Try this:

Colonel Vessery (35)

Opportunist (4)

Heavy Laser Cannon (7)

Assault Missiles (5)

Engine Upgrade (4)

"Echo" (30)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Fire-Control System (2)

Weapons Engineer (3)

Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

Total: 95

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Why would you ever want to run 2 ships? It sounds so dull, and murders your control over the game. Beyond that, neither ship you've mentioned is good enough to justify being part of a 2 ship list. Even the Falcon is better served with more ships.

People who play Defenders are crazy?

Unless we get an ability to pass Focus tokens Rexler is delegated to the shelf (so to speak). Vessery on the other hand, now he's spiffy.

Agreed. I'm trying to build a list around Vessery. I'd like to fly him with Tie/LN or Tie/IN (since he's expensive...) but I'm hesitant to give those ships target locks, as they're already vulnerable. Vessery's ability seems like it would be better served on a rebel pilot.

I'll probably try running him with a shuttle.

The more I think about it, the more disappointed I am with the named defender's pilot abilities. They're too circumstantial compared to the new rebel pilots, who either support ships in range or directly contribute to their own offensive power without the need for other ships. Vessery requires a higher pilot skill ship to not use their target lock. A pilot like Dutch Vander, on the other hand, nets two ships target locks, both of which can freely use them without compromising the benefit.

Overall, I don't like the idea of requiring another ship to do a specific action that may leave the other ship vulnerable (especially a three hull Tie with TC!). With Rex, people mention synergy with fleet officer, but that also requires another ship to do a specific action that stresses the ship and leaves it with no benefit of its own. And to do what, give Rex a chance at using his ability that specifically requires a damage card to be dealt to the enemy? If he doesn't use the focus, fleet officer stressed a ship for no reason, and Rex sat on a focus that could have benefited a different ship.

I would say I wouldn't rule out naked delta/onyx defenders 3's across the board and just focusing every turn leaves you with a respectable ship and it takes ALOT of concentrated fire to bring one down (unless you have such cold evade dice at which point you are screwed anyways no matter what ship you fly)

Delta Squadron Pilot (30)

Ion Cannon (3)

Soontir Fel (27)

Push the Limit (3)

"Whisper" (32)

Veteran Instincts (1)

Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

Total: 100

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Rexler Brath (37)

Predator (3)

Heavy Laser Cannon (7)

Engine Upgrade (4)

Colonel Vessery (35)

Predator (3)

Heavy Laser Cannon (7)

Engine Upgrade (4)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Predator is a waste on Vessery, as he can get a free target lock. Remember dice can only be rerolled once, so I don't think the occasions when your target doesn't have a target lock on him already make it worth those three points. Give him a Proton Rocket or Push the Limit or Outmaneuver or Marksmanship. Never spend extra points on redundant abilities. For Complementary or synergistic abilities, have at it! But giving Vessery Predator doesn't make his ability better, it just allows him to do what he does better already.

Rexlar is actually a good candidate for Decoy (or, more likely, a wingman with Decoy). His ability can play better when he fires late so your other ships take down a target's shields first.

Rexlar + Predator

Royal Guard Pilot x2

Black Squadron Pilot + Decoy

Definitely squishy and tricky to pull off, but would maximize Brath's ability.

Ok, I'm going to try to make this work, if for nothing else than to see the looks on people's faces:

Vessery + Outmaneuver + Engine Upgrade

2x Storm Squadron + Stealth Device + Proton Rockets

I have played this on more than one occasion (With slight variations on upgrades, and no protons obviously) and it is better than you might imagine. Your opponent doesn't want to shoot at the Storms, since they're tanky and don't die fast with stealth, but they're giving Vessery free target locks. It's a tough choice on who to shoot at, especially when Vessery can quite easily end up out of arc if they focus him.

I think about running this:

BH + Rebel Captive + Engine

x2 Delta Squadron Pilots.

Will swap out RC for Mara Jade for Wave 5. I think the stress factor will give the Delta's an advantage with the white K-turn

That's pretty much the exact build I was thinking of to test out the Tie Defender.

One thing I can say I'm not as excited for the defender add I am for the Phantom and e wing

I'll still pick one up, but I really don't see much use out of the named pilots.

Like it was mentioned

Maybe one or two of the lower skill pilots and hlc or something

Just for fun I may try something like

Delta squadern

Hlc

Echo

Veteran instincts

Advanced cloak

Black squadern x2

The idea would be keep the defender in back of the two ties and flank with Echo

Just like fun.

Having a strong ship with hlc does look like fun

The two ties in front would hopefully take the heat from the first round and next round be there to muck things up

Meanwhile echo does what she does best

Unless we get an ability to pass Focus tokens Rexler is delegated to the shelf (so to speak).

Vessery on the other hand, now he's spiffy.

Two words: Fleet Officer.

I've loved the defender ever since I played tie fighter for the pc, the look of it is great and I'm sure with time it'll prove its worth.

It'll be a regular feature in my lists no matter what.