My roommate and I played the starter scenario tonight. Second time for me, first time for him.

The long and the short of it:

By the end of the game, the VSD Ineffable had lost all it's shields but two in its rear arc that engineering managed to restore. It had taken one critical hit that the repair teams had fixed, but do to a tactical error in navigation, just barely left the field in turn six. All tie fighter squadrons were lost to a man.

The rebel's corvette more or less contributed nothing to the fight but was in hot pursuit of the VSD by turn five and six. He took a lot of shots at TIE fighter squadrons, but hardly connected with any of it. The Nebulon however had taken a staggering couple volleys from the VSD and a strafing run of ties, but gave back some decent volleys. However, by about turn four it was looking like the end for the brave Nebulon crew. With one point left in its hull it took three red dice on a shieldless rear arc from the VSD's rear guns. The dice rolled...ALL BLANK. The harried Nebulon lived to fight another day, and not before pulverizing or damaging four tie squadrons as it pulled away from the star destroyer. The x-wings cleaned up the remaining ties, only losing one squadron in their final exchanges. One tie squadron managing to miss completely on every attack it made throughout the fight. **** rookies. One x-wing squadron (the one that died) had a staggering first pass (killing the opposing squadron outright) but couldn't hit the broad side of a bantha from there on out.

So both sides limped from the field with bloody noses.

Suffice to say, the rear gunnery crews of the VSD were do for a debriefing with Lord Vader. The apparently rookie tie squadron didn't live to be reprimanded.

Lessons learned. Once you've managed to slow down your star destroyer, it's probably best to leave it that way. I didn't and it caused me to run off the field. Also, tie up those x-wings quick, fast, and in a hurry. You don't want them adding their fire to wounded arcs.

I'd say my roommate learned not to trade close quarters broadsides with a star destroyer, or at least don't move through its front arc to do it. Also, get the corvette stuck in. He's nimble enough to do it and live as long as he doesn't try a headlong rush at the star destroyer.

Otherwise, we both did very well, made good choices and had a good game that could have easily swung either way at several points in the fight.

All told it was a vastly fun and competitive game that had us laughing, crying, and telling stories about it well after we finished.

The Vengeance II is an amazing ship. I can't wait to play with multiple, It's overall tanking ability means that even if your opponent decides to be cheeky and stay in your rear arc with a combination of Redirect and Repairs you are probably still going to take him down.

Now...I just have to figure out how to get enemy ships in my frontal arc more often at Close-Medium Range...

The Vengeance I is another story, no idea how that bugger is going to fly...ramming speed I guess.

Victories, you mean?

The Victory I takes missiles and is supposed to be a close-range hitter. Medium range isn't that much longer on the range scale... I can see using Victories to slow rush to an objective and then slow-roll speed 1 to stay there. It can also come in between obstacle choke points.

I wouldn't underestimate the black die either... it's close range but I think it has the most two-result facings out of all the dice. I imagine when Gladiators get into play we're going to see stories of these pocket cruisers racing into range and punching the shields off rebel ships in one blast.

I find it's a good idea to bank a navigation command in the beginning so that you can activate it at whim and drop down to speed 1 when you get halfway to the board. Then it puts you in that awkward space where your prey might not be able to move around you. When they collide sure the damage is mutual, but Victories can take that damage. Rebel ships in the starter are more fragile.

Victories, you mean?

The Victory I takes missiles and is supposed to be a close-range hitter. Medium range isn't that much longer on the range scale... I can see using Victories to slow rush to an objective and then slow-roll speed 1 to stay there. It can also come in between obstacle choke points.

I wouldn't underestimate the black die either... it's close range but I think it has the most two-result facings out of all the dice. I imagine when Gladiators get into play we're going to see stories of these pocket cruisers racing into range and punching the shields off rebel ships in one blast.

I find it's a good idea to bank a navigation command in the beginning so that you can activate it at whim and drop down to speed 1 when you get halfway to the board. Then it puts you in that awkward space where your prey might not be able to move around you. When they collide sure the damage is mutual, but Victories can take that damage. Rebel ships in the starter are more fragile.

I did that exact thing, but then got stupid and sped back up the next turn...which ended up taking us off the corner of our map a couple of turns later.

And I simply can't wait for my Gladiators...(drool)

Wow...where did I get Vengeance? I've played this game at least 5 times with 3 different people and have been calling them nothing but Vengeance Class Star Destroyers and no one has said a word. I feel silly.

Yes. Silly. Vader will personally be discussing your future roll in the Imperial Navy.