Okay.

first things first: I know the key bits to the two 'good' ARC-170 builds that have popped up on the internet; either in the form of Ficklegreendice's Norra, Braylen & Biggs, or the Nerf-herder winning double-shield-regenerating Norra, Shara & Biggs.

I am trying to come up with a pure ARC-170 squad (more for the aesthetics than anything) and, because I'm a contrary sod, want to try and use a squad without Norra Wexley. I know both those choices are not optimal, but that's the starting point I want to work from.

I know this means the squad will not be 'good', but I still want it to be as good as it can be, and I'm looking for advice - especially from those with experience in deploying 'excessive wingspan'.

The basics of the squad are inevitable; if not taking Norra Wexley, there are only 3 other ARC-170 pilots, so it's them.

• Shara Bey - Alliance Overhaul
• Thane Kyrell - Alliance Overhaul
• Braylen Stramm - Alliance Overhaul

That leaves 21 points for upgrades. No-one is of a sufficiently high PS that I think it's really worth dying in a ditch over an initiative bid, so I'd rather spend all 100 points. I could do with some suggestions as to "on what", though.

Thoughts:

1. It's going to ultimately boil down to either winning by attrition (needs shield regeneration and/or C-3PO) or by putting a big dent in the enemy in the first pass (probably by a torpedo alpha strike).
2. Ficklegreendice has played ARC-170s a lot, and maintains that 90% of the fighting after the initial pass is done with the tail guns. I don't have his experience, but I have used Firesprays a lot (my first ever squad way back when was three bounty hunters) and that certainly ties up with my experience with them. Therefore equipping at least two and maybe even three with tailgunners might be good.
3. Braylen is extremely good at what he does. However, I keep seeing increasing amounts of 'what's a stress token' lists locally - Wired TIE fighters, Lone Wolf/Zuckuss Dengar, etc. As a result, I'm not sure if I wouldn't rather try and build Braylen as more of a gunship if I can.

Any advice would be welcome. Again, I realise the starting choices aren't normal ones for good reason, but I would very much like to try the squad.

I quite like Thane with Weapons Engineer and M9-G8 (Vectored Thrusters are niceif you have the points but not essential). On turn 1, TL both your wingmen to give them a mini-Predator. Once you are engaged, if your opponent shoots the wingmen, you can use Thane ability to switch the Target Locks around for free.

32 Thane (26), M9-G8 (3), Weapons Engineer (3), Alliance Overhaul (0)

I can share with you the triple ARC-170 list that I've flown a couple times. It is a lot of fun. I know you said you don't want Norra in your build, so feel free to take her out to put in Shara Bey if you are so inclined.

R2-D2

Push the Limit

Kyle Katarn

Alliance Overhaul

Vectored Thrusters

• Thane Kyrell

ARC-170

R7-T1

Intelligence Agent

Alliance Overhaul

Vectored Thrusters

• Braylen Stramm

ARC-170

R2-D6

"Chopper"

Alliance Overhaul

Rage

You could also change Kyle Katarn and the Intel Agent to two Tailgunners.

The nice thing about this build is that all three ARCs hit pretty hard.

Braylen can Rage at least every other round, possibly as often as every round if you are lucky (and if you need to use Chopper to Rage when you really need it, you have the hull points to do so).

Thane hits harder the more your opponent focuses on the other two ARCs. I usually focus as my action, then use R7-T1 to get a TL and possibly boost into range 1. By the way, he also makes a really good blocker against higher PS ships (that's why I have Intel Agent). It is very satisfying when the ship that he is touching fires at one of the other ARCs, triggering his Pilot ability, and using R7-T1 to TL that ship then boost off of it and fire at it later in the round. Sometimes Vectored Thrusters becomes necessary instead for a similar effect.

And Norra hits like a truck, of course. She will be the primary target at the beginning—until your opponent realizes how much stronger Thane gets each time someone attacks Norra. Meanwhile Braylen quietly rages in the background getting full modifications on his attacks.

I like the M9-G8 setup. I'm half tempted to try it with Shara - Lock both a friend and a target, and you get fourfold benefit:

• The target loses a critical hit to a normal hit (probably) with the reroll of its attack dice
• The friendly can use shara's target lock to launch a torpedo
• The friendly can use shara's other target lock to reroll one attack die
• The friendly (since it doesn't need to target lock) can have a focus token - meaning the cheaper and arguably better plasma torps are an option instead of protons.

Hmm...

Trying to build the ARCs as Torp Bombers:

• Shara Bey - Alliance Overhaul, Weapons Engineer, M9-G8
• Thane Kyrell - Alliance Overhaul, Tail Gunner, Plasma Torpedoes, Guidance Chips
• Braylen Stramm - Alliance Overhaul, Tail Gunner, Plasma Torpedoes, Targeting Astromech, Guidance Chips

Leaves 2 points for upgrades.

• Thane focuses plus takes a target lock for his free action if the enemy shoots at Shara or Braylen.
• Braylen focuses, planning on using Shara's lock. Alternatively, he can close with a 3 bank and get a free target lock, with a 50% chance of a focus too.

Depending on who needs what, Shara locks the main target and one of the two other pilots. Ideally, the result is two torpedoes with focus tokens and at least a one-die reroll, possibly a full target lock, and guidance chips.

Granted, it's then guns only - at this point Shara will be using her locks mostly defensively, but hopefully the tailgunners on the two wingmen can help pull their weight, as can Braylen's potential to get target lock & focus on a K-turn.

I'm not sure what the last three points should go on.

• Veteran Instincts would be good for Shara to get those locks, or predator so she never needs them herself
• R2-D6/Crack Shot would pair well with the torpedo on Thane

Any other ideas?

R2-D6/Rage on Braylen! And change his Plasma Torpedo to Proton. Full mods on a Proton Torpedo!!! Thane already has a pretty good chance at having full mods on his torpedo shot.

I'll give it a try. I was thinking that a heavily modified torpedo with Crack Shot might be a nice way to wing the inevitable bloody TIE/x7 defenders.

• Shara Bey - Alliance Overhaul, Elusiveness, Weapons Engineer, M9-G8
• Thane Kyrell - Alliance Overhaul, Tail Gunner, Proton Torpedoes, Guidance Chips
• Braylen Stramm - Alliance Overhaul, Rage, Tail Gunner, Proton Torpedoes, R2-D6, Guidance Chips

In an ideal world:

1. Braylen uses Rage
2. Thane Target Locks the target
3. Shara Target Locks the target and Thane
4. If the target fires on someone other than Thane, Thane focuses

Shara can afford to push forwards to be a bit closer to the enemy (which avoids the classic range/PS problem with target locks). Elusiveness might help to protect her (as that's then two chances to mess up an attacker's dice).

Thane uses his own target lock to fire his torpedo, and modifies the dice with Shara's M9-G8 reroll, guidance chips, and his own focus token (if applicable).

Braylen uses Shara's target lock to fire his torpedo, and modifies with Rage's rerolls, guidance chips, and his focus token.

After that, it's tailgunners at dawn.

The other option - which might be easier to handle (Braylen with rage is good but I'm hesitant without Chopper), is opportunist.

• Shara Bey - Alliance Overhaul, Trick Shot, Weapons Engineer, M9-G8
• Thane Kyrell - Alliance Overhaul, Tail Gunner, Plasma Torpedoes, Guidance Chips
• Braylen Stramm - Alliance Overhaul, Opportunist, Tail Gunner, Plasma Torpedoes, R2-D6, Guidance Chips