So I have been flying the following squad in the past week:

Prince Xizor — StarViper 31

Predator 3

Advanced Sensors 3

Autothrusters 2

Virago 1

Ship Total: 40

Binayre Pirate — Z-95 Headhunter 12

Ship Total: 12

Binayre Pirate — Z-95 Headhunter 12

Ship Total: 12

Binayre Pirate — Z-95 Headhunter 12

Ship Total: 12

Prince Harming is a common and old list....with new cards in play since his inception i would keep this in mind: the prince only needs one or two sidekicks not a whole troop. so i would exchange 4 of the banana pirates for TLT thugs. or one TLT thug and something else

5 Zs are a force to be reckoned with in their own right. As a group, they can block a ship and the remaining 3 or 4 get range 1 modified shots into it.

The more 'common' Xizor build with this list is:

Xizor w/ veteran instincts, virago, FCS & autos = 37

That leaves you 3 points. Some nice additions include a flechette torpedo (for killing soontir) or glitterstim (allows you to end up in range 1 of some enemies with less worries, even if you have no meatshields nearby).

I like advanced sensors on Xizor, though, so I think its a matter of preference. I was using push the limit + green moves entirely in the early parts of the game (because Xizor doesn't need any fancy flying as long as his meatshields are still alive). It allows focus + TL most of the time (and no stress which is nice), and lets you BR + boost late game when you need to dodge some arcs (not possible with predator).

Like the list. From my experience Advanced Sensors is just excellent on Xizor and I would take it every time. Never played with Predator but I see its worth here. VI is a tempting alternative though - would be great to move after opposing aces.

I guess I would echo Cubby - 5 Zs are a lot of meat to chew through but, especially because they're PS1, they might lack a bit of punch. What about upping a few to Black Sun Soldiers and making room for a flanker like N'Dru? It may give your opponent something else to worry about...

Thanks for the thoughts. Although I really like advanced sensors, I will try the VI + FCS variant and see how it goes. I had also thought about adding a thug, but I love Zs so much.

What do you think? Have any of you tried something similar? Would you change anything?

Not flown, merely theory-crafted.

Having a nice pack of sidekicks helps. Xizor is so unpalatable a target, people often go for the goons first - which, being Z-95s, vanish fast.

At the same time, a 5th Z-95 can be swapped for some upgrades - 4 Zs and an ace are still nice forward firepower against anything short of a TIE swarm or B-wing squadron.

I know a lot of people say Veteran Instincts, but the thing is that whilst PS9 is good, you're still behind Vader (who often takes VI himself, not really needing his slot for action economy) and lose out to PS9 aces with initiative. I say that PS7 is okay if you can master flying the Starviper. The key is to stick to the starviper's insanely good white dial - unlike a TIE interceptor, you can't afford to pull stress all the time.

Taking 4 and making them Black Sun Soldiers is much more thematically apt, and they're what the Sum 95's are painted as anyway. Plus, that leaves you points for a few illicit upgrades - I'd recommend feedback arrays on the Z-95s.

Glitterstim on Xizor if he hasn't got veteran instincts, inertial dampeners if he does.

The Xizor build I was considering is far more concerned with keeping the boss alive than actually making him combat effective, and probably doesn't work in real games, but was as below:

• Prince Xizor - Virago, Sensor Jammer, Glitterstim, Lone Wolf, Autothrusters
• Black Sun Soldier - Feedback Array
• Black Sun Soldier - Feedback Array
• Black Sun Soldier - Feedback Array
• Black Sun Soldier

The ideas are:

1. Black Sun Soldiers are PS3. That gives you the edge on most Twin Laser Turret carriers. You probably lack the firepower to kill one on the first turn unless you can contrive to get to range 1, but should nail it before it gets to fire twice.
2. PS3 also means you move before Black Squadron Pilots - this means Z-95s can be used as a blockers for a Crack Shot TIE swarm. With three of them, you can fling them into the path of the TIEs at speed and (hopefully) he won't be able to concentrate enough fire to kill them due to collisions, lost actions and arcs of fire. At which point they can taze Howlrunner out of the stars.
3. Against an Ace flight or IG-88 list, at least 2, maybe three of the Z-95s break off and accelerate ahead as blockers and to create 'no-go' areas with their feedback arrays, aiming to create a kill-zone that Xizor can cover with his better guns to make up for his lower pilot skill.
4. The aim of the Z-95s is to do a bit of damage but primarily to get Xizor to the end-game as untouched as possible. Lone Wolf is there to pick up the slack after his escort has bought it, or if he breaks off and sends them on ahead in a suicidal charge.
5. If facing multiple twin laser turrets (the one weapon I get irrationally fixated on as Xizor's ability doesn't protect him from them), Sensor Jammer/Autothrusters should give Xizor the ability to evade most of the damage they can throw out, and pop glitterstim if he really, really needs it.

