Alright - many threads on this topic, with discussion points. I want to know what everyone is planning on running and why. You can critique other lists only if you provide a solution and share what direction you plan on going with instead. Mine are:

Rebel Scum:

Corran Horn

PtL

R2 Unit

FCS

41 pts

Chewie

Gunner

47 pts

Bandit Squadron Pilot

12pts.

Chewie is designed as a phantom equalizer. Corran is designed to move after Echo and PtL to target lock, barrel roll into good phantom blasting range (marksmanship could also be used here). And the Bandit to make up the rest of the points. Could also drop R2 for a better initiative bid to help guarantee giving up initiative and Corran moving last.

Glorious Empire:

Delta Squad 30pts

Echo

VI

Navigator

Stygian Particle Accelerator. 36pts

Bounty Hunter 33pts

All about Echo here. 99 pts for initiative bid which I'll probably give up. Form the delta and the bounty together near the center and echo off to one side. Force my opponent to engage my delta and bounty then and flank his forces with Echo from afar.

Remember, suggestions are welcome but please include your thought process and your own lists you're thinking of running.

My Imdaar Alpha list is from a similar thought process, but I want to be able to pack a punch:

"Hammer and Anvil" - 100pts

• Echo + FCS + VI + Advanced Cloaking Device (37)
• Delta Squadron Pilot (30)
• Omicron Group Pilot + HLC + Gunner (33)

The idea is mostly for Echo to flank in a highly maneuverable craft and staying cloaked except for when I want to shoot; when Echo does shoot, he packs a punch. The TIE/D and Shuttle are to stay together and mid-board; when the enemy comes in range, the TIE/D will do strafing runs of the enemy/keep them distracted so the shuttle can pound away at its targets.

I'm considering swapping the shuttle for a naked Bounty Hunter; same amount of hull, better dial, and can do strafing runs with the TIE/D.

My Imdaar Alpha list is from a similar thought process, but I want to be able to pack a punch:

"Hammer and Anvil" - 100pts

• Echo + FCS + VI + Advanced Cloaking Device (37)
• Delta Squadron Pilot (30)
• Omicron Group Pilot + HLC + Gunner (33)

The idea is mostly for Echo to flank in a highly maneuverable craft and staying cloaked except for when I want to shoot; when Echo does shoot, he packs a punch. The TIE/D and Shuttle are to stay together and mid-board; when the enemy comes in range, the TIE/D will do strafing runs of the enemy/keep them distracted so the shuttle can pound away at its targets.

I'm considering swapping the shuttle for a naked Bounty Hunter; same amount of hull, better dial, and can do strafing runs with the TIE/D.

I am thinking of something similar with the Bounty hunter and Whisper instead of Echo, load out otherwise the same,

My Imdaar Alpha list is from a similar thought process, but I want to be able to pack a punch:

"Hammer and Anvil" - 100pts

• Echo + FCS + VI + Advanced Cloaking Device (37)
• Delta Squadron Pilot (30)
• Omicron Group Pilot + HLC + Gunner (33)

The idea is mostly for Echo to flank in a highly maneuverable craft and staying cloaked except for when I want to shoot; when Echo does shoot, he packs a punch. The TIE/D and Shuttle are to stay together and mid-board; when the enemy comes in range, the TIE/D will do strafing runs of the enemy/keep them distracted so the shuttle can pound away at its targets.

I'm considering swapping the shuttle for a naked Bounty Hunter; same amount of hull, better dial, and can do strafing runs with the TIE/D.

HLC and Gunner are working against each other.

Will you miss often enough when rolling 4 dice for Gunner's ability to be worth 5 points?

You could get a Buzzsaw shuttle for 1 point less by Trading the HLC for a FCS and Engine Upgrade. This gives you a very fast ship whose gunner'd shot is ALWAYS Target-Locked (You get the TL for performing Attack no. 1, and are allowed to spend it on Attack no. 2, whereupon you will get a new one for performing Attack no. 2 anyway).

You could also get a Control boat (+Ion Cannon, + Tactician, + Engine Upgrade, + a 3 point or fewer Crew Member), allowing you to Ionize and Stress someone with a single shot! (Remember kids: being Ionized means that you're forced to execute a White maneuver, so that stress stays!)

The premium Control Boat uses 2 Tacticians, but if only 1 comes with the Phantom, you may wish to use a Rebel Captive.

Alternatively, if you're sold on keeping the HLC, trade in the Gunner for 2x Mercenary Co-Pilots. Your HLC will reduce all crits to hits, and THEN the Mercs will upgrade to hits to crits. Zappo!

My thoughts exactly on the BH vs shuttle, I want the defender and the BH to stay together.

My thoughts on Echo. For 1/3 of my 100 pts at least I want him/her to be attacking every round that he/she can. That's going to be tricky and require some trick flying, but my tactics approaching flying her will be to employ her 4 attack dice as much as possible.

Any rebel lists?!

I know it puts a lot of eggs in one basket, but those baskets are pretty survivable and could eliminate at least one major threat in as little as a single round of firing:

Colonel Vessery + Cluster Missiles + Ion Cannon + Outmaneuver

Whisper + Veteran Instincts + Fire-Control System + Weapons Engineer + Advanced Cloaking Device

Academy TIE

Use the Weapons Engineer and FCS to get target locks before Vessery fires, can pick the most advantageous targets. Target lock with Vessery for action, then unload cluster missiles for crazytime TL multi-ball bonus. Whisper skirts around and acts as Point Man, and Academy TIE is a pest no one cares to swat for a while, or acts as blocker. Ion Cannon and Outmaneuver for the "it doesn't matter if you know I'm going to kiogran, it's still gonna hurt like a son-of-a-gun" touch. 99 points if i want to try for initiative, or I can take Munitions Failsafe to even it out and maybe cede initiative to the other guy.

Anyway, I largely think this squad has a very efficient action economy. With weapons engineer i get the locks without actions, and Whisper can potentially be both focusing and cloaking without having to do anything so I can focus on evasion. Vessery will get free target locks by firing on targets that Whisper paints for him, which can allow him to either take focus for defense or barrel roll and rely on the target lock for a little bit of attack modification.