Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Just wondering what ships you guys would like to see in a future "aces" pack, and what kind of Titles, Talents or Upgrades would you want to see with them?

Rebel Veterans: z-95 and e-wing. Z-95 gets a Tala Squadron Veteran at PS 5-6 with an EPT for 14-15 points, a PS 7 pilot with some kind of missile-buffing ability, Han at PS 9 with some kind of boost/BR ability, and a "heavy guns" title/modification that gives +1 attack die. E-wing gets a buff on the level of the x7 and TIE/D titles for the defender, a PS 4-6 generic with an EPT, and 2-3 good unique pilots so there's more than just Corran.

Yavin Aces: t-65 x-wing and y-wing. Both get PS 5-6 generics with EPTs. The y-wing gets a title that buffs torps and an update to the A4 title that improves its dial (especially green maneuvers), and a re-printed Salm with an EPT. The x-wing gets a barrel roll title (free BB-8 effect on all maneuvers!) and a "heavy guns" modification for +1 attack die (or at least some kind of re-roll, agility penalty, etc), making it the rebel TIE phantom. And I guess somewhere in the obscure corners of the EU there's a couple more x-wing pilots that haven't been printed yet, so throw them in.

Scum Aces: a complete re-print of the k-thing and scyk. I don't know what it would take to make these ships not suck, but do it somehow.

Scum Money Sink: some $100 epic ship that nobody cares about and some upgrades to the starviper. Again, I don't know how to fix such a fundamentally broken ship, but FFG can put more design time into it than I will.

As for imperials, I don't know. All the small ships they have are too recent to get an "aces" update, too powerful to risk touching (TIE phantom), or lacking in interesting design space (TIE fighter, TIE punisher). Now that Imperial Veterans gave a huge buff to the TIE defender and made the TIE bomber suck a bit less it's hard to think of any real role for another "aces" update to fill.

Pretty much what Peregrine said

I think the Starviper could be fixed with a title that gives it a mobile arc variant (not rear) to represent its trixy moving, maybe even tacking on an Evade token if you hit something (might be a bit pushed but it needs all the help it can get)

The E-Wings again need a title and/or some E-Wing only mod along with a couple of viable Uniques other than Corran

Scyks might be salvaged if there is a 1pt less generic and a revised title with 'the cost of that upgrade is reduced by 2pts, also Illict slots for bobbin sake

Kittykirax, Salvaged Astromech Title ? Other than that I got nothing

 Turnip Jedi wrote:
I think the Starviper could be fixed with a title that gives it a mobile arc variant (not rear) to represent its trixy moving, maybe even tacking on an Evade token if you hit something (might be a bit pushed but it needs all the help it can get)

That's an interesting idea, but it runs into the problem that an expansion can't require new cardboard (and, if the mobile arc is done the same way, new plastic!). That means no dial changes, no new firing arcs, and no changes to existing base stat lines. If you want something to represent the pivot guns you'd have to make something like this:

Targeting Package: Focused Fire (dual card)
Starviper only.
When attacking with your primary weapon you may re-roll one attack die.
{torpedo upgrade} 0 Points

Before you reveal your dial you may flip this card over.

Targeting Package: Independent Tracking (dual card)
Starviper only.
Reduce your primary weapon value by 1. You may make primary weapon attacks against targets outside your firing arc.

Before you reveal your dial you may flip this card over.
{torpedo upgrade} 0 Points


Obviously this makes more sense as a title or modification than as a torpedo upgrade, but the starviper is already committed to its existing title and autothrusters and there isn't enough text space for "you may equip an additional title/modification". I guess fluff-wise you replace the torpedo launcher with extra targeting sensors? The primary weapon penalty is representing the fact that pivoting the guns means only one side's guns will be able to get arc on a target, cutting its firepower in half.

Scyks might be salvaged if there is a 1pt less generic and a revised title with 'the cost of that upgrade is reduced by 2pts, also Illict slots for bobbin sake

Remember that the title card now gives +1 HP already. So it's 2 points for a hull upgrade and the weapon slot, which is a much better deal. Dropping the price of the weapon on top of that would probably be excessive.

I agree fixes to 'bad' ships is always going to be problematic although the Defender fix's seemed strong enough to hit torny tables, (the bombers not so much) so fingers crossed FFG pull some decent rabbits from hats if they get round to updating ships in need

I'm just waiting for people to start fielding Scyks in my local meta. Everyone was proclaiming it to be redeemed, now one of the best ships in the game... I'm withholding judgement until I find a role for it.

 Mathieu Raymond wrote:
I'm just waiting for people to start fielding Scyks in my local meta. Everyone was proclaiming it to be redeemed, now one of the best ships in the game... I'm withholding judgement until I find a role for it.

Oh hell no. The scyk is not even close to being one of the best ships in the game. It's no longer WTF-tier bad, but it's probably not going to make it above "ok in casual games".

But, but, but... it has more greens and slow maneuvers!!! /sarcasm.

Tie Interceptor could use another re-write so that someone may actually want to use one that isn't Fel or one of their top couple aces.

Maybe a title that lowers the points of non-unique pilots by a couple of points? Maybe a unique pilot that boost the abilities of other interceptors?

Scyk and Starviper need something desperately.
Scyk - A modification that is only available for the Scyk that reduces the cost of all secondary weapons by 3-4 points?

