Will it work?

As a player that defaults back to Rebels a lot, i have been waiting for real rebel Swarms to happen. Do you think this could work? I have actually not tried it for myself!

BANDIDO BIGGS

100 points

PILOTS

Bandit Squadron Pilot (12) x 6

Biggs Darklighter (28)

X-Wing (25), Hull Upgrade (3)

The plan is clear! Stay in Formation until Biggs bites it. This gives you the option of pretty much TL every turn until he is dead, and then go for wild chaotic Dogfights where superior numbers will hopefully win the day.

I have a feeling that without the avent of the Phantom, this could well have become the new meta...

You could switch out 3 Bandits for Talas if you drop the Hull upgrade on Biggs, but losing your movement flexibiliy with all PS2s is probably a bad idea. Alternatively equip one Bandit with ion pulse missiles or... why not... For Prockets. But i felt the one more HP for Biggs could be more useful. If it keeps him alive one more turn it was more than worth it!

So what do you think?

Not a huge fan of Rebel Swarms since they lack the force multiplier (re: howlrunner) to push 2 dice through things like the phantom, which will continue to be a presence until Mux drops, or any high agility ship which will be seeing resurgence with the oncoming auto-thrusters and Starviper.

Rebel Mini-swarms, though, are definitely a joy.

Whisper could eat this list up. Lots of firepower, but only two dice at a time.

That being said, I played against an 8 Bandit squad once and it worked. Make sure you get initiative with this though. Against other twos u need to move everyone first and let them take actions. You can block the heck out of other PS two with that number of ships.

The thing is that the swarm tactic isn't one that the Rebels are known for. They prefer to use fewer, heavier ships that can do what a swarm of TIEs can, and their ship-building and tactics reflect this.

The thing is that the swarm tactic isn't one that the Rebels are known for. They prefer to use fewer, heavier ships that can do what a swarm of TIEs can, and their ship-building and tactics reflect this.

Basically this

Most rebel support revolves around giving `1 ship a free thing (Cracken, Garven, Dutch, all the HWK pilots), and you get much higher returns using that support on a 3 attack ship or higher (HLC) than one a single bandit.

For mini-swarms, I found 1-2 combat pilots (Dash, Wedge, Farlander etc) follow a mini-swarm very well as all the bandits start clogging the lines and denying actions, keeping the elite damage dealers safe. Basically same mentality as the Phantom + Ties, but with larger or more ships.

Thats a tough list to play. As previously atated, swarms need Howlrunner, and hopefull the rebels never get that ability.

I think you have to be dead on on movement to make this list work.

My favorite tournament lost is BXXZZZ!

I faced this swarm type list the other day....I lost too, as totally wasnt expecting it:

Green Squadron Pilot — A-Wing (19)

-Proton Rockets (3)

-Intimidation (2)

-A-Wing Test Pilot (0)

Prototype Pilot — A-Wing (17)

-Proton Rockets (3)

Prototype Pilot — A-Wing (17)

-Proton Rockets (3)

Bandit Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter (12)

Bandit Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter (12)

Bandit Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter (12)

It flew about as you'd expect....A's dived on the most high threat ship and drop 3 rockets on it, then they attrition you down once your key "playmaker" is down.

Intimidation was due to some left over points i believe, but not a bad option anyway to shutdown C-3P0 etc, or make Interceptors/Phantoms easier to hit.

Whisper could eat this list up. Lots of firepower, but only two dice at a time.

That being said, I played against an 8 Bandit squad once and it worked. Make sure you get initiative with this though. Against other twos u need to move everyone first and let them take actions. You can block the heck out of other PS two with that number of ships.

If you look a little closer, the firepower as long as Biggs is alive, is comparable to Howl. You can Target Lock every turn because you have Biggs to protect you. The exception is after K-turning or bumping. On top of that they are slightly more survivable than APs and they shoot first against PS1.

I am not saying that it's a dominant list because of the Phantoms, but i think you really underestimate it a bit too.

