Compel wrote:Picking up a second core set is usually the most recommended thing. - You get a second set of dice and templates and a lot of options open up for Imperials when you have 4 TIE Fighters. (And potentially at a 5th from the booster).
This. You need the extra dice anyway, and you can always use more TIE fighters. Your first two purchases should almost always be a core set and another core set.
As for the other expansion boxes, this is my opinion about the ships and pilot cards (ignoring upgrades since those are scattered everywhere and which ones you need depends on your exact list choices):
Rebel:
X-wing: comes with Wedge, and Wedge is a nice tool to have in the current high-
PS high-agility metagame. You probably won't want more than two x-wings in a list, three at most, so don't get any extras once you have the two core sets and one expansion.
Y-wing: necessary to use y-wings in a rebel list. Y-wings just got a major boost with the title card and bomb option, so it's probably worth getting 1-2 of these. When you're using multiple y-wings it will usually be with the generic pilots, so you can't get away with buying one expansion and using the scum y-wing model with the other rebel cards.
A-wing: nice, but not vital. Tycho is the only pilot that matters. He's good (especially as a phantom counter), but the rebel aces pilots aren't a bad substitute and a-wings overall are kind of a niche-role ship.
B-wing: depends on how much you like b-wings. The named pilots all suck, and you get the generics in rebel aces. However, there are good lists that use 2-4 b-wings, so it's worth getting at least one more or one more copy of rebel aces.
Z-95: you need these. Like the y-wing you can't use your scum cards in a rebel list, and there are a lot of rebel lists with z-95s. Get at least 3-4, and if you love swarms it's can be worth owning the full eight.
E-wing: get one, but no more. Corran is extremely powerful, but I don't think I've ever seen a competitive list with more than one e-wing.
YT-1300 and YT-2400: one of each is enough. There are rebel lists that use two big ships, but most of them use one of each now that the YT-2400 is available.
HWK: one is enough. It's theoretically possible that you might want to use more than one in some obscure list concept, but it's not worth buying another one unless you're absolutely sure you want it.
Imperial:
TIE fighter: comes with Howlrunner, a mandatory pilot for imperial players. You must buy at least one TIE fighter expansion if you're even thinking about playing imperials.
TIE advanced: currently this is the worst ship in the game, so it isn't a priority. But a major buff is coming with the imperial epic ship, and you'll need to get Vader even if you don't need the extra ship model.
TIE bomber: not worth buying. They're pretty much nonexistent in competitive play, so only invest in them if you really love bombers and want to use them no matter how weak they are.
TIE interceptor: Fel is a mandatory pilot, so you need to buy this one if you want to use interceptors.
TIE defender: similar to the e-wing, one can be nice to have but the high price tag makes it hard to put more than one in a list. And honestly it might not be worth buying any until/unless we see a phantom nerf, since the phantom seems to be the better "40 point small ship" for imperials.
TIE phantom: you already own one, and lists with more than one are very rare. Whisper + Echo can be good if you have a lot of skill to fly a list with no margin for error, but two phantoms is the absolute limit.
Decimator: you own one, and that's usually enough. Dual decimator lists exist and can be good if you love the ship, but if you have a limited budget it's probably not worth it.
Firespray: kind of like the decimator, it's good that you own one and you can use another 1-2 if you love the ship, but it's not a priority. Lists with 2-3 firesprays exist but aren't all that common now that the decimator exists.
Shuttle: in a common theme with big ships, you already own one and most of the time that's enough.
Scum:
Most wanted: depends on your list ideas. Only get another box (or more) if you want to take multiple z-95s or y-wings, you've got enough cards and dials for the other ships.
Scyk: not worth it. Right now it looks like this ship is just too many points and is a niche-role option at best.
Starviper: probably not worth it. Like the scyk it seems to be too many points for what you get. It's a mandatory purchase for the autothrusters card though, if you aren't buying upgrade cards separately or proxying them.
Aggressor: buy two or buy zero. This is a very polarizing ship, you'll either love the dual-aggressor list or you'll hate it. Make your buying decision appropriately.
Aerethan wrote:{imperial list}
This suffers from two problems:
1) You've got a shuttle with a lot of points invested into handing out target locks, and a phantom that needs maneuvering room to survive. If you try to stay in formation with the shuttle you will lose your phantom immediately. If you want a target lock take a fire control system.
2) You've got an expensive shuttle with Vader. Vader shuttles are great since they're cheap unavoidable damage, but note the important word there: cheap. If you want Vader drop the shuttle to a generic with nothing else, or
maybe gunner to Vader a ship twice in one turn if you don't have anything better to do with the points.
And now that you've saved ~15 points by fixing your shuttle you can either bring another TIE fighter or upgrade the existing one to a better ship.
{scum list}
Too many points in upgrades. Boba Fett wants to be at range 1, which makes the
HLC and assault missile an expensive waste of points. And calculating isn't all that great. Take
PTL or
VI instead. And drop the shield upgrade, it's too expensive for a single additional
HP. An engine upgrade is better since it allows you to dodge arcs at
PS 8 and/or get into range 1 asap to maximize your bonuses. Same thing with the z-95s, they're only good if they're cheap. Drop them to naked
PS 1 generics and use the extra points to take more ships. Once you've done that you'll have something like this:
Boba Fett with
PTL, recon specialist, engine upgrade, seismic charge.
Binayre pirate x4.
Boba Fett is obviously the core of the list, the z-95s act as meatshields and get in easy damage while your opponent is trying to deal with the firespray.
I sorta went apeshit at the shop and bought most wanted / agressor x 1 / starviper, but held off on the Scyk. Glad i did, and instead, i'll purpose that money to another aggressor. I think i'm also going to build up my z95's a little more too.
