So I haven't been able to play with the scum ships too much yet, with work and school and what-not.
But I remember being excited to put a HLC on a small, cheap ship.
But after looking on the forum, they are barely even mentioned in any builds!
What makes them such a bad pick? Too squishy? No boost? Poor synergy?
Just thought I'd ask!
too squishy and not points efficient (so even cheap HLCs would get reliably out-diced by tie fighters, and I've definitely done it with Z-95s and Xizor)
lack of auto-thrusters means the primary weapon turrets ruin it, because that's what happens when you play a ship that requires skillful maneuvering to survive 
Not really cost efficient in any possible loadout. For lots of examples scroll down to wave 6 here -- even with a cannon they can't break a "standard" efficiency, and they really don't have anything else going for them.
For me, lack of time. When I'll start using them, I want to dedicate a couple of build around them to really see how they fly. But wave 6 introduced so many new ship, pilots and upgrade that I still haven't gotten around them all. I'm currently experimenting with the Viper, once I'm done with it, or need a little change, the Scyk is next on my list. I tried it a little when it came out and I really liked it. Not sure about the cannon slot though, I think I prefer them vanilla, or with an EPT.
Edit: I'll definetly try them out with some Ion and Flechette Cannon for a Scyk control build. Something along the line of:
2x Cartel Spacer with Flechette Cannon
2x Cartel Spacer with Ion Cannon
Laetin with Mangler Cannon
Edited by Red CastlePlus they don't have a 1-forward. An HLC that can't slow-roll just isn't as effective.
Looking forward to being wrong about it, but I just can't make them work. I faced them twice in competitive tournaments. 100-0 wins both times.
well they technically have seri (and I think it was the HLC cartel that gets sorta close to good value with seri)
having used her, though, she's incredibly clunky
she can't be used as a super scyk because she's frail (can't re-roll herself) and has to fly in formation (no arc-dodging without wasting her ability), and flown naked she's still 20 points. Good fun with Palob though, really forces some unattractive shots.
Honestly I think their best configuration is a cheap 19 point ion throwaway, but they really are squishy as sin, so it's hard to get value back out of them because they just explode.
They are, at a minimum, 2-3 points overcosted once you factor in the title. Given that the restrictions on the dial and the softness of the ship should have been enough to mitigate cannon-spam, it makes it functionally inefficient IMO. Base 13 plus 1 point title might have seen some play, but 14 + 2 on ship that frail is not enticing.
Honestly I think their best configuration is a cheap 19 point ion throwaway, but they really are squishy as sin, so it's hard to get value back out of them because they just explode.
But they're so cute! Surely that's worth something!
My experience with them has either been excellent or horrible. They either pull a lot of weight in the list or blow up when looked at. I think they are 1 point too expensive across the board.
The Tansarii is 20 points by the time you put a decent EPT on them and you haven't even included a cannon. Laetin has a pretty situational ability and is in the mid 20s with a cannon. Serious is essentially a 3 hitpoint Biggs. She gets more evade dice, but good luck with those.
They are so cool looking but unfortunately they are made out of paper mache, hopes, and dreams all held together by the tears of the previous pilot before meeting there fiery painful demise.
seriously. design dropped the ball on this one. =(
We even all knew that it had to not cost 14 if it was gonna be worth while.
Its just taking glass cannon to the extreme.
Heres my fav syck build
As others have already said--I've had it in play several times, and it's too squishy.
The best way to use it would be taking one as an HLC carrier and keeping it as a sniper in a list that had other early target priorities, since its lack of defense doesn't matter in a match where your opponent can't afford to shoot at it. But I can't come up with anything in Scum that people are more afraid of than that cheap HLC.
Edited by Vorpal SwordThese things should have cost 12 points like TIEs and Headhunters do. Then they'd be viable to use naked and it would offset the tax to get secondary weapon slots.
I got three of them and I love them in Epic games. Loadout: Title, Mango and HU. They are fast and if you bring more important targets like Defenders with HLCs and a Decimator, they will survive longer and can be really nasty to that CR90 backend. Due to this fact, we started calling them "Schmeissfliege" (=blowfly) over here :-)
In 100point games, they never worked for me. Those Z95 are just too point-effective...
not putting Mangler or HLC really makes them ineffective in their damage output. But after you put on those cannons you really want to put on a shield upgrade to keep the alive which really drives up the point cost to where you might be better off with shuttles. Trust me the most boring games are loads of 2 firepower with 3 evade dice.
If they cost 12 points why would you ever use Headhunters?
As others have already said--I've had it in play several times, and it's too squishy.
The best way to use it would be taking one as an HLC carrier and keeping it as a sniper in a list that had other early target priorities, since its lack of defense doesn't matter in a match where your opponent can't afford to shoot at it. But I can't come up with anything in Scum that people are more afraid of than that cheap HLC.
Even then, a competent player is not going to let you flank him with a single glass cannon. Your opponent will divert his attention to that one ship and summarily execute it. Against a higher PS high firepower list (i.e. most of the meta lists right now), it'll explode before even firing once.
If they cost 12 points why would you ever use Headhunters?
illicit slot and shield
12 points is probably too little, 13 would already help very helpful (you could fit Seri in a 7 scyk swarm 
)
I dont think the basic cost are the problem but the upgrades just add up too quickly to justify them on a squishy ship like that.
When ive first seen them i loved the conept and i liked the model. However whenever i try to make a list with them i end up with them beeing far too many points in a 4 hull ship that has relatively low maneauverability and survivability.
As some others said its just soo easy to focus fire it and the little defensive capabilities that you can add make it cost more again...
If you dont upgrade them they feel like expensive TIE-Fighters with low abilities to push the swarm (missing Howlrunner/backstabber... and/or similar pilots).
The title card should have been free, when you add an HLC to them they become an expensive tie fighter
If they cost 12 points why would you ever use Headhunters?
Headhunters would still be better wingmen for Xizor and platforms for Feedback Arrays.
The title card should have been free, when you add an HLC to them they become an expensive tie fighter
If the cost reduction was on the title and not on the base ship it does nothing for making the naked Scyk an attractive choice for lists.
The title card should have been free, when you add an HLC to them they become an expensive tie fighter
I agree with this. I'm guessing they didn't do this so that you didn't have super cheap HLC platforms running around...
But that's what we wanted! Plus, there's no way anyone's taking missiles or torps with these guys. Even if the cannon option is a point, the munitions option should be 0.