Hex F? Hecks Yes.

The starting point: Zeta Squadron Survivor (32) * 6 = 192

The first thing to ponder: how to fill the points. Most of the options are awkwardly asymmetrical.

• 6x Zeta, 1 with Hotshot Gunner
  • upside: token stripping might be handy
  • downside: one ship is a target, and has to begin with turret-front. it's not too hard to make decisions about front or rear turret, but one strength of SFs without gunners or missiles is that they don't have to think about where their arc is pointing.
• 6x Zeta, 2 with Advanced Optics
  • upside: red dice consistency
  • downside: two ships can't spend defensive focus as freely and become targets
• 6x Zeta, 4 with Fire Control System
  • upside: red dice consistency
  • downside: not much, other than the bother of keeping track. Taking Locks only when safe, it probably wouldn't be too bad.
• 6x Zeta, with 8 point bid
  • upside: slightly better MOV. This might actually matter. The list is a total of 36 hit points, and that can take a long time to chew through. Meanwhile, when moving six ships, that just takes time, meaning probably fewer rounds of combat.
  • downside: wasted space, since the list doesn't need a bid.
• 5x Zeta, Backdraft (with Crack Shot?)
  • upside: semi-ace in Backdraft.
  • downside: mixed initiative. Also, BD becomes a target. But then maybe BD can flee, and they like doing that.
• 4x Zeta, 2x Omega with Fanatical
  • upside: hard to say. Fanatical is probably the best Talent in the game, but I can imagine that the Fanatical Omegas might get ignored in favor of the Zetas, they'll never lose their shields, and Fanatical will be irrelevant. There are two higher-init ships, which might be relevant sometimes.
  • downside: mixed initiative
• 2x Zeta, 4x Omega, no upgrades
  • upside: mostly higher init ships in the list can be handy
  • downside: mixed initiative
• I think my favorites are probably Backdraft, bid, or Fanatical Omega. Those two Omegas can do riskier stuff like take Locks rather than Focus, to try to tempt an opponent into stripping their shields. Bid is just the "prettiest" option. Very neat and tidy, even if it's probably "worse." Backdraft can add punch, and having a higher-priority threat ship might work well as particularly Backdraft, since they like to flee.

Ponder the second: deployment and tactics.

I figure that if this list wins, it'll do so by simply taking lots and lots of shots. Throw enough dice, and you'll roll enough hits eventually.

My inclination is to avoid a full block swarm. There's no real reason for it. I'm inclined to go in 2 groups of 3, or 3 groups of 2, in contiguous jousting lanes (say, either side of the same rock). You don't want to be too spread out, since you don't have the Boost action to really close distances between different parts of the list, and you don't want to be too bunched up, since if you're all essentially the same firing arc, that limits some of the goal of the list: high time on target. A collapse/killbox strategy just seems like it'd work better.

I tend to think there are two standout moves on the SF dial. 5-forward. 1-forward. (and kinda 1-banks). They've got the potential to go fast and force engagements (or leapfrog over them), and they've got the potential to slow it down, barely move, keep rear guns on target for a long time, or just approach slowly. They've got a lot of potential to mix it up. Some ships can set blocks with mid speeds, some slowroll in behind them, and some fly past on 5-k or out with 3-hards, to try to set up range 1 rear shots on blocked ships.

8 hours ago, theBitterFig said:

My inclination is to avoid a full block swarm. There's no real reason for it. I'm inclined to go in 2 groups of 3, or 3 groups of 2, in contiguous jousting lanes (say, either side of the same rock). You don't want to be too spread out, since you don't have the Boost action to really close distances between different parts of the list, and you don't want to be too bunched up, since if you're all essentially the same firing arc, that limits some of the goal of the list: high time on target. A collapse/killbox strategy just seems like it'd work better.

I'd agree. You've got a decent speed dial, but without boost, ailerons or SLAM you're not that fast. You want to turn the game into a swirly mess where every TIE/sf has a shot every turn, and you can use your low initiative to find a move where you'll get both a focus token and a target in one of your two arcs. A close-packed swarm is likely to restrict your movement options too much.

I might suggest considering Ion Missiles; you can pack two in the remaining 8 points, and ionizing someone near a swarm that loves range 1 shots and can shoot from funny angles might be worth a look. Otherwise, Backdraft is a good call. As you noted; if he has to run away that's no bad thing.

Engaging in waves really feels good with this. The ones in front, having blocked last round, move past the enemy and the second wave comes in to block.

