This match was teaching 2 new players, we had 2 on each team and split control of the ships. Due do trying to keep it relatively simple for the new players we played without obstacles (per their request) and I built both the lists, due to this I allowed the other players to choose their sides and I joined the remaining side (rebels) The Imperials had the lower cost and chose to have initiative, due to only having the core and my creation of both lists, the second team (rebels) drew two objectives from the objective deck, Opening Salvo was chosen over minefields due to not playing with obstacles.
The Lists:
IMPERIALS:
Vic 1
Screed
Vic 2
Gladiator 2
Assault Concussion Missiles
Engine Techs
Demolisher
Squadrons:
2x Tie fighters
1x Tie interceptors
Total: 298
REBELS:
Nebulon B Escort Frigate
Mon Mothma
Salvation
XX-9 Turbolasers
CR90 Corvette B
CR90 Corvette B
Assault Frigate Mk 2A
Paragon
Raymus Antilles
Enhanced Armament
Squadrons:
2x Y-wing
Total: 300
I kept both list squadron short to keep the focus on the capitals, and hopefully make it a little simpler for the new players.
Battle Report! All directions will be from the rebel perspective.
Setup:
Imperials kept to the center of the deployment zone, both Vics were side by side, but the Vic 2 was ahead about distance 2. The Glad started to the left of these two, squadrons to the right. Lead Vic speed 2, rear Vic speed 1, and Demolisher speed 3
The Rebels deployed the two corvettes on either flank of the Imps, speed 4. Salvation was further to the left flank, speed 3, and Paragon was just offset to the right of the Imps speed 3. The Y wings were in the center.
Tactics:
The Imperials were trying to cover their flanks and keep the rebels in front. The Rebels were trying to bring around the corvettes to the rear of the Vics, while using Paragon swing wide and to bait the Vics into turning thus exposing their rear to Salvation. Y-wings were mainly a distraction, but maybe with luck could get some shots out on the Vics.
Battle:
Turn 1, The Vic 2 angled more towards Paragon, while Vic 1 in the rear stayed straight. Demolisher moved ahead, lining up dead ahead of Salvation. Salvation in turn moved into long range of the Glad, the right corvette swung out, but the left swung inward crossing the T of the lead Vic at long range. It risked moving to demolisher range of the Glad if it headed to the left flank. Paragon swung left.
Turn 2, The imperials moved with the lead Vic, firing 5 red dice (2 extra for opening salvo) and punched through the corvette's shields, doing one damage. Then the Vic used navigate to slow down to speed 1 and continued its turn towards Paragon. This move however, left it within the medium range of the corvette it just fired upon, The corvette fired 2 Blue and 3 Black (2 black for opening salvo, one more for concentrate fire command), however most of the shots missed the Vic, doing only a few shield points. The Corvette then moved to safety even further left.
This activation was a horrible mistake by the rebel commander. Because with the next activation Demolisher fired 4 red dice from its front at long range to the right side of Salvation. Due to commander error, Salvation's side arc was a hair's breadth from being safely out of range. The resulting shot from Demolisher striped away the lonely shield, dealt a damage card, and a Crit! Salvation was no longer able to shoot at long range! Demolisher then moved in and fired its second volley from its side arc. 3 blacks and 1 red, only the brace token and Mon Mothma's reroll saved Salvation. It took another crit (Munitions Failure, ie one less attack dice) and another damage. The crippled Salvation attempted to return fire, but Demolisher had moved out of it's front arc, Opening Salvo allowed for some attack power, but only one shield point was removed. Salvation then ran as best it could, trying to angle its rear to the enemies.
The second Vic moved up as well, but was to far out of range, Paragon then activated. It fired its opening salvo at the lead Vic, 4 Red and 3 Black (Salvo and Command). The damage was brutal, wiping out both the shields on the front and side of the lead vic. The Space Whale then continued its circling maneuver, moving into long range of the trailing Vic. The second Corvette also continued circling.
The Imperial squadrons where staying near the right side of the lead Vic, trying to block the Y-wings who were staying near to the left of Paragon.
Turn 3, Demolisher fired its side at the retreating Salvation and managed through Screed and its Concussion missiles to force damage through the shield less side of Salvation. Salvation, the Rebel flagships, shattered into two pieces and the Rebel hope's began to waver. Demolisher now turned to move towards the left flank where the remainder of the battle was occurring, but it would take several turns to catch up to the circling rebels. Paragon continued to fire (critting the lead Vic, Munitions failure), but was forced to spread its shots between the two Vics. However its squadron command allowed the Y-wings to make a run at the lead Vic, who had just moved away from its fighter escorts. The Y-wings fired their torpedoes at the shield less front...both blacks turned up blank... Paragon also made a daring maneuver, drawing within meters of the rear Vic, but positioning itself right outside the front arc. The rear Vic fired its first shots (from its side) at Paragon, but only did minor shield damage. The Rebel corvettes continued their flanking, but couldn't draw into medium range. The Imperial squadrons moved to engage the Y-wings, locking them down.
