I’m really enamored with the 2 aces, 2 generic list that is working well for the Republic. My thought was to mimic that with slightly different valuables. Omega Squad Pilots are probably slightly over priced but I like the efficiency they bring with fanatical. QD and Blackout are also fun to fly! What are your thoughts?

Dark Stalkers

(45) "Quickdraw" [TIE/sf Fighter]
(2) Fanatical
(2) Fire-Control System
(10) Special Forces Gunner
(5) Pattern Analyzer
Points: 64

(64) "Blackout" [TIE/vn Silencer]
(2) Fanatical
(4) Advanced Optics
Points: 70

(31) Omega Squadron Ace [TIE/fo Fighter]
(2) Fanatical
Points: 33

(31) Omega Squadron Ace [TIE/fo Fighter]
(2) Fanatical
Points: 33

Total points: 200

One problem with Fanatical is that it often only works on the ship or ships your opponent is currently trying to kill - in theory, concentrated fire will kill off one ship before it shoots, then rinse and repeat next turn.

For its effect, it's great value, and it's a great faction-specific signature talent, but massed fanatical ships feels like a waste, especially compared to some of the other cheap TIE/fo pilots out there.

Quickdraw is great. She's loaded with the stuff she wants and has nothing really extraneous. Pattern Analyser isn't vital but it's a nice-to-have, letting her use her full dial and match the jedi's red-move stress-burning and force-recovering tricks.

Blackout should be good. Advanced Optics is a fair enough call - with a preference for the tail guns and no special forces gunner or ordnance, you can stick to focus actions and gentle moves, so you can get the most out of the upgrade.

The Omegas......hmm.

When I'm looking at 33 points or less, several pilots jump out:

• Epsilon Squadron Cadet with Pattern Analyser
  • A mini-TIE-defender...these guys move at I1, making them great blockers (for one thing they move before the Initiative 2 V-19s of their republic counterparts), and they can koiogan or segnor and then either get dice-modifying tokens or barrel roll someone really annoying. 4 hits behind agility 3 is nice and tough.
• TN-3465
  • The First Order's defining characteristic tends to be getting nastier as they take damage from the enemy. 3465, by comparison, is a self-damage triggered ability that's basically Ruthless in reverse - turning any result of your choice into a [critical] by suffering one herself. Firstly that's a very powerful ability, but - against an opponent who knows that's a very powerful ability - TN-3465 might actually help draw some of the opening salvo off Quickdraw, as no-one wants to get blocked by a TIE fighter who'll prevent you getting your actions and add critical results to incoming fire.
• Longshot
  • A bonus attack die at range 3. Not a spectacular ability, but nice for keeping people honest if they try to ignore the TIE/fo fighters.
• Null
  • A great pilot but probably not a great option here. In a Deltas + Torrents squadron, the Torrents are there to block and screen for the force-sensitives. Null's initiative 7 is a great party piece but exactly what you don't want here.
• Muse
  • De-stressing is good, but she does lose her action. If you could afford to give her a pattern analyser, great, but I'd rather have the pattern analyser than Muses' ability if I have to pick either/or, unless I have a pilot who specifically stresses themselves (Scorch or Malarus)

I'd suggest either TN-3465 and Longshot, if you want the TIE/fo to draw some heat of the TIE/sf, or else the Pattern Analyser Cadets if you want a more flexible 'filler'.

3 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

• Muse
  • De-stressing is good, but she does lose her action. If you could afford to give her a pattern analyser, great, but I'd rather have the pattern analyser than Muses' ability if I have to pick either/or, unless I have a pilot who specifically stresses themselves (Scorch or Malarus)

Muse ability is not an action, its start of engagmentphase.

17 minutes ago, IgotTargetlocked said:

Muse ability is not an action, its start of engagmentphase

It is. But that means that if she uses it on herself to pull a segnor's loop or K-turn, whilst she ends up unstressed, she does loose her action for the turn because she removes the stress after she's skipped her action.

Sorry - didn't explain that well.

Epsilon with PA vs Fanatical Omega is interesting. Same 33 points. I guess the question here becomes whether there is a desire for later game efficiency, or board knowledge/red maneuver efficiency. Magnus- your thoughts about fanatical painting a target are interesting and I hadn't really taken that into account.

9 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

One problem with Fanatical is that it often only works on the ship or ships your opponent is currently trying to kill - in theory, concentrated fire will kill off one ship before it shoots, then rinse and repeat next turn.

If you swap Blackout for Recoil with Predator (better value imo anyway), you can boost up those TIES to Muse with Fanatical and PA, and an Epsilon with PA - Muse is a proper mini defender, with Epsilon is a lot like one, and a great blocker

Drop adv optics on blackout, and just upgrade the FOs to SFs.

2/2/3/3 statline with two arcs is nice filler. Morgan Reid won a trial with two naked bombers and vader soonts.

9 hours ago, Greebwahn said:

If you swap Blackout for Recoil with Predator (better value imo anyway), you can boost up those TIES to Muse with Fanatical and PA, and an Epsilon with PA - Muse is a proper mini defender, with Epsilon is a lot like one, and a great blocker

For some reason I misread Blackout as Backdraft when looking at this the first time.

Then, yes. Fanatical/Advanced Optics is okay, but Blackout wants to play flanker and sniper to take obstructed shots and avoid incoming fire. I'd recommend Trick Shot as gear and maybe avoid the advanced optics, or else Recoil with Predator is a nice - if way more aggressive - build (wanting to boost or roll into range 1)

There might be a few more legs for this, with so many of the parts going down.

Consider:

Option 1: I'll Show You The Dark Side

• Kylo (stripped down to his shirt) 76
• Choice of:
  • Blackout (Fanatical or Trick Shot) 65-67 (well... keep forgetting TS went up...)
  • Quickdraw (Fanatical, Fire Control System, Afterburners, Special Forces Gunner) 65
• Epsilon Squadron Cadet (-) 26
• Lieutenant Rivas (-) 28. Why not Rivas? His text is kind of meh... an opponent at range 1-2 gains a red or orange token? But it's still a chance at a free Lock for 2 points. Seems worthwhile.
• Total 195, bid 5

Option 2: Blackout always reminds me of MegaRan https://megaranmusic.com/track/blackout-8-bit-mix

• Blackout (Fanatical or Trick Shot) 65-67
• Quickdraw (Fanatical, Fire Control System, Afterburners, Special Forces Gunner) 65
• Zeta Squadron Pilot (Pattern Analyzer) 32
• Muse (Pattern Analyzer) 36
• Total 198, bid 2

Option 3: Kylo plus mini-defender FOs

• Kylo (stripped down to his shirt) 76
• Quickdraw (Fanatical, Fire Control System, Special Forces Gunner) 59
• Epsilon Squadron Cadet (Pattern Analyzer) 31
• Lieutenant Rivas (Pattern Analyzer) 33. The free lock works when stressed. If you're both jousting and K-Turning at the same time, Rivas can be focus/locked against a tokenless enemy.
• Total 199, bid 1

Option 4: Kylo plus SFs

• Kylo (stripped down to his shirt) 76
• Quickdraw (Fanatical, Fire Control System, Special Forces Gunner) 59
• Zeta Squadron Survivor (-) 32
• Zeta Squadron Survivor (-) 32
• Total 199, bid 1