[Scum] mini-swarm assist

By janusgeminus, in X-Wing Squad Lists

Posted at

M3-A Interceptor: · Serissu (20)

Swarm Tactics (2)

StarViper: · Prince Xizor (31)

Swarm Tactics (2)

Autothrusters (2)

· Virago (1)

Sensor Jammer (4)

Z-95 Headhunter: Binayre Pirate (12)

Z-95 Headhunter: Binayre Pirate (12)

Z-95 Headhunter: Binayre Pirate (12)

This is currently at 98 points. My questions are going to be now about EPTs And Xizor's loadout.

Is swarm tactics the right ept? Against aces, swarm tactics is a wasted 4 points. Against novo-aces, two get to shoot simultaneously. Against Dengaroo, it's a wasted four points, except when the chase for Manaroo is on. This allows 80% of my squad to attack before crackswarms, U-boats, brobots, and Vessery Ryad + one. Having both Serissu and Xizor focused on increasing the swarms combat ps, lowers the offensive output, without really changing the defensiveness of the squad.

I could throw predator on xizor, thereby keeping him turtled with sensor jammers and juke on Serissu. At 8, she's usually going too still have her evade token, so that can help increase damage output.

Biggest weakness so far for this list is lack of punch. Due to a lack of rerolls, I purely rely on the dice. In contrast, I have defensive rerolls and shenanigans. This list will stick around as long as Serissu is alive, and then some.

This now brings about all the potential options. FCS instead of Sensor Jammers? If FSC, then no need for predator. If not need for predator, then what? Certainly not PTL. Would a Turtled Xizor versus a TL + focus Xizor be the more solid build for a swarmish dance?

The Slicer tool will become an option soon to strengthen the roll of the pirates. Until then...

Thoughts?

Posted at

Z-95 probably would work better if you take feedback each. That way you could take more instead of serissu and deal with both aces and bigger ships. And probably swarm tactics wouldnt be as good as VI, and maybe FCS for some action economy? That are my suggestions.

Posted at

Using swarm tactics to allow ships with only 2 attack dice the opportunity to shoot earlier in the combat order is in itself a complete waste of points, regardless of what you are up against. If those Z-95's had ordnance, or you had something in their place that actually had the chance of destroying something with an 'alpha strike', then I could see it being useful. As it is, you are not only eating up 4 points for very little gain, you are also denying your two best ships the ability to increase their own effectiveness with much better EPTs.

Black Market Slicer Tools are quite good on z-95s. They are just as situational as Feedback array, but they have longer range and slightly lower cost, and you only need 2 or 3 of them to be a credible threat (whereas feedback array becomes more dangerous when you can spam it on lots of ships).

Honestly, I don't think now is a good time for Prince Xizor. Unfortunately, the new fang fighter is hands down better than the star viper in every way, and the new unique pilots are all quite good. And I say this as someone that really, really likes the Star Viper (I've flown all the pilots numerous times). Hopefully FFG releases a 'star viper fix' along the lines of what we got for the TIE defender...

Posted at

So it really only works for imp because of Howlrunner?

Posted at

So it really only works for imp because of Howlrunner?

Sort of. Swarm tactics is useful when you are able to allow meaningful attacks to shoot earlier. Oldschool Howlie with swarm tactics (possibly chained) was good because of the sheer amount of firepower it could generate at PS 8 (and back then, PS8 was less common than it is now).

Its possible to still do something with this. You just have to find some hard hitting ships that can really benefit from the PS boost. I've never really thought about it much, since I have no interest in Swarm Tactics, but off the top of my head, here's something that might work, although its probably not super 'competitive':

Serissu w/ swarm tactics, 'heavy scyk' + tractor beam = 25

Tansarii pt Vet w/ Swarm tactics, 'heavy scyk' + mangler = 25

Tansarii pt Vet w/ Swarm tactics, 'heavy scyk' + mangler = 25

Binayre Pirate w/ S-thread tracers + guidance chips = 13
Binayre Pirate = 12
100
So 5 fairly fragile ships that hope not to die thanks to Serissu's ability (although she doesn't benefit from it, which is unfortunate). They can all shoot at PS8 (except for 1 of the pirates).
With a perfect approach, you will have the 'naked' pirate out front to maybe block or draw fire.
Either Serissu or Tracer Pirate wants to shoot first (you get to choose shooting order, since swarm tactics occurs at the start of the combat phase, where you obviously want to set all ships but 1 to Serissu's Pilot Skill of 8). Serissu should fire her tractor beam first if the intended target has 3 or higher agility. If the target is already at agility 2 or less, you can fire the tracer first, since it is very likely to hit even without the benefit of tractor.
When the tracer hits, it gives all of your remaining shooters Target Locks, provided they are within range 1-2 of the tracer pirate and within range 1-3 of the target. Now your Mangler Scyks also get to shoot at PS8, and hopefully they have target locks, and even more hopefully, if the tractor beam hit, the target is at -1 agility. Even the last PS1 pirate might hurt something if it gets to shoot at a target hit by the tractor beam...
Now that would be a pretty serious alpha strike, although the list still has some definite weaknesses (its extremely fragile and prone to being outmanoeuvered by very mobile enemies).
Maybe its possible to do something similar with more durable ships? You'd have to play around with a squad builder. Scum are a bit limited in chaining Swarm Tactics though, since most of the pilots that can take an EPT start to get costly when you try to give them 'teeth'.
Edited by blade_mercurial