Ok here is my imperial lists for the escalation tournament this month. I am wavering on using this list or the scum list or variants of it for the tournament.

A (57)

Rexler Brath (41) - TIE Defender
Predator (3), Tractor Beam (1), TIE/D (0)

Backstabber (16) - TIE Fighter

B (90)

Colonel Vessery (33) - TIE Defender
TIE/x7 (-2)

Backstabber (16) - TIE Fighter

Rexler Brath (41) - TIE Defender
Predator (3), Tractor Beam (1), TIE/D (0)

C (118)

Rexler Brath (41) - TIE Defender
Predator (3), Tractor Beam (1), TIE/D (0)

"Pure Sabacc" (25) - TIE Striker
Crack Shot (1), Adaptive Ailerons (0), Lightweight Frame (2)

Colonel Vessery (34) - TIE Defender
Veteran Instincts (1), TIE/x7 (-2)

Backstabber (18) - TIE Fighter
Targeting Computer (2)

D (149)

Rexler Brath (41) - TIE Defender
Predator (3), Tractor Beam (1), TIE/D (0)

"Pure Sabacc" (25) - TIE Striker
Crack Shot (1), Adaptive Ailerons (0), Lightweight Frame (2)

Colonel Vessery (34) - TIE Defender
Veteran Instincts (1), TIE/x7 (-2)

Backstabber (18) - TIE Fighter
Targeting Computer (2)

The Inquisitor (31) - TIE Adv. Prototype
Push The Limit (3), TIE/v1 (1), Autothrusters (2)

the 90 point list is a variant of a list I did well with in our league games. Since it did well I wanted to base my escalation lists around the same ships.

What do you guys think? Should I run these lists or a variant? Or should I go with scum?

Run what you enjoy, the choices are all solid on their own though lack synergy (as seems to be par for the course without a support ship with imps) though that isn't necessarily bad (especially in escalation)

tractor Beam is a good choice for punching those three die attacks through as is crackshot. Targeting computer is questionable however if you've flown it before to success and can properly utilise it then keep it, I'd swap it for Howlrunner who would add support to the entire list which is good when you have this many ships.

hope this helps, bets of luck

Thanks for the post. I run the targeting computer on back stabber to help get vessery a lock on his attacks. Also back stabber is a decent if weak ship. But it is a tie fighter that can roll 3 to 4 dice if left alone. I like him, but i can see why you would suggest howlrunner. She is really good with formations and such. I have used her many times with a tie swarm and found her rerolls to be very effective. So i will consider her inclusion in the list. Thanks.

Escalation is a very different kettle of fish to 'normal' X-Wing - you can't neccesarily start with your final list and divide it into 'chunks' afterward, because each size list needs to stand on it's own, and you will find a lot of pilots simply too baseline expensive to include at any stage (Rexler is a good example of this) without comprimising their wingmates too heavily for them to succeed.

As far as the Empire goes, an obvious choice for your 60pt list is Omega Leader, since in such a small game he will be dominant if you can keep him alive, and will remain useful (though diminishingly so) throughout every following round, while also allowing you to spend 34pts on the second ship at that stage (good for a solid Defender or TIE/SF, which you can add upgrades to in later rounds if possible).

Be aware also of a couple of things - an 150pt game is a lot more crowded, with a lot more fire arcs, which can make being an arc-dodger (like the Inquisitor) much harder, and will tend to favour numbers over defensive tokens. Also keep in mind your opponents point total - in the larger (120 and 150) lists players can often underspend by as much as 8-10 points, which means a game that you think you are winning could turn to a loss if it goes to time, as the opponent had fewer points for you to earn in the first place.

Most importantly, though, consider each point total as a seperate entity to some extent so that you don't have to take a deficiency in one round (and so possibly lose because of it) in order to get to your bigger lists.

I think the biggest "?" I had was pred on Rexler, though a great EPT, it would mean he wouldn't likely take TL's and thus not help Vess, I think I would prefer Expertise, LW, PTL.... just my thoughts

Yes predator is for the rerolls so i can keep the target lock for vessery. Predator also helps me land that first tractor beam shot. I have used rexler with predator before and my first action was usually to target lock so vessery could then focus for his first action and have full mods plus the tractor beam token on his victim. Its a good one two punch because rexeler is still getting rerolls with out spending the lock. I have considered lone wolf on rexeler but opted to stay with pedator because of later rounds with more ships on the table. Rexeler is more of a set up man instead of the heavy hitter in this build. After the first engagement he will of course just focus for his action and get full mods on his shots as well.