I've been trying out a few different lists with three ordnance Sienar Test Pilots as the key component. Their varying builds leave 34-40pts for an imperial ace - a real sweet-spot for the Empire.
I've tried the three following lists, all of them placing one of the empire's best aces in the middle of a swarm of nasty knife-fighters:
1) Soontir
Soontir Fel (35) TIE Interceptor (27), Royal Guard TIE (0), Push the Limit (3), Autothrusters (2), Stealth Device (3)
Sienar Test Pilot (21) x 3 TIE Advanced Prototype (16), Concussion Missiles (4), TIE/v1 (1), Guidance Chips (0)
2) Whisper
“Whisper” (40) TIE Phantom (32), Intelligence Agent (1), Fire-Control System (2), Veteran Instincts (1), ACD (4)
Sienar Test Pilot (20) x 3 TIE Advanced Prototype (16), Proton Rockets (3), TIE/v1 (1), Guidance Chips (0)
3) Jax
Carnor Jax (34) TIE Interceptor (26), Push the Limit (3), Royal Guard TIE (0), Hull Upgrade (3), Autothrusters (2)
Sienar Test Pilot (22) x 3 TIE Advanced Prototype (16), Proton Rockets (3), TIE/v1 (1), Autothrusters (2)
Soontir's boys have trouble with their TL's, then trouble with their range, then trouble with being downed with their concussions still on board. It does very nicely against slow rebel lists, but loses the PS duel vs U-boats hard, whilst trying to make the same range shots. Sub par, really, and this keeps this list to the ranks of 'good, but has a very popular hard-counter'.
Whisper's boys are still pretty scary, but in my games they got chewed up by tlts on their opening run while trying to close the gap. Whisper is as lethal as ever, but if the Sienar miniswarm crumbles (as it did for me), she looks suddenly very lonely...
Jax's boys are a league above the competition... I'm surprised to find that of the three, this was by far and away my favourite. It's a list where all four ships boast autothrusters, double actions, and 3 agility. It's also a list that terrifies people, forcing maneuver errors, due to the accumulative range-1 threat it poses, yet really doesn't mind hanging at range three with evade tokens and AT's for everyone. ATs also makes that fraught approach to range one much more forgiving. Finally, to my surprise, the title actually works very nicely with the prockets; it provides a respectable joust when out of range, and gives you three ships that can still deliver 1.5 expected damage a round, with good defence, when you get your prockets away.
It can take on hp-heavy lists, turret-heavy lists and u-boat lists. If played well it has superb block-and-punish potential. But above all, it's a real pleasure to fly the thing! The three Sienars close directly, while jax flanks, and their dials really suit that setup, with Jax's green 2's and boosts taking him in arcs around the hard-1 procket knife-fight.
I think it might be a contender for an Officially Good List® ... So what do you think? Not only of these lists, but of the Sienar miniswarm's potential in Imperial lists?
