Rebel TIE Swarm Shenanigans

By Mep, in X-Wing Squad Lists

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Yes, this list is squishy, not much can be done about that. The point isn't to win regionals but to have a rebel TIE swarm.

Total 100 pts

Ahsoka Tano — TIE Fighter 17
Swarm Tactics 2
Operations Specialist 3
Black Market Slicer Tools 1
Captured TIE 1
Sabine’s Masterpiece 1
Ship Total: 25

Sabine Wren (TIE Fighter) — TIE Fighter 15
Swarm Leader 3
Ship Total: 18

Captain Rex — TIE Fighter 14
Ship Total: 14

“Zeb” Orrelios (TIE Fighter) — TIE Fighter 13
Ship Total: 13

Roark Garnet — HWK-290 19
Twin Laser Turret 6
Jan Ors 2
Moldy Crow 3
Ship Total: 30

Fly the ships as a swarm, Rex and Zeb out front of course, Sabine backing up Rex, the Moldy Crow tags along staying within at least 3 of Ahsoka (key). Everyone takes a focus action. Start out slow so the Crow can bank a couple of focus tokens.

At start of combat, Ahsoka uses her ability, even on herself. Got choices here as one of the TIEs can still barrow roll or take an evade or BMST a stressed ship. Default is Ahsoka takes an evade. Roark gives another friendly ship at range 1-3 pilot skill of 12 at start of combat. Give that to Ahsoka. Ahsoka gives her pilot skill to another friendly ship at range 1 per EPT, so you chain that 12 skill, default is Rex until he is dead. Rex shots first at biggest threat, applies his condition. If he hits with those two reds, great, if not, great. Don’t spend the focus to force the hit, just as well as you miss. When he misses, Operations Specialist triggers giving a free focus. Jan can turn that into an evade. Rex may be in trouble, give it to him. Ahsoka of course doesn’t shoot but her evade token will get used to make up for her lack of fire power.

Usually the Ace pilots, etc. will shot now. One of them will probably choose to shoot at Rex. He has a focus and evade to help him survive. If he doesn’t use that evade, then Sabine will, per Swarm Leader. She’ll also use Ahsoka’s. You can now shot with 3-5 dice, depending, with the heavy hitter and push damage through. Focusing on one target is best. Strip it of evades and focuses. The Crow gets to TLT, with plenty of focuses and then Zeb gets to shoot. If anyone misses, Operation Specialist the focus to the Crow or a TIE that lost its focus on defense and may yet need another.

When Rex goes down, Sabine can use her ability to take his spot. When the swarm breaks up, her ability is great to getting back into formation. TIEs like to do a lot of hard turns, the crow has the white 2 hard turn. So the crow and kind of keep up, but since it is range 1-3, there is some forgiveness with that part of the formation.

All kinds of shenanigans going on here, which may annoy your opponent that doesn’t want to keep track of all the stuff going on.

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I would prefer to give Ahsoka VI for the added protection it gives with Captured Tie. Then you can use Roark to boost Rex instead meaning he can lay down his Suppressive fire condition at PS12 so your chosen enemy ship will be hampered immediately.

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read swarm tactics again and you will understand his thinking, it allows him to give 2 ships PS 12 a round

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This.... Is a really cool list. I'd be worried about leading with the HWK as they pop so easily buy if Rex can get his condition on the worst threat first at pilot skill 12 it'll help it to survive.

Please report back when you've had a chance to fly it!

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The first time I flew it, it was against a manny/Fen mind link list and I threw nothing but blanks. Had a lot of unused focuses. So pretty clear what happens there. The sound time was against Pal defenders and won with only losing a couple of TIEs.

It would be crazy to put the hawk out front, specially with the tlt. but I did use him to block one of the zig zaging defenders, really broke up that formation. The TIE swarm humiliated the shuttle in two turns. By the time you lose the hawk, those TIEs need to do their damage, so if Ahsoka needs to start shooting, then she does. Even then, you have two 7s on the board. Also you just need to keep the hawk within range 3 of ahsoka in the back of the formation. She can chain the next 12 past the hawks range. It is helpful giving Zeb and then Sabine the 12 after Rex goes down. Even against Aces, striping a token by shooting at them, missing and gaining a focus isn't a bad thing.