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I picked up the Tie Punisher and I picked up the Raider (amazing deal - only $65 with free shipping) so now my Tie advanced are actually good. I was looking to use them together and came up with this:

Redline + Enhanced Scopes + Extra Munitions + Plasma Torpedoes + Cluster Missles + Autothrusters

Maarek Stele + TIE/x1 + ATC + Calculation

Darth Vader + TIE/x1 + ATC + Squad Leader

Vader can hand focus to Maarek to get calculation to work more and maintain a target lock every turn. Plasma Torpedoes are made to take out B-wings and the Falcon and are pretty cheap and the Autothrusters should give the Punisher a little more staying power

What's the use case for Enhanced Scopes? It has obvious utility for bombs, but I'm not sure how it helps on missile boat. Seems like Advanced Sensors or FCS would be a better choice. Another option is Sensor Jammer (which is a rather useful upgrade on a ship with 1 defense dice, especially if you face a swarm).

Not sold on Cluster Missiles. They can work okay if you have FCS. I do understand the desire to have missile that can shoot at range 1, but Cluster Missiles are sort of underwhelming against anything with more than 1 defence dice. I would rather use Assault Missiles or one of the Ion missiles/torps.

Another use for Squad Leader would be to get focus+TL actions for Redline, which would give his ordnance a big punch. Maarek doesn't necessarily need Vader's help to get a focus. From a tactics point of view, I think you would want to use Squad Leader to buff plasma torpedoes early in the game, and then buff Maarek later in the game to cripple enemy ships.

Yeah, I'm with Daniel, Redline is probably best with FCS, as with no EPT it's the main way of gaining action efficiency.

I flew one last night for the first time, and definitely felt the ability to focus as well would have added the punch it felt it lacked, I think Vader + SL is the way to go, and is certainly the main way I'm considering (although any other ship with either PTL or EI + SL could probably work in a similar way.)

You don't even need to babysit the Punsher necessarily, as if it's tackling a high HP target, once the initial Focus is granted, the FCS take care of the TL and Redline can focus himself.

The enhanced scopes are there so that I can make sure that the Punisher gets an action. It is also only 1 point. Almost guaranting that my 39 point ship will get an action every round is worth the 1 point.

You have the cluster missles at range 1 and 2 and even at one, you get 2 shots of 3 damage, much better that its normal 3 die damage.

I could remove the autothrusters for FCS though, wouldn't be a bad move...

 Azreal13 wrote:
You don't even need to babysit the Punsher necessarily, as if it's tackling a high HP target, once the initial Focus is granted, the FCS take care of the TL and Redline can focus himself.

I'm not sure I follow you here.

If Vader uses Squad Leader on Redline, he performs a free focus action. However, Redline can only focus if he performed a Target Lock or Boost action during his activation (and he will always activate prior to Vader unless gets hit with a Damaged Cockpit crit). If he wants to unload his ordnance, he's going to have to Target Lock before he shoots as the TL gained from Fire Control System occurs after the attack is resolved and is not usable until the next time he shoots.

How do you see it playing out?

He TLs the target, gets two target locks, Vader hands him a free focus.

Following turn, he has no need to TL, as assuming he successfully attacked (doesn't end up on an asteroid or similar) He has two, so focuses with his own action.

I was talking about multiple turns, where he may wish to unload on the same target consecutively.

 Azreal13 wrote:
He TLs the target, gets two target locks, Vader hands him a free focus.

Following turn, he has no need to TL, as assuming he successfully attacked (doesn't end up on an asteroid or similar) He has two, so focuses with his own action.

I was talking about multiple turns, where he may wish to unload on the same target consecutively.

Ah, that makes sense. I didn't realize you were talking about multiple turns.