Thank you for the detailed analysis, and options to likely make the squadron more effective. I find your points very valid, and will try those variations.

My biggest problem right now is letting go of predator and advanced sensors. The first because it is 3 points that basically let me make my Xizor shots really count, even when I barrel roll/boost to get a better position, and the second because it gives me so many more options for placement and close quarters fighting. The only thing which really sucks on the Starviper is the greens. I tend to find that it is quite hard to get a stress out without exposing him, and to be able to get his points out effectively, Xizor needs to be able to shoot effectively every turn.

If clearing stress is your main concern, have you considered a Z-95 wingman?

I agree with Predator - one of the reasons I suggested Lone Wolf is that it includes an offensive reroll, but gives you a defensive reroll as well.....once it's up and running.

And yes, the Starviper is very agile but sucks at dealing with stress compared to its closest counterparts - the Royal Guard TIE interceptor has a hugely green dial, the TIE defender can still K-turn whilst stressed, and the T-70 X-wing can mount an R2 astromech.

That's why I think people like FCS or Predator so much - it's reaching for those actionless attack rerolls. It's what makes Guri so powerful too, and, I think, why Glitterstim is a nice idea - design your starviper to be as capable as possible with its white dial and no actions, and treat the actions you do get as a bonus....

Theoretically, you could move your attack bonus to the system slot (fire control system) and use the elite talent/illicit for maneuvers (Lightning Reflexes and inertial dampers can both be used whilst stressed) .

The problem is that you're left with a fighter with a distinct 'stockpile' of dirty tricks, which is going to be much less capable once they run out.

The Star Viper is undeniably my favourite Scum ship. I like both named pilots, and even the generics, although similar to TIE defenders, generics really need something to help with action economy to make them feel more worth their cost. But I digress...

I have tried the following combos on BOTH named pilots:

VI + FCS--not really worth it on Guri because her PS 5 is already a good spot (capable of blocking higher PS and otherwise murdering lower PS). On Xizor, its nice, but as Magnus Grendel pointed out, its best against PS 7 - 8, since most of the PS9 aces will take a healthy bid for initiative, and I don't think its worth building a list around Xizor at 97 points (maybe 98, but then you take your chances against another 98 PS9 list...). FCS + glitterstim is devastating though----it allows Xizor to swoop into range 1, either with a barrel roll or boost (when the opportunity is there) and pop stims: the hapless victim is facing TL + focus on 4 dice, and you have the stims for any return fire (not to mention Xizor's ability if a goon is nearby). However, with FCS, Xizor is weak in the endgame. Yes PS9 can help in certain matchups, but he has no defensive capability other than autothrusters, so s-loops are risky, getting into range 1 can be risky, etc...

Advanced Sensors + Predator----this is a solid combo because advanced sensors gives you so much flexibility and predator keeps damage output decent against all kinds of enemies. I really love advanced sensors for taking the risk out of getting blocked or pulling s-loops (you always got your focus token, or if you've set it up, a nice pre-move BR/boost to dodge arcs and give you a 'free' shot). Downsides: at PS7, you can easily get outmaneuvered by higher PS aces in a 1v1 situation. Your only hope at that point is to block when in close and then s-loop and hope to win the dice off in jousting exchanges (although advanced sensors still gives you the possibility of outflying your opponent with some 'surprise' moves. Advanced Sensors is also slightly countered by stress-dealers. Xizor hates to get hit by multiple stress normally, but even more so when he has advanced sensors...

