I have an escalation tournament the 15th, 60-90-120-150pts. Pretty much all of my listbuilding has dipped into swarm mentality, bringing either just mass cheapo ships or 1-2 midcost ships with each points increase.

As a result, im fully expecting a lot of 7+ ship builds if not worse. Every time i try to build some lists that avoid adding TIE fighters, i find one of my lists being either naked ships or 10-15pts under the limit so i can "save" the points for the next tier.

What are some ways for Imperials to counter swarms? Initially i was thinking a couple bombers with Assault Missiles, but the price and unitaskability kinda deters me.

Thought about adding some low-cost EPT pilots (blacks come to mind) with Ruthlessness, but then remembered unless theyre a 3die ship that isnt very reliable, and all the 3die ships with an EPT are too expensive to add in 30pt increments.

Have a swarm of your own? As far as I'm concerned, during escalation tournaments, the Empire has the best "swarm" options and its up to the other 2 factions to think of counters.

An example of a 30 point "step up" include adding Scourge with crackshot and an academy tie.

Next turn you add Mauler Mithel with crackshot and another academy tie.

Fun stuff.

Inquisitor. Autothrusters against every R3 attack is solid, so just make sure you take the first round of combat real slow and engage at R3, even going too slow and then boosting to enter R3 if you need to. You'll still fire at R1.

bombs of the "drop on dial reveal" variety

except ions because they don't do damage

oh i love me some bombs. i never have bombers without atleast seismics on there. Its too good.

Action ones can feth off.

I know imperials can do the best swarm but thats kinda why im trying to avoid it. Never do the expected.

too bad you're not flying rebels

my games against crackswarm basically involve Miranda soloing them with sabine seismics and the occasional TLT to plink off the last hull

I mean.. You could bring Defenders. X7 defenders MURDER swarms.. That could get a little boring though, so don't spam them too hard.

Then you have bombs, assault missiles, arc dodgers, engine upgrade decimator, phantoms (which get their own category over arc-dodger because how much harder they MURDER swarms), the list goes on really. Oddly for the faction with the best swarm, it also feels like it has the most tools to deal with a swarm.

ABT Y wings with bomb loadout, seismic and EM. 24pts.

You could try bringing a varaition of Denga.... *Gets Shot*