Help me pick between two lists

By force kin, in X-Wing

Posted at
"Echo" (30)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Advanced Cloaking Device (4)
Academy Pilot (12)
Academy Pilot (12)
Omicron Group Pilot (21)
Advanced Sensors (3)
Black Squadron Pilot (14)
Wingman (2)
Total: 99

"Echo" (30)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Advanced Sensors (3)
Tactician (2)
Advanced Cloaking Device (4)
Academy Pilot (12)
Academy Pilot (12)
"Howlrunner" (18)
Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16)
Seismic Charges (2)
Total: 100
echo + 2x academy pilots is just amazing. I've never fancied myself all that great of a flyer in this game - more of a list-maker and disgruntled, after-the-fact, dice-blaming excuse-maker. With these three, though - with echo dancing around just outside of range three, while the academies jam up operations by blocking, the opponent is given a choice - either try to ignore the academies and go for echo, or take out the academies first and worry about echo next. If they try to ignore the ties, they work wonderfully as blockers, which prevents them from getting good angles on echo, plus - at range 1, suddenly these ties can do some damage, and I'll be content to play possum, dancing echo around the perimeter while the ties take range one potshots at whoever is chasing her. If they go after the academies, echo can aggressively cut in and get a shot or two off.
So, I think that is the backbone of my list - It works great for me, I seem to be able to keep echo always just out of striking distance, but able to easily come into range within a turn with a sudden decloak.

First list uses this trio and adds a shuttle with advanced sensors. His buddy is a black squadron with wingman. The idea is to keep the tie bumping into the back of the shuttle. The shuttle uses advanced sensors to focus/target lock, then reveals a red stop, and the tie-wingman eats his stress, so he stays perfectly still and gets modified 3-dice attacks every round. If he needs to re-position, his wingman eats the stress so he can do two 90 degree turns in a row, using advanced-sensors to gain target locks/focus while he steers himself around.

The shuttle parks in a corner, and creates a huge killzone that the opponent best avoid, the ties fly out and run interference, and echo dodges around the periphery, waiting for the chance to knife in. I figure this squad has great board control, if maybe not the most firepower.

Second list uses echo and her two blockers and adds some more upgrades to echo - advanced sensors and tactician - as well as howlrunner and a scimitar squadron with a bomb. While I don't have the plodding space cow of the first list to shut down large swaths of the map, I do have a more maneuverable echo, and my mini swarm hits much harder due to howlrunner - who also becomes probably the highest priority target, making it a bit easier for echo to run in behind whoever is shooting her. The bomber's seismic charge further helps with board control and the ship offers a few more hull points over a tie

So thats what ive got, how i plan to use them, and what I figure I can expect with these lists. Can anyone offer me any further advice/tweaks? whats your favourite list? I'm leaning toward the lamda one.

Edited by force kin
Posted at

id go with the first list echo can zip round everything shuttles r tanks and AP can harass any target, I use a similar list myself and its gd fun and you always get a crazy amount of dice to roll heh

Posted at

Easily the first one; Shuttle > Bomber.

Posted at

I also agree the first list is stronger and you'll have more success with it. Although VI on Echo may no longer be necessary as most people go very high on the Pilot skill or very low. Not many list today hover in the middle anymore. Since the first squad is at 99 you could toss in a more relevant upgrade like Lone Wolf once wave 5 is out. Although once wave 5 is upon us there will be many turrets being played and Echo may not survive very well in that meta.