Just randomly came up with this while tinkering with squads.

Academy Pilot x4

Alpha Sqd Pilot x2

Scimitar Sqd Pilot

It has the same Hull and Attack dice as the 8 TIE, but a few extra actions. I'm curious what you guys see as pros/cons compared to the 8 swarm.

I personally like running this tie swarm:

Howl

Back Stabber

Winged Gundark

Night Beast

3 x Academy Pilots

It lacks an interceptor, but I was never really sold on them in the first place. I was thinking of getting rid of Winged Gundark and adding a BSP with DTF instead, but I have yet to see it make a difference in the long run. Winged Gundark usually draws enough fire because of the hit to crit ability anyways.

I'm not a swarm player, really, but I've had moderate success with the canonical Obsidian Squadron:

"Howlrunner," "Night Beast," "Winged Gundark," and 4 Obsidian Squadron Pilots. Decent pilot skill, but "Howlrunner" is kind of exposed.

I am really curious how 7 Black Sq. Pilots would do. It's 98 points. With PS right about the middle, I suppose it would depend a lot on what squad it's up against.

I haven't tried a mixed swarm yet, but I've heard they're pretty good.

I like the 6-7 tie swarms with named pilots.

Mauler

Stabber

Nightbeast

Darkcurse

Academy x3

Or drop the third academy for upgrades: PTl, stealth, VI are all good on Mauler. Stealth is ok on most of the named ties and lets Nightbeast (free focus + evade) and or Darkcurse(pilot ability) be very hard to take down. After Aces hits opportunist might work.

The new "Vader's Escort" list is also getting a lot of attention.

The new "Vader's Escort" list is also getting a lot of attention.

Even though it it is a crappy list, I really like my Vaders Hammer list. It is Vader, a bounty hunter, and howlrunner @100 pts. It isn't very good, but it is fun to put it on the table.

Not a swarm though.

Vader's Escort is a Vader shuttle + tie swarm.

For an 8 tie full swarm you don't have to many options really. 7 swarm opens up more options, the folks above have already posted them. 8 tie lists seem plain but can be very brutal if flown correctly. there are a bunch of video battle reports on youtube of 8 tie swarms tearing up.

8 tie swarm 100pts

4x academy pilots

4x obsidian pilots

or

8 tie swarm 96pts

8 x academy pilots w/ 4 points left over

- could take 1 shield upgrade, 1 stealth, or trade a academy for a semi decent tie pilot like backstabber.

I've been having a lot of success with Howlrunner (+Stealth Device + Adrenaline Rush), 3 Academy Ties (Naked), and 2 Scimitar Squadron Bombers (+Proton Bombs). I might be convinced to drop the upgrades in favor of a 4th Academy Tie and an Elusiveness on Howlrunner, though.

It might also be interesting to run 5 Scimitar Squadron Pilots alongside Howlrunner (+Elusiveness). That's a total of 33 hull, which is fairly huge. Also, the 5 Scimitar Squadron, each packing a 4 point Missile or Torpedo, makes for a heck of an alpha-strike and is enough ships to count as a small swarm.

I will ALWAYS vote for getting Howlrunner, and for giving her more survivability, over getting non-Academy ties. She's the best thing that can possibly happen to a Swarm fleet (aside from an Imperial Biggs Darklighter).

Elusive is worth less than worthless.

Elusive is worth less than worthless.

Really? Well crap. I will just give up altogether since my gaming experience doesn't mirror yours.

On a more serious note I'm surprised the 7 TIE swarm that won Nationals hasn't been mentioned yet.

Howlrunner

Backstabber

Dark Curse

Academyx4

Comes to 98 for the initiative vs other Imp builds. I have flow this several times, works great.

I just won a tournament at 4-0 with Dark Curse and 7x Academy TIE.

Elusive is worth less than worthless.

Really? Well crap. I will just give up altogether since my gaming experience doesn't mirror yours.

On a more serious note I'm surprised the 7 TIE swarm that won Nationals hasn't been mentioned yet.

Howlrunner

Backstabber

Dark Curse

Academyx4

Comes to 98 for the initiative vs other Imp builds. I have flow this several times, works great.

The community will miss you.

Elusive is worth less than worthless.

