How do you fly your defender?

[Hobojebus 11,341]

Rexler with HLC and predator and four tie fighters from obsidion squadron.

[force kin 545]

Once I flew mine out of the foam container it is stored in and onto the concrete behind my car's left front tire.

[Ravncat 1,988]

Defender, defender, alpha + tc, alpha + tc

Everyone dances, then explosions happen.

Can't wait to replace the tcs with auto thrusters, if they're cheap and useful enough

[Rakky Wistol 2,903]

Fast and straight... not like you have much of a choice.

 

I really like 2 basics + hull and 2 BSP + outmanuver/predator

 

 

I've only flown it in one list, but I have used that list about 5 times now.  I prefer to use a flanker to distract.  Well, if they go for the flanker, they slow down and my main body moves up fast....or vice versa. 

 

Col Vessery w/ VI

Buzzsaw Shuttle w/ Engine Upgrade

Turr Phennir w/ PTL and Shield Upgrade

 

I keep the Shuttle and Defender near each other as I approach.  I try to get the Defender out a little in front as the Shuttle tends to hang back and have the furball stay in front of him for as long as possible.  I've found most people tend to fire on the Shuttle first.  That allows me to fire at the juiciest targets with both Defender and Shuttle.  If there is a Falcon or something big, I'll plug it full of holes.  Killed a Falcon in 3 turns, once. 

 

Turr is happy to have the extra Shield as a flanker as he sometimes gets too much attention.  I've even boosted him closer after firing when a B-wing and X-wing had TL on the Shuttle.  They would've wrecked the shuttle, but I had enough evade dice to not worry too much that round.  If he can move up, fire, and then pull away, he's doing great.  If he can fire at the same target....like the Falcon, then so much the better. 

 

This way, I've found most people tend to focus on the Shuttle or the Tie Interceptor more than the Defender.  I'm not sure if people just don't rate it; view the Int as the bigger threat, or maximize their dice vs. the Shuttle's low evade.  No matter what, Col. V loves the free TL and usually does focus.  Three dice with TL and Focus is nice.  He causes damage.

 

I should come up with a name for this list.  Maybe "Imperial Fists", due to the 3 Imperial heavy hitters.

Came up with this list the other day during building that is very similar.  No real name has popped out.  Since it's Vessery something to do with Targeting:

 

Vessery + outmanuever

Turr + PTL + Hull

OGP + FCS + Weapons Engineer+ EU

 

I'm betting one of the new cannons will fit on Vessery.  I'm also not opposed to dropping EU and WE on the shuttle for a really nasty Vessery.  You could also drop Turr down to an RGP for a few more points.

[heychadwick 11,354]

Defender, defender, alpha + tc, alpha + tc

Everyone dances, then explosions happen.

Can't wait to replace the tcs with auto thrusters, if they're cheap and useful enough

 

 

I like this list just so you can call it the DA-DA list!

[Engine25 2,910]

A buddy suggested something to me that I don't normally do with any ship that instantly made the Defender easier to navigate for me: Deploy it at a 45 degree angle.  That way, when you get in range to engage, you can either make a bank turn to get a flank position, or you can more easily stay relevant in the second or third turn of fire by using the 3 turn or 4-K.  I find my favorite strategy is to it fly diagonally towards his formation by itself while the rest of your formation is flying towards him as well.  Therefore, he has to choose a target, and most often will choose your other group because it is more attacks.  Then, make a bank maneuver to align a flanking position, and then K-turn around him during the first volleys.  It can force him to scatter or run, allowing both your formation and your defender to get behind him for a turn and do soem damage before he turns to face you.

 

The secret to the Defender: Diagonal Deployment

[heychadwick 11,354]

 

The secret to the Defender: Diagonal Deployment

 

That's also called Flanking.

[Engine25 2,910]

 

 

The secret to the Defender: Diagonal Deployment

 

That's also called Flanking.

 

 

Well, yes.  Point was, I was quite surprised how much easier it was to get the Defender into an advantageous position if it was already turned 45 degrees, instead of the risk suffering a stress because you find you need to turn tightly.

[AlexW 2,902]

A buddy suggested something to me that I don't normally do with any ship that instantly made the Defender easier to navigate for me: Deploy it at a 45 degree angle.  That way, when you get in range to engage, you can either make a bank turn to get a flank position, or you can more easily stay relevant in the second or third turn of fire by using the 3 turn or 4-K.  I find my favorite strategy is to it fly diagonally towards his formation by itself while the rest of your formation is flying towards him as well.  Therefore, he has to choose a target, and most often will choose your other group because it is more attacks.  Then, make a bank maneuver to align a flanking position, and then K-turn around him during the first volleys.  It can force him to scatter or run, allowing both your formation and your defender to get behind him for a turn and do soem damage before he turns to face you.

