I've just purchased a punisher and fancied trying to make it competitive with all the new ordinance related shenanigans (looking at you, jmaster 5ks!)

I've also just bought the tie fo and fancied including it too. Thoughts and advice on this list would really be appreciated! Never flown one before but they don't seem as bad as people make out...

TIE Punisher: · "Redline" (27)

Extra Munitions (2)

Proton Torpedoes (4)

Cluster Missiles (4)

Fire Control System (2)

Guidance Chips (0)

TIE/fo Fighter: · "Omega Leader" (21)

Juke (2)

Comm Relay (3)

TIE Interceptor: · Soontir Fel (27)

Push The Limit (3)

Autothrusters (2)

Royal Guard TIE (0)

Stealth Device (3)

-- TOTAL ------- 100/100p. --

The list looks good. The Punisher is a glass-cannon. If focused, it burns down incredibly fast. That's why I like to, as in your list, have two other threats. That enables the punisher to last longer and perhaps deal more damage. What I have learned with flying Redline:

• Don't be afraid to K-turn. With a near-constant target-lock you do not need to focus as much. Beware however, that the boost action is really good on the punisher.
• Try to slowroll Redline at first.
• Positioning is key.

The ordnance you have chosen is the exact ordnance I would choose as well.

Good luck flying it! It is a fun ship.

Looks like a great list, but yeah, the Punisher dies quick to focused fire, and once it's ordnance is gone doesn't do much damage so get them fired off ASAP.

I've flown it with a minor tweak: I like plasma torpedoes for the extra shield damage and the lower cost to be able to run the list at 99 points to get the initiative bid for Soontir. I had mixed results with it as Redline is pretty easy to arc dodge for the higher pilot skill pilots, and usually won't get all his missiles off. But for taking on large ships, the cluster missile FCS combo is nasty. You can really lay into the big hit point ships and do a hurting. After playing it in a tournament, I will probably not play it again just because of certain prevalent matchups that are not favorable. Palp Aces love to run circles around Redline and chew him up. Usually you just can't catch the shuttle fast enough with Redline to do any damage to it, and one match I ran into a palp shuttle with sensor jammer which really hard counters cluster missiles and the target lock reroll since you can't reroll it. It's still a fun list though, and if you can manage to get some shots off it's worth it. I'd recommend trying to keep Soontir and OL in a good position to keep flankers off Redline, if you are playing against arc dodgers. And always have Redline go after the meatiest target that hopefully has little maneuverability and lower pilot skill.

Cheers for the comments guys!

Yeah I figured the boost action would probably see plenty of use after the initial target locks to get out of arc/reposition myself. Seems really handy!

I was originally torn between vader and Fel but have more experience with the latter. Any input on who would be more effective in this list?

Also, I presume I'm setting up with Fel and Omega either side of the punisher? Tactically I was thinking of keeping Fel back in range 3 and the punisher not too far in front to fire off protons for the first two rounds of combat. I was thinking of flying omega on the opposite side of Fel very aggressively and try to get him in range 1/out of arc so the opponent has something else to think about other than Redline?

Cheers for your feedback so far

You will most likely want to split up as Redline's wingmates can work alone pretty well. They just need to be in the right spots when the engagement occurs. So if that means split someone off and really burn it straight 5 to get them in there then that's fine. Just be careful of your opponent switching targets before you are ready to engage. I would try to keep Redline close to one side of the mat and only turn in when you need to. Makes it easier to cover his ass and your opponent can only flank him on one side. If they come down the pipe for him that's what you want anyways so you can pound them with him. And just try to time it and get good positions with the other 2.

Honestly though, my favorite wingmen for Redline now are a Patrol Leader Deci with Gunner, Vader on board and a TIE Fighter filler like Chaser. The Deci deals with the likes of Soontir very well and can force through a lot of damage with Vader and Gunner if ignored. He and the TIE can do a good amount of junking up the board in front of Redline too so it becomes hard to get to him easily, and easier for him to get shots off on tokenless targets. Give it a whirl if you have a decimator, because that 360 primary weapon turret really covers Redline's weaknesses well.

