Using the "Pillar" farming guide, how do I catch up in Fleet Battles?

I didn't read the guide, but you would have benefitted from farming pilots on hard nodes. Farming them would not have interferred with farming Phoenix.

Biggs, Boba Fett and FOTP all have hard nodes.
JC and Ahsoka do as well, but their ships are not among the best for fleet arena — but they are not bad at all.