So I'm brand spanking new to this (but I'm a WHF and 40k vet so not noob to genre). I have played 3 games now and I'm hooked to the point where I own almost everything now. I haven't done a ton of research but I've watched some games on youtube. I have no idea what the current meta is like and I'm just trying out some ideas. I've been throwing several lists together and I've done some personal in-my-head mathhammer but I'm sure I'm missing something. Let me know what I'm doing wrong here (or right). I'm completely open to ideas and flexability around the core ideas of these lists.

96 points:

Whisper: Vet Instincts, Adv cloak

Echo: Vet Instincts, Adv cloak

Academy Pilot

Academy Pilot

The idea here is obvious I think. I lef some points off to ensure initiative (maybe too many?)

100 points

Kyle Katarn: Wingman, ion turret, moldy crew

Jake Farrel: ptl, proton rockets, munitions failsafe

Garvey Dress

Bandit Squadron Pilot

Throwing around focus like a boss. My main question with this (other than viability) is if there is some way I'm missing to generate more focus. Also, is the bandit better than upgraded else where? I feel like it is but I'm noob.

Thanks for the help.

I've never flown phantoms do I'll let others comment there, but for the rebel list, recon specialist on the HWK-290 would get you another focus each turn, but you would have to drop wingman and munitions failsafe, in my opinion the MF isn't very useful, it's very unlikely that you won't get a hit through with five dice + focus and target lock

Ah perfect! That's exactly what I'm looking for.

Welcome! I starting spending cash after my first intro game as well...:-/ doh!

What are you looking for from your lists? are you looking at tourney play or just casual? If it's just casual my advice would be just go ahead and try any crazy old mix-you'll learn plenty from practically every ship (they've all got pro's & con's for every given situation-I think its the simplicity and balance that make this game).

My honest advice for newer players is take a relatively basic list rather than one chock-full of upgrades and solidify your piloting/basic tactical skills first.

In respect to your lists above I personally would be tempted to drop one of the phantoms (either-you're preference) and up your tie fighter numbers to make a mini-swarm. Phantoms are best used as a particularly nasty flanker away from the rest of your squad. This will give your opponents the choice of either targeting the phantom thereby leaving the rest of your forces alone/with little resistance (tie swarms have the ability to take down any opponent by weight of numbers and are still more than a match for the Fat Han meta's (see below), or they can ignore the phantom and go after the ties (to find a very hard hitting flanker making a mess of their otherwise engaged ships. Let's be honest-people hate the power of phantoms so they'll usually go after the phantom-use this to your advantage. My one bit of advice with them-unless you are likely to kill your target BEFORE it gets chance to fight back discretion is the better part of valour. It goes without saying to avoid being targetted by multiple ships like the plague...

Not much to add to the comments above regarding the rebel list except individual z95's, like individual generic ties aren't particularly strong in my experience...

There are several current "meta's" chief amongst them are; 2x fully loaded (fat) YT's (Han/Dash usually but the other pilots are also seen). They are obviously tough, high hit point lists, have turrets so are practically impossible to arc dodge and usually tool up to ensure they're hitting what they shoot at. Other variants drop a YT for either a) a high PS wingman (usually a B or E-wing) or b) a mini-swarm of z95's. Imperial meta's are usually one of a) fully loaded decimator with an elite wingman (defender/phantom most common), b) an elite phantom with mini swarm of ties or c) a traditional tie swarm.

Hope this helps a little... (And my apologies in advance if I'm teaching you to suck eggs...:-/)

Thanks for the input. That's a lot of good info to mull over. I just played this tonight against a fat han/dash list and wrecked harder than I expected. Han was gone turn 3 and I managed to direct dash where I wanted him by leading with the fighters. I lost Whisper but not til almost the end. All in all I feel like it went well. Main thing I learned... I need serious practice with Echo. Lol.

Yeah the problem with phantoms (and interceptors) is they are real glass canons, make a mistake and they will break very easily.. Turrets are also their worst nightmare (until the auto thrusters come out in scum anyway) as their main defensive tactic is arc dodging (impossible vs a full range turret)...:-/

Keeping whisper alive for that long against YT's in no mean feat so congrats... Echo is absolutely awesome but not a novice friendly ship as she requires plenty skill/experience to use. Stick with her though, once you've tamed her she is excellent. Just as a fun info thread check out the link below (the OP gets bonus kudos points for the thread title...)

http://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/111042-echolocation-decloaking-movement-visualizer/?hl=echolocation

On a more serious note there are some excellent teaching/tactical threads about, one piloting one in particular on judging where your ships will land is really useful (see link below). that thread singlehanded lay helped my piloting skills more than anything else, so far, (I'm always willing to learning new stuff...) there are other really useful threads too such as piloting lambda's etc so definately check them out, they're in the "useful links" thread pinned to the top of the first general x-wing forum page...

http://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/110115-earning-your-wings-a-guide-for-understanding-movment/

Hope this helps, and don't despair YT's will go down-I beat a fat Han/Dash combo in my last tourney running 2x firesprays and 2x interceptors (I forget the exact load outs but likely HLC's on the firesprays-lots of red dice is how to beat YT's, they can't dodge for toffee, and don't bother trying to arc dodge, it's pointless...)

"Hope this helps, and don't despair YT's will go down-I beat a fat Han/Dash combo in my last tourney running 2x firesprays and 2x interceptors (I forget the exact load outs but likely HLC's on the firesprays-lots of red dice is how to beat YT's, they can't dodge for toffee, and don't bother trying to arc dodge, it's pointless...)"

Sorry I think this was from a 120pt store tourney so won't fit into the std 100pt games...:-/

Awesome threads, thanks! I will definitely be playing around more with Echo. I started to get a better idea about where it was going by the end. I'm certain with more practice I can get good with it. I've played Whisper almost every game and feel like I'm really starting to get the hang of it, though I'm far from mastering.

I feel like the best thing I did was trap dash with tie fighters. His movement was WAY more than I expected and it took me half the game to adjust. I stopped trying to get fighters in arch and turned them away and put put forward so he kept bumping. Got him to bump 3 turns in a row then he went down to lucky stunned pilot from earlier.

While you might want to have a nice comfy initiative bid to ensure Whisper always moves last against any list you face, it might also be nice to squeeze a crew member in there. Some ideas:

Recon Specialist on Echo: helps give him a little extra durability against turrets (since he can't arc dodge them). But your @ 99 pts which might not be enough initiative for your liking (depends on what kind of initiative bids ppl in your area are going with).

Tactician on Echo: gives you a pretty good initiative bid @ 98 points and echo is the best phantom for this crew since his move options allow him to almost always be range 2 away from something (or range 1 if you want to kill it with extra dice rather than just deal the stress).

I would also suggest Rebel Captive on Whisper, but for your particular list, I'm not sure you'll get the most out of it. Its always nice though in the end game when you and your opponent have few ships left and the first ship that shoots at Whisper each round has to suck a stress...