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On my original pass of purchased, I picked up 6 Tie Fighters (4 from 2 starters and 2 expansions). I recently got one more for 7 and like having the extra fighter, and am now debating an 8th. Is the 4 academy pilot, 4 obsidian pilot squad too little pilot skill wise to be competitive, or are more fighters still more better? ;)
That's it man, game over man, game over!
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Endgame124 said:
On my original pass of purchased, I picked up 6 Tie Fighters (4 from 2 starters and 2 expansions). I recently got one more for 7 and like having the extra fighter, and am now debating an 8th. Is the 4 academy pilot, 4 obsidian pilot squad too little pilot skill wise to be competitive, or are more fighters still more better? ;)
I only have 4 TIE fighters so far, so I'm not the best person to answer your question. But I would love to have 8 TIE fighters because then even when nobody else plays the game anymore I could invite friends over to enjoy it with me, and we could have all the options available to us for squad building. Additionally, it's looking like there is a growing interest in the community to play with squads greater than 100 points, so 8 TIEs couldn't hurt you there.
You mentioned the 4 Academy, 4 Obsidian team. I have never seen that work. It's much easier to use all Academy Pilots because they will be the same pilot skill, so that you are free to move whomever you want first. This helps prevent you from running your fighters into each other.
Some people play to win. I play because it's one of the few ways to fly an X-wing here on Earth!
Well, from an opponent's point of view, it's a helluva lot of ships to take down. I wouldn't want to face it in a tournament.
Yeah, you're giving up PR, but you can't be facing any more than a 4-ship Rebel list right now, and even after Wave 2 drops, I don't think there's a way to get more than 5 Rebel ships mathematically in a list anyway. You can certainly play a game of attrition.
As far as viability, I think it comes down to how well you're currently manuvering your 7 TIEs. To me, that's super difficult to try and use effectively without running into asteroids and each other. If you've got 7 down though, I'd say go for it- adding one more can't be that much more difficult for someone already used to playing with 7 ships.
If I was playing against you, I'd do my best to make you actually turn and manuver all those ships and try to bait some of the higher PR ships into the paths of the lower PR stuff. If you can kind of keep them separate and mainly move in straight lines, you're probably home free.
Game strategies, tactical analysis, list critiques, painting & modification articles,much more for Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures by Fantasy Flight Games straight to you from the hippest pilot bar in the galaxy, TheMetalBikini.com.
Cid_MCDP said:
Well, from an opponent's point of view, it's a helluva lot of ships to take down. I wouldn't want to face it in a tournament.
Yeah, you're giving up PR, but you can't be facing any more than a 4-ship Rebel list right now, and even after Wave 2 drops, I don't think there's a way to get more than 5 Rebel ships mathematically in a list anyway. You can certainly play a game of attrition.
As far as viability, I think it comes down to how well you're currently manuvering your 7 TIEs. To me, that's super difficult to try and use effectively without running into asteroids and each other. If you've got 7 down though, I'd say go for it- adding one more can't be that much more difficult for someone already used to playing with 7 ships.
If I was playing against you, I'd do my best to make you actually turn and manuver all those ships and try to bait some of the higher PR ships into the paths of the lower PR stuff. If you can kind of keep them separate and mainly move in straight lines, you're probably home free.
A quick aside, until recently, I've played rebels almost exclusively since Gen Con, and have run 3 different 5 ship lists:
2x Gold Squadron w/ Ion Cannon 46
3x Gold Squadron 54
Dutch w/ Ion Cannon 28
4x Gold Squadron 72
3x Gold Squardon 54
The double ion cannon list is probably the best of the 3, as any ion hit will let you drop a gold squadron right where you need to for 3 attack dice. Don't mistake me though, my record with these are only about 25% wins, and it usually comes down to the fact that I have so many sheilds and hull i can stay on the table long enough to get a few lucky attack rolls.
As for 7 ships, i try to send back stabber, night beast, and an academy tie behind the rebels while I leave the other 4 in front. Essentially, with a squadron off 3 and a squadron of 4, it helps break up my ships on the table so I'm not *too* crowded. Of course, I've never tried running imperials in a tournament - I've only run 3 ship rebels in a tourney and never had time problems, but 5 more ships is a lot of ships!
I think I'm going to grab the 8th - not only will it work for the larger games like Parakitor said, but I could always try running 6 academy and mixing in a pair of black squadron or even going 7 academy and using a named pilot. Sounds like fun things to try.
