For example, Darth Vader with Engine Upgrade, a Defender, and a Phantom.

Me and my friends are wondering what you guys think of the feasibility of lists like this, for example I recently won 3 games in a row with a list of 2 Green A's and Han all with PtL and Han with maximum tank mode, r2d2+3cpo and all. Used the A-wings and the falcon (engine upgrade on big ships with turrets is fantastic) to split there forces and force them to fly through asteroid thickets to get arcs with only Han doing serious damage to them throughout the whole game.

Then one Imperial friend took boosting Shuttles with interceptors and that was scary, much more so than formation flying.

Has the game shifted to having more flankers/ pincer and shifted away from formations, or is my group just weird like that.

I have a list that's Whisper and Echo (both with VI + ACD) and then Kir Kanos with a Stealth Device--basically fully divesting from formation flying, having each pilot fend for himself and if a furball happens, get the Phantoms in the thick of it (where their cloaking makes the most of their unpredictability) while Kir skirts the edges.

It's tough up against a Han build but it's fun.

I've been running squads like these since December. The "new meta" is nothing new to me. It's my favorite way to play.

The game is moving away from Swarms at the moment, which in turn moves things away from formations. With less swarms around, players are leaning toward named pilots. So 3 flankers can work, but it takes fineness.

Soontir/Push the limit

Whisper, veteran instincts, advanced cloak

delta squadron pilot

97 points. Add your upgrade of choice or keep it at 97 for initiative bid

I've run three phantoms before to great success. I've also run 'four horseman' lists of 4 interceptors (usually PtL royals or named pilots)

I went undefeated at two Imdaar Alphas with a double interceptor firespray list. Non-formation flying can really throw people off sometimes.

Flying all flankers is kind of like trying to fight someone with a great-sword, but you have a rapier. If you touch swords, yours will be annihilated, but you can maneuver past their guard more easily.

Generally to win consistently I like to have a 'hammer and anvil' approach, like with the Imdaar Alpha list above. The firespray is the anvil and the flankers are the hammer.

Without an anvil to absorb blows, running all flankers can be super risky. Generally I only run all flankers in casual games. In tournaments I'd rather have some insurance.

Yes a full team of flankers works just fine, even against "hard counters" like turrets. Just fly accordingly.

My "Cursed Royal Bloodline" list is 3 RGPs+Hull+PtL, Darkcurse. it currently stands at 51-7 for win/lose. Its a great squadron and has only failed me when I try to fly against my strengths (Running at a formation instead of just passing and looping back). The list got me top 4 in regionals at kublacon (40ish players), 1st at 2 assault on imdaar (19 and 7 players) and 1st-3rd at a few store tournaments(4-10 players). I never understood why people don't believe flankers work in groups. I've had a few falcon list players sit down across from me expecting an easy win, and funny enough I usually only lose an interceptor at max against those lists.

I feel you hit a wall of diminishing returns by running all flankers. Flankers work best when they aren't taking heat by having a more threatening target on the board.

Since you can do very well with 3-4 Interceptors, I don't see why now you could not. Flankers only list has been around for a long time.

Think of it not as Flankers, but rather as huge amounts of mobility.

It'l be a bullfighter list.

I normally hate TIE Advanced, but Vader at PS9 is helpful at taking shots at Rebel Captive before Whisper / Echo. It's probably still not worth taking him over Soontir though.

3 fragile ships will always be a dangerous list. 3 Flankers isn't necessarily. Doom Shuttle is a flanker.

What you're talking about is 3 independant operators. Splitting your force and pushing the game into multiple battles rather than a furball.

It can work. It requires a lot of skill. But unless you have a ship that destroys formation flyers a list that can formation fly but doesn't have to will eat you one ship at a time.

Formation flying isn't gone. It's just not safe to build a list that requires it.

I've run 3 ship groups out of formation. To success

With rebel aces coming out why not

6 Retro fit A-Wings (90) and there is room for 10 points of other goodness.

My buddy ran something like that and I had a four ship list including Wedge with engine upgrades who just tore the flankers apart. Granted the list I had was mindful of that sort of encounter, but high Ps with engine upgrades is ruthless against flankers.

My buddy ran something like that and I had a four ship list including Wedge with engine upgrades who just tore the flankers apart. Granted the list I had was mindful of that sort of encounter, but high Ps with engine upgrades is ruthless against flankers.

Yes a full team of flankers works just fine, even against "hard counters" like turrets. Just fly accordingly.

My "Cursed Royal Bloodline" list is 3 RGPs+Hull+PtL, Darkcurse. it currently stands at 51-7 for win/lose. Its a great squadron and has only failed me when I try to fly against my strengths (Running at a formation instead of just passing and looping back). The list got me top 4 in regionals at kublacon (40ish players), 1st at 2 assault on imdaar (19 and 7 players) and 1st-3rd at a few store tournaments(4-10 players). I never understood why people don't believe flankers work in groups. I've had a few falcon list players sit down across from me expecting an easy win, and funny enough I usually only lose an interceptor at max against those lists.

Just curious how you go up against a list with Han+C3PO+Gunner/Luke and 2 X or 2 B wings? with C3PO, if every attack hits with the 3 RGPs, you still need 3 rounds of firing to kill Han (unless you get a lucky crit), and this is at Range 2. At Range 1 you need 2 rounds of shooting without getting hit by the B-Wings or losing an interceptor to Han after the 1st round.

