I'm figuring out my preorder for wave 1 and I've found myself having to choose between one of the two small rebel ships. Which do you guys think is better to get on a budget and why?

I currently own one core set, and will be preordering one of each of the squadrons, an assault frigate and gladiator in addition to the Corvette or Nebulon.

Depends on your play style, but personally I would go for Nebulon-B now and just purchase the corvette when my budget allowed. The Nebulon-B has cool upgrade cards and is a good fighter support ship so I will probably include one in my list.

Ugh that's a rough choice

I got the neb because I like the escort frigates well rounded nature and because "salvation" seems insane

On the other hand, the corvette gets you the bonkers motha and raymus

I'd choose based on upgrade preference. If you're getting the mk2 you could afford not to have a 2nd of either ship imo

I feel like the best reason to get the Nebulon-B (of the things we've had spoiled) are the title cards. Yavaris can make a Nebulon-B a great support ship for squadrons, while Salvation can make the Nebulon-B a dangerous attacker in its own right, as long as you can keep your enemies in your front sights.

But I personally think I would prefer having two CR90s over two Nebulon-B's in a battle. Nebulon-B's are just so fragile (1 shield) on their side hull zones, which are enormous. CR90s are faster and more maneuverable, can respond quicker to changing conditions, aren't much more fragile overall, have comparable offense, have an extra (defensive) upgrade slot, can alternate between a turbolaser slot and an ion cannon slot, and are cheaper. The single biggest difference to me is how weak and how large those side hull zones are on a Nebulon-B.

That is a consideration for the corvettes over the support refit (minus the Salvation, because that **** seems ridiculous)

the Escort Frigate offers squadron interactions (both anti-squadron and support for your squadron) that the corvette simply cannot touch

the Assault Frigate expansion gives you more than enough flexibility to cover the deficiencies of either small ship very well (powerful side armaments over the neb, amazing squadron support over the CR-90), so the choice really should come down to playstyle preference and which upgrades enable said playstyle more effectively

I'd also say two corvettes for the speed and maneuverability. They can team up and take one flank while the Neb-B supports the fighters on the other. Change it to a MkII and 2 CR90s and I think things get substantially better.

Yeah, that's tough.

Mon Mothma + Raymus Antilles on a CR90 A with a Nav Team, Enhanced Armament and Jaina's Light? Yeah, you're going to be tearing some VSDs up.

But the Yavaris title is all sorts of great as well. Fly it with just Luke and another X-Wing, and TIEs will simply melt, and VSDs will not want to be anywhere near you.

I'm not sure what I'd do in that situation.

I'm starting to think the corvette is the better choice just because it's a bit more beginner friendly without the huge weak sides of the Nebulon. Then again I want a Nebulon pack so I can have one with the back actually painted....

The struggle is real.

I'm actually not sure that the Corvette is more beginner friendly. The Neb-B can smoke TIEs and has a bit more hull, along with higher Engineering and Squadron ratings. The Corvette is great when its piloted well, but a wrong move and the thing is going to burst into flames.

This shouldn't be a choice between expansion sets. It should be a choice between some fleet builds and what your strategy would be. What works better for you a 2x Neb Fleet or a 2x Corvette Fleet? A 2x Corvette fleet - would have the Corvettes upgraded to the gills.

I will be of no help, I am getting both on release day. (Been planning and waiting with money set aside.)

I will be of no help, I am getting both on release day. (Been planning and waiting with money set aside.)

Thank you for your well thought out contribution. You post will live on and be discussed and linked to long after the game is out of print for your strategic and tactical brilliance and thoughts on a Corvette vs Nebulon Expansion. I believe if you check you mail on Wednesday, you will find a scholarship to the US Army War College.

I'm actually not sure that the Corvette is more beginner friendly. The Neb-B can smoke TIEs and has a bit more hull, along with higher Engineering and Squadron ratings. The Corvette is great when its piloted well, but a wrong move and the thing is going to burst into flames.

have to agree, especially with the dynamics changing thanks to the inclusion of the Gladiator

a lumbering star destroyer is a lumbering star destroyer, but that Expanded Launchers + Engine Techs Demolisher is going to fling itself at the little guy and more than likely one-shot it if you're not careful

Remember, the Corvette expansion comes with a Commander card; Mon Mothma. She is purpose driven for Corvettes, as Corvettes each have two evade tokens.

With the commander card, you have better options, possibly down the road when the game opens up.

