My list: 100pts

Kath Scarlet

Predator

Heavy Laser Cannon

Engine Upgrade

IG-88B

Veteran Instincts

Fire Control System

Heavy Laser Cannon

Autothrusters

Why Kath over another IG-88? it has a rear firing arc (4 attack dice with kath) and adds different movement options. Right now the crew slot is empty but I am tinkering with a few ideas including tactician or perhaps rebel captive recon specialist.

His List: 100pts

Leebo

HLC

Title

Recon Specialist

Corran Horn

FCS

R2-D2

Engine Upgrade/Shield Upgrade

Two games were played. He used EU on Corran game 1 and then switched this to Shield Upgrade game2.

Both games were very close. Game 1 I forgot to use predator once or twice (im new to this loadout on Kath) and game 2 I forgot to use once again!

These lists matchup was very evenly. We simulated tournament rounds and timed both games.

Game1. Im very rusty with my IG-88 having flown it just once before but i setup my ships range2 from each other angling through the asteroid field towards the right edge of the board. He sets up to come down my right flank. Turn 1 he slow rools forward to see what I am up to. Kath (who is positioned nearest the middle goes 3 forward and IG-88 cuts in behind her with a 2 sharp. Its a good opening move for me as now I can tuck IG-88 in behind Kath for the next few moves and not worry about bumping into her. I go for Corran this game and manage to get him down to one hull after a few turns and take him out soon after. I eventually loose my IG-88 (and am unlucky pulling two direct hits on him in consecutive turns), with under two mins on the clock Leebo and Kath square off. Its very close. We are both one 2 hull or so and I get taken out in the last turn.

Game2. I make a direct rush at Corran who is on my left positioned in the corner. He opts to split Leebo and put him in the other corner. I get some early damage on Corran but he circles away and comes back at full health. I felt my ships were too close and a hindrance to one another this game and realise I have to keep them at range2 from each other to maximise my options on both dials. This game goes to time and we are both left with one ship. My 52pt Kath and his 48pt Corran.

Lessons learned:

1) i need to build in a 'can I use predator?' phase when I am planning so I dont forget to use it!

2) i must use the asteroid belt to create channels for my ships, this includes positioning one obstacle near the edge so i can visually measure my IG-88s k-turns knowing i wont fly off the board. My lack of experience flying this ship showed a bit and with more practice i can confidently s-loop or k-turn towards the edge.

3) my ships operate best moving from the centre towards the edges, s-looping or k-turning with IG-88 and using Kaths rear arc to maximum advantage.

4) the list has good firepower. Two HLC's and 4 red dice from the rear arc from Kath can hurt. I like how the two ships movement options complement eachother. While IG-88 is repositioning, Kath is offering supporting fire from her rear arc.

5) my list is solid. His squad was undefeated in our local playgroup and I was close to taking it out both games. I didnt play without mistakes. I bumped into my own ships once and landed on an obstacle once (just rusty) so if i eliminate those mistakes with more practice i feel i can beat this list although right now its a coin flip.

6) i am thinking of some minor tweeks to my list. Predator didnt quite feel right (when i remembered to use it!). i may switch it to VI and Tactician but i like moving kath before the IG-88. Lone Wolf on Kath is also an option, it adds defense but also some limitations with how i fly the list.

7) downgrading the HLC on Kath to a mangler cannon will allow me to play either recon specialist or rebel captive or tactician on her as well. All 3 are good options depending on what you are trying to do. I like how rebel captive is active all the time and doesnt cost an action. I also like how recon specialist adds defense. Tactician here doesnt seem to be optimal as those range2 shots are inconsistent versus a top opponent.

8) K4 Security Droid looks very solid and it just might make the cut, perhaps better than Predator on Kath but will make her a bit more predictable to fly as there isnt much green on the firesprays dial.

Any feedback here is welcome.

You can't put Rebel Captive on a Scum ship - Imperial only.

Tactician is mostly useless BUT when you can tag Soontir with it, you're glad you have it.

Two ships need lots of firepower. Keep the HLC on Kath, don't bother with the Mangler Cannon.

