My "upgrades" for the little interceptor that couldn't:

Production Model, generic only, modification: -1pt

You may not equip any other cards to this ship.

Military Scyk title: 3pts

Your upgrade bar gains the cannon slot. Increase your hull value by 1

Medium Scyk title: 1pt

Your upgrade bar gains the illicit slot AND your choice of a torpedo or a missile slot

Light Scyk title: -1pts

Your upgrade bar gains the illicit slot. Decrease your sheild value by 1. Increase your hull value by 1.

Advanced Thrusters, Scyk only, mod: 1pt

You may use the Tie Interceptor Dial.

shields > hull 'nuff said

I'm not saying 1 shield + 2 hull < 3 hull...

I'm saying 5 shield + 10 hull < 24 hull

Again, I'm not saying a TIE Fighter is better than a Mangler M3A because one is 12 pts and the other is 20...

Of course the M3A is going to have some advantage if you compare them one-on-one. But it's not free. Far from it. You're paying a 67% premium for that Mangler which is largely of benefit at ranges 2-3 only.

If you're still unconvinced, http://xwing.miniranker.com/ships.php?d=90&f=0 shows how the M3A has been doing in tournaments over the last 90 days...

Here's a squad that has done very well with. I've won with this squad against most of the Meta Leaders, and against many other random builds. I've flown this more then any other build I've run, and I can't remember the last time I lost with it.

• x2 Syndicate Thug - ABT + Unhinged Astromech + Bomb Load out + Proximity Mine
• x2 Cartel Spacer - Heavy Syck Title + HLC + Hull

I've heard a lot of people complain about the Sycks and that they aren't that great. The dial sucks for bringing a HLC because it doesn't have a 1 straight. It dies to easy, and it's too expensive. When I first looked at the ship, I thought much the same, but I really liked how the ship looked and I fly everything so I was excited to put it on the table. What I learned was that those assumptions don't hold water. After flying the Syck for a while I'm very passionate about this ship and I wanted to share what I have learned.

I want to debunk the arguments against the Syck one at a time so here goes.

The Dial sucks for bringing a HLC, It doesn't have a one straight! When this complaint comes up, what I really hear is that they are trying to fly the M3-A like a Blue squadron pilot and they can't so they get frustrated with it and move on to something else. If your complaining that it doesn't have a 1 straight then your flying it wrong. The Syck has some great slow roll abilities. It has the Hard 1 turn, which is one of the best moves in the game. It has a 1 green bank. One of the best moves I've found for running them is that they have both a 3K and a 5K turn. The 5K turn has been very effective for me, and I think it's one of their best moves. Another reason why people complain about the Syck not having a 1 straight is that they are trying to be greedy with HLC shots. My Sycks live way longer when I don't try to be greedy. I take a shot, then I move up and try to block, and maybe get a TL on the ship I'm trying to block, then I 5K and have a good target. Many players don't expect you to rush forward, so blocking has been a very good tactic with this ship.

The Syck dies so easy! When I started running my Sycks I added a hull upgrade and that 1 extra health has come in handy in every game I have played. When you have 3 agility that extra life goes a long way. I also fly them with the primary goal of keeping them alive. If one is wounded then I purposefully fly to keep him a live. I move unexpectedly or use it as a blocker to reduce incoming shots. I get ships to chase it so that my other ships can rain down fire. When I fly this way with them I never get less then 2 HLC shots with them.

It's too expensive! This one is a little tougher to dismiss. I won't deny that the 2 point tax for the HLC is a tough pill to swallow, so you have to work to earn your points back. The 26 points that my HLC + Hull + title cartel spacer has to do work to earn his points back. This goes back to the Syck dies to easy. You have to keep this ship alive so that you can earn your points. The other way to help with this is how you build your squad. Squad synergy can help with this. In some cases other ships in your squad will help you earn your points back by either being a bigger threat or presenting themselves as a better target.

What makes the SCYK shine?

1. It is the cheapest Cannon slot in the game
2. It is in the Scum and Villany faction.
3. It has the best greens of Cannon carriers (except the Defender with the TIE Mk II)
4. It alpha-strikes decently
5. It has Laetin A'shera and Serriseu

Therefore:

If we introduce another cannon of 4 points or fewer that is powerful in any way, it improves as you can field 5 of that cannon

If we introduce another cannon of 7-9 points that is powerful in any way, it improves, as you can field 4 of that cannon.

