It's no secret that the M3-A Interceptor has been left behind when it comes to Scum squad building. While the dual IGs and Bobas do well in tournaments and even the HWKs gets some action with builds like a decked out Palob and Torkil the lowly M3 sits alone, occasionally visited by the starviper, and watches while the others have fun. I have some ideas that will(hopefully) change that. So, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you(drumroll):

"Standardized production" -1p

Title

M3-A interceptor only

This card counts as negative squad point cost.

Now I know that point reductions are the most boring kind of fix imaginable but I think it adds some depth to customizing your Scyk, by equipping Standardized production you give up the opportunity to use the "Heavy Scyk" title, thus giving letting the Scyk be the headhunter alternative it was meant to be. This upgrade is best suited if you want to fly your M3s swarm style or as a mini swarm escorting a larger ship. But this does not fix the issue with the use of glass cannon Scyks does it? But wait, for this issue too, I have a solution.

"Optimized armaments" 0pts

M3-A interceptor only

Modification

If you equip a cannon, missile or torpedo upgrade, it's squad points cost is reduced by 4, to a minimum of 0.

Now, remember that the "Heavy Scyk" title by itself costs 2 points, this could also be considered a way to bring ordnance back in the game, as you could load the Scyks up with proton rockets and other missiles and torpedoes alike! I should mention that all point costs in this post are subject to change, also sorry for wall of text.

So with that said; what do you think?

You I'm not sure why people keep saying this. I have had very good luck with a Scyk swarm. Load 5 of them out with Mangler Cannons and you have a swarm with more fire power and durability than the standard TIE swarm.

Granted, you have to fly it right but Ive put it up against PWT builds and come out on top.

The Scyk has the dial of a squint with durability of a Z-95 (almost) and the fire power of a phantom. What's not to love?

You I'm not sure why people keep saying this. I have had very good luck with a Scyk swarm. Load 5 of them out with Mangler Cannons and you have a swarm with more fire power and durability than the standard TIE swarm.

Granted, you have to fly it right but Ive put it up against PWT builds and come out on top.

The Scyk has the dial of a squint with durability of a Z-95 (almost) and the fire power of a phantom. What's not to love?

You're really up selling the M3A with incorrect statements.

It doesn't nearly have the firepower of a Phantom even with a Mangler. A swarm of 5 is not more durable than a TIE swarm (7-8 TIE fighters).

shields > hull 'nuff said

Look at the Manglers ability. While less dice than the phantom by 1 it's still higher than the TIE by 1 along with the potential for damage and shenannigans thrown out by 5 Scyks greatly exceeds the probable damage and shenannigans done by TIES. Especially on higher agility ships.

I would gladly play my 5 Scyks vs your 8 TIES any day and unless I am horribly out flown (which can happen admittedly) I very much expect to win.

While the title idea is interesting, I'd instead like to see something that still allows the 'Heavy Syck' title.

How about this:

"Replaceable Parts" - 0 points

Modification

M-3A Interceptor Only

This ship may equip another modification, and it may reduce the cost of the modification by three (to a minimum of 0).

The subject has been discussed at length before and I do agree that the ship is too expensive, especially combined with the Heavy Scyk title. It is slightly better than both TIE Fighters and Zeds but not to the same level as an A-wing, so the ship itself should probably be one point cheaper. The Heavy title is also too expensive, probably by about one point as well.

5 mangler scyks are okay, but will be dead when the Khiraxz comes out. It does the same thing (minus bonus crit and range 3 advantage) but gains +1 attack @ range 1 and is noticeably more durable with +2 hull. Its dial is very similar (both having the all-important 1 turns & 5 k-turn). It lacks the barrel roll, which is a strike against it, but the durability more than makes up for it

HLC keeps the scyk somewhat relevant vs Khiraxz. Go big or go home. Although then you need at least a hull upgrade to ensure your big gun doesn't get one shot before it fires (some incentive for running Laetin). Flechette or ion cannon are not bad for cheap support but you aren't going to need more than 1 or 2.

I've had some success with tansarii point vets lugging HLC, predator and hull (32 each). Expensive glass cannons. They hit hard but are vulnerable to high PS turrets. I think they would be competitive if they could carry autothrusters. In fact, I think that upgrade would help the scyk out in general and would be the best way to 'fix' it...

