A while back I decided to try making a few lists that featured Ruthless, because it seems like an under utilized upgrade. After trying out a few different lists I've come to the conclusion that Ruthless is actually a pretty good card, particularly on the Sabre Squadron interceptor. The trick is to find the right fodder to trigger Ruthless (it's almost as if Deathfire was meant to be used to trigger Ruthless...). With that said, here are my two most successful Ruthless lists.

Sabre Squadron Ace (36)
Ruthless (1)

Sabre Squadron Ace (36)
Ruthless (1)

Deathfire (32)
Hull Upgrade (5)
Barrage rockets (8)

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (27)
Hull Upgrade (5)
Barrage rockets (8)

Cutlass Squadron Pilot (35)
Advanced Proton Torpedo (6)

Total: 200

Sabre Squadron Ace (36)
Ruthless (1)

Sabre Squadron Ace (36)
Ruthless (1)

Sabre Squadron Ace (36)
Ruthless (1)

Academy Pilot (22)

Academy Pilot (22)

Academy Pilot (22)

Academy Pilot (22)

Total: 199

Ruthless did fairly well at the recent "Dathomir" online GSP tournament.

Captain Feroph (Ruthless, Admiral Sloane, Hull) 60

5x Sienar Specialist (TIE Aggressor) (Dorsal Turret) 28

Aggressor seems like a really nice target for Ruthless. They love to be at Range 1 with their Dorsals, and have pretty reasonable levels of health for the cost.

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My big issue with Ruthless is this: it's not that it's not good to run Ruthless on the "aces" but that the "meat" that gets sacrificed has to also be good.

For List A, I don't want to run two heavily-loaded low-I bombers and a Punisher. Even if a Ruthless Saber is good, that's a bad way to fill up half a list. Hull Upgrade really looks like it wouldn't work out.

List B might be solid. Not sure if there's a better way to fill those 89 points of "cannon fodder." 3 Aggressors or 3 Bombers* could do it, and have more health per ship, but fewer ships...

* Bombers, IMHO, should be kept light, particularly if Ruthless targets. Maybe a bomb (Proximity Mine has done well), and if going for missiles, something cheaper than Barrage might be best. Cluster are cheap, as are Ion, and Concussion can hit fairly hard. I'd go with mine or missile, not both.

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Mixing some stuff up:

• Saber (Ruthless) 37
• Saber (Ruthless) 37
• Scimitar (Proximity Mine) 33
• Scimitar (Proximity Mine) 33
• Sienar Aggressor (Dorsal Turret) 28
• Sienar Aggressor (Dorsal Turret) 28
  • Total 196, bid 4... doesn't need that bid, but I don't know that I want to spend those points on anything...

A little bit of mines, a little bit of baby-ace, a little bit of time-on-target turrets.

I agree that the fodder for the first list isn't ideal - to upgrade heavy. That was just trying to find fodder that works with what I own. For a bomber fodder list ideally I would want to run Deathfire with cluster mines and 3x Scimitars as the fodder.

IMHO Ruthless will be quite potent with the upcoming Tie/RB. 8 Hull with a cannon slot. I don't expect them to be more expensive than 36. So you could possibly field an ace like Dutchess or Soontir, or even Maarek Stele with a bunch of them.