I have a Battle for Yavin event coming up next month and have a couple of lists that I'd like to get some feedback on. The first is based off another list I used to pretty good effect, but with slightly different constraints due to the game variant. The second is one I was given as a suggestion here. Based on what I'm seeing in my local game scene, I have a feeling that there will be a lot more Rebel than Imperial players, and probably only one or two swarms. Thoughts?

List 1

Lambda -class T-4a Shuttle - •Lieutenant Sai - 47
•Lieutenant Sai - Death Squadron Veteran (47)

TIE Advanced x1 - •Darth Vader - 93
•Darth Vader - Black Leader (70)
Fire-Control System (3)
Afterburners (8)
Supernatural Reflexes (12)

TIE/ln Fighter - Black Squadron Ace - 30
Black Squadron Ace - (26)
Juke (4)

TIE/ln Fighter - Black Squadron Ace - 30
Black Squadron Ace - (26)
Juke (4)

Total: 200/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

List 2

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Wampa” - 30
•“Wampa” - Black Eleven (30)

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Scourge” Skutu - 35
•“Scourge” Skutu - Seasoned Veteran (32)
Swarm Tactics (3)

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Howlrunner” - 40
•“Howlrunner” - Obsidian Leader (40)

TIE Advanced x1 - •Darth Vader - 90
•Darth Vader - Black Leader (70)
Fire-Control System (3)
Cluster Missiles (5)
Supernatural Reflexes (12)

Total: 195/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

I'd go with list 2, because Sai isn't optimized in list 1.

However, Clusters aren't really serving you on Vader. Keep him with FCS and SR. That leaves room for Howly and 3 academies

So my options have basically come down to two lists, Vader (with SR and FCS) + Howl and 3 Academies, or this-

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Howlrunner” - 41
•“Howlrunner” - Obsidian Leader (40)
Crack Shot (1)

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Scourge” Skutu - 35
•“Scourge” Skutu - Seasoned Veteran (32)
Swarm Tactics (3)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Gideon Hask - 31
•Gideon Hask - Inferno Two (30)
Crack Shot (1)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Del Meeko - 31
•Del Meeko - Inferno Three (30)
Crack Shot (1)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Seyn Marana - 31
•Seyn Marana - Inferno Four (30)
Marksmanship (1)

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Wampa” - 30
•“Wampa” - Black Eleven (30)

Total: 199/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

Any thoughts on either?

I'm not a fan of Howlie without Iden... What about this?

Howlie (Crack)

Iden (Crack)

Seyn (Marksmanship)

Del (Crack)

Gideon (Crack)

Academy

Downgrading Wampa to an Academy lets you afford the wonderful protection of Iden

53 minutes ago, Greebwahn said:

I'm not a fan of Howlie without Iden... What about this?

Howlie (Crack)

Iden (Crack)

Seyn (Marksmanship)

Del (Crack)

Gideon (Crack)

Academy

Downgrading Wampa to an Academy lets you afford the wonderful protection of Iden

Not a fan of Crackshot having to be in the bullseye to work. My swarm drops all Crackshots and puts Swarm Tactics on Howlrunner. This gives you enough points to replace the Academy Pilot with Nightbeast. I like this switch because it's thematic as Nightbeast is Howlrunner's wingman.

14 hours ago, T70 Driver said:

Not a fan of Crackshot having to be in the bullseye to work. My swarm drops all Crackshots and puts Swarm Tactics on Howlrunner. This gives you enough points to replace the Academy Pilot with Nightbeast. I like this switch because it's thematic as Nightbeast is Howlrunner's wingman.

I do like this. I think I'll run with this- I've been wanting to check out the various abilities of the regular TIEs, and this gets all of the ones I like in it. Thanks.

19 hours ago, Ikka said:

So my options have basically come down to two lists, Vader (with SR and FCS) + Howl and 3 Academies, or this-

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Howlrunner” - 41
•“Howlrunner” - Obsidian Leader (40)
Crack Shot (1)

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Scourge” Skutu - 35
•“Scourge” Skutu - Seasoned Veteran (32)
Swarm Tactics (3)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Gideon Hask - 31
•Gideon Hask - Inferno Two (30)
Crack Shot (1)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Del Meeko - 31
•Del Meeko - Inferno Three (30)
Crack Shot (1)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Seyn Marana - 31
•Seyn Marana - Inferno Four (30)
Marksmanship (1)

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Wampa” - 30
•“Wampa” - Black Eleven (30)

Total: 199/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

Any thoughts on either?

