So I'm going to be taking part in the Kessel run event and I came up with the following list:

darth vader w/ either squad leader or swarm tactics

backstabber 

mauler mithel

3 x academy pilots

100 PTs exactly.  My main question is what trait to choose for vader? Both are 2 PTs and useful.

thoughts?

Me personally, and without a lot of experience, would go with Swarm Tactics. Letting Vader set someone up to go when he goes and double tap an opponent. There are more experienced players on this forum and I'm sure you'll get the right answer.

 Swarm tactics will come in handy allot more then squad leader. you want to keep darth vader focused and evade for defensive porposes. though there are many ways squad leader will come in handy, but shooting before you die is ussually important then weakening your main guy to streagnthen his minion… Your list includes a great team so if you go against another tie team, you wont be at a disadvantage due to dice

I'm taking:

eight TIE Fighters with four Academy Pilots and four Obsidian pilots

I've just seen sniper Wedge blast TIEs to scrap instantly too often to pay too much on a unique pilot  

Stormtrooper721 said:

ewww . . . Glad you're not in my area!  This will be my first tournament ever so I'm hoping that most people will be as noobish as I am; I really want a TIE Interceptor!

So Swarm Tactics is the order of the day it seems.  I'll let the community know how well (Read: Poorly) I did at the tournament and what I learned.

Swarm Tactics, yo. The rest of your build is pretty aggressive, and Swarm Tactics will help you be more aggressive. A more aggressive build does mean Vader will probably need both of his actions more often. If you were playing a more versatile(read conservative) build, Squad Leader might have been a better choice.

 If you have a really good plan for Squad Leader, take it. If not, Swarm Tactics is never a bad choice because you don't have to spend your action to use it. I went on a Vader + Squad Leader kick for a while, but it just never turned out. I could probably get it right if I practiced more.

The best use for Squad Leader, in my opinion, is granting a focus (or Marksmanship) action to "Mauler" Mithel at range 1, and take Evade with Vader's other action.