With E-wings hitting shelves I thinks its time to find best upgrade composition for its top pilot - Corran. Ethan is also nice, but its support ship, best at staying back and spamming crits. Corran needs completely different approach, as its use is made of two parts: 1 Get into perfect firing position, let loose two shots 2. Get away from all fire arcs for one turn for weapon recharge.

So Corran can take Ept, droid, system upgrade, torpedo, and of course modification.

1. Pilot talent. We need something that maxes out your attack potential, gives better mobility for positioning, or improves survivability. Top picks to improve attack are Marksmanship, outmaneuver and predator, all works on both attacks, all costs 3 points. You need someone stronger in Mathwing to pick winner at what. Other good options would be PtL, or adrenaline rush for that running away turn.

2. Droids. R7-T1 is solid pick, TL + boost is strong mix. R2-D2 is also can work, as you will need to spend turns away from battle anyway. Or a simple R2 if you are using some stress giving upgrades

3.System upgrades. Fire control system looks perfect for Corran. Free TL for second attack. Adv.Sensors gives you great positioning potential, and sensor jammer gives better survivability. All strong choices.

4. Torpedoes. Corran is already costly and has good attack, and you better get close as you can to get max damage of your double hit. But if you create some killer stress giving combo add flechettes

5. Modifications. 3 agility means you can get some use of stealth device. or add more shields, or hull. Well engine upgrade gives more mobility, so also great.

And after this huge list lets give conclusion. What is perfect build for Corran. IMHO you shouldn't fill all slots, but flying with unupgraded Corran is also waste. 2 upgrades seems optimal, it takes you to 40-42 points, so can add 5 more ships . My go to damage build would be Marksmanship + Fire control system, mobility build - PtL + engine upgrade, but best bet would be mix of those two. Posibilities are endless

I want to give Fire Control System + Marksmanship a shot. Possible toss an R2 astromech in as well if there's point room in the rest of the list to expand his green maneuver options. Maximize the potency of both of his shots. If your target isn't dead after a shot with super focus followed by a shot with Target Lock and super focus, FCS still kicks in on the End Phase shot so after spending a turn running way and repositioning you're already locked for the next round of shooting. Have him act as a flanker, to maybe a pair of rookies and an assault missile headhunter or something.

Marksmanship is possibly the worst EPT.

Corran+R2D2 or R5-P9.

ADV

PTL

Engine

is the most perfect Corran you can build.

I've played Corran a few times and Fire Control System is a must, good buff for the 2nd attack. He's expensive, fully loaded with upgrades coming close to a good named & loaded YT-1300 points-wise, and I think the FCS is the only auto-include unless the majority of the rest of the squad is lower skill. Expose and PtL are good picks if you have the points, Opportunist if playing Wes w/ Vet. Instincts. Garven Dreis is a good accompanying ship though he'll die fast if going up against high skill squads.

While I agree with you that Marksmanship is among the worst EPTs (Expose is much much worse). It actually does have a spot in a few builds. Mostly those that get multiple attacks or extra actions.

A few good examples:

Han Solo

Gunner

Vader

Cluster Missiles, etc.

PtL gives stress and is likely to be far more dangerous in the upcoming meta. If I were going to put something on Corran's that wasn't Marksmanship, then it would have to be Predator. But then you don't need FCS, so throw on Rhe Jammer or Adv Sensors...

I really like, at least in theory:

Corran Horn (35)
+ Engine Upgrade (4)

+ R2-D2 (4)

+ Marksmanship (3)

+ Fire Control System (2)

On the turns you shoot, you get super-Focus plus Target Lock twice. On the turns you don't shoot, you go green for a Shield via R2-D2 with either Boost or Barrel roll to make sure you aren't getting shot at.

Marksmanship and FCS are great on him. I'd go R5-P9 for the shield regen because on the turns your running away, you'll have a focus (most likely) to spare for shields, since you're not shooting. You also won't be relegated to green maneuvers. After playing him a couple of times, I've found that you don't want to use up his shot right away. Fly around a bit and get onto someone's tail before blowing the Marksmanship shot. I made the mistake a couple of times of using it during the joust, only to find Corran spending most of the rest of the game trying to survive and reposition.

I like

Corran + Marksmanship + FCS + R7 Astro

Good pew pews and have a TL on the turn you bug out for defense.

FCS definitely helps with his ability, but I am more excited to use Advanced Sensors on him. Being able to use PTL, then execute a green maneuver and end stress-free will be fantastic, as well as angled koiograns, or just being able to boost before doing a straight maneuver to end up in the best possible position. Along with the basic bonuses of not having to worry about collisions and being able to get an action in before a koiogran. I feel like an R2 astromech would be best with that, although with careful flying R2-D2 or R5-P9 could be quite effective as well.

I'm thinking FCS and Decoy. You get the target lock for your second attack, then on your off-turn you can pull up an ally to PS8.

Going a little simpler for a build here:

Etahn A'baht (32)

Corran Horn + Fire-Control System (37)

Very few upgrades, but 3 solid ships and ten numb's criticals can't be cancelled so there is some synergy here. He'll probably be shooting last (other than the turns that Corran Horn shoots twice), so if your opponent has shields they MIGHT be down by the time he attacks.