If we introduce a cannon that stresses on use, it improves

If we introduce a Scum pilot or upgrade that synergises with a cannon, it improves

If we introduce Scum-Only ordnance, it improves

If we can improve survivability, their named pilots become really effective.

First thing's first, we already have a scum pilot that synergises with a cannon. Consider the following:

Dace Bonearm + Ion Cannon Turret

3x Cartel Spacer + Scyk Title + Ion Cannon

+ 15 more points.

Dace will be incredibly stressed, but your opponent will be very paralyzed, and has a high expectation of receiving 2 damage per attack, though they'll have to mitigate far more than that to avoid it.

Not the greatest list in a 100 point game, but it is very good at annoying folks.

Now, that leads me into the "Useful Cannon" bits.

As far as a SCYK is concerned, I think the Ion Cannon is better than the Mangler, unless you include another ship to make it scum-specific.

That's because, even though a Mangler Scyk deals more damage than an Ion Scyk, the Ionization is potent in its own right, and a TIE Interceptor outclasses the Mangler Scyk, being 2 points cheaper and therefore being able to take Autothrusters.

The HLC is the second-most interesting Scyk Cannon for me, as it works well with the Scyk's slow dial (much like a B-Wing does). Moreover, no-one seems to be running Phantoms as HLC-Z95s, so its closest parallel doesn't really exist.

Most notably, I like this one on Laetin A'shera. For 27 points (or 30 with a Stealth Device), you get an HLC carrier that just absolutely refuses to die properly.

The Flechette and Autoblaster are, frankly, unplayable. And that makes me sad.

I don't think the M3A has been left behind. I think it's a very good ship. And it'll continue to get better with each new Cannon, Torpedo, and Missile that gets released.

Dont get me wrong I don't think the ship sucks I just think that it probably should have been a point cheaper and the title should only be 2 costed for using cannons not the other ordinance. OR if it was going to be an interceptor keep the points where its at and give it a dial with a little more green and or boost. I wouldn't even have the last problem if the name of the ship was cloak shape fighter instead of Scyk Interceptor. I actually really like running both Laetin A'shera and Serriseu.

If I could redesign it;

I think I'd drop it 1 point for each pilot, so the Cartel Spacer is 13 points. I'd also make the title cost _3_ points, but has it grant an extra hull, in addition to your choice of armaments.

That's totally unplaytested, but it gives you a glass cannon with a bit of reinforcement, while not making it a nobrainer.

I might actually make the title 4 points, so that people don't take the title just for the extra hull. But then you end up with a 21 point ship with a 2/3/3/1 stat line (given the mangler cannon). I'm not sure that 1 agility is worth 1 shield- and that's still a comparison to a mediocre ship.

The problem with ships like the Defender and X Wing and M-3A Interceptor is that they were designed with normal ships in mind, and while perhaps overcosted a tad bit they have a place and can push the advantages they do possess to gain a leg up. These ships are balanced.

But if someone is going to be throwing 4 attack dice at one with FCS and Gunner/Corran's Double Tap and a turret they can't dodge of course it's going to melt. An M3-A Interceptor wouldn't be too bad in a Swarm vs. BBXX-esque meta. 5 of them with Mangler would likely be pretty competitive, so would 4x Starviper.

This current meta is the problem, not that they're arguably one point overcosted.

I have a friend who took this list (Scyk and Destroy) to the Sacramento Regional:

Serissu (20) w/VI (1), Hull Upgrade (3) & Mangler (6) - 30

3 x Cartel Spacer (14) w/ Hull Upgrade (3) & Mangler (6) - 23 x 3 = 69

Total - 99

He placed 17th overall with a record of 4-2

When I first read this thread I thought it was just a bit too soon after the ship came out for people to be saying there's something wrong with it. Give it more time to see if it becomes playable.

Then when I looked a little deeper something occurred to me:

What other ships have the exact same action bar paired with a 2 attack primary weapon value as the Scyk?

