So I'm sure I'm not reinventing anything here, but just a little something after a chat at the weekend...

My friend Ben and I were discussing TIE/fo list and I mentioned that I thought a 6 swarm with howl and epsilon would be the best way of flying them - not only did ben not look convinced but he also asserted that by taking Howl you kind of miss out on using the Sloop (or use it but then Howl drops out of formation...), I said that all you had to do was work out where you wanted howl to be and then work backwards to work out how to bring howl back in to formation... Which I have done...

The list I am using is

TIE Fighter: · "Howlrunner" (18)

Push The Limit (3)

TIE/fo Fighter: · "Epsilon Leader" (19)

TIE/fo Fighter: Epsilon Squadron Pilot (15)

TIE/fo Fighter: Epsilon Squadron Pilot (15)

TIE/fo Fighter: Epsilon Squadron Pilot (15)

TIE/fo Fighter: Epsilon Squadron Pilot (15)

So, the 'starting' formation I'm working from is the 2x3 block - the premier swarm block imo (if anyone needs to know how to deploy to get this formation ask, I'll show) each ship's outer edges are the distance of range 1 apart.

They are deployed as...

E E

L E

H E

Where E are epsilon pilots, L is epsilon leader and H is howlrunner.

So, you decide that due to being dogged you need to Sloop to catch the ship behind you - you want to move howl back in to formation after but NOT just by reversing your moves.

All epsilons take a sloop 2 right, howl takes a 3 k - all end up stressed but withing range 1 of both howlrunner and epsilon leader so get their rerolls and drop their stress in the combat phase.

Next turn, epsilons take a 3 right bank. To get back to her exact position in the formation Howlrunner takes a 3 right turn. The group are free to take actions this turn as normal including a turtling focus and evade from howl runner.The whole formation has move to the left of their original position equivalent to a 1 left turn from the original positions (plus a little nudge)

Obviously as mentioned above they can also choose to just reverse their moves so, epsilons sloop 2 r bank and howl either 3 or 4 kturn s (both keep her In R1 of leader - 3 is best though). To return back Howlrunner picks the same straight she used (3 or 4) and the epsilons use the 2 L Bank. The brings them back into their exact starting positions but turned on the spot.

So, there you go - I 100% think there is merit to flying Howl in a FO swarm and, using this little technique you can keep the surprise of using your Sloop and keep 2 follow up maneuvers for bringing yourself back in to formation

Nice to know. In most games you play, Howlrunner will probably be dead before this becomes something you need to worry about though.

That's why I plumped Ptl on her - figured focus and evade would do something...

The same would apply if you wanted to run a FO swarm with say youngster though too

Definitely worth knowing - I knew about simply reversing moves, but not the other one shown.

Of course you also have to be aware of the downside of doing this - you have a lot less in the way of free maneuver options, in particular you're not making use of the F/O's wonderful hard green turns.

Hedgehogmech - for sure, you also lose out on the handy 3k from running a tie swarm... I'm certainly not saying the combined Tie and Tie/fo swarm is gamebreaking but I think it has merit.

Is this called the Death-Blossom?

I don't think so - if I recall the death blossom was a swarm technique popularised by team covenent? Don't think they death with mixed squads though

That's why I plumped Ptl on her - figured focus and evade would do something...

It will. Push The Limit is good for keeping howlrunner alive long enough for everyone to shoot on the first turn - doubly important with PS1 epsilons, because losing howlrunner to PS 2-4 fire is easy and annoying.

However, if you do this, you can't then pull a koiogran turn. So when the rest of the squad S-loops, Howlrunner does a 3 straight (green) and turtles up again. She's facing the wrong way, but if she survives a second round of fire (unlikely!) the bonus rerolls probably make up for the lost of damage from one unmodified TIE fighter's attacks.

I've always considered her ability a first-round-only boost. She doesn't tend to live long enough to benefit subsequent rounds (might have a better chance with Omega pilots, but then you're cutting in to numbers).

You can K turn though, because Epsilon Leader removes the PtL stress.

That's why I plumped Ptl on her - figured focus and evade would do something...

It will. Push The Limit is good for keeping howlrunner alive long enough for everyone to shoot on the first turn - doubly important with PS1 epsilons, because losing howlrunner to PS 2-4 fire is easy and annoying.

However, if you do this, you can't then pull a koiogran turn. So when the rest of the squad S-loops, Howlrunner does a 3 straight (green) and turtles up again. She's facing the wrong way, but if she survives a second round of fire (unlikely!) the bonus rerolls probably make up for the lost of damage from one unmodified TIE fighter's attacks.

I've always considered her ability a first-round-only boost. She doesn't tend to live long enough to benefit subsequent rounds (might have a better chance with Omega pilots, but then you're cutting in to numbers).

You can K turn though, because Epsilon Leader removes the PtL stress.

Epsilon Leader's Effect is in there seemingly just for the odd chance of K-turns/sloops and getting rid of the one stress from howlrunner from PTL

That's why I plumped Ptl on her - figured focus and evade would do something...

It will. Push The Limit is good for keeping howlrunner alive long enough for everyone to shoot on the first turn - doubly important with PS1 epsilons, because losing howlrunner to PS 2-4 fire is easy and annoying.

However, if you do this, you can't then pull a koiogran turn. So when the rest of the squad S-loops, Howlrunner does a 3 straight (green) and turtles up again. She's facing the wrong way, but if she survives a second round of fire (unlikely!) the bonus rerolls probably make up for the lost of damage from one unmodified TIE fighter's attacks.

I've always considered her ability a first-round-only boost. She doesn't tend to live long enough to benefit subsequent rounds (might have a better chance with Omega pilots, but then you're cutting in to numbers).

You can K turn though, because Epsilon Leader removes the PtL stress.

Epsilon Leader's Effect is in there seemingly just for the odd chance of K-turns/sloops and getting rid of the one stress from howlrunner from PTL

Essentially yes...

I love the new FOs, but not in formation flying. Maybe they start that way, but then when they break they excel at coming in at all angles. Every round a different TIE is (possibly) in the line of fire and the others are blockers or out of arc. Hard to kill something you can't shoot at. I too attempted this and similar squads and found them to be too predictable. I'd much rather fly 5 Omega w/ PTL or Predator. Your could also fly 4 Omega (with upgrade of choice) and 1 Ep Leader. Pretty sick being able to Sloop back to back while EL is alive, but not much of a loss when he gets dropped. The dial and action bar on the FO is fantastic and can take advantage of PTL.

The issue I run into with a 5 TIE list is lack of firepower. You need a heavy hitter. Because the FOs can TL, Vessery is a good match up with 4 FOs. And so is Vader or Fel.

I don't think so - if I recall the death blossom was a swarm technique popularised by team covenent? Don't think they death with mixed squads though

I was being silly.

I don't think so - if I recall the death blossom was a swarm technique popularised by team covenent? Don't think they death with mixed squads though

I was being silly.

Sorry - humour receptor's set to 0...

In answer to the other reply here I think formation flying Ties (if they are the main push of your list) is the most effective way to go... Unless trying to outwit interceptors/phantoms then I want all my Ties facing the same direction and right next to each other...

If people aren't enamored with howlrunner, the same technique could be used to keep youngster in range of some FOs too

If people aren't enamored with howlrunner, the same technique could be used to keep youngster in range of some FOs too

No thanks, there's no EPT that he could take that would really benefit them.

I guess Omega Leader with PtL, or hilariously Opportunist, could take advantage of Expose on Youngster but that's a lot of points for not much payoff. If it were more affordable though the threat of five crits at range 1 would be hilarious.