Are tie advances still viable in the current meta? I have been out of touch for awhile and found my advances sitting on a shelf and got me thinking.

If they are still viable what lists are good for them?

Vader sees a lot of play. Being able to get to PS11 helps. I’ve seen Juno around a bit too but rarely doing well. I think if you’re wanting to be competitive Vader as part of a PS11 missile three ship alpha strike list is the way to go.

But meh, the rule of cool states if you want to fly something, doooooo eeeet!

I still like to field Vader alongside solid wingmen. He'll always be, in some ways, superior to PTL Aces. The Advanced chassis is durable. The dial is probably the biggest "hindrance", but since I field TIE Bombers frequently, I don't mind the Advanced dial. ATC is still a great upgrade, and I think when Director Krennic hits, Vader will be a force to be reckoned with when he's assigned the "Optimized Prototype" condition. I prefer Juke Vader, which has a pretty reliable damage output, and have often been pleased by the speed that a well-flown Vader can eat through enemy ships.

As for the other pilots, I like messing around with Juno, but haven't fielded her competitively. I think you can pretty much skip the rest of the Advanceds until Colzet, and he's mostly just a pain in the neck until he pops. Colzet would likely be a decent wingman for Kylo to really spam that ISYTDS, but your opponent might squeal "NPE!". Otherwise, the Tempest Squadrons with Accuracy Corrector is probably solid since many popular ships are low-agility, but I feel that it wouldn't put much of a dent in Auzituck Gunships.

Colonel Vessery is a great wingman for Vader. They focus fire down the enemy like crazy. Mini swarms (TIEs/Boats) with Vader could be good because of the current two-ship meta, especially with bombs on the slight decline. The Inquisitor seems to keep popping up as one of the most viable Autothruster aces that the Imperials have. I've been fond of two generic Strikers as speedy flankers/blockers/extra guns. My go to lists right now are often 2 Ace 2 Generic lists for extra firepower against the more traditional Trip Aces.

As stated, Vader is very playable.

Tempest with Accuracy Corrector for 21 points seems reasonable. Evade every turn, and both deal out and survive more damage than you probably ought to for the points. Harpoon/LRS Gunboats are really strong at 22 points that it's hard to justify anything else in the price range, but Tempest is probably reasonable.

It's also possible to invest 4 points into Cluster Missiles and Guidance Chips. There are a lot of low-agility ships out there, and the chance of throwing 6 hits (11% of the time or so, and 5 is a bit more likely than 4) can be strong. Plus, none of your attacks are weak to a Fenn/Ghost build.

Putting together some of the ideas @theBitterFig offered, for 25 points, you can run a Tempest Squadron Pilot with Cluster Missiles, Guidance Chips, TIE/x1, and Accuracy Corrector. That's likely enough to vaporize anything foolish enough to park in your kill box.

9 hours ago, emeraldbeacon said:

Putting together some of the ideas @theBitterFig offered, for 25 points, you can run a Tempest Squadron Pilot with Cluster Missiles, Guidance Chips, TIE/x1, and Accuracy Corrector. That's likely enough to vaporize anything foolish enough to park in your kill box.

I was going to suggest a Tempest with Harpoons, Chips, Title and FCS for the same price! Four of them could be nasty, but once the initial ordnance salvo is fired, I think it loses the punch it needs.

Plus it'll get mauled by higher-PS lists...

1 hour ago, Stryker359 said:

I was going to suggest a Tempest with Harpoons, Chips, Title and FCS for the same price! Four of them could be nasty, but once the initial ordnance salvo is fired, I think it loses the punch it needs.

Plus it'll get mauled by higher-PS lists...

That's the beauty of Accuracy Corrector. Even after you send off the Cluster Missiles, you're still guaranteed a minimum of 2 hits per attack, and can spend your action to evade or re-position yourself as needed. The key is to do your best to avoid close-quarters fighting, keeping your arcs as open as possible.

4 minutes ago, emeraldbeacon said:

That's the beauty of Accuracy Corrector. Even after you send off the Cluster Missiles, you're still guaranteed a minimum of 2 hits per attack, and can spend your action to evade or re-position yourself as needed. The key is to do your best to avoid close-quarters fighting, keeping your arcs as open as possible.

Oh I agree wholeheartedly! Plus Clusters are far more fun!

8 hours ago, Stryker359 said:

I was going to suggest a Tempest with Harpoons, Chips, Title and FCS for the same price! Four of them could be nasty, but once the initial ordnance salvo is fired, I think it loses the punch it needs.

Plus it'll get mauled by higher-PS lists...

