I've been fudging around with a Squad based off the TIE Advanced now that the Raider is about to be released. I centered it on Stele, Vader, and Kir Kanos rounding things off.

Vader (29): TIE/x1 (0), Squad Leader (2), Shield Upgrade (4), ATC (1)

Stele (27): TIE/x1 (0), Marksmanship (3), Shield Upgrade (4), ATC (1)

Kir Kanos (24): Royal Guard TIE (0), Autothrusters (2), Hull Upgrade (3)

My hopes are for the TAs to fly in formation and draw the attention of my opponent. Letting Vader run around unmolested is never a good idea anyway. Vader will have the flexibility of his 2 actions to either take 2 actions on himself or put one on Stele. Either way, they will both be using their high PS to try to get target locks as soon as they enter range 3 to add the automatic crit onto the attack. As enemy shields start to deplete, Stele will be able to use the extra action (or his original) to activate Marksmanship in the hopes of obtaining a second crit. Given the ratios of damage cards, it's likely that 2 crit hits would either result in 4 hull damage or reducing the enemy ship to uselessness for at least one turn (blinded pilot etc.)

Kanos would stay on the outer reaches of the battle in order to make use of the extra agility dice while picking up evades each turn to either get the autohit in or extra evasiveness in case he draws the attention of a fighter. The extra hull and shields allow the Interceptor to survive better against random hits and turns the Advanced into a Defender in terms of shields, agility, hull, and attack (with TL present).

Big disadvantages that I see with this are against swarms that could block or flank the TAs and against ships like the Falcon with large numbers of hit points compared to the fighters. I think this would be best suited for similarly fat squads in order to snipe expensive pieces before they can make effective use of their abilities.

Turr Phennir is a better buy than Kir. At all ranges.

Drop Marksmanship for Calculation. =) Its much more usefu and allows you to spend the focus on defense if youre in a bind.

That's workable. I also figured that I could put in Night Beast and Winged Gundark. I wind up with 2 more attack dice, 2 more hull, and more spread on my points.

I want to try this:

97 points

Darth Vader (33) TIE Advanced (29), TIE/x1 (0), Predator (3), Advanced Targeting Computer (5)

Maarek Stele (29) TIE Advanced (27), TIE/x1 (0), Calculation (1), Advanced Targeting Computer (5)

AND

a) Soontir Fel (35) TIE Interceptor (27), Royal Guard TIE (0), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2), Stealth Device (3)

b) Colonel Vessery (35)

c) Howlrunner (18) and another TIE.

If you're considering using Vessery (a great idea considering the TAs should have TL going as often as possible), another idea would be to have Vader take a 2 point elite and give Vessery Engine Upgrade. You can then regain half the distance that you moved conducting the white 4 J turn. This is great for blocking and for getting range 1 shots on ships that have moved out of your firing arc. If Vader had Squad Leader (and was in range) you could even use his shared action to allow the Defender to get a Focus or BR in order to get into better firing position. Assuming you attacked the same target as a TA the previous turn, you could even add a free TL onto that J turn when you're likely to be right in the target's face.

At that point, you pretty much have 3 vanilla named Defenders (with TL active) with 2 being Turn N' Burn and 1 a Boom N' Zoom.