The question of which is the Star Wars: Squadrons best ship can be a difficult one to answer, because it depends on a number of factors that vary between different situations. The core tactical space combat relies on balancing your play style to the current circumstances you find yourself in, so while sometimes it's ideal to have a team of Fighters when you're taking on certain foes, at other times it can pay to have a couple of Support ships on hand keeping the rest of the Squadron in peak condition.
Considering that, we have a selection of the top builds to get the Star Wars: Squadrons best ship for both the Republic (Vanguard Squadron) and Empire (Titan Squadron), depending on which scenario you're facing when you fly through the battlefield. Of course, you should experiment with the game's extensive array of components, which will give you significant buffs in certain areas… with the trade off of considerable nerfs in others.
Star Wars: Squadrons best ship for dogfights
This one is pretty simple. If you're playing the game's Dogfight mode - which is essentially Team Deathmatch - we'd recommend the Fighter class for both the Empire and New Republic. Those are the TIE Fighter and the X-Wing. Not only are they instantly recognisable ships but both offer a good mix of speed and laser power.
For the TIE/LN Fighter, we'd suggest going for the Repair Droid, as you won't have shields and this health boost will regularly keep you in the fight, alongside the Sinear I-7 Ion Missile, which can disable enemy ships with a direct hit.
For the X-Wing, we'd advise equipping the Krupx MG7-A Proton Torpedo, which can do significant damage from a decent distance, along with the ArMek Barrage Rockets, which won't lock on, but can be devastating if you land a couple on an enemy fighter. It's worth pairing with the Slipstream Light Hull, which takes off 20% health, but gives you 15% Acceleration and 15% Maneuverability.
Star Wars: Squadrons best ship for defending a capital ship
Fleet Battles will almost certainly require you to change your ship at some point, especially when the mode transitions to the attack or defence phase. We'll start by looking at the defence phase.
For the Empire, we'd recommend going for a Support class TIE/RP Reaper. Imperial ships don't tend to have shields, so you'll be looking after teammates by firing off the Sienar Tactical Shield as well as the Sienear Tactical Supply Droid. This way, you can ensure your teammates don't die quickly and are fully stocked to swing the Morale meter back into your attack phase.
For the New Republic, we'd suggest sticking with the X-Wing, as you'll be able to survive a little easier if you put your engine's power into shields. You'll want to focus on taking down other enemy players to swing Morale back in your direction, so also look to equip components that can deal damage, such as Krupx MG5 Concussion Missile.
Star Wars: Squadrons best ship for attacking a capital ship
When attacking a capital ship, you should look to pick the Bomber class for both sides of the fight. With the Imperial bomber - the TIE/SA Bomber - you'll want to go for Sienar KW-84 Proton Bomb, which you drop underneath and can decimate a capital ship's support systems as well as the Sienae MR-93 Multi-Lock Missile. They target four different crafts or support systems on capital ships and can be very effective at destroying AI fighters.
Finally, The New Republic Bomber class is a Y-Wing, and for this, we'd suggest equipping the Krupx Heavy Rotary Cannon, which has a short wind-up time but deals significant damage, which is handy against capital ships. You should also pair it with a Chepat Emergency Assault Shield, which will shield you from head-on damage. Handy when you're charging towards a Star Destroyer...
Of course, we'd wholeheartedly recommend experimenting with every ship in the game to get a sense of what works for you. Star Wars: Squadrons rewards fighters who can execute a plan, and learning which ship you're most comfortable in will help you do that with ease.