The one shield point will not save this thing from getting one-shotted by HLCs.

I don't see myself fielding them outside of epic mode.

4x Tansarii Veterans + PTL + HLC + Stealth Device, accompanied by a HLC or Mangler Serissu, same frills, is absolutely scary in terms of firepower concentration. It can take out a nasty Huge ship in a few turns.

The title really should have been free or at most 1 point. I guess FFG was afraid of you spamming prockets with these things. Still you would be able to only fit one more than a group of A-wings.

They aren't too expensive, but I don't think a swarm of them are the best route to go. I think 1 or 2 in a list with other threats will do well. The K fighter will do well do draw attention away from the Scyk to be more effective.

Standardised Production is an effective increase in the cost of Heavy Scyk by one.

Heavy Scyk's problem is that it costs points, making anything that's not Heavy Laser or Mangler utterly untenable.

Any upgrades that add slots don't seem like they'd be very effective to me. The beauty of the Scyk is that is has the potential to be a cheap weapons platform that one can use in large quantities. It's not the type of ship to pile upgrades onto.

IMO, any fix either has to reduce the point cost (which seems like a weak way to fix something) or add a little twist to make something interesting such as a 1 pt, Syck-only modification that allows you to reroll a defense die when being attacked by a stressed ship.

Wut? The Syck is awesome, both in agile crazy bastard mode and dahaha I snipes you mode.

Standardised Production is an effective increase in the cost of Heavy Scyk by one.

Heavy Scyk's problem is that it costs points, making anything that's not Heavy Laser or Mangler utterly untenable.

I think the title cost is getting blown out of proportion here. I don't feel its too expensive because obviously its not stopping people from running heavy scyks (in fact, I never see anyone run them naked, so it seems like the title is a reasonable value)

I mean, its actually a pretty good deal. What other faction can field a stress dealer or an ion for as little as 18 or 19 pts? the closest is rebels with a gold toting R3-A2 at 20 (but usually with ion turret + BTL-A4 = 25) or a rookie with same at 23.

And the HLC scyk is the cheapest HLC in the game. No one else can spam it. I don't think the title's cost is the problem. Its the fragility. The Scyk is TOO much of a glass cannon. As I said, Autothrusters would go a long way to helping it out (since its a relatively cheap upgrade that suits its fighting style----hanging back with a cannon @ R3)

You I'm not sure why people keep saying this. I have had very good luck with a Scyk swarm. Load 5 of them out with Mangler Cannons and you have a swarm with more fire power and durability than the standard TIE swarm.

Granted, you have to fly it right but Ive put it up against PWT builds and come out on top.

The Scyk has the dial of a squint with durability of a Z-95 (almost) and the fire power of a phantom. What's not to love?

You're really up selling the M3A with incorrect statements.

It doesn't nearly have the firepower of a Phantom even with a Mangler. A swarm of 5 is not more durable than a TIE swarm (7-8 TIE fighters).

It's not really a standard fighter like the TIE Fighter or Z95 though, is it? It's a light Interceptor. This should be pretty obvious - it's even in the name. M3-A Interceptor .

Realistically you should be comparing 5 Mangler Cannon Scyks with 5 Autothrusting Alpha Squadron Pilots. Or 4 Chaardan Green Squadron pilots with PtL.

Heavy Scyk's problem is that it costs points, making anything that's not Heavy Laser or Mangler utterly untenable.

Yup. I would like to know if anyone, in the history of the game, ever has paid the premium for a Heavy Scyk, then given it a Missile or Torpedo.

Interceptor isn't a meaningful classification in this game. Arc dodger is, which both the A-Wing and TIE Interceptor fit, but those two fighters have boost (very important for arc dodging) and dials far superior to that of the Scyk (love that hard 2 turn in green).

I haven't actually gotten a chance to play with Scyks, but it seems to me, that Serissu would be prevalent in Scum swarms? Maybe Serissu with for K fighters could add loads of survivability to them.

I love the look of the scyk, but had never managed to win using them much to my disappointment. They just go boom too easily. Then i took some alongside a Starviper to a tournament and they were my star ships!

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/182835-2-faction-alternating-list-tournament-report/

I think they need an upgrade to help them survive a bit longer, something along the lines of a Autothrusters style mod. Anything that can help slow down the constant 1 shotting they suffer from.

