Hey all, I just finished my newest blog post, this time exploring my favorite ship: The TIE Interceptor.

Since 2.0 came out, I've flown Soontir Fel specifically nearly as much as any other pilot, and come this weekend, I intend to do so again. I've had the most success with just Predator on him; anything else seems too bloated. What versions of Fel (or other squints) have you used to success?

they are also my favorite ship and i have had zero success with them in 2.0, the fact when you can't dodge and arc but can't turtle has been the death of every squint i've put on the table. Just yesterday Fel got killed at range 3 though a debris field by getting shot by a torpedo with trick shot, 5v5 and he got 5 hits and i evaded 2. The change in Evade action has made the squints so fragile. I truly believe they need a reduction, no way an Alpha is worth 30+ points

I flew a Soontir list the other day where he had Predator, Hull Upgrade, and Shield Upgrade, along side a Fire Control System Delta Defender, and a Palpatine Omicron Group Pilot. Didn't really like it. The previous time or two I'd played Soontir, I had him in a four-ship list, and just running Predator. That leanness felt good. Trying to support an entire list around Soontir just didn't feel right. The two extra hit points kept him alive (he finished the game with 2 hull remaining...), but the list didn't feel right. A large part of the value of a lean Soontir is the heaviness of the rest of the squad.

I've only flown a plain Alpha once. Quite mobile, hard hitting, and easier to ignore in a list with lots of threats. For 34 points, I think they can earn their cost as a filler. Reducing the cost to 33 or lower would allow 6 in a squad, which I think could get excessive.

I've flown Fel as a hyper-ace, and as a pocket ace, and of the two I far preferred him lean, with just Predator. My Palpmobile Flies Again article has the game I flew him fat, it was him and Turr, and they put in a good amount of work, but he didn't feel like he could carry a list himself. Just like 1.0, if you let him get shot without both a focus and an evade, he is probably going to explode, but it's far harder now to achieve the Evade/Focus combo (have to Evade first, before boosting OR rolling, never both after an evade; have to line up bullseye afterward to get the focus.) I know they can be strong, and I am positive Fel will be a great piece in many lists, especially since he can fit into a 4-ship Imperial Salad list (4 ships of differing strengths, all roughly equal in cost) even with Predator.

Interceptors and Strikers are in a good spot in 2.0 (like most of the Imperial Ships).

Soontir is very strong, but is almost entirely 'skill-based' now. If he dies, its almost always due to owning player making an error in judgement (either in terms of where ships are ending up or taking a risk in getting shot when its not actually worth that risk).

But generics are also quite good. I've had plenty of success running all of the interceptor pilots. I especially like 5 ships (since I don't have enough dials to run 5 interceptors, I use a mix of strikers/interceptors). They have Initiative high enough that they are shooting first/moving last against most other generics, yet can threaten higher Initiative aces with a block + devastating firepower (even if you lose one first).

Palp-mobile is entirely pointless for Interceptors now. If you wanted to run a support shuttle (and I don't think its necessary at all), I would go with Lt. Sai just to pass that extra focus through coordinate (to help a damaged interceptor tank a shot better if needed). Sai is cheap enough that you can still build a 5-ship squad.

Fel w/predator is as many points as you really want to spend, and is still a great flanker. It's all on the player to keep him alive though.

The Alphas are tremendous blockers and can reliably get 2-3 blocks per game, great for denying actions and position against anything apart from supernatural force users. Plus when they do get shots they can deal damage well.

It's the ones in between I'm having a hard time finding a place for. Too high initiative to block, too low to reliably arc dodge. Not sure if Turr Phenir is viable enough, I'd rather take a Juke Phantom generic at PS4.

On 10/13/2018 at 9:40 AM, Dodger44 said:

It's the ones in between I'm having a hard time finding a place for. Too high initiative to block, too low to reliably arc dodge. Not sure if Turr Phenir is viable enough, I'd rather take a Juke Phantom generic at PS4.

Why not both?

I've had good success with this squad in a few games:

2 Sabre Aces with crack shot = 41 x 2

2 Sigma Aces with Juke & Advanced Sensors = 58 x 2

198

The Phantoms can basically go straight into the enemy (advanced sensors gives them block immunity---in fact, the ideal engagement is to have them decloak + bump the enemy frontline to deny enemy firepower). Meanwhile the sabres flank together to keep the heat off them (since they are clearly the easier kills in this squad). Against higher Initiative, all of your ships are excellent blockers, if needed, and against Luke or supernatural reflex aces, you have plenty maneuverability to set up kill-boxes (because Juke is rarely helpful against force users).

Try running five with Wampa. It's one of the more fun six ship lists I've run in a while.

On 10/11/2018 at 11:21 AM, Darth evil said:

they are also my favorite ship and i have had zero success with them in 2.0, the fact when you can't dodge and arc but can't turtle has been the death of every squint i've put on the table. Just yesterday Fel got killed at range 3 though a debris field by getting shot by a torpedo with trick shot, 5v5 and he got 5 hits and i evaded 2. The change in Evade action has made the squints so fragile. I truly believe they need a reduction, no way an Alpha is worth 30+ points

No range applies for torpedoes so it should have been 5 vs 4

4 hours ago, "Quickdraw" said:

No range applies for torpedoes so it should have been 5 vs 4

forgot to mention Fel had SD, not that it mattered, absolute worst 8 points you can spend

I'm not an imperial player at all, and i was wondering if you can play a sabre or two in a Howlrunner Swarm?

Alphas are 34, and Sabers are 40. You *could* run one or more with Howlie, I'm just not sure whether that'd be the most efficient use of them. The 2.0 named TIE pilots are pretty **** efficient when run in a group.

What I've with Interceptor swarms is that you want them to go anywhere and everywhere. As long as most of them are pointing roughly the same direction when it's time to shoot.

I was planning to fly this: TIE/sa-Bomber - •Major Rhymer - 39
•Major Rhymer - Scimitar Eins (34)
Clusterraketen (5)

TIE-Abfangjäger - Fliegerass der Saber-Staffel - 40
Fliegerass der Saber-Staffel - (40)

TIE-Abfangjäger - Fliegerass der Saber-Staffel - 40
Fliegerass der Saber-Staffel - (40)

TIE-Abfangjäger - Fliegerass der Saber-Staffel - 40
Fliegerass der Saber-Staffel - (40)

TIE-Abfangjäger - Fliegerass der Saber-Staffel - 40
Fliegerass der Saber-Staffel - (40)

Total: 199/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder Initiative 4 for 40 Points with build in PTL seems very cheap. In 1.0 The Royal Guard had PS 6 for 22 Points (25 with Ptl). Since the Turret changes boost+Barrel roll seems very good. The Tie Interceptor is the only ship who can do this. Rhymer is also cheap with 2x3 Dice Attack at range 1-3.

32 minutes ago, Executor256 said:

TIE  -Abfang  jäg  e   r

Oh my god.