What are the most competitive lists uv seen running at least one Tie-Defender?

Here's the squadrons using Defenders with the best win percentages on my builder: http://xwing-builder.co.uk/list#pilots=66&faction=empire&minPoints=100&maxPoints=100&sortBy=win_rate&sortDesc=true

Top list is three defenders:

100P - TXDII
Three Times Tie Defender. Wintercon 2014

100 points

PILOTS
Delta Squadron Pilot (30)
Onyx Squadron Pilot (32)
Colonel Vessery (38)
TIE Defender (35), Outmaneuver (3)

i use Vessery with VI, Whisper with VI, ACD and (oops edited) FCS, and a doom shuttle. it can be very effective.

Delta x 2

Vader, EU, Prockets, Outmaneuver

OR

Delta x 2

Brath, VI

Rexler (Predator, HLC)

Jonus

Dark Curse

Night Beast

i use Vessery with VI, Whisper with VI, ACD and TC, and a doom shuttle. it can be very effective.

I reckon you meant FCS rather than TC. I've had very good succes with a similar list at local tournaments against both flanker, swarm and Fat Falcon lists.

My version is Vessery+Outmaneuver, Echo+VI+ACD+FCS+Intelligence Agent, Doomshuttle (Omnicron + Vader).

The Intelligence Agent could be dropped to hit 99pts instead of a 100, but with Echo I'm likely to encounter opponents with a higher PS regardless of whether I get to decide the initiative or not, and I prefer the Intelligence Agent for better arc-dodging with both Echo and Vessery.

Colonel Vessery (35)

Outmaneuver (3)

Ion Cannon (3)

Cluster Missiles (4)

Omicron Group Pilot (21)

Sensor Jammer (4)

Weapons Engineer (3)

ST-321 (3)

Academy Pilot (12)

Academy Pilot (12)

Total: 100

I have at times considered the Jonus Brothers option as well, but have been too concerned about their turning. A strong list in a ranged joust, but will have trouble wheeling to either side.

Jonus

2xOnyx+HLC
- The Onyx can be dropped to Delta pilots saving 4 pts for upgrading Jonus.

Doom shuttle

Soontir ptl TC

Vessery vi or AR

I have at times considered the Jonus Brothers option as well, but have been too concerned about their turning. A strong list in a ranged joust, but will have trouble wheeling to either side.

Jonus

2xOnyx+HLC

- The Onyx can be dropped to Delta pilots saving 4 pts for upgrading Jonus.

I've been running:

Jonus w/ Hull Upgrade, Draw Their Fire

2 x Delta w/ HLC

Jonus draws fire during the first exchange or two, while providing his re-rolls. Once he dies, you split off and use each Defender individually. A single Defender is very potent late game, when the numbers have evened out. Biggest downside is you have to have some success with evade rolls. A single turn of blanked out evade rolls can ruin your entire game. Otherwise, it works pretty well.

The latest that I've been running with is:

Rexler's Wrath (I always name my squads, lol)

Rexler

- Heavy laser cannon

- Veteran Instinct

Turr Phennir

- Veteran instinct

Carnor Jax

- Push the limit

Carnor and Turr provide the distraction/firepower while Rexler brings up the rear, using his PS10 rating to properly position himself and lay down the shot on the target with the fewest shields (hopefully triggering his ability to inflict massive crits). A PS 10 Rexler also puts every phantom on the board on the defensive, allowing Turr and Carnor to go where they need to be.

I find the defender to be a hilarious back-up that'll white k-turn it's way to blowing up things that get behind the main body of the list. The only problem is that the (imo) most viable one can't trigger his abilities off of Tie Fighters

For Rexlar, it's Predator + mini-swarm of 5 Academies or 4 w/ some named pilots (Howl und Stabber). I havn't used this type of list in a bit...because 3 agility...

With the interesting ideas presented in the "Victory is Mined" thread, Vessery could very well end up with a pair of prox mine bombers and a shuttle (probably DOOM)

I've been having fun with this list:

Soontir Fel - 34

- Push the Limit

- Shield Upgrade

Delta Squadron Pilot - 33

- Ion Cannon

Delta Squadron Pilot - 33

- Ion Cannon

The Deltas variously mostly use their cannons and low PS to disrupt enemy formations, while being able to take a fair bit of punishment med 3 evade, focus and 6 hit points. Ideally I'd want to move close enough to ion and k-turn behind an enemy ship, and as soon as I pull that off it's mostly dead. Because of the disruptive power of the Defenders, as well as his natural ability to avoid return fire, Soontir is often mostly ignored, which lets him protect the Defenders or pick off wounded targets.

Vessery with HLC, VI

Soontir with TC and PTL

Shuttle with ST321.

For the point cost Soontir could be swapped for something with better odds against Turrets, but in a low YT1300 meta it thrives. (Even cloaked a Phantom doesn't want to eat a focus Target lock HLC.

i use Vessery with VI, Whisper with VI, ACD and TC, and a doom shuttle. it can be very effective.

