My list:

Jess Pava - R2-D6, Snap shot, Integrated Astromech

Nien Nunb - Snap Shot, R3-A2, Integrated Astromech

Eaden Vrill - Smuggling Compartment, Anti-Pursuit Lasers, Feedback Array, Operations Specialist

How would you fly against it with your top list? What does this list look weak to? Are there specific lists or tactics I should plan for? Are there changes you would suggest?

Intriguing. I like Vrill, if only he had an EPT (sigh).

I looked at this and thought, Snap Wexley with R3-A2 & Wired (obligatory Integrated Astro). He still gets a boost, and wired at least gives him a sort of psuedo focus, even when he is stressed.

This means less need for OpSpec, and Vrill might think about ReconSpec which works OK on him, and will be better for defense since you are obviously using him as a blocker/PiA.

More thoughts as they occur.

Vrill doesn't really have the expendable hit points for Feedback Array, and you might be better off with black market slicer tools.

So, Snap and Vrill, then, I hate to say it (because it's such a meta-thing at the moment), but you might be better off with Biggs, to help spread out the damage. The synergism you create with a stressor and Vrill will be worthless once one is focused down. You might need to spread out the damage with some skillful Biggs flying.
Vrill also loves a Heavy Laser Cannon for range 3 in arc. Helps with the alpha strike. He's a bit weak at range 3, especially if no-one is stressed. Hard to fit in though as it's expensive.

Actually, BMST is useless on Vrill. I forgot it removes stress.

"Vrilly Knickers"

In this list, you might keep APL, or, because you have Biggs, take Tactical Jammers to obstruct shots on him, and you also have Jan flinging him evade tokens.

Hopefully Biggs takes enough heat off of Vrill while he's wrecking face, because his action economy is not great.

If Vrill gets +1 dice in his PWT if target is stressed why would you want to use an HLC?

Maybe tactician crew?

Thank you for the responses. If I'm critical, please know it's because I'm trying to think through each possibility, not because I don't appreciate your thoughts...

A few things:

I'm fairly convinced snap, stress Nien is superior to wired Snap, if not always, then at least in this list based around area control. The ability to block one area with vrill and another with Nien is the crux of the list IMO.

Operations Specialist.... One of my recent games was against IMP Aces (Vader, Inquisitor, Soontir). In that game Jess did a k-turn over debris to out position the aces flying through the asteroid field. The next turn, she went back over that debris to maintain a shot. These maneuvers left her triple stressed but she had modified dice the entire game. The K-turn put her in position to snap shot which missed and provided a focus through stress. Next turn Nien's snapshot triggered Op spec to keep her with focus.

That game was won handily by my list's ability to play through the debris while his aces had to go around. I can't make that play without Op Spec. It is an upgrade that lets me get additional actions for natural game events. Getting two additional focus from the snap shots let's me double focus two ships - something Attani mindlink similarly enables. At minimum, on a turn by turn basis it lets me choose which will shoot first between Jess and Vrill so that the other can potentially get a focus.

Biggs - aside from finding him rather boring, Jess is a pure upgrade in terms of firepower. I don't have a high value ship he'd be protecting. Vrill tends to act as an effective damage sponge in his place. I think I need the most damage output and toughness for my points and Jess fills that role admirably.

Vrill's primary job is blocking and harassing the enemy into poor positioning. Feedback Array let's him damage a ship touching him. I've ended Ryad before by blocking the k-turn for anti pursuit lasers damage followed by feedback array at combat. This type of play also sets him up for 4 die range 1 primary shots against stressed targets. Playing at range 1 makes his natural 2 attack a bit more robust and 360 arc on a big ship with hard turns and a barrel roll makes range 1 pretty easy to achieve.

I like this list. It's different and interesting.

10 hours ago, BlodVargarna said:

If Vrill gets +1 dice in his PWT if target is stressed why would you want to use an HLC?

Maybe tactician crew?

Vrill is not very good at range 3 in general. Shots on no stress opponents are 2 dice with range bonus green.
With HLC, at least in arc, all ranges are deadly.
If you are using him purely as a hard-core blocker, then sure, points are better spent elsewhere.

7 hours ago, Ohnoeszz said:

Thank you for the responses. If I'm critical, please know it's because I'm trying to think through each possibility, not because I don't appreciate your thoughts...

A few things:

I'm fairly convinced snap, stress Nien is superior to wired Snap, if not always, then at least in this list based around area control. The ability to block one area with vrill and another with Nien is the crux of the list IMO.

