http://www.thatsnomoon.info/blog/strike-hard-strike-first-the-tie-striker-guide-part-2

Cheers chaps.

Thanks for posting your thoughts. After reading your first article, I decided to try out 5 Scarif Defenders on Vassal, and it was a BLAST! I only have one striker right now, but I'm pretty certain I'm going to invest in a full squad of 5. They can pull some crazy maneuvers, and flying a swarm of them is intellectually stimulating. Like, it's some of the most fun I've had flying X-wing ships in a long time. One of my ships was able to hug a TLT HWK at range 1 for three consecutive rounds, all thanks to Adaptive Ailerons, while the rest of my forces were out beyond range 3, tangling with my opponent's other ships. I was thoroughly impressed with their maneuver options.

So having flown them, do you like them better with a support ship, a high-threat ace, or just a mob of strikers? There is one squad I am very keen to try, if only because it hearkens back to the final scenes in Rogue One:

4x Imperial Trainee (Adaptive Ailerons, Lightweight Frame)
Omicron Group Pilot (Darth Vader)

I own five and had been using them a lot, it has been an absolute blast. Never have I felt like it has been a disadvantage running them at PS3.

They are just so unpredictable and can attack at some of the most strange angles. Quickly become some of my favorite ships.

I'd question your assertion about Countdown's mod. Having played him a few times, for me it's a choice between Hull Upgrade for durability, or Targetting Computer for accuracy. I don't think the extra greens are all that helpful unless you mess up.

Great write up, any thought on a TIE bomber shuttle as a support ship?

Thank you now I want more striker ! Only one in my collection ! Need more ! MORE !

Great article ! Too bad you don't reall talk about generics pilots !

1 hour ago, Eryst said:

Great write up, any thought on a TIE bomber shuttle as a support ship?

I have run it as a Tie Shuttle with 2x defenders on Tomax with cool hand and it's awesome so I could certainly see it being used to support a variety of squads.

1 hour ago, Eryst said:

Great write up, any thought on a TIE bomber shuttle as a support ship?

I tried it once or twice and it's SO difficult to get the movements synchronised.

They seem a lot of fun but gosh they melt to PWT ships.

ironically my only complaint is the support ship suggestion.

Why would you put Adv Sensors on a ship that can take Pattern Analyzer? PA is essentially the same thing, -1pt for the cost of bumping = still lost your action, but it frees your System slot for Baffles (perma-parking Hux/Recruit is hilarious, i just won a 16man tourny with that strat having Sabaac and Ryad dance infront of him).

I can't wait to fly a striker. They appear frail, but look like a lot of fun to fly. Now, do I buy 5 for a striker swarm?

3 minutes ago, Droidlover said:

I can't wait to fly a striker. They appear frail, but look like a lot of fun to fly. Now, do I buy 5 for a striker swarm?

I'm grappling with that, too! I literally have 4 in my online shopping cart, and I can't decide if I'll miss something else by dropping $60 on 4 more TIE strikers. So close to clicking "checkout"!

Here is the list I was considering. If I had five right now, I might even be crazy enough to fly it at Hoth.

http://xwing-builder.co.uk/view/678463/pure-crazies

53 minutes ago, Droidlover said:

Here is the list I was considering. If I had five right now, I might even be crazy enough to fly it at Hoth.

We need crazy like that in the highly competitive scene. When people say "swarm", they tend to think only of Crackshot Black Squadron Pilots, but five, 3-dice ships could do the trick. They just need to be shown the light. If I were going, I'd bring something like that!

24 minutes ago, Parakitor said:

We need crazy like that in the highly competitive scene. When people say "swarm", they tend to think only of Crackshot Black Squadron Pilots, but five, 3-dice ships could do the trick. They just need to be shown the light. If I were going, I'd bring something like that!

Yup. I'm trying to ask friends right now to see if i can pull enough of them together.

2 hours ago, Parakitor said:

I'm grappling with that, too! I literally have 4 in my online shopping cart, and I can't decide if I'll miss something else by dropping $60 on 4 more TIE strikers. So close to clicking "checkout"!

On the plus side, they look so freaking good on the tabletop.

Dang you guys, I wanted to be that "one crazy guy who brought 5 Strikers to Hoth".

Kylo Ren's personal Striker Squadron NS-482 reporting for duty!

3 minutes ago, Heimdall Ulf said:

Dang you guys, I wanted to be that "one crazy guy who brought 5 Strikers to Hoth".

Kylo Ren's personal Striker Squadron NS-482 reporting for duty!

That is so COOL!!!

Thanks for all of the positive comments gents, I really do appreciate it.

On 3/20/2017 at 2:55 PM, Parakitor said:

So having flown them, do you like them better with a support ship, a high-threat ace, or just a mob of strikers? There is one squad I am very keen to try, if only because it hearkens back to the final scenes in Rogue One:

4x Imperial Trainee (Adaptive Ailerons, Lightweight Frame)
Omicron Group Pilot (Darth Vader)

I certainly haven't tried the swarm but it is on the ever growing 'X-wing to-fly list' and it sounds like everyone has enjoyed flying them in a swarm. I like the sound of the Doom shuttle in support though, I think that would be gold.

On 3/20/2017 at 7:16 PM, thespaceinvader said:

I'd question your assertion about Countdown's mod. Having played him a few times, for me it's a choice between Hull Upgrade for durability, or Targetting Computer for accuracy. I don't think the extra greens are all that helpful unless you mess up.

That's what I love about this game, there is no right or wrong, just different ways to do things. I'll have to give them a try and to be honest, I think there are two named pilots that are way better than Countdown anyway.

On 3/20/2017 at 10:03 PM, Eryst said:

Great write up, any thought on a TIE bomber shuttle as a support ship?

