little avail. I ended up getting Biggs with a snapshot from Jess Pava after a k-turn, just before I went down. 28-100 loss Through some sort of MOV miracle I ended up 8th getting the range ruler. I felt game one was lost to my errors but game 4 was swung on variance, so I felt pretty good about how I played. The two wins were extremely convincing. The Kaman-Biggs loss is a little concerning if the list continues to be a problem but I want more testing. I suspect I just came out on the bad end of luck against a list which forces me to rely on dice luck in some form of joust. I've noticed I tend to start these tournament's sloppy before dialing in so I'm thinking of running a practice game when I arrive at the next. I may be going to another SC this weekend and I still like this list for it.

Nice to hear you did well. Of the Arcs, I like your first one most because I like the utility of both bb-8 and tactician. I should be going to a store champ this Saturday so I'll try to report after.

Double post

The issues with swarms isn't that it is mentally taxing - half the players playing x-wing want that, me included. At its core, the issue is that the game's format rewards larger point investments wherever MOV is concerned. Additionally, the upgrade power creep only affects ships with upgrades - aka not swarms.

I brought Poe/Miranda at 96 before and was well below everyone else. I think some Fenn lists might get as low as 97. Aces aren't all too common right now. I know in considering my list I had to have Poe moving after other PS 9.

I tend to fly the t-70s within range 1 of each other. Exactly where and how depends on asteroids, my opponent's ships, and their setup. Vrill also tends to start range one from Jess but his ability to turn and barrel roll gives a lot of flexibility to do things like hard turn the x-wings turn 1 to change where or at what angle the joust will occur. Vrill to the outside of the map and Jess stacked in front of Nien is one common start. I view this kind of list as one that strives to break jousts - not one that necessarily out guns the enemy but one that out trades. Your list tends to have more space control than the enemy so you use it to manage which ships shoot what. I tend to lag one t-70 behind the other if I need to prevent a fly-by or K-turn but against a kiting opponent I will fan out and corrale them toward Nien to slow them down. Also debris is great for this list since Nien can make maneuvers through and lose stress. Operations specialist can provide focus after turning through debris and it helps up Eaden's firepower if they hit it for stress.