I have found that I perform the best when I play swarm lists or variants thereof. I played a lot of TIE Swarm before Wave 4, and I performed much better than I expected at Regionals last year with BXXZZZ, finishing with a 4-2 record after Swiss. Not good enough for the cut, but I was 17th out of a 61 player tournament. Through the fall, Wave 5, Store Championships, and the beginnings of Scum, I have experimented with a lot of "Aces" lists in Rebels and Empire and a LOT of the Decimator, and while I have a lot of fun playing these lists, I can't seem to pull out wins even 50% of the time. So, I thought I'd go back to listcrafting some swarm ideas, and I'm interested in focusing on Scum. Today I played 2 different swarmish lists against a local recent Store Champion. He was playing the same list he won with, Soontir Fel, Carnor Jax, and Kagi with Sensor Jammer, but with the newly released Autothrusters on the Interceptors (he won his championship a few weeks ago, before Scum released). The first list I tried is visible below: 2 Pirates, 2 HLC Scyks, and Kavil with Blaster Turret and R4 Agromech.

He won with little issue. I have never had a problem maintaining arcs, even multiple arcs, on interceptors and Phantoms when I play swarm lists. Today was no different, except that the Baron and the Sith Lord had no issue dodging my attacks, even with the HLCs and Kavil. Ended the game with 1 damage on Soontir from Kavil, but he cleaned me up 100-0.

The second match, I ditched Kavil for 2 more Pirates, and I had three of the four with Feedback Arrays. Being the pro interceptor pilot that he is, he never allowed himself to be close enough to me to trigger my Zappers. I also didn't get to use my HLC's this match, as the only time I was able to get a shot on Carnor with the Scyks, I put one damage on him, but it was at R1 with the primary weapon. Another loss, 100-0.

I partly attribute both of those losses to a bad match-up, but that is not the whole story. I like the Scyks, I think. I like the way they handle, and against opponents less maneuverable than interceptors, I think the range requirement on HLC will be less of an issue. This is the first time I've run them with the title and a weapon of any sort, but I've found in other matches that they are easy to move slowly if you snake them with alternating 1 banks and then barrel roll backwards in the opposite direction. However, I know how I'm going to spend those extra points in my next test of this list. In each of the matches, one of the Scyks was swatted by one attack, as counted TIE Fighters and Interceptors have been in the past. In one of the games, it was before it got to fire at all. So, I'm keeping it at the six ship variant, but I am going ot put those six points from the Zappers into Hull Upgrades on the Scyks.

What would you do? How would you have handled a swarm against his interceptors and token control strategy (Carnor Jax, Captain Kagi/Sensor Jammer). Which target would you clear first? I went after the interceptors first, Carnor in the first game and Soontir first in the second, but I was unable to clear either of them in either match. They did murderous things to my action economy.

How would you build a Scum Swarm? Currently, I have 2 Most Wanted including ships for 4 Y-wings, and 2 Scyks. And 2 of each other Scum Expansion, but the other ships don't as well lend themselves to swarms unless you take the "List Anchor" approach, like I did with Kavil in the first match.

I have a league night on Wednesday and will be looking forward to testing out new Scummy Swarms. What would you do? Sound off!

Well with Autothrusters, you're really fighting the math, especially at R3.

Well with Autothrusters, you're really fighting the math, especially at R3.

Oh, I noticed. Combined with stacked tokens vs token denial. I don't think I was ever going to win, but I'd have liked to do more than 1 damage.

Well with Autothrusters, you're really fighting the math, especially at R3.

Oh, I noticed. Combined with stacked tokens vs token denial. I don't think I was ever going to win, but I'd have liked to do more than 1 damage.

Well the usual R3 shot with an HLC is merely slightly better than even, and even at R2, you're only getting 4 reds vs 3 greens (plus the inevitable evade token). This is where the full four M3-A with HLCs/five M3-A with Manglers swarm comes in. If you can concentrate your fire on one ship, eventually the math should work.

