I'm playing in our local Padawan league and trying to use a different list each week to experiment and learn.

Mainly I've been doing different combinations of individual aces and wanted to try a mini-swarm list with one stronger ship for support. This is one idea I came up with, and I wanted to get some feedback on it.

Cutlass Squadron Pilot (TIE Punisher) + FCS + Extra Munitions + Plasma Torps + Cluster Missiles + Guidance Chips

Howlrunner + Crack Shot + Stealth Device

Black Squadron Pilot + Crack Shot

Black Squadron Pilot + Crack Shot

My thought is that this will give me a strong alpha strike of some ordnance plus a bunch of crackshotted TIEs and Howlrunner rerolls, then we can potentially try to block with the TIEs while whittling down the rest of their list. In particular I want to be able to handle Jumpmaster pairs as I often encounter these locally.

I also have a Vader variant made up, but when I realized that the Punisher would fit it seemed like it would force my opponents into a harder decision of whether to go after the Punisher or the swarm.

Thanks for your suggestions!

I like this build for a punisher, but I will suggest you try this instead:

Redline (36)

-plasma torpedoes

-cluster missiles

-extra munitions

-guidance chips

Howlrunner (19)

-crack shot

Black squadron pilot (15)x3

-crack shot

Fills up all 100 points, so no bid but with 8 as your highest oh well. Also importantly brings your ordinance boat up to ps 7, putting it above any generic which is huge for ordinance. Redline's abillity works decently without an FCS so long as you manage your target locks. Clusters and plasmas are cheap and effective and mean you have a shot at all ranges 1-3. Of course you also have a mini-crack-swarm to deal with. Be careful against ace matchups, blocking will be huge to make you successful against them. Big ships shouldn't pose an issue, but mind your ranges against u-boats. Full swarm may outclass this unless redline really pulls weight, preferably killing an enemy fighter before it can fire.

Punishers take some getting used to. They aren't the best ship in the Imperial arsenal, but they can work. I really enjoy them (the named ones at least). Have fun with the list whatever you decide on.

My first version was that exact build except for I had FCS and I couldn't figure out how to get it from 102 down to 100, which was what led me to the idea of using a cheaper generic pilot. I'll have to work out the action sequence without FCS, I'll need to pause and refill my locks at some point.

If I take out FCS I can potentially throw a free Collision Detector on him too, need to find out whether our league allows proxying of spoiled cards or not...

So when you say to watch your range against U-boats, would you want to engage them from closer range or longer? My intuition is to have the TIEs engage first and just let the Punisher roll up slowly trying to get more shots off before having to turn or K.

I haven't seen anyone in our league running more ships than this, the most swarmy list I've faced so far has been a Jumpmaster + three Khirazx.

Against u-boats what I mean is, don't let redline be in range of 2 torpedoes at once. Most u-boat lists (especially 3 of em together) end up having to stagger into the battle so if you manage range well, redline should be able to shoot in a 1 for 1 situation, and if that happens it isn't too far out of the realm of possibillities to just off the first boat before it fires (with the swarm firing on the same target). That's another huge reason that redline is going to perform better than a generic here, he always shoots before a u-boat.

Managing target locks with redline typically boils down to:

Question) would a k-turn keep my victim in range and arc next round? If yes, then save the second target lock to fire another munition next round. Otherwise (if you need to break away, or if k-turning isn't possible or favorable), spend the second target lock to modify as needed.

OK, so the sequence seems to go like this comparing Redline to a generic pilot with FCS:

Turn 1: Redline acquires 2 locks

Generic acquires 1 lock

Turn 2: Redline launches (with focus probably), has option to modify dice or keep 2nd lock

Generic launches (with focus probably), reacquires new lock for free

Turn 3: Redline either relocks and launches *or* launches with focus and is now out of locks

Generic launches (with focus probably), reacquires new lock for free

So basically the FCS Generic can launch every turn with focus. Redline has to give up the focus on every other shot to relock, but in return he gets the ability to stack focus+lock rerolls half the time (essentially "borrowing" the modification from his next future shot as this will cause him to have to relock again sooner) and a higher PS. Does that seem about right?

