There has been an awakening. Have you felt it?

I did. While I was playing at a store kit tournament the weekend of Janruary 6, Regionals were happening all over the world. And as I went 3–1 with Chopper/Lowhhrick, I felt in communion with all my fellow Ghost players.

Playing the Ghost against top-level competition used to basically just mean flying Kanan-Biggs. There was little variation—the biggest decision most players made in list building was whether to use Recon Specialist crew (for better defense) or Finn crew (for better offense).

But look at these lists. Not only did they place well, they demonstrate diversity in pilots, support ships, crew, shuttles, and even turrets used.

Jeremy Trad (Finalist, Chicago Regional)

Kanan Jarrus [Sensor Jammer + TLT + Rey + Maul + Ghost + Tactical Jammer]

Fenn Rau [Adaptability + Flight-Assist Astromech + Hotshot Co-Pilot]

Ezra Bridger [Selflessness + Phantom]

Agata Pikulska (Top 4/First in Swiss, Krakow Regional)

Kanan Jarrus [FCS + Synced Turret + Recon Specialist + Rey + Ghost + Engine Upgrade]

Fenn Rau [VI + Flight-Assist Astromech + Hotshot Co-Pilot + Vectored Thrusters]

“Zeb” Orrelios [Phantom]

Niek B (Top 4, Utrecht Regional)

“Chopper” [TLT + Ghost + Ion Projector + FCS + Tactician + Rey]

Lowhhrick [Draw Their Fire + Tactician]

“Zeb” Orrelios [Phantom]

Damien Celindano (Top 4, Queensland Regional)

Kanan Jarrus [TLT + Ghost + FCS + Rey + Recon Specialist]

Lowhhrick [Draw Their Fire + Jan Ors]

“Zeb” Orrelios [Phantom + Chopper]

Hesley Guerrero (Top 16, Glendale Regional)

Kanan Jarrus [TLT + Ghost + FCS + Recon Specialist + Rey]

Captain Rex

AP-5 [Inspiring Recruit]

“Zeb” Orrelios [Phantom]

Alex Mogensen (Top 32/Eighth in swiss, Chicago Regional)

Kanan Jarrus [Sensor Jammer + TLT + Rey + Maul + Ghost + Tactical Jammer]

Fenn Rau [Adaptability + Flight-Assist Astromech + Hotshot Co-Pilot]

Ezra Bridger [Selflessness + Phantom]

And after this past weekend, we can add this delightful variant:

Tom Reed (Top 16, Cardiff Regional)

Kanan Jarrus [TLT + Ghost + Engine Upgrade + Sensor Jammer + Jan Ors + Jyn Erso]

Fenn Rau [Veteran Instincts + Flight-Assist Astromech + Hotshot Co-Pilot]

“Zeb” Orrelios [Phantom + Chopper]

Bizarrely, Ghost+friend has become one of the more varied archetypes in the game.

I’ve tried a few of the above lists and now believe Fenn Rau is a very strong wingman. The combination of Hotshot Copilot and his pilot ability allow him to stop modifications for two attacking enemy ships per turn. Paired with Kanan’s ability, Fenn can create plenty of incoming 0 or 1-hit attacks.

Lowhhrick may absorb more hits over the course of a game with his reinforce token and the Selflessness Elite Pilot Talent. But remember: you don’t need to block enemy damage if they can’t generate hits in the first place.

OK, so his defensive value is not quite as consistent as Lowhhrick’s. It requires Fenn to be unstressed and have arc. He also needs to be alive—no small matter with a Sheathipede.

But his benefits are huge and intangible. He doesn’t need to an action to provide protection for the Ghost, so he can bump into Kanan; Lowhhrick can’t.

Biggs could K-turn along with the Ghost, making kiting up and down the side of the board easier. Fenn even improves on Biggs in this respect: he has a back arc. The can run away with Kanan all game, a necessary option in this Trajectory Simulator meta.

Then there’s this squad’s best feature: PS11 re-positioning for Ghost. I love Jeremy Trad and Alex Mogenson’s Chicago list, which used Sensor Jammer and Maul on Kanan. There’s a good argument that Sensor Jammer may even be necessary with Fenn. But if I’m getting that end-of-activation coordinate from the shuttle, I have to have Engine Upgrade on my Ghost. Just imagine: Kanan already has a target lock from Fire Control System and a focus on Rey. He goes 4-forward and bumps his opponent. Fenn coordinates a boost, allowing him to get behind that enemy ship with a range-one, fully-modded rear arc shot.

Bad news, folks: Nym-Miranda is supposedly the new Dengaroo. It’s time to grab our PS11-coordinated double-tapping turrets and fight back.