That's it man, game over man, game over!
Vorpal Sword said:
I guess I'm a completionist :)
The worst I've ever lost was against a 99 point squad of 7 TIE fighters
"Howlrunner" (Swarm Tactics)
"Mauler Mithel" (Swarm Tactics)
5 x Academy Pilot
I destroyed one, maybe two ships before my three Rebel ships were wiped off the board. And this was my awesome team, too. So Vorpal Sword is right: you'll do fine if you just stick with 7 TIE fighters. Although with the new modification system, you could still "upgrade" some of your Academy Pilots if you decided to run 8 of them.
Some people play to win. I play because it's one of the few ways to fly an X-wing here on Earth!
I did a 8 swarm last weekend. I had 7 academy and 1 backstabber vs 1 falcon, decked out and wedge, decked out. Started out bad, but I knew I was gonna lose a lot of ships vs a falcon, but I focused solely on the falcon, left wedge to do what he will. I ended up destroying the falcon after I lost 3-4 ships and finished off wedge later. It is a hard build to fly and face.
Endgame124 said:
Cid_MCDP said:
Well, from an opponent's point of view, it's a helluva lot of ships to take down. I wouldn't want to face it in a tournament.
Yeah, you're giving up PR, but you can't be facing any more than a 4-ship Rebel list right now, and even after Wave 2 drops, I don't think there's a way to get more than 5 Rebel ships mathematically in a list anyway. You can certainly play a game of attrition.
As far as viability, I think it comes down to how well you're currently manuvering your 7 TIEs. To me, that's super difficult to try and use effectively without running into asteroids and each other. If you've got 7 down though, I'd say go for it- adding one more can't be that much more difficult for someone already used to playing with 7 ships.
If I was playing against you, I'd do my best to make you actually turn and manuver all those ships and try to bait some of the higher PR ships into the paths of the lower PR stuff. If you can kind of keep them separate and mainly move in straight lines, you're probably home free.
A quick aside, until recently, I've played rebels almost exclusively since Gen Con, and have run 3 different 5 ship lists:
2x Gold Squadron w/ Ion Cannon 46
3x Gold Squadron 54
Dutch w/ Ion Cannon 28
4x Gold Squadron 72
3x Gold Squardon 54
The double ion cannon list is probably the best of the 3, as any ion hit will let you drop a gold squadron right where you need to for 3 attack dice. Don't mistake me though, my record with these are only about 25% wins, and it usually comes down to the fact that I have so many sheilds and hull i can stay on the table long enough to get a few lucky attack rolls.
As for 7 ships, i try to send back stabber, night beast, and an academy tie behind the rebels while I leave the other 4 in front. Essentially, with a squadron off 3 and a squadron of 4, it helps break up my ships on the table so I'm not *too* crowded. Of course, I've never tried running imperials in a tournament - I've only run 3 ship rebels in a tourney and never had time problems, but 5 more ships is a lot of ships!
I think I'm going to grab the 8th - not only will it work for the larger games like Parakitor said, but I could always try running 6 academy and mixing in a pair of black squadron or even going 7 academy and using a named pilot. Sounds like fun things to try.
My hat is off to you for ever pulling out a win with those any of squads.
To the OP, if you don't have an 8th by now, I wouldn't rush to pick one up unless you can get an exceptionally great deal. When wave 2 drops you really won't miss having an 8th TIE.
Without Signature
Endgame124 said:
Cid_MCDP said:
Well, from an opponent's point of view, it's a helluva lot of ships to take down. I wouldn't want to face it in a tournament.
Yeah, you're giving up PR, but you can't be facing any more than a 4-ship Rebel list right now, and even after Wave 2 drops, I don't think there's a way to get more than 5 Rebel ships mathematically in a list anyway. You can certainly play a game of attrition.
As far as viability, I think it comes down to how well you're currently manuvering your 7 TIEs. To me, that's super difficult to try and use effectively without running into asteroids and each other. If you've got 7 down though, I'd say go for it- adding one more can't be that much more difficult for someone already used to playing with 7 ships.
If I was playing against you, I'd do my best to make you actually turn and manuver all those ships and try to bait some of the higher PR ships into the paths of the lower PR stuff. If you can kind of keep them separate and mainly move in straight lines, you're probably home free.
