Can someone please explain to me, step by step, how the Fleet Ambush objective is played? And what the underlying advantage it gives is? Because I seem to be misunderstanding something.

You setup a zone in the middle of the map for the initiative player to setup in. The advantage is that they get flanked easier as they have to setup in the middle where the obstacles are. Best for a fast moving fleet or a fleet that can mak a solid line to surround the initiative player.

http://www.outpostzero.net/2015/04/star-wars-armada-battle-report-fleet_16.html

Yup, the player deploying ships into the middle of the table is being ambushed.

You setup a zone in the middle of the map for the initiative player to setup in. The advantage is that they get flanked easier as they have to setup in the middle where the obstacles are. Best for a fast moving fleet or a fleet that can mak a solid line to surround the initiative player.

http://www.outpostzero.net/2015/04/star-wars-armada-battle-report-fleet_16.html

From your battle report, did you set up the Rebel fleet in the ambush zone? From reading the objective card it was my understanding only the first player was able to do that. Essentially, some of their ships has been forward- deployed in a position unsupported by the rest of the fleet. But it's possible I'm misunderstanding things.

You setup a zone in the middle of the map for the initiative player to setup in. The advantage is that they get flanked easier as they have to setup in the middle where the obstacles are. Best for a fast moving fleet or a fleet that can mak a solid line to surround the initiative player. http://www.outpostzero.net/2015/04/star-wars-armada-battle-report-fleet_16.html

From your battle report, did you set up the Rebel fleet in the ambush zone? From reading the objective card it was my understanding only the first player was able to do that. Essentially, some of their ships has been forward- deployed in a position unsupported by the rest of the fleet. But it's possible I'm misunderstanding things.

It wasn't my fight, but yes from the look of it the Rebels were first player in that battle.

Looks like the rebel player put all their Squadrons in the ambush zone, which shouldn't be possible.

Man thats a badely worded card. The way I read it you either have to place oddly number squadrons in the ambush zone OR cannot place squadrons in the ambush zone.

Anyone care to tell me which way is right?

In the BatRep linked to the Rebels were being Ambushed so deployed their odd ships in the ambush zone.

I think the Narrative just go confused.

I would say that squadrons can be deployed in the ambush zone because although the card fails to mention squadrons when describing deployment it does then clarify that "ships and squadrons not being able to overlap obstacles in the ambush zone".

Squadrons can be placed in the ambush zone, as they have only two restrictions on placement:
1. They have to be placed in the setup zone (as the ambushzone is part of the setup zone, this is no further restriction)
2. They have to be placed in distance 1 or 2 to a friendly (and, of course, already placed) ship.
As all ships are placed first, squadrons can be placed within the ambush zone, if they are in dist 1-2 to a friendly ship.

As with all objective cards, this benefits the second player by forcing the first player to deploy roughly half his forces in the middle of the board where the second player can bring his full force to bear quickly, hopefully before the first player can regroup his forces.

As with normal deployment, it alternates between the first and second player each making a deployment. A deployment can consist of a capital ship, or 2 squadrons (placed within distance 1-2 of a friendly capital ship). If a player has a single squadron left, they cannot place it until all of their capital ships are placed.

What Fleet Ambush does is make the first player on "odd" numbered deployments, but that ship or squadrons in the special setup area in the middle of the board. The second player deploys his forces in his usual setup area.

So if player 1 has only a single capital ship, it must start in the middle, if its 2 ships and 2 squadrons, he must place the first ship in the middle (deployment 1), then he could place his other ship in the regular deployment (deployment 2) and then his 2 squadrons in the middle with the first ship (deployment 3).

Hope that makes some sense!