The best is the most flexible by far:
4x academy pilots
4x obsidian pilots
Most howlrunner swarms are easy to exploit once you are better at the game.
I like running my 7 ship Howlrunner as 3 entities: 2 with HwR, and 2 pairs of Wingmen on either side.
I can still bunch up for power, but after Swarming against a 5-Assault + Failsafe fleet, I've learned to get some autonomy.
This is a fun one:
Howlrunner w/ Hull Upgrade
Captain Jonus
Scimitar Squadron pilot w/ Proton Rockets
Scimitar Squadron pilot w/ Proton Rockets
Scimitar Squadron pilot w/ Proton Rockets
You have all the rerolls you need, a good amount of health, and no obvious priority target. Every ship in the squad is something that can't be ignored! The Proton Rockets mean the Scimitars don't have trouble locking onto their target. Good times!
running a "fat swarm" of all bombers can be surprisingly effective. While howlrunner is awesome, she forces you to lock your ships together. I really like flying a swarm like a swarm, a cloud of death coming in from different directions and angles. You can run all low PS bombers naked, or add a seismic or prox mine or 2. They have beeter manuverability than most rebel ships and 6 hull.
I flew a Swarm twice tonight to good success. It was simple: 8x AP, two with targeting computers. Those TCs didn't do anything, however.
That brings up an interesting point. Assuming an 8-tie swarm, what do you prefer for the last four points? A pair of TCs? A Hull Upgrade/Shield Upgrade on a random AP? Something else?
"Howlrunner" — TIE Fighter 18
Push the Limit 3
"Mauler Mithel" — TIE Fighter 17
Push the Limit 3
Targeting Computer 2
"Night Beast" — TIE Fighter 15
Targeting Computer 2
Obsidian Squadron Pilot — TIE Fighter 13 x3
Total: 99pts
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Howl babysits the Obsidian Triplets
Mauler and Night Beast on the Flanks as a Pair or singles
whats the drunken shark?
That brings up an interesting point. Assuming an 8-tie swarm, what do you prefer for the last four points? A pair of TCs? A Hull Upgrade/Shield Upgrade on a random AP? Something else?
I'm not sure. I considered taking "Dark Curse", But I like the ability to order my moves as I need to to prevent collisions and 'Domino TIEs' of movements gone wrong. I'll probably stick with TCs for now.
PS 3 Ties on a 8 Tie fighter squad allows you to use the PS1 as bumping machines, and the obsidians to get the shot first against many things, withouth losing actions. Placing in the box formation the PS1 in the front, and the PS3 on the back, it works pretty well.
What do you think?
98 Points
32 pointsSoontir FelPush the Limit, Targeting Computer18 pointsHowlrunner12 pointsAcademy Pilot #112 pointsAcademy Pilot #212 pointsAcademy Pilot #312 pointsAcademy Pilot #4
I've flown the above extensively and I think that - that list is solid even against Fat Han.
whats the drunken shark?
http://teamcovenant.com/hothie/2014/10/13/the-evolving-shark-chapter-2-the-drunken-shark-opening/
It's an opening set up I devised to be flexible and unpredictable. But I think that's what I'm going to call my Worlds squad, posted above.
That brings up an interesting point. Assuming an 8-tie swarm, what do you prefer for the last four points? A pair of TCs? A Hull Upgrade/Shield Upgrade on a random AP? Something else?
I'm not sure. I considered taking "Dark Curse", But I like the ability to order my moves as I need to to prevent collisions and 'Domino TIEs' of movements gone wrong. I'll probably stick with TCs for now.
i use Dark Curse in my 8 Tie Swarm. instead of putting him in a formation i will often use a group of 4, a group of 3 and then DC slightly away from the three. seems to work pretty well.
No post is fun without pretty pics so...
Jake Farrel diving in behind the remainder of the Tie Bombers who, damaged as they were by a wave of 4 prototype A-wings trying to save the Transport, started their suicidal bombing run on the "Dutyfree"
Awesome pic (IMO) Really cinematic.
That so brings back memories of the X-Wing series. I know when I jumped into that position I wanted to be loaded with missiles which I could dumb fire into a Bomber and point blank range. Lasers would take longer than I often had but going for the target lock first would just cause that Bomber to take evasive action making it harder to take out the squadron quickly!
One of my favorites is:
Sacrifice the Bomber!
