I'll give you my regionals list that took me to 12 at WI

Whisper-32

-Advanced Cloaking Device 4

-Veteran Instincts 1

-Intelligence Agent 1

Storm Squadron Pilot 23

-Proton Rockets 3

(added post regional)

-TIE Advance X1

-Accuracy Corrector

Soontir Fel 27

-Push The Limits 3

-Royal Guard Interceptor

-Autothrusters 2

-Targeting Computer 2

100 Points.

The game plan here is to use the Advanced as bait while still having PS over most swarms, allowing it to get a shot or two in before burning up as it is the easiest ship to remove from the board. While this is happening, your aces flank to either side of the opponent carefully, ready to play rabbit with either when your opponent decides to turn towards them. By the time they make the call it is usually too late as 4-5 dice in the exhaust burns through most anything right quickly. I haven't tested it against TLT swarms yet, but in theory it should be pretty favorable for Soontir. Its one bane is the Doomcimator, there isn't a ship in this list that can stand up to its gunner and if they take a hit the crit has a chance to kill. That being said, with the new partial points system I don't expect to see much of that particular build anymore.

I am very, very interested in trying Sensor Jammer on Whisper in this brave new TLT world we're all living in, but the switch from permanently getting a TL on 4 red dice and just-hoping-4-red-dice-don't-kick-you-in-the-crotch is significant.

I'm 100% convinced by Intel Agent in Whisper's backseat. And I really want to try the two-aces-plus-fodder archetype with Epsilon Leader in the filler role. So something like:

99 NOT FLAKES

99 points

PILOTS

“Epsilon Leader” (22)

TIE/FO (19), Hull Upgrade (3)

“Whisper” (42)

TIE Phantom (32), Intelligence Agent (1), Sensor Jammer (4), Veteran Instincts (1), Advanced Cloaking Device (4)

Soontir Fel (35)

TIE Interceptor (27), Royal Guard TIE (0), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2), Stealth Device (3)

Not sure that list has enough gun, though.

There is a good write up of the French nationals over at https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/188131-carnor-jamming-at-the-french-national/

The author flew Carnor Jax with two PS3 Phantoms with Sensor Jammers.

Intel agent is great for Whisper, but it leaves you wanting to take sensor jammer for those tlts.

Same points can get you recon specialist with FCS - a big bump to damage, and the ability to take three focus tokens every round.

Sure, you lose the telepathy element without intel, but Whisper has decent ps anyway, so it's not as crucial as it is on sigmas. For me, whisper should be about brutish bullying superiority - more red die than you, more green die, more tokens to modify, and impossible to shake: she should hint at being overpowered. She should make your opponent feel like it's hardly worth shooting at her, what with that stack of focus and 4+ greens.

If I want to play the cunning assassin, I take echo

I'm going to try this out against any TLT builds this weekend. There hasn't been a lot of Phantom playing at the tables lately, so I'm hoping that they'll focus on Vader or the Tempest and let Echo start drifting all around them getting 6 dice against their 1. Bonus points if Vader starts passing free actions to turn Echo into Echo+Whisper and you don't even have to hit to get a focus. Vader and Tempest TL automatically negates Y-Wings evade and anything on top of that is gravy.

I know everyone feels vader with titles/systems is awesome but i still find it a bloody awful dial

Do you guys run twin ion mkII to mitigate this?

I'll give you my regionals list that took me to 12 at WI

Whisper-32

-Advanced Cloaking Device 4

-Veteran Instincts 1

-Intelligence Agent 1

Storm Squadron Pilot 23

-Proton Rockets 3

(added post regional)

-TIE Advance X1

-Accuracy Corrector

Soontir Fel 27

-Push The Limits 3

-Royal Guard Interceptor

-Autothrusters 2

-Targeting Computer 2

100 Points.

The game plan here is to use the Advanced as bait while still having PS over most swarms, allowing it to get a shot or two in before burning up as it is the easiest ship to remove from the board. While this is happening, your aces flank to either side of the opponent carefully, ready to play rabbit with either when your opponent decides to turn towards them. By the time they make the call it is usually too late as 4-5 dice in the exhaust burns through most anything right quickly. I haven't tested it against TLT swarms yet, but in theory it should be pretty favorable for Soontir. Its one bane is the Doomcimator, there isn't a ship in this list that can stand up to its gunner and if they take a hit the crit has a chance to kill. That being said, with the new partial points system I don't expect to see much of that particular build anymore.

for 23 points Why not Colzet?

I say just wait a bit. Let TLT's and the new Tournament FAQ filter through people. We will see less high PS Fat Turrets. This will make Phantoms survivable more. The 4 red dice is just brutal and I personally think Phantoms are still horrible to the game. I'm worried we will see a return of the Phantom Menace.