Serissu (20)

Stealth Device (3)

Cartel Marauder (20)

Cartel Marauder (20)

Cartel Marauder (20)

N'Dru Suhlak (17)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

K fighters and Serissu fly in formation, Suhlak flanks?

Tansarii Point Veteran (17)

Outmaneuver (3)

Heavy Laser Cannon (7)

"Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon) (2)

Trandoshan Slaver (29)

Tactician (2)

Tactician (2)

Tactician (2)

Binayre Pirate (12)

Binayre Pirate (12)

Binayre Pirate (12)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Scyk flanks, YV triple stress trolls.

Interceptor isn't a meaningful classification in this game. Arc dodger is, which both the A-Wing and TIE Interceptor fit, but those two fighters have boost (very important for arc dodging) and dials far superior to that of the Scyk (love that hard 2 turn in green).

Yes, all three are different ships with different attributes and abilities, but the M3-A still fills the same role for Scum & Villany as the TIE Interceptor does for the Imperials and the A-Wing does for the Rebels. And Barrel Roll is arguably more useful a mechanic for small based arc dodgers than Boost.

The Z-95 and the Y-wing are the workhorses of the Scum fleet, the M3-A is it's flanker and arc-dodger - although unlike the Rebel and Imperial variants, the Scyk makes a great sniper.

Tansarii Point Veteran (17)

Outmaneuver (3)

Heavy Laser Cannon (7)

"Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon) (2)

Trandoshan Slaver (29)

Tactician (2)

Tactician (2)

Tactician (2)

Binayre Pirate (12)

Binayre Pirate (12)

Binayre Pirate (12)

Total: 100

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

Scyk flanks, YV triple stress trolls.

Variant: replace HLC with Mangler, and one tactician with Gunner. Lets you balance the 2 ships in their firepower a little more and avoids over-commiting to the stress strategy. Bonus: you can double stress 2 ships in one round as a consolation prize of not hitting the first target.

Interceptor isn't a meaningful classification in this game. Arc dodger is, which both the A-Wing and TIE Interceptor fit, but those two fighters have boost (very important for arc dodging) and dials far superior to that of the Scyk (love that hard 2 turn in green).

Yes, all three are different ships with different attributes and abilities, but the M3-A still fills the same role for Scum & Villany as the TIE Interceptor does for the Imperials and the A-Wing does for the Rebels. And Barrel Roll is arguably more useful a mechanic for small based arc dodgers than Boost.

The Z-95 and the Y-wing are the workhorses of the Scum fleet, the M3-A is it's flanker and arc-dodger - although unlike the Rebel and Imperial variants, the Scyk makes a great sniper.

The Scyk needs to be a point cheaper, the heavy scyk title need to only cost 2 if you added a cannon, or it needed to actually BE an interceptor with a more interceptor like dial and boost. If you want an arc dodger you don't run a scyk you run a starviper ( I realize the star vipers dial could have a little more green but it does have boost and I'd argue the S-loop helps as well)

I will admit that the scyk is a flanker but it isn't an arc dodger.

the title costing points (and not just having the slots on the base ship) was bad enough as is, but really the problem with the Scyk is that it's not only expensive but frail and lacks auto-thrusters

Using them in any context is difficult enough, but in an environment that has even the slightest chance of running into PWTs they are basically unusable

I'm not sure what Scyks had that made FFG so reluctant to let them shine. Having free access to a cannon or just having one additional hull would have made them at least potentially viable.

I guess they didn't want to make A-wings jealous?

I've tried every one of the pilots, but eh the most I've gotten out of any involved a Cartel w/mangler and a hull upgrade rolling around with Guri and providing fire support for 2 auto-blaster Ys.

I tried Seri, but the strain of flying in formation makes it impossible to justify an offensive upgrade. I wouldn't touch her outside of giving Palob an escort (maybe even giving Palob bodyguard to make Seri a really sh*tty phantom), because pinching modifiers from the opponent makes green dice go a long way (not to mention sitting on an infinite store of defensive focus) and Palob is such a high priority target that she might not get shot

I tried Laetin, but green dice. I remember the FFG article mentioning something about countering gunner, but really his ability should have just been autothrusters' if he was going to be even close to reliable

And I tried a PTL Tansari, who almost works but without thrusters he just auto-loses to PWTs no matter how well you fly