If I had to run a list with only copies of 1 squad, it would be:
I'll start:

Rebel:
YT-2400

Imperial
TIE/D Defender

Tie intercepter

If I was running just one type of generic squad and no other squad at all, probably TIE Defenders with RS.

But my favorite generic sqauds are TIE Bombers.

TIE Phantoms.

The humble TIE fighter. Only 8pts for 3 blue dice with a swarm re-roll, on a speed 4 chassis. Most cost efficient generic squad in the fighter game! If they die gloriously while defending the Star Destroyers then they have done their job.

Terrible at bombing, but that’s what my TIE bombers are for. (Number 2 on the list) They need BCC for consistency.

Point for point I would have to say A-Wings. Z-95's are too finicky with everything Ties and finicky against ships, A-wings maintain a balance between both. Sure Tie Interceptors are better at killing squadrons but are worse for there point value against ships, a case could be made for the YT-2400, and maybe Tie Defender; but personally I think they start to cost too much for the gain they give you, so for me A-wings all the way the cheapest multi-roll squadron in the game.

I feel like it's hard to state one overall best squadron because it's very dependent on what you need squadrons to do in your list. For sheer generalist ability I do like TIE Advanced, It has a passable anti-ship and an admittedly weak anti-squad but its speed durability is hard to match for INP squads

Tie defender? 6 Hull good anti squad and bomber. Expensive but worth it.

Against Fighters, TIE Interceptor.

Against everything, B-Wing.

4 hours ago, Mundo said:

The humble TIE fighter. Only 8pts for 3 blue dice with a swarm re-roll, on a speed 4 chassis. Most cost efficient generic squad in the fighter game! If they die gloriously while defending the Star Destroyers then they have done their job.

Terrible at bombing, but that’s what my TIE bombers are for. (Number 2 on the list) They need BCC for consistency.

3 hull with no counter attack makes these less than worthless. The only time I'd entertain adding one to a squadron ball is if I have only 8 points to spend to get an even number of fighters with my already packed aces. On the defense the only thing they can do is soak an attack to delay about a turn; against typical high-power ace balls they won't last long once Mithel lands in the middle of them and the other fighters follow up.

Believe me I'd like to love TIE swarms too, since they're so iconic (Go, unglorified grunt fighters)! Sloane is the best to take with this, but once you're facing a Sloane aces ball it's either go aces or go home. They lose out to so many over-efficient builds that there's no reason to take them unless you want the challenge.

TIE Fighter. I played generic Sloane swarms for the better part of a year, and they get work done. Cheap enough to outbid and Squall alpha Imp ace lists should you be so inclined, the most cost-efficient source of blue squad dice in the game (battery and AA), and boosts deployment count like crazy. You have to be careful about flak and defensive play, utilizing the station and trading up. But it's worth it.

Tie Phantoms, the fastest squadron in the game.

With Toryn and BCC nearby, Xwings.

Without upgrades from ships, maybe YT 2400s.

A-Wing, by a huge margin.

Decimators

Firespray, does not need any assistance, and cannot be ignored.

Obviously dies to another squad ball, but it's going to take awhile.

On 4/22/2019 at 1:27 AM, Muelmuel said:

Decimators

I second this.

8 hull, speed 3, rogue, counter 1, and they have good anti squad and anti ship dice? So much fun to run 6 of these bad boys at a time. It's a bad case of the VTs.

11 hours ago, Darth Sanguis said:

I second this.

8 hull, speed 3, rogue, counter 1, and they have good anti squad and anti ship dice? So much fun to run 6 of these bad boys at a time. It's a bad case of the VTs.

If running a full wing don't forget Dengar so they can go bomb at their discretion too.

On that note, I think a mini bomber wing might be the way to go for a light fighter cover in this period of maxsquads/nosquads. A pack of Y-wings/Tiebombers and BCC, Intel, a mini threat that requires the enemy fighter cover to check and can still bomb nosquad lists

23 minutes ago, Muelmuel said:

If running a full wing don't forget Dengar so they can go bomb at their discretion too.

