I have been fooling around with a lot of builds, primarily focusing on that EPT slot. I have both bros with advanced sensors now, one with mangler and the other with HLC.

My present go-to is Predator on mangler and PTL on HLC. I have played with opportunist/predator, wingman (on one) and several other builds. VI is the one that many pilots love but I just can't get behind. One EPT I have been really shy about using is Expert Handling.

This is one I really want some of your feedback on. I feel like Iggy has a lot to lose when he doesn't focus, but the ability to barrel roll seems like it might give a real solid competitive edge. What do you think about EH and what's your rational behind your EPT selection?

I've been running PTL without exception so far. The stress is incredibly easy to clear and since I use Advanced Sensors I usually go into combat unstressed, so if I need to perform an S-loop or K-turn I can do them with no preparation.

Expert Handling seems like it could be really good if you have a way of reliably getting target locks or focus tokens. Maybe run it with FCS?

You should check out hothie's work on his "Yin and Yang" list over in the Battle Reports forum. He was running Expert Handling on 88C (with Advanced Sensors) and having some good success with it. It allows the Aggressor to slow play much better and work to hold an engagement at Range 3.

I don't trust naked dice and neither should anyone

I also find that stressed IGs are among the easier ships in the game to deal with unless they're coming out of a red maneuver (so probably behind you) or dampening for a crazy shot

ergo, I would not use an ept talent that did not modify dice results (either through re-rolls or extra actions) and I would not leave home without advanced Sensors (which just skyrockets your flexibility and maneuverability, down to even being able to stop yourself by bumping with no cost)

I've run EH and advanced sensors before and found it worked ok. Being able to shed Target Locks from Fire control systems helped a lot. But in the end I don't really like being stressed with them. In my local meta there's a lot of stress builds with either R3-A2, tactician, or Rebel Captive. This starts to shut down my options. Lately I've been toying with Adrenaline Rush. Being able to S-loop or K-Turn even while stressed has been extremely helpful. I know it's a one shot, but sometimes all you need is that.

To echo what mrfroggies and ficklegreendice said, I am not a fan of voluntarily stressing my Aggressors beyond what their dial inflicts upon them.

I run Predator myself. Lone Wolf is also strong in a dual Aggressor build, and I have considered Adrenaline Rush. I find that I almost always get use out of Predator, whereas Push the Limit is something you use occasionally in most games, and not at all in other matches (versus Panic Attack or Decimators loaded with stress generating mechanics, for example).

Predator for me. It either ensures that I hit Soontir or that I cause devastating damage to academy pilots.

PTL and advanced sensors go hand in hand on an agressor, letting you focus evade/boost evade/target lock and pull a green to clear it is amazingly powerful. Of course this is assuming you are running B & C.

I can see the use of predator, however turtling up with a 3 agility ship with autothrusters is nasty. While stress from rebel captive or rebel control builds is nasty, it all depends on how widespread this is in your meta.

I currently use Predator on B w/Mangler and Expert Handling on D with HLC. I don't... dislike it, but unmodified HLCs are very hit or miss, since I always save my focus for defense unless I still have it and I'm shooting last (I don't trust autothrusters not to give me triple focus at the worst time). I've tried Lone wolf, but I've found that aggressors are large enough they often find themselves too close together.

I am not big on Lone Wolf, I like to run my aggressors tight. Predator on one has worked well. PTL on the other has been pretty good for me so far. The problem I have been finding with PTL is the Sloop turn, particularly during parking lot situations. I have a stress and wind up behind them. I now have just a Focus. That's round ONE of less modified attacks. I have to complete my move before taking another action, which means no bumping, and if I bump, I am in a bad situation. Either way, I can't PTL this turn as that turns off the Adv Sensors PTL chain. That makes it round TWO of less modified attacks or worse, a round without any modification.

If I am free, then on this third round I can begin my PTL chain again, however, I have already moved at least once (green) from my Sloop or Kturn and probably need to reposition, generally with a hard turn. Unless the opponent tried to run directly away from me in a straight line, this is the typical situation. Alternatively, I am still in the parking lot and while I can double action, the shooting options both ways are fairly limited. This creates THREE rounds of less than ideal firing.

Three combat rounds, notably. That's more than enough time for the local Z-95's to swoop in and get range 1 shots while you're still trying to find the "on" switch for your 4-hit magic-death-cannon, rolling only 2 hits each time in the meantime on average.

Predator gives you a lot more freedom, and with predator may be rerolling fewer dice, but the situation works out more like this.

Combat rounds starting with a sloop or k-turn:

R1: Adv S. Focus, sloop. You now have a predator reroll and focus and a stress. Out of the likely 4 dice you are rolling, you can reroll one, increasing your average closer to 3 hits.

R2: Green move to remove stress. If you bump now, you still have your reroll, if you don't bump, you are back to reroll/focus.

R3: You aren't stressing yourself anyway so pursue at your leisure with any turns you want.

This is one big reason I like Wingman on one bot so much, it can alleviate much of the issues with taking any self-stress on the bots. It doesn't do much against stress applied by enemy effects, but it really opens up your next-turn options.

I think one of the main problems players have with buzzdroids is to not equip them as the same. One ship is going to die. IF you load them out exactly then B is going to bite it unless you leave it out of the game and let C suffer most of the attacks which will overload autothursters. The trick it to make B the cheaper ship which also helps out in the mirrors. If B is destroyed well that is not half the points so more than 50% of the list is still on the table. If that give B's powerful extra shot ability used more often.

I am not big on Lone Wolf, I like to run my aggressors tight. Predator on one has worked well. PTL on the other has been pretty good for me so far. The problem I have been finding with PTL is the Sloop turn, particularly during parking lot situations.

I snipped most of your post, but your logic is expressly why I don't enjoy running PTL on my Aggressors. I have before, and sometimes it is amazing (when you can turtle up) and sometimes it is junk (for all the myriad reasons you stipulate). I stick with Predator because it is very rare that I don't get some use out of it.