Never played epic before and looking to get my hands dirty.

Here's a squad I was thinking of running:

Howlrunner - Swarm

Mauler - Swarm

Saber squad - PTL

Saber squad - PTL (to break off when howl is dead)

Academy pilot

Academy pilot

Bounty hunter - tactician assault missile

Bounty hunter - tactician

Rexlar brath - predator, cluster missile

Colonel Vessery - marksmanship, cluster missile

OGP - FCS, Weapon Engineer, intel agent

I like Firesprays, Squints, Phantoms, Defenders and shuttles (about in that order) and I have at least two of every ship except only one majestic space cow.

Howdy

I've just finished my first epic tournament with an imp list (so like you my epic experience level ain't high) with some similarities to yours so I can share my lessons. My list was;

Kath Scarlett

Gunner, ion cannon, slave 1 title, flacette torps, munition fail safe, squad leader (51pts total)

Krassis Trelix

Gunner, ion cannon, cluster missile, munition fail safe (49pts total)

Omicron Gp Pilot Shuttle

Vader, ion cannon, engine upgrade (31pts total)

Echo

ACD, recon specialist, outmanoeuvre (40pts total)

Soontir Fel

PtL (30pts total)

Kir Kanos (24pts)

Carnor Jax

VI (27pts total)

Sabre squadron pilot x2

PtL (24pts total x2)

My theory was a) field a balanced build that could handle tank-like ships AND the inevitable phantoms (hence ions and high PS's) and b) get some experience with ships I haven't used much.

My lessons?

I tooled the fire sprays out too much (the 300pt limit clearly excited me too much). Next time gunner and ion cannon is enough-maybe engine upgrade in too so your BH's look good-I might sub the navigators for munitions fail safes where you can, I might actually be tempted to sub one BH for more interceptors...

The shuttle? Still love it. Modifications can/do work but it performed well as was, yours should be fine

The interceptors? All performed well. I'll definitely use them again. PtL is the perfect interceptor compliment. Sabres/soontir better than RG for points. From the games I saw the true dog fighter ships like the tie mini swarms & interceptors did well and we're much harder to take out than tooled up large ships especially for the couple of players using tantives...

Echo? Brilliant but... Will attract LOTS of attention-sidestepping fire across with so many on the board ain't easy so I reckon ties/interceptors are better for epic. Your defenders will probably do well instead of phantoms (one guy ran a list of 7 of them and decimated at least 2 of his opponents)

FYI I got a buy in the first round (uneven numbers), complete loss in second round vs. duel falcons, ten numb & all named x-wings (awful dice gods more of an issue than the list although the lessons learnt above would've helped a bit) and complete win in third round vs all named rebels (Awing, Bwing, Ewing, Hwk, 3 Xwing's, Ywing, Zwing)...