Trying to come up with a fun and somewhat competitive dual defender list, grateful for peoples thoughts on the below.

Ryad - 34

Push the limit - 3

MK2 engine - 1

X7 title - -2

= 36

Vessery - 35

Mk2 engine - 1

X7 title - -2

= 34

Dark Curse = 16

Wampa = 14

100 Points Total

I know that Vessery works really well with Tie/D but I'm wanting to maximise outright survivability. I've had a lot of fun trying tie/d with Vessery and really want to try something different with him. The MK2 engines give both ships a lot of greens in case of stress (had a bad experience with Vessery getting stressed before), though I appreciate its more important on Ryad who has PTL.

Ryad has PTL so she can focus and get the target lock for Vessery; Vessery doesn't need it as much for the target lock as he'll use his ability from Ryads lock.

Them both having X7 means practically every turn they'll both have an evade token and a focus token maximising survivability, and Ryad will have a target lock every turn for Vessery to utilise.

Dark Curse is a great blocker as he can be a bugger to kill (outside of auto-damage). People often ignore him as he's a Tie but at range one he can do a lot of damage. Wampa does Wamping where he can and also makes a great blocker and is generally a terror.

I know I can drop the Ties and take a Stealth Device Omega Leader or drop one of the MK2 engines as well to take the Inquisitor (both ships help with Vesserys ability) but I think this 4 ship list could do quite well. Cheers!

I run a Double-D Omega Leader list and I must say, the way my Defenders are built really makes them pests on the battlefield. I have two of these in the list:

Glaive Squadron Pilot (34 + 3)

Juke (2)

Hull Upgrade (3)

TIE/x7 (-2)

Juke gives them even more of an advantage to getting a free evade every turn. Their actions for the turn are almost always Target Lock or Focus, so we can average around 2.25 hits-per-attack (I think) along with Juke. Hull Upgrade has been an absolute blessing to run with; it gives our already deadly wasps more armour to take hits with.

Having a Vessery built like this along with some Target Lock support in the form of Darth Vader or Omega Leader would be truly devastating. If you'd like to keep a similar 4 ship list, maybe try something like:

Darth Vader (29 + 5)

Juke (2)

Engine Upgrade (4)

TIE/x1 (0)

Advanced Targeting Computer (1)

Colonel Vessery (35 + 3)

Juke (2)

Hull Upgrade (3)

TIE/x7 (-2)

"Wampa" (14)

Academy Pilot (12)

Having the ability to Target Lock and Focus in one turn ups Vessery's hit-per-attack chance to 2.8 hits, meaning that there's a really high likelihood that he's gonna get 3 hits in that round in addition to the Juke change.

I can understand if you don't want to make the switch to Vader, as Countess Ryad is an absolute blast to play. Even if you don't, I highly recommend testing that Juke/Hull build on the Defender, as it has won me plenty of games.

Im flying a similar list.

Academy pilot instead of wampa and vessery with juke.

The ps1 is worth it.

I haven't flown a pair of Tie-Defenders in a four-build list yet and I think I might have to give it a try. However, I just can't get around giving the Colonel anything other than the TIE/D title because of his inherent pilot ability allowing him to modify both attacks with an ally's Target Lock. Adding on a secondary weapon like Ion Cannon or Tractor Beam allows you to either control the board a bit better by dictating the opponents next maneuver, or it lets your lower PS pilots better their attacks when their target is throwing one less defense die.

As far as the Countess, I really like using Juke with the TIE/x7 card rather than PTL because it adds an offensive threat when you gain an evade token with the title ability and in a way it substitutes for the focus token that you want to take without having to use a PTL upgrade. Although, I would much rather switch the Tie Fighters out for a loaded generic TIE-Advanced or Prototype because they have TL's that help Vessery out even more, I kept with your 4-ship general theme:

Colonel Vessery (39)

Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)

Ion Cannon (3)

TIE/D (0)

Countess Ryad (33)

Twin Ion Engine Mk. II (1)

TIE/x7 (-2)

Juke (2)

Wampa (14)

Academy Pilot (12)

You can also substitute out the Ion Cannon for Tractor Beam and gain two points to upgrade Wampa to Dark Curse or whatever else you want.

Thanks for the thoughts all. Will definitely play around with Juke in the list and may swap the 2 Ties for Omega Leader. Agree that Vessery is a beast with Tie/D, but it also makes him an insanely high priority target and without the evade token can melt quick.

Going to try Ryad and Vessery both with Juke, MK2 and X7 with Omega Leader & Comm Relay, Juke and Stealth Device for 100 points.

So the Juke list with Vessery Ryad and Omega Leader worked okay in a test game against my son. I suppose the problem is that Vessery and Ryad are quite low PS and it means they'll be shot first and likely to spend their evade before they shoot.

