Opinions on this all-TIE build? Ways to improve (but still keeping with all TIEs)?

100 Points

21 - Howlrunner, Hull Upgrade
16 - Backstabber

16 - Dark Curse

21 - Youngster, Marksmanship, Hull Upgrade

14 - Wampa

12 - Academy Pilot

That makes my head hurt. Good luck with PS in movement phase and attacks! It might be a perfectly fine list but TIE Swarms are bad enough logistically when they are all the same with just 1 different pilot skill and ability. Also, what is your plan with Backstabber?

All the pilots after Howlrunner and Youngster were chosen for somewhat useful abilities. Backstabber gets an extra attack die if he's outside the Defender's arc. But you're right about coordinating their movement with such a mix of pilot skills. I hadn't considered that.

I ran this list with some success.

howlrunner with swarm tactics
youngster with marksmanship
5 x academy pilots

its not too bad but once you lose howlrunner or/youngster it starts to fall apart pretty quickly especially against aces like fel.

It should work. I've played 6-ship elite TIEs before, and it's not bad.

Suggestions: Fly Backstabber loose - put the others in a w formation (row of three followed by row of 2) - wampa and the academy in front, howlrunner in back.

Theoretically, you want Youngster in front and Dark Curse in back for movement order, but if you put them at opposite ends of the formation it still works. You may trip yourself up when turning, though.

Fly Backstabber loose - don't worry about getting Howlrunner's reroll, because an extra die is better - and if you're not under fire, Youngster can pass you marksmanship from range 3.

Expect to lose Wampa in the first pass. If you trigger marksmanship, his lethality, plus his lack of defence, paints a massive crosshair on his head. I might actually suggest swapping out Dark Curse; yes his ability makes him hard to hit but he's also by a massive margin the lowest priority target, so no-one's going to shoot at him voluntarily anyway. For one point less you could take a Black Squadron Pilot with Draw Their Fire, who might eat a crucial critical hit off one of the three pilots in that formation you actually give a **** about.