Really? Well crap. I will just give up altogether since my gaming experience doesn't mirror yours.

On a more serious note I'm surprised the 7 TIE swarm that won Nationals hasn't been mentioned yet.

Howlrunner

Backstabber

Dark Curse

Academyx4

Comes to 98 for the initiative vs other Imp builds. I have flow this several times, works great.

The community will miss you.

Almost as much as they will miss you lol...

Anyway, I dont advocate Elusiveness on Howl, but I see why someone might think about it and won't hate on that. I don't really think it solves the underlying issue for her, but it can serve as a cheap way to keep her around a bit longer (kind of like R5 droids on Biggs...) I think you'd be better off assuming she'll die pretty quick and spending the points bringing up the rest of the list so that it functions in her absence. But hey, what do I know, I'm just some internet guy trying to be helpful.

I played this swarm in the vassal tournament recently:

Howlrunner + swarm tactics

Mauler Mithel + vet instincts

Backstabber

Gundark

2x Black squadron + draw their fire

The generally high pilot skill threw people for a loop and DtF on the BSPs did a lot to help spread damage around and same the pilots I cared about.

Lately I have been trying to make a swarm that uses bombers with ordinance work.

Elusive is worth less than worthless.

Really? Well crap. I will just give up altogether since my gaming experience doesn't mirror yours.

On a more serious note I'm surprised the 7 TIE swarm that won Nationals hasn't been mentioned yet.

Howlrunner

Backstabber

Dark Curse

Academyx4

Comes to 98 for the initiative vs other Imp builds. I have flow this several times, works great.

The community will miss you.

Almost as much as they will miss you lol...

Anyway, I dont advocate Elusiveness on Howl, but I see why someone might think about it and won't hate on that. I don't really think it solves the underlying issue for her, but it can serve as a cheap way to keep her around a bit longer (kind of like R5 droids on Biggs...) I think you'd be better off assuming she'll die pretty quick and spending the points bringing up the rest of the list so that it functions in her absence. But hey, what do I know, I'm just some internet guy trying to be helpful.

I make sure that Howlrunner spends as much of her time surviving as possible, because her damage comes from the ships surrounding her more than her own guns. I usually pick "Adrenaline Rush" because the one time she goes without a focus or evade action tends to be the turn she gets killed on, but "Elusiveness" is also an option, as it doesn't interfere with her action-base for the turn. It does, however, limit her maneuvers on the following turn, but that is better than taking the damage, in my opinion.

I run a 6 ship list with Howl, Mauler and BSPs:

Howlrunner + ARush +Stealth

Mauler Mithel +ARush

2x BSP + Arush

2x BSP + DTF

I will advocate AR on BSP at every turn, and have found BSP+AR superior to Night Beast.

I have several different swarm builds that I like. For example:

Obsidian Squadron

Howlrunner (18)

-Vet Instincts (1)

-Stealth Device (3)

Obsidian Squadron Pilot (13) x6 (72)

Howlrunner is hard to kill with 4 agi dice, and she shoots before everyone else at PS 10, while her swarm shoots before academy swarms and is still pretty beefy

Obsidian's Honor Patrol

Darth Vader (29)

Howlrunner (18)

-Veretan Instincts (1)

Obsidian Squadron Pilot (13) x4 (52)

This one drops 2 obsidians and the stealth device to add Vader, which may not be the best option, but... Vader

Expert Swarm

Howlrunner (18)

-Swarm Tactics (2)

Mauler Mithel (17)

-Swarm Tactics (2)

Black Squadron Pilot (14) x3 (46)

-Swarm Tactics (2) x3 (6)

Academy Pilot (12)

This one, if you can fly it all together, ALL attack at PS 8. Howlrunner goes down? No biggie, they still shoot at PS 7. Still flies 6 ties too, which is pretty potent

Elite Swarm

Howlrunner (18)

Mauler Mithel (17)

Backstabber (16)

Dark Curse (16)

Night Beast (15)

Either 5x Stealth Device (15) or Winged Gundark (15)

The 6 TIE version shoots before all other swarms, has a slew of abilities, but has several varying pilot skills and is all 3 hull 3 agi party poppers. The 5 TIE version shores up the defenses a bit by dropping the weakest TIE of the group.

