I have been reading and looking at the Systems Officer and how to integrate him into squad. First off it allows ships that normally are unable to take a target lock action the ability to do so, or give a target lock to a ship in general to increase the likelihood of getting more damage through.
However, there are three downsides to this card.
The first is that it only triggers after you execute a maneuver. Not before. So, putting it on a PS2 bomber that moves first isn't the best choice. You want to put it on a ship that moves later and a plan on what ship to give the target lock to at the start of the turn.
Second, you are limited to range 1 to give the target lock to. Yep, move to far away from your formation and it becomes useless.
Finally, you can't give it to yourself. That, I think, is the biggest drawback of this card. As an imperial player, I would have been happy to pay 3 points (like Scum does) to allow the ship that its on to get the target lock, or 4 points so its any ship in range 1.
So, with that in mind, I am looking at the following ship:
Tomax Bren (31)
TIE Shuttle
Cool Hand
TIE Mk 2 Engine
Systems Officer
Fleet Officer
This ship build has been mentioned before, but it bears note to go over it briefly. Cool Hand allows me to receive a Focus or Evade token if I take a stress. Since I take that stress with the Fleet Officer, I have the potential to have both a focus and evade token on the bomber. Because it is on Tomax Bren, Cool Hand doesn't get discarded.the TIE MK 2 Engine gives me more green maneuvers to take to allow Systems Officer to proc more.
So, whats goes well with this ship?
As a player you could keep it simple and go with a combination of 3 Gamma Squadron Pilots/Veterans with munitions. Not the most original idea to be sure, but one that has great potential. For example, you could have 2 vets with Deadeye and Plasma Torps. They move and one takes a Target Lock and the other Focus'. When Tomax moves he gives the target lock to the Vet who doesn't have one already (to hopefully a target in range and arc). He then activates the Fleet Officer to give himself a focus token and the other Vet who took the Target Lock. Finally, since Tomax received a Stress Token, he gets a free Evade or Focus.
However, if you want to be sneaky and dastardly, why not toss in the standard 35 point Soontir Fel? Granted this wouldn't work the first turn as Soontir Fel moves after Tomax, but on subsequent turns it does. Move the Bomber using a green maneuver to within range 1 of Soontir. Since you know where Soontir is going to be going you can give him the appropriate target lock. Also, using Fleet Officer in conjuction with Soontir Fel, if Soontir turtles up, he can have 1 evade token, 3 Focus Tokens, and a Target Lock. It also allows him to free up an action and still have two focus tokens.
Finally, you could use the build in support of Colonel Vessery (Tractor Beam, VI, TIE/D). Playing on Vassel, I have added Howlrunner and Wampa to make a deadly four ship Imperial build. It also allows me as a TIE fan to take Vessery and still get more use out of him.
So, is this worth it? I think it is, as long as you build your list to take full advantage of his abilities.