Random idea resulting from another thread:

• Quickdraw, Special Forces Training, Rage, Electronic Baffle, Pattern Analyser, Experimental Interface
• Youngster, Expose
• ?????

Happy for suggestions for the third ship. One idea was backdraft:

• Backdraft, Special Forces Training, Opportunist, Fire Control System, Pattern Analyser, Shield Upgrade

and a second shield upgrade for youngster.

A second was a mini-swarm:

• Howlrunner
• Obsidian Squadron Pilot
• Obsidian Squadron Pilot

The idea is fairly simple; Quickdraw lines up on a target, ideally with a green maneuver.

1. Action - Expose
2. Experimental Interface - Free Action: Rage (total of 3 stress)
3. Electronic Baffle removes 1 stress for 1 shield
4. Perform 4-dice primary attack, rerolling 3 dice.
5. Check Pilot Stress Step removes a second stress (leaving 1)
6. at PS9, fire a second 4-dice primary attack.

You may have already seen this because I know it was mentioned in these forums once before but...

Quickdraw: Electronic Baffle, MKII, Spec Ops Training

Youngster: Rage

Scourge: Crackshot

Mauler Mithel: Crackshot

Backstabber

99 pts (1 pt left over for QD EPT, Crackshot or VI probably OR Cool Hand for double stress discard)

Every TIE fighter other than Youngster has an ability that gives them an extra die for attacking which could add up to 4 dice each if in range 1 plus a couple Crackshots. Raging all of them can be a nasty alpha strike type squad, but your turn afterwards will be rough trying to clear stress twice from everyone, except QD. Just seems like a fun, synergistic build that I want to try at some point.

Your Expose + Rage setup can do a similar effect, but it's only on one ship. I'm not too crazy on expose with a 2 agility ship that is already the target priority. With only 4 greens on QD, 3 of them straights, its a hard setup, but a huge reward if you can get it. If I had to pick a 3rd ship, it would probably be between Backdraft or as many CrackBlacks as you can fit in the squad.

I think the list above, to which I don't take credit coming up with, gives QD more maneuverability and your dice output is still very strong with the combination of the squadmate TIE Fighters.

Sounds good. With Quickdraw's EPT free, I might suggest Adaptability - wierdly, this might be one of those occasions where you want to lower pilot skill - pulling Quickdraw down to PS8 means you are garuanteed to be able to rage-shot soontir without tokens, and stand a decent chance to get a shot on the inquisitor or carnor jax.

Cool Hand for double stress discard

Cool Hand doesn't get rid of the stress token. It just gives you an action-token free.

Sounds good. With Quickdraw's EPT free, I might suggest Adaptability - wierdly, this might be one of those occasions where you want to lower pilot skill - pulling Quickdraw down to PS8 means you are garuanteed to be able to rage-shot soontir without tokens, and stand a decent chance to get a shot on the inquisitor or carnor jax.

Cool Hand for double stress discard

Cool Hand doesn't get rid of the stress token. It just gives you an action-token free.

Ah, I read that wrong. My bad. Although, wouldn't be too bad to help QD's survivability that one round when your opponent wants to kill it most to take an evade or double focus for each attack since you're using QD's ability and Rage only gives you one focus anyway. With QD not lasting more than one or two rounds at full effect, a discardable EPT is fine by me, but I can definitely see Adaptability working well as you said too.

Getting someone with Wingman in there to clear up the second/third stress on QD is a good idea, from experience.

Not needed so much; pattern analyser is doing that for you. Still, Epsilon Leader is a possibility and probably more cost-effective than a wingman caddy - I might put rage on youngster and expose on Quickdraw in that case, as he and other TIEs can afford to rage against the dice a bit more.

In fact.....given their better green dials, how would just taking Youngster with Rage and Epsilons with Pattern Analyser work, I wonder?

This assumes that Youngster ability works on Quickdraw, however the latest FAQ suggests otherwise.