For the explicit purpose of inteliigentt discourse, improving the quality of forum talk, and to secure liberties for ourselves and our posterity... i mean, getting at flying:

I've seen plenty of talk about "focusing down" the biggest thread of a list as a major component of how people do battle?

Assuming a competent or at least equally skilled opponent, how do you try to fulfill this objective? Do you do this as a strategy?

How do you counter such an intent? (Not build-wise).

Wedge = centerpiece that needs to be taken out

My opponents will sometimes take lists like: Wedge with R2D2, with some rookies or Zs or whatever filler ships.

He then places Wedge on the very farthest corner from the bulk of my force... typically with another 3 or so ships about R1-2 away from him, towards the center. This group + Wedge tends to melt any ships that try and go for Wedge early.

He then flies Wedge right along the edge, and a little on the slow side, trying to keep at a moderately far range from as many of my ships as possible... offering the rest of his team as better targets.

Yes, it is pretty much playing Wedge as Biggs. Same happens with Howlrunner, yet we don't have people talking about how bad howlrunner is because it can be focused down.

If you have a centerpiece, it needs the neccessary support. The support has to be distracting or damaging enough so the centerpiece does its job. If it's the opponent losing 2 turns to shoot down Wedge while your list (included Wedge) gets two rounds of shooting, they have to count.

But there are ships which are really weak when playing as centerpieces. B-wings for example, have the problem that they have a very short dial, being chain bumped by barrel rolling ships is common enough.

About what i do, on Wedge case, i would focus down Wedge first only if it is beneficial to me. Let's assume i am playing playing a full 8 Tie swarm (4PS1 4PS3). I will just focus down ships i can kill, and even better if i make him lose rounds. If wedge is at range 3, i will ignore it, since his damage output will be the same as an X at range 2 while being harder to kill. When wedge is at range 2, i will focus him down.

I not only have a game plan about "i kill this", but general flying, you always want your opponent rolling the less dice at you as possible, so if you can kill a rookie while wedge is at range 3 before it returns fire, go for it.

This is specially true against list with naked Xs or Bs, since they have PS2, you can kill them before they return fire, if not the first turn, the subsequents turns. And wedge shooting next turn, is better than Wedge + Rookie shooting you this turn.

Yes, Wedge is good, but you can lose a few ships and get into a much better position, than just go after Wedge and gamble later on.

Engage the main group at range 3 and disable Wedge that way. Whenever Wedge closes in focus him down.

As a defense against getting your linchpin killed make sure you build your squad with ships that have an equal defense:offense ratio. Dangerous ships need to be though, less dangerous ships can be easier to take down.
This is why for example Wedge+R2D2 is so strong and why the Advanced sucks (to low offense for such great defense).

Alternatively; don't have a linchpin and make sure all your ships are an equal threat.

When I use rexler with a tie swarm he hangs back for as long as possible while the ties dive in blocking and getting in three attacks at range one, enemy can either ignore rexlers HLC fire and deal with the ties or go after Brath and let the ties rake their rear turn after turn, it's lose lose for him I did this last Wednesday took three hits total one off rexler two on a tie and I cleared the board.

The key to keeping stars alive is to send in the generics first and don't let your opponent ignore him without cost.