Any thoughts on four Black Crack TIEs with a Defender heading it up?
I'm thinking Maarek with adaptability, TIE MKII, Ion Cannon (to maybe make someone easy to swarm around) and title.
Lots of guns. Could block high PS or destroy low PS before it gets to shoot. I've even got a point to make an initiative bid with 
There must be some downsides but I'm not sure of them.
Thanks!
Edited by SDCCOne combo I have seen used to good effect is Vessery with Tie/D and Tractor beam together with some Black Omegas (as they have Target Locks).
They paint targets for Vessery who then drops the target's agility for the rest of the Ties to shoot at. You can mix it up a bit but this is the version I faced and it was pretty nasty.
40 Vessery (35), Tie/D (0), Tractor Beam (1), Ruthlessness (3), Tie Mk2 (1)
18 Omega Squadron Pilot (17) Crackshot (1)
18 Omega Squadron Pilot (17) Crackshot (1)
12 Accademy Tie (12)
12 Accademy Tie (12)
100 Total
If Ruthlessness doesn't seem to be working out in the low-ship meta, you can swap it for Outmaneuver or even Marksmanship.
Aaaah this is so much easier than posting on facebook on my phone...
As noted there, I ran:
Maarek/Adaptability/D/Tractor Beam
Howlrunner/Crack Shot
3x Black Crack
For IIRC at least one Regional and UK Nationals. It worked pretty well, but it was designed with Jumps in mind, and I've never really tested it in a meta which includes better range 1 jousters like Fangs and never properly tested it against Dengaroo which tends to pop TIEs in single shots.
The lists I had most non-dice trouble against were primarily Brobots, though that's at least partly because nobody local to me really plays them. And it will REALLY struggle against party buses if it doesn't manage to nuke them in the opening engagement before they shoot. Which is theoretically possible but REALLY unlikely.
I suspect that it wouldn't be so hot now, but it'll still do reasonably well and still be fun. Howl/Crack/3x Black Crack plus 36 points of something is never going to be a bad list; that's still among the most efficient 64 points of jousting you can get in the game.
Edited by thespaceinvaderAaaah this is so much easier than posting on facebook on my phone...
As noted there, I ran:
Maarek/Adaptability/D/Tractor Beam
Howlrunner/Crack Shot
3x Black Crack
For IIRC at least one Regional and UK Nationals. It worked pretty well, but it was designed with Jumps in mind, and I've never really tested it in a meta which includes better range 1 jousters like Fangs and never properly tested it against Dengaroo which tends to pop TIEs in single shots.
The lists I had most non-dice trouble against were primarily Brobots, though that's at least partly because nobody local to me really plays them. And it will REALLY struggle against party buses if it doesn't manage to nuke them in the opening engagement before they shoot. Which is theoretically possible but REALLY unlikely.
I suspect that it wouldn't be so hot now, but it'll still do reasonably well and still be fun. Howl/Crack/3x Black Crack plus 36 points of something is never going to be a bad list; that's still among the most efficient 64 points of jousting you can get in the game.
Hey Phil 
Good to put a face to a name on here.
Brobots are unlikely to come (phew). Party bus less likely (phew). Our local meta is very odd. People like to try odd builds.
Aaaah this is so much easier than posting on facebook on my phone...
As noted there, I ran:
Maarek/Adaptability/D/Tractor Beam
Howlrunner/Crack Shot
3x Black Crack
For IIRC at least one Regional and UK Nationals. It worked pretty well, but it was designed with Jumps in mind, and I've never really tested it in a meta which includes better range 1 jousters like Fangs and never properly tested it against Dengaroo which tends to pop TIEs in single shots.
The lists I had most non-dice trouble against were primarily Brobots, though that's at least partly because nobody local to me really plays them. And it will REALLY struggle against party buses if it doesn't manage to nuke them in the opening engagement before they shoot. Which is theoretically possible but REALLY unlikely.
I suspect that it wouldn't be so hot now, but it'll still do reasonably well and still be fun. Howl/Crack/3x Black Crack plus 36 points of something is never going to be a bad list; that's still among the most efficient 64 points of jousting you can get in the game.
Hey Phil
Good to put a face to a name on here.
Brobots are unlikely to come (phew). Party bus less likely (phew). Our local meta is very odd. People like to try odd builds.
This probably works in that sort of meta.
Other lists to be aware of are Dash/X - which is problematic for any TIE swarm because arc dodging and HLCs are things they don't like - and which requires that you fly out of formation which takes a lot more thought. But I've beaten it.
As I said, it's a solid list, but it's not tip-top tier, and for a long tournament I probably wouldn't run it because it's mentally very taxing and tends to go to time a lot, which is draining.
It is probably not better then normal Crack Swarm, just different.
Rerolling a dice versus lower agility is subtle. At least with tractor beam, you can spread and still make it work, with Howlrunner you have to stay in group.
https://geordanr.github.io/xwing/?f=Galactic%20Empire&d=v4!s!195:18,144,-1:34:17:;12:140:-1:-1:;12:140:-1:-1:;12:140:-1:-1:;12:140:-1:-1:&sn=Ligue%20Crack%20Swarm
It is probably not better then normal Crack Swarm, just different.
Rerolling a dice versus lower agility is subtle. At least with tractor beam, you can spread and still make it work, with Howlrunner you have to stay in group.
Use Maarek and Howl as above. Get both!
One combo I have seen used to good effect is Vessery with Tie/D and Tractor beam together with some Black Omegas (as they have Target Locks).
They paint targets for Vessery who then drops the target's agility for the rest of the Ties to shoot at. You can mix it up a bit but this is the version I faced and it was pretty nasty.40 Vessery (35), Tie/D (0), Tractor Beam (1), Ruthlessness (3), Tie Mk2 (1)18 Omega Squadron Pilot (17) Crackshot (1)18 Omega Squadron Pilot (17) Crackshot (1)12 Accademy Tie (12)12 Accademy Tie (12)100 Total
If Ruthlessness doesn't seem to be working out in the low-ship meta, you can swap it for Outmaneuver or even Marksmanship.
like it, not to derail the thread but would this scare u more or less?
Colonel Vessery (35)
Juke (2)
Tractor Beam (1)
TIE/D (0)
"Omega Leader" (21)
Juke (2)
Comm Relay (3)
Omega Squadron Pilot (17)
Juke (2)
Comm Relay (3)
"Wampa" (14)