A quick aside, until recently, I've played rebels almost exclusively since Gen Con, and have run 3 different 5 ship lists:
2x Gold Squadron w/ Ion Cannon 46
3x Gold Squadron 54
Dutch w/ Ion Cannon 28
4x Gold Squadron 72
3x Gold Squardon 54
The double ion cannon list is probably the best of the 3, as any ion hit will let you drop a gold squadron right where you need to for 3 attack dice. Don't mistake me though, my record with these are only about 25% wins, and it usually comes down to the fact that I have so many sheilds and hull i can stay on the table long enough to get a few lucky attack rolls.
As for 7 ships, i try to send back stabber, night beast, and an academy tie behind the rebels while I leave the other 4 in front. Essentially, with a squadron off 3 and a squadron of 4, it helps break up my ships on the table so I'm not *too* crowded. Of course, I've never tried running imperials in a tournament - I've only run 3 ship rebels in a tourney and never had time problems, but 5 more ships is a lot of ships!
I think I'm going to grab the 8th - not only will it work for the larger games like Parakitor said, but I could always try running 6 academy and mixing in a pair of black squadron or even going 7 academy and using a named pilot. Sounds like fun things to try.
Endgame124 said:
Cid_MCDP said:
Well, from an opponent's point of view, it's a helluva lot of ships to take down. I wouldn't want to face it in a tournament.
Yeah, you're giving up PR, but you can't be facing any more than a 4-ship Rebel list right now, and even after Wave 2 drops, I don't think there's a way to get more than 5 Rebel ships mathematically in a list anyway. You can certainly play a game of attrition.
As far as viability, I think it comes down to how well you're currently manuvering your 7 TIEs. To me, that's super difficult to try and use effectively without running into asteroids and each other. If you've got 7 down though, I'd say go for it- adding one more can't be that much more difficult for someone already used to playing with 7 ships.
If I was playing against you, I'd do my best to make you actually turn and manuver all those ships and try to bait some of the higher PR ships into the paths of the lower PR stuff. If you can kind of keep them separate and mainly move in straight lines, you're probably home free.
A quick aside, until recently, I've played rebels almost exclusively since Gen Con, and have run 3 different 5 ship lists:
2x Gold Squadron w/ Ion Cannon 46
3x Gold Squadron 54
Dutch w/ Ion Cannon 28
4x Gold Squadron 72
3x Gold Squardon 54
The double ion cannon list is probably the best of the 3, as any ion hit will let you drop a gold squadron right where you need to for 3 attack dice. Don't mistake me though, my record with these are only about 25% wins, and it usually comes down to the fact that I have so many sheilds and hull i can stay on the table long enough to get a few lucky attack rolls.
As for 7 ships, i try to send back stabber, night beast, and an academy tie behind the rebels while I leave the other 4 in front. Essentially, with a squadron off 3 and a squadron of 4, it helps break up my ships on the table so I'm not *too* crowded. Of course, I've never tried running imperials in a tournament - I've only run 3 ship rebels in a tourney and never had time problems, but 5 more ships is a lot of ships!
I think I'm going to grab the 8th - not only will it work for the larger games like Parakitor said, but I could always try running 6 academy and mixing in a pair of black squadron or even going 7 academy and using a named pilot. Sounds like fun things to try.
Endgame124 said:
Cid_MCDP said:
Well, from an opponent's point of view, it's a helluva lot of ships to take down. I wouldn't want to face it in a tournament.
Yeah, you're giving up PR, but you can't be facing any more than a 4-ship Rebel list right now, and even after Wave 2 drops, I don't think there's a way to get more than 5 Rebel ships mathematically in a list anyway. You can certainly play a game of attrition.
As far as viability, I think it comes down to how well you're currently manuvering your 7 TIEs. To me, that's super difficult to try and use effectively without running into asteroids and each other. If you've got 7 down though, I'd say go for it- adding one more can't be that much more difficult for someone already used to playing with 7 ships.
If I was playing against you, I'd do my best to make you actually turn and manuver all those ships and try to bait some of the higher PR ships into the paths of the lower PR stuff. If you can kind of keep them separate and mainly move in straight lines, you're probably home free.
A quick aside, until recently, I've played rebels almost exclusively since Gen Con, and have run 3 different 5 ship lists:
2x Gold Squadron w/ Ion Cannon 46
3x Gold Squadron 54
Dutch w/ Ion Cannon 28
4x Gold Squadron 72
3x Gold Squardon 54
The double ion cannon list is probably the best of the 3, as any ion hit will let you drop a gold squadron right where you need to for 3 attack dice. Don't mistake me though, my record with these are only about 25% wins, and it usually comes down to the fact that I have so many sheilds and hull i can stay on the table long enough to get a few lucky attack rolls.
