Okay, campers, I'll admit, I haven't been playing since Wave 1 or even 2 or 3. (Okay it was just after 6, if you must know). But I'm a quick study and I've long thought the Starviper was an awesome design since the halcyon days of Shadows Of The Empire back in '96.

That being said, the one of kind, Lamborghini-esque in looks, Starviper sure doesn't seem to get much love. Which is why I took it upon myself to do some field testing. For science. Mostly. (And definitely not because I loathe swarms and like to play kid chaos against the meta...)

So, based on the fiction (which I'm sure you've all read, obviously), we know that Xizor had the Virago commissioned so he could have the best toy of all the rich kids, and he also had his very own hugely expensive human-replicant bodyguard(or deadly robo sex doll depending on how TV-MA you like to live your life). Thus I've put together the following and so far it's been crushing it:

Xizor+Virago+Push The Limit+Autothrusters+Accuracy Corrector

Guri+Bodyguard+Autothrusters

Kavil+Autoblaster Turret

The strategy here centers on flying the vipers close together while Kavil brings up the rear. Clearly the shortfall with the Autoblaster is the limited range, but making those arc-dodging jerks unable to counter base hits via defense dice, really counts for something while they try to avoid the three attack dice coming of the vipers. Outside of that, keeping Guri out front and putting the pressure on the most pressing target means getting those free Focus tokens that you can then hand off to Xizor for a reliable four defense dice for the round. This is such an apparent combination that seems to fall on deaf ears, which appalls me.

At this point my opponents seem to figure out he jig, which normally would be the part where it breaks down. Apart from Ion tokens, and the rare Assault Missiles, knowing the workings of this play doesn't detract from its effectiveness. The key being no one ship is carrying the team making target prioritization a real tricky sitch. Xizor can use his ability to hand off those inopportune crits to Kavil's shield, basically biding time, while you pick out those obnoxious Soontirs, Dash Rendars and then work your way down the food chain.

The endgame with this setup is brutal. Avoiding the viper's arc lets you set up dragging an enemy into Kavil outside of arc bonus at Autoblaster range where he can just gnash teeth and spew obscenity when you use that target lock to change two crits and a blank to fully average double hit.

I'm tinkering with some adjustments but as this setup has gone 7-0 against a variety of different lists, I think it's a solid base to build on!

I don't like Kavil in this list. He's way too easy to kill (and to do so before he can contribute meaningfully).

I also don't feel bodyguard Guri is an effective use of her....talents (despite the fact she's on the frikkin card). In fact, I'd go so far as to say Guri is better than Xizor. Speaking of whom, you can't really take advantage of Xizor's ability in this list because you don't want him passing damage off to either of those other two ships...

This is how I would run it:

Xizor w/ predator + autothrusters = 36

Guri w/ push the limit, virago, advanced sensors + autothrusters = 39

2 binayre pirates = 12 x 2

99

Now at first you might think this doesn't follow the 'fluff'---I mean the virago's Xizor's ship! But that's just how cunning he is: put's his uber-expensive bodyguard in so it flies as a 'decoy'. He hangs back behind his peons flinging out death thanks to predator re-roll(s). The pirates provide bait and act as blockers so Xizor can pour the damage on without having to worry about getting hurt in retaliation (as long as the pirates are within range 1). Meanwhile Guri flies in from a flank in her suped up virago and becomes an actual nightmare in any 1v1 endgame situation...

kavil i get, but Guri there baffles me

you have your opponent staring down at you

he sees the two starvipers

one is Xizor, sitting pretty on four agility, probably a focus, and his ability to "cancel" damage by passing it off.

the other is guri, sitting completely naked on three green dice and no defensive tokens

he sure as **** isn't shooting Xizor

Xizor is more than defensive enough with his awesome ability, so much so that he's basically garanteed to be the last of your ships standing because no one in their right mind would ever shoot him first. You don't need to laden poor Guri with one of the worst cards out there just to give Xizor one more die

lastly, after having played and loved the named Vipers , I believe PTL is a waste of their excellent dial. Without the evade action, it just seems more efficient to slap on either Predator or Virago + FCS (great fun for freeing up Xizor's EPT slot for V.I, giving you a PS 9) and keeping yourself open for the beautiful 1-turn and segnor's loops

Thanks for the feed back Ficklegreendice. I've been one the fence about PTL, but as I was enjoying a good run of success utilizing it didn't seem like anything to worry about.

As for Bodyguard, I avoided it too, for many of the obvious reasons, but I did mean to add that it is also useful to hand an extra defense die off to Kavil when the sitch calls for it. I think that most players are loathe to make Guri to anything aside from the typical Virago load.

The alternate version for this setup lookalike this:

Xizor-Autothrusters-Virago-Fire Control System- Veteran Instincts

Guru- as listed above

Kavil-Blaster Turret- Unhinged Astromech

I know what the typical play is concerning Guri, been there done that. This is a new approach. Give it a shot (either this one or the original I posted), maybe it'll surprise you...

Thanks again guys, keep the feed back coming!

lastly, after having played and loved the named Vipers , I believe PTL is a waste of their excellent dial. Without the evade action, it just seems more efficient to slap on either Predator or Virago + FCS (great fun for freeing up Xizor's EPT slot for V.I, giving you a PS 9) and keeping yourself open for the beautiful 1-turn and segnor's loops

The thing with Push the Limit on Guri is that it actually works provided you don't use it all the time. Advanced sensors helps add value (since there are a number of times when your best move happens to be a green one anyway). But the primary reason for going with PtL over predator is that range 1 four dice shot is almost always going to be 4 damage (most likely 1 or more crits too). Not only is that kind of damage clutch, but the threat of that can change how your opponent flies (because they want to do anything else but end up range1 inside Guri's arc). Never underestimate the power of psychology!