Whisper-32

-ACD, 4

-IA, 1

-FCS, 2

-VI, 1

Maarek Steele-27

-Tie/x1

-ATC, 1

-VI, 1

OGP-21

Palpatine-8

Total: 98 points

This list has never lost a match. Been up against TLT, Bro-bots, Fel, etc. Strengths: good initiative bid, option for a pilot to shoot before Whisper (no Rebel Captive for you!), the Emperor. Having the Emperor and Whisper in the same list makes her nigh unkillable. Weaknesses are just the typical weaknesses of any build with Whisper: high PS turrets. However, those seem to be going out of the meta...*maniacal laughter*

I know everyone feels vader with titles/systems is awesome but i still find it a bloody awful dial

Do you guys run twin ion mkII to mitigate this?

Think of it like a PtL Interceptor, but instead of having all the speed 2 maneuver and straight 3-4 green (only maneuver available to clear previous round stress), you add the 1 bank, the 3 bank and turn and the straight 5. The k-turn 4 is also available in case you want to use it.

Being able to boost and barrel roll every turn, I say Vader has a very good dial.

So you're running engine upgrade on vader by default then as hes got no base 'boost' ability unless im being thick.

I can't imagine not giving vader EU and X1/ATC

Predator can be swapped for squad leader/swarm tactics/lone wolf/Vi.

Engine upgrade is easily worth more than the 4 points spent.*

I'd not field Vader without it...

*=For the Vader pilot that is.

You can go with TIE MKII engines though if short on points. It does in no way replace boost but allows him to go fast after a Stress

I would also add Juke and Determination to the list of possible EPTs.

I often run Determination and sometimes it does nothing but when you pick that pilot crit it's just priceless, while Juke should really put the pressure on your enemy's green dice when it comes out. Also offers a possibility over Focus or target lock if you still have a TL or value Evade more for this turn (if only attacked by one ship for example)

So you're running engine upgrade on vader by default then as hes got no base 'boost' ability unless im being thick.

Yup! I always take Engine Upgrade with Vader! That makes him the best arc-dodger of the game, since he's not stuck doing green maneuvers each turn.

Vader with Title/ATC + Engine Upgrade + Either Predator or Lonewolf (depending on the escort). Take your TL as soon as possible, then play defensively all game.

So you're running engine upgrade on vader by default then as hes got no base 'boost' ability unless im being thick.

Yup! I always take Engine Upgrade with Vader! That makes him the best arc-dodger of the game, since he's not stuck doing green maneuvers each turn.

Vader with Title/ATC + Engine Upgrade + Either Predator or Lonewolf (depending on the escort). Take your TL as soon as possible, then play defensively all game.

meh

the lack of stress certainly leaves Vader's dial more open than Soontir, but the poor bastard still can still get blocked and owned due to the limitations of the advance dial

after playing Whisper again, I have to say the phantom still runs circles around every other ship in the game (if you know where they're going)

in terms of sheer "**** your arcs," I'd have to claim Whisper reigns supreme (Echo'll probably beat her, but **** playing echo against even the barest possibility of han)

So you're running engine upgrade on vader by default then as hes got no base 'boost' ability unless im being thick.

Yup! I always take Engine Upgrade with Vader! That makes him the best arc-dodger of the game, since he's not stuck doing green maneuvers each turn.

Vader with Title/ATC + Engine Upgrade + Either Predator or Lonewolf (depending on the escort). Take your TL as soon as possible, then play defensively all game.

meh

the lack of stress certainly leaves Vader's dial more open than Soontir, but the poor bastard still can still get blocked and owned due to the limitations of the advance dial

after playing Whisper again, I have to say the phantom still runs circles around every other ship in the game (if you know where they're going)

in terms of sheer "**** your arcs," I'd have to claim Whisper reigns supreme (Echo'll probably beat her, but **** playing echo against even the barest possibility of han)

So having all maneuver accessible except for the hard and straight 1 is limited now? Greens are limited, but Vader don't really need them, unless going against a Panic build or Rebel Captive. He's much harder to block than Soontir, or any other PtL ship. He can do a Bank 1-2-3, a Turn 2-3 a Straight 2-3-4-5, he can even do a k-turn 4 if he feels like it.

So you're running engine upgrade on vader by default then as hes got no base 'boost' ability unless im being thick.

Yup! I always take Engine Upgrade with Vader! That makes him the best arc-dodger of the game, since he's not stuck doing green maneuvers each turn.

