So, I'm looking at Whisper/Decimator for the upcoming tournament season, the Whisper build is fairly well set (VI/Int Agent/FCS/ACD for 40) but the Decimator is proving trickier. I've been through the Oicunn/Dauntless/Engine Upgrade/Daredevil variant and just found it dying too quickly to be of much help, then gone through a couple of variations with Vader with similar issues.

I'm currently wondering between the following:

Chiraneau/VI/Palpatine/Isard (59)

or

Kenkirk/Determination/Palpatine/Isard (57).

The latter should be much more survivable I think with 1 agility and an evade and discarding pilot crits, but the former is a lot more offensive without losing TOO much of the toughness, plus shooting at PS10 is just nice. The other question is if Kenkirk, what to fill the remaining points with? I'm not above a 3 point init bid, but it feels like at least two of those could go on something, e.g. Anti Pursuit Lasers or the Dauntless title. Or swap to Rebel Captive on Whisper, because stress imposition is good. Elusiveness was my other possible option, rerolling in defence is just nice, especially when faced with the likes of Ten Numb - but the chances of it mattering on a Decimator seem pretty low.

Can anyone help out please?

If I were to run this type of list, I think you want to maximize damage output. You have to accept that your decimator will not survive. Use it as a blunt instrument and bludgeon your opponents list with it until it pops. As long as it takes the biggest threats to whisper out with it, then whisper can clean up the rest. The nice thing with this kind of list is it doesn't require a lot of thought, so you can play fast and not worry about games going to time (well, ideally anyway).

So with that in mind, I would go with either:

Chiraneau w/ VI, engine, vader & gunner = 59

or,

Oicunn w/ predator, engine, vader, gunner & rebel captive = 60

You don't really need rebel captive on Whisper, because you are using the decimator to kill anything that would be tough for whisper. Plus whisper follows the decimator in, which kind of forces your opponent to deal with the decimator, and whisper adds her firepower from afar (at first, once the opponent is committed to killing the decimator, whisper can get in close and maximize damage with FCS + focus).

So yeah, don't be afraid to fly that decimator aggressively. Ideally you can push it passed enemy firing arcs using boost to limit the shots coming at you. But gunner + vader plus regular damage + whisper's shot should kill most things in 2 rounds. Not even Poe can survive concentrated fire from these two.

Chiraneau w/ VI, engine, vader & gunner = 59

This,

Ram him down the throat of the biggest threat to Whisper, or if obstacles/ship placement allow, boost out of arc and go to town.

As mentioned, RAC will die, but it will still take some work, Whisper should be able to solo the rest.

Thanks both. I hadn't thought of the Engine Upgrade being anythign other than a gateway to Daredevil not being completely suicidal previously, but it makes a lot of sense as a defensive tool. I think the Chiraneau variation wins out.

The new season also gives you more interesting options than a Decimator (hopefully, might not be out for stores) with good Defenders or strong Bombers. Two Delta x7 Defenders are going to be competetive alongside a stronger Whisper with Gunner, as will two Gamma Squadron Veterans with Homing Missiles, EM, Crackshot, Seismics and Long Range Scanners. Those aren't as reliable as the Defenders, but they leave room for an initiative bid of two points.

The Veterans and Whisper can easily remove a TLT Y-Wing per turn. The Defenders might have a harder time, but they give you unrivaled durability.

In the new meta I would be hesitant to bring a Decimator into tournaments with the danger of 4/3 TLT lists being so present. It does improve your Palpmobil and general ace matchup, but the ability to kill one Y-Wing per turn does include the definitly dangerous Stresshog.

Yeah, I'm definitely looking at Imperial Veterans with anticipation. But that doesn't do anything for tournaments that are happening before it comes out!

But we might get lucky and have it for late store championships, so it is good to already consider the options.