Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-27029853-20170129150901/@comment-27029853-20170604125450

The fellow who used the Rauboats said he was thinking of something more creative but then got lazy the night before :p

I posted it a couple days before the battle reports (out of laziness so that I don't need to when I'm trying to recall the actual battles), but here it is again:

Vessery  with  TIE/D ,  Ion Cannon, and  Crack Shot ,  Backdraft  with  FCS ,  Special Ops Training ,  Pattern Analyzer ,  Lightweight Frame , and A Score To Settle , and  Deathfire  with  Long-Range Scanners ,  Homing Missiles ,  Cluster Mines , and  Extra Munitions.

 Deathfire can gain the target lock early for his homing missiles and the entire fleet can start chasing, although switching the target locks midway through to another target that presents themselves better works (since a lot of targets will try a bait and switch), and it fuels Vessery. Backdraft with Fire Control System will also fuel Vessery, and once you get into the fray (hopefully in the asteroid field), you can split up your forces rather nice and still get good damage through (especially with Ion), and Deathfire can manage a lot with his action and then free bomb action. There are a couple of things you can sprinkle to taste. Crackshot is good for pushing the Ion through, and I kinda just generally like A Score to Settle, but PS EPTs could do the trick (just make sure Backdraft is capable of firing before Vessery if needed to pick up a target lock with FCS). It's also good at jousting, has fun in the asteroid field, and likes to stick together (which I manage to good effect generally, even during the furball in the asteroids), so I'd say it complements my flying style really well).

 Deathfire's actually my first serious use of bombs, but using the Clusters with him is so much fun, especially when you barrel roll into them or use them before your turn. It's nice because a lot of people will target him for having a smaller agility value and no shields, so you can always get your focus and the pre-maneuver Clusters are good for running away and closing down lanes (when I use them that way, I always call them f*** off clusters). During the planning phase after the initial engagement, my opponent said that Poe was doing a 1 straight and placed the dial faceup beside Poe, and I reminded him quickly that it was going to be white, so he wouldn't get regen nor could he PTL without stress....and Deathfire made sure it didn't matter. My setup by the way is generally to have Backdraft and Vessery diagonally ahead of Deathfire and to Deathfire's sides, although it struggles to 1 bank.

 I think I was a tad out of practice, Vess on the asteroid in the first match hurt, but in that case I was able to control the Jumps' approaches somewhat because of the asteroids which enabled me to take fewer Torpedoes when I knew vaguely what the Jump would be doing so I could zoom out and force him to distribute damage (at what point zooming out of arc with a red hard three on Backdraft and then still gaining his focus through Pattern Analyzer). I also forgot to assign A Score to Settle at the start of the last match, doing so after the first turn, but the opponent was kind enogh to let me give it to Poe (although in the only attack between him and Backdraft, I rolled no focus results) and Poe went down shortly afterwards.