Operations Specialist.... One of my recent games was against IMP Aces (Vader, Inquisitor, Soontir). In that game Jess did a k-turn over debris to out position the aces flying through the asteroid field. The next turn, she went back over that debris to maintain a shot. These maneuvers left her triple stressed but she had modified dice the entire game. The K-turn put her in position to snap shot which missed and provided a focus through stress. Next turn Nien's snapshot triggered Op spec to keep her with focus.

That game was won handily by my list's ability to play through the debris while his aces had to go around. I can't make that play without Op Spec. It is an upgrade that lets me get additional actions for natural game events. Getting two additional focus from the snap shots let's me double focus two ships - something Attani mindlink similarly enables. At minimum, on a turn by turn basis it lets me choose which will shoot first between Jess and Vrill so that the other can potentially get a focus.

Biggs - aside from finding him rather boring, Jess is a pure upgrade in terms of firepower. I don't have a high value ship he'd be protecting. Vrill tends to act as an effective damage sponge in his place. I think I need the most damage output and toughness for my points and Jess fills that role admirably.

Vrill's primary job is blocking and harassing the enemy into poor positioning. Feedback Array let's him damage a ship touching him. I've ended Ryad before by blocking the k-turn for anti pursuit lasers damage followed by feedback array at combat. This type of play also sets him up for 4 die range 1 primary shots against stressed targets. Playing at range 1 makes his natural 2 attack a bit more robust and 360 arc on a big ship with hard turns and a barrel roll makes range 1 pretty easy to achieve.

So you are banking on whiffing with snapshot (or at least forcing them to use a token(s), for no damage) to get a focus from OpSpec. Well, kudos, I didn't see that coming. Thanks for the clarification. A very different play-style than what I am used to. As I said, intriguing.

So I got to play against a meta list in Old Fennaro yesterday.

Fenn Rau - Attani Mindlink, Autothrusters, Concord Dawn Protector

Old Teroch - Attani Mindlink, Autothrusters, Concord Dawn Protector

Mannaroo - Attani Mindlink, Painbot, Anti-pursuit lasers, Intel Agent

I think there was a torpedo somewhere, probably on Fenn...

He gave me initiative and I placed one of my two large debris in the center offset to the left. The rest of the obstacles framed that debris, cluttering the inside of the board on his side and the outside on mine. I set up in my center and moved up the middle before banking left, turn two, towards his starting position in the corner.

He had Manaroo on the inside with the others stacked outside - Fenn in back. He moved forward turn 1 and turn two began to bank in as otherwise he risked engaging Manaroo with the Fangs pointing the wrong way. Teroch barrel rolled forward-outside to get out of range of my T-70s and set up a turn inwards next turn, short of an asteroid. Manaroo ended up banking inwards to give the Fangs space. This put her in range of Nien who stressed the attanis on the attack, but misses as his red lock was passed to Fenn. Operations Specialist triggers giving Vrill a 2nd focus after spending the first vs. Fenn. Vrill dodges teroch with that focus and ends up taking 1 from Manaroo as Jess and Vrill bring manaroo to 1 shield.

Turn three, Vrill turns left three and blocks both destressing fangs doing 2 maneuvers towards the fight. Manaroo also bumps into Vrill as the x wings behind block it's landing spot. I get 2 damage on his ships from APL. Jess gets a snap shot on Fenn which gives her focus after landing on debris. Fenn and Teroch whiff their unmodified range 1 shots on Jess just before Nien proceeds to bring Fenn down to 1 hull for Vrill to feedback array for the kill. Jess shoots Manaroo giving a crit for PS 0.

From there Jess goes straight 2 disengaging. Vrill turns left three over Teroch towards my edge and grabs a lock on teroch. Nien T-rolls through debris taking double stress but catching Teroch's forward 3 with snap shot stress. Nien's snap shot gives Vrill focus but it doesn't matter since Nien gets 3 hits against blank dice, killing Teroch who had taken an APL hit earlier.

My opponent conceded at this point with 4 health on Manaroo remaining versus my whole list at near full (Vrill took some hits but no hull and Nien lost 2 shields).

I'm hoping to get more games in but the list seems good against mindlink as I have two ships capable of denying action in a turn. Stress can force certain maneuvers and create opportunity for Vrill to block or force them into poor spots to avoid the block.

I ran a Poe, Red Vet StressX, Eaden Vrill list a few times during last year's Store Champs season. Fun, but not *quite* effective enough to be fully competitive (admittedly, I didn't get a lot of practice with it).

I just ran Eaden with Anti Pursuit Lasers and Intel Agent. Block and you can do damage; don't block and you're probably getting a 3-die attack.