Rexler - TB, MK II, PTL, TIE/D

Howlrunner - Swarm Tactics

Academy x 3

96 points.

Essentially Rexler would tee ships up for the mini swarm to...swarm. Reduce the agility and or move them into a better position where the TIEs chew them up. Howl then boosts the Academies and can bring one up to 8 with him and Brath if needed.

Crazy? Possibly useful?

I faced a similar but slightly different list the other day and got well and truly stomped on. The list went something like this.

Vessery, VI, /D, Tractor Beam

Howlrunner

2 Epsilon Squadron Tie/Fos

1 Academy Tie

There may have been 1 or 2 extra upgrades but that is the basic list. The Tie/Fos have the TL action and so can paint targets for Vess. The idea is to fly the 4 Ties as a mini swarm and try to get them all shooting at whatever target Vessery has hobbled with his tractor beam. That makes the best use of the -1 Agility and paired with Howlrunner's reroll, it dishes out a lot of hurt.

I faced a similar but slightly different list the other day and got well and truly stomped on. The list went something like this.

Vessery, VI, /D, Tractor Beam

Howlrunner

2 Epsilon Squadron Tie/Fos

1 Academy Tie

There may have been 1 or 2 extra upgrades but that is the basic list. The Tie/Fos have the TL action and so can paint targets for Vess. The idea is to fly the 4 Ties as a mini swarm and try to get them all shooting at whatever target Vessery has hobbled with his tractor beam. That makes the best use of the -1 Agility and paired with Howlrunner's reroll, it dishes out a lot of hurt.

I'd be worried about matching the different TIEs moves and keeping them together (I'm not sure how similar they're dials are).

But it does seem like a powerful hit if you can pull it off. Plus it's five guns and that's always nice.

What you were running?

I was running a Rebel Regen list (XXHwk). The problem was that against 5 targets with agility 3 and usually a Focus or Evade, I couldn't dish out damage fast enough to weaken the swarm. In return the swarm could dish out damage faster than I could regen, especially when my ships were reduced to agility 1.

The dice rolling didn't help but ultimately this is a very strong list when flown well. The dials of the regular and Fo ties are sufficiently similar that they can be flown well together unless/until you need to sloop or something like that. Ultimately most swarms end up scattering at some point but you should ave no trouble keeping them together for the first pass and maybe the second with a bit of care.

Sounds good! I just checked out the dials and they are very similar. A couple of greens and different reds is all. Been a while since I flew a swarm but it should be good fun as long as I remember what order to move them in!

If I could point 5 3 red attacks (6 with TB) at one target they're going to be in trouble.

I saw your original post and thought you had 9 points spare to play with (but then realised I think it should read 96 points?). I was going to say that the 9 points would be perfect for upgrading the 3 academies to black squadron with crackshot to push even more damage through, but you would need to find 5 points to make it work now if your total is 96.

I'm such a big fan of the FO aces that I went with Stele (VI, TB, MK.II, TIE/D) and Omega Leader, Zeta Leader and Zeta Ace (all 3 w/CS) for the same effect. The biggest difference is that the FOs are so much more dangerous than the Academies, even backed by Howlie, that I make the enemy's targeting choice much more difficult.

Not to mention that the FO dial is miles better than the LN dial. So I really can't be outmaneuvered except by Interceptors. But that's nothing new regardless what you fly.

Rex plus mini swarm was always effective pre fix but with him stripping agility for the ties it's got better.

There seem to be two main choices here.

Rexler or VI Vessery - Rex is more expensive but native PS8. Vess's ability might be better but has to pay to get higher.

TIEs of FOs - Academies are cheaper. FOs have talons and TL, less of them though. Perhaps a mix is best as Karhedron suggests.

I think that Rex probably works best with regular Ties. You could even upgrade them to Black/Cracks if you want to be sure of forcing through extra damage.

Vess really needs at least a couple of FOs to provide him the Target locks he feeds off. Curiously, a PS1 FO costs the same as a Black/Crack.

Howlrunner is always worth taking if you are running any kind of swarm. Beyond that, it is really up to you how you cut your cake.

So if go on the basis of Defender + Howl + 3 TIEs.

What will find hard to go up against?

I think it could be OK against Palp Aces. Lots of arcs and could bring the shuttle down quickly.

Scouts? They'd be shooting last (only two if I took Swarm Tactics though). Not sure.

P.S Vess (VI, TIE/D, TB, TIE MK II), Howl (Swarm Tactics), 2 x Black Squadron Crackshot) and 1 Academy = 100 points

P.S Vess (VI, TIE/D, TB, TIE MK II), Howl (Swarm Tactics), 2 x Black Squadron Crackshot) and 1 Academy = 100 points

I would swap the 2 Black/Cracks for FOs as otherwise that list has nothing to paint Target Locks for Vessery.

I cannot see any obvious weaknesses in the list. You have 11 red dice (with a reroll from Howlrunner) to throw at targets who will usually have -1 Agility. Your Ties have plenty of durability for their points. Even against U-boats, you will be unlikely to lose one to a single torpedo.

So then...

P.S Vess (VI, TIE/D, TB, TIE MK II), Howl (Swarm Tactics), 2 x Epsilon and 1 Academy = 100 points

Vess shoots. Reduces agility and TBs.

Howl shoots. If possible brings a TIE up to PS8 and they both shoot.