Three by Three

Howlrunner (18)

Mauler Mithel (17)

-Veteran Instincts (1)

Backstabber (16)

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16) x3 (48)

Mauler can get to 4 dice, and shoots with Vader/Wedge/Soontir/Han, Backstabber can get to 4 dice, and easily gets to 3 dice. The Scimitars hurt just as bad as regular ties, but have twice the hull to chew through.

Scimitar Swarm

Howlrunner (18)

-Veteran Instincts (1)

Scimitar Squadron Pilot (16) x5 (80)

No idea who bought 5 bombers, but if you did, WOW this squad sucks to kill. Obviously Howl is the first target, but after that, you still have 5 bombers to wear down...

I think my personal favorites are Three by Three and Elite Swarm, obviously for different reasons. There's one more build I've been using a LOT that I enjoy, that I wouldn't really classify as a swarm since it's 5 TIEs and not all the same ship, but has been suprisingly consistent and potent:

Imperial Attack Flight (cant come up with anything better for this one...)

Howlrunner (18)

Mauler Mithel (17)

-Veteran Instincts (1)

Backstabber (16)

Saber Squadron Pilot (21) x2 (42)

-Push the Limit (3) x2 (6)

This squad HURTS when it gets all lined up. It can get up to the same firepower as 4X's (4 4-dice range 1 attacks) with Howlrunner's rerolls, plus has the zany maneuverable interceptors.

A swarm without Howlrunner is like cookies without milk.

A swarm without Howlrunner is like cookies without milk.

So true, though im not a huge fan of milk I do love cookies!

I quite like elite squads, such as fel + 2 bounty hunters, or the 3 aces vader, fel and Turr.

However I have been trying out swarms, though I only have 5 ties, I do have 3 interceptors and 3 bombers

A swarm without Howlrunner is like cookies without milk.

So it's still something you'll happily consume. Now some cookies really need milk to be good but there are plenty that don't need milk to be perfectly fine.

even without howlrunner, the cheap redundancy that academy ties offer is very powerful. at close range they can really dish out a lot of damage - rerolls or not.

tie-bombers add an interesting variant for tie-swarms, even wout ordinance they r good.

this squad was posted on another thread...

howlrunner + swarm tactics

2x scimitar squadron + proton bombs

3x academy tie

even without howlrunner, the cheap redundancy that academy ties offer is very powerful. at close range they can really dish out a lot of damage - rerolls or not.

tie-bombers add an interesting variant for tie-swarms, even wout ordinance they r good.

this squad was posted on another thread...

howlrunner + swarm tactics

2x scimitar squadron + proton bombs

3x academy tie

I prefer my Howlrunner with a Stealth Device and Adrenaline Rush, but otherwise I run this exact fleet.

Firstly not sure if a 5 ship squad counts as a swarm but in reply to this..

I run a 6 ship list with Howl, Mauler and BSPs:

Howlrunner + ARush +Stealth

Mauler Mithel +ARush

2x BSP + Arush

2x BSP + DTF

I will advocate AR on BSP at every turn, and have found BSP+AR superior to Night Beast.

This Saturday I came third in a tournament of 18 players with this list

Howlrunner + SqL

Black + DTF

Scimitar + APT

Scimitar + Assault

Gamma + Concussion

I had only flown this list once before the day and that was with 3 scimitars one with a seismic otherwise the same.

with more practice I think I could have done better and the last minute change to a Gamma screwed me over a little in one game but otherwise was redundant so shouldn't have made the change.

I do think this could be bettered and have been trying to tweek it since but have no clear answer yet.

The problem I encountered was in manuevering the mix of PS 2 and 4 in the bombers so am thinking of dropping one bomber and taking two Gamma or going back to all scimitars but will post when I find a solution and will also write a battle report over next couple of days.

The one thing I liked about the 3 bombers was the mix of ordnance for all occasions a bit like a Swiss army knife.

I hope this inspires you Liz

Hi...

I have just win an Italian tournament with this tie swarm... for me is the best swarm...):

Howlrunner + swarm tactics

2x black squadron + swarm tactics

2x alpha squadron

1x accademy pilot

See you

Marcello

8x academy TIE. cant go wrong with it.