Advanced Sensors + Push the Limit----this build is similar to the predator build, but basically has 2 'modes'. Early game, when Xizor is protected by goons, you always set your dial to a green move (well, only when you need to really). Then you activate advanced sensors to take a helpful action, push the limit for another one, then reveal your green move and clear the stress. Once you get into the thick of it, if you are savvy enough, you can basically keep doing this in close-quarters for a few turns without having to resort to segnor's loops (because pre-move BR gives you a 'mini' decloak-like move, so you should get at least 2 or 3 turns of firing on the same target before needing to turn around). And as long as you have a goon nearby, Xizor doesn't need his actions defensively, so you are basically using TL + Focus offensively as much as possible (won't be every turn, but still pretty good). Then, when the goons are gone and its endgame time, Xizor has some options: advanced sensors to make those S-loops more effective; push the limit for a BR+ boost if you need to dodge arcs or kite out of a sticky situation. It sucks to end the turn stressed sometimes (although not always), so you should try to use Push the Limit with advanced sensors as much as possible and save it for post dial reveal only when you absolutely need it. Downsides: stress mechanics are also very punishing against this build. You have slightly less firepower overall compared to predator or even VI + FCS and you are still at PS7, so 1v1, higher PS aces can be a tough matchup. However, the extra maneuvring options I feel can make up for it.

Lone Wolf + Sensor Jammer----I personally love this combo on Guri. It really meshes well with her ability (and autothrusters). I don't find it is very good for Xizor, simply because lone wolf works against his ability. I think Predator is better here for Xizor, because then he is at least taking advantage of the boost in firepower that it offers, and the whole reason to take Xizor is for that early game firepower he brings to the table with very little risk to himself when goons are nearby. Sensor Jammer is a really powerful card because it forces your opponent to change their playstyle (k-turning is discouraged, self-stressing can be a bad idea, and even action priority gets messed up as your opponent feels forced to focus all the time). Unfortunately, its not as good against certain things, like Soontir Fel or Chiraneau (although it still can be good against them, depending on the situation). And compared to advanced sensors, while you are more tanky, you are certainly less nimble in some respects, and so there is a tradeoff there. I would say if you see a lot of 'stiff' jousting-style lists and twin laser turrets, then Sensor Jammer is superior, because you don't need all the fancy tricks advanced sensors provides. But if you face a lot of nimble opposition, sensor jammer leaves you in their sights more often (although if you can negate their ability to take focus, its a wash).

Flechette torpedo: I find this is a great way to 'even the odds' when flying at lower Pilot Skill. It gives you an 'equalizer' against high PS aces that would otherwise outfly you. I find it particularly effective on PTL + advanced sensors or Lone Wolf + Sensor Jammer, because with predator, you kind of feel picking up a target lock is a waste of an action sometimes. Once you get the target lock, don't fire it unless it sets you up for some real positional advantage, like after an opponent k-turns (almost any time against someone like Soontir Fel, but you want to make sure you can get some serious damage after you fire it to break that stealth device and possibly kill him). Its even very useful against IG88s because they need to s-loop/k-turn so often (something people seem to forget).

Definitely agree on torpedoes. I've had a try with T-70 X-wings, and having a few flechette torpedoes can really, really even the pilot skill odds.

Doubly so if you've got either inertial dampers or lightning reflexes up your sleeves, because you can pull "Red" maneuvers (because they're really white-but-gain-a-stress) whilst your opponent can't.

Equally, whilst I hesitate to recommend them because the **** things are so expensive and finicky, if you do find yourself with half the price of a Z-95 left and nothing to spend it on, Guri is one of two pilots able to make effective practical use of Advanced Proton Torpedos (the other being Major Rhymer). Guri's ability plus a Fire Control System means that the torpedoes are always "armed" and hence you can use your action to set the shot up if someone gives you the opportunity. Glitterstim on Xizor gives the same potential.

I have flown and enjoyed Xizor with, in place of 3 of the Z's, a Trandoshan Slaver with Hound's Tooth title. With a point left, you can put Inertial Dampeners on the Prince, too. The Slaver + title = the health of 4 Z-95s to play with, plus you get a big, wide, difficult to avoid firing arc.

