One of my new favorite adds to a build is:

25 points

N'dru + Lone Wolf + Cluster missiles. + Gliterstim + Guidance chips

It's a great hard hitting first strike flanker that has a good chance of one shotting a ship. But with Scavenger crane coming out, should I trade in glitterstim for it? Does the chance of losing guaranteed eyeballs even out with the ability to get another 8 dice cluster missile attack, before he is blown away?

Nope. Glitterstim is a big reason that those Cluster Missiles hit as hard as they do and probably part of the reason he stays alive long enough to fire them off.

I usually ran Crack Shot + Homing Missiles + Glitterstim + Guidance Chips and considered N'Dru successful anytime he could get his missile off before being blown up. Glitterstim was always clutch for keeping him alive and getting 4-5 hits.

Yeah I agree to keep what you have. Better to have one round of two heavy damage dealing shots (with some additional support for defense), than losing one great modification and trying to be at the right place at the right time of a ship blowing up so you can get another shot (which not even happen since a Z-95 can't take too much damage).

Absolutely one-shot. N'dru is there to punch WAY above his weight then die. If he survives long enough to keep punching above his weight, that's better.

VI or Lone Wolf or Deadeye plus Chips, Stim, Cluster Missiles. Lone Wolf is the best offense, VI is the most reliable at actually getting the shot before PS kill.

Wondering, not counting HLC Scyks and thug TLTs, other good 25 or less point scum "hammers" that are higher pilot skill. Something to research.

I agree with all the comments. You can't expect a Z-95 to last long, so make the most out of the shot you have.

1 hour ago, Cloaker said:

Wondering, not counting HLC Scyks and thug TLTs, other good 25 or less point scum "hammers" that are higher pilot skill. Something to research.

As far as I can see, only the Scyk can compete with the Z-95 in terms of cost, and Tansarii Pt Veteran + Title + VI + Cluster Missiles + Guidance Chips comes in at 24 pts for the same PS as N'dru. Better maneuverability at the cost of no illicit slot, i.e. no Glitterstim, and 1 less shield. Not worth it in my opinion.

while I think VI is a must right now, an ept no one has mentioned is fearlessness. Now your cluster missiles can gain 2 more hit results.

2 hours ago, Cloaker said:

Wondering, not counting HLC Scyks and thug TLTs, other good 25 or less point scum "hammers" that are higher pilot skill. Something to research.

I don't think you can find anything that hits as hard as N'Dru for that cheap, especially if you want some PS.

For pure lol's you could run a SuiScyk for 25 points.

Tansarii Point Veteran (17)
Fearlessness (1)
Autoblaster (5)
"Heavy Scyk" Interceptor (Cannon) (2)

Total: 25