Separatists - Suddenly, DROIDS!
Suddenly DROIDS!
(5) IG-111 [Rogue-class Starfighter]
(8) Synced Laser Cannons
(2) Electronic Baffle
(10) Afterburners
Points: 5
(3) Baktoid Prototype [Hyena-class Droid Bomber]
(0) Landing Struts
(8) Barrage Rockets
Points: 3
(3) Baktoid Prototype [Hyena-class Droid Bomber]
(0) Landing Struts
(8) Barrage Rockets
Points: 3
(5) General Grievous [Belbullab-22 Starfighter]
(12) Outmaneuver
(0) Soulless One
Points: 5
(2) Haor Chall Prototype [Vulture-class Droid Fighter]
(0) Grappling Struts
(4) Cluster Missiles
Points: 2
(2) Haor Chall Prototype [Vulture-class Droid Fighter]
(0) Grappling Struts
(4) Cluster Missiles
Points: 2
Total points: 20
Let's start with the obvious advantage to this squad: I've got 6 bodies, which is extremely helpful for locking down objectives. It wasn't my intention when I began building this squad, but it's probably one of the most useful things the squad can do. I actually started building this squad around IG-111 (One Eye) because I had slotted it into a different squad as someone I thought might be complementary; upon looking more closely at it, I thought I could do a better job of incorporating it into a squad. Two of One Eye's actions gain it a Calculate token, so Synced Laser Cannons felt like a fairly strong choice for it. I haven't flown the Rogue-class a lot, but given its inability to turn at speeds 4 and 5, I thought throwing Afterburners on it might prove useful. At this point, I've still got a Modification slot, but only 3 points to spend. So I decide to equip Electronic Baffle. It's not something I plan to use often, but this is one of the things I really love about the way we build squads in X-Wing 2.0 - I can mess around with upgrades and choices that I wouldn't have previously made. Choosing to leave the upgrade slot empty doesn't net me any gains. It doesn't prevent my opponent from scoring more points by killing my ship. I know some people still consider that kind of point economy a highlight of the game and I get it. But I already get to play that game with Star Wars Armada. I don't need the same system in X-Wing.
None of the X-Wing squads I've messed with in the builder app have included Hyenas, so I decide to change it up and include a couple here. They don't get much in the way of upgrade points, but they do have a pretty sweet ability! I thought this might be a good opportunity to try leveraging that ability by equipping an upgrade these ships otherwise could not use: Barrage Rockets. I'm certain I'm not the first person to try this out, but as I've never done it myself or seen it done, I can't really guess as to why it might be ineffective. When discussing games with which I'm more experienced, when you explain to me why an idea doesn't work the way I think it does, I can turn it all over in my head and often reach the same conclusion. But I'm inexperienced enough with X-Wing that I don't see any immediate problems with this idea. Other than the fact that if One Eye is the only pilot the Baktoid Prototypes can proc their ability off of (or risk being unable to use their Barrage Rockets), that leaves me stunningly vulnerable to sabotage.
So I know I'm including some other droids with Networked Calculations who can obtain Locks off of which my Baktoids can piggyback. After adding a very standard Grievous build to my squad for some reliable muscle, I have 4 points leftover and decide to add two Haor Chall Prototypes. As long as I'm counting on them for their Locks, I might as well equip upgrades that utilize said Locks. Since these Vultures only have 4 upgrade points each, I go with Cluster Missiles. It's nothing brilliant, but I've just added two bodies to my squad, bringing my total up to 6. They're not worth much when killed, but they can pose at least a light threat and if they're ignored, they can provide Locks that my Baktoids need without my needing to rely on One Eye.
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