I love flying interceptors and Phantoms, but the prevalence of Han+2X or Han+2B lists in my area is really making it tough to use it in a tournament. Any advice would be appreciated!

I don't have any tournament experience but I've played several games with Fel with PTL, stealth and Targeting Computer just making mincemeat of a Falcon. I've said it before, my favorite single ship combo by far. Since arc dodging is nearly impossible with the Falcon's turret I just go with TL and Evade with the free focus, saving the focus for defense and then get into range 1 vs Falcon to get the most of that 4 attack to 1 defense with TL advantage, because even up close Fel is still quite evasive. Plus while he is evading shots his wingman are lighting up the Falcon as well. Turrets are not a total nerf to flankers or arc dodging, they just change how you have to fly and approach them.

I know folks say the math supports the Hull Upgrade being a better choice but I get a bigger rush out of playing the odds with Stealth devices. No Shields, All Guts!!

Even when I play rebels though, I prefer the flank/pincer style over a rigid formation. You can still focus the fire of 3-4 ships on the same target, its just they are all coming from different directions instead of 1.

Alternatively, a good list post Rebel Aces might be:

100 points

5x Prototype Pilots

Tarn + R7

It's 5 flankers + a tank.

Like I have told other people, don't focus Han first (unless for some reason he is the ONLY target you can get first), that is what your opponent wants you to do and that frees up his escorts to just pound your ships to dust. One focus fire round of attacks would be enough to down at least one X or B wing escort, before they fire off giving you an upper hand. Then you have 3-4 ships still up for engagement on the YT and escort and those 2 sets of 3 attack dice lose a lot of sting.

Now what you need to do is learn how to play the odds against the YT with gunner. C3P0 is not as cracked up to be as people make him, once you had started focus firing the YT, the other player will most likely get 2-4 successful uses from him, that's fine. I know its tempting to get into range 1, but the only time you should be there is if you are going for a block with a damaged interceptor, otherwise you want to rotate your interceptors from ranged 2 (going foward 2 will allow you to stay in the same range band every turn against a slow flying YT) to 3, never allowing the YT to overpower your defense. Once an interceptor is hurt you want to take him from the fray and allow him to snipe, this makes the YT player have to either go against a ship with better defense (Focus+Evade+Extra die) or try for a closer target, but still pretty evasive. Also, unless you rolled well for the first defense it normally is better to try to allow just a single damage through on a gunner/luke YT to negate its full potential for attacking defenseless ships.

These are just some of the rough ideas, but just learn to play the strengths of the interceptors, their maneuverability is key for their survival. Yes it is hurt when going against turrets, but it allows you to start using range and objects to help keep your ships alive.

These are just some of the rough ideas, but just learn to play the strengths of the interceptors, their maneuverability is key for their survival. Yes it is hurt when going against turrets, but it allows you to start using range and objects to help keep your ships alive.

SUPER useful, thanks! Yeah, good to know to focus on escorts first and avoid Han until you take out at least one escort.

The notes on how to deal with Han is also good. Though with gunner/Luke, it'll have to be a good management of whether to use focus, evade, or just take the hit. Love the tactics!

I'll give this a shot again soon (a friend of mine LOVES playing Han+2X) just to see if I can execute. Thanks Hujoe!

With rebel aces coming out why not

6 Retro fit A-Wings (90) and there is room for 10 points of other goodness.

Or 5 refit green squad pilots with PtL

With rebel aces coming out why not

6 Retro fit A-Wings (90) and there is room for 10 points of other goodness.

Or 5 refit green squad pilots with PtL

I'll buy 2 Rebel Ace packs and intend to fly 4x PTL greens with outmaneuver. (and refit)

Leaves 8 points for the odd missile and/or named pilot.

I've been playing with a list of 3 flankers:

Vader + EU + Expose

Soontir + PtL + Stealth Device

Phennir + Stealth Device

(with variations)

It's been rough. I agree that flankers work better when there's an anvil. But flying high-value flankers like Vader and Soontir doesn't leave a lot of points for an anvil. I used a bounty hunter once, but that went bust really quick.

These are just some of the rough ideas, but just learn to play the strengths of the interceptors, their maneuverability is key for their survival. Yes it is hurt when going against turrets, but it allows you to start using range and objects to help keep your ships alive.

SUPER useful, thanks! Yeah, good to know to focus on escorts first and avoid Han until you take out at least one escort.

The notes on how to deal with Han is also good. Though with gunner/Luke, it'll have to be a good management of whether to use focus, evade, or just take the hit. Love the tactics!

I'll give this a shot again soon (a friend of mine LOVES playing Han+2X) just to see if I can execute. Thanks Hujoe!

Just one comment - depends on the escorts. If it's X-wings or Z-95s, kill the bloody things. If it's B-wings.... I think Han is sometimes an easier target (although the omnipresent C-3P0 does mess with this).

Don't use interceptors but use a 5-6 ship elite TIE fighter formation (named black squadron pilots) - so I get an extra attack relative to a squint unit, hence C-3P0 is less of an issue. Your mileage may vary.

I will agree with Hujoe Biggs there, though. Manouvring is key - if you can't control arcs of fire, control range. And generally, if a turn passes when neither side has a shot, you're generally winning as you're more likely to be in an advantageous position when you re-engage (note - does NOT apply if R2D2 gets involved!)