There were a few opportunities where I could have taken just one hit to shields to keep the evade for Juke, but when I got down to Hull I didn't really want to do this.

I'm now thinking about the below, I know it leaves Vessery quite naked, but he'll still have an evade and focus every turn (if he's not blocked) and can utilise the Inquisitor and Ryads target locks. I don't have adaptability or Ibstock it on Vessery.

Vessery 35

X7 title -2

Title = 33

Ryad 34

X7 title -2

Push the limit 3

MK2 ion 1

Total = 36

Inquisitor 25

Push the limit 3

Autothrusters 2

Title 1

Total =31

Overall total = 100

As an aside how do you edit the title of a topic? Probably being blind but I really can't see the option anywhere...

I love vessery he has been my fo to defender for a long time. Stele with Juke mk2 and x7 title has become my new favorite.

Having a Vessery built like this along with some Target Lock support in the form of Darth Vader or Omega Leader would be truly devastating. If you'd like to keep a similar 4 ship list, maybe try something like:

Darth Vader (29 + 5)

Juke (2)

Engine Upgrade (4)

TIE/x1 (0)

Advanced Targeting Computer (1)

Colonel Vessery (35 + 3)

Juke (2)

Hull Upgrade (3)

TIE/x7 (-2)

"Wampa" (14)

Academy Pilot (12)

Interesting, I just put together a list with Vader and Defender too, but it's a 3-ship build. Plus, I don't have Wampa.

Vader + TIE/x1 + Engine Upgrade + Advanced Targeting Computer + Adaptability

Tomax Bren + Crack Shot + Homing Missiles + Extra Munitions + Guidance Chips

Ryad + Juke + TIE/x7

100

The prior version of the list used Vessery w/ TIE/D and Inquisitor instead of Ryad and Vader, but Vessery was dying too fast so I went back to TIE/x7 and swapped to Ryad to save some points. If you have room I think either one should do well. Vader hands off locks well for Vessery, but I just couldn't find room and I really liked how my Tomax Bren build has been working. Juke on Vader sounds fun too, I'll have to keep that in mind if I ever free up some more points.

man, you guys have no idea how difficult it is to resist the puns especially regarding lists against which they would be really good

anyway, I think your Ryad + Vess + Inquisitor is probably going to be your most reliable list

Only thing, you really should put adaptability on Vess. One of two things will happen

The enemy is entirely PS 1-4 or 8-11 so you can dial down to 5 to alternate activations with Ryad. The amount of movement opportunities this frees up is impossible to articulate online

The enemy is PS 6 (most notably brobots) so you can jump in PS over them

after all, it's free (0 points)

Wouldn't 2 TIE/fos be better to give target locks to vessery? Plus you have 2 PS1 blockers.

So after trying a number of options I'm still in a bit of a pickle about how to round out my double Defender list at a tournament this weekend.

The lowest default list I want to go for is (basically the same as my opening post):

Ryad [Pilot Skill 5] (34)

X7 title (-2)

Push the limit (3)

MK2 ion (1) = 36

Vessery [Pilot Skill 6] (35)

X7 title (-2) = 33

This leaves a total of 31 points. Now I'd considered popping in the lovely lean Inquisitor build with autothrusters, title and PTL; but then The Inquisitor is shooting first and may want to spend the target lock which means the only consistent target painter is Ryad.

I could put in Wampa and Dark Curse and add VI to Vessery (though probably not strictly necessary). This gives me some blockers with good abilities. Dark Curse in particular can be a pain to destroy. But again leaves the only target painter as Ryad. Same issue if I used two academies, but I'd at least free up points for a stealth device on Vessery.

I could take Tomax Bren with shuttle title, Crackshot and Tactician. He'd be great at stressing aces but his damage output will really be minimal and he will die so so quickly. This is my issue with taking any ordnance bombers at the moment as well.

I could borrow a shuttle to use palpatine and add VI to Vessery, but there's not much point at him being PS8 in this list. This could be good, but I also don't know if the Defenders are "Acey" enough to justify having a 29 point shuttle just to support them. Though I suppose the shuttle dies make a juicy target people don't tend to ignore...

I could add Omega Leader, with a stealth device on him or Vessery and add VI to Vessery to open options on movement with OL. I've found too often though that OL survives to the end game and then quite often to time where my opponent would have won in points (if not playing casually).

My final thought was Maarek Stele in a Tie Advanced (upgrades TBC, probably title, ATC, PTL), as his target lock would be useful but I don't know how survivable he'd be with such a stripped back build.

Appreciate thoughts on this. I have every Imperial ship bar the Interceptor.

Edit:Have just reread Thrawns post suggesting generic FO's. That could work...

Or two academies with targeting computer frees up a stealth device on Vessery. Though i think the Tie dial is inferior and is and has no Shields.

Also Ficklegreens suggestion of adaptability if I can borrow one.