This follows my strategy of being able to drop a tlt Y in the first round of the game that has been very successful.

Vader crackshot title ATC homing missile

Zeta lone wolf comms relay

Redline extra munitions assault missile auto thrusters seismic

99

Soontir is probably my bad beat, but I have an intersting blocker in Redline for that match and you never know if they went big for the PS bid or not. They basic strategy is put their list on tilt in the first pass then dogfight. I haven't tried Zeta or redline yet.

Any thoughts?

I don't really like the seismics on Redline. I would trade them for a flechette torpedo at the very least. Although I would really rather get cluster missiles on Redline as well as a Range 2-3 missile/torp. Personally, I think clusters + protons are ideal, but if you really like assault missiles, you can drop lone wolf to get the clusters. You could even ditch the initiative bid to keep a 1 pt EPT on Zeta Leader (I assume that's who you mean). Wired, crack shot and Veteran Instincts could all be useful on him...

The seismics and the initiative bid are really incidental in the build. I don't love the double target lock mechanic, but I don't see how I climb over tie swarm using anything other than assault missiles here. Proton torpedoes have a slight edge because Redline does get that one benefit of the doubt eye ball swap, but I would be in a similar spot against 6-8 ties without the assault missile gambit(gamble). Zeta leader OF COURSE(best Bane voice), zeta has lone wolf which might be sub par. I think zeta is a natural lone wolf candidate because of comms relay and the nature of a tie flanker in most matches, not having to commit early.

I told you go for prox mines on that fat dumptruck of a ship.

why not juke on zeta?

I think your missile luv is more effective with scum for the moment.

I've been thinking more crack is always good, and a 2 point PS bid is better than lone wolf on Zeta Leader. 98 will let me dice off with Soontir builds for PS, and that will give a better shot in that matchup. Proxies seem woefully inadequate, when all I really want is two rounds out of Redline. Maybe the seismics can go too. That would leave 4 points which tempts me to dump more points on red line, or engine Vader. I'm not too concered with Vader dropping early while redline is alive, so I see engine as not being as critical in the squad. Maybe there is a better ship to include than Zeta?

I ended going auto thruster and no seismics or FCS for redline. The squad worked well. Round 1 vs Soontir and mini black cracks howl swarm. 2nd round whisper zeta leader palpmobile. 3rd round 2 y tls 2 red squadron Xs with IA, everything had r2 astro. Squads like this can work. If you play jank you have to make a few good manuevers and need to know how squad archetypes work.

One list i have had success with that is pretty similar to yours is

Vader

VI

Title

ATC

EU

Redline

EM

Clusters

Homing

FCS

X2 AP