I quite like flying things like 3 interceptors, and am contemplating either 2 interceptors and Darth Vader or a Phantom. I'm curious about people's preferred tactics in deployment and opening turns with lists like this. At the moment I feel pretty comfortable with my plans starting from about turn 3 or so, and things could have gone pretty wrong by then if turns 1 and 2 don't go well...

I would normally split the ships up relatively evenly across the board, if the opponent sets up directly across from one I turn hard with that ship to join the others and hopefully drag the opponent through the asteroids in the middle and hit the flank.

If my opponent also splits their force, I'd try and pick one of the flanks and go for that. Obviously if I've got higher PS on my ships, I'll deploy to make this easier.

This is all pretty reactive stuff, and only covers a couple of scenarios so is going to be pretty predictable after a game or two, so I'm looking for other tactics people use, especially if they are a bit more proactive.

While I am looking for ideas, please don't just suggest 'use a decimator and whisper'...

Cheers

I like misdirection more than once I've wrong footed someone pulling a hard turn and a boost, you need to identify what's dying first then plan the best way to separate it from his buddies.

Don't be afraid to spend two turns relocating to where you want to be it'll force the other guy to respond and alter his plan of attack.

I tend to fly three interceptors with mid to high PS and shield and hull upgrades (going to be autothrusts soon though).

If i can i try an 'deny flank', put them on the edge he's not on, race them up the flank, boost forward, next turn stagger the advance so instead of them all going five forcwards they go five , four, three (three on the inside) and then boost 1 right for example, then next turn hard turns of 3, 2 , 1 and you can often find yourself right behind the enemy, if you're lucky you can swing the turn in earlier and hit them in the flank instead.

If i cant deny the flank i tend to do as best i can but whether a round of fire, usually with shield upgrades you only take one or two hits and then you're on their tale.

Obviously turrets are the bane of your life still but again, AT shoudl mediate this.

Three high PS ships with AT ruins a large turret ships day, you just have to watch the escorts.

I fly recspec Echo, Vessery+LW+HLC, and a naked Bomber.

I often set up with Echo about a foot in from the edge, angled about 10-15 degrees in towards the center of the board, looking down a lane between the asteroids. V+TB go about a foot in from the other edge, also angled 10-15 degrees in towards the center, looking down another lane. It's not the best layout for jousting a pancake, but it means that I default to aiming at the center, and banks will get me pointed where I want to be pretty quickly.

I like flying 10 degrees off square because I like to think it makes the opponent think harder about where I'm going to end up, whereas I'm used to it and so it's not as costly for me to map out mentally. No idea if it actually works out that way in reality, but it makes me feel all l33t.

Thanks for the input. Gadge I like the sound of the 'deny flank' I'll give it a go

WickedGrey if I saw you doing that I would assume you'd at least have though a hell of a lot about what you were doing, which can only be a plus for you, haha