I prefer Deathrain to Redline, but that's just my taste. Being able to drop bombs out the front guides makes DR easier to use, for me at least, to harass high agility ships with. In the unlikely event that I'm not dropping mines directly on the target that has yet to move, I'm dropping them so close to the target that they are probably going to hit it in their movement phase. Adv. Sensors helps with this. Basically, all I have to do is select a maneuver that is going to put me almost in front of them, and action that mine out. Since there are no evades/green dice when mines are dealing damage, it's possible to one round an interceptor with a good prox mine roll. Having something big and stompy like a Decimator as wingmate really helps to take some attention away from Deathrain.

I've run several combos of Deci/Rain, and this is one I'm going to try next:

100 points

Rear Admiral Chiraneau (60)

VT-49 Decimator (46), Expose (4), Ysanne Isard (4), Rebel Captive (3), Experimental Interface (3)

“Deathrain” (40)
TIE Punisher (26), Fire-Control System (2), Extra Munitions (2), Proton Torpedoes (4), Proximity Mines (3), Proximity Mines (3), Guidance Chips (0)

Yeah I have a decimator, will give it a go for sure. Especially as we have a 150 point tournament coming up next month!! Might make a nice addition to the original list!

Re: deathrain, I just love Redline's call name, and the missiles/Torpedoes are much more up my street than bombs. Though I shall definitely try him out at some point!!

I played my first game with this set up yesterday.

That's one game, one win!

As predicted, Redline was the first to go down, but he took a Y wing with him and unloaded one lot of both Munitions and took a good few turns from 2 ywings and Han solo.

Omega Leader was decent at peppering damage from the flank though I need a few more games to get the hang of flying a Tie fo I think. The Juke/Comm Relay combo worked really well against Han, and Fel was the end game beast I needed him to be, evading everything and constantly rolling 3/4 hits chasing Han while staying out of his arc!

Overall I need some more games to practice but I'm happy with it so far.

In regards to the 150 points tournament next month, I feel like all 3 with a decimator would be a good use of the extra 50 points.

Any advise still welcome, especially in relation to the 150 list!

Cheers

James

I forgot to add I was thinking of adding:

Oicunn

Adaptability (-1)

Darth Vader

Gunner

To pop aces/bump people with.

Oicunn is going to melt like that. Might as well sculp him from butter.

Oicunn wants to charge in to use his ability. Taking him down one in PS does little to help that, in my opinion. Zero agility means no green dice, ever. Charging in means you're going to be at range 1 of nearly everything with guns pointed at you, and if you DO manage to ram something, you're forfeiting your action, which means unmodified attack dice... You're going to be suffering nearly every shot that gets thrown at you. I get that people love the "vader/gunner" combo, but it's 8 points. Using it effectively means that you're also going to be doing 4 damage to yourself if the intent is to "double vader".

If you want a decimator, the same 50 points will get you Kenkirk + Isard + Lone Wolf.

To keep an ordinance theme, once imp vets hits, 50 points will buy you two PS(5+1) Gama Squadron Veterans w/ Adaptability, Concussion Missiles or Proton Torpedoes, Extra Munitions, and Guidance Chips.

If you want to run Oicunn/Vader to block/pop aces, drop gunner, and add EU and VI. That brings Oicunn to PS6, so you might get to shoot before a few generics, but also move before any aces. Engine Upgrade makes him speedier for getting into blocking position for a bump next turn. A Decimator w/ EU can usually shoot on turn 1, for what it's worth. Straight 4 + boost = 9 movement units. Rule of 11 means that your opponent would have to pull a full stop or stagger forward 1 to have a chance of not being in range.

Okay so a couple things.

Firstly the tournament has been veto'd to 100 points due to time restrictions which I'm kind of happy about, so Deci is off the cards!

Also I was playing around with this in the hope that imp vets hits before the tournament does... Again feedback vs the original Fel/Redline/omega list would be great!

TIE Bomber: · Tomax Bren (24)

Crack Shot (1)

Extra Munitions (2)

Plasma Torpedoes (3)

Guidance Chips (0)

TIE Punisher: · "Redline" (27)

Extra Munitions (2)

Proton Torpedoes (4)

Fire Control System (2)

Guidance Chips (0)

TIE Interceptor: · Soontir Fel (27)

Push The Limit (3)

Stealth Device (3)

Royal Guard TIE (0)

Autothrusters (2)

-- TOTAL ------- 100/100p. --

Regenning crack seems too funny to pass up, but had to get rid of Cluster on Redline to make space... Worth it? Or is the original more competitive?!

Cheers again all