Getting the most out of the TIE Defender

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**EmpNortonII**

I love the TIE Defender. I played TIE Fighter back in the day, which should say everything about why I like it.

Past Predator, does anyone have any cards they love playing with the Defender? I've had mixed results with Ion Missiles- useless against a 2-large list, amazing otherwise. (I effectively put Coran Horn out the game once. By the time he turned around, I'd killed off all but one of my opponent's other ships).

I've thought of running 2 Defenders+HLCs with Jonus for some 1st-past shennanigans.

I've also gotten some milage out of Brath, despite his cost. I barely lost a game last night I should have lost handily (Fel+PTL, Brath+Predator+MF+Ion Missiles, Omicron+Tactician+Fleet Officer vs Solo+Falcon, Leebo+HLC+Outrider) when Brath flipped three direct hits on the Falcon over the game.

How do y'all run the Defender when you run it?

**Crazy_Carnifex**

I tend to run the Defender as a big bruiser, backed by a mini-swarm of 5 ships. Rexler Brath with Predator and Autoblasters scares the life out of my opponents, but it is hard to pull off that autoblaster shot. Other than that, Howlrunner (buff the swarm, and is scary enough to draw some fire from the defender), and four cheap pilots is how I tend to run the ship.

Also, how are Ion Pulse Missiles useless against big ships?

**Godless-Mimicry**

Rexlar with Predator or VI and possibly a HLC depending on your list. Vessery with VI and possibly HLC. Delta or Onyx either naked or with simply an Ion Cannon.

Those are the set-ups I would run. Vessery can create the most synergy in my opinion when paired with a Shuttle.

**EmpNortonII**

Crazy_Carnifex wrote:
I tend to run the Defender as a big bruiser, backed by a mini-swarm of 5 ships. Rexler Brath with Predator and Autoblasters scares the life out of my opponents, but it is hard to pull off that autoblaster shot. Other than that, Howlrunner (buff the swarm, and is scary enough to draw some fire from the defender), and four cheap pilots is how I tend to run the ship.

Also, how are Ion Pulse Missiles useless against big ships?

I'll re-phrase... useless against ships with turrets. Since the only big ships I play against are the Falcon and Outrider...

Besides, it makes the thing go one ahead one turn instead of two... much less useful.

**DOOMONYOU**

Ion pulse missiles have the same effect as ion cannons against normal sized ships. Once the ship has been Ioned and moved forward its 1 template ALL ion tokens are removed.

**EmpNortonII**

DOOMONYOU wrote:
Ion pulse missiles have the same effect as ion cannons against normal sized ships. Once the ship has been Ioned and moved forward its 1 template ALL ion tokens are removed.

Whoops...

**DOOMONYOU**

Don't worry. It happens. I spent ages looking at the missile card thinking why would it give 2 tokens when both are removed, till I got a large ship and found out the rules you need 2 tokens to ion them.

If you want to give the defender a good run try it with an engine upgrade