After mucking around with several Imperial lists (read: getting Soontir Fel blown up in a variety of ways, often including rocks), I've decided to go back to flying Rebels. Here's an idea I've been turning over in my head:

RZ-1 A-wing - •Arvel Crynyd - 39
•Arvel Crynyd - Green Leader (34)
Intimidation (3)
Predator (2)

T-65 X-wing - •Wedge Antilles - 55
•Wedge Antilles - Red Two (52)
Swarm Tactics (3)
Servomotor S-foils (Open) (0)

UT-60D U-wing - •Cassian Andor - 53
•Cassian Andor - Raised by the Rebellion (47)
Fire-Control System (2)
Tactical Officer (2)
•Leia Organa (2)
Pivot Wing (Open) (0)

T-65 X-wing - •Garven Dreis - 50
•Garven Dreis - Red Leader (47)
Swarm Tactics (3)
Servomotor S-foils (Open) (0)

Total: 197/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

The rough plan is for Arvel to attempt to flank, using his ability and intimidation to be a right pain in the neck. Cassian, Garven and Wedge move forwards as a group, attempting to maximise the benefits of firing at I6 to delete a given target. Cassian can then provide additional flexibility via his stress removal ability, especially once things devolve into a furball and Arvel (if he is alive) is boosting into things.

Upon further meditation, swapping out Garven for Biggs, and putting Selfless on Cassian seems to be both Big and Clever, giving the following:

RZ-1 A-wing - •Arvel Crynyd - 39
•Arvel Crynyd - Green Leader (34)
Intimidation (3)
Predator (2)

T-65 X-wing - •Wedge Antilles - 55
•Wedge Antilles - Red Two (52)
Swarm Tactics (3)
Servomotor S-foils (Open) (0)

UT-60D U-wing - •Cassian Andor - 54
•Cassian Andor - Raised by the Rebellion (47)
Selfless (3)
Tactical Officer (2)
•Leia Organa (2)
Pivot Wing (Open) (0)

T-65 X-wing - •Biggs Darklighter - 48
•Biggs Darklighter - Red Three (48)
Servomotor S-foils (Open) (0)

Total: 196/200

View in the X-Wing Squad Builder

The approach is much the same; Arvel flies off and makes a nuisance of himself (chasing low PS pilots, attempting to set up blocks on higher PS ships) while Wedge, Biggs and Cassian form an element. If the enemy fires on Wedge, I can drain damage off of their fire using Biggs or Cassian. Biggs and Cassian can draw some fire off of each other if needed, but any shots pointed at them is a shot not pointed at Wedge (which is a win in its own right).

Oh god yes, that second list 😍😍😍

Arvel is a toughie to fly tho - practice a lot

Arvel is inordinately fun to fly, but is a tricky element. I swear by including him in as many of my Rebel lists, however.

I managed to fit in two games with the modified list last night. It held up well, winning both games.

In the first, I faced a personal boogeyman of mine, Wedge (Trick Shot, R3), Ghost Hera (Leia, Saw, FCS, Dorsal Turret, VTG) and Dutch (Selfless, Dorsal, VTG). Obstacle placement made a corridor, going left to right, across the board (just wide enough for the Ghost to fit!). Here, I got good mileage from both Biggs and Selfless Cassian, Arvel managed to roll well on his defence dice, and I caught my opponent off guard when my entire list made a bee-line for his Wedge. The turning point was when my opponent activated Leia and attempted to T-Roll a (treble!) stressed Wedge out of the killbox, which saw him bump into my Wedge...who then promptly T-rolled himself, ending with both Wedges at range two of each other with no mods. The resulting exchange saw his Wedge go down.

The second game was against Rexler (Juke), Whisper (Juke) and Duchess (Shield Upgrade, Proton Bombs). This game was a lot scrappier, but it was a good learning experience. My opponent built the list with the explicit purpose of learning how to deal with mandatory movement (ailerons, de-cloaking and so on), so he may not have been flying it to it's maximum potential. Arvel proved to be a very useful tool, twice managing to get the block on Rexler and ultimately finishing him off. Biggs got MVP, however, for sponging off many hits from Wedge after flew him into Arvel's tail, and even helping reduce damage on Arvel after he was killed off (I love the simultaneous fire rules).

I agree Arvel is difficult to fly. Practice with him alot. But he's so fun to fly and your opponent always has to account for him. Especially aces. And even supernatural aces have to at least account his position. And he's only 39 points, so, if your opponent focuses him down, than the rest of your list is free to do stuff.

I like the switch to Biggs. Spreading out damage and keeping Wedge alive is key, he hits the hardest, and if he dies fast, you probably lost the game.