I feel like a Harpoon Tempest just loses compared to a Harpoon Starwing. The Cluster/AccC synergy is high enough that a Tempest probably fulfills that role better. Per @emeraldbeacon, I was presuming both kits together

I've even run it on Vader. When Hotshot Copilot was new, and before folks figured out that Attanni Mindlink was good, actually, I was flying Gunner/HSCP on RAC with a Juke, Accuracy Corrector, Cluster Missiles Vader. Not sure whether it was good or not, but combining double attacks with Juke with no-focus was pretty cute.

16 hours ago, Stryker359 said:

Oh I agree wholeheartedly! Plus Clusters are far more fun!

Clusterf*** was a squad from way back when, and it's still not bad today.

TIE/x1, Accuracy Corrector, Guidance Chips is a very nice loadout, and it's brutal beyond belief against agility 0 targets.

Rather amusingly, given that it's 'a thing' at the moment, being able to fly four of them into range 2, lock a sensor jammer/fenn protected lothal rebel, and say "Bang. you're dead. No, I don't need to roll dice." is going to be hellishly satisfying....

It does have a couple of weaknesses:

• Range 1-2 target lock weapons are better than range 2-3 target lock weapons for lower PS pilots because you can lock at range 3 then fire after your opponent moves from range 2. However, you still need to lock, meaning you're not focusing or evading, meaning the odds of losing a ship to incoming fire before the missiles fire is increased (especially if you end up sucking range 1 primaries as a result).
• You need your lock when you fire, so countermeasures, black one, jamming and so on can potentially cut a noticeable chunk out of your firepower
• Two hit attacks, no matter how many of them you have, tend to patter like warm rain off reinforce tokens, finn/rey, glitterstimmed boba fett, and similar 'works against every attack rather than being expended' abilities.

One alternative approach (which might be better or worse, depending) is swapping down to proton rockets - you get a more flexible 5-dice attack which can be traded for better defensive performance, and the risk of only being able to use it at range 1. The saved points, though, can get you the often-overlooked Zertik Strom (no missile) which lets you deal with being in range 1 far better as your 2-hit attacks remain respectable. As an aside, if you can remove Talonbane Cobra's range 1 bonus, you can often see a little vein on your opponent's right temple pulse a bit. It's very satisfying.

3 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

Clusterf*** was a squad from way back when, and it's still not bad today.

TIE/x1, Accuracy Corrector, Guidance Chips is a very nice loadout, and it's brutal beyond belief against agility 0 targets.

Ah the good old days... *commence nostalgia trip*

that tempest build sounds nice, what would you suggest flying with it? Another tempest or some other imp ship. Flying a Advanced swarm sounds fun but i feel like i would mess it up and get half my swarm killed.

On 2/18/2018 at 12:22 PM, emeraldbeacon said:

That's the beauty of Accuracy Corrector. Even after you send off the Cluster Missiles, you're still guaranteed a minimum of 2 hits per attack, and can spend your action to evade or re-position yourself as needed. The key is to do your best to avoid close-quarters fighting, keeping your arcs as open as possible.

Aye, keep your targets from getting range bonus dice. Good thinking.

I'm a die-hard Advanced fan, so I approve of anything that makes them fun.

Darth Vader is definitely viable in competitive settings, and I've heard of people taking Colzet for his ability, but I haven't seen anyone else using the other TIE Advanced pilots for quite a long time. I think the problem is they fall into a middle ground where they are tougher than a standard TIE (but not tough enough) and can hit harder than a normal TIE, but not as consistently as a Defender which seems to have been the main ship to supplant them as the extra cost of the Defender is usually worth the investment. Too pricy to be filler but not good enough to be the main focus of your list. They seem to be competing with the Gunboat too now for an Imperial fighter in the 20-30pt range.

Nevertheless, I do like them and want to find ways of getting them into my lists more often. I see them as the Imperial equivalent of X-Wings, trading an attack die for a defence die. To that end, I came up with a couple of ideas, one for a 3 ace list and the other using mostly generics:

3 x Tempest Squadron Pilot - Proton Rockets, Guidance Chips, TIE/x1, Accuracy Corrector
Commander Alozen - A Score To Settle, Proton Rockets, Guidance Chips, TIE/x1, Advanced Sensors

100pts

If you are interested in using Proton Rockets and Accuracy Correctors I think this has potential. Commander Alozen seems like a natural fit for the rockets as he just needs to finish in arc at range 1 with a focus token to get a fully modded shot. Just need to survive long enough to use it.

