If you win the initiative and choose to go 2nd you get one of your 3 objectives and objectives are generally better for the 2nd player.

However an imp list with 3 ships including demolisher can be scary going 1st.

The demolisher moves 3rd , gets up close to a ship that has already moved ( preferably in both front and side arc ) fires and then goes 1st next turn.

That is a lot of pain.

Would you choose to go 1st with that sort of list ( or facing that to deny them the advantage )?

What about with a Vic , Glad , Rhymer list?

That has less of an advantage as only 1 ship will have moved before the Glad but it can still do a lot of damage in the right situation.

Any other situations where you would choose to go 1st?

This is just reverse of what Imp's went through for president wave 1 just that Rebels did not have such a hard hitting ship.

As a rebel I prefer going first. I need the Shoot and scoot capacity to get my last ship in to be the first one out kind of thing.

This Rebel agrees. My little Corvette and Neb B FF don't want to get caught sitting still.

I generally feel if it's an asymmetrical match (Rebels vs. Imperials) I want to go 2nd and make them choose one of my objectives. If it's a mirror match (Rebels vs. Rebels or Imperials vs. Imperials) then I want to go first, as it's more likely their objectives will work okay for my fleet.

depends on available objectives and how much those screw you over

I know, however, that the Demolisher loves having initiative

Fighter heavy lists will also appreciate initiative.