So I have done very well with the following build:

Wedge + PTL + R2

Biggs

Rookie

Rookie

But I find with so much anti weenie tech coming in (Predator) and stress generation, that this list isnt going to be doing as well for me as it has in the past. I also found that once Wedge is gone, the list tends to fall apart (of course, usually Biggs is gone by then too.)

So I was thinking about a new list. I tosses some ideas about making Biggs tougher defensively, but my recent experience with green dice reminded me why I hate them (I spent the last week running Echo and he kept taking stupid damage. One game he ate 2 hits from an Awing, at RB3, through an asteroid, all the while being cloaked. 6 dice without focus...)

So I opted to go more offensive than defensive. I also find that you pay a lot for Wedge and while his ability really works, its a lot of points to eliminate a fickle defense die.

I came up with the following idea:

Airen Craken + Squad Leader

Garven

Bigs

Hobbie Klivian + R2-A3

So now everything is PS5 and 6, so moving after and shooting before a good number of ships (this is important). And I find there is a lot of action synergy.

I loose 1 hull and 1 attack die with Airen, but I essentially gain a free squad leader. Target Lock + Focused X-Wings are vicious (hence why I put PTL on Wedge), so thats the idea.

Activation order:

Hobbie activates and gets Target Lock

Biggs activates and gets Focus

Garven activates and gets Focus

Airen activates and gives Garven Target Lock.

Firing Order:

Airen fires and gives Biggs Target Lock

Gaven Fires and gives Hobbie Focus

Biggs fires and camps or spends Focus

Hobbie fires. Give Stress to target. Spends Target Lock, removes stress. Camps or spends Focus.

If I am firing first, thats 3 xwings with TL and Focus each round. Thats a lot of accurate firepower.

Going to try this this week. Been runing numbers on it and it looks sound.

Any thoughts or ideas?

That is a really interesting build. It has good mid to high range pilot skill and synergy between actions. The small amount of control from Hobbie should prove to be enough of an annoyance to make him a priority after Biggs. I'll assist you in testing this build out and report what I find.

I think this build will be good against low PS builds as you would probably take a ship off the board before it gets to shoot. However, you will probably struggle against high PS builds (which is where the meta might be headed). You have the correct synergy, but you will need to stay in formation in order to keep it going. With the Phantom and Defender, you can't stay in formation and expect to last very long. Airen will die fast if he uses squad leader because he'll have no modifiers with 2 defense dice so you'll have to use it sparingly. Overall, I think it will be a decent build with a powerful Alpha strike.