Howlrunner
Academy Pilot x 5
Scimitar Squadron Pilot + APT (or Assault Missiles)
100pts
Put the scimitar front and center of your swarm, learn how to mix the bombers 3 turn in with the ties 1 turns, and you've got a squad that is quite painful to deal with. Do you ignore the bomber and go for howl even though he's target locked your Wedge? Usually the Bomber is targeted, which is okay, since Howlrunner is the REAL key to victory, and PS1 action denial 
Or, my favorite Swarm + 30-34 pt flanker:
Buzzard Swarm
Howlrunner + Swarm Tactics
Academy Pilot x 4
Omicron Group Pilot + FCS + Gunner + Engine
That's a big, tough to kill gun that plays the flanker roll. It can stall for multiple turns while it hammers away with the FCS + Gunner combo, or you can boost away for another pass while your ties mop up. Usual end game came down to 2 Ties and the shuttle left vs 1 enemy ship. I created this list to deal with Biggs; the super accurate 3 dice gun really helped against him. I think I ended up with a record of 32-5 with this list before I started playing other things. I might put Tactician or Rebel Captive on the shuttle in this meta, MAYBE dropping Engine upgrade. Gotta make it tough for Phantoms, after all. And heck, Swarm Tactics is probably unnecessary nowadays.
Also, Proximity Mine Swarm:
Howlrunner + VI
Academy Pilot x 2
Scimitar + Proximity Mine x 3
100pts
Blast the Falcons with lasers. Drop mines on the Phantoms. Hopefully avoid an Etahn Swarm. Profit.
http://teamcovenant.com/hothie/2014/10/13/the-evolving-shark-chapter-2-the-drunken-shark-opening/whats the drunken shark?
It's an opening set up I devised to be flexible and unpredictable. But I think that's what I'm going to call my Worlds squad, posted above.
Do you use drunken shark as your opening exclusively now? Or do you still mix in boxs/death blossoms
It's hard to say what's the 'best possible', but the builds that I'd identify as pure swarms (as in, only TIE Fighters) that placed in order in the top 32 are the following:
They've all got Howl, and are 7 TIEs strong. Black+DtF is really popular, as is Backstabber.
Edited by Mikael HasselsteinThere are a lot of swarms, and all have strengths and weaknesses.
Howl + Stealth (to deter attacking her)
6 Obsidian (avoid predator)
Nice simple swarm. Run formations and attack in mass.
Howl+stealth
Nightbeast
Gundark
Backstabber
Darkcurse
Mauler
1 less ship, but a lot more power and a better spread of pilot skill. Less dependant on the formation as each has it's own specialty. Still want to keep them fairly close for Howl's ability though.
Yes, I know hull is mathmatically superior to stealth, but hull points don't deter attacks, where the stealth may make the enemy attempt to target someone else.
The 4 academy, 4 obsidian used to be pretty effective, but with predator around, I'd be a little careful with those academy pilots.
I really like the idea of the 'elite' TIE swarm (mainly because I only have six TIEs!). What are peoples thoughts on swapping out Winged Gundark for a Black Squadron Pilot with Draw Their Fire for the same points? Thinking that it would provide an extra layer of protection for Howlrunner.
8 Academies. I don't believe in Howlrunner. Howlrunner has the disadvantage to need a tight formation. You don't want that restriction with assault missiles around. Howlrunner is easily taken out in the first at best the second round with concentrated fire.
8 Academies have all the same pilot skill. This means you can choose the order in which they fly and in which they shoot, which is in my experience a huge tactical advantage.
I like the 'balanced' lists where everyone has the same pilot skill... 2 x Red Squadron and 2 x Dagger Squadron Is a cool list where all the ships have PS4. I like the idea of eight Academy TIE's but I'm two short! Has anyone run into problems with lists running Predator? I could see that being nasty against an all PS1 list.
I like 3 x Obsidian, Dark Curse and 3 x Black Squadron with VI
Fly them in two groups who can support each other. I've been playing a slight variant in our NoVA league and I am impressed with it.
I don't think I like Howlrunner that much as she is target #1 and so rarely gets to provide her benefit for long...
That brings up an interesting point. Assuming an 8-tie swarm, what do you prefer for the last four points? A pair of TCs? A Hull Upgrade/Shield Upgrade on a random AP? Something else?
Backstabber. Always take backstabber.
And I enjoyed the doomshuttle subbed in for 2 academies for awhile. It really teaches the mechanics of the self bump and gets you flying a shuttle. Howlrunner makes it hit surprisingly hard and who cares if it draws hate fire! It has more HP than 3 ties for the price of 2.
That brings up an interesting point. Assuming an 8-tie swarm, what do you prefer for the last four points? A pair of TCs? A Hull Upgrade/Shield Upgrade on a random AP? Something else?
Backstabber. Always take backstabber.
And I enjoyed the doomshuttle subbed in for 2 academies for awhile. It really teaches the mechanics of the self bump and gets you flying a shuttle. Howlrunner makes it hit surprisingly hard and who cares if it draws hate fire! It has more HP than 3 ties for the price of 2.
I disagree. If you face another TIE swarm, you now won't have initiative. Moving first and shooting first is a massive advantage and a 7 or 8 strong swarm will destroy the other through causing bumps and action denial if they have the initiative.
I like the 8 strong swarm, but just run them all as Academies.