Comparing pilot skill and cost we have:

Redline PS7: 27

Black Eight PS4: 25 w/ FCS

Cutlass PS2: 23 w/ FCS

None of them have an EPT slot to modify PS through Veteran Instincts/Adaptability. Redline's power doesn't really seem better than FCS, so it feels like you're paying two points for +3 PS or four points for +5 PS. Since Black Eight is already sufficient to beat out Contracted Scouts and many other cheap ships, would it be worth the trade to free up some room in the list?

You could definetly try the generic option. With the advent of gamma squadron veterans, your mileage may vary. If you do a generic, it needs to be black 8 at the least. Shooting earlier is very important with ordinance. Of course ps 3 is the main number to beat there. With the drop from redline to black 8 (with fcs) opening up 2 points, I would make the following changes.

Black 8 pilot (36)

-fcs

-extra munitions

-cluster missiles

-*homing missiles*

-guidance chips

Picking up the 2 points here gives you the best missile in the game (imo), instead of plasma torps. With homing missiles your range 2-3 shots will sometimes be fully modified (tl, focus, and chips) which should basically garuntee all hits.

Thanks for confirming my thoughts - I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing or misunderstanding something here.

I'm using Homing Missiles currently on Tomax Bren and yes, they work nicely

First, with a Cutlass Squad pilot, it's going to be hard, almost impossible to get off a proper alpha strike at PS2. Low PS ships need Deadeye to pull off an alpha strike since they will most likely have no one in range when they take their action. And since Punishers have no EPTs, it's not going to work.

Second, I've never seen the phrase "mini-swarm" and "success" get used together that many times.

If you want to try this, I'd replace the Punisher with a Gamma Squad Vet with Deadeye, Plasma Torps, Extra Munies, Clusters, and Chips. Much higher pilot skill at 5 and it's 3 points cheaper at 29 points.

OK, so the sequence seems to go like this comparing Redline to a generic pilot with FCS:

Turn 1: Redline acquires 2 locks

Generic acquires 1 lock

Turn 2: Redline launches (with focus probably), has option to modify dice or keep 2nd lock

Generic launches (with focus probably), reacquires new lock for free

Turn 3: Redline either relocks and launches *or* launches with focus and is now out of locks

Generic launches (with focus probably), reacquires new lock for free

So basically the FCS Generic can launch every turn with focus. Redline has to give up the focus on every other shot to relock, but in return he gets the ability to stack focus+lock rerolls half the time (essentially "borrowing" the modification from his next future shot as this will cause him to have to relock again sooner) and a higher PS. Does that seem about right?

Comparing pilot skill and cost we have:

Redline PS7: 27

Black Eight PS4: 25 w/ FCS

Cutlass PS2: 23 w/ FCS

None of them have an EPT slot to modify PS through Veteran Instincts/Adaptability. Redline's power doesn't really seem better than FCS, so it feels like you're paying two points for +3 PS or four points for +5 PS. Since Black Eight is already sufficient to beat out Contracted Scouts and many other cheap ships, would it be worth the trade to free up some room in the list?

The likelihood of target locking one round and using it the next is somewhat low - so having Redline with 2 locks versus the others with one, is a big difference. If I am target locked in a round - I'm hoping I am shooting or else I may not make it to the next round.

PS7 Redline with FCS and Guidance Chips is getting 4 solid hits most of the time plus the ability to fire before PS6 and lower ships like the Tie Defenders Glaive, Ryad, and Vessery and IG88s. The new FAQ nerfed FCS and Cluster missles, so Plasma Torps and Concussion Missles tend to be reliable.

The likelihood of target locking one round and using it the next is somewhat low - so having Redline with 2 locks versus one of the others with one, is a big difference. If I am target locked in a round - I'm hoping I am shooting or else I may not make it to the next round.

With only 1 evade, a Cutlass will get taken down quickly by Jumpmasters and the Tie Defenders get first strike on Black Eight.

Against other Crack Shot swarms at PS4 firing will depend on initiative.

I use Redline with a Tie Academy as blocker. Against Jumpmasters, I have been able to move the Academy in and focus or evade, block the path of the jumpmaster (denying them a focus and firing their missle) and then bring in Redline to TL and fire missles. You still have room for the 2 CrackBlacks, and CrackHowlrunner minus the Stealth device.