Tie Advanced

A-Wing

And there it is, it shares the same actions and firepower as the only 2 other ships in the game that have received (or are about to) “point reduction fixes”

I believe that once again we have a ship that is paying for abilities that it will rarely if possibly never use, specifically the Target Lock ability. If for example the TL ability was something it gained from the title (as well as the relevant secondary weapon slots) it would be more thematic as well as allow them to drop a point on the Scyk. I firmly believe that at 13 points the Scyk would have been a viable swarm/filler ship.

Of course it would have still been competing with the cheaper and higher HP z95 so it may have been a moot point either way but it could be that in the future they might consider a similar “fix” for the lonely Scyk.

The problem with ships like the Defender and X Wing and M-3A Interceptor is that they were designed with normal ships in mind, and while perhaps overcosted a tad bit they have a place and can push the advantages they do possess to gain a leg up. These ships are balanced.

But if someone is going to be throwing 4 attack dice at one with FCS and Gunner/Corran's Double Tap and a turret they can't dodge of course it's going to melt. An M3-A Interceptor wouldn't be too bad in a Swarm vs. BBXX-esque meta. 5 of them with Mangler would likely be pretty competitive, so would 4x Starviper.

This current meta is the problem, not that they're arguably one point overcosted.

Do you think you could build a squad of Sykes that could reliably take out a squad of only Tie Fighters? I just don't.

Serisu's ability is totally wrong for this kind of ship. These things don't fly well in formation with other ships and are not meant to fly together. The other named pilot has no EPT and his ability disappears in the long game. The generics are ok but over costed. It's just too fragile against this meta to get used much.

Do you think you could build a squad of Sykes that could reliably take out a squad of only Tie Fighters? I just don't.

I have to agree, 7 Tie Howlrunner swarm is a proven competitive list, even if it doesn’t fit the current meta any future demise of Large base point fortresses and MOV Changes and it's back at the top.

5 Mangler Canon Cartel Spacers, which for all intents and purposes is virtually 5 Avenger squadron Interceptors, would typically not be considered competitive.

Both ties and Spacers are throwing 3 dice at R1 which is where most of the fighting would be done, with Howlrunner making a considerable difference.

Heck even the 8 tie swarm would win out more often than not for the simple fact that Greens will fail you eventually. Additionally though shooting last academeys will block and rob the spacers of vital actions as well.

I wanted the Scyk to be competitive but stats don’t lie, with the Scyk featuring in 0.2 top 8 lists at regionals (about 1 in 500 lists) it's clearly not doing as well as I'm sure FFG had hoped.

Serisu's ability is totally wrong for this kind of ship. These things don't fly well in formation with other ships and are not meant to fly together. The other named pilot has no EPT and his ability disappears in the long game. The generics are ok but over costed. It's just too fragile against this meta to get used much.

This too.

HAve you all flown Sycks? THEYRE ANNOYING. THE DIAL SUCKS.

(snip)

First thing's first, we already have a scum pilot that synergises with a cannon. Consider the following:

Dace Bonearm + Ion Cannon Turret

3x Cartel Spacer + Scyk Title + Ion Cannon

+ 15 more points.

Dace will be incredibly stressed, but your opponent will be very paralyzed, and has a high expectation of receiving 2 damage per attack, though they'll have to mitigate far more than that to avoid it.

Not the greatest list in a 100 point game, but it is very good at annoying folks.

Not to debate the rest of the post, but Dace can only boost one damage a turn - his ability specifies he can't be stressed when he uses it.

That said, I look forward to a Scum anti-stress crew some day...

Salacious B. Crumb (Crew, 2pt)

If this card has no stress tokens when you gain a stress token, you may instead put it on this card. At the start of the Combat Phase, assign any stress token on this card to your ship.

A very Scummy way of doing it, don't you think? Temporary relief, but you'll have to pay for it eventually.

That's right BB, Sycks got boned on the dial. And furthermore, why the hell can't a syck equip a freaking BOMB? For that 2 point weapon tax, they should be able to equip any **** secondary weapon they like so they can get use out of EM. This COULD have been a great missile platform, well piss on that.

