You still kill Howl first. It's the equivalent to blocking the entire swarm and more than that on following rounds. If they never get her bonus they are worse off than taking a focus even with an extra dice. Then, if they decide to do it again next round you have even easier ties to kill. If they don't they wasted points a a trick pony hat wasn't actually a trick at all. It's still not good enough to make you consider shooting at anyone but Howlrunner first.

Ok, amazing swarm pilot totally fakes you out somehow... Then you still have an easier time killing his ties.

It really isn't giving you any advantage if your opponent can choose the same thing they were going to do anyway with the same results... You gave them better results.

In the end the only one who has a pilot ability comparable to Howlrunner is Youngster. I do not really understand why the article claims all the aces will benefit your swarm synergy. But maybe I am to much of a rebel and I see synergy as an ability which gives benefits other pilots instead of an ability that receives benefits from others

The names of Youngster and Chaser must have been given in jest. I think it is great FFG gives some pilots a nickname which is the reverse of what they are

And Wampa? Wampa is a flying Proton Bomb

Hmmm, low PS bombers escorted by Howlrunner and Youngster

Regrettably Youngsters ability is TIE fighters only - or else daredevil would make him an epic squint wingman

I think Squad Leader is nice in a TIE All-Stars list with 3-4 different pilot skill levels. Do I know what its for? No, but moving actions around is always good, and you might as well turn the normally annoying trait of flying 5-6 named pilots (a fixed move order) into an advantage, letting you pass actions around more easily in a furball.

Honestly, passing out Expert Handling may have been too much, though. I know, it may not seem like it with Barrel Roll being almost standard on Imperial ships, As much as I really wanted to Barrel Roll in a shuttle...