Star Wars X-Wing Imperial Raider !

And we finally get the Imperial big ship and it comes with a TIE Advanced. Don't worry the TIE Advanced just got a whole lot better.



News for December 2014

Here Comes the Imperial Raider Introducing a New Huge Ship to X-Wing (TM) and the STAR WARS (TM) Galaxy!

X-Wing | Published 19 December 2014

Epic Play for the X-Wing™ miniatures game is about to get more epic…
Fantasy Flight Games is thrilled to bring you the all-new Raider-class corvette, a new Imperial ship for X-Wing Epic Play and a new addition to the Star Wars galaxy!
Designed in partnership with Lucasfilm Ltd. for use within the game’s Cinematic Play and Epic Play formats, the Raider-class corvette is the highlight of the upcoming Imperial Raider Expansion Pack.

The Raider-class corvette.

Kuat Drive Yards began manufacturing the Raider-class corvette in 6BBY as a dedicated anti-fighter vessel after it was successfully pitched by Lira Wessex, the designer of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer. She recognized that the Imperial Navy lacked a small, modern craft to reinforce the TIE fighter squadrons deployed by Star Destroyers, and she designed the Raider-class corvette as a durable, 150m vessel that featured multiple hardpoints and would excel at suppressing Rebel fighter attacks.
Like the Rebellion’s huge ships, the GR-75 medium transport and CR90 Corellian corvette, the Raider is too big for Standard Play and the game’s standard 1/270 scale. Accordingly, the expansion’s Raider miniature is presented at a relative scale that makes it playable, even as it dwarfs the game’s small- and large-base ships.
In addition to the Raider-class corvette, the Imperial Raider Expansion pack also contains one TIE Advanced miniature with a variant paint scheme, eight ship cards, thirty-four upgrade cards, and all the maneuver dials, damage decks, tokens, and game pieces that you need to fly your Raider and its TIE Advanced escort. Finally, the expansion introduces a new campaign, The Will of the Empire, in which you’ll command a Raider-class corvette and run a prototype TIE Advanced through its test flights in the wild, lawless sectors of the Outer Rim.

The Imperial Raider Expansion Pack comes with one Raider miniature, one TIE Advanced miniature, eight ship cards, thirty-four upgrades, a huge range ruler, and all the maneuver dials, damage decks, and tokens you need to launch your Imperial ships into Epic Play battles!

The Origins of the Raider-class Corvette
With its powerful primary weapon, Single Turbolasers, Ion Cannon Batteries, and multiple crew options, the Raider-class corvette is destined to make a massive impact in X-Wing Cinematic Play and Epic Play.
As a dedicated anti-fighter ship, the Raider offers a powerful counter to many of the Rebellion’s favored strategies. It also represents an exciting new addition to the Star Wars universe, and the development team offers insight into the ship’s origin:
“The impetus behind the Raider-class corvette came from a desire to produce an Imperial ship for X-Wing that was comparable in size and role to the Rebel corvette.
“Before we even announced the Tantive IV™ Expansion Pack, we knew Imperial players would need a comparable ship to lead their fleets in the game’s Epic Play battles. But none of the ships within the established IP and extended universe quite fit the bill. As we looked at ships that were larger than the VT-49 Decimator, the next possibility was the Lancer-class frigate at 250m; however, that was larger than we wanted for the scope of the game. Moreover, it didn’t quite fit the desired role, so we worked with Lucasfilm Ltd. and drew upon existing materials to create a new starship that fit seamlessly into the aesthetics and background of the Star Wars universe.
“The result was a cross between a Star Destroyer and a single-pilot fighter, something fast and aggressive.

“The Raider is a starship made specifically for anti-fighter warfare. Its six dual heavy laser cannons proved more accurate against snubfighters than the turbolaser batteries of its Star Destroyer cousins, and the disruptive effects of its ion cannon emplacements, along with the efficiency of its localized command, make it a powerful addition to small strike forces.
“It’s also a ship that’s particularly well-suited to fighting alongside a number of TIE Advanced. Both the Raider-class corvette and TIE Advanced are well-suited to quick assault missions. They are both equipped with hyperdrives and enough defenses to stand up to a wide range of threats. They can jump into a sector, launch a quick assault, and then jump away. Then, they can leave after the mission is complete. This makes them ideal vessels for use in the Outer Rim, and this is an idea that you’ll be able to explore even further within the context of the expansion’s campaign.”
–Andrew Navaro, Frank Brooks, and Steve Kimball
Pushing the Limits of the TIE Advanced

The Imperial Raider Expansion Pack contains one TIE Advanced with an alternate paint scheme.

