I heard recently that a Shuttle + 6 Ties was a tournament winning fleet. My question is "Which version?"

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Using the cheapest of all options, there are 7 points left over. Right off the bat, that's 3 different shuttle builds:

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Variation A1

Omicron Group Pilot

+ Heavy Laser Cannon

[28]

6x Academy Pilot

[12 Each]

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Variation A2

Omicron Group Pilot

+ Advanced Sensors

+ Engine Upgrade

[28]

6x Academy Pilot

[12 Each]

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Variation A3

Omicron Group Pilot

+ Sensor Jammer

+ Rebel Captive

[28]

6x Academy Pilot

[12 Each]

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Variation A4

Omicron Group Pilot

+ Advanced Sensors

+ Saboteur

+ Anti-Pursuit Lasers

[28]

6x Academy Pilot

[12 Each]

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However, that's all keeping it Omicron Group and Academy Pilot. If, for instance, I upgrade the Horde...

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Variation B1

Omicron Group Pilot

+ Intelligence Agent

[22]

6x Obsidian Squad Pilot

[13 Each]

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Variation B2

Omicron Group Pilot

[21]

Howlrunner

+Adrenaline Rush / Veteran's Instinct

[19]

5x Academy Pilot

[12 Each]

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We could also tweak the pilot of the Shuttle, giving us:

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Variation C1

Captain Yorr

+ Sensor Jammer

[28]

6x Academy Pilot

[12 Each]

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Variation C2

Colonel Jendon

+ Fire Control System

[28]

6x Academy Pilot

[12 Each]

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Variation C3

Captain Kagi

+ Intelligence Agent

[28]

6x Academy Pilot

[12 Each]

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So there you have it: 9 different Shuttle + Swarm fleets. Which do you think is the best?

Also, the danged site screwed up my formatting when I posted it, and I can't figure out how to fix it. I swear I don't vertically space things like a drunken mynock

You are missing the one that won:

OGP with Vader

3 x Obsidian

3 x Academy

You are missing the one that won:

OGP with Vader

3 x Obsidian

3 x Academy

Okay, so it's a little from column A and column B, with an Upgrade I never considered...

#facepalm

B2 and A2, though A3 looks like it could be fun, too.

Disclaimer: I have a shuttle but have NEVER played it before, so I have no idea.

The thing I like about B2 is "Howlrunner" allowing the shuttle to reroll, which is nice alongside the other fighters.

I like A2 because I've heard the shuttle is a pain to maneuver (and I've seen my opponents struggle with it), and Engine Upgrade + Adv. Sensors will be a huge boon if the ship survives into late game. And I think it will. With 7 ships your opponent has to start thinning your numbers, so the shuttle probably won't be an early target. Probably.

A3 is just a great way to annoy your opponent with the Rebel Captive and Sensor Jammer. However, because the shuttle doesn't turn around well it's a bunch of defense on the wrong ship. They'll shoot the TIEs and leave the shuttle for last when they can get behind it and fire at will.

B2 and A2, though A3 looks like it could be fun, too.

Disclaimer: I have a shuttle but have NEVER played it before, so I have no idea.

The thing I like about B2 is "Howlrunner" allowing the shuttle to reroll, which is nice alongside the other fighters.

I like A2 because I've heard the shuttle is a pain to maneuver (and I've seen my opponents struggle with it), and Engine Upgrade + Adv. Sensors will be a huge boon if the ship survives into late game. And I think it will. With 7 ships your opponent has to start thinning your numbers, so the shuttle probably won't be an early target. Probably.

A3 is just a great way to annoy your opponent with the Rebel Captive and Sensor Jammer. However, because the shuttle doesn't turn around well it's a bunch of defense on the wrong ship. They'll shoot the TIEs and leave the shuttle for last when they can get behind it and fire at will.

B2 was more about giving the Horde a free re-roll per ship with Howlrunner than giving it to the Shuttle. I'd rather have the better half of a Target Lock on 5 ships than the best third of one on 1 ship, you know?

