V-19 Torrent Squadron

The V-19 Torrent Starfighter (Torrent) was the exceptionally maneuverable predecessor to the Alpha-3 Nimbus Class V-Wing and one of the most used Republic fighters during the Clone Wars. It was mainly flown by clone pilots alongside Jedi starfighters.

In-game, it the choice escort for the republic faction and a fantastic dogfighter.

This is the escort platform for the republic, and it does a damn good job at it. 5 hull, for starters, is a super great spot to be in for 12 points. Speed 3 is easily manageable since the ARC-170 and the Y-Wing are speeds 2 and 3, respectively. 1 red and 2 blue anti-squadron dice are okay. It has the same damage ceiling as an X-Wing but slightly less average damage. 1 black anti-ship is good for a non-bomber and can do some work if you're in a pinch. The addition of swarm on these squads was a fantastic choice by the playtesters and designers. Swarm allows that extra damage output, especially with the fickle red die, and makes them eligible for reserve hangar deck.

Axe is sorta like a pseudo-biggs. 17 points is a reasonable price for keeping your other squads alive longer. He, I believe, was the first squad in the game to have an evade token which, with the new rules, turns out to be actually rather useful. Personally, I think there are better uses for the extra +5 points over the generic Torrents. He pairs well with Plo Koon and Luminara in their deltas + a handful of generic Torrents. Axe + RHD will make your escorts just annoyingly survivable.

Kickback is interesting... I think his ability has potential, though I haven't quite unlocked it yet. There are numerous ways to take advantage of his ability. It can be used to reposition him into a place where maybe you'll gain the swarm rerolls, or it can be used to use escort to block an attack on your bombers. He can be used to tie up an enemy squad that was just a hair out of range. There are many fringe scenarios where he can be pivotal, but just as many scenarios where he's nothing more than a torrent with braces(which has its merits). He naturally pairs well with Ashoka in her Delta since she hands out a second pseudo attack allowing Kickback to move twice in one turn.

Torrents will definitely be a mainstay in Republic list building, just like X-Wings are for Rebels. They provide a strong and cheap screen for bombers and throw back a good amount of damage to the enemy.