I'm looking for formations that move well as 1 group for 7 TIEs... My list I'm tinkering with is:

Howlrunner w/PTL

"Epsilon Leader"

Academy Pilot x5

I've flown 6 pretty decently several times, and I like to fly them in 2 rows: 3 on top / 3 on bottom... But that's pretty easy, outside of banks everyone is going straight or 1 and 3 turning to keep formation as long as possible... But adding the 7th TIE creates it's own problems because if you have one row with 4 TIEs, you can't just 1 and 3 turn the dials and make everything fit nice and orderly...

TIE formations are to accurate for rebel fighters, only Imperial fighter pilots are so precise...

My 6 TIE swarm looks like this:

Howlrunner w/Push The Limit / Stealth Device

"Epsilon Leader"

Black Squadron Pilot w/Draw Their Fire x2

Obsidian Squadron Pilot x2

Lots of defensive synergy in this list as well as solid offense... I'm not sure this list isn't better than a 7 TIE swarm to start with...

Ideas, thoughts, suggestions? All appreciated...

i ran against a Howlrunner/hull, BSP/DTF, and 4 BSP/Crack Shot.

They ruined my Stealth Device HWKs day, but my integrated astro Xwings fought to a bloody finish with 1 tie standing.

I've been running a 5 tie howl swarm with a doom shuttle lately. It's a lot of fun!

i ran against a Howlrunner/hull, BSP/DTF, and 4 BSP/Crack Shot.

They ruined my Stealth Device HWKs day, but my integrated astro Xwings fought to a bloody finish with 1 tie standing.

I feel like 6 synergized TIEs are like a scalpel and 7-8 are closer to a hammer... I prefer being a surgeon...

I've been running a 5 tie howl swarm with a doom shuttle lately. It's a lot of fun!

I've run something similar lately:

Academy x2

Obsidian x4

Doom Shuttle

Lots of fun, but I've the shuttle is only effective in 50% of my games or so... For that reason, I've kind of shelved it... May come back to it though...

They ruined my Stealth Device HWKs day, but my integrated astro Xwings fought to a bloody finish with 1 tie standing.

Really people use stealth HWKs?!?! was it a named HWK?

I'd like to try this 6 TIE swarm

SWARM 2.0

100 points

PILOTS

“Howlrunner” (23)

TIE Fighter (18), Swarm Tactics (2), Stealth Device (3)

“Epsilon Leader” (19)

Epsilon Squadron Pilot (15) x 3

Obsidian Squadron Pilot (13)

They ruined my Stealth Device HWKs day, but my integrated astro Xwings fought to a bloody finish with 1 tie standing.

Really people use stealth HWKs?!?! was it a named HWK?

Having Agility 3 double focus on a TLT carrier is more durable than it sounds, especially vs Accuracy Correcter and 2-red attacks. The Crack Shots, however, effectively game them ATCs as far as my evasion was concerned.

Any particular reason you have to move 7 TIEs all in one group?

My preference when flying TIE swarms is to have a main group and a flanking group. In that case, the group of 4 would fly in the usual box formation and another group of 3 along one board edge to come in at an angle when the main group engages.

Any particular reason you have to move 7 TIEs all in one group?

The TIE Swarm wants to concentrate fire on a single enemy at a time, and melt it down swiftly before losing firepower.

The easiest method of doing this is flying in formation.

As you rightly point out, the easy path is not necessarily the best.

My favorite Tie Swarm uses 7. I would run them in pinwheel formation though. I am sure you can find an article on it if you search. There are pictures and explanations that do a far better job explaining it than I ever would.

Regardless, my list is:

Howlrunner: PtL, Stealth Device (24)

Black Squad: Wingman (16)

5 Academy Pilots (60)

Howl should stay alive for a fairly long time with this setup. Alternatively, you can drop the stealth device and add a Black with Draw Their Fire.