Things the Interceptor list would hate include Feedback Array and Autoblaster Turrets, plus things like Proximity Mines that ignore Agility/Autothrusters. If Carnor comes near you, he's pretty much dead. Your goal then is to force collisions and hit him with unblockable damage. I'd focus on the Aces, naturally, as the Shuttle is pretty much dogmeat if you can clear them off of the board. Torkil would help you immensely in setting up the rest of your crew for shots/feedback zappage.

Well with Autothrusters, you're really fighting the math, especially at R3.

Oh, I noticed. Combined with stacked tokens vs token denial. I don't think I was ever going to win, but I'd have liked to do more than 1 damage.

Well the usual R3 shot with an HLC is merely slightly better than even, and even at R2, you're only getting 4 reds vs 3 greens (plus the inevitable evade token). This is where the full four M3-A with HLCs/five M3-A with Manglers swarm comes in. If you can concentrate your fire on one ship, eventually the math should work.

Generally, it does. I have lost to Interceptors and Phantoms before, but generally, I don't worry when I see them on the other side because I have so many attacks and a large number of ships, so losing one isn't hugely penalizing. Today I just couldn't punch through. I will certainly be changing my deployment strategy, and additionally will continue to test swarm configurations. Honestly, I'm glad I played against that list though, I certainly learned a lot. And this is from someone who was playing interceptors when I wasn't playing Swarms, at least pre-Wave 4. I just really stopped having fun playing them when Wave 4 and the Tantive hit, making heavy turrets so popular. But, I'm determined to get a decently versatile list before Regionals, and getting thrashed is always the first step.

You need something at PS 10 that can bring these guys in line with some stress tactics.

Boba Fett with Vet Instincts and either Tactician or Flachette Torpedoes. Stress Soontir/Whisper so they can't move next turn and remove from table with laser utensil when ready. Season to taste. Engine Upgrade recommended.

Or you can throw a bunch of Feedback Arrays on your Z-95s.

Things the Interceptor list would hate include Feedback Array and Autoblaster Turrets, plus things like Proximity Mines that ignore Agility/Autothrusters. If Carnor comes near you, he's pretty much dead. Your goal then is to force collisions and hit him with unblockable damage. I'd focus on the Aces, naturally, as the Shuttle is pretty much dogmeat if you can clear them off of the board. Torkil would help you immensely in setting up the rest of your crew for shots/feedback zappage.

He was always one step ahead of me when I went to block with my Z's so none of them got to trigger their Feedback Arrays. The only ship that was ever at R1 of them was the Shuttle, and it would have been a waste.

My main nagging concern about the hlc list is that the barrel rolling for distance keeps you from modifying your attack dice. Theres an answer somewhere but I don't know id its better than some of the existing swarms

You need something at PS 10 that can bring these guys in line with some stress tactics.

Boba Fett with Vet Instincts and either Tactician or Flachette Torpedoes. Stress Soontir/Whisper so they can't move next turn and remove from table with laser utensil when ready. Season to taste. Engine Upgrade recommended.

Or you can throw a bunch of Feedback Arrays on your Z-95s.

Call me a bad player, but I almost never win with a heavy ace on the table. I love to play Firesprays on social night, but when I compete, its almost always more worth it to take the 3-4 ships I can have in its place, even against maneuverable ships. Maintaining shots isn't the issue, it's easy with six or more firing arcs.

My main nagging concern about the hlc list is that the barrel rolling for distance keeps you from modifying your attack dice. Theres an answer somewhere but I don't know id its better than some of the existing swarms

Not a constant strategy, it depends on what the enemy is after. I have kept the Scyks separated from the Zs by a short distance. so they ahve to pick one. If he picks the Scyks, snake to inch forward and turn broadside on him with the other formation. If he picks the Z's do the opposite.

I highly recommend Drea Renthal over a Syndicate Thug. At 28 points with an ion turret, Unhinged Astromech, and the BTL-A4 title, she's only 3 points more than your standard Agromech Thug and fills the same role, just better. You'll have plenty of points left over for HLC Syck shenanigans and whatever else you want to swarm with.