While the Raider, itself, is restricted to use in Cinematic Play and Epic Play, the Imperial Raider Expansion Pack also contains a new TIE Advanced miniature with an alternate paint scheme.
Originally touted as a replacement for the standard TIE fighter, the TIE Advanced offered a significant number of improvements over the TIE/ln, but it ultimately proved too expensive for mass production. Similarly, in X-Wing, the TIE Advanced is a more powerful and durable starfighter than the TIE fighter, but it comes with a higher squad point cost.
For the extra squad points, though, the TIE Advanced offers shielding, the target lock action, and the ability to wield missiles, making it a more versatile and resilient fighter for those talented pilots who can truly take advantage of all that it has to offer. Thus, just as the expansion’s new TIE Advanced is legal for use within the game’s Standard Play, its new pilots and upgrades promote the fighter’s strengths, allowing you to take better advantage of all that its technological enhancements can offer.
The Imperial Raider Expansion Pack comes with six ship cards for the TIE Advanced, including four new, unique pilots, and it also introduces two potent, TIE Advanced only upgrades – the TIE/x1 Title and the Advanced Targeting Computer system upgrade.

Together, these upgrades greatly enhance the TIE Advanced’s existing strengths and give the Rebellion far more reason to fear such renowned Imperial pilots as Darth Vader and Maarek Stele. They also give you plenty of reasons to call upon the services of Commander Alozen and the other new ace pilots from the Imperial Raider Expansion Pack.
Crush the Rebellion
With its Raider-class corvette and TIE Advanced, as well as their many upgrades, the Imperial Raider Expansion Pack is a truly epic addition to any Imperial fleet!
You can expect to power up your Raider in the first quarter of 2015. Until then, keep your eyes open for more information about this huge new Imperial ship and its accompanying TIE Advanced.
Those Rebel scum won’t stand a chance!

X-Wing is a tactical ship-to-ship combat game in which players take control of powerful rebel X-wings and nimble Imperial TIE Fighters, facing them against each other in fast-paced space combat. Featuring stunningly detailed and painted miniatures, X-Wing recreates Star Wars’ exciting space battles. Select your crew, plan your maneuvers, and complete your mission!

© & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.

DUST Babylon Six Shooter

So I wanted to talk about this unit, first off it is not specific to the Babylon set but I really like the way the DUST studios did the paint scheme on it. Here is what the product description has:

Description

The versatile Heavy Destroyer Walker is quickly becoming the staple of Allied armored forces worldwide. The M5-A is exceptionally suited to destroying enemy armor units with its six M40 Recoilless guns. These guns are designed to fire at the exact same spot, for devastating effect. The walker also has three machine guns, two for close anti-infantry and one for anti-aircraft defense. The Six Shooter is presented here in the Operation Babylon camouflage pattern, in use in Mesopotamia. So here is the card on the six shooter and at first glance we can see that it has a pretty good armor value of 5 and its healthy hit points of 7. I really like the extra hit points and they have proven to be the difference for me when going toe to toe with some of the larger walkers. Its basic movement of 2/4 is not too much of a problem and since it is not a huge vehicle it can still move around some terrain in DUST tactics. If you have played DUST then you know its all about the offensive capabilities and this is where the six shooter shines. First you have to understand the Salvo rule. It allows you to double your dice for that specific weapon but then use the reload token. This really helps out the Six Shooter as is allows it decide when to use this if at all unlike the Barking Dog which has to reload after every shot. I always like to look at armor class 4-7 when I am considering an anti-armor vehicle and I would consider the Six Shooter falls into this role. Being able to roll four dice that deal five damage versus armor 4 and four damage versus armor 5 on each dice is very impressive. Two dice each dealing four damage versus armor 6 and two dice dealing three damage each versus armor 7 is also pretty good. Range 12 on this weapon really adds to its punching power, plus having three machine guns, one of which is the .50 cal which can hit aircraft and it really starts to shine. My favorite part about this unit though is the cost. 19 points for this beast and it really starts to top my list. When you compare it to other vehicles such as the cobra or the barking dog, the points are very reasonable. My experience with it has been very good and I currently run two in my list. I think it fills a nice gap for the allies and it has a vey good base. I would even consider running three in larger games. I have found that the range allows you to do some very early shooting and if you are using command squads you can really make this unit survivable by repairing it. I would put this unit as one of my favorite allied walkers and the new paint scheme really adds to the background. With DUST Babylon hitting the stores keep posted for more unit updates and some pictures of more Babylon stuff.