The thing is that the swarm tactic isn't one that the Rebels are known for. They prefer to use fewer, heavier ships that can do what a swarm of TIEs can, and their ship-building and tactics reflect this.

like the concept but I'd go with:

Tycho Celchu — A-Wing 26

Push the Limit 3

Ion Pulse Missiles 3

Expose 4

Experimental Interface 3

A-Wing Test Pilot 0

Bandit Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter 12

Bandit Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter 12

Bandit Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter 12

Bandit Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter 12

Tala Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter 13

Plan:

Tycho shoots IPM and decimator gets destroyed under focused fire next turn. Not sure that would hit against Han c3po but if did match would be on my side. Against Phantoms would be hard unless Tycho drops EI+Expose for VI + Prockets.

I just need 4 more z-95, thanks 'god' Scum is coming and I'll have many excuses to buy more.

EDIT: after some more thought I'd trade EI+Expose for something else and add munitions failsafe so that the original plan has a backup

EDIT 2: Tycho now can hit Han C3PO

Tycho Celchu — A-Wing 26

Push the Limit 3

Ion Pulse Missiles 3

Outmaneuver 3

Munitions Failsafe 1

A-Wing Test Pilot 0

Or just take Blount

Tycho Celchu — A-Wing 26

Push the Limit 3

Chardaan Refit -2

Veteran Instincts 1

A-Wing Test Pilot 0

Bandit Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter 12

Tala Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter 13

Tala Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter 13

Tala Squadron Pilot — Z-95 Headhunter 13

Lieutenant Blount — Z-95 Headhunter 17

Veteran Instincts 1

Ion Pulse Missiles 3

EDIT3: Blount will also hit Howl forcing a break in swarm's formation

I like the Blount version. Dropping all the other Z's to Bandits gives you a little more room for Tycho's shenanigans. Once Autothrusters come out, here's an idea:

Tycho Celchu (26)

+ Chardaan Refit (-2)

+ A-Wing Test Pilot (0)

+ Push the Limit (3)

+ Autothrusters (2)

+ Lone Wolf (2)

Lieutenant Blount (17)

+ Ion Pulse Missiles (3)

+ Veteran Instincts (1)

Bandit Squadron Pilot (12) x4

To add a little of the OP's flavor back in, you could drop 2 Bandits and change up the EPT's to put Biggs back in the mix.

Tycho Celchu (26)

+ Chardaan Refit (-2)

+ A-Wing Test Pilot (0)

+ Push the Limit (3)

+ Autothrusters (2)

+ Lone Wolf (2) (*change to VI or remove Lt. Blount's VI)

Biggs Darklighter (25)

Lieutenant Blount (17)

+ Ion Pulse Missiles (3)

+ Veteran Instincts (1)

Bandit Squadron Pilot (12) x2

Idk guys but a 5-ship is not a swarm in my book...

And actually i don't know what you even want with Tycho. He is a fine flanker sure, but if you want to go Miniswarm you have to have big damage along with it. Bloating up Tycho to 30+ points also is not something i would recommend doing. He has 4 HP, and if people focus on him he will probably still go down.

If at all it has to be an A-Wing, i'd go with Jake, Test pilot, Chardaan, PTL, Outmaneuver. Thats a flanker... he is much more mobile than Tycho and with outmanuver he can plink some damage in sometimes at 28 Points.

Or just go with Cheapie A-Wings with Prockets for a really good one-trick-pony!

The one thing that is considerable is what Talas offer you over Bandits. They counter Predator a bit and make you outbid Obsidian Miniswarms or Swarms. But if you just want to block, stick with Bandits.

With all due respect man, that's fluff. If i have a 12 point ship at my disposal might as well use it! And i don't know if it's less efficient just because it's apparently against Rebel Fleet doctrine XD

With all due respect, every other thing in the game is roughly based on fluff, and the designers have outright said before that they don't design Rebel ships around swarm tactics. Therefore, it works against the design of the ships and their pilots to use them in swarms.

If you want swarms so bad, fly Imperial.

he is much more mobile than Tycho

No. Just...no.