I have this list idea in my head...wanted to know what you guys think:

Tie Int Saber + Opportunist + Targeting Computer (x2) PS4

Tie Black + Draw Their Fire (x2) PS4

Tie Backstabber PS6

The idea is to have a Black Squadron pilot serve as wingman to each Saber Squadron Pilot to burn tokens and pull crits. Backstabber moves on his own to cause havoc and possibly burn tokens as well.

I know it's a fragile list, but I think is a lot of fun. My only concern is target priority...it's difficult to guess what my opponent will go after. I had a previous variation that I've actually run:

Saber + Opp

Saber + Opp + Hull

Black + DTF

Black

Howlrunner

I only had 1 DTF at the time, so I had to run it like this. I stayed in formation for as long as possible, then broke off. The benefit of this is that Howl is the primary target. In the game I played, I sacrificed her offensive capabilities for defensive ones. She still buffed the pair of fighters she was with, but often from behind asteroids and without a target in arc. This gave me a couple turns of good shots from the other pair while my opponent went after her.

A few occasions my interceptors got 4 or 5 attack dice, but whiffed the rolls. Hence the TC modification.

So what do you guys think? Should I keep howl and tweak the list? Drop TC? Trade Opp for PTL?

Target priority is pretty easy. Nuke the Sabers. They cost 27 points each and only have 3 hull, and won't have focus for defense if they Target Lock.

Edit: Target Lock and Focus have the same exact probability for getting hits, so if you only took Targeting Computer as risk mitigation against bad rolls, you might as well drop it completely and upgrade them to Royal Guards while you're at it.

Edit: Target Lock and Focus have the same exact probability for getting hits, so if you only took Targeting Computer as risk mitigation against bad rolls, you might as well drop it completely and upgrade them to Royal Guards while you're at it.

And drop opportunist? Upgrading to RG's won't work because they shoot before the Black Squadron escorts. Also, I know the math behind it states they are the same (F & TL...hard to argue with that) but it reality, but in my experience focus falls short and TL often pays off. Blame it on the way I roll or the weight of my dice, but that math exists in a vacuum and doesn't seem to coincide with the games I play.

You are correct about the TL vs mobility or evade actions though...it might be too risky to TL if I'm in arc. Without Howl to use as bait, I might not have the chance to use it.

Upgrading to RG's won't work because they shoot before the Black Squadron escorts.

Brain fart moment, you're right, unless you get some more PS6's. In either event you have 4 more points to play with if you drop TC.

Edit: Example:

99 points

2x Royal Guard TIE + Opportunist

Backstabber

Dark Curse

Black Squadron Pilot + Draw Their Fire

The two named TIEs can pull tokens off before the Guards fire, so Opportunist should still trigger most of the time. It's still super brittle but it looks like fun!

Why does it matte that they shoot before the blacks? For opportunist?

Sounds a bit quirky to me. Would rather see push the limit for a focus and an evade. And three dice at ps 6.

That adds enough room for a hull upgrade instead. And just have the two blacks with dtf.

Good amount of fire. And solider defense on your sabers.

Why does it matte that they shoot before the blacks? For opportunist?

Yes, Opportunist only triggers when the target has no focus or evade tokens. Someone else fires first to "encourage" your target to spend his token.

Upgrading to RG's won't work because they shoot before the Black Squadron escorts.

Brain fart moment, you're right, unless you get some more PS6's. In either event you have 4 more points to play with if you drop TC.

Edit: Example:

99 points

2x Royal Guard TIE + Opportunist

Backstabber

Dark Curse

Black Squadron Pilot + Draw Their Fire

The two named TIEs can pull tokens off before the Guards fire, so Opportunist should still trigger most of the time. It's still super brittle but it looks like fun!

I love Dark Curse but he's actually detrimental to the opportunist gimmick I'm running, since he forces targets to hang onto focus token.

DC could drop to a Black Squadron + VI, which would also get to PS 6.

EDIT: This bump to PS6 might help deal with Krassis and Biggs, which both seem to be popular in my area.

Upgrading to RG's won't work because they shoot before the Black Squadron escorts.

Brain fart moment, you're right, unless you get some more PS6's. In either event you have 4 more points to play with if you drop TC.

Edit: Example:

99 points

2x Royal Guard TIE + Opportunist

Backstabber

Dark Curse

Black Squadron Pilot + Draw Their Fire

The two named TIEs can pull tokens off before the Guards fire, so Opportunist should still trigger most of the time. It's still super brittle but it looks like fun!