Serisu's ability is totally wrong for this kind of ship. These things don't fly well in formation with other ships and are not meant to fly together. The other named pilot has no EPT and his ability disappears in the long game. The generics are ok but over costed. It's just too fragile against this meta to get used much.

This too.

HAve you all flown Sycks? THEYRE ANNOYING. THE DIAL SUCKS.

What about their dial sucks? They have a great dial. They have a 1 hard and a 5k turn, and a good group of green maneuvers.

What about their dial sucks? They have a great dial. They have a 1 hard and a 5k turn, and a good group of green maneuvers.

Not only that, but their dial matches the Khiraxz' and the star viper, and is similar enough to the z-95's, y-wing's and firespray's, that it shouldn't be that difficult to keep formation with pretty much any scum ship (if that's your thing). The only thing it lacks is the hard 3 and 1 straight ---- and while the 1 straight is common on most scum ships, I don't think formation flying needs to be dependent on that 1 move (TIE fighters seem to do alright without, for example)

Serisu's ability is totally wrong for this kind of ship. These things don't fly well in formation with other ships and are not meant to fly together. The other named pilot has no EPT and his ability disappears in the long game. The generics are ok but over costed. It's just too fragile against this meta to get used much.

This too.

HAve you all flown Sycks? THEYRE ANNOYING. THE DIAL SUCKS.

What about their dial sucks? They have a great dial. They have a 1 hard and a 5k turn, and a good group of green maneuvers.

No 1 forward. Which you really miss when your trying to slow roll up the board to stay at range and snipe. They want to stay at range 3 and have a hard time doing it.

Serisu's ability is totally wrong for this kind of ship. These things don't fly well in formation with other ships and are not meant to fly together. The other named pilot has no EPT and his ability disappears in the long game. The generics are ok but over costed. It's just too fragile against this meta to get used much.

This too.

HAve you all flown Sycks? THEYRE ANNOYING. THE DIAL SUCKS.

What about their dial sucks? They have a great dial. They have a 1 hard and a 5k turn, and a good group of green maneuvers.

No 1 forward. Which you really miss when your trying to slow roll up the board to stay at range and snipe. They want to stay at range 3 and have a hard time doing it.

If they REALLY need to go slow, they can 1-bank and barrel-roll. Yes having a 1-straight would be nice, but they can do fine without it.

1-straights do best in a joust situation anyway, which these ships don't want to do. Ideally you're coming at a ship at an angle, where you would end up banking anyway.

If they REALLY need to go slow, they can 1-bank and barrel-roll. Yes having a 1-straight would be nice, but they can do fine without it.

1-straights do best in a joust situation anyway, which these ships don't want to do. Ideally you're coming at a ship at an angle, where you would end up banking anyway.

This. Again, they're filling the arc-dodger role for Scum. They're not workhorses/expendable throwaway jousters like TIE Fighters (who also don't have 1 forward, btw) or Z95's, they're flankers.

Don't fly them head on. Attack from an angle, and use that amazing barrel roll action to increase/decrease range or move out of firing arcs.

But they don't arc-dodge all that well... If you are doing barrel rolls, your offensive action economy will suck.

I also have found out that nothing really draws as much hate as a Heavy Syck with an HLC. Hard to arc-dodge with it when your opponent wants to kill it.

But they don't arc-dodge all that well... If you are doing barrel rolls, your offensive action economy will suck.

Sure - if you just run Cartel Spacers. But they have high PS generics with an EPT slot, I'm not seeing the problem.

Alpha Squadron pilots and Prototype pilot's action economy sucks as well, they're still arc dodgers.

I'm thinking that the Khirahz may actually be the fighter that helps the Scyk. One or two Scyks mixed in with a fleet of Khirahz fighters allows them to serve as more of a flanker or ranged support role. It breaks up targeting priority, making opponents decide whether to go after the nimble but fragile Scyk or the tankier, but easier-to-hit Khirahz. Their nearly identical dials also allows them to do formation flight if needed, or they can just break off and do their own thing to cover multiple arcs.

I'm tempted to try a squad of the following:

Talonbane Cobra w/ Swarm Tactics

2 Cartel Marauders

Laetin A'shera with Heavy Scyk, HLC & Hull Upgrade.