The other reason its good is barrel roll + boost. There are times when you absolutely need that double move to save Guri's butt. Sensor Jammer + Lone Wolf is another good route to go on her, but it results in a different flying style. Push + adv sensors fits better when flying 4+ ships (which I think this list needs).

As for Bodyguard Guri.....I haven't got anything constructive to say about it. I don't need to try Darth Vader crew on a phantom to know its just not going to work----this is basically the same...

Bodyguard is really a bad card. So far in the Scum faction there isn't a low enough PS pilot with an EPT to run it effectively. They need a PS 4 or 3 with an EPT. If you must run it I'd run it on Leachos and that's it. I rather it work like a pseudo Biggs ability, if your within range 1 you may take one of the damages from a higher PS pilot. Adding a green die for a focus isn't a very good trade off.

bodyguard is far less garbage on Palob

as for Guri, while she can be good with Virago I don't believe she needs it (much prefer it for PS 9, FCS xizor). Predator and thrusters are imo more than enough to make her a threat, anything extra is just gravy.

Body guard isn't bad if it hasn't worked for you. I've actually been getting a lot of use out of it. The whole idea is that Guri,nor anyone else is the 'centerpiece', I don't rely on one ship to be the hammer. The list is centered on using all the ships together.

I have found this is the trap with most players, they focus on one 'star player' with the others merely there to distract and soak up damage. This one can't play that way.

I'm not saying that's the reason for it's success, but it certainly helps. I dismissed Bodyguard for a hot minute too, and I'm certainly not saying it's super flexible and should be used every where, but the right tools for the job at hand.

I can't understand why your opponents would give Xizor the opportunity to "hand off inopportune crits." Why would anyone shoot at His Purple Highness rather than either of the other two more appealing targets? Particularly the dude with 1 defence die, no defensive upgrades, no ability to arc-dodge and a potentially scary 3-dice undodgable R1 bubble around him? I can see people getting suckered in to passing up R3 shots at Kavil to focus R1 shots on Guri, but what can you do to make people shoot at Xizor if they've got literally any other option?

Also, what's the thinking with Accuracy Corrector over Advanced Sensors (or FCS) for the Prince? Particularly given that you're running PTL?

The question about shooting at Xizor iswhy I brought this to the community. I hadn't really thought about that much. But again, The idea is to spread around the amount of decision making that the opponent has to make. I feel that when presented with many options rather than the obvious one an opponent is likely to make mistakes (this comes from other games but psychology is fairly transferable. The ability to hand off Guri's focus to Xizor OR Kavil is the win really since they both have higher PS than she does.

My initial thinking with Accuracy Corrector was simply to have reliable damage, but upon further review the FCS is the better call as I can expect more crits over the course of the game.

The alternate set up factoring most of today's feedback looks like this:

Prince Xizor (37)
StarViper (31), Veteran Instincts (1), Virago (1), Autothrusters (2), Fire-Control System (2)

Guri (34)
StarViper (30), Bodyguard (2), Autothrusters (2)

Kavil (29)
Y-Wing (24), Blaster Turret (4), Unhinged Astromech (1)

If you spend Guri's focus for Bodyguarding either Xizor or Kavil, I'm shooting her. If you aren't in range 1 you'll have no focus for defense. The only thing that could possibly help her is ATs. So you are basically wasting a focus and your EPT. Try this:

Xizor + VI + Virago + FCS + ATs + IDs = 38

Guri + VI + ATs = 33

Leeachos + Bodyguard = 17

Binary = 12

Leeachos can take the focus from the Binary and spend it to buff Guri's agility, which he can now that she's PS 7. Now you have two hard to hit SVs. You almost force your opponent into shooting Leeachos first, which is what you want. He acts like a cheap Biggs in this case. Once he's dead, he'll probably go for Guri, but by then you are likely in a knife fight, which the SV excels in. I haven't flown this squad yet, but in theory it should be decent.

This is how I would run it:

Xizor w/ predator + autothrusters = 36

Guri w/ push the limit, virago, advanced sensors + autothrusters = 39

2 binayre pirates = 12 x 2

99

Flew something similar recently - only differences were Xizor had Push, Guri had Lone Wolf and the Binayres were upgrades to Black Sun Soldiers (because BLACK SUN).

Went up against a triple Interceptor & Shuttle list. Both StarVipers survived.

I will note that Guri was utter amazeballs, even if Lone Wolf kicked in twice at best.

This is how I would run it:

Xizor w/ predator + autothrusters = 36

Guri w/ push the limit, virago, advanced sensors + autothrusters = 39

2 binayre pirates = 12 x 2

99

Flew something similar recently - only differences were Xizor had Push, Guri had Lone Wolf and the Binayres were upgrades to Black Sun Soldiers (because BLACK SUN).

Went up against a triple Interceptor & Shuttle list. Both StarVipers survived.

I will note that Guri was utter amazeballs, even if Lone Wolf kicked in twice at best.

Cool. Yeah range 1 Guri is scary as hell

I like Lone Wolf + Sensor Jammer, but advanced sensors is great too. Thing I love about Guri is that despite being PS 5, dat dial makes up for having to move before higher PS. My last match was against a guy running Wedge, Biggs and Keyan, and using Push with advanced sensors allowed a barrel roll + boost that put me range 1 out of arc of Wedge's final position----arc-dodging higher PS opponents is even more satisfying

These are all good points, but I have a hard time fielding weenie ships like the Binayre Pirate just so they can be used as fodder because I couldn't get more creative with my extra points. That's just me though.

I hadn't thought of transferring Virago to Guri, but I can see how that might be a good call. I'm gonna take some of this stuff with me into a few games this weekend and we'll see how the market research goes...