I think that the new cards are so much better than the old ones. 2-costed unit with 3 icons and 2 force pips AND you can focus any unit in an engagement, even after it strikes.

I agree with the idea that this backstabber is better than the first one. However, the previous set gave us a Tallon Roll and Death from Above. Also, that objective sets special ability is much better than this ones.

Kind of agree with both of you here.

The allies in this set are clearly better than those in Kuat Reinforcements but Talon Roll and Death From Above are both pretty great effects to have on hand. Plus, Kuat Reinforcements itself  can be really helpful in establishing your board. 

Honestly, I could see running both in a Imperial Navy/Sith Fighter deck. Probably with some combination of  Black Squadron Assault, Guarding the Wing, Black Squadron Formation and Defending the Trench somewhere in there. You would end up with a duplicate Backstabber, of course, but that can always be ditched for Kuat Reinforcments' ability. 

I'd rather play Defense Protocol in that case. You lose a tiny bit of Black Squadron synergy, but you get the same event and other amazing stuff.

I'd rather play Defense Protocol in that case. You lose a tiny bit of Black Squadron synergy, but you get the same event and other amazing stuff.

That's a good point. And you're not wrong--Defense Protocol would replace the wasted Backstabber and still give you the events. Plus it gives you a Twist. 

I think an argument can be made, though, that Kuat Reinforcement's Objective ability is worth it to establish your board quickly--which is important when your running smaller units...

I think personally I would agree with you (mostly for the Twist) but I could see it either way.  

I don't think there's much argument for running kaut anymore.  Your basically saying run it for the objective and the event, and with BS decks you already have those pieces from other sets, that are actually good sets.  Guarding the wing is a resource ramp and it doesn't cause you to lose every edge battle like kuat does, black squadron assault lets you unfocus BS units like talon roll, and as Majestaat pointed out, defense protocol is infinitely better than this set and I don't know that your going to even need DP in this deck.  there is certainly a bunch of different ways to run it though.

Sadly, like much of the core set, power creep, or whatever you want to call it has largely made those sets not worth running anymore, with the exception of a handful of sets.

Oh definitely, but as I've seen and tested, these would be the major TIE archetypes:

1. Mono-navy rush --> The original TIES. Many 1-costers and ways to get units for cheap, like Superior Numbers and Kuat Reinforcements. You just swarm the board and mostly ignore edge, attacking every objective every turn to overwhelm the LS defenses and get strong unopposed swings, trying to win ASAP.

2. Black Squadron --> Slower but overall more stable build that plays rather conventionally. Get some resources rolling and play higher-valule fighters with pilots to support them. Has much stronger edge values and force control (that's why Kuat would be bad here, it really hurts those aspects).

3. Scum/Navy --> Similar to Black Squadron. Gives up some BS synergy for stronger control options and valuable tricks, mainly in the form of pilot Boba, abusing him as much as possible to capture big LS threats.

So Kuat Reinforcements would only fit in #1.

TIE Phantoms are in a weird spot due to their cost of 3. In that regard, they pair fantastically with Kuat, but I think they really shine in a unit damage build with Decimators and All Out Brawl.

Now I'll admit all my early tournament wins where with rush decks that had Kuat, but LS has way too many answers nowadays, making such decks to fall flat on their faces far more often than not. 

All good points.

I've had some decent success with Kuat even pretty recently but the people I play SW with are pretty casual players so that may be skewing my evaluation of the pod. Plus, about half my games of this are Highlander so that might be why I'm a little more forgiving. 

On this I will defer to the voices of experience

Rulings

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