I'm not sure if this has been suggested before. I have always enjoyed tie swarms, and I think with the addition of Youngster the damage potential of the classic Howlrunner swarm can be maximized...

Here is what I am thinking:

18 pts Howlrunner

19 pts Youngster + Expose

14 pts Wampa (for chance at guranteed damage)

13 pts Obsidian Squad

36 pts Academy ties (x3)

That gives you a total of 7 ties with Howlrunner for rerolls and Youngster giving each tie 3 red dice. You could always trade out Wampa to upgrade 2 academy ties to obsidians as well.

While this looks fun on paper (21 red dice flying every turn and even more if ships get in range 1) you are losing 1 agility on all of your ties for that turn, and the ties are losing their actions in exchange for an extra red die.

Does the addition of a 3rd red die for each tie make up for the lack of focus and the loss of defense? Howlrunner is still in there for some dice modification at least.

Someone math-wing the probability of expose and a reroll vs a focus and a reroll. Assume 2.5 hits incoming for the evade math.

My current thinking is:

Howlrunner

Youngster + Expose

Scourge + Crackshot

Black Sq + Crackshot x3

I still think Focus + 3 agility is better. That's because you are going as the last to shoot, and you can easily use your focus in attack if it was not used for defense.

With Exposed Youngster, as an enemy I would live him as long as possible as he would be decreasing defense of other ships in swarm, making them even easier to hit. And getting down 3 hull is really not that problem... Hopefully there will be new EPT's with Actions that are more useful for a Swarm. Daredevil, Expert Handling, Expose, Marksmanship, Squad Leader - this are all the EPT's at the moment and honestly speaking only the Expose gives some opportunities which are unfortunately very dependent and hazardous.

Yeah I do worry that Expose makes them too vulnerable. I wondering what sort of "Action:" EPT could be printed that would be useful to swarms anyhow.

It has to be a card that exists in it's own right, even if it's main purpose is to fill the 'Youngster' role.

So we're looking for something that's better than focus, works well on it's own and for swarms.

What could THAT be?

That's because you are going as the last to shoot, and you can easily use your focus in attack if it was not used for defense

You could always shoot first.

• Howlrunner - Swarm Tactics
• Youngster - Expose
• Black Squadron Pilot - Swarm Tactics
• Black Squadron Pilot - Swarm Tactics
• Black Squadron Pilot - Swarm Tactics
• Academy Pilot

99 points - meaning your PS8 should shoot before their PS8, if you want to.

I'm still not convinced it's a great plan given their fragility, but it's going to be scary if you're not expecting it.

At the same time, whilst the Black Squadron and Academy pilots are vulnerable, are you sure you want to shoot them and not Howlrunner or Youngster?

Alternatively, to avoid Howlrunner being such a linchpin, try and put some source of rerolls on your own ship.

• Youngster - Expose
• Black Squadron Pilot - Predator
• Black Squadron Pilot - Predator
• Black Squadron Pilot - Predator
• Night Beast
• Chaser

Night Beast and Chaser work as a pair - if you do a green move, Night Beast gets a free focus, so can use his action for expose - and when he spends his focus (which you can do regardless of getting any focus results) it moves to Chaser.

Youngster could theoretically use expose too, but without a modifier himself he's better with a focus token.

But.. The swarm above has 6 ships only. That is not that much. And as you mentioned - it is not the Howlrunner or Youngster who would normally use the Expose, hence if you can get other ships down quickly (and you can as they have only 2 agility) then there is no real threat there.

What about Marksmanship? Offensive "focus" only but the synergy with Wampa is very interesting

(When attacking, you may cancel all dice results. If you cancel a result, deal 1 facedown Damage card to the defender.)