Please beat the tar out of this list and we'll all have a better idea of what to do with some of the best things that wave 3 has to offer.

Col. Jendon+ Vader + engine upgrade + advanced sensors + ST-321 = 39pts

Scimitar + advanced Proton torpedo + concussion missile = 26

Scimitar + concussion missile + seismic charge = 22

Academy Tie = 12

99pts

A targetlocking badass shuttle with Vader crits and more horsepower? Check

Advanced Proton Torpeado load? Check

Dual bomber alpha strike? Check

Still using wave one academy tie? Check.

Initiative? Check, unless they go to 98.

This list developed out of suicidal shuttle and the rhymer lists floating around. Originally I had each scimitar with an APT for some real shock and awe but found that when the rolls don't quite line up it just lacks reach. 2 missiles later and a seismic charge to drop behind the shuttle when they inevititbly get behind it helps matters. I was also running a version without engine upgrade and advanced sensors (anti pursuit lasers and weapons engineer instead) but both are vital to get the most out of Vader and Jendon.

Credit to someone over on a few maneuvers for the name (vaderlocks and the 3 sabers)

So what stays? What goes? Dual APT's? Ditch the academy (I don't like it!)? Vader himself gone? I like what I've seen so far.

I'm a big fan of APT recently, i've had great luck with them despite what some other people on the forums are saying. One is probably fine, though i might move it to the bomber that has the seismic charge as you need to be range one for the torp anyways.. then again you'd have too much on one bomber..

Haven't played against anyone using vader on the shuttle, seems like it could help out. If you were to swap it out, weapons engineer is also 3 points and lets you acquire 2 target locks (and able to maintain target locks) and would work well for handing em out to the bombers.

One more suggestion, if you dropped the engine upgrade you could swap out the academy for mauler. Make it harder for your opponent to pick out priorities.

Engine upgrade is pretty important for making the shuttle relevant past round 3-4. When the missiles and torpedoes are gone your shuttle is still blasting 4 dice at range 1 + a Vader crit. It's a big surprise for an opponent who isn't used to it.

One thing this list does well is damned if you do damned if you don't. Hang back a round or 2 and eat missiles and Vader crits. Get close and it's 4 dice + Vader, an APT and a seismic charge. It can't sustain either method for too long like other lists but does well with the mix.

Lots of views and no opinions? That's a first.

That's a lot of points to put on a shuttle with Vader on board.
I like using Jendon to pass out target locks to a swarm, and being kind of a mother-ship.

I think the idea behind the shuttle is it spends the first couple of turns actually using it's ability and handing out TL's, then it goes kamikaze mode and vader's itself and everything around it to death, which I actually kinda like. It's a ton of points on a ship you KNOW is going to die, but i might be worth it.

If I were going to run a similar thing, I'd probably go with this:

Col. Jendon (26) (39 total)

-Darth Vader (3)

-Engine Upgrade (4)

-Advanced Sensors (3)

-ST-321 (3)
Scimitar (16) (22 total)

-Concussion Missile (4)

-Seismic Charge (2)

Scimitar (16) (22 total)

-Concussion Missile (4)

-Seismic Charge (2)
Backstabber (16) for 99 total or Mauler Mithel (17) for 100 total

Now your TIE is actually important and you double up the seismic charges, but you lose out on the APT. Everything else works identically.

More than I would like too but it's the only way to get the targetlock trick for the bombers and vader together in something worthwhile. Jendon needs ST-321, Engine needs Advanced sensors... Might just be too many points. But in the few walkthroughs I've done with it, it's nasty. I guess Omicron + vader and a black squad with Squad leader is the same cost. Don't know if it's quite as effective.

Vader is just there for clean up; 3 vader crits can kill or finish off most ships in the the game (especially since the big ones have already eaten a missile, a torpedo, or both!).

I think the idea behind the shuttle is it spends the first couple of turns actually using it's ability and handing out TL's, then it goes kamikaze mode and vader's itself and everything around it to death, which I actually kinda like. It's a ton of points on a ship you KNOW is going to die, but i might be worth it.

