Hi,

Just starting to think about getting into X-Wing--haven't even played anything other than store demo games yet--and one idea I've seen come up a number of times is a swarm of Rebel Z-95s, mostly with Assault Missiles. Supposedly they fare well against both numerically large groups (i.e. 'cause of the Assault Missiles and, more generally, don't waste extra firepower on things with low durability) and also smaller groups of tougher ships (i.e. 'cause they can then just focus-fire their otherwise meagre fire on a few targets, whereas said targets have too many things to shoot at and end up 'overfiring').

Here's a list I've come up with:

-Airen Cracken + Ion Missiles + Wingman +Munitions Failsafe

-Lt Blount + Ion Missiles

-x3 Tala Squadron Pilots + Assault Missiles

Cracken and Blounts' ion missiles are essentially unmissable (Cracken due to Failsafe, Blount due to being Blount) and would be tasked with neutralizing anything bigger or more threatening than a TIE. The Tala pilots would handle TIEs or other swarms or tightly packed units.

Other than maybe Cracken's Wingman ability and base ability, the Z-95s could fly as far as apart or close together as they needed to. So maybe just keep one buddy close to him to maximize attacks. Everyone else can 'freelance'.

Best part is, I wouldn't even really need to buy a Core set: 5 x Z-95s would be all I'd need.

Any thoughts? If you have comments, please minimize jargon as I am quite new at this.

You gotta have a core for dice and templates. Best to buy extra dice or a second core (original and TFA).

The list needs guidance chips to be really effective. Also, thread tracers on Blount would be more effective.

Meh, I can borrow dice and print my own templates on cardboard.

Two dice attacks are terrible. Z95s really suffer.

Low pilot sill ships have a really hard time getting their target locks. If you want to make this work you should consider putting "thread tracers" on blount to ensure that all the other zs will get their target locks on the relevant turn of shooting.

You will be gobbled up by arc dodgers (like tie interceptors) and will have a hard time beating bulkier ships that can tank a few ordinance shots.

Just a general thought - a swarm type list takes concentration and patience to fly effectively. You'll need to practice with it.

Also the dice and templates from the core set (either) are needed.

and will have a hard time beating bulkier ships that can tank a few ordinance shots.

Even if I specifically mark out those ships for the Ion Missiles?

I would suggest picking up a copy (or 2) of XX-23S Thread Tracers (they come in the Tie Advanced prototype "Inquisitor's Tie Expansion"). What that would do is allow you to actually acquire target locks on higher pilot skill ships (Target lock requires range 1-3 so a savvy player with higher pilot skill will stay just out of that range till after your lower skill pilots move (since they move first), which would lead to not firing ordinance cause it requires a lock). What the thread tracers do to help this is simple here are their rules:

Attack (Focus): Discard this card to perform this attack. If this attack hits, each friendly ship at range 1-2 may acquire a target lock on the defender. Then cancel all dice results.

Attack dice 3, range 1-3.

It does no damage, but allows your low skill ships to acquire target locks where they normally wouldn't be able to. Lt. Blount will always hand out those locks. Airen is also a good spot for those, but you could give him a different missile if you'd like. It only requires a focus to fire, and more importantly you don't have to spend the focus for the shot. Another perk to picking up the Inquisitor's Tie Expansion is that it comes with the best modification for ordinance carriers, guidance chips. They cost 0 points and for a z-95 when it fires its missile it can modify any 1 die to a hit result, making the damage vastly more reliable.

Good luck with the swarm, I love flying my Imperial Tie Swarms. Massed Z-95's are scary imo, but luckily I don't run into large quantities of them in my meta.

Meh, I can borrow dice and print my own templates on cardboard.

Well, it's also just as easy to borrow templates as well.

Making your own maneuver templates on cardboard would be an incredible amount of work and would be quite difficult to get exactly right when cutting the cardboard (and this assumes you can even find a properly scaled pdf of the template sizes). You'd also benefit from having a damage deck and the asteroids available in a core.

My recommendation: Many players have bought multiple core sets. Many have also won or purchased acrylic maneuver sets. It would not be hard to find a player willing to give you a set of cardboard maneuver templates for free. If you were local, I'd happily give you one (along with a damage deck). So ask local players. Or check EBay for people parting out extra bits. Right now, even, there is a $2 auction for the cardboard from a Core Set. This gets you the asteroids, the maneuver templates, the range ruler, and some spare cardboard bits.

and will have a hard time beating bulkier ships that can tank a few ordinance shots.

Even if I specifically mark out those ships for the Ion Missiles?

Yes. Z-95s don't exist anymore, because they suck. I could explain why, but the thing is that would take hours just because i'd have to describe the entire X-Wing meta.

Meh, I can borrow dice and print my own templates on cardboard.

Wait. So you wanna buy 5 Z-95s, which costs $75 just outright... but you won't buy a $40 core set? What?

I'm a huge fan of Z-95s - I flew them a bunch back in Wave 7 and they were great back then, but they are functionally obsolete for Rebels at the moment.

They can't:
1) Generate reliable offense, even with ordnance. 2 attack dice is not enough. Even Crackshot TIE swarms are struggling these days. As ordnance carriers, Z-95s are mediocre - the generics lack action economy and PS to get reliable results, the named pilots are overpriced.