Darth Vader – Juke, TIE/x1, Advanced Targeting Computer

Juno Eclipse – Veteran Instincts, TIE/x1, Advanced Targeting Computer

Maarek Stele – Crack Shot, TIE/x1, Advanced Targeting Computer, Guidance Chips, Advanced Homing Missiles

99pts

This is more an Imperial equivalent of a Triple-X list. Vader is fairly standard, Juno can change her moves at PS10 and the Advanced Homing Missiles works nicely with Maarek's ability. The only thing I'm unsure of is whether to drop the missiles for an Engine Upgrade on Vader, or maybe swap Juno or Maarek for a cheaper pilot for the same reason. Not tried out either list yet but hopefully will get the opportunity to do so soon.

I have had great success with the Quickstar list. Vader with EU, title, VI, cruise missiles, and Adv targeting computer is so fun. I fly him with a beefed up Quickdraw (no missiles) and a cheap gunboat.

6 hours ago, JudgeDeath said:

Darth Vader – Juke, TIE/x1, Advanced Targeting Computer

Juno Eclipse – Veteran Instincts, TIE/x1, Advanced Targeting Computer

Maarek Stele – Crack Shot, TIE/x1, Advanced Targeting Computer, Guidance Chips, Advanced Homing Missiles

99pts

This is more an Imperial equivalent of a Triple-X list. Vader is fairly standard, Juno can change her moves at PS10 and the Advanced Homing Missiles works nicely with Maarek's ability. The only thing I'm unsure of is whether to drop the missiles for an Engine Upgrade on Vader, or maybe swap Juno or Maarek for a cheaper pilot for the same reason. Not tried out either list yet but hopefully will get the opportunity to do so soon.

Juno is probably better with Accuracy Corrector - the need to acquire that lock, even if you don't spend it - on a single action is quite dangerous for a relatively flimsy TIE advanced.

With accuracy corrector you can afford to spend your action evading or to pair Juno's amazing dial with a PS10 barrel roll - making her one heck of a dancer.

I'm never quite sure about Maarek. Advanced Homing Missiles are nice in theory, especially with his ability, but I've never seen them used in practice and I'm not sure how good they'd be. He's cheap, but part of me wonders if dropping a point further to Zertik Strom with Proton Rockets might work - it gives you a nice close-in brawler.

• Darth Vader
  • TIE/x1
  • Veteran Instincts
  • Advanced Targeting Computer
  • Harpoon Missiles
  • Guidance Chips
• Juno Eclipse
  • TIE/x1
  • Veteran Instincts
  • Accuracy Corrector
  • Cluster Missiles
  • Guidance Chips
• Zertik Strom
  • TIE/x1
  • Juke (or Intimidation if you think you can block well with him)
  • Accuracy Corrector
  • Proton Rockets
  • Guidance Chips
• 1 Point Initiative Bid

5 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

• Darth Vader
  • TIE/x1
  • Veteran Instincts
  • Advanced Targeting Computer
  • Harpoon Missiles
  • Guidance Chips
• Juno Eclipse
  • TIE/x1
  • Veteran Instincts
  • Accuracy Corrector
  • Cluster Missiles
  • Guidance Chips
• Zertik Strom
  • TIE/x1
  • Juke (or Intimidation if you think you can block well with him)
  • Accuracy Corrector
  • Proton Rockets
  • Guidance Chips
• 1 Point Initiative Bid

So the main focus would be Vader Attacking and laying on the crits, then you have strom getting in there face canceling their range bonuses. So juno is an arc dodger/ annoying pest with a guaranteed 2 damage roll. interesting...

11 minutes ago, Luner_Eclipse said:

So the main focus would be Vader Attacking and laying on the crits, then you have strom getting in there face canceling their range bonuses. So juno is an arc dodger/ annoying pest with a guaranteed 2 damage roll. interesting...

Pretty much.

• Vader is Vader - no engine upgrade but PS11 and ATC/Harpoons are a match made in heaven, and give him the range 3 punch he always lacked. Speed 1 banks give him a better ability to fly slow than most TIE fighters. PS11 remains a gold standard that only a handful of ships can match.
• Juno having accuracy corrector frees you up to K-turn or barrel roll, which makes her surprisingly elusive, again at PS10. Cluster Missiles pair well with Accuracy corrector and are good for landing damage on agility 0 targets (especially since it bypasses the whole Fenn Rau/Sensor Jammer interaction).
• Strom is just a tough, head-on-pass nutter. If you want to stick with evading and accuracy corrector, swapping proton rockets to hull upgrade works too.