as part of my preparations for the new Separatist/CIS faction that I'm planning on flying I felt I needed to get a little time in flying swarms (my normal lists being either 2/3 large or medium bases, or 3/4 small bases) but I don't own any Empire. So last night I got this list on the table;

M3-A Interceptor - •Sunny Bounder - 30
•Sunny Bounder - Incurable Optimist (30)

M3-A Interceptor - Cartel Spacer - 28
Cartel Spacer - (28)

M3-A Interceptor - Cartel Spacer - 28
Cartel Spacer - (28)

Fang Fighter - •Old Teroch - 59
•Old Teroch - Mandalorian Mentor (56)
Fearless (3)

Modified TIE/ln Fighter - Mining Guild Surveyor - 27
Mining Guild Surveyor - (25)
Predator (2)

Modified TIE/ln Fighter - Mining Guild Surveyor - 27
Mining Guild Surveyor - (25)
Predator (2)

Total: 199/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

my opponent flew a rebel list of

Luke, Wedge, and 2x double tap Ion Y-wings.

after some VERY fickle dice on both sides of the table, the swarm came out on top but was very bloody (1 dead Syck, and everything except 1 Surveyor at half damage of worse). So any suggestions on tweaking the swarm?

Maybe drop the Surveyors down to Sentries and use the 8 points freed up (from the loss of Predator and the reduction to Sentry) to put HLCs on the Spacers? From my reckoning you're not gaining much by having the MGTs at I2 with the rest of the swarm being I1 and I5 and the extra damage potential in bullseye on the Spacers can do some decent work for you.

I would drop Mining Guild TIEs to Ini1, and replaced Teroch with Talonbane and for saved points you could equip 3 Scyks with Ion cannons.

3x Ion Scyk, 2x bumper and Talonbane to **** ionized targed looks promising.

8 minutes ago, Oldpara said:

I would drop Mining Guild TIEs to Ini1, and replaced Teroch with Talonbane and for saved points you could equip 3 Scyks with Ion cannons.

3x Ion Scyk, 2x bumper and Talonbane to **** ionized targed looks promising.

You must have better luck with Ion Cannons than I have. I've yet to get a stinking token on a target. 😆

interesting ideas all round.

my opponent also had 0 luck with Ion during our game, and I've not seen in have any real effect at our store.

for my attempt at re-building the squad I also dropped the Fang, but went a very different route

M3-A Interceptor - Tansarii Point Veteran - 34
Tansarii Point Veteran - (32)
Predator (2)

M3-A Interceptor - Tansarii Point Veteran - 34
Tansarii Point Veteran - (32)
Predator (2)

M3-A Interceptor - •Laetin A’shera - 35
•Laetin A’shera - Car’das Enforcer (33)
Predator (2)

M3-A Interceptor - •Serissu - 43
•Serissu - Flight Instructor (40)
Elusive (3)

Modified TIE/ln Fighter - Mining Guild Surveyor - 27
Mining Guild Surveyor - (25)
Predator (2)

Modified TIE/ln Fighter - Mining Guild Surveyor - 27
Mining Guild Surveyor - (25)
Predator (2)

Total: 200/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

1 hour ago, Hiemfire said:

You must have better luck with Ion Cannons than I have. I've yet to get a stinking token on a target. 😆

Ion is just a bonus Its all about having 3 dice attack - easier to push dmg through than with 2 dice attack

4 hours ago, Oldpara said:

Ion is just a bonus Its all about having 3 dice attack - easier to push dmg through than with 2 dice attack

HLC is 4...

❤️ Ion Scyks. 33 points is the cheapest 3 red ship. It's also not meaningless against a bunch of stuff. Like, 2 agility ships like X-Wings get pretty wrecked by it.

I've flown 4x Ion Cartel Spacers with Fenn Rau and it was pretty sweet.

2 hours ago, Hiemfire said:

HLC is 4...

If you get a bullseye shot. I haven't flown as many HLC Scyks, but I've gotten Ion tokens far more often than I've gotten HLC shots.