 

The secret to the Defender: Diagonal Deployment

 

This actually works for a lot of ships, though it's really more about approaching opposing ships at an angle than just starting out at a diagonal.   It allows you to more easily keep them in your firing arc for a longer period of time, in my experience.

 

I do deploy my defender at an angle, though, but that's because I like to open with the 1 bank in a direction I'd like to go.

Edited October 2, 2014 by AlexW

[Knucklesamwich 802]

I find running up one edge then pulling a 3 bank moves me into range of something almost every time on the alpha. Then I find that the one banks are extremely useful on this ship. I find that I can do an entire match usually using k-turn and 1 banks. With 3 or 4 dice I don't mind keeping my defenders at range 3. I really love this ship!

[Kaimuund 59]

I understand the 45 degree start. I also like the 1 banks, those are really good with the HLC. 

 

Great advice, thanks!

 

I found that if I crawled up a board edge then 3 turned into the center, I was usually in a pretty good spot. (flanking..ikr)

But what helped last time was turning in with a 3 bank, then shooting through with a 4k at an angle before turning back outward and 4k to come back in. Sort of like doing x patterns back and forth through the center. Reminds me of a Stuka (sp) dive bomber doing attack runs. Outmaneuver on vessery worked pretty good vs falcon and b wing. 

[tiefanatic 453]

How do I fly my defender?

With an HLC, x2 plus Jonus and Predator.

Edited October 3, 2014 by tiefanatic

[voidreturn 816]

I really dig Oicunn with all of the options to let him ram you (IA, Navigator, APL). Oicunn can be incredibly frustrating for opponents when I pull it off or die incredibly quickly if I fail to hit my target. It's ruthlessly efficient against tight formations.

 

Edit: derp! it's late, I read Defender and thought Decimator.

 

When I fly defenders I try to angle the start and set up a flank. If I do succeed in the flank, then I just K-turn until something dies. If I can't get the defender on the flank, I weep as I failed as a pilot because I would have been better off with 2 TIE fighters.

Edited October 3, 2014 by s1n

[Blail Blerg 7,335]

Played two games with 3 defenders.. never had to take a red turn ever. 

They take big steps though.  Like Bombers, but much more firepower.  

 

I'd agree with the 45 angle thing.  Having your 4 k blocked is like having your xmas toys taken away. 

 

--

 

They are also amazing when the green dice roll in your favor.  

 

Vessery took 11 straight focus fire shots (with a few 4 dice attacks) ... took off 3 shields.  Didn't die. 

But then my friends Rexler got double whopped by Corran.  Which wasn't fun either.  

Edited October 3, 2014 by Blail Blerg

[Jehan Menasis 1,562]

I consider the low PS defenders too limited and expensive to justify its fielding, other than specialized lists like 'Jonus brothers'.

 

The High PS defenders have powerful abilities, but regrettably need a lot of sinergy, which the Imperial side lacks at the moment. Vessery is usable, thanks to things like FCS, ST-321 and Weapon's engineer. Brath less so, tough 'Fleet officer' may change that. Both are so expensive that when including one in your list, you have little room for anything else.

 

Compared to rebels, that distribute focus tokens and free actions like candies, and shed stress like nothing (or just ignore it, or even use it as a bonus!), Imperials have a hard time gaining extra tokens or actions, and their abilities tend to give stress rather than eliminating it.

 

And both lack of granted actions and stress are heavy weak points on the defender. IMO, FFG overrated the defender's 4K impact on the game, and severely limited it (dial, cost, action bar) before its birth. Future upgrades (The new cannons, Fleet officer... etc) may change current Defender's playability, however.

 

And I know that Defenders have many fans around here... But at the hour of truth (your tourney list) they are barely seen. A fact that puts them at "Interceptor syndrome" level... Everyone loves them, yes, but almost no one dares to fly them 'for real' (tournament). Here and there as a filler... and that's all.

 

And unfortunately for the Defender, unlike the interceptor, it's too expensive to field it even as a filler. Until Defenders have more options available, I'm afraid they will remain the most loved ships of... casual lists.

 

And before you jump on my throat, I actually took a Defender for the nationals.... With mediocre results, sadly.

[Hobojebus 11,341]

You don't see them at nationals because they don't fit people view of the meta, if it's not a phantom or falcon list it stands no chance.

Unfortunately events like the Malaysian national are proving that correct, competitive players that didn't take meta builds got knocked out quickly, but that was because they faced each other and not the people using meta builds.

The problem isn't the defender the problem is people unwilling to move away from those two builds.