I think Corran it's too agresive so I suggest another aggresive pilot, like Wedge, both highly equiped, and a third ship to support, greettings.

What about this?

Corran Horn - Marksmanship, FCS, R7

Wedge Antilles - Predator, R2

Tarn Mison - R7

Tarn is a pain to kill late game and a terrible choice to kill early, and either Wedge or Corran is a nightmare if ignored.

For funsies,

Corran Horn, marksmanship, R7-T1, FCS, Advanced Proton Torpedo 49

Jan Ors, Kyle Crew, Blaster Turret 32

Airen Cracken 19

Corran moves to range 2, uses marksmanship. Cracken shoots, gives action to Corran, who uses R7-T1 to boost into Range 1 gaining TL. Shoot APT with 6 dice (from Jan) with marksmanship bonus, get another target lock, shoot end of turn with 4 dice with marksmanship and TL. Laugh if you manage to pull this off. Profit.

I like the defensive option, R7 plus FCS for high PS is quite a nice combo. Makes the FCS a great defensive option. It will be interesting to see if that is a better defence than sensor jammers.

IMO PTL is mandatory. Yes, it's nice to think about how awesome it will be to stack focus + TL on both attacks or how many crits you'll get with marksmanship, but naked evade dice and 5 HP on a 40-50 point ship is not even close to durable enough. Consider the extra shot an occasional thing to finish off a wounded target when you have a good opportunity, if you go all-in on offense you're gong to lose your expensive ship immediately and have no hope of winning the match.

Agreed on PTL - not utilizing all those actions the E wing has every round is wasteful IMO. I love PTL, Advanced sensors R2 FCS to clear the stress every round.

I just feel like those E-Wing builds aren't really getting enough out of Corran's ability to justify his cost. I'd rather do a cheaper E-Wing at that point, either Blackmoon or Etahn.

After some tinkering, I'm tempted by some version of:

Corran Horn (35)

Expose (4)

Sensor Jammer (4)

R5-P9 (3)

Expose ends up effectively giving you +2 attack dice. Well, +2 per turn you're able to shoot, instead of +1 every turn. But I can't imagine using Corran and not utilizing his ability often, which means that you wouldn't be shooting in the off turns anyway. Sensor Jammer and R5-P9 keep you alive longer, and with Corran's high PS/offensive potential you might be able to induce the early usage of enemy focus tokens on ships who would be shooting back at you, and keep the Jammer running.

After some tinkering, I'm tempted by some version of:

Corran Horn (35)

Expose (4)

Sensor Jammer (4)

R5-P9 (3)

Expose ends up effectively giving you +2 attack dice. Well, +2 per turn you're able to shoot, instead of +1 every turn. But I can't imagine using Corran and not utilizing his ability often, which means that you wouldn't be shooting in the off turns anyway. Sensor Jammer and R5-P9 keep you alive longer, and with Corran's high PS/offensive potential you might be able to induce the early usage of enemy focus tokens on ships who would be shooting back at you, and keep the Jammer running.

At first I liked expose but even 5 dice at range one doesn't get me excited when I think about them being unmodified and only having two green to protect myself (also unmodified).

Expose and Corran don't mix at all. Expose says until end of round, and Corrans second attack happens at the end of round, so no second dice on that.

I just ran Corran with PTL, Adv Sensors, R2 and Engine Upgrade.

It was amazing. The first game he was only shot at once, which he dodged expertly. The movement potential in this build is just out of control, he ends up moving around like a mini Echo. And with the R2 he almost never takes stress. It was tricky but man was it fun. I didn't always have a shot, but in two games he was only shot at twice.

What else did you run with him?

Corran + FCS

x3 Rookies

Now you have a chance to through 15 + attack dice in 1 turn. Your not spending a lot to build up Corran, but man can you through a lot of attack dice.

Expose and Corran don't mix at all. Expose says until end of round, and Corrans second attack happens at the end of round, so no second dice on that.

Actually expose DOES work with him. Corran's second shot is during the END PHASE which means it's still active. He is also on the short list of pilots It is better on than usual. HOWEVER, it's STILL terrible because that's just how bad expose is. Marksmanship is still better than expose and that isn't even counting the extra point or green die.

If the goal here is "I gotta play Corran" than work marksmanship in there and have fun, because like it was said before, just doing ptl + advance sensors or w/e doesn't really focus much on his ability and could be a cheaper E-wing ( I actually think the most successful e-wing in the long run will be etahn with something like that).

Played him once at Imdaar event and would recommend the following with my experience in said single game:*

-Corran (35)

-R2D2 (regenning shields while running away? -> priceless!)

-FCS (2nd shot with rerolls? yes please)

-Engine upgrade. (boosting REALLY helps your mobility/angles to get that perfect shot *twice*)

-Predator. I prefer Predator over marksmanship since it is no action. Which is good. PTL a strong contender though

*= elaborate way of stating; I have little clue really.