I like this OP and considerations given by other posters, good stuff!

I personally enjoy playing both of these ships, and have taken second place (on tie breaker points) in two events so far using the same list:

Lambda, Vader

Vessery, VI

Echo, VI, FCS, Recon, ACD

Having both Vessery and Echo shooting at PS8 is fantastic, and gives the Doomshuttle something to do (provide target locks for Vessery) on turns when it doesn't have a shot. None of the ships give up their points easily, with the Defender playing in the rocks for 4 green dice with a focus, Echo being Echo, and the Shuttle freely able to accelerate out of trouble, forcing someone to chase it (and in turn, be chased by V&E) or give up and try to engage the fighters. It pushes out good consistent damage with 7-9 dice all with Focus and Target locks pretty much every turn, plus whatever the shuttle manages. Anything that survives with 1-2hp becomes instant Vader bait, and the Lambda does a great job of messing with formations just by flying right into them and tanking the hits while the others go for the biggest enemy threat.

Is Vessery the "best" 36pts ever spent? No. But in this list I wouldn't trade him out for any of our other options at the moment. A Firespray is too clumsy without EU. Phantom is too expensive. TIEs (Bombers and Fighters) give up their points too easily. The Advanced isn't fixed yet. Squints can't hold their own against Turrets the way the Defender can. In this list, the Defender is the best choice, and he works well within it. It doesn't make him objectively good, but there are places for them, you've just got to find the right list to drop them into.

Is Vessery the "best" 36pts ever spent?

depends on the list

5.) real men fly against the meta not with it!

we're going to need a Defender pic with the caption "Get in, loser. We're going against the meta!"

I guess Paul Heaver is not a real man, and a loser...

The problem with your analysis is its missing an important card for Whisper: Gunner.

Gunner's silly on a 4 dice ship. You want Rebel Captive, Recon Specialist, something useful.

I guess Paul Heaver is not a real man, and a loser...

When you set the meta it's quite hard to fly against it.

The problem with your analysis is its missing an important card for Whisper: Gunner.

Gunner's silly on a 4 dice ship. You want Rebel Captive, Recon Specialist, something useful.

Not silly at all. Combined with FCS, you can concentrate on defense since Gunner with TL pretty much guarantee that you'll hit every turn.

Do an Evade action each turn; shoot with 4 dice: if you hit good, get your focus; if not, repeat with 4 dice and TL then get your focus because you hit; recloak to raise your defense to 4 agility and defend a gainst the ship that got a line of sight with 4 dice + Focus and Evade. Rince and Repeat.

Gunner is crazy good because of fcs. You can start in on a target with no offensive actions, and hit for a focus, or miss for another shot with target lock. That shot will more than likely hit, giving cloak, focus and a new TL. Gunner whisper can spend his action on barrel or evade to defense up. It is a mean ship.