My personal opinion is that the HLC scyk is not that cost effective. 23 pts for a 3 health ship that act at PS2 is not something I can thrust, it is easy to blow up before it even has a chance to fire or can be easily outmaneuver. Since you sinked almost half your points in those two ships, and thinking about actually investing more than half your points with a hull upgrade on each, I would personnaly go after them first if I were to go up against you.

If you have trouble with PtL Interceptors, maybe including Palob into your list to steal a token could help. Since you intend to run a swarm, I would do nothing fancy, just Palob with a Ion turret.

3 Pirate, 2 Cartel and Palob with Ion Turret. 11pts left for upgrades.

I highly recommend Drea Renthal over a Syndicate Thug. At 28 points with an ion turret, Unhinged Astromech, and the BTL-A4 title, she's only 3 points more than your standard Agromech Thug and fills the same role, just better. You'll have plenty of points left over for HLC Syck shenanigans and whatever else you want to swarm with.

I actually had Kavil in the first list, with Blaster Turret and Agromech. Drea might be worth a try to save some points and promote the Zs, though. I'll try it.

My personal opinion is that the HLC scyk is not that cost effective. 23 pts for a 3 health ship that act at PS2 is not something I can thrust, it is easy to blow up before it even has a chance to fire or can be easily outmaneuver. Since you sinked almost half your points in those two ships, and thinking about actually investing more than half your points with a hull upgrade on each, I would personnaly go after them first if I were to go up against you.

If you have trouble with PtL Interceptors, maybe including Palob into your list to steal a token could help. Since you intend to run a swarm, I would do nothing fancy, just Palob with a Ion turret.

3 Pirate, 2 Cartel and Palob with Ion Turret. 11pts left for upgrades.

I haven't seen anyone be successful with putting the Mangler cannon on them, though. I really think its HLC or nothing, so maybe nothing IS the better choice. I had played them once with no upgrades and I like the way they handle. That's 18 points I could save, 24 with the six I'm playing with. I'll run Palob with Blaster or Autoblaster or a thug with Blaster and Agromech. I'll test those, too. Thanks!

My personal opinion is that the HLC scyk is not that cost effective. 23 pts for a 3 health ship that act at PS2 is not something I can thrust, it is easy to blow up before it even has a chance to fire or can be easily outmaneuver. Since you sinked almost half your points in those two ships, and thinking about actually investing more than half your points with a hull upgrade on each, I would personnaly go after them first if I were to go up against you.

If you have trouble with PtL Interceptors, maybe including Palob into your list to steal a token could help. Since you intend to run a swarm, I would do nothing fancy, just Palob with a Ion turret.

3 Pirate, 2 Cartel and Palob with Ion Turret. 11pts left for upgrades.

I haven't seen anyone be successful with putting the Mangler cannon on them, though. I really think its HLC or nothing, so maybe nothing IS the better choice. I had played them once with no upgrades and I like the way they handle. That's 18 points I could save, 24 with the six I'm playing with. I'll run Palob with Blaster or Autoblaster or a thug with Blaster and Agromech. I'll test those, too. Thanks!

I'm not sure the Mangler is the solution either. For my part, it's nothing, a Ion Cannon or a Flechette Cannon. The Ion and Flechette Cannon doesn't give you more damage but raise your chance to actually hit and have the added benefit of controlling the board. Not sure it's worth the 4-5 points over a vanilla Scyk, but I'll have to try 2 Ion Scyk and 2 Flechette Scyk paired with Serissu sometime. But just one Ion Scyk should be a good inclusion in any team for 19pts, just to mess with your opponent a little.

I hate to bump my own thread but Id like some more suggestions and it got buried under the spammer.

Kavil with VI, EU, Unhinged, and ABT is a danger to any Interceptor/Phantom and only 32 points. Leaving you with plenty of points to bring a mini-swarm in. I'd pair him with a couple of Warthog Thugs to hopefully pin down some targets. Torkil and Palob are going companions too. You don't want the imitative though. You want Kavil moving last to see where his victims are so he can boost into range 1.

One thing I noticed in your picture is that you are pretty grouped together. Carnor loves when the enemy ships are tightly packed so he can deny them all spending tokens.

