I need to start of with an apology. It’s not a secret that I don’t like the Kylo crew card at all. However if my dislike of the card and it’s place in the game has in anyway impacted negatively on your enjoyment of flying what you enjoy then I am sorry. Just because I don’t understand why you enjoy it, it is entirely out of place for my opinion to be detrimental to your experience of X-Wing.

As I said at the end of the last post, I am moving on from Firespray’s because I don’t want me being so salty about something during a game that it affects my opponents enjoyment, and Kylo and the Sprays is just going to do that. If I have an equation that doesn’t work out then I need to change my part in the equation. And there is a whole world of spaceships out there to enjoy, with many more more coming soon.

I’ve written previously about my excitement for the new Khiraxz and the new Star Viper titles. I’m unconvinced by how effective the Star Viper is, but it is definitely up there in term of the Rule of Cool. So that’s where I’m starting off in the post-Firespray world. I mean, with the Virago title a Viper can have both BMST AND Seismic Torpedoes right? That’s two of my favourite cards in the same place…

I’m not expecting the Star Viper to be great, sure it’s cheaper and on paper it’s dice stats are pretty handy. Three red dice, three green dice and 5 health on a ship that seems suited to arc dodging everywhere is really strong, but on first glance it has two major issues as a ship.

Firstly: I love the moves on the dial, what I struggle with is the lack of green on there for a ship that looks designed to dodge with, stress is fatal on them and they have very little way of clearing it.

Secondly: Natural PS, the highest is 7, not great. That’s 9 with VI on a ship that really needs some form of action economy, and not having action economy is an issue in the world today. However I do think that if they had a high natural PS, with the new barrel roll, they would be utterly broken straight, and no one wants another ship to complain about.

The conclusion of this is that either these are very bad arc dodgers or I have totally misunderstood their purpose!

Well as ever google is a very helpful tool, it re-affirmed a comment made by someone on my last Star Viper themed post. The Viper is not an interceptor, it’s a heavy fighter, more in tune with the B-Wing, it’s meant to sit back and shoot things from range. So compared to a B-Wing it has an AMAZING dial. This would also explain why the ship can’t take an evade as a natural action, it’s not meant to be ridiculously dodging everything in sight, just everything at range.

All this means it doesn’t need a crazy good pilot skill, it’s intended play style is to sit back, make use of hit high agility/good firepower at range then rapidly re-deploy to another awkward angle. Now the ship and it’s intended play style make sense! Thank you internet for being useful!

It did however also say that that Star Vipers generally aren’t squadron ships. I’m flat out ignoring that bit. I like squadrons too much…

The big question is, am I good enough to fly them? (I suspect that they most definitely fit the “X-Wing on hard” category, or the “why do you do this to yourself?” category) High PS alpha strikers and fast moving big base ships are going to be an issue because they unleash so much damage from such a great distance, which is where 3 agility, autothrusters and a focus token for defense are going to have to be a thing!

After a less than inspiring performance at UK Nationals my confidence isn’t particularly high, so as well as writing lists that look fun I have been looking at lists that could compete (which don’t feature a huge amount of Star Viper) but that’s not where I’m going to start.

Guri Prince Xizor Black Sun Assassin Attanni Mindlink Attanni Mindlink Attanni Mindlink Autothrusters Autothrusters Autothrusters Star Viper MK2 Star Viper MK2 Star Viper MK2 Virago Advance Proton Torpedoes Fire Control System Scavenger Crane

Mindlink as the EPT is option 1 as it is in almost every 3 ship Scum list, because it is simply the most efficient available. I did debate other options initially and have plenty more choices available should they be required but at the moment it’s got to be Mindlink.

I’m fairly confident in saying that things like Imperial Alpha Strikers, and fast moving big ships are simply not going to give this list he time to whither them down at range three, which will mean no jousting against big hitters. With no need for an initiative bid I do have plenty of points to spend on toys. As the bearded hero that is Filippo Bosi claims “real men spend all 100 points” I’m not sure he’s always right, but it is an amusing shout of bravado!

Guri is the focal point of the list, she is able to be the focus generator in the list without need for an action and her ability means that the entire list can double focussed if need be. Having flown Fenn a lot that is a very useful trick.

I looked long and hard at Dalan Oberos, but the fact that his ability triggers a stress which in a Mindlink list is something you want to avoid if possible. I think that if I was going to use him then either Lone Wolf or Wired would be the first choice option, Lone Wolf because it works every turn where Wired only functions every other turn.

Xizor can take Advance Sensors, and my general rule of thumb is “if you can take advance sensors you take advance sensors” BUT at PS7 he is not working of perfect knowledge, so can still get it wrong, and ships like Nym will be able to adjust anyway with their re-position. The title makes him unpredictable enough with his barrel rolling to not need to zoom off, but most importantly Virago is MEANT to have a Fire Control System. The guys from the Carolina Krayts have some interesting opinions on Advance Sensors’s place in the game in Episode 30, worth a listen.

As ever there is always a bit of hobby when I get started on a new list, my Protectorate “Fang” Fighters are all painted up as Space Wolves, my Kihraxz are all painted as Nighlords…

So my Star Vipers get a Games Workshop inspired paint job, I’ve gone for an Imperial Fist inspired colour scheme. I’ve always had a soft spot for things that go into battle painted bright yellow.

The issue I have for the next couple of weeks is I don’t have any tournaments to go to. (Not to mention that the expansion hasn’t been released yet so it’s not technically legal) So I’m going to have to get practice in on Vassal against some of my regular opponents to see how the list competes and to see if I can learn how to fly it. It’s a good place to start but I suspect there will be some fairly significant changes as I go.

Using a slightly different list I got a practice game in against Conor, he was using his TelJank and Ventress. Assaj is always going to be an issue for Mindlink lists, she can just mitigate so much damage with the stress control that she has and Latts. He also has Tel with all kinds of toys that made life very difficult. This Tel is one of the most amusing ships I’ve ever seen. Predator, Punishing One, Revenge Bot, Gonk, Black Market Slicer Tools, Experimental Interface, he’s a veritable tool box of “ways to be a pain in the arse.”

It was a win to the big ships, but a great lesson in just how useful the Star Vipers could end up being. The re-positioning of that barrel roll is phenomenal, and time and again they ended up in a really annoying place, delivering some really good blocks or getting out of the intended firing arc. But they are fragile, even with three green dice and autothrusters.

In the early stages of the game I was definitely on top, but the consistent damage mitigation from Ventress just makes her so durable and swung the game in Conor’s favour. With some more practice flying the Vipers I think they could be better than I had previously given them credit for.

In playing around with various ideas I did come up with one ship in the last few days that made me laugh out loud at the sheer “what a bastard” level it attains.

Torkhil Mux

Ion Cannon Turret

4-Lom

Pulse Ray Shield

Ion Discharger

29 points of being a right royal douchebag. I definitely have to get him on the table soon.

At my next tournament I’m going to be flying rebels, I should probably get some practice in with them at some point! But:

THE VIPERS WILL RETURN!

If you’re looking for local events then head over to the 186th Tournament Calendar to see what’s going on.