An Advanced Guide to A-Wings

An X-Wing (TM) Strategy Article by Guest Writer Neil Amswych

“Yes! I said closer! Move as close as you can and engage those Star Destroyers at point-blank range.”
–Lando Calrissian

It’s a good time to fly A-wings in X-Wing™!

The recent release of the Rebel Aces Expansion Pack has added a great deal of power and versatility to the Rebellion’s lightning-quick interceptor. You can now outfit your A-wing with a Chardaan Refit to make it a more efficient dogfighter, or you can outfit it with the highly efficient Proton Rockets to launch a devastating alpha strike. Meanwhile, the Title card A-Wing Test Pilot allows your A-wing pilots to draw upon as many as two elite pilot talents at the same time, adding all sorts of new combinations and creative wrinkles to your squad building.

Today, guest writer Neil Amswych (aka “The Tusken Tactician”), one of the A-wing’s leading advocates and the author of “A Guide to A-Wings,” picks up where he left off in that earlier article and explores some of the new, advanced strategies and squad builds now permitted by the release of Rebel Aces.

The Tusken Tactician’s Advanced Guide to A-Wings

Okay class, pay attention! As always with our training presentations, what we say here today may save your life. This final presentation is our biggest so far, which is why we have brought all our A-wing pilots together.

As you will know, our enemies have grown stronger and more agile. Now, as we conduct our missions, we contend not only with TIE fighters, but also with TIE phantoms and TIE defenders. We have received intel about forthcoming threats such as the VT-49 Decimator and bands of smugglers and bounty hunters who have also begun to engage our fighters. We will, of course, keep you informed of any developments. For now, as we confront these new threats, it’s vitally important that you know your ships and your roles.

A 360-degree view of the starfighter miniature from the A-Wing Expansion Pack

Prototype Pilots

Prototype Pilots, I cannot overstate how important your role has become. Many of you will have noticed that your ships have been modified. The Chardaan Shipyards have been busy refitting many of our A-wings, especially yours. This is because the refit is going to help you attack and stay alive as you focus on disrupting and distracting opposing ships. We’re trying to concentrate our ordnance on Green Squadron Pilots wherever possible since they can really Push the Limit when it comes to missile accuracy. However, your role in disrupting enemy craft, and drawing attention away from bigger ships, is essential. For example, if you master your formations, you can even discourage TIE phantom pilots from decloaking, though this will involve teamwork, planning, and some careful flying around asteroids.

Despite the fact that your refitted ships give you new advantages in dogfights, you will no doubt have heard of the heavy losses sustained by the squadron of Prototype Pilots that was caught by the enemy on a training run without the support of other ships. The problems that squad faced were twofold; by themselves, your A-wings lack sufficient firepower to quickly eliminate tougher foes, and a number of Imperials have been going through a new training regimen that we have codenamed, “Predator.” With this training, these Imperials have been particularly effective against our X-wing Rookie Pilots, but the training makes them just as deadly to you Prototype Pilots. Therefore, we currently believe that you Prototype Pilots are far more effective while flying as support for other craft. If you look over here, you’ll see the designs for a squadron we are considering sending to the Bakura system sometime in the near future:

Prototype Pilot (17)
Chardaan Refit (-2)

Nera Dantels (26)
   Veteran Instincts (1)
   Flechette Torpedoes (2)
   Flechette Torpedoes (2)
   Munitions Failsafe (1)
   Fire Control System (2)

Eaden Vrill (32)
R2-D2 (4)

Total Squad Points: 100

Okay, okay, settle down. It’s very funny, I know. Some pilots just need turrets to find a shot. That’s why they don’t fly A-wings, right? But if I can get back to what I was saying, we can see that in squads like these, Prototype Pilots running interference allow the big weapons commanded by Nera Dantels and Eaden Vrill to hit the enemy even harder. If you fly well, you will draw away enemy firepower away from their ships, and the hope is, of course, that you will evade it and then strike from close range. It is this kind of supporting role that we believe will allow you Prototype Pilots to be a major part of our success in the future.

