The more I use the defender, the more I really like it. That being said however.... The only list I've flown with two of them in it that actually felt like it was competitive in a tournament setting was two PS3 defenders and a recon spec bounty hunter. Simple, but effective, and actually pretty fun to fly. For fun the double defender HLC and Jonus can be really good, or really bad depending on if your dice like you or not (mine generally don't).

Used this myself several times it's a meat grinder with few weaknesses you can easily be attacking each turn and it's tanky, double focus on firespray works so well.

I've seen plenty of people espouse Rexler and Vessery working together with Heavy Laser Cannons, but has anyone ever tried going for Concussion Missiles and Ion Cannons in it's place? The idea intrigues me after I read someone else's comment somewhere about struggling to maintain range with just 2 defenders.

Ion + Concussion cost the same points, so would the ability to get a slightly stronger range 3 hit, as well as Ion, offset the loss of constant range 3 power?

Colonel Vessery (35)

The HLC works very well on Vessery, but I prefer to pair it with Outmaneuver. That's 4 dice at all ranges and no bonus defense die at R3. It is also relatively easy to get shots off out of the enemy fire arc and that -1 defense die for Outmaneuver is very sweet.

The one thing I would say with the proposed list from the original OP though is you will not be using either pilot ability much as Vessery really wants you to target lock with the other ship and Brath needs a focus token, which he can't get with a target lock.

I would try and find a way to gather enough points for Predator on Brath, Outmaneuver on Vessery and an Obsidian with targeting computer.

Perhaps this list is worth a try?

one thing i feel i need to say on a tactical note to do with synergies, when I play this list i'm ooking for brath to TL the thing that needs to die, vessery then takes advantage of this, then brath fires and most likely uses predator, keeping the lock for vessery next turn if the ship didn't already die. Next turn brath is free to focus, the shields should be gone at least so he can crit stuff into oblivion because he's TL'ed/focus, obviously every opponent is different but as a rule i'm not aiming to use braths ability just his PS8, the ability is just a nice after thought if it pays off.

a quick note on PTL, i dislike it on these ships, stress is a real pain when it only goes in a straight line, having played a lot of games with defenders stress is something i avoid unless i have to sharp 1 or 2, i would not take uprades that require stress to use.