2) Reliably take hits. 2 Hull 2 Shields 2 Agility used to be enough to avoid being killed in one shot most of the time with a defensive Focus token, but offensive power creep makes it much easier to take a Z-95 out before it ever fires. Even if you do survive, you probably have to spend your focus to stay alive and this neuters your offense.

4) Maneuver. Z-95s have a pretty middling set of maneuvers so they have a tough time staying pointed in the right direction. This used to not matter so much since they were at least good at taking up space on the board and getting in the way, but there are more and more ships that don't care about being blocked, so this matters less and less. It's tricky to field enough blocker ships without crippling your squad's offense.

Scum Z-95s have access to Illicit upgrades, which allow Z-95s to function as annoyances with upgrades like feedback array and black market slicer tools, but they still suffer from the issues above. They can scrape by as a utility ship, but they are still behind the power curve and a liability.

Blount with tracers, a Tala with Tracers, finish out with 4 more Talas with concussion missiles. Guidance chips on everything but Blount.

Assault missiles are really only effective against swarms. Take the practically guaranteed four hits that concussion missiles + chips + focus will give you.

Why Wingman?

And why Cracken, who will you be giving extra actions to?

I'd go with Homing Missiles instead of Assault Missiles, personally. If you want to be super cheap, you can buy that stuff online for not so much. Guidance Chip is much better option, as well.

Are you talking friendly games or tournaments? That's a huge difference. I don't see any list like that winning regionals. You might be able to win a local tournament with it, though, if you were really good.

If you are playing casual games, you can probably print off your own cards and people wouldn't mind too much.

No matter what way you are playing, if you play with only one list, it will get boring.

Honestly z-95's don't scare anyone they are fine for cheap fodder but trying to make a whole list of them will see you out flown after the initial exchange as they have a limited dial and no way to alter their final position.

Buying a core set does come highly recommended....

Dice, range ruler, maneuver templates, damage deck, terrain pieces...

These are all things the game needs. And yes, you can probably get most or all of these 2nd hand or 3rd party, but after the time and expense spent acquiring them separately; you're honestly better off just grabbing a core set, then you have everything you need.

(you might want to invest in an extra set of dice: Core set only gives you 3 red & 3 green, which is "enough", but having 6 of each is a million times more convenient.)

In addition to the dice and maneuver templates you get the damage decks and asteroids in the core sets. All are needed to play.

Really man, as said above, a core set is a must buy for this game, and the ship's are fun and useful. It will take some practice to get use to anything in this game, it will take you some time to learn what you really want to fly, because lots of things sound nice on paper, but when it comes to making it happen in the game, it can really change your opinions.

I suggest buy one or two core sets, the force awakens one if you only get one, both the old and new if you get two, then a couple of expansions, if your on a budget of 80 bucks, because that's what all those z 95's will cost, then get one core, and then 3 expansions. You will have fun, and if you stick with it, buying something for the game every week or 2, you will have a ton of fun. And yeah as with any miniature game, get use to spending money if you like it

I say go ahead and fly your Z-swarm. They're great ships to start on and I find them fun to fly. They have their limits of course, but once you're really into the nitty gritty of X-wing you'll discover the next step on your own.

I would suggest though that instead of 5 Z's you switch two of them out with two A-wings. Points wise, they don't cost too much more for what you get: more maneuverability (boost & evade actions) and one more agility. Plus the expansion gives you three different kinds of missiles and two more upgrades (Deadeye & Push the Limit). And Tych Celchu!

If you can get away without having to buy a core set, more power to you, but as noted by others, you get SO much out of it that it's really a must buy.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

The problem with the Z-swarm is that honestly? They're harder to fly than TIE Fighters and TIE Swarms are one of the hardest lists in the game to fly well. I know of lot of really experienced players that i doubt could actually use a Z-Swarm well. You're so new you don't even have a Core Set(and think that you don't need one), you really should not be trying to start off with something so difficult.

Try building the list in this tool https://xws-bench.github.io/bench/#and see how it fares against an AI.

What you should really do is run nothing but Wookie Warriors.

What you should really do is run nothing but Wookie Warriors.

Wrong thread?

and will have a hard time beating bulkier ships that can tank a few ordinance shots.

Even if I specifically mark out those ships for the Ion Missiles?

Yes. Z-95s don't exist anymore, because they suck. I could explain why, but the thing is that would take hours just because i'd have to describe the entire X-Wing meta.

Meh, I can borrow dice and print my own templates on cardboard.

Wait. So you wanna buy 5 Z-95s, which costs $75 just outright... but you won't buy a $40 core set? What?

Or someone sold this person 5 pre-owned Z's for $25. I've seen stranger things happen.

and will have a hard time beating bulkier ships that can tank a few ordinance shots.

Even if I specifically mark out those ships for the Ion Missiles?

Yes. Z-95s don't exist anymore, because they suck. I could explain why, but the thing is that would take hours just because i'd have to describe the entire X-Wing meta.

Meh, I can borrow dice and print my own templates on cardboard.

Wait. So you wanna buy 5 Z-95s, which costs $75 just outright... but you won't buy a $40 core set? What?

Closer to 20 dollars unless you're buying at an LGS.