I love Dark Curse but he's actually detrimental to the opportunist gimmick I'm running, since he forces targets to hang onto focus token.

DC could drop to a Black Squadron + VI, which would also get to PS 6.

Well, Dark Curse's pilot ability only triggers when other ships are attacking HIM, so when he is attacking them, they are still free to spend their focus / evade.

Edit: that gives me an idea though. We can free up 2 points so now you can upgrade a PS6 named TIE for Howlrunner... lets make Target Priority a little harder on your opponent, shall we?

Edit: that gives me an idea though. We can free up 2 points so now you can upgrade a PS6 named TIE for Howlrunner... lets make Target Priority a little harder on your opponent, shall we?

100 points

PS8: Howlrunner

PS 6: Black Squadron Pilot + Veteran Instincts

PS 6: 2x Royal Guard TIE + Opportunist

PS 4: Black Squadron Pilot + Draw Their Fire

I think this one here is my preference.

Yeah...I'm feeling pretty good about this, too. I would start in a typical swarm formation and if my opponent gives me a juicy target, I just stay in formation and use howl to the fullest. My intention, though, would be to break off and use Howl as bait, hopefully getting some sweet 4 or 5 dice attacks with those interceptors!

This is some good feedback. Thanks!

The problem with counting on a couple of 2 attack ships to strip tokens so that opportunist triggers, is that well, it ain't gonna happen very often. First of all, there will be times when your opponent rolls for defense and simply fails to get an eye result (so can't spend his focus token even if he wanted to). Then other times opponent may choose not to spend focus (perhaps taking a point of damage) so that he can keep it on to negate opportunist from triggering, AND, if his ship is lower PS, possibly use it offensively too.

I think the list would work better if you could somehow get a 3 attack ship (or even 2) at higher PS to fire first. That will more likely strip tokens for the Sabres to get their opportunist triggering.

If you can stomach dropping Draw Their Fire, then you can go with:

100 points

Howlrunner + Swarm Tactics

Mauler Mithel + Determination

2x Saber Sq. Pilot + Opportunist

Academy Pilot

All three TIE Fighters shoot before the Sabers. You can swap Swarm Tactics and Determination if you want.

Edit: Firing:

base dice at range 2:

PS 8: 2 dice

PS 8: 2 dice, with 1 reroll

PS 7: 2 dice, with 1 reroll

PS 4: 4 dice (with Opportunist), with 1 reroll

PS 4: 4 dice (with Opportunist), with 1 reroll

If everybody is at range 1:

PS 8: 3 dice

PS 8: 3 dice, with 1 reroll

PS 7: 4 dice, with 1 reroll

PS 4: 5 dice (with Opportunist), with 1 reroll

PS 4: 5 dice (with Opportunist), with 1 reroll

True...but worst case scenario my first saber sets up the second for an opportunist shot. Or it doesn't trigger at all and I wasted 8 points .

I feel that it's a risk worth taking. Also, if they are lower ps and hold on to their tokens just to deny me, its potentially 2+2+3 dice they are allowing to hit with full effect while they gamble with a token that won't necessarily pay off.

Problem with opportunist is that, even when it does trigger, it's only marginally better than TL+F with 1 less die.

A 3 die, TL+F attack, vs a 2 agility, focused opponent: Average of ~1.5 hits

A 4 die, focused attack, vs a 2 agility, focused opponent: Average of ~1.8 hits

I'd much rather just put PtL + Targeting Computer on the interceptors, that way it can trigger every turn. Plus you can use it to get out of arcs.

For opportunist to really shine you need to :

1. Strip tokens off defender
2. Get your striker to have TL+Focus

That'll be hard to accomplish if you want to get 2 opportunist shots off in the same round.

You could go:

Saber + Opportunist + Targeting Computer

Black + Squad Leader

Black

Kath + Gunner

Kath and both Blacks get tokens off target - Gunner is great at this.

Squad Leader let's Saber F+TL.

It's very fragile though

Or, wait for Rebel Aces and you can do :

4 x Green Squadron Pilot + Chaardan Refit + A-Wing Test Pilot + Opportunist + PtL

And you have 4 points leftover... for a Shield or Hull Upgrade.

Or upgrade a Green to Tycho Celchu, dropping Opportunist since he'll fire first anyways.