So, since all the Tie-FO went down in cost, I was tempted to try them out to see if they're something to be done with them.
I tried the following and had reasonable success with it (won 2 match with it, so the sample group is very small but ... hey... 100% win rate with the list! :P)

Epsilon Squadron Cadet (26)
Advanced Optics (4)

Ship total: 30 Half Points: 15 Threshold: 2

Epsilon Squadron Cadet (26)
Advanced Optics (4)

Ship total: 30 Half Points: 15 Threshold: 2

Epsilon Squadron Cadet (26)
Advanced Optics (4)

Ship total: 30 Half Points: 15 Threshold: 2

Epsilon Squadron Cadet (26)
Advanced Optics (4)

Ship total: 30 Half Points: 15 Threshold: 2

Kylo Ren (76)
Advanced Optics (4)

Ship total: 80 Half Points: 40 Threshold: 3


Total: 200

View in Yet Another Squad Builder 2.0: https://raithos.github.io/?f=First Order&d=v7!s=200!269:186,;269:186,;269:186,;269:186,;236:,186,,&sn=Unnamed Squadron&obs=

They hit much harder than 4 simple tie sounds like. A consistent 2 hit each if they keep their focus (and I usually kept my focus the first time they got hit if there was no crits, and spent it if need be during the second attack, or if I was lucky I could just hang on to it) means that any 2 evade ship will eventually be overwhelmed. They are also substantially tankier than regular Ties, that extra shield is very useful.

All in all very fun to fly, and I think maybe a decent base for a competitive list?

Anyone else tried them out? Any comments on the above list?

It looks solid. It's amazing how much a small points drop opens up listbuilding potential.

I flew a similar list tonight. I had 4 FOs, though none were rocking optics. Instead, I had 2 epsilons, Rivas, and fanatical Scorch flying alongside 2 SF zetas with gunner. Since this swarm doesn't need to fly in formation, I took big rocks to help create predictable lanes for my opponent to engage down, making it easier to read them in arcs and then block them in subsequent turns.

Bottom line, I think these FOs have wheels. Happy experimenting!

10 hours ago, DarthSempai said:

Anyone else tried them out? Any comments on the above list?

TIE/fo were always a lot better than I think people gave them credit for.

I think you've got the right idea - advanced optics or pattern analyser as a 'distributed howlrunner' or 'distributed leia' gives them a lot more capability, and works really well.

One observation - if you're not using hate or supernatural reflexes, Kylo's still great but if flying a silencer alongside a swarm you could always try "Avenger". Even with Fanatical (one of the First Order's best value options), "Avenger" clocks in at 17 points less (enough to make all the TIE/fo Crack Shot Omega Squadron Aces), and getting a free action even when stressed whenever one of those TIE/fo goes pop sounds like it might have potential.

7 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

TIE/fo were always a lot better than I think people gave them credit for.

I think you've got the right idea - advanced optics or pattern analyser as a 'distributed howlrunner' or 'distributed leia' gives them a lot more capability, and works really well.

One observation - if you're not using hate or supernatural reflexes, Kylo's still great but if flying a silencer alongside a swarm you could always try "Avenger". Even with Fanatical (one of the First Order's best value options), "Avenger" clocks in at 17 points less (enough to make all the TIE/fo Crack Shot Omega Squadron Aces), and getting a free action even when stressed whenever one of those TIE/fo goes pop sounds like it might have potential.

I see what you're saying. However, I find it usefull to keep the Epsilon low I, in the games i've played the ability to completly block a quadrand of the map by chocking it full of ties have been super usefull, and really let a high ps like Kylo do it's thing (no need to try and catch Vader, if you know more or less where's he's going to bump! :P) because of that, either i'd keep Kylo, or switch to Blackout or maybe Quickdraw for Acey goodness.