If I were going to run a similar thing, I'd probably go with this:

Col. Jendon (26) (39 total)

-Darth Vader (3)

-Engine Upgrade (4)

-Advanced Sensors (3)

-ST-321 (3)

Scimitar (16) (22 total)

-Concussion Missile (4)

-Seismic Charge (2)

Scimitar (16) (22 total)

-Concussion Missile (4)

-Seismic Charge (2)

Backstabber (16) for 99 total or Mauler Mithel (17) for 100 total

Now your TIE is actually important and you double up the seismic charges, but you lose out on the APT. Everything else works identically.

I guess it's a question of APTs being worth it or not. I usually fly the shuttle horizontally to start so it does get those 2 rounds of locks in and then use Engine upgrade to turn in the right line.

Just lost with it to an interceptor list online x2. Couldn't chase them down with the bombers to utilize everything but Jendon died first after 2 rounds of target lock handing and handing out 2 rounds of fire (alive for the third but no shots) as expected. Not sure the engine upgrade matters if the ship dies before needing it for turning around, if it goes, so can advanced sensors (maybe).

Still not sold on APT vs. second missile. Thoughts?

Vs. Interceptors and Swam I would want the second missile for sure. Vs. Rebels that APT is scary good. Updating the list tomorrow.

I know this might be a little off squad topic but I enjoyed this squad.

Does need a few tweeks I feel but only flown it once.

Omicron + vader

Obsidian x3

Academy x3

99pts

My opponents face as I set up one big ship and six small was worth it.

My biggest afterthought was the need for an engine upgrade or a couple of alpha interceptors.

I should have flown differently and prob used the academies to bump into to keep the shuttle in place.

To this end probably lose a tie and gain adv sensors and hlc maybe, havent thought much about it recently.

I will let you guys do the thinking for me.

I've played a similar squad. Jendon, Rhymer and Jonus. Jendon gives Rhymer a lock and keeps him open to take a Focus action to fire double barrel APTs at range 2 and Jonus rerolls the misses.

Of the 5 times I played it, I got the APT shot off 9 times and rolled 5 hits with each one. Once it even scored a solid hit on Wedge with a stealth device and an evade behind an asteroid. Jendon with HLC finished him off. Next round Rhymer one shotted Jan Orrs. The only game I didn't get to shoot the APT was against a Biggs that hung back in range 3, which I couldn't hit with plain lasers. Rhymer got dogpiled before he could shoot his torps. Maybe Ryhmer ought to pack an APT and a missile to make those range 3 shots against Biggs at least do some damage.

My goal was to get the bombers ,Rhymer specifically. to make a mess. And he sure did. I didn't think too hard about Jendon, though I like that you've given him more teeth in this build.

It was certainly an inspired mix of the Ryhmer builds and the suicide shuttle builds. I think it lost a little trying to do too much of both.

I think the idea behind the shuttle is it spends the first couple of turns actually using it's ability and handing out TL's, then it goes kamikaze mode and vader's itself and everything around it to death, which I actually kinda like. It's a ton of points on a ship you KNOW is going to die, but i might be worth it.

If I were going to run a similar thing, I'd probably go with this:

Col. Jendon (26) (39 total)

-Darth Vader (3)

-Engine Upgrade (4)

-Advanced Sensors (3)

-ST-321 (3)

Scimitar (16) (22 total)

-Concussion Missile (4)

-Seismic Charge (2)

Scimitar (16) (22 total)

-Concussion Missile (4)

-Seismic Charge (2)

Backstabber (16) for 99 total or Mauler Mithel (17) for 100 total

Now your TIE is actually important and you double up the seismic charges, but you lose out on the APT. Everything else works identically.

I like this list and think it is stronger than the original overall.

Option 2:

Omicron + Vader + engine + sensors= 31

Gamma+ concussion + seismic= 24

Gamma + concussion = 22

Howlrunner + stealth = 21

Well. Different but more dangerous. Missiles, higher PS and rerolls. Not sure that missiles are worth it at this point.

Started playing the revised list vs an ABXY list but lost connection. Was kinda a toss up with a lot of damage on a few different ships. Higher PS helps get those Target locks and without the APT I don't feel the need to try to chase down a target with them.

Another list that came to mind today trying to use dual Shuttles W/ sensors and one HLC (one shuttle bumping the back of the other to remain at range. No luck with that since flying 2 space buses is rough. Might revisit this weekend when I play my buddies 8 year old to get some odd list flying in.