I'd ditch HLC on Kath and go Mangler with Recon Spec. The extra focus will make her much tanker. I would also consider Lone Wolf on Kath.

Edit:gahh it looks like you considered everything I suggested in your own post, lol. Started skimming at the end

Tactician is mostly useless BUT when you can tag Soontir with it, you're glad you have it.

As for the list itself, I like it although I'm not convinced HLC is necessary on Kath thanks to her ability. I think you might want to try out the different crews and see what works for you. I could see any of the following combos being useful (I'm sure there's others):

Predator + recon + mangler

PtL + K4 + proximity mines + inertial dampeners

lone wolf + tactician + ion cannon + 3 pts for maybe seismic on IG88 and Inertial dampeners on someone?

You can't put Rebel Captive on a Scum ship - Imperial only.

Tactician is mostly useless BUT when you can tag Soontir with it, you're glad you have it.

Two ships need lots of firepower. Keep the HLC on Kath, don't bother with the Mangler Cannon.

edit made. im previously an imperial kath player so those habits die hard, i miss rebel captive

Tactician is mostly useless BUT when you can tag Soontir with it, you're glad you have it.

I think what you mean is, you haven't found a good use for it other than 'trying to tag soontir' because it can be a powerful card against all kinds of opponents. Consider a ship with stress: if it wants an action, it must do a green (on the vast majority of ships that reduces options to very few) or else it can do a white to be less predictible and reds are dumber than dumb. No matter what your opponent chooses, its advantageous for you: if he picks the one or two green moves, you have him (because you planned for that, right?) and if he picks a white, he has no action and stuck with the same difficult choice next turn...

As for the list itself, I like it although I'm not convinced HLC is necessary on Kath thanks to her ability. I think you might want to try out the different crews and see what works for you. I could see any of the following combos being useful (I'm sure there's others):

Predator + recon + mangler

PtL + K4 + proximity mines + inertial dampeners

lone wolf + tactician + ion cannon + 3 pts for maybe seismic on IG88 and Inertial dampeners on someone?

predator/mangler/reconspecialist looks strong. iv seen a similar loadouton YT-2000 and its nasty.

Version 2.0

100pts

38 Kath Scarlet

03 Predator

04 Mangler Cannon (new)

03 Recon Specialist (new)

04 Engine Upgrade

52 Points

36 IG-88B (no changes)

01 Veteran Instincts

02 Fire Control System

07 Heavy Laser Cannon

02 Autothrusters

48 Points

The addition of Recon Specialist and Mangler Cannon do a number of things for my list:

1) Damage output from Kath is more consistent. Focus fire backed up by Mangler Cannon will allow Kath to deliver crits consistently as well as let her use focus offensively more often. Recon Specialist has excellent synergy with Predator, the reroll(s) of at least one blank each attack is great when you know any eye result is an automatic hit.

2) Recon Specialist improves Kath defensively, letting her keep one or occasionally both focus tokens for defense.

3) Changing HLC to Mangler on Kath may switch target priority from Kath to IG-88 (if it wasnt on him already) who has 3 green dice and AT. Why? Because he has HLC with ability to back it up with a second FCS boosted attack. Its not a clear choice for them. 52pts for Kath and 48pts for IG-88B. Which would you go for first?

Personally I would do this:

99 points

PILOTS

IG88-B [Veteran Instincts, Fire-Control System, Heavy Laser Cannon, Inertial Dampeners, Autothrusters] (49)

Kath Scarlet [Push the Limit, K4 Security Droid, Feedback Array, Engine Upgrade] (50)

With Engine, you usually use your action to get Kath to point her tail end the correct way, then you lose out on your double focus from Recon. I've always found that to be fighting each other. PTL gives you the ability to boost and still take a focus, while taking a green move will give you that TL for a pretty powerful rear shot. I like your IG-B. Usually I fly VI Boba so PS6 IG is good enough (I go with Predator, AdS, Mangler), but with PS7 Kath, a PS8 IG is good against other IGs. Dampner is a life saver, and the FBA on Kath is pretty huge since she has HP, can turtle, and prevents Soontir and others from getting to R1 of her quite well.

1 point for init bid against other PS8 IG lists.