Vader with Title/ATC + Engine Upgrade + Either Predator or Lonewolf (depending on the escort). Take your TL as soon as possible, then play defensively all game.

meh

the lack of stress certainly leaves Vader's dial more open than Soontir, but the poor bastard still can still get blocked and owned due to the limitations of the advance dial

after playing Whisper again, I have to say the phantom still runs circles around every other ship in the game (if you know where they're going)

in terms of sheer "**** your arcs," I'd have to claim Whisper reigns supreme (Echo'll probably beat her, but **** playing echo against even the barest possibility of han)

I don't know how this can still possibly be true with the decloak change. Unless people can't guess which way she's going or I've never seen a masterfully played whisper it's not amazingly hard to figure out somewhere to stick an arc on her. Her post maneuver fixing is a barrel roll she's not that excited to do so she's not escaping the same way boost + barrel roll allows.

in terms of sheer "**** your arcs," I'd have to claim Whisper reigns supreme (Echo'll probably beat her, but **** playing echo against even the barest possibility of han)

I don't know how this can still possibly be true with the decloak change. Unless people can't guess which way she's going or I've never seen a masterfully played whisper it's not amazingly hard to figure out somewhere to stick an arc on her. Her post maneuver fixing is a barrel roll she's not that excited to do so she's not escaping the same way boost + barrel roll allows.

people really need to start playing this **** card more often

it beats out Xizor as the least appreciated thing in the game, despite single-handedly solving the supposed meta terror of high PS arc-dodgers

hell, it arguably turns the de-cloak errata into a buff

in terms of sheer "**** your arcs," I'd have to claim Whisper reigns supreme (Echo'll probably beat her, but **** playing echo against even the barest possibility of han)

I don't know how this can still possibly be true with the decloak change. Unless people can't guess which way she's going or I've never seen a masterfully played whisper it's not amazingly hard to figure out somewhere to stick an arc on her. Her post maneuver fixing is a barrel roll she's not that excited to do so she's not escaping the same way boost + barrel roll allows.

people really need to start playing this **** card more often

I'm just not sure how it's useful. Sure you can then decloak a different direction but your maneuver will suffer significantly unless something magical happens and your big gun is out of the fight for a turn, best case.

play it, then

there are many situations, especially at longer ranges, where the decloak direction completely changes the game dynamic even if the maneuver at the end is completely the same. You can control ranges, go after different targets, decloak to block and then maneuver...the possibilities are limited only by your foresight (and pwts, stupid ******* things that they are)

not to mention it buffs your nibbly mini-swarm and turns them into roving sort-of-conners

the basic academy can completely **** over Vader/soontir

but Zeta Ace? Oh my god, the troll potential is off the scale

with int agent, there's little to no need to ever give up initiative either. I'll take Vader head one with my 4/4 whisper any day (well, maybe not any day...I trust his greens more than mine)

Intelligence Agent helps you choose where to decloak, but you're still commited to the maneuver you chose (usually accordingly to where you wanted to decloak in the first place) and can't realign. It also just work against one ship and is limited to range-1-2. It's useful, but I prefer other crew over it.

The Phantom is still a great ship, but once you played against it a couple of time, it is very predictable. What saves it is the 4 attack and agility dice.

Intelligence agent 101:

not only does it turn the ship its on into the most annoying scumbag in the universe (if it has a post maneuver move or can change its dial on a whim; Whisper has both pre and post maneuver movements), but it turns everything you bring with post maneuver moves into the most annoying scumbags in the universe

barrel-rolls, my friends. Even academies have them

doesn't matter how predictable your opponent feels whisper to be when you can literally see where he's going and can head him off with some fodder to the face

the 4/4 profile definitely saves whisper, but not as hard as a 4/4 focus + TL + defensive focus + cloak against some poor scrub missing his actions

seriously, guys, in a game about manuevering (when pwts aren't involved, ofc) how could you not even give it a spin?

Don't think I don't know how it works.

I tried it, and I was not impressed. I went against it, and I was not impressed. It's cute, nothing more. Rebel Captive or Gunner annoys me much more on Whisper.

Intelligence agent 101:

not only does it turn the ship its on into the most annoying scumbag in the universe (if it has a post maneuver move or can change its dial on a whim; Whisper has both pre and post maneuver movements), but it turns everything you bring with post maneuver moves into the most annoying scumbags in the universe

barrel-rolls, my friends. Even academies have them

doesn't matter how predictable your opponent feels whisper to be when you can literally see where he's going and can head him off with some fodder to the face

the 4/4 profile definitely saves whisper, but not as hard as a 4/4 focus + TL + defensive focus + cloak against some poor scrub missing his actions

seriously, guys, in a game about manuevering (when pwts aren't involved, ofc) how could you not even give it a spin?

Because it's also a game about prediction and if you aren't good at that I'm not convinced that intelligence agent will help enough to matter and if you are good at that intelligence agent definitely doesn't matter.

Points and crew slots are pretty important things and rarely do I find myself with enough of either left over to confirm at the start of activation what I already guessed at planning. If the maneuver is different enough from my guess that it completely throws me off guard then it likely doesn't matter at all that I have this information since it will be too late to realistically capitalize on it.