I have not found the Neb-B any more sturdy then the Corvette, let alone when you include the point discrepancy. Without a Redirect token those open sides are just funnels for damage to go through to the hull.

That is not to say I don't like the Escort Frigate or the upcoming titles. Only that I don't see the one hull as helping it not die just as quick.

The neb is sturdier from the front and side and the brace token combined with higher engineering (enough for the token to generate 2 points instead of 1) help keep it in the fight longer. I think MM will skew things towards the corvette being more durable, but the neb does at least have one evade token.

I will be of no help, I am getting both on release day. (Been planning and waiting with money set aside.)

Thank you for your well thought out contribution. You post will live on and be discussed and linked to long after the game is out of print for your strategic and tactical brilliance and thoughts on a Corvette vs Nebulon Expansion. I believe if you check you mail on Wednesday, you will find a scholarship to the US Army War College.

(Are you seriously always this snarky for no reason? I was more or less stating both are high on my priority list. Haters will be haters.)

Remember, the Corvette expansion comes with a Commander card; Mon Mothma. She is purpose driven for Corvettes, as Corvettes each have two evade tokens.

With the commander card, you have better options, possibly down the road when the game opens up.

The MKII comes with a new commander as well, and he's a decent "jack-of-all-trades"/"always useful in every" game style commander. And he does next to nothing for corvettes due to their low command.

Personally, I'd say get the Corvette. You get a range of useful stuff in that, even if you don't ever use that second Corvette.

Mon Mothma

Universally useful for all of the Rebel Ships in Wave 1.

Cpt. Antilles

Effectively grants you the optional ability to always be able to enhance your Command with a token each turn. Plus Token gain is easy-mode in this game, just ask Tarkin. Synergises well with Tantive IV title.

Leading Shots

More useful for Imperial players admittedly, but this thing is going to vicious as hell when the Home One arrives and you get the option to just reroll any of 6 Reds and 2 Blues you don't like (assuming Ackbar and Enhanced Armament).

Then you got the Ship titles. Jaina's light effectively evens the score if your opponent takes Dangerous Terrain for 3pts, and there's Tantive that's seriously useful in mutliple configurations as well.

What does the Neb have? A flimsy flank, some decent titles, Intel Agent, a useful Turbolaser upgrade and a higher price-tag.

Well, we also don't know all the cards coming with the Neb-B and Corvette. The image of the Corvette's contents, for example, only shows 3 cards--Antilles, Jaina's Light, and a face down card. But we know its getting Mon Mothma, Tantive IV, and Leading shots.. but there's only the 1 face down, not 3. So clearly there are more cards coming with both than are hinted at in the promo shots.

The remaining cards in the Nebulon would have to be UTTERLY and RETARDEDLY amazing to make it a better choice over the Corvette though.

And thats assuming that the unrevealed Corvette Cards aren't also amazing.

going by every other ship expansion revealed (minus the raider?), the Neb is missing a commander upgrade

either it's unspoiled or FFG decided to skimp on the poor ship to get some kind of 3v3 balance between the 2 factions

I had to make a similar call for my initial Wave 1 plans. I choose to start with just an extra Nebulon B. My current fleet plans are about Squadrons. Both winning the Squadron Battle by denying my opponent that option as well as getting Bomber Squadrons to their targets. I feel that is the role for the Nebulon.

The only redeeming thing about the ugly-ass, stupid looking hated Corvette POS are the cards. Other than that, I have hated the look of that stupid ship since I first saw it on the big drive in screen when I was a kid.

The only redeeming thing about the ugly-ass, stupid looking hated Corvette POS are the cards. Other than that, I have hated the look of that stupid ship since I first saw it on the big drive in screen when I was a kid.

The CR90 was originally going to be the Millennium Falcon that's why it's model was so big. Just before filming George Lucus had a change of heart on the design and ordered the model makers to come up with a new design for the MF.

In it's new role as a blockade runner it looks utilitarian enough to suite that role.

Back on topic.

I'm starting to like the Neb-B more and more but I'm going to buy 1 of each wave 1 unit before I consider which unit I want more than two of if I think I need more than two.

I don't really want to buy another VSD but I think the cards it comes with will be un-resistible.

Anyone mind if I bring this back from the dead?

Just got into Armada. I have the core set plus the Imperial Fighter set. Wouled it be better to get the CR-90 next or the Rebel Fighters? I do want another Nebulon, but I think I'll wait on that.