I'm in love with Feedback Zs. I think I might drop a Binayre Pirate and upgrade the rest to Black Sun Soldiers with Feedback Array. But maybe not. I actually don't see much value in the extra Pilot Skill since you're likely to get blocked with no action. I kinda like the PS 1 Zs for the blocking potential. The Feedback Array lets you deal quickly with tough-to-break nuts like Soontir Fel so that Xizor can be the ace flying circles around everyone else. If you do stick to Binayre Pirates, you'd have a 4-point initiative bid or the chance for an Illicit on Xizor.

I'm a fan of Predator here. I find Fire Control System somewhat easy for the opponent to play around. If you have a TL on something, it's obvious you'll pursue it, so if they know where they are going, they know where Xizor needs to go, so they can put someone else ready to shoot that spot. If you choose to be unpredictable and not follow the target, your FCS is basically wasted.

If clearing stress is your main concern, have you considered a Z-95 wingman?

...

or how about a Scyk wingman? the dial is almost the same as the viper and you could go to Serissu to double up the "don't bother trying Xisor" angle in the early game. or maybe just a Tansarii Point Veteran with Bodyguard?

Serissu is a nice idea. I was purely discounting it as I like seeing all the Black Sun colour scheme ships together...

If wanting a bodyguard, I've always been a fan of Kaa'To Leeachos - he's one of the cheapest (if not the cheapest) elite talents available to Scum & Villainy, plus he gets to 'yoink' a focus off some generic mook somewhere (perfect for powering up Bodyguard without making himself vulnerable).

Ideas:

• Xizor - Virgao, Fire Control System, Glitterstim, Autothrusters, Lone Wolf, Advanced Proton Torpedos
• Kaa'To Leeachos - Bodyguard, Glitterstim, Assault Missiles
• Black Sun Soldier - Feedback Array
• Black Sun Soldier - Feedback Array

Thank you for the detailed analysis, and options to likely make the squadron more effective. I find your points very valid, and will try those variations.

My biggest problem right now is letting go of predator and advanced sensors. The first because it is 3 points that basically let me make my Xizor shots really count, even when I barrel roll/boost to get a better position, and the second because it gives me so many more options for placement and close quarters fighting. The only thing which really sucks on the Starviper is the greens. I tend to find that it is quite hard to get a stress out without exposing him, and to be able to get his points out effectively, Xizor needs to be able to shoot effectively every turn.

I've never had predator and after the game thought that it didn't pull its weight.

Xizor - AT, Predator

Binayre Pirate - x2

That leaves you 40 points to do what you want with. You can fit in Bossk with five points for upgrades. There are tons of things you can add for 40 points.

Serissu is a nice idea. I was purely discounting it as I like seeing all the Black Sun colour scheme ships together...

If wanting a bodyguard, I've always been a fan of Kaa'To Leeachos - he's one of the cheapest (if not the cheapest) elite talents available to Scum & Villainy, plus he gets to 'yoink' a focus off some generic mook somewhere (perfect for powering up Bodyguard without making himself vulnerable).

Ideas:

• Xizor - Virgao, Fire Control System, Glitterstim, Autothrusters, Lone Wolf, Advanced Proton Torpedos
• Kaa'To Leeachos - Bodyguard, Glitterstim, Assault Missiles
• Black Sun Soldier - Feedback Array
• Black Sun Soldier - Feedback Array

Very neat, but why Lone Wolf? I presume the thought is that Xizor will survive until the end game when his goons are all destroyed. But in flying Xizor, I've found that with a good amount of focused fire, hits will start piling up on him faster than he can shunt them off. You're really hoping you only take 1 damage per attack so it can be passed on to his wingmen, but that's not always going to happen. However, it seems your Advanced Proton Torpedoes and Assault Missiles are there to either remove some ships quickly or cause your opponent to scatter, making focus-fire more difficult to achieve, so this list might actually work very well. It looks fun!

After a few more flights in, I have to say that I miss ADS a great deal when dealing with aces (and there are lots in the current meta). Predator has been more useful to me and I do not recall a single game where the three points were not paid off. Also, flying with two thugs tlt and only one Z is nice, except against swarms. I get thrashed by swarms, and pretty quickly.

I think I might settle for 3 Zs, or upgrade 2 and put feedback arrays and try to pump up the thug a bit more.... Maybe some inertial dampeners on Xizor. I have to try it.

Aaaaaaaand I took it to a tournament.

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