TIE Fighters... I just keep coming back to them for some reason. This time with a Juking Vader and some Crackshot...

Vader + Title + AC + Juke + Tracers = 32

2x Black Crack = 30

3x Academy Pilot = 36

Total = 98

I know thread tracers are not optimal, but this way Vader can token stack and still fire them pretty good. Crackshot is great but it gets shot down if you don't spend it so I've opted for more blockers here. Should be good with some practice I think. Any thoughts or tips on how to fly it?

TIE Fighters... I just keep coming back to them for some reason. This time with a Juking Vader and some Crackshot...

Vader + Title + AC + Juke + Tracers = 32

2x Black Crack = 30

3x Academy Pilot = 36

Total = 98

I know thread tracers are not optimal, but this way Vader can token stack and still fire them pretty good. Crackshot is great but it gets shot down if you don't spend it so I've opted for more blockers here. Should be good with some practice I think. Any thoughts or tips on how to fly it?

Whilst I am a fan of Juking, AccCor Vader with Cluster Missiles he really needs to be in a list with lots of other Juking ships to take advantage of it's stacking ability. If you want to run Vader with a mini-swarm, might I suggest this:

34 Vader w/ Adapt, Engine, X1, ATC

18 Howlrunner w/ Adapt.

48 (4x) Academy.

0 Initiative.

The TIEs are your big block of jousters your opponent can't ignore, and Vader flanks and wins you the endgame at PS10. If you're willing to trim the swarm down to 4 TIEs you can bump Vader up to PS 10 and get a heap of Crackshot in your list:

35 Vader w/ VI, Engine, X1, ATC

19 Howlrunner w/ CS.

45 (3x) Black w/ CS.

1 Initiative.

The list plays the same, but hits harder at PS4, at the expense of a TIE body. I prefer this version, but the first also has merit.

If you want Juke-Vader Give this a go:

32 Vader w/ Juke, Tracers, Chips, X1, AccCor.

66 (3x) Omega w/ Juke, Comms.

2 Initiative.

The TIEs are your big block of jousters your opponent can't ignore, and Vader flanks and wins you the endgame at PS10. If you're willing to trim the swarm down to 4 TIEs you can bump Vader up to PS 10 and get a heap of Crackshot in your list:

35 Vader w/ VI, Engine, X1, ATC

19 Howlrunner w/ CS.

45 (3x) Black w/ CS.

1 Initiative.

The list plays the same, but hits harder at PS4, at the expense of a TIE body. I prefer this version, but the first also has merit.

Vader with Veteran Instincts would be PS11. Or you can drop VI, keep him at PS9, and give him the Juke.

Another possibility would be to drop Veteran Instincts and Crackshot on Howlrunner in order to give her a Stealth Device or Hull Upgrade and keep the rerolls alive a little longer. This also allows Vader to keep Adaptability.

Dropping VI and Howlrunner's Crackshot would also be enough points free to give Vader Predator. Definitely some options...

Man that's a nice list. Going to have to try that soon.

Man that's a nice list. Going to have to try that soon.

It's a solid backbone for a Crackswarm. You can essentially substitute any 36pt ace into the list:

34 Soontir w/ PtL, Computer, Royal, AT.

36 Ryad w/ PtL, MkII, X7.

35 Carnor w/ PtL, Shield, Royal, AT.

34 Inquisitor w/ PtL, PRockets, AT, V1.

36 Rexler w/ VI, X7.

I've tried them all and they're all pretty great as heavy-hitting flankers.

Hmmm, those are all good suggestions but really they're all just adding more Crackshot. Nothing wrong with that, but I find that just makes your TIEs a target. Also, PS 4 gives up a lot of prime blocking territory. I've tried all sorts of Crackshot lists but they always leave me pining for blockers after the Crack is gone. Again, having unspent Crackshot is like having a big red target on your back, people want to zap it before it zaps them.

I wanted to talk about Vader and those Tracers though...

With this build he can focus + evade at R3 of an enemy, fire the Tracers for no cost and use AC to mod the attack and Juke to make sure it sticks. Not sure on the math there, but that seems like a pretty solid chance. And if not? Well hey, that's dice. Even with Juke, Vader at R3 is pretty meh. A TIE swarm with full TLs is no laughing matter though. Mostly I think this will save my ass when I misjudge and bump all my TIEs! Lol...

Hmmm, those are all good suggestions but really they're all just adding more Crackshot. Nothing wrong with that, but I find that just makes your TIEs a target.

Yeah well, if they're shooting your Tie fighters who have crackshot instead of shooting at Vader, it turns out that you're winning. So...you know, ...bonus.

True, target priority. But then again that's why I've brought a couple of the buggers. I'm also hoping that the TL'd Swarm will provide more of an incentive to that as well, but also make it so that I'm not left with nothing for mods when the CS is gone.