Fleet 5-E

You need Hounds tooth for that node. Makes it much easier. I remember being stuck at that node for a long time. But once I got HT, I cleared that and all the remaining nodes including the Hard nodes.

Akbar, Vader, Scimitar, weak 3rd. Reinforce with Biggs or HT to keep the others alive. ITFs will go after the weakest. As long as Scimitar gets a chance to give retribution to Vader you're set. Constant unavoidable counters inflicting target lock and just laying waste to them.

Or Thrawn + HT and keep everyone but HT stealthed.

The fact that you need incredibly specific ships (HT, TIE Advanced, Scimitar, or Biggs) says enough about the node, it's so gated for content that it's ridiculous, especially at this stage in the game. Hell I still struggle with that node despite some of my ships being maxed. Geos get shredded despite G12/13, HT sometimes gets shredded, etc.

It's the most artificially difficult thing I think in the game, I had an easier time with Malak and GAS. That says enough right there and Fleet 5e desperately needs to be fixed, not just the TM but the damage itself as well, just everything about it is ridiculous.

Will CG fix it? No, because it gates gear, characters, etc. Which means we'll have to play longer or spend money, utterly ridiculous how RNG dependent it is, and like you said, for a YEAR now.

If you are playing fleet battles and don't have HT/Biggs/Han's Falcon, you're doing it wrong.

Remember you can still lose 1 ship and still get 3*

I did it without HT, but it took forever and I can’t remember what line up I used. I didn’t have HT or HMF though.

Probably the aforementioned Ackbar + Vader retribution cheese.