Green Squadron Pilots

You have gone through a punishing training regimen, and your ships have been updated to allow you to use more of your talents than ever before. As former A-Wing Test Pilots, you will be able to Push the Limit of your ships and yourselves, allowing you particularly to Outmaneuver your enemy, and we strongly encourage you to do so. Your firepower may be limited, but some of you will receive training in our own “Predator” program to ensure that your shots are more accurate than ever, allowing you to focus on attack and to evade enemy shots without having to get a target lock on your opponent.

Still, you Predator traineees may not need to push your A-wing to the limit if you can Outmaneuver your target. Plus, your unique training should also teach you to be more of an Opportunist with your shots. We have found this to be extremely effective when your opponent can’t focus or evade, such as when Wes Janson has forced their hands by firing first in his X-wing or after a Prototype Pilot may have run interference. Yes, yes, calm down boys!

Green Squadron Pilots, we encourage you as you enter the final part of your training to really diversify your talents. While we strongly encourage you to learn the basics of your craft, you are free to personalize your training as you wish. For example, you may wish to learn to harness that Adrenaline Rush that I know you all feel when flying an A-wing to really gain an Expert Handling of your craft so that you can become maneuverable in a way we’ve never before seen. Or you may wish to concentrate more on heavier or more effective firepower, using some of the training methods I’ve just mentioned or, perhaps, by bringing in support ships such as Jan Ors in her HWK-290.

Green Squadron Pilot (19)
    Chardaan Refit (-2)
    A-Wing Test Pilot (0)
    Push the Limit (3)
    Outmaneuver (3)

Jan Ors (25)
Nien Nunb (1)
Ion Cannon Turret (5)

Total Squad Points: 100

Flying with Other Ships

Of course, the recent introduction of the TIE phantom causes all of us concern. When cloaked, it is extremely difficult to hit, which is why we are very pleased to bring to you Proton Rockets, which can punch a hole through any cloaked Phantom. I want those of you who are going to be carrying Proton Rockets to get to know Kyle Katarn and Garven Dreis. Jake Farrell, I’ll be coming to you later, but you should get to know them, too. These two pilots will help you focus your shots and maintain your focus on defense as well.

In fact, all of our HWK-290 pilots can be very helpful for all of you A-wing pilots. Our Rebel Operatives might ionize a target to enable you to easily Outmaneuver it, Roark Garnet can help you claim a shot on a TIE phantom before it can cloak, Kyle Katarn can help you fire your Proton Rockets, and Jan Ors can aid those of you who want greater firepower on your ships. Get to know these pilots in the mess hall, and try to get them to fly with you.

The A-Wing Hall of Fame

There’s a growing number of pilots whom we are entering into the A-wing Hall of Fame, and I want to introduce you to them if you haven’t met them already. Gemmer Sojan, where are you? Ah yes, right at the back… How unlike you! Gemmer here likes to fly right into the thick of things, charging through enemy lines, or flanking and then boosting round the back to fire up close and personal. We have found that when we attach a Stealth Device to his ship, he can evade nearly any enemy attack. And we’ve actually been taking advantage of his talents in a squadron that we’ve codenamed “So Near Sojan.” In this squadron, Gemmer and the HWK-290s will stay with Biggs Darklighter during the opening approach. Gemmer will then charge forward while the HWK-290s flank, leaving opposing ships with attacks from many differing directions.

Gemmer Sojan (22)
    A-Wing Test Pilot (0)
    Push the Limit (3)
    Chardaan Refit (-2)
    Stealth Device (3)

Rebel Operative (16)
Ion Cannon Turret (5)

Biggs Darklighter (25)
Experimental Interface (3)
R2-F2 (3)

Total Squad Points: 99

Notably this squad makes use of the Experimental Interface, and once it’s completed, the Experimental Interface is going to help our cause significantly, particularly because in tandem with another pilot acting as Squad Leader, A-wing pilots will no longer need to Push the Limit all the time.

We eagerly await this technology.