I've had a little trouble playing the scyks at first as well. When I loaded them with HLC they became huge targets. I'd suggest you use mangler cannons. I know most people here seem to not like them, but against tie fighters with no shields, when they hit they will chew through them fast. The issue is getting them to hit, so you have to give them every opportunity to succeed, which could mean upgrading them to Tansarii vets for predator, that way you can have a re-roll and focus almost every turn. Also, I think Serissu will help a lot with keeping the fragile ships alive.

Tansarii Point Veteran — M3-A Interceptor17 Predator3 "Mangler" Cannon4" Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon)2

Serissu — M3-A Interceptor20 Predator3 Flechette Cannon2 "Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon)2

Syndicate Thug — Y-Wing18 Ion Cannon Turret5

Binayre Pirate — Z-95 Headhunter12

Binayre Pirate — Z-95 Headhunter12

You can play with this one a little. It has decent control, and a lot of hp for the tie interceptors to chew through, especially when they get re-rolls. If they get within range 2 of the y-wing there is a good chance they will be hit especially if it goes last against an interceptor that blew through all it's tokens defending from the other ships. The obvious target for the enemy is Serissu, so you'll have to protect her, or change out the two Z-95s and get Kaa'To with bodyguard. He can steal a focus from one of the other ships that don't have a good shot and use bodyguard to pump Serissu's agility, and then you have 7 points to do what you will.

A list with Palob

Cartel Spacer — M3-A Interceptor14 Ion Cannon3 "Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon)2

Serissu — M3-A Interceptor20 Flechette Cannon2 "Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon)2

Kaa'To Leeachos — Z-95 Headhunter15 Binayre Pirate —

Z-95 Headhunter12

Palob Godalhi — HWK-29020Bodyguard2Ion Cannon Turret5Recon Specialist3

You could instead use Palob with bodyguard to help keep Serissu alive as well as strip a token off one of their ships. This list is more defensive, but you can downgrade Kaa'To to a binayre pilot and remove recon specialist to bump up the interceptor's offense.

Kavil with VI, EU, Unhinged, and ABT is a danger to any Interceptor/Phantom and only 32 points. Leaving you with plenty of points to bring a mini-swarm in. I'd pair him with a couple of Warthog Thugs to hopefully pin down some targets. Torkil and Palob are going companions too. You don't want the imitative though. You want Kavil moving last to see where his victims are so he can boost into range 1.

One thing I noticed in your picture is that you are pretty grouped together. Carnor loves when the enemy ships are tightly packed so he can deny them all spending tokens.

That exact Kavil build, as well as Push in place of VI have been suggested to me, thanks! I generally prefer NOT to have initiative, particularly with a Phantom or ship with boost. Also, someone mentioned to me yesterday that with Palob you also DO NOT want initiative, because of ships that get free tokens at the start of combat. So, most of the time, I choose to pass on initiative anyway. The biggest exception would be if I have a swarm without an ace, and my opponent has the same. I like to dive in front of him and break him up with blockers so he can't focus fire. However, those matchups are few and far between.

Also, good advice on the grouping. In both matches, I separated the Scyks from the Z's before the interceptors got closer than Range 3. Also, the next turn after the one in the image, Kavil broke right to open some distance from Carnor after the Zs and Scyks got out of his way.

Thank you!

I've had a little trouble playing the scyks at first as well. When I loaded them with HLC they became huge targets. I'd suggest you use mangler cannons. I know most people here seem to not like them, but against tie fighters with no shields, when they hit they will chew through them fast. The issue is getting them to hit, so you have to give them every opportunity to succeed, which could mean upgrading them to Tansarii vets for predator, that way you can have a re-roll and focus almost every turn. Also, I think Serissu will help a lot with keeping the fragile ships alive.

