so, i am going to play some TIE swarm. here is what i came up with.
List 1
4x academy pilot
4x obsidian
List 2
Howlrunner
Swarm tactics
hull upgrade
Dark curse
stealth device
Backstabber
2x black squadrons
crackshot
Academy pilot
What list do you think is the best and why? personally i am leaning towards the 8 tie swarm, but i am afraid that without howlrunner i am losing a lot of accuracy.
8 TIE swarm is hard to beat. IG88s are possibly its toughest matchup (especially the double crackshot, HLC & glitter version). Phantoms also gave it a hard time back in the day, but you don't see those much anymore. I would think the so-called u-boat list will be very tough too, due to the possibility of losing around 2 TIEs in the first round of shooting, depending how dice go, and then probably another two will die before you can kill a scout, making it an uphill battle from that point on. Dash can also be a headache.
If you are going to take a 6 TIE swarm, you need more crackshot. For example:
Howlrunner w/ push the limit & hull = 24
5 Black sqaudies w/ crack shot = 15 x 5
99
6 TIEs struggle against the same things as an 8 TIE swarm, but have better Pilot Skill, so the u-boat matchup is probably not as bad (although I'm not certain)
Edited by blade_mercurial8 TIE swarm is hard to beat. IG88s are possibly its toughest matchup (especially the double crackshot, HLC & glitter version). Phantoms also gave it a hard time back in the day, but you don't see those much anymore. I would think the so-called u-boat list will be very tough too, due to the possibility of losing around 2 TIEs in the first round of shooting, depending how dice go, and then probably another two will die before you can kill a scout, making it an uphill battle from that point on. Dash can also be a headache.
If you are going to take a 6 TIE swarm, you need more crackshot. For example:
Howlrunner w/ push the limit & hull = 24
5 Black sqaudies w/ crack shot = 15 x 5
99
6 TIEs struggle against the same things as an 8 TIE swarm, but have better Pilot Skill, so the u-boat matchup is probably not as bad (although I'm not certain)
The problem is i only have 2 crackshots.
Someone on reddit is trying Youngster with Rage and x7 Academy Pilots. Sounds fun to me, just don't lose Youngster...
I fly often 8 Tie swarm ( 4 Academy and 4 Obsidian ). You must be a fast player, the 75 min time limit is your worst enemy. Block, block, block every turn
8 TIE fighters is a lethal squad once you get your eye in. My one recommendation to try is 7 academy pilots, youngster and rage - more because at some point you'll be glad of not being locked into a PS1/PS3 move order.
Don't rush to use rage,but if you're cinfident you've got someone blocked, using it on on or two TIE fighters with range 1 shots can give you a nasty boost.
8 Ties definitely work, I won 2 nationals with 4 aca and 4 obsidians (including both the phantom and the brobots eras).
As said by Hexdot, blockwing is the name of the game you want to play. That's why advS brobots (or FCS, glitter for that matter) are such a tough matchup. You probably want to evade on the range 3 engagement turn to help with survival and then focus on the following turn.
Howlrunner lists are more reliable (if you can keep howl alive that is...), but if you only have 2 crackshots, I would recommend using a 7 tie swarm, 6 Ties swarm really need the power boost of crackshot for early turns.
8 Ties definitely work, I won 2 nationals with 4 aca and 4 obsidians (including both the phantom and the brobots eras).
As said by Hexdot, blockwing is the name of the game you want to play. That's why advS brobots (or FCS, glitter for that matter) are such a tough matchup. You probably want to evade on the range 3 engagement turn to help with survival and then focus on the following turn.
Howlrunner lists are more reliable (if you can keep howl alive that is...), but if you only have 2 crackshots, I would recommend using a 7 tie swarm, 6 Ties swarm really need the power boost of crackshot for early turns.
Should i fly them in 2 2x2 mini swarms? Also i'v been told that as soon as 1 tie is damaged break it off from the swarm. that way there will all ways be a undamaged tie fighter for them to attack or they have to chase after the damaged one and ignore the swarm. One question though. how do i survive the torpedo fire from the triple scouts list? i am pretty sure the could one shot a tie if i roll bad.
8 Ties definitely work, I won 2 nationals with 4 aca and 4 obsidians (including both the phantom and the brobots eras).
As said by Hexdot, blockwing is the name of the game you want to play. That's why advS brobots (or FCS, glitter for that matter) are such a tough matchup. You probably want to evade on the range 3 engagement turn to help with survival and then focus on the following turn.
Howlrunner lists are more reliable (if you can keep howl alive that is...), but if you only have 2 crackshots, I would recommend using a 7 tie swarm, 6 Ties swarm really need the power boost of crackshot for early turns.
You want Rage Youngster and 7 Academies.
You don't fly in formation. You spread your TIEs out in a loose blob. You then push this huge blob in front of the Dual Aggressors and they can't avoid being blocked.
At range 3 you evade with all of them. You have absolutely no hope of doing damage at range 3 with TIEs against 4 agility and autothrusters. Evade allows you to game IG-88B's Cannon gunner in order to try and take only 1 damage on the first shot instead of having the HLC miss and then wipe you with FCS next shot, or just initially lose to the first shot.
Rage doesn't have to be popped, but its there if you need it. 8 Academies is already a good squad, so don't feel the need to use Rage just because you can if it wouldn't be optimal.
The 8 TIEs vs. Brobots matchup actually favors the TIEs. The TIE player just has to be smart and swing a huge ball of TIEs around and not fly in some aesthetically pleasing, easily predictable Napoleonic formation.
My 6 Tie swarm is
Howlrunner- Crack Shot
Scourge- Crack Shot
Youngster- Marksmanship
x3 Black Squadron Pilot- Crack Shot
Crackshots in to Crit's.
The Rage + 7 sounds like hell'a fun tho.