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Howlrunner-20
swarm tactics
Black squadron pilot-15
vet instincts
Black squadron pilot-15
vet instincts
Commander Kenkirk-50
Mercenary co-pilot
Proton torpedo

Isn't the usual version of this Chiraneau with Howlrunner and 2+ Academy Pilots?

 Manchu wrote:
Isn't the usual version of this Chirenau with Howlrunner and 2+ Academy Pilots?

That's what I've most seen, and it isn't all that bad a build. I personally like Howl+Obsidians though for shooting before, and moving after the PS2 Rebels that seem to be all over the current meta.

For the OPs build, I'm just not sure what the point is. VI seems like a waste on Black Squadron Ties because there isn't enough in the PS4-6 range for it to matter, and Kenkirk has nothing going for him the way he's kitted out. I would drop the VI for sure, along with both upgrades on Kenkirk, then use that 8 points to improve your decimator. Gunner is a start, because you really need to make sure it has the best chance of doing damage every turn. After that, there are several things you can do with 3 points, but I'd probably just up to Chirpy and put a VI on him to get a PS bid above Phantoms. Still not sure the PS4 ties are necessary either, if I'm running one, it's usually to have something to carry a DtF to protect Howlrunner.

The only reason I can think of to run Kenkirk is a completely defensive decimator with Isard, Jerjerrod and an Intelligence Agent for airlock duty. That way you can disregard 1-2 hits a turn and chunk someone to disregard crits. But as someone said X Wing doesn't reward only defense. You have to be able to attack as well or you will lose and the game will just take longer. Mercenary Copilot is pretty worthless when you can just upgrade to Chiraneau and get a better effect and PS while saving yourself a crew slot.

Proton Torpedoes are equally worthless on a Decimator as you would be better served just getting to range 1 and rolling your four dice with a target lock.
you also can't shoot proton torpedoes out of a turret so you have to be very good at predicting your target, target locking them and having them in arc at range 2-3

Black Sq with VI, in a tournament setting, PS 4 is roughly the same as PS 6

This also makes Swarm Tactics on Howlrunner even more useless. Bumping one member of your team up to PS 8 from PS6 is not a big gain. If instead your black squadrons had swarm tactics as well and you had the lowest or next to lowest PS decimator you could bring them all up to 8 and might be able to shoot before Dash and/or Corran.

Feel free to take whatever you've had success with though

Howlrunner-20
swarm tactics
Black squadron pilot-16
swarm tactics
Black squadron pilot-16
swarm tactics
Captain Oicunn-47
Mercenary co-pilot
Fleet officer

I'm struggling to understand the thinking behind your list. Maybe instead of just posting a list, you could actually explain your ideas?

RB, can you give us an idea of you plan for Kenkirk?

sorry I had dropped Kenkirk for Oicunn.
Fixed now. Trying now to get all 8s to fire first with Howlrunner for reroll.

Howlrunner only gives the reroll to one friendly within 1.

I think the point of Decimator + Mini-Swarm lists is to catch your opponent between an anvil and a hammer. If you're flying everything to chain Swarm Tactics, however, it kind of defeats the purpose.

 Manchu wrote:
Howlrunner only gives the reroll to one friendly within 1.

Nope, it's all friendly ships within range 1.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

RB wrote:
Trying now to get all 8s to fire first with Howlrunner for reroll.

The problem with this is that the metagame mostly consists of two types of ships: PS 1-2 generics in large numbers, and PS 9+ elite lists. You already out-PS most of the generics just by upgrading to PS 4, and against the PS 9+ elites your PS 8 is no better than PS 1. So either way you've wasted quite a few points on a mostly-irrelevant swarm tactics chain. You'd be much better off dropping to PS 4 (or even all the way to academy pilots) and using the points you save to improve your decimator into a legitimate threat.

 Peregrine wrote:
The problem with this is that the metagame mostly consists of two types of ships: PS 1-2 generics in large numbers, and PS 9+ elite lists. You already out-PS most of the generics just by upgrading to PS 4, and against the PS 9+ elites your PS 8 is no better than PS 1. So either way you've wasted quite a few points on a mostly-irrelevant swarm tactics chain. You'd be much better off dropping to PS 4 (or even all the way to academy pilots) and using the points you save to improve your decimator into a legitimate threat.

I agree, especially with the latter choice.

I'd take Academy Pilots over their PS 4 brethren every day of the week to afford more, better options on the Decimator.

 Peregrine wrote:
Nope, it's all friendly ships within range 1.

Ah yes, I must have had my wire crossed, was thinking of Swarm Tactics on Howlrunner.

The idea of the list is to keep a tight formation. When the shooting phase starts concentrate fire on one ship at a time.

The use of bk squadron is for them to gain the swarm tactic thru elite pilot.

Then pass the pilot skill 8 from Howlrunner to all the other ships thereby all shoot at 8 and

hopefully first. It may fail and miss the mark but I think it can work.

RB wrote:
The idea of the list is to keep a tight formation. When the shooting phase starts concentrate fire on one ship at a time.

The use of bk squadron is for them to gain the swarm tactic thru elite pilot.

Then pass the pilot skill 8 from Howlrunner to all the other ships thereby all shoot at 8 and

hopefully first. It may fail and miss the mark but I think it can work.

Like Peregrine said, chances are you will be facing an Aces list with PS 9+ who will shoot before you anyway or a swarm list of a bunch of PS 1-2 generics. If you face an Aces list, that PS 8 doesn't matter and you're wasting points that could be used to make your Decimator better. If you're facing a Rebel swarm, they're going to be PS 2 and just upgrading your Academy Pilots to Obsidian Squadron pilots will take care of that and free up more points for better upgrades/pilots to your Decimator.

RB wrote:
The idea of the list is to keep a tight formation. When the shooting phase starts concentrate fire on one ship at a time.

This is good against some lists (dual decimator, for example), but suicide against others. Phantoms (and similar ships) will easily fly circles around a "concentrate fire" formation because it's essentially a single ship on a really large base. To have any real hope of catching them you need to split up your arcs and cover the whole table.

The use of bk squadron is for them to gain the swarm tactic thru elite pilot.

Then pass the pilot skill 8 from Howlrunner to all the other ships thereby all shoot at 8 and

Yes, you said that already. But, as I said, it isn't a good strategy in the current metagame. PS 8 is overkill against the PS 1-2 lists and no better than PS 1 against the PS 9+ lists. The only time you're getting any benefit from PS 8 is if you encounter the mid-PS pilots, and those lists have almost disappeared from the metagame. Most of the time you've just wasted 6+ points, points that could have gone into making your decimator into a legitimate threat.