My thought with A3 is that the Shuttle is the ship most likely to get targeted, as it's got the maneuverability of a brick. Giving it the extra survivability forces your opponent into a sort of Catch 22. Academy Pilots are kind of a waste to focus, as their strength is their numbers, whereas focusing the Shuttle now comes with its own hazards.

A1 speaks for itself, and you nailed my analysis on A2 pretty square on the money. A4 I feel plays to the strengths of the Shuttle the best, and was built to improve its effectiveness against ships flanking it.

You've got to try your shuttle with a gunner and Vader. Yes, it is designed to kill itself in three turns, but I have neve found my shuttle very effective after the third turn.

The first thing I tried was HLC. It seemed to be such a no-brainer. The Shuttle is the cheapest ship in the game that can equip a HLC. But it dogfights so pourly that after a couple of turns of firing the HLC I never got to shoot it again.

Omicron + Vader + advanced sensors!

Howlrunner

Backstabber

Academies

Use the swarm for bumps with the shuttle after advanced sensor actions. You probably won't need to turn the shuttle around if you activate Vader every time. 3 rounds of Vader is 6 damage to you and your opponent has probably killed him so be doesn't take an automatic 2 more. Any ship in its arc with less than 5 hp (hull and shields matter not) is a potential 1 shot for a shuttle with Range 1, howlrunner reroll and TL/focus + Vader.

Omicron + Vader + advanced sensors!

Howlrunner

Backstabber

Academies

Use the swarm for bumps with the shuttle after advanced sensor actions. You probably won't need to turn the shuttle around if you activate Vader every time. 3 rounds of Vader is 6 damage to you and your opponent has probably killed him so be doesn't take an automatic 2 more. Any ship in its arc with less than 5 hp (hull and shields matter not) is a potential 1 shot for a shuttle with Range 1, howlrunner reroll and TL/focus + Vader.

is the advanced sensors good on the omicron? i mean its going to be dying rather early to put extras on it isnt it?

Omicron + Vader + advanced sensors!

Howlrunner

Backstabber

Academies

Use the swarm for bumps with the shuttle after advanced sensor actions. You probably won't need to turn the shuttle around if you activate Vader every time. 3 rounds of Vader is 6 damage to you and your opponent has probably killed him so be doesn't take an automatic 2 more. Any ship in its arc with less than 5 hp (hull and shields matter not) is a potential 1 shot for a shuttle with Range 1, howlrunner reroll and TL/focus + Vader.

is the advanced sensors good on the omicron? i mean its going to be dying rather early to put extras on it isnt it?

Advanced Sensors is probably the best of the System upgrades, but if you're working with Vader on board, it's 3 extra points of "dead by turn 4".

-Captain Kagi + HLC

-Howlrunner

-Mauler Mithel

-Back Stabber or Dark Curse

-Night Beast or Winged Gundark

= 100 points

I played against this list and didn't do too well...

Omicron + Vader + advanced sensors!

Howlrunner

Backstabber

Academies

Use the swarm for bumps with the shuttle after advanced sensor actions. You probably won't need to turn the shuttle around if you activate Vader every time. 3 rounds of Vader is 6 damage to you and your opponent has probably killed him so be doesn't take an automatic 2 more. Any ship in its arc with less than 5 hp (hull and shields matter not) is a potential 1 shot for a shuttle with Range 1, howlrunner reroll and TL/focus + Vader.

is the advanced sensors good on the omicron? i mean its going to be dying rather early to put extras on it isnt it?

Advanced Sensors is probably the best of the System upgrades, but if you're working with Vader on board, it's 3 extra points of "dead by turn 4".

If you are flying the shuttle as just another swarm ship and expecting it to get out of range or be dead by 4 then no, advanced sensors doesn't work as well. If you are playing bumps with it the extra focus/TL ability will either keep it alive a round longer or ensure that those 4die at range 1 hit + vader with all those rerolls or if Howlrunner gets popped or has to run out of position.