Scourge really, really wants predator. It just pairs with his ability so well, and once he has it he can afford to 'unlink' from the swarm and fly as a flanker because he doesn't really need Howlrunner's bubble anymore.

That does leave Wampa firing at I1 not I5.

I agree Crack Shot is awkward - getting Seyn lined up by herself - easy(ish!). Getting multiple ships in a swarm all lined up on the same target at the same time? Really not very easy at all, especially if trying to stay inside Howlrunner's bubble whilst doing so.

The obvious pilot you're missing from an infernoswarm is Iden Versio, who's main job is increasing the life expectancy of your TIEs. You can create a cheap knock-off version with Valen Rudor - he won't stop a 4-red hit-3-green blank attack one-shottting a TIE but he does make it much harder to concentrate fire, because whoever is shot at first gains an evade token before the next shot arrives.

• "Howlrunner" - 43
  • Elusive
• Gideon Hask - 30
• Del Meeko - 30
• Seyn Marana - 31
  • Marksmanship
• Valen Rudor - 32
  • Squad Leader

• "Scourge" Skutu - 34
  • Predator

As a flanker

I like that list as well, but I think I'm going with the Inferno/Obsidian Squadron mix like this-

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Night Beast” - 26
•“Night Beast” - Obsidian Two (26)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Iden Versio - 40
•Iden Versio - Inferno Leader (40)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Seyn Marana - 31
•Seyn Marana - Inferno Four (30)
Marksmanship (1)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Del Meeko - 30
•Del Meeko - Inferno Three (30)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Gideon Hask - 30
•Gideon Hask - Inferno Two (30)

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Howlrunner” - 43
•“Howlrunner” - Obsidian Leader (40)
Swarm Tactics (3)

Total: 200/200

I've been a fan of Night Beast since 1.0- I think he's always been underrated.

47 minutes ago, Ikka said:

I've been a fan of Night Beast since 1.0- I think he's always been underrated.

He's really good in Quick Build - getting an extra 2 hit points (putting him on a par with a TIE advanced) and getting predator.

On 1/10/2019 at 4:15 AM, Ikka said:

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Night Beast” - 26
•“Night Beast” - Obsidian Two (26)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Iden Versio - 40
•Iden Versio - Inferno Leader (40)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Seyn Marana - 31
•Seyn Marana - Inferno Four (30)
Marksmanship (1)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Del Meeko - 30
•Del Meeko - Inferno Three (30)

TIE/ln Fighter - •Gideon Hask - 30
•Gideon Hask - Inferno Two (30)

TIE/ln Fighter - •“Howlrunner” - 43
•“Howlrunner” - Obsidian Leader (40)
Swarm Tactics (3)

Total: 200/200

So this list did fairly well. I went 2-1 and took second place at the tourney. I set up my list in two trios that were about Range 2 away from each other; Howl, Iden, and Night Beast in one trio, the other Infernos in the other. Both trios would angle in on an enemy and by turn 2 or 3 engage, while close enough to have Howlrunner give out re-rolls for most of the TIEs.

First match was against Vader, Lt. Sai, and two Black Squadron Aces.Enemy jousted with the Lambda and TIEs, which melted against the swarm but Vader was a nasty foe. End result was 3 TIEs chasing Vader at time. Lost 103-101.

Second was against Rebels- Wedge, Luke, and Dutch. Wedge got too close to the swarm and blanked out, so was erased in a trade for Howlrunner. Dutch was traded for Hask, and end the end I had three TIEs chasing Luke. Won 128-103.

Last match was similar to the first, but with Mauler and Scourge instead of the Black Squadrons and a cheaper Vader. Managed to only lose Hask for both of the enemy TIEs, took the Lambda down to 3 Hull and Vader down to 1 Hull when the enemy capitulated.

Overall, I was really happy with the list, especially for not flying a swarm in a very long time. The interaction with the Infernos was killer, and the two trio setup worked better than I thought- I think it was not normal enough of a swarm setup to give me an edge while still handing out bonuses and getting more varied arcs.