There are many different strategies and playstyles in this great game of SWM. Some tactics are easier to helm than others but if your skilled at a specific tactic, then it shows.

Here is a list of tactics used and the players that I would vote as the best in that specific field. If you have more to add to the list then plz do so or if you want to include someone else as the best pilot then please add them.

Single Lancer - as results have shown time and time again I would have to vote either Tim or Grahm as the best single lancer pilot.

Double Lancer - I've never seen anyone aviate this tactic better than Jason K.

Levitate - (Ganner or Luke rc) I would give my vote to Deri all the way.

Swap - the heavily used and none more popular than Thrawn with stealth-n-blue. I would vote Tim or Darth Jim.

Sith Deep Strike - he started with exar and continues today with lord Krayt, my vote goes to Ben.

Accurate Shot - for his work with the Echanis, I vote Jason K.

Yodabuck - I think his results at numerous Gen Cons speaks for itself. I vote Bill.

Naboo - Hands down Gerry, I don't think I need to say more.

Luke GH - at first it seemed as if no one could figure out the best way to run him. Who would have thought pairing him up with Marn was the way to go. Ricky did and won GC with it. So my vote goes to him.

There are still a number of valid strategies that I havnt touched on yet, so plz help me out.

OR - ? Ian or Weeks?

What about Red Squadron?

While I am flattered that I was mentioned here, my recent success was due more to me knowing my particular squad than anything else. I would consider Tim and Bill top Imperial swap players. I know we haven't seen Bill run it in a long time, but he invented it and even if he hasn't played it in awhile he certainly knows the concept.

We didn't see Mace in the meta this year but it is still pretty good. I think Josh championed that pretty well last year, and remnants of his 'homicidal' addition of Dr. E can still be seen in various builds.

Sith Deep Strike was a concept that was popular before I hit the tournament scene and I heard Matt P. was pretty good at it. People who know Ben tell me he's run Sith for a long time so I think he's a good choice as well.

YoBuck, Skybuck: Lou, Lou, Lou...don't forget Lou.

NR: When I think of NR squads in general, I think of Daniel.

Making the unorthodox work: Ricky (also a good NR player) rocked the meta with Marn this year. Bringing a new concept and making it work has always been a strongpoint of Weeks'.

There's no doubt that we have lots of very highly skilled players in our community, each of whom has achieved a degree of success with a given number of squads. But I think there's a difference between having achieved mastery of a certain squad type, and having achieved proficiency with it. For example, I don't think I've mastered the Mace/GOWK squad, though I've obviously learned it really well (as has Josh). IMHO, winning a tournament with a squad doesn't mean you've mastered it...winning multiple big tournaments with a squad says that you might have.

However, year after year, certain players with certain squad builds are always a factor in the meta. I remember this year that people in one of the Regionals (PA I think) were looking for a way to counter the Double Lancer on Muun, since they knew Jason K was coming and that he'd most likely be playing it. Just his presence with that squad was enough to shape the meta; IMHO, that points to mastery of a squad. Until you're at that point, I'd say you're just profiecient (or not) with a squad. I'd place Tim & Graham in the "mastery" category with the Single Lancer too. Outside of those players and squads, I'm not sure who/what else I'd consider for this category.

Right. I wasn't saying that people metagame against specific players, but rather, I was describing the reality of people metagaming against certain squads because certain players were going to be playing them (expertly).