So I've been toying around with an idea for a single defender and mini swarm list. I keep coming back to this list. Even though I know it's inviting disaster, I just like the idea of a TIE swarm throwing out this much damage:

Glaive Squadron Pilot — TIE Defender 34

Crack Shot 1

Tractor Beam 1

TIE/D 0

Ship Total: 36

"Youngster" — TIE Fighter 15

Expose 4

Ship Total: 19

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14

Crack Shot 1

Ship Total: 15

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14

Crack Shot 1

Ship Total: 15

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14

Crack Shot 1

Ship Total: 15

Any thoughts on how to do this better/differently?

As a thought on how to change it up, I came up with this:

Glaive Squadron Pilot — TIE Defender 34
Crack Shot 1
Tractor Beam 1
TIE/D 0
Ship Total: 36

"Howlrunner" — TIE Fighter 18
Adaptability 0
Ship Total: 18

"Youngster" — TIE Fighter 15
Expose 4
Ship Total: 19

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14
Adaptability 0
Ship Total: 14

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14
Adaptability 0
Ship Total: 14

This gets everyone in the 5-7 PS range, and allows the Defender to fire off the Tractor first. I figured that the reroll option after Expose would allow a lot better potential for damage throughput. Focus fire is the name of the game with this list, but doing the math, it comes to a whopping 15 attack dice per turn at range 2-3, with rerolls and 1 less agility per turn.

If you're wanting to run a defender and mini-swarm I figure the mini-swarm should look like:

Howlrunner 18

-crack shot 1

Black squadron pilot 14 (x3)

-crack shot 1

Then:

Marek steele 35

-tie/x7 -2

-lone wolf 2 (or VI for 1 and a bid)

-twin ion engine mkII 1

Or even a similar Countess Ryad build.

Four crack shot ties is a healthy number. Howlrunner support and fly them like they were a single large base ship, and they can be very deadly. Add to that either a ps 9 defender or a ps 7 defender with defensive mods.. It seems hard to go wrong.

Edit: brain fart.

So I've been toying around with an idea for a single defender and mini swarm list. I keep coming back to this list. Even though I know it's inviting disaster, I just like the idea of a TIE swarm throwing out this much damage:

Glaive Squadron Pilot — TIE Defender 34

Crack Shot 1

Tractor Beam 1

TIE/D 0

Ship Total: 36

"Youngster" — TIE Fighter 15

Expose 4

Ship Total: 19

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14

Crack Shot 1

Ship Total: 15

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14

Crack Shot 1

Ship Total: 15

Black Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 14

Crack Shot 1

Ship Total: 15

Any thoughts on how to do this better/differently?

Maaaan I hadn't thought about a cracktor glaive with a crackswarm. That's frigging brutal.

I would say though that There's basically no reason NOT to use Ryad in this situation rather than the Glaive.

Also, probably Howl naked is going to be better than Youngster with expose, even though her PS is too high to benefit from the TB.

E: howl with crack is even more better.

This is the idea I came up with on the idea of a TB Defender. I wanted to ensure the TB would be able to catch most aces.

Rexler Brath

Veteran Instincts

Tractor Beam

TIE/D

"Youngster"

Rage

Black Squadron Pilot — x3

Crack Shot