Intro
Good morning, readers. School is in full swing for me but I want to continue bringing
you healthy doses of X-wing brainstorming. With Wave 9’s release just around
the corner, let's take a closer look at the upcoming Collision Detector.
Upon Examination
This intriguing system comes in two parts. The
first is mentioned in FFG’s Special Forces TIE article: the Collision Detector
allows you to complete your boost, barrel roll, or decloak even if you
overlapped an obstacle. It is important to note that while allowing you to
complete your movement action, you lose ability to perform further actions. So,
if you are Pushing the Limit, be sure to overlap last. Players in the market
for an actual “Anti-Bump Detector” should take Advanced Sensors, allowing action
economy before moving.
The second part of the Collision
Detector lets your ship to ignore critical hits when rolling for obstacle
damage. Based on the 8 faces of an attack die, here are the numbers on obstacle
damage.
Obstacle
|
Chance of Taking Damage
|
Extra Effect
|
Asteroid
|
50%
|
Lose Action
|
Asteroid w/ CD
|
38%
|
Lose Action
|
Debris Cloud
|
13%
|
1 Stress Token, Lose Action
|
Debris Cloud w/ CD
|
0%
|
1 Stress Token, Lose Action
|
As expected, the Collision Detector improves your
chances of dodging damage. However, you still can get hit, hence why it’s a
Collision “Detector” and not a Collision “Preventer”. As for debris, the CD
makes you immune to damage, but you must deal with the accompanying stress.
When to Equip the Collision Detector
The Collision Detector provides a subtle change, rather
than a game-breaking ability. Since we don't want to squander system slots, we
must not think of the CD as an auto-include card. In fact, more often than not,
a different system upgrade will serve your squad better. The two types of
pilots that get the most out of the CD, and therefore equip it most frequently,
are 1) named aces with maneuver actions, and 2) low PS generics who aren’t
using their system slot. Let's take a closer look at both.
Aces
The power of movement actions grows in proportion
to pilot skill. Since the Collision Detector also adds power to movement
actions, this upgrade grows proportionally as well. For example, Keyan
Farlander with Veteran Instincts and Advanced Sensors is a decent arc-dodging
ship. However, this build is expensive and rather fragile. If we replace AS
with the CD, we give power to Keyan’s barrel rolls while saving 3 squad points.
B-wing w/ Keyan – 30 points
Veteran Instincts
Collision Detector
Keyan also exemplifies the fact
that many pilots synergize with stress. Our Keyan build loves debris clouds,
giving him an “offensive focus” for his action and a 0% chance of collision damage.
Another great mashup is 4-Lom with Wired: he gets focus action economy from flying
through debris and then can dump the stress on anyone else at range 1.
Mist
Hunter w/ 4-Lom – 30 points
Wired
Collision Detector
Intelligence Agent
Mist Hunter Title
Tractor Bean
The CD/stress combo carries over to ship dials.
The Special Forces TIE has quite a few red moves, which is supposed to be a
hindrance. Overcome this weakness with the Collision Detector and the Twin Ion
Engine Mark II. Let’s build Backdraft like this and he becomes a cheap Imperial
Ace who arc-dodges, deals well with stress, and bypasses obstacles to line up
double shots and/or slip past enemies.
TIE/sf w/ Backdraft – 29
points
Veteran Instincts
Collision Detector
TIE Mk II
On the opposite end of the dial spectrum is the
Aggressor. IG-88’s ship has enough green to easily exploit a CD/stress combo,
and he has access to enough action economy that he doesn’t mind taking stress
and losing actions. Regrettably, IG-88C can’t boost through an obstacle and get
his free evade action.
Aggressor w/ IG-88B – 43
points
Predator
Flechette Cannon
Collision Detector
Autothrusters
Generics
I cannot stand un-upgraded B-wings. Though powerful and
tough, they are too slow to last long, especially in the current metagame. Attaching
upgrades to them helps, but you walk a fine line between adding utility and overpricing.
Here is where the Collision Detector comes in: adding utility for no cost. Perhaps
all your B-wing needs to survive is to successfully dodge through an asteroid
cluster. Adding a CD helps out many other generics as well, such as Special
Forces Zetas (TIE swarms that don’t care about obstacles), Cutlass Punishers
(more lucrative mine placement), Omicron Shuttles (last ditch attempts to save
Palpatine), and Lothal Rebels (good synergy with Dash crew).
B-wing w/ Blue Pilot – 22
points
Collision Detector
Punisher w/ Cutlass Pilot –
27 points
Proximity Mines
Extra Munitions
Collision Detector
TIE Mark 2
VCX-100 w/ Lothal Rebel – 40
points
Dorsal Turret
Collision Detector
Dash Rendar
There are two other generics worth mentioning. The
first is the Sigma Squadron TIE Phantom. My favorite build for this pilot is an
Intelligence Agent and the Stygium Particle Accelerator. It’s cheap, efficient,
and fun to fly. When Wave 9 hits the shelves, the Sigma can take a CD for
better maneuverability. While you lose the evade action from the SPA, the ability to dodge through asteroids provides greater unpredictability.
Phantom w/ Sigma Pilot - 28
points
Collision Detector
Intelligence Agent
Stygium Particle Accelerator
The second generic worth noting is the E-wing. While
still not fully viable, an E-wing with a CD and R5-X3 is almost tempting enough
to take. It would require intense practice to use obstacles in your favor, but
it would be fun to pull off. Perhaps if we get an E-wing title fix, it will be
a viable build.
E-wing w/ Knave - 28 points
Collision Detector
R5-X3
(Title...)
Conclusion
The metagame is always shifting
and it can be challenge to continuously adapt. But I hope this small brainstorm
session gives you a few ideas on how to solve the challenges you face in X-wing.
I wish you luck in navigating those asteroid fields, and have a great week!
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