I reckon you meant FCS rather than TC. I've had very good succes with a similar list at local tournaments against both flanker, swarm and Fat Falcon lists.

My version is Vessery+Outmaneuver, Echo+VI+ACD+FCS+Intelligence Agent, Doomshuttle (Omnicron + Vader).

The Intelligence Agent could be dropped to hit 99pts instead of a 100, but with Echo I'm likely to encounter opponents with a higher PS regardless of whether I get to decide the initiative or not, and I prefer the Intelligence Agent for better arc-dodging with both Echo and Vessery.

thank you, i did indeed mean FCS. i might try your version, sounds a lot of fun.

I have had limited success with this build:

Jonus + ST + Seismic

Gamma sqd. + Assault Missile + Seismic

Delta + HLC

Acad. Pilot

It can do a number against a swarm pretty quickly. One thing it does well is mess with your opponents target priority. The Gamma with the AS is pretty dangerous and he's got a bomb to boot. Jonus can buff the Gamma's AS shot and the HLC totting Delta. If you go after the Defender, he can be hard to kill as he can use his focus to buff defense. Jonus is kind of the obvious target, but while you try to kill him, I am getting the AM off and the Academy is flying into the thick of the enemies formation clogging it up. Meanwhile the Delta is sniping ships. The charges make for great parting shots as well.

I love HLC Defenders.

Ran this last night a couple times with some pretty solid success

Royal Guard Pilot (31) w/ Push the Limit (3), Royal Guard TIE (0), Shield Upgrade (4), Targeting Computer (2)
Royal Guard Pilot (31) w/ Push the Limit (3), Royal Guard TIE (0), Shield Upgrade (4), Targeting Computer (2)
Colonel Vessery (38) w/ Ion Cannon (3)


Royals arc dodge and lock up prey for Vessery. Vessery can ion targets to keep the pressure off the Royals. Works really well, IMO.

Used this to good effect. Almost took it to a tournament.

Vessery + HLC

Jonus

2x Scimitar + Flechette Torpedoes

Currently I am experimenting with:

Rexler Brath

• Heavy Laser Cannon
• Lone Wolf
• Shield Upgrade

Obsidian Tie Fighter

Obsidian Tie Fighter

Academy Tie Fighter

Academy Tie Fighter

Not tournament legal yet but a very fun list to play with if you are into Tie Defenders (I am 3 wins 1 loss with it and the loss was entirely my fault, crashed the defender twice).

I found this to be effective. I'm not sure if anyone else has.

Delta + HLC

onyx+ HLC

DOOMshuttle.

Delta flanks.

Onyx and doom fly together with onyx hopefully stripping shields before vader crits

Col. Vessery w/ VI and HLC

Omnicron Shuttle w/ Vader, Weapons Engineer, and FCS

Turr Phenir w/ PTL

I have yet to lose with this one, but I haven't played a large pool of players.

Rexler Brath

HLC

Predator

Kath Scarlet

HLC

Predator

Rebel Captive

Seismic Charge

Hard hitting, does well against a variety of lists you'll come across. Haven't lost with it yet.

Rexler Brath

HLC

Predator

Kath Scarlet

HLC

Predator

Rebel Captive

Seismic Charge

Hard hitting, does well against a variety of lists you'll come across. Haven't lost with it yet.

looks pretty solid. have you played versus FatHan, tie-swarm and phantom lists? how it go versus these juggernauts?

exactly, what the heck is a tie defender good for? I dont think it does anything best.

exactly, what the heck is a tie defender good for? I dont think it does anything best.

It's a solid all-rounder as a ship that sports what is probably the most durable small-ship profile (between solid hull, shields, and 3 agility), held back mainly by its lack of viable pilots (with the generics being really silly expensive and Rexlar being incredibly expensive and situational, imo)

It's big defining gimmick is the white K-turn, which players new to it really love to over-use and render themselves incredibly predictable Apart from jousting superiority (which is noticable, but as said predictable) it's fun to fly behind a formation and then used to intercept ships that can outmanuever the main body of the squad.

The Defender (Vessery) is also one of I think 3 ships the empire has that combines 3 red dice with decent durability & cost, the others being the Firespray and the Shuttle. I also like that, while it has 3 agility, it doesn't spontanesouly combust when RNGesus coughs on it (unlike other Ties I could mention..).

I hold Colonel Vessery to be a very solid list option, because he is one of few imperials that can nab himself an easy TL + Focus combo (provided you have another TL floating around) while remaining fairly durable and decently priced. His combination of accuracy and manueverability is not something you can match with the Firespray (manueverability enhanced, imo, by the rear arc) or Shuttle (system and crew slots provide accuracy...but dat dial).

You can set up his ability quite well with FCS Phantoms (especially FCS + Enginner), Firesprays, and shuttles (also TC interceptors if you like that sort of thing)