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My friend is running scum and has four Headhunters. He maneuvers them well but they just die really easily, even vs a Tie Fighter Academy Pilot they see under powered let alone against a T-70 or X Wing.

So if you know a good competitive way to build them let me know.

"Quantity is a quality of its own"...
People have had good luck running them with Feedback Array. They are the only thing that can take out a fully token Fel in a single round.
Another option is taking Deadman's Switch. I've seen one take the last point off a Decimator that way.

I either run them cheap, or with Feedback arrays (as expendable fodder either way). I'm also a fan of Kaa'to Leachos with bodyguard.

Best way to make them viable? Remember that they're 12 points each, and you can get two of them for the price of those "better" ships. Keep your expectations in line with the fact that you're talking about a cheap meatshield/blocker/point filler and you won't be disappointed.

They're filler, which is by the base genetic costs 12 points. Some of the named pilots for the Rebels and Scum have neat tricks, but they die really easily because they're still just Z-95s.

They are mostly cheap filler ships so you can't expect too much and if they get shot first thats red dice not pointed at your better ships

The only other idea is a large swarm of 6 or more, Scum might have the edge here due to Feedback Array

Depends what role they are for, jousting will have them annihilated, if you use them to block opponents ships and harass them, they are good. I usually have enough points in a list to include an ankle biter.

If you play ace ships like Corran Horn or Soontir Fel a lot, you might have this unconscious expectation that your ship should be able to perform miracles. Well, the Z-95 can't perform miracles; you gotta just divorce yourself from that attitude right away if you're going to use them.

There's a weird duality to Headhunter. Keep it alive and shooting, and it will make it's points back. But also don't be sweat it if they die without doing too much shooting.

Blocking is an obvious thing you can do with headhunters. One good block can be enough to justify it's 12pts. You can also mess with your opponent's target priority. For example, if one of your ace pilots is going to be shot at a lot next turn, offer up a damaged Z-95 to tempt your opponent and draw away fire. The expendability of Z-95's means you can walk the fine line between aggressive and suicidal flying without risking the outcome of the entire game on the survival of one ship.

I do think they compare favorably to TIE fighters. For one, I think their dial is better - I'll take 1 bank and 1 straight maneuvers over the TIE's fast turns any day. The TIE's extra defense dice is a fickle thing - I like the Z-95's shields and extra health, it's something you can rely on. You can also bank up a target lock, and then unleash a fairly strong attack with TL+focus at range 1. And with those 1 speed maneuvers, I feel like it's easier to stay in range 1. The TIE fighter has real trouble staying in range 1 of a slow-moving ship, since the slowest maneuver it can do is 2 speed.

Scum Z-95's are definitely a better ship than the rebel versions. Odd as it sounds, having lower PS is advantageous on a ship that wants to block. and the various illicit upgrades are both useful and cheap enough that you can give them to filler ships. It's also one of the few decent missile boats in the game - a single ion pulse missile can have a huge effect if you use it right.

A scum Z-95 with a feedback array is a very decent all-around ship. You have the points efficiency to engage big fat ships with 1-2 defense dice, as well as the special ability to poke through even the strongest defenses of a TIE Phantom. It's a ship your enemy can't simply ignore, but is often not quite worth shooting at.

A bunch of ps 3 zd with feedback is a solid list vs a lot of the heavy hitters right now. I'm running 5 and Tolkn with a tlt tonight. I think it's somethingthat can be viable in the current meta

I agree with alot of the statements above. I have run a suicide Z list, PS3 headhunters with deadman switch. Not saying it is a great tier one list, but a fun list. It matches well with any swarm list. Once had a chain reaction Vs. a Tie swarm. One Z95 blew up, caused another, then another. By the end, 3 headhunters and 4 Ties off of one shot.

Scum Z-95s:

Work as a swarm (especially with Feedback Array)
Work as bodyguards for Xizor (especially with Kaa'To playing Bodyguard)

Rebel Z-95s:

Work as a swarm
Work as missile boats (especially Blount with Ion, Assault or Tracer missiles)
Work as a support unit (Cracken - especially with Cluster Missiles and/or Squad Leader)

And above all, work as filler. 12 points of upgrades can be swapped for an extra ship - that's often a good trade.


As a specific list with 4 headhunters:

Xizor set up to avoid punishment (stuff like Autothrusters & Sensor Jammer) plus an escort of 4 Z-95s - some with feedback arrays to give 360 coverage. Xizor isn't the most lethal dogfighter in the game but it's nigh impossible to hurt him until his escort goes down.

One nasty trick is to give him lone wolf instead of an often-seen Veteran Instincts for precisely this reason - this ability picks up where his pilot talent leaves off as the last Z-95 crashes and burns.