5 minutes ago, theBitterFig said:

❤️ Ion Scyks. 33 points is the cheapest 3 red ship. It's also not meaningless against a bunch of stuff. Like, 2 agility ships like X-Wings get pretty wrecked by it.

I've flown 4x Ion Cartel Spacers with Fenn Rau and it was pretty sweet.

If you get a bullseye shot. I haven't flown as many HLC Scyks, but I've gotten Ion tokens far more often than I've gotten HLC shots.

I've had no issues with getting my HLCs to line up often enough to be worth their cost. I have had Ion weapons be nothing more than "if you hit deal 1 damage" which I see as a waste of points for something that is supposed to, by nature of its name, do more.

Why predator on Mining ties? The number of times you will get predator off is quite a bit less than purposefully landing on a rock. I find that with bulls eye bonuses, unless you are against a large ship, are 1) increases barrel roll effectiveness and 2) hard to build your list around since they take advantage of opportunity vs always being able to line up "the shot" looking at you HLC. Throw trick shot on that scum and get Tricky (que song)! If not I 100% agree with @Oldpara to drop the ties to basic.

@theBitterFig shout out to the reality of HLC vs Ion

42 minutes ago, Glattyator said:

Why predator on Mining ties? The number of times you will get predator off is quite a bit less than purposefully landing on a rock. I find that with bulls eye bonuses, unless you are against a large ship, are 1) increases barrel roll effectiveness and 2) hard to build your list around since they take advantage of opportunity vs always being able to line up "the shot" looking at you HLC. Throw trick shot on that scum and get Tricky (que song)! If not I 100% agree with @Oldpara to drop the ties to basic.

@theBitterFig shout out to the reality of HLC vs Ion

trick shot was my first choice, until i realised the TIEs only ignore rocks on movement, they still can't shoot off of them.

as for predator being useful - well I triggered it about 7/8 tines in the first game so I'm not sure its actually completely useless - more science required

I’ve become very fond of this scum Swarm. Lots of shots and chances to make your opponent bump.

29 minutes ago, Droidlover said:

I’ve become very fond of this scum Swarm. Lots of shots and chances to make your opponent bump.

I feel like this is the type of list that 1st ed raised me to hate lol, not for nothing still going to give it a go we need more relevant scum lists... PSSST FFG

2 hours ago, Surak said:

trick shot was my first choice, until i realised the TIEs only ignore rocks on movement, they still can't shoot off of them.

as for predator being useful - well I triggered it about 7/8 tines in the first game so I'm not sure its actually completely useless - more science required

OH **** son, clearly I need to learn how to read....

2 hours ago, Glattyator said:

I feel like this is the type of list that 1st ed raised me to hate lol, not for nothing still going to give it a go we need more relevant scum lists... PSSST FFG

I call it The Gatling Gun.

3 hours ago, Surak said:

trick shot was my first choice, until i realised the TIEs only ignore rocks on movement, they still can't shoot off of them.

You drive right up to a rock, though. Then take your obstructed shot and fly through it on the next turn.

On 3/8/2019 at 11:39 AM, theBitterFig said:

❤️ Ion Scyks. 33 points is the cheapest 3 red ship.

I'm starting to get interested in these. I only have a couple right now but I'm ordering a third and thinking of trying the following:

Scurrg H-6 bomber - Lok Revenant - 55
Lok Revenant - (43)
Ion Cannon Turret (4)
•Qi’ra (2)
Veteran Turret Gunner (6)

M3-A Interceptor - Cartel Spacer - 33
Cartel Spacer - (28)
Ion Cannon (5)

M3-A Interceptor - Cartel Spacer - 33
Cartel Spacer - (28)
Ion Cannon (5)

BTL-A4 Y-wing - •Drea Renthal - 46
•Drea Renthal - Pirate Lord (42)
Ion Cannon Turret (4)

M3-A Interceptor - Cartel Spacer - 33
Cartel Spacer - (28)
Ion Cannon (5)

Total: 200/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

Has anyone tried running 6 Cartel Spacers with Ion Cannons?