So I was just curious to see how others have been navigating through the sometimes-difficult waters that comprise the command stack. Are there commands that you have struggled to implement properly? Commands that you really wish you issued more often?

For me, the navigate command coupled with the initial difficulty of maneuvering on the new tool was the biggest learning moment (the darn caps just don't turn like the fighters do in X-Wing!). There have been times where I know I need a navigate command, and then I talk myself into something else, usually with disastrous results.

Early on there was that game where I flew off the board with my Nebulon-B while the Corvette rocketed around the board on a speed-four joyride...not a good game for the Rebels. Then that other game where the Corvette forgot to pull a navigate command and ended up getting eight dice of dental work from the Dominator's front arc...good times. I learned in a hurry that it is also okay to take the navigate command just to increase your turning capability, and that was an important discovery!

Of course, the Imperials get Tarkin, so if you are an Imp, you are playing the command stack in easy mode...

So what commands did people struggle to wrap their heads around the most? Any that you always seem to time just right (or just wrong)?

I think I really like having a navigate token banked on... every single ship for emergency speeding up / slowing down.

The biggest issue for me, after my whopping two games, is deciding between squadron and coordinated fire. CF is the default, I feel, but a well timed squadron command can be amazing... or worthless if you're a turn too early / late.

I think I really like having a navigate token banked on... every single ship for emergency speeding up / slowing down.

The biggest issue for me, after my whopping two games, is deciding between squadron and coordinated fire. CF is the default, I feel, but a well timed squadron command can be amazing... or worthless if you're a turn too early / late.

I agree on both counts. I also try to have a banked speed-change. And that squadron command timing is crucial! If you get it right, you can blow the fighter battle wide open.

Navigate command saved my CR90 from the edge of the universe by allowing 1 extra click at the first joint.

Squadron is definitely the most time sensitive command.

I have played about 8 or 9 games and have found that nav on the first turn to get that token really is a godsend to me. It has won me games and not having it has lost me games. I also agree that the squadron command is the hardest to pull off at least for the Imp ships as a whole to the points I have gotten to the point I use my tie fighters to get the jump on the X-wings with two waves to keep them out of the fight for as long as possible.

Heck if i can arrange it i love it with Howl going one on one with Luke since Luke on his own can't shoot her down.

Basically as a main imp player I set up my first 3 command dial as such from top to bottom.

Nav For the token

Engineer For the token

Squadron to spend since at this point my fighters should be in range to engage the enemy fighters.

The rest i do depending on how my opponent is approaching me and I generally always take the Title Dominator and Gunner Team (the one that gives me a bonus Red Dice on the sides) so do tend to engineer spam fora turn or two to try to knock down my opponents ship.

Tarkin isn't easy mode for command dials, a fleet of corvettes is easy mode for command dials!

Tarkin isn't easy mode for command dials, a fleet of corvettes is easy mode for command dials!

I have flown the CR90 a few time already and it is not easy mode. It is a tricky little thing, but as for picking your Command Dial for that turn it is easy. It's just far less useful on a Corvette.

The combo of Tarkin and Weapons/Defensive Liaisons is great. Tarkin gives your ships a token every round that they can use with the Liaisons to change command dials. You can always take one of the commands opposite from what your liaison gives, because you can always change to one that it gives if needed.

I think I really like having a navigate token banked on... every single ship for emergency speeding up / slowing down.

The biggest issue for me, after my whopping two games, is deciding between squadron and coordinated fire. CF is the default, I feel, but a well timed squadron command can be amazing... or worthless if you're a turn too early / late.

I think I really like having a navigate token banked on... every single ship for emergency speeding up / slowing down.

The biggest issue for me, after my whopping two games, is deciding between squadron and coordinated fire. CF is the default, I feel, but a well timed squadron command can be amazing... or worthless if you're a turn too early / late.

I agree on both counts. I also try to have a banked speed-change. And that squadron command timing is crucial! If you get it right, you can blow the fighter battle wide open.

Navigate command saved my CR90 from the edge of the universe by allowing 1 extra click at the first joint.

Squadron is definitely the most time sensitive command.

Yeah, squadron timing is the thing I'm still getting the hang of. Outside of those persnickety squadron commands, I have my VSD's command algorithms pretty much nailed. It's such a sluggish beast that it's pretty easy for me to know where it's going to be and what kind of commands I should be throwing for its projected position.

But knowing how to manipulate the "pounce factor" of my fighters is something I'm still practicing at.

No matter what, I always queue up a Navigate command on my VSDs once every 2 Commands, only deviating when there's there's a long straight away.

For the VSD speed really hasn't been much of an issue, but the limited yaw has... I'd been scoffing at the liaisons, but now I always stick a defense liaison on my VSDs just to get that little extra yaw when I need it.

My Victory SD always has a Defense Liaison. At a piddly 3pts its silly not to have. This lets you focus on issuing squadron commands when needed. Tarkin just insures you have a token to burn for the Liaison when you need it.

I would say as the Empire, the concentrate fire command is not used almost at all in my games. VSDs already have great firepower, so I tend to keep focus on Squadron commands with my expanded hangers to really dominate that portion of the game. More then once I have had enough surviving Ties to put the hurt on a corvette or Neb-B when they don't expect it.

The second command I use more then anything else would be the Navigate command. This may seem silly with a ship that is so slow, but that is exactly why I use it. That extra point of yaw, or a slow down at last minute can really frustrate an opponent who thought you couldn't react to their move. The Defense Liaison just makes sure it happens when you need it.

My Victory SD always has a Defense Liaison. At a piddly 3pts its silly not to have.

I'm the same way. Lets you pick offensive commands but always able to convert defense when needed. But when commanders other than Tarkin are considered it's going to make plotting commands with the VSD's and ISD's a lot more tricky.

I'll 5th or whatever number we're on, about the Squadron command being tricky to time. On my Neb-B I like to take it as the first command to have a token banked and then again on the 3rd, because it seems like that so far as been when I can put the X's to the best effect.

Tarkin + Liason will steamroll that curve into a nice, flat line for you

Defensive Liason is, imo, a must for the Dominator but I prefer Weapons for other variants because of the guessing game involved in the queuing of a Squadron command.

other than that, I can't remember the last time I didn't bank a navigate command for the Neb on the first turn. The CT-90 I think can function without it (and gets a lot out of the CF token re-roll, especially if its fishing for crits) but the Neb is going to be far more concerned with the victory (dem sides). Plus, between nav team and the upcoming salvation title, orientating the thin front arc is quite important.

The token is far less useful for Victories (they really need the command's yaw), who I find are better served with engineering tokens (with CF and Squadron coming in from Tarkin on the first and 2nd round.