I think the list is good because there's no pure counter. It's very deep with a lot of play to it and given perfect skill it might be close to impossible to beat. The list seems as good and as flexible as the pilot.

"Given perfect skill" is a strange thing. Given perfect skill, practically any list built to 100 points is going to be tough to beat.

There are easier lists and harder lists to fly. In my limited experience, the more difficult lists have higher rewards but penalize mistakes. The current exception to this may be the four TLT build, but it too shall pass.

The meta is created by one player figuring out how to incorporate new releases and it catches on like wildfire, especially if they do well in Nationals. Palp plus Aces can be forgiving because Palpatine's ability can ease the pain of the dice, or provide that extra crit to take out a ship when you need.

But it's not unbeatable, especially if the player running it hasn't practiced or otherwise makes a mistake. The more I practice against this, the more I'm convinced that swarms are the answer. Get in close, block and bump, catch them with no tokens. I'm finding success in attempting to draw the aces away from the shuttle. That thing is a giant bumper car but do not forget that it shoots just as much as Soontir. However, running a swarm, you also can't afford to stall, MoV and all that.

Hoping a necro for a thread a month old isn't too bad...

I've not seen anyone mention running Maarek + Carnor + Palpmobile. Is it because Maarek's PS skill is too low? I'm picturing a Maarek who's consistently able to push at LEAST one crit through and trigger his ability, meaning he can, to some degree, control the field via targeted crits.

For anyone Carnor isn't blocking tokens on, he can help strip them via a regular attack before Maarek's up to bat.

... But you hit middling PS spot -- is that as much of a concern with the current (fairly open) meta?

Hoping a necro for a thread a month old isn't too bad...

I've not seen anyone mention running Maarek + Carnor + Palpmobile. Is it because Maarek's PS skill is too low? I'm picturing a Maarek who's consistently able to push at LEAST one crit through and trigger his ability, meaning he can, to some degree, control the field via targeted crits.

For anyone Carnor isn't blocking tokens on, he can help strip them via a regular attack before Maarek's up to bat.

... But you hit middling PS spot -- is that as much of a concern with the current (fairly open) meta?

Mostly the problem is you have enough points after palp and his ride to have 2 aces approximately. Vader is just the best advanced pilot bar none, and the using the remaining 34/35 points is sort of to flavor. Out of the aces at that cost, soontir is arguably the strongest choice for the cost. Also with only 2 full combat ships you really need to maximize damage while also being able to turtle/arc dodge.

In a meta Before Wave 8 (in my country isn't arrived yet), the Deci-vader list with chirenau or kenkrik and vader ace, is still viable?

In my meta there are: Miranda,Poe, stress-hog, palp ace, and in general a lot of ace and a bit of swarms. 4 TLT are very rare...

Palpatine is a must or i can carry the decimator with gunner, rebel captive, ysard, eu, VI?

In an ace meta is better a tanky kenkrik (Lone Wolf/ determination, palp, ysard, eu) or a hight Ps chirenau (vi, palp, rebel captive, eu)?

Thx

In a meta Before Wave 8 (in my country isn't arrived yet), the Deci-vader list with chirenau or kenkrik and vader ace, is still viable?

In my meta there are: Miranda,Poe, stress-hog, palp ace, and in general a lot of ace and a bit of swarms. 4 TLT are very rare...

Palpatine is a must or i can carry the decimator with gunner, rebel captive, ysard, eu, VI?

In an ace meta is better a tanky kenkrik (Lone Wolf/ determination, palp, ysard, eu) or a hight Ps chirenau (vi, palp, rebel captive, eu)?

Thx

Yes it works and it does so without Palpatine. In a Decimator + Ace list he is a strong, viable option, but not an auto-include.