The eight body swarm! Previously seen on the imperial side of the table with four academies and four obsidians, the game has shifted to a slight bit of quality to go with quantity. Howlrunner necessitates a seven body list, and a popular choice is to go down to six ships to include six Crack Shots.

The U.K. meta repopularized the seven man option with the Pattiswarm, but I would like to propose something radical. A shift away from Imperial.

Yes, the humble z-95. Available to rebels at ps2, and scum at ps1. Eight of them gives four spare points, and some new one point upgrades seem to make the matching PS Ocho stronger than ever. These are, of course, XX-23 S-Thread Tracers and Black Market Slicer Tools.

Each Tracer has a bit of a Howlrunner effect, while only costing one point! The rebels can throw four of them in, and at least two should make it past getting PS killed. The scum can drop a few tracers for Slicer Tools, giving up some concentrated fire to have a strong threat for Push the Limit aces.

I'm pretty sure the meta has trended to four hit (not just four dice) attacks, and four hp behind two agility is slightly safer than three hp behind three dice.

Z-95s give up the TIE fighter's barrel roll and evade, but gain target locks, an extra hp, missile slots, and the scum ones get illicit. It is time, bring back the Octet!

Let me show you some true power. This stupid list has 4 free points, has not enough HP, almost no reposition ability and doesn't really look that great. But its taken out tier1 meta lists with more ease than I've ever expected.

You push the PS4 Zs in with Airen Cracken at PS10, likely even nabbing some missiles at aces. This list contains dedicated Ace and Whisper counters, AND has the firepower to at least be a game vs 3 Jumps and large ship lists. You can also build it with seismic charges, conner nets, or homing or assault missiles to fight swarms or whatever ends up being your problem matchup.

Heck, you can also give Miranda herself a conc missile plus LRS for extra alpha strike.

Airen at PS10 with a missile is NOT to be underestimated.

One piloting tip: Slamming is almost always a mistake. You need the damage. And you need to keep Miranda alive to the end.

Miranda Doni (29)

7 Talas with Tracers and Chips has done well for me. It's effectively what happened when the Tie Swarm updated with Crackshot, though it works differently.

Now, you can do 7 Binarye with Slicers, Tracers, and Chips.

I've run six ordnance Talas with some success, and took a four Tala, one T-70 ordnance list to US Nationals. The lists are fun, but the variability is high. Z's don't like to be on the receiving end of ordnance or HLCs, and once the ordnance is away have a tough time punching through 3 agility ships.

Z-95s give up the TIE fighter's barrel roll and evade, but gain target locks, an extra hp, missile slots, and the scum ones get illicit. It is time, bring back the Octet!

Passing locks with Tracers to 2 die ships is essentially a longer range but single target limited shot Howlrunner that can miss. And the ship firing the tracers loses its normal attack, meaning you're down to seven attacks anyway.

The Z-swarm is partly untested because of its expense (8 Z-95s are more expensive to get than 8 TIE fighters) but I've got the impression that the TIE is simply a more versatile and capable swarmer: it has better swarm support options and Barrel Roll for blocking.

im just gonna leave this here......

7x

Indeed. A Jellyfish swarm (or now a slicer swarm!) is very nasty. Plus you've got the kamikaze loner in the form of N'Dru Sulakh.

Rebel Z-95s strike me better as either missile boats or support ships - because they've got XX-23 Blount and Cracken to hand out those actions.

I've got the impression that the TIE is simply a more versatile and capable swarmer: it has better swarm support options and Barrel Roll for blocking.

As a straight swarm ship, I think so. The Z-95 needs to use its better upgrade options to compete. Although, you can now give one or two ships barrel roll in a swarm if you really wanted to!

Indeed. A Jellyfish swarm (or now a slicer swarm!) is very nasty. Plus you've got the kamikaze loner in the form of N'Dru Sulakh.

Rebel Z-95s strike me better as either missile boats or support ships - because they've got XX-23 Blount and Cracken to hand out those actions.

I've got the impression that the TIE is simply a more versatile and capable swarmer: it has better swarm support options and Barrel Roll for blocking.

As a straight swarm ship, I think so. The Z-95 needs to use its better upgrade options to compete. Although, you can now give one or two ships barrel roll in a swarm if you really wanted to!

I've run a 5 Z95 list with Cracken + Cluster Missiles and Blount + Tracers.

I haven't player it since the last errata. Do Cluster Missiles still allow Cracken to usw his ability twice?

I've run Xizor w/ 5 Z-95's to good effect.

There is a thread right now about Ketsu in the Shadow Caster that goes for the bump and 4 Z-95's to take advantage of the -1 or -2 Green dice that happens with Ketsu.

Z-95's can use Black Market Slicer Tools for a single point. Three of these guys is enough to scare Soontir Fel.

I can't recall, but I was thinking of another thread/list that used them lately that just escaped my memory.

In short, I love using Z-95's. I think they are appreciated.

I dont know if your going to lock yourself into low ps and you want to fly a swarm why not take the fang fly 3 zealous recruits with title and 3 binayre pirates? Fly as group with the zealous recruits in front.

I made the cut at the Atlanta regional with 4 of them and a y-wing. They're good ships.

Indeed. A Jellyfish swarm (or now a slicer swarm!) is very nasty. Plus you've got the kamikaze loner in the form of N'Dru Sulakh.

Rebel Z-95s strike me better as either missile boats or support ships - because they've got XX-23 Blount and Cracken to hand out those actions.

I've got the impression that the TIE is simply a more versatile and capable swarmer: it has better swarm support options and Barrel Roll for blocking.

As a straight swarm ship, I think so. The Z-95 needs to use its better upgrade options to compete. Although, you can now give one or two ships barrel roll in a swarm if you really wanted to!

I've run a 5 Z95 list with Cracken + Cluster Missiles and Blount + Tracers.

I haven't player it since the last errata. Do Cluster Missiles still allow Cracken to usw his ability twice?

I'd guess not. Given that the trigger for his ability is the same as the trigger for Fire Control Systems.

My local tournament was won with this list a few weeks ago. I was probably the closest to beating it with a 6 TIE Swarm, but screwed up an activation order and rightly screwed myself. Four concussion missile opening salvo hurts.

Back when wave 8 dropped I ran this:

Dengar: Punishing One, Adaptability, R4 Agromech, Rec Spec (50)

Black Sun Soldier: Concussion Missiles, Chips (17)

Black Sun Soldier: Concussion Missiles, Chips (17)

Black Sun Soldier: Proton Rockets, Chips (16)

PS3 Z95s so they at least get simultaneous fire with U-Boats. I was 4-0 with the list casually; it was funny that people quickly dismissed it because I had Headhunters in a list then got soundly beat.

The strategy is to fly the Z95s in a wedge with the Proton Rocket Z on point position while Dengar sets up a little ways away. With the Z95s use the rule of 11 to get just out of range 3 straight on. Run the PRocket Z at speed 3 or 4 to block and take a Focus while the other two move just far enough to grab their Target Locks. Loose the missiles and then use the Z95s to try and block while Dengar swoops in and cleans up. If they go after Dengar, he runs to the Z95s so they can set up their missile volley.

With the new pilot abilities from Newbacca and Jess will we see more Headhunters hitting the table for Rebs?

I keep thinking of lists with Headhunters and Jess. Funny to have the really old combined with the really new ships.