Starviper - either a title that reduces the point cost by 2-3 or adds something - like increase agility by 1 permananently - or whenever you roll evade dice, add one evade to your roll.

Rebel Veterans:
E-wing and T-65 need the most help. They also have good overlap in upgrades, meaning that anything I throw in is cross-compatible (Great for new players). I would like to see a pair of titles for the X-wing:

Reserve Fleet Fighter: -2pt
X-wing Only
May not equip this card if you have shields "3" or greater (no T-70)
May not equip this card if you have PS 5 or greater.
May not equip any upgrade card worth 3 or more points

The idea here is to buff generics. A rookie costs 20pt after this and Integrated Astromech, meaning that it is noticeably cheaper than the B-wing, and you can potentially run 5 in a list. The cap on upgrade costs is just because there needs to be some drawback to justify the negative point cost.

Late Model T-65: 0pt
X-wing Only
May not equip this card if you have shields "3" or greater
This model may equip an additional upgrade card with a point cost of 2 or less without paying its squad point cost.

Basically, allow pilots to take an upgrade other than integrated astromech. Can also take a cheap upgrade such as Vecotred thrusters for free, to help break cost on some of the elite pilots.b One thing that I wanted to avoid was buffing Biggs, who is the one pilot whom I really feel needs no help. I would then add the following pilots:

Tycho Celchu: 28pt
Same Pilot Ability

Oorl Qyrgg: 26pt
PS6, EPT-Yes
When attacking or defending, ignore the opposing pilots Elite Pilot Talent and Pilot ability.


For the E-wing, I need to avoid buffing Corran Horn, so any upgrades need to be at least a neutral choice on Corran. Therefore, the fix should involve the tech, astromech, or modification. I would add the following system upgrade:

Advanced Fire Control System: 1pt
E-wing only
When attacking during the combat phase, you may convert all [eyeball] results to [hit] results. Then, assign a "weapons disabled" token to this model.

Doesn't work at all with Corrans ability, but provides a nice buff to a generic E-wing. Would also add in a "Blackmoon Veteran", a PS5 generic with an EPT.


As for what upgrade cards I would add, I would probably add at least 2 coppies of each of the "Fix" upgrades, as well as a pair of R2 and R5 Astromechs, which are rather important for Integrated tax, and are only found in certain limited packs (and there is not much of a reason to buy multiple X-wing and Y-wing packs). Add in a couple new astromechs, and a couple integrated astromech cards.

Yeah a scum vet set with a m3a and kihraxz would be nice. I'm not super picky, but having both in black sun colors like the Z's from Most Wanted would be nice.

That's probably what they would do, but how hard is it to repaint a ship in black and white? Granted, the little sun might be tricky.

 KingmanHighborn wrote:
Yeah a scum vet set with a m3a and kihraxz would be nice. I'm not super picky, but having both in black sun colors like the Z's from Most Wanted would be nice.

I don't even play scum, but I might for that. I would like to see some more Black Sun ships.

 Peregrine wrote:
Rebel Veterans:Z-95 gets a Tala Squadron Veteran at PS 5-6 with an EPT for 14-15 points, a PS 7 pilot with some kind of missile-buffing ability, Han at PS 9 with some kind of boost/BR ability, and a "heavy guns" title/modification that gives +1 attack die.

I second the motion for Han being a pilot of a Z-95. I absolutely loved the Han Solo Trilogy by Brian Daley which features Han piloting a Z-95. Also including in the set, like Most Wanted, a way to have Solo in the scum faction would be awesome but probably too much to ask.

Okay, so I have done some thinking on a way to make the Z-95 more useful to the Rebels. I have some other ideas I am working on for Imperial ships, but am still working on not making it too powerful.

In all of the stories I have been reading online about the Z-95 squadrons, with them being outclassed by other ships, they are more suited as skirmishers, ambushes and scouting roles. So, an "aces" with the Z-95 should reflect that as the Imperials advanced their own starfighter designs, there would a change in how the Z-95 is used.

Han Solo
PS-9
When a friendly ship completes a (K-turn maneuver symbol) in Range "1" of your ship, they may treat it as a white maneuver.
-Point cost - 20, has an EPT

Tala Squadron Ace
PS-7
After you complete a (hard left or right maneuver symbol), you may perform a free boost action.
-Point cost - 18, unique, has an EPT

Bandit Squadron Veteran
PS-5
-Point cost - 15, has an EPT

For upgrades and titles:

Guerilla Refit
-Missile Upgrade. Z-95 only.
When attacking, if you are not in the defender's firing arc, roll an additional attack die.
-Point Cost - 0

Ambush Commander
-Title. Z-95 Only. Rebel Only.
During the first turn of the game, friendly ships may ignore obstacles.
-Point Cost - 1

Han Solo can be used to run mini swarms of Z-95's with missiles by making their K turns white. Since he is PS9, it will make it a little tricky to use his Pilot Ability, allowing his 20 Points cost to not be game breaking but if you can pull it right, will allow for some real movement and action silliness. The Tala Squadron Ace gives you a cheap and fairly agile fighter to fill some points and gives the Z-95 access to the boost action without shelling out 4 Points for the Engine Upgrade. Bandit Squadron Veterans give you access to a cheap ship with an EPT that will shoot before Black Squadron Pilots loaded with Crack Shot, while not neutering them. And throw in a Tala Squadron pilot as well to make it so you get four pilots in the pack.