The reason I plugged the Major so much as opposed to anything else is simply because of his area of influence. The TIE Shuttle on the other hand needs to stay close to the TIE Strikers and will probably have a hard time with only 6 hull. Honestly I've played more games with the Upsilon than the TIE Shuttle so I would say my opinion is a limited one though to put a little disclaimer in.

On 3/20/2017 at 10:56 PM, Arkanta974 said:

Thank you now I want more striker ! Only one in my collection ! Need more ! MORE !

Great article ! Too bad you don't reall talk about generics pilots !

Thank you sir! Maybe a part 3 is in order then. I'm really trying to do my best to pump out a battle report but I think I'll run out of time before I go overseas again.

On 3/20/2017 at 11:44 PM, Vineheart01 said:

ironically my only complaint is the support ship suggestion.

Why would you put Adv Sensors on a ship that can take Pattern Analyzer? PA is essentially the same thing, -1pt for the cost of bumping = still lost your action, but it frees your System slot for Baffles (perma-parking Hux/Recruit is hilarious, i just won a 16man tourny with that strat having Sabaac and Ryad dance infront of him).

I don't dispute your suggestion at all, however Advanced Sensors does allow you to ensure your using the Co-ordinate action before you've even moved whilst the TIE Strikers are in range of you. I see what you're saying about PA though and I'll have to try it!

1 hour ago, Heimdall Ulf said:

Dang you guys, I wanted to be that "one crazy guy who brought 5 Strikers to Hoth".

Kylo Ren's personal Striker Squadron NS-482 reporting for duty!

They look amazing sir!

Been flying 5 strikers quite a bit recently, and it's bloody good fun!

A nice rundown of the named pilots. My thoughts:

• Duchess with VI or predator. Expertise is nice but doesn't do that much more than predator, and duchess, like omega leader, is something of a 'budget ace'. Besides which, whilst keeping unstressed is always a good idea, the TIE/sk has such flexible end-around moves youll probably use them at least once and wish your attack dice mods still worked. Finally, if youve got a vulnerable target that absolutely must die right now, predator and an offensive focus token stacks, where expertise does not since you lack target lock. As one extra though on the upgrade bar, consider trying lone wolf/engine upgrade duchess at least once. Tourney-winning? No, but you'll get a "how the bloody hell did it get there!?" response fro your opponent at least once...
• Pure sabbac - definitely agree VI. PS 8 should get his improved shot off at least once and ailerons lets him line it up.
• Countdown. Mechanically I understand the "I'm not hit, I never lose a stealth device argument". Practically, I don't. You won't lose it.....unless shot by two or more attackers, or a twin laser turret, or a gunner.....all of which are very common. Thing is, lightweight frame does pretty much the same thing for a point less and doesn't "break". I can see the argument for hull upgrade (if taking hits one at a time), or twin ion engines mk2 (to help shed the stress and keep banking at speed) but stealth device seems a wierd choice.

Support-wise, a fleet officer lambda seems nice, but rather than advanced sensors, try electronic baffle and up the pilot to yorr (plus inspiring recruit if you can ) being able to burn stress off strikers (especially at 2 stress for 1 damage) is very nice - you can segnor and kturn and still focus, or use multiple uses of countdowns ability.

3 hours ago, jimmyrut said:

That's what I love about this game, there is no right or wrong, just different ways to do things. I'll have to give them a try and to be honest, I think there are two named pilots that are way better than Countdown anyway.

Oh, definitely. But neither of them are as CHEAP.

Countdown fills a very nice niche in some of my lists as a 20-23 point blocker/enemy frustrater, but he's not worth relying on because Gunner and TLTs just murder him.

I think the swarm looks super fun, I've been flying sabacc a lot and love it. He is crazy if you can get him extra actions. Been flying him with whisper and Quickdraw with targeting synchronizer and let me tell you That throws a lot of dice

Although I have not tried the swarm, I have tried this

I call it flappy bat wings of the dark side

Upsilon-class Shuttle: · Major Stridan (32)

Fire Control System (2)

· General Hux (5)

Systems officer (2)

Pattern Analyzer (2)

TIE Striker: Imperial Trainee (17)

Lightweight Frame (2)

Adaptive ailerons (0)

TIE Striker: Imperial Trainee (17)

Lightweight Frame (2)

Adaptive ailerons (0)

TIE Striker: Imperial Trainee (17)

Lightweight Frame (2)

Adaptive ailerons (0)

-- TOTAL ------- 100p. --

It is a lot of fun and pretty powerful when flown right

i have 3 strikers, never had the urge to buy 2 more before. Flying the 3 of them make me wonder if flying 5 was even possible but apparently it is since people are reporting it alot.

Im a big fan of Swarm Leader, especially since it really messes with people's target priority. Ive learned that if you DONT try to use it asap it tends to do a lot more damage.

Black Squadron Scout 25
Swarm Leader (3)
LWF (2)
AA (0)

Imperial Trainee 19x3
LWF (2)
AA (0)

Imperial Traineed 17
AA (0)

Total: 99

Sadly you cant quite fit LWF on every single one of them, but 1 without LWF is hardly going to get noticed. I might need to barrow a couple strikers and try this out.

16 hours ago, Heimdall Ulf said:

Dang you guys, I wanted to be that "one crazy guy who brought 5 Strikers to Hoth".

Kylo Ren's personal Striker Squadron NS-482 reporting for duty!

I will keep an eye out for you. Those look SWEET! Wish I had those mad painting skills. Nice job.

Having faced Oldpara's Duchess in Tattooine, I have to say I'm really scared by that cheap ace.

In the right list and with the right player, he becomes a ship able to go everywhere and to manage range as he pleases. His only downside it's that doesn't bring much of punch, but hey, for 26 points you can't complain