So you're in a crappy situation. Someone's gone and replaced your fleet with 4 Tempest Pilots, each with a concussion missile, right at the start of the tournament.

You don't want to surrender; that's the coward's way.

So here's the question: How do you fly it?

depends extremely heavily on what your opponent is flying. Otherwise, SOP says you fly around, get target lock, then circle back for a focus and hammer that one target with TL+F concussion

most of the time, i would split the team into 2 pairs, and have them operate separately but still close enough to form back into 1 big team. This way, I can hope to divert my opponent's forces, or at least see which pair he is throwing his entire force against, so the other pair can flank while the pair that is targeted either approach slow or even run away if needed. Once the missiles are out, if you are not going for complete wiping, you should escape with forward 5 + evade/rolls and just wait for time up.

I replace their squad with an equally idiotic combination, like Wedge with Expose, or a bunch of Omicrons with Autoblasters.

Or maybe I just surrender. I really don't especially care what people tend to think of me, especially when someone just stole my models and dumped a bunch of useless plastic in front of me.

But seriously - you just don't fly that. One of the golden rules of X-wing is that additional dice doesn't make up for a lack of focus/TL. So you don't gain anything from them unless you have a way to make sure that you get the second action, so that you still have a focus when you fire them. If you don't, it's a waste.

But if I absolutely MUST play the game... I set up facing backwards, fly all my ships off the map on Turn 1, and spend the rest of the round looking for the bastard who took my models.

So you're in a crappy situation. Someone's gone and replaced your fleet with 4 Tempest Pilots, each with a concussion missile, right at the start of the tournament.

You don't want to surrender; that's the coward's way.

So here's the question: How do you fly it?

Well, in a tournament, I'd accept that barring a lot of luck or skill, you are going to have some problems with that squad. I'd try to get the missiles off as soon as possible to winnow down the opponents numbers, or at least to make it clear how screwed you are in a game. At the low PS you're stuck with, you're going to have a lot of trouble getting a TL and focused missile before you start losing ships.

I've actually had TIE Advanced hold up pretty well under concentrated fire (casual play only); they're hardy ships. They just don't hit back particularly hard, even though they can grab TL. Any time you can hang on to your TL to stack focus at range 1, you'll hit reasonably hard.

TIE Advanced aren't bad ships; I'm sure if I were an imperial pilot I'd be begging to be in something that doesn't get incinerated in one lucky hit/roll.

I replace their squad with...a bunch of Omicrons with Autoblasters.

The thought of someone actually trying this makes me smile. A lot.

I would agree - split them into two pairs. TIE Advanced haven't the firepower to operate alone, but flying them in one big block, Academy Pilot-fashion, risks them getting outflanked and killed. Advanced aren't that manouvrable - no '1' turn, for example - and whilst, yes, you have barrel roll, because you will probably be moving first you can't easily use it to sabre-dance firing arcs the way royal guard or named TIE pilots can.

That said, you have some of the toughest snubfighters in the game, so...yeah. I'd probably agree with Duraham and say one flight goes up the centre (concentrating on not dying) and one side pac-mans it up the flank using '5' straights. Above all, you must concentrate fire. Use evades when exchanging fire, and target lock on turns where no shooting is happening - that'll bring you back up to X-wing firepower levels on turns where someone drifts back into arc.

Ultimately, hope for good dice. Then go find the guy who nicked your interceptors and hit him with a tyre iron.

Obviously you steal your opponents models and replace them with 4 HWK-290 (and hope they don't have enough upgrades with them to make them useful).... you then play using their models... as well it's highly unlikely it's worse than 4 Tempests.

I would set up probably Mid Board in an "Finger Four" formation.

If my opponent split their forces I would move all 4 in the direction of the easiest kill-able target.

If they Lined up Mid Board opposite of me. My first few moves would breaking off into pairs to stretch the board and counter how they react to the now split pairs.

I have flown this squad in an attempt to make T/A's viable. First off, you are doomed, but hey, never say die. First off, take the first target lock opportunity you get and send the missile at that target, focused or not. It's good for 1 or 2 damage.

Then split up, flying formation won't work with these babies, try and get several attack angles so your opponent has to break there own formation. Focus always unless barrel roll absolutely will get you out of a fire arc.

Do not waste focus on attack, use it in defense unless you are not in a fire arc.

You may scrape out a draw or a modified win.

After the game find the culprit of said theft, steal his army case and punch them in the stomach :-)

You might be doomed... Your best bet is to go for Modified wins every time by playing the "alpha strike" and "run away" game. Take lots of space so you're looking at 4 evade dice and take lots of focus. If only one ship has a shot on you, you might take an evade. Otherwise just do your best... I mean, you are fighting for the glory of the empire... your side will be victorious even if you aren't around to appreciate it. At least you die knowing you're one of the good guys.