Why is this not a thing?

Even if the TIE/fo doesn't go down in points for season 2, this list seems like a strategic spider web to fly against!

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Sleeping Giant (6 named FOs)

(35) "Scorch" [TIE/fo Fighter]
(1) Crack Shot
Points: 36

(35) "Static" [TIE/fo Fighter]
(1) Crack Shot
Points: 36

(33) "Longshot" [TIE/fo Fighter]
(1) Crack Shot
Points: 34

(32) "Muse" [TIE/fo Fighter]
(1) Crack Shot
Points: 33

(30) Lieutenant Rivas [TIE/fo Fighter]
Points: 30

(31) "Null" [TIE/fo Fighter]
Points: 31

Total points: 200

I like TIE/fo - I think they're a great little chassis.

1. The list looks nice. I think you've gone the right way by insisting on having 6 fighters - even with named pilot abilities, they're still 'just' TIE fighters, so dropping to 5 ships or less can leave you extremely short on firepower, especially against opponents who can all-but-ignore 2-dice attacks ( Concordia Face-Off Protectorates, for example)
2. That does mean you have to take the cheaper pilots. That's not a bad thing, but it does obviously mean you have to pass on Midnight. I think Midnight's not great in a TIE swarm, though - he's at his best in a 1v1 in the end-game; which, if he's the scariest thing on the board, he's unlikely to make it to as opposed to being focus-fired off the board in the initial engagement. Backing up TIE/sf and TIE/vn which demand your opponent's attention is a different kettle of fish, but that's not this squad.
3. I think the weakest thing in your list is Static. Her pilot ability is pretty awful - you need focus and lock to trigger it, meaning it takes 2 turns to set up AND it's obvious who you're going after because you have to lock first (because the focus isn't persistant) AND you can't spend your focus defensively the turn you do...and whilst automatic criticals sound awesome, you're only getting two most of the time.....and the odds are that one will vanish against an evade, or a shield token, or a reinforce token...so in the final analysis she's not really achieving much more than a ship with marksmanship...and you're paying as much as you are for Scorch to do so.
4. Personally, I'd drop Static for TN-3465. This basically gives the auto-critical ability to everyone else . It's riskier, but you're also turning any result to a critical, even a blank, which is great for the 'bonus dice' guys.
5. Plus, TN-3465 is 5 points cheaper than Crack Shot Static, which will pay for Muse to get a Pattern Analyser. That's a great combination; pull a segnor's loop, get your free action, receive stress, remove stress.....look, ma, I'm a sub-40 point TIE defender with white koiogran turns and segnor's loops!
6. Crack Shot is okay...I'd consider bumping it off Longshot - since he's firing at range 3 quite a bit of the time, and getting a bullseye at range 3 is unlikely - and instead giving either Muse or Scorch fanatical - they're your best pilots, so likely to draw more fire. I'd say Scorch - self stressing means predictable flight means taking more fire, which make him a prime candidate for fanatical.

• Scorch
  • Fanatical
• Muse
  • Crack Shot
  • Pattern Analyser
• Longshot
• Null
• TN-3464
• Lieutenant Rivas

Mainly initiative mismatches make named FOs difficult to spam

All the "good" ones are at different Is

Scorch (4), Longshot (3), Muse (2), Rivas (1). And then Null never matches with anyone!

30 minutes ago, ficklegreendice said:

Mainly initiative mismatches make named FOs difficult to spam

All the "good" ones are at different Is

Scorch (4), Longshot (3), Muse (2), Rivas (1). And then Null never matches with anyone!

Agreed.

That said, I'd peg Sleeping Giant with a fairly high ceiling, if anyone gets really good with how each of these pilot abilities individually control how your enemy plays and messes with their head.

I definitely wouldn't want to face a good FO player with any combination of 6 fighters....

Alternatively, could always ditch the less interesting named pilots for Omega crackshot

Dunno how relevant I 4 will be after phantoms and beef are dead, but I can't really see any reason to use the likes of Static

New Squadron

(35) "Scorch" [TIE/fo Fighter]
(2) Fanatical
Points: 37

(33) "Longshot" [TIE/fo Fighter]
(2) Fanatical
Points: 35

(30) Lieutenant Rivas [TIE/fo Fighter]
Points: 30

(31) Omega Squadron Ace [TIE/fo Fighter]
(1) Crack Shot
Points: 32

(31) Omega Squadron Ace [TIE/fo Fighter]
(1) Crack Shot
Points: 32

(31) Omega Squadron Ace [TIE/fo Fighter]
(1) Crack Shot
Points: 32

Total points: 198

Hopefully Mal and Midnight get some buffs next point change, ESPECIALLY Mal

I love playing First Order, but they need some kind of upgrade whether crew, a new pilot ability or ship that gives some kind of benefit to the group ala Del Meeko, Drea Renthal, or Colonel Jendon/Capt. Kagi. I know we have Hux, but something a little more passive would be ideal.

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As an aside, I think Commander Malarus doesn't get played enough. She's good (I5!) but gets overshadowed by a lot of the cheaper TIE/FOs. She's worth putting on the table a few times.

2 hours ago, Force Majeure said:

I love playing First Order, but they need some kind of upgrade whether crew, a new pilot ability or ship that gives some kind of benefit to the group ala Del Meeko, Drea Renthal, or Colonel Jendon/Capt. Kagi. I know we have Hux, but something a little more passive would be ideal.

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As an aside, I think Commander Malarus doesn't get played enough. She's good (I5!) but gets overshadowed by a lot of the cheaper TIE/FOs. She's worth putting on the table a few times.

TIE Echelon from Ep9 should end up being like a TIE moldy crow, hopefully. Hopefully some range-band buffing pilot abilities... Maybe something like a passive Fanatical.

I am hoping I will be able to fly Kylo +4 named pilots after the points change. Can do Scorch Null and 2 Epsilons now but isnt quite right...