As for 7 ships, i try to send back stabber, night beast, and an academy tie behind the rebels while I leave the other 4 in front. Essentially, with a squadron off 3 and a squadron of 4, it helps break up my ships on the table so I'm not *too* crowded. Of course, I've never tried running imperials in a tournament - I've only run 3 ship rebels in a tourney and never had time problems, but 5 more ships is a lot of ships!
I think I'm going to grab the 8th - not only will it work for the larger games like Parakitor said, but I could always try running 6 academy and mixing in a pair of black squadron or even going 7 academy and using a named pilot. Sounds like fun things to try.
Sorry, did I forget to use the word "viable" in my post there somewhere? :)
Yeah man, you can run 5-ship builds right now, and I think if you play with time limits closer to 60 minutes than 90 minutes, it becomes a debatably viable strategy because as you pointed out, it's tough to get that many shields and hulls off the board. Sorta the X-Wing verison of the (Imperial) Guard blob- it may not win you the game, but it damn sure won't lose it for you either!
Like I said, I think an 8 TIE swarm is at least worth playing around with if for no other reason than I've never seen anyone actually use it. I know how to play against a standard TIE swarm, with or without Vader, with or without Howlrunner/ Dark Curse/, etc. because I see those a lot. An 8 TIE swarm is going to catch some folks off guard as there's no obvious target to give priority to removing, and with their high manuverability, you can just kind of keep shuttling them away from the fight once they dinged a time or two.
It could work. It'll be hard as hell to manuver, but if you can keep from crashing into everything you don't want to crash into, it could work.
Game strategies, tactical analysis, list critiques, painting & modification articles,much more for Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures by Fantasy Flight Games straight to you from the hippest pilot bar in the galaxy, TheMetalBikini.com.
I've flown 8-Ship TIE Swarms before (first as all academies, then as F/G Obsidian pilots and F/G Academy pilots), and I haven't been defeated with it. This kind of squadron means you're putting all your strategy into weight of numbers and number of shots per turn against a single target.
The pros of this list is that with a lot of fighters your opponent is not going to reduce half your firepower if you loose one or two fighters. And even though the TIEs aren't great shots, brigning more of them to the table means your increased chances of shooting means the greater chances of getting crits or killing a rebel fighter. TIEs also have the highest natural dodge in the game, which means they're not easy to kill.
The cons of this list are a lack of nifty abilities to take advantage of, and the need to be mindful of traffic control. This isn't just moving your fighters to get the optimal shot, but making your moves such that your slower rebel opponent doesn't screw up your plans. It's often been a point after the first volley of fire to choose a manuver that won't end up with my TIEs backing up.
I almost took the 8-ship swarm for the Kessel Run tournament but I ultimately settled with (and is my favorite Imperial list so far): Howlrunner with Swarm tactics, Winged Gundark, and five Obsidian Squadron pilots. With this list I have a mix of special ability pilots and weight of numbers.
I gotta say though, it was fun showing up to the table with 8 TIE fighters and intimidating some of my opponents. :D
You should buy an 8th TIE for 2 reasons only:
1. If you want to run scenarios or greater than 100 point games. More TIE are great for scenarios due to limitless supplies of the Empire.
2. If you want to teach others how to play and want to let them use your stuff.
If you want to run 8 TIEs at a tournament, I'd say save your money for Wave 2 and buy an Interceptor instead.
FFG Hall of Heroes Member
True. You will get tons more play out of your first Interceptor over your eighth Tie.
Without Signature
An 8 TIE Fighter squad can work, but 7 is still a lot of TIE Fighters, and there are quite a few more options with squad building. I wouldn't recommend Obsidian Squad TIE Fighters, though. I think you'd be better off using some of the unique TIE pilots, such as Howlrunner or Mauler Mithel.
I have eight TIEs but have never fielded more than six at a time.
Enimo Et Fide
One reason to take Obsidian pilots is that they'll shoot first before Rookie X-Wing pilots. If the Rebel is trying to fly as many X-Wings as possible, that will be a consideration. Obsidian pilots will allow you to group-fire against a Rookie pilot and prevent it from blowing up or mauling one of your TIEs at close range.
Obsidians also don't move first, which is a huge part of the Swarm strategy, which is why they see much less play than the Academy Pilots.
Without Signature
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