El_Tonio said:

Yes, but you don't always have the luxury of performing a green maneuver. I think this upgrade is just fine for 2 points.

El_Tonio said:

Sounds like I'm going to have to do some playtesting with expert handling as a rebel.

Roy

Parakitor said:

Sure, but more often than not you can on a 36x36 inch mat and you'll still have a target (or, even if you do a non-green move, odds are someone will be able to target you in a 100 point game). 

Plus, sometimes not having an action is not a big deal (just like sometimes you may not have the luxury of performing a green move).

Alliance players may not lose their action, but they will have paid 2 points for expert handling, and they will be stressed, preventing a subsequent koiogran turn and forcing a green maneuver at some point.  This allows the imperial player to capitalize on the lack of movement options.  

I'd say its good for both for different reasons.  

Imperials getting out of target lock (which every single Alliance ship has) means no torpedoes/rerolls for Alliance that turn

Rebels get a one time barrel roll and remove adv tie locks, but have to take a stress token

Isn't expert handling in the adv tie booster?  or is it in the starter?

Daveydavedave said:

It comes with the X-Wing expansion and the TIE Advanced expansion.

I actually like this point quite a bit.  Since imperials don't currently have target lock, being able to shake it for the rebels is not really important.  So, they get the barrel roll.  The opposite is true for the imperials… they get to shake a lock, but don't get the barrel roll which they already/currently all have. 

Assuming most imperials continue to not have access to target lock, I now see how it is about equal for both sides (especilly since only Darth Vader is the only one who can currently perform two actions anyway). 

EDIT: So, if this is the ruling, is expert handling that great for 2 points for either side? A barrel roll for rebels doesn't seem that handy for the cost.  For imperials shaking a target lock seems expensive for two points since you basically have to sacrifice all other action options to take it. Aren't there other cards that are better for 2 points?

 which brings us full circle to Vader and how expert handling is not exactly amazing for him.  All you really get is one cancelled lock target for 2 points.  I guess when you consider how hard he is to kill already, this might be 2 points well spent if it frustrates the rebels plans further.

Is expert handling better in the hands of a higher skilled pilot?  Think about the initiative order.  If you get to go last, then you can cancel the lock target that just got placed on you.  If you have to go first, then you can only cancel a previous turn's lock, allowing the same guy to just re-lock and fire.  

Daveydavedave said:

In my opinion, Expert Handling would could work well on Vader IF AND ONLY IF they rule that he can use it AND Barrel Roll in the same turn.  This is a HUGE movement advantage. Two back to back Barrel Rolls is like using a [3 straight] maneuver template instead of a [1 straight] template.  That is a big difference and could give Vader yet another advantage since in most situations he will be using it after everyone else moves.

Roy

bsmith13 said:

You will not get an official response on these forums.  You never will.  It's FFG policy, and the terms of use of these forums imply as much.

Use the Rules Questions link at the bottom of the page.  Post here when/if you get a response.

FFG does not post on these forums.

I don't think most of us expect a ruling based on just this thread at this point. I'm guessing one or more people have submitted a formal question using the formal procedures. I did a day or so just to add another request to the list so they know several people are wondering (i.e., so it would be a frequently asked question rather than just an asked question).  I sent them a link to this thread in case they wanted to read any of the comments, but hopefully they will respond to one or more of us sooner or later and in one way or another. 

If you've not asked yet via the formal procedures, maybe you could consider doing so.  Repeats may not speed things up, but I'm sure they will not slow things down, either. 

radiskull said:

radiskull said:

I admit it; I'm lazy.  I am waiting for someone to ask the question, using the little button at the bottom of the page and post there response.

drkjedi35 said:

I've been thinking about this a bit.  Just think how amazingly worth it's cost Expert Handling would be for Vader if those 2 points bought you target lock immunity all game long.  And no target lock = no torpedoes.  And no torpedoes means good luck killing Vader, he's already hard enough to get a clean shot on because of barrel roll and evade.  

If you spam this, the only counter is locking him more than once (because no one takes their action after Vader, he's the highest skilled pilot in the game - Wedge is the only equal).  After double locking, you would then have to keep both X-Wings on line for a shot, or Vader could just unlock the one who can see him and avoid the other.

I'm already working on an Imperial list which can avoid almost all target locks and therefore completely shut down torpedoes.  Do you think it could work?  You'd have to take all pilots with the elite skill upgrade option.