On that note, I think a mini bomber wing might be the way to go for a light fighter cover in this period of maxsquads/nosquads. A pack of Y-wings/Tiebombers and BCC, Intel, a mini threat that requires the enemy fighter cover to check and can still bomb nosquad lists

I agree.

I'm on team Tie Defender for the Imps and team A-Wing for the Rebels.

For Imperials the Decimator and for Rebels the A-Wing

@ OP, Define best....

Personally the best is TIE/Lns... because they are cheep & can hold up most enemy sqns for a turn or two whilst I fire an ISD /VSD front arc in to their controlling ship 😛

For Imps I would say TIE Defenders, They are more tanky than x wings and as fast as TIE interceptors.

For Rebels I'm gonna have to go with E wings. at speed 4 with bomber and 4 blue anti squadron With Snipe 3 I think they're great

On 4/23/2019 at 8:55 AM, Darth Sanguis said:

I second this.

8 hull, speed 3, rogue, counter 1, and they have good anti squad and anti ship dice? So much fun to run 6 of these bad boys at a time. It's a bad case of the VTs.

There was a time I loaded up five VT Decimators in a Rapid Launch Bay ISD-I with Expanded Hangars. The idea was to run up and punch with Flight commanders to unload all this nastiness and follow up with the ISD blast.

I landed in the side arc of a Nebulon and wasn't able to kill it even after activating all 5. I don't think my ISD could do it either out of the side arc. It kinda deflates once you realize it's not as good at doing that without Bomber. So... not sure it qualifies as the best fighter in my book.

As for the TIE/LN being the best... is it really the case when you depend on Sloane in order to make it work (And hide behind rocks, And avoid 2-Die AA flack, And if you must have alpha strike...)? What's the criteria for best fighter? Something that can stand on its own regardless of commander and perform best in all situations? That's how I approached it, TIEs require too much in their favor for me to consider them the best.

35 minutes ago, Norsehound said:

There was a time I loaded up five VT Decimators in a Rapid Launch Bay ISD-I with Expanded Hangars. The idea was to run up and punch with Flight commanders to unload all this nastiness and follow up with the ISD blast.

I landed in the side arc of a Nebulon and wasn't able to kill it even after activating all 5. I don't think my ISD could do it either out of the side arc. It kinda deflates once you realize it's not as good at doing that without Bomber. So... not sure it qualifies as the best fighter in my book.

As for the TIE/LN being the best... is it really the case when you depend on Sloane in order to make it work (And hide behind rocks, And avoid 2-Die AA flack, And if you must have alpha strike...)? What's the criteria for best fighter? Something that can stand on its own regardless of commander and perform best in all situations? That's how I approached it, TIEs require too much in their favor for me to consider them the best.

It seems the initial criterion was "spammable." Whether that means a flexible choice, or one that doesn't require other squads but is given the right tools is an open question. When generic TIEs are used well and given support, I think they're the best. Not necessarily against certain other generics (like A-wings), but we have threads complaining about how the most common squad wings by far are aces, and that can be a great environment for blue dice-crazy expendables.

4 hours ago, Norsehound said:

I landed in the side arc of a Nebulon and wasn't able to kill it even after activating all 5. I don't think my ISD could do it either out of the side arc.

That's nutters, I just rolled it out on the dice app:
VT1: 3 hits (braced to 2) Neb loses a shield and takes 1 card)
VT2: 1hit neb takes a second card
VT3: 2 hits (braced to 1) neb takes a 3rd card
VT4: 2 hits (braced to 1) Neb takes a 4th card
VT5: 1 hit Neb takes its 5th card.

ISD I 2 black 2 red: 4 hits 2 crits...

I've had a few bad rolls with my VTs in actual use, but honestly... the results I've gotten have made it VERY worthwhile.