Like the title says, Contracted Scouts equipped with Punishing One. This is my favorite at the moment, but I have seen some other flavors. Wanted to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Contracted Scout (25)
Predator (3)
Recon Specialist (3)
Punishing One (12)

Thweek (28)
Advanced Sensors (3)
Autothrusters (2)
StarViper Mk. II (-3)
Virago (1)

N'Dru Suhlak (17)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Harpoon Missiles (4)
Glitterstim (2)
Guidance Chips (0)

Total: 98

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Seems fine. I don't think there's any real issues with the list (N'Dru can die fast, but he's only 24 points and PS 9, so he's got a fair chance of getting his missile off), so I'm just going to ramble.

If the table geometry works out, it'd be worth considering Lone Wolf on the Scout. If you can keep it mostly active, that's a huge defensive boost. The choice would take playing time to figure out if you can keep it active, and Thweek might be too much in the middle. To that end, Manaroo might be sweet in there. If she's in the middle, and Thweek gets close, having double-focus passed over would be amazing on a Starviper. Particularly one which uses Advanced Sensors to Boost/Barrel Roll into position and might not have tokens otherwise. Advanced Sensors looks like a lot of fun there, but I know folks have sometimes built FCS/Glitterstim.

Manaroo would eat up the bid, though, and a bid seems wise with AdvS Thweek. A point or two could possibly be shaved off of N'Dru with Cruise Missiles, Adaptability, or maybe even replacing Glitterstim with A Score to Settle. Hrm. That'd be 20 points for an ASTS/Cruise/GC ship... Maybe not in this list, but that's dang cheap. I'll have to put that one in my back pocket.

Now that I'm thinking about taking points off of N'Dru, you could run a Sunny Bounder or Inaldra of some kind with a max of 18 points, and upgrade Scout to Dengar (18 points would be Pred/RecSpec and no bid). Dengar will probably do more damage than a Scout (higher PS, plus the revenge shot), but a Scyk will probably do less damage than N'Dru. One advantage a Scout has over Dengar is that Recon Specialist will be easier to plan with low PS--Dengar has a greater chance to be blocked. The other disadvantage of Dengar is that it wouldn't be a Scout build anymore, either.

I think Thweek really needs FCS to give him some modifiers on his attacks. Then I would be almost tempted to run both Expertise and Dengar crew on the Scout. That gives you basically full attack modifiers and allows for keeping a focus for defense or barrel rolling everywhere.

Agree on the bid though. You kind of need at least a two point bid with Thweek, preferably 3 if you can manage.

I think N'Dru deserves to be stapled to Lone Wolf. I don't think there's anything better for him.

Thweek is a fine build, but it is true that he suffers from a lack of offensive mods.

I like the Scout! But it is true that Denger/Expertise would serve as a more potent, though also more expensive version of the same concept.

Thank you for the input. I realize that at the 43-46 point level the scout has competition with Asajj, so here is a theoretical change:

Asajj Ventress (37)
Push the Limit (3)
Latts Razzi (2)
Gyroscopic Targeting (2)

Thweek (28)
Advanced Sensors (3)
Autothrusters (2)
StarViper Mk. II (-3)
Virago (1)

N'Dru Suhlak (17)
Lone Wolf (2)
Harpoon Missiles (4)
Guidance Chips (0)

Total: 98

View in Yet Another Squad Builder

N'Dru at Ps7 loses his chance at simultaneous fire with other Ps9's, but I will have to playtest LW. Asajj adds a control element, still brings 3 reds, 1 more health, more defensive. Expert/Dengar seems excellent as well, thanks Greebwahn.

Drop Gyro for Rigged Cargo and a 3pt bid for thweek. Rigged Cargo messes up many many ships in the meta right now.

Replaced Thweek in the OP with this:

Viktor Hel (25)
Veteran Instincts (1)
Harpoon Missiles (4)
Scavenger Crane (2)
Stealth Device (3)
Guidance Chips (0)
Munitions Failsafe (1)
Vaksai (0)

Total: 31

Seems to work a treat. Trade Failsafe for Vectored on him for 99 could help.

I agree, trade the failsafe for VT

On just the topic of Punishing scout, I've been running one in different lists in this configuration:

Jumpmaster 5000: Contracted Scout (25)
•Punishing One (12)
Attanni Mindlink (1)
Intelligence Agent (1)

Total: 39

Keep it lean gents! This is a really good blocker between low PS, Intel, & native barrel roll. Then if you miss the block you get a 4 die attack as a consolation prize, even focused if you were able to compensate with the linked ship.

And I'm obviously using this guy as a focus battery for someone else (this week he's supporting Dalan Oberos SV)