Turn 4, The rear Vic activated first and fired more ineffectual shots at Paragon, but did manage to dodge it's front arc. Paragon then activated, its side batteries doing massive shield damage to the rear Vic. Then Paragon circled further putting itself nearly perpendicular the Vic's rear. The lead Vic moved ahead, using a engineering token and command to transfer and repair shields. It's long range side shots where failed to even hit Paragon. It moved ahead and ran over a Y-wing squadron, this allowed the squadron to disengage, however during the squadron phase the Ties would move back in to lock the Rebels down; this was repeated for most of the remaining round, limiting the squadron shots. Eventually a Y-wing was killed, but two Ties were killed due to moving to lock the Y-wings down, but not being able to shoot. The two rebel corvettes had finally managed to close distance and were huddled with Paragon facing the rear of the last Vic.
Turn 5, The rear Vic just managed to get its side arc to one of the corvettes behind it, and fired. Screed and a Concentrate fire command ripped through the feeble corvette's shields and the following rear shot put it one damage away from obliteration. After the Vic's slow move forward the corvette returned fire, only one arc was able to shoot, but the 3 blue dice striped away the remaining shields on the Vic's right (via a redirect). The Corvette then moved full speed away from the combat zone. The lead Vic took some long range shots, trying to finish the crippled Corvette, but the Munitions Failure and the evade saved the corvette. That Vic inched forward. The second corvette opened up with its first shots of the game (round 5, ouch!), firing from two arcs into the rear Vic's rear. Most of the shots missed, but they finished of the left side shields (via redirect), the singe rear shield, and managed to poke one damage through. The Corvette then moved forward, its speed putting it next to the rear Vic and right behind the lead Vic. Demolisher moved forward and with its engine techs managed to thread between the Vics and get a Demolisher attack off on the poor corvette. The damage with Screed was brutal, striping the side and front shields, leaving this corvette with one hit point as well. All was looking lost for the Rebels, although opening salvo was giving points for damage on the Vics, the losses were getting to high. Paragon activated and fired a medium range broadside into the trailing Vic's rear. 4 Red, 1 Blue. One double damage, a crit, and 4 single hits! Paragon used it's concentrate fire to add another blue, hoping for an accuracy to cancel the Vic's brace. The die is rolled and comes up a hit, Ramus gave a concentrate token as well, and this was used to reroll the blue dice. It rolls and lands, an accuracy!!! With no shields (adjacent) and one hull damage, these 7 damage are the perfect roll to take out the Imperial flagship! The Rebel officers onboard Paragon let out a cheer as the Vic bursts into gouts of flame as it vents atmosphere.
Turn 6, The rebel shouts soon hush as Demolisher moves in. Demolisher unleashes the full fury of its frontal guns and obliterates the corvette directly in front of it. Demolisher then moves forward, its move puts its side arc in close range of the fleeing, crippled corvette. Another volley of intense firepower and the corvette vanishes. Paragon tries to take long range shots at the final Vic, but although it managed for the first time in the game to get two arcs on target, the majority of the dice roll blanks. Paragon now has Demolisher closing in on it, and Raymus decides it is time to withdraw. The Rebels disappear into hyperspace.
Summary:
With the objective giving points for damage on ships, the rebels came surprisingly close to victory, Rebels 158, Imperials 187.
Thoughts:
Thank you if you are still reading this, it took me quite a while to write up. Please feel free to give me some feedback, did you like the detail? Would you have rather had a shorter more general post? Would you have preferred a more dramatized telling? (I tried to mix in some dramatic flair) I'd love to do more AAP if you guys want to hear them. Thanks!
For some tactical thoughts. If the Rebels had spent their last shots on Demolisher and managed to get one damage it would have put them at 189 for the win, so that was a tactical error on my part. Also not activating Salvation to get shots before Demolisher moved in was a big mistake. I maybe should have gone for the long range corvettes as well, but maybe it was just my teams maneuvering that kept them from getting in the fight for so long. Also, I failed to use Paragon very often, so I guess my maneuvers need work, though I did manage to barely take any damage (5-6 shields, most where repaired) while outflanking two Vics. I also feel like it would have been much, much better for me to have initiative, as those first activations allowed the Imps to get out of several sticky situations, plus finish off two of my ships before they could run/repair. The Space Whale and Gladiator both exceeded my expectations! Wow, they pack a serious punch! I learned a lot about the new ships and I'm looking forward to trying more! Feel free to leave your thoughts on the list building and/or tactics! Do remember I tried to make the lists capital heavy and newbie friendly, so they definitely weren't the best thought up (also put together in 5 minutes!). I mainly wanted to see some of the new cards in action!
Edited by JJs Juggernaut
I enjoy the dramatic write ups which is why I have taken up reading HNN, I just think they are fun.