I still think the Elite ships (StarViper, Defender and E-Wing) should have been PS3 and PS5 with an EPT at the current costs. Similar to what they did with Mandalorian Merc (relative to the Imperial version) and Tansaari Point Veteran.

Essentially highly priced small base ships (<25) need to have the PS cost progression truncated, because high cost plus standard PS cost progression is crippling. Mostly this effects generics, but it does have carry over effects for the named pilots. But then again this is really a potential "what if" scenario at design stage rather than a fix per se.

Defender works great at PS1, you're sure to not get blocked. I don't think making the basic one PS3 would have serve it well, even for the same price. As much as I prefer the named pilots when flying a Defender, the Delta Squadron Pilot is actually the one with which I will exploit the white k-turn the most, because my opponent can't do anything about it. An EPT for the PS3 one would have been nice, but they have to keep this idea for the eventual Ace Pack.

As far as the Mandalorian Merc goes, being PS5 with an EPT sure is nice, but because of that, the Scum won't be able to field 3 Firespray like the Empire. And I would have prefer the Tansarii to be PS4 and one point cheaper, this way I could have run 4 with Predator or PtL and a Mangler Cannon.

All that to say that, you can't please everyone.

The lower PS definitely has its applications

PS 1 is great for blockers or movers and the Delta does indeed abuse it well while almost guaranteeing his action (player skill pending), but I do believe the higher PS generics are far too overpriced without the inclusion of an EPT slot and that the lower PS are just overpriced in general.

Higher PS wouldn't help them as much as reduced costs (or a better dial for the defender), especially in the case of the poor Knave (imo, the worst off of the lot)

While I love most of the elite pilots of each ship (not Brath, though ) I do wish he had the option to run some more effective generics. I don't expect them to be super efficient in terms of jousting (that job falls to the cheaper ships) but I do expect them to be cost efficient enough to abuse with select upgrades (or none at all, in the case of the poor Torpedo-bearing Viper)

So far, only the ion delta has really scratched that itch

It had better be something pretty amazing. Would be awful for the Defender's and Viper's amazing models to go to such waste.

Well, the Viper only really needs to be run as one Guri or Xizor to get its majesty across the table. The Defender's not as BAM! but those brave enough to run them in multiples get some killer looking squads (ion delta, ion delta, soontir )

I ran a 2x Defender list today in a Store Championship. I ended up losing in the championship round. I thought it was sexy as hell.