Flew against Rexler, Sai, Seyn, and Gideon Hask. First round was a few chip shots traded, nothing major. Blocked the shuttle the next round of the engagement, and there was a massive parking lot. Not super effective at putting damage through onto Rex and Gideon, but got 2 or 3 in. Third round? This was the glory round. The folks right in front of the shuttle flew past, the second wave came in to block. One blocked it, and there were FIVE range 1 shots into the full-health shuttle from all sides (with the one who blocked the shuttle getting a Range 1 shot to kill off Gideon). The 4th round wound up being mostly a lot of nothing. 5th round Seyn used her ability to finish off a TIE at Range 3, but unfortunately had to spend her focus token to get the Hit to Marksman a Crit, so she went down. The rest of the game took well over an hour (we didn't use a clock) and was the remaining 5 SFs against a well-flown Rexler Brath with 5 health remaining. Three SFs went down (Rex even exposed a Direct Hit!), I missed a great chance when Rex had a Loose Stabilizer and 1 HP, and the last two SFs remaining were below half health when a blocked 4k allowed a Range 1 Locked shot (no focus... stressed from a twice-flipped Seyn-dealt Panicked Pilot, lul!).

I'm definitely going to have to experiment with TIE/sf in a swarm. Firstly, all the N-1s arriving at the store appear to be pre-spoken for, and secondly it nets me a load of afterburners for use with strikers.

6 SF does look like it has potential, just because the ship has such a ridiculously flexible dial, action bar and arc of fire for a squad of 6 ships. The fact that it can - on average - eat a pair of proton torpedos and keep right on rolling is pretty impressive for a ship you can field six of.

A friend of mine tried 4 SFs with passive sensors and concussions, and scorch as the 5th ship (not enough points for a 5th Sf)... and he totally wrecked the other lists. He used concussions instead of cluster to cover the R3 threat. Looks really scary to me

Hmm, Personaly im thinking about taking 5 Omega Specials forces with Fanatical and Adv optics,

40 points , 6 health with 2 dice to back it up

and 5 of them, not likely to bee killed by a "dee oneshoot torrent" Shoots. We all know how hard it can be to kill something like that.

It should be fun!

On ‎7‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 11:04 AM, RoockieBoy said:

A friend of mine tried 4 SFs with passive sensors and concussions, and scorch as the 5th ship (not enough points for a 5th Sf)... and he totally wrecked the other lists. He used concussions instead of cluster to cover the R3 threat. Looks really scary to me

Concussions are a nice call if you can make the points; with 3 shields the SFs are a lot less scared of the 'splash' effect than most ships which turn up in numbers.

I had a thought about 5 with Homing Missiles for a similar logic; 1 automatic damage is so-so, but very few ships can blithely take that five times.

On 7/10/2019 at 6:04 AM, RoockieBoy said:

A friend of mine tried 4 SFs with passive sensors and concussions, and scorch as the 5th ship (not enough points for a 5th Sf)... and he totally wrecked the other lists. He used concussions instead of cluster to cover the R3 threat. Looks really scary to me

I figure once you've gone to Concussion missiles and are up over 40 points with SFs, I'd rather just take the Gunner. Maybe it's a particular list where someone can only afford 41 for a Conc/PS Zeta, and not a 42 point Gunner Zeta, but that'd be my preference.

The gunner will be a little worse at Range 3 due to the defensive bonus, but a lot better at Range 1, and the front/rear double-tap does show up sometimes.

I think, just overall, the TIE/sf is a really good ship, almost however it gets built.

On 7/11/2019 at 2:21 PM, IgotTargetlocked said:

Hmm, Personaly im thinking about taking 5 Omega Specials forces with Fanatical and Adv optics,

40 points , 6 health with 2 dice to back it up

and 5 of them, not likely to bee killed by a "dee oneshoot torrent" Shoots. We all know how hard it can be to kill something like that.

It should be fun!

i flew this vs Rey with leia, contraband, finn , Eu, and a heavy Poe.

Rey died round 3

Poe followed soon after,

The ability to keep arcs on constantly and get a minimum of 1 hit each round with the adv optics is truly amazing.

that game ended 60/200

Gona practice vs some of my firends who play allot of aces. Think thats gona bee a harder matchup

all in all, a truly solid list.

I'd always try to at least get scorch in there

Sure, he's not as durable nor flexible, but at essentially a 3-die primary with i4 he's a complete steal at his cost

Am biased due to very fond memories of Zeta Leader, though