Remaning TIEs shoot, all hopefully with Howls attack boost.

Enemies blow up.

Just to throw my hat in the ring:

Rex, Predator, Tractor/D = 41

3x Black Squadron Pilots w/ Crack Shot = 45

86

With the remaining points, you could do an Academy Pilot blocker and a 2 point bid or Wampa, depending on taste. Another option is to drop Predator for Lone Wolf and flank with Rex, adding in a 4th Black Squadron w/ Crack Shot. If he becomes the target, they've got 60 points of Crack Squadrons on a flank.

I can never get lone wolf to work that well the other guys never kill my chaff in a timely manner, damned inconsiderate really.

Had two games against my brother at the weekend. He ran different flavours of Dash/Han in both games.

First game I used Vessery (VI, MK II, TB), Howl (swarm), 2 x Epsilon and 2 x Academy. Lost pretty hard.

Second game I used Rexlar (Outmaneuver, TB, MK II), Howl and 3 x Academy. Won really hard.

Pilot abilities didn't make much difference, neither really got used. Outmaneuver was forgotten (doh) but it would have just ended the game sooner. TBing a ship and then the swarm descending on it was great. Rex, Howl and one Academy shooting first did a job on token stripping, or at least forcing some tough decisions. Flew a lot better in formation that I thought I would but need to learn when to break.

How about this one:

Nowadays the initiative bid is not that much popular - as a lot of people does not look that much into PS (due to JM's, crack swarms and veterans) - hence you may win the initiative roll. This gives an opportunity against the aces and you have the force to got through opponents with high agility. With a bit of luck you are able to get a direct kill on of those toilet seats before it even get a chance to shot at you.

I've been running Howl Crack, Ryad TB TIE/D Crack and 3x Black Crack. It is mean.

TB TIE/D Defender plus miniswarm is a great version of ace+ miniswarm, because the Defender can sit well in the swarm or go it alone as works best in any given situation.

I've been running Howl Crack, Ryad TB TIE/D Crack and 3x Black Crack. It is mean.

TB TIE/D Defender plus miniswarm is a great version of ace+ miniswarm, because the Defender can sit well in the swarm or go it alone as works best in any given situation.

Ryad because of her price? I like having a higher PS, at least matching Howl if I can.

I've been running Howl Crack, Ryad TB TIE/D Crack and 3x Black Crack. It is mean.

TB TIE/D Defender plus miniswarm is a great version of ace+ miniswarm, because the Defender can sit well in the swarm or go it alone as works best in any given situation.

Ryad because of her price? I like having a higher PS, at least matching Howl if I can.

Yes, any dearer than Ryad or a Glaive and you can't fit it all in. The Crack Shot on the TIE/D is very important to get through the likes of Soontir. Get a TB through on him and he is TOAST.

(I thought about going Swarm Tactics on Howl and Adaptability on Ryad, but I think the two crack shots are more important)

And I did Ryad rather than a Glaive because I feel her ability mroe than makes up for the drop from 5 to 4 in the current meta.

If you're running it as a swarm, the PS makes comparatively little difference; Howl is there for the rerolls.

E: adaptability TB TIE/D on Maarek might also be an option, I forget sometimes how cheap he is.

I see a TB as a "crack shot"-like itself as it is. The cannon makes the defender to think if he would like to risk losing 1 agi (& br) or spend their tokens (focus / evade). That's of course in case of a good roll. In case of rolling poorly, that won't help anyway, same as a Crack shot.

Hi PS may also help the swarm to get the enemy in arc or to get own ships out of enemies arc. The more difficult decision the opponent has to make, the better for you.

I see a TB as a "crack shot"-like itself as it is. The cannon makes the defender to think if he would like to risk losing 1 agi (& br) or spend their tokens (focus / evade). That's of course in case of a good roll. In case of rolling poorly, that won't help anyway, same as a Crack shot.

Hi PS may also help the swarm to get the enemy in arc or to get own ships out of enemies arc. The more difficult decision the opponent has to make, the better for you.

High PS makes a lot less difference when you intend to run the ship as part of a swarm anyway. The only real advantage of PS8 for this list is that it would shoot before Howlrunner.

The whole goal of it for me was to get as many shots in the opening round at essentially agi-2 as possible, with the goal of being able to reliably delete a Scout from range 2 before it shoots, which it does successfully.

What if PS is 9? Howly takes adaptability and Maarek VI. Isn't that better?

Stele - VI, TIE/D, TB

Howl - Adaptability

Black Squadron - Crackshot x 3

100 points

From my point of view I'd like as many shots as possible on something before they start getting at my swarm.

Mareek could be the right call here as VI will get him to PS9 and depending on Initiative I could get a shot on Fel. If the TB worked I could move him and hopefully then the rest would do a job, with Howl being PS9 too.

I did like Swarm tactics so I'm a bit torn on that.

What if PS is 9? Howly takes adaptability and Maarek VI. Isn't that better?

Costs another crack shot for minimal benefit. Not seeing it when PS8 is probably the most common one at the moment, spending a crack shot to get 3 shots off at 9 seems excessive.

Definitely trying the Maarek variant though. Having something independent that out-PSes frigging hyperdash is vital, I got OWNED by dash running the Ryad variant because he can trivially arcdodge basically anything of lower PS.

And I shelled out for another K-fighter to get my fifth Crack Shot last week