Gemmer Sojan
    A-Wing Test Pilot (0)
    Outmaneuver (3)
    Chardaan Refit (-2)

Prototype Pilot (17)
Chardaan Refit (-2)

Garven Dreis (26)
R2-D6 (1)
Adrenaline Rush (1)

Luke Skywalker (28)
Experimental Interface (3)
Squad Leader (2)

Total Squad Points: 99

This brings us to Arvel Crynyd. Yes, you all know Arvel. No pilot likes to fly closer to his foes than this guy. Arvel has now undergone training similar to that you Green Squadron Pilots have received, and he will now also be able to Push the Limits of his ship, allowing him to Stay on Target much more often. We believe that this training may help him to become far more useful in squads. Failing that, we’re teaching him how to fly even more aggressively – to bring a sense of Intimidation to those enemies with which he’s always playing chicken. We expect this training to be complete in only a few months. Once Arvel learns how to Stay on Target, we are hoping to send him to battle in the following squadron, which we have codenamed “Arvel On Target.”

Arvel Crynyd (23)
    A-Wing Test Pilot (0)
    Stay on Target (2)
    Chardaan Refit (-2)

Roark Garnet (19)

Kyle Katarn (21)
Blaster Turret (4)
Recon Specialist (3)

“Dutch” Vander (23)
Ion Turret (5)

Total Squad Points: 100

This is a rare synergy build and we have yet to see how functional it will be, partly because Roark Garnet is so good at helping others, but almost completely useless with his primary weapon. Nonetheless, if the formation works, Arvel can race at an enemy ship, acquire a target lock on it, and then focus his fire before anyone else can respond. This is perhaps the deadliest that Arvel has ever been. Who knows, one day he may even end up taking out a Super Star Destroyer! Okay, okay, calm down! Stranger things have happened.

The Best of the Best

There has been much talk around the barracks of our two star pilots, Jake Farrell and Tycho Celchu. Jake has proven to be a remarkable and slippery pilot, boosting or barrel rolling his way out of his opponent’s firing arcs almost at will. Having flown an extraordinary number of sorties, he relies upon his Veteran Instincts to fire early, even firing before TIE phantoms can recloak, and he can also Outmaneuver almost all enemy pilots.

In Jake’s newest squadron, which we’ve given the codename of “Anchorman,” Jake flies behind the big hitters, under the protection of Biggs Darklighter. At the opportune moment, he surges forward and wreaks havoc:

Jake Farrell (9)
    Chardaan Refit (-2)
    A-Wing Test Pilot (0)
    Veteran Instincts (1)
    Outmaneuver (3)

Biggs Darklighter (25)

Garven Dreis (26)

Blue Squadron Pilot (22)

Total Squad Points: 99

Our final pilot you surely all know… Tycho Celchu. Nice of you to join us, sir! Tycho is a shining example of the benefits of our rigorous training regimen, and he is now an absolute force to be reckoned with. Like Jake, he is now able to use his Veteran Instincts to respond to the movements of almost all enemy craft. One volley of Proton Rockets from this guy and you could see a TIE phantom downed in one shot. Still, he often flies without ordnance, capitalizing on his ability to handle even the most stressful situations by Pushing the Limit of his craft and displaying his expert handling of barrel rolls.

Tycho Celchu (26)
    A-Wing Test Pilot (0)
    Push the Limit (3)
    Expert Handling (2)
    Chardaan Refit (-2)

Rookie Pilot (21)

Biggs Darklighter (25)

Roark Garnet (19)
Ion Cannon (5)

Total Squad Points: 99

Again, when the Experimental Interface is completed, Tycho believes he can fly his A-wing through battles in ways that are more daring than you could possibly imagine:

Tycho Celchu (26)
    Experimental Interface (3)
    A-Wing Test Pilot (0)
    Push the Limit (3)
    Expert Handling (2)
    Chardaan Refit (-2)

Rookie Pilot (21)

Biggs Darklighter (25)

Rebel Operative (16)
Ion Cannon (5)

Total Squad Points: 99

Pilots, you are now a force to be reckoned with. TIE phantom and TIE defender pilots will fear you. Decimators will be torn to shreds by your Proton Rockets. This is the time of the A-wing. This is your time. Now man your fighters… and may the Force be with you!

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