Tansarii Point Veteran — M3-A Interceptor17 Predator3 "Mangler" Cannon4" Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon)2

Serissu — M3-A Interceptor20 Predator3 Flechette Cannon2 "Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon)2

Syndicate Thug — Y-Wing18 Ion Cannon Turret5

Binayre Pirate — Z-95 Headhunter12

Binayre Pirate — Z-95 Headhunter12

You can play with this one a little. It has decent control, and a lot of hp for the tie interceptors to chew through, especially when they get re-rolls. If they get within range 2 of the y-wing there is a good chance they will be hit especially if it goes last against an interceptor that blew through all it's tokens defending from the other ships. The obvious target for the enemy is Serissu, so you'll have to protect her, or change out the two Z-95s and get Kaa'To with bodyguard. He can steal a focus from one of the other ships that don't have a good shot and use bodyguard to pump Serissu's agility, and then you have 7 points to do what you will.

A list with Palob

Cartel Spacer — M3-A Interceptor14 Ion Cannon3 "Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon)2

Serissu — M3-A Interceptor20 Flechette Cannon2 "Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon)2

Kaa'To Leeachos — Z-95 Headhunter15 Binayre Pirate —

Z-95 Headhunter12

Palob Godalhi — HWK-29020Bodyguard2Ion Cannon Turret5Recon Specialist3

You could instead use Palob with bodyguard to help keep Serissu alive as well as strip a token off one of their ships. This list is more defensive, but you can downgrade Kaa'To to a binayre pilot and remove recon specialist to bump up the interceptor's offense.

All good suggestions, thank you! I like your control approach here, and most wouldn't expect it in a "swarmer type" list. However, if I were to add an Ion or Flechette Cannon, I'd likely want multiple ships with 3+ attack dice. Control is nice, but damage is better, and I am likely looking at multiple 2 attack ships. Not to mention that with a list that will likely center on several Z95s, it can be difficult to get the most out of the ion effect because they're kind of clunky.

I highly recommend Drea Renthal over a Syndicate Thug. At 28 points with an ion turret, Unhinged Astromech, and the BTL-A4 title, she's only 3 points more than your standard Agromech Thug and fills the same role, just better. You'll have plenty of points left over for HLC Syck shenanigans and whatever else you want to swarm with.

I actually had Kavil in the first list, with Blaster Turret and Agromech. Drea might be worth a try to save some points and promote the Zs, though. I'll try it.

My personal opinion is that the HLC scyk is not that cost effective. 23 pts for a 3 health ship that act at PS2 is not something I can thrust, it is easy to blow up before it even has a chance to fire or can be easily outmaneuver. Since you sinked almost half your points in those two ships, and thinking about actually investing more than half your points with a hull upgrade on each, I would personnaly go after them first if I were to go up against you.

If you have trouble with PtL Interceptors, maybe including Palob into your list to steal a token could help. Since you intend to run a swarm, I would do nothing fancy, just Palob with a Ion turret.

3 Pirate, 2 Cartel and Palob with Ion Turret. 11pts left for upgrades.

I haven't seen anyone be successful with putting the Mangler cannon on them, though. I really think its HLC or nothing, so maybe nothing IS the better choice.

Really? At that point you might as well simply drop them to Zs. I've played several games with both versions, though not naked.

I really think the 20 points Scyk with a mangler is a great ship. I was a bit leery of them at first, but after playing with them both ways, they are often the surprise performers and don't draw attention and end up being my most efficient buy. However, that might be because they are not the "obvious" heavy hitters in my list and don't draw attention early.

Without a cannon, they aren't going to touch an interceptor (or a lot of other tanky ships) unless they are at R1, a place they don't really want to be.

With HLCs they become too much of a glass cannon and more worthwhile for your opponent to go after right away.

Your second list is one that I had been looking at myself, and am sad to hear it failed you. I've been also thinking a lot on how to make a good Scum Swarm. If you can borrow another Syck, one of the ideas I came up with is:

Serissu - VI, HS, Ion, Hull

Cartel - HS, Mangler

Cartel - HS, HLC

Binyare - Feedback Array X2

Serissu is PS 10 and can hopefully Ion a high PS target to setup your Binyares next turn to block and FA. Against an Interceptor, its a death sentence. The Cartels are prime targets, but not before Serissu is down, giving you more opportunities to make those cannons hurt. And I like the HLC then Mangler to put the hurt on turtled or high shield/hull targets. It still doesn't get rid of the glass cannon problem that Sycks suffer from, but helps a bit.