Hi everyone!

Just played my third game of Armada, and I was unpleasantly surprised to find that I had a bad time. I really enjoyed the two previous games, which were both with the core set (this game had all of Wave 1 available). I'm trying to figure out if I did something wrong, or if I just don't enjoy the game.

-The VSD. I had two Gladiators (I and II) -and one VSDII. The VSDII was almost a non-factor because the rebel ships (1Gallant Haven, 1 Dodonna's Pride, and one Corvette with the title that lets it move through obstacles with no problem) had no trouble whatsoever staying out of its range. It got off maybe two shots all game until the very last round, when it attacked some fighters. Maybe I flew it poorly but I was having a very hard time planning ahead with its maneuvers when the Rebel ships could just blow away at high speed. Is the VSD this poor normally, or was this level of irrelevancy unusual? I had been thinking about playing two VSDs next time so that my opponent would be forced to engage them instead of going over Gladiators.

-The mission and 6 round limit. By the end of the 6 rounds not a single ship was dead. I imagine that is pretty rare but is it common for most of the ships to survive the game?

-Rebel stuff versus Imperial stuff. Seemed to me that the Rebel titles and maybe commanders were way better than the Imperial ones. Mon Mothma in particular seemed kind of too strong with the Corvettes, especially when Dodonna's Pride was able to use her to stay alive an insanely long time and snipe crits onto my ships. And none of my titles seemed to compare to those that the Rebel ships were using.

I dunno, maybe I'm making too much of one game. But I figured I would try to see how my impressions match the prevailing wisdom.

Yea VSDs are probably only going to get one or two shots off in a single game. They are too slow and bulky against rebel ships. Unless maybe you use maneuver dials to turn faster. I think of VSDs are support or carrier or roadblock honestly.

Hey, some ideas:

VSDs - Deployment and initial moves are critical. Keep your ships together and run NAV commands. Don't be afraid to stay at speed 1 and NAV hard, but keep a token in reserve so you can speed up (Tarky helps). Let the rebels come at you as fast as they want, but you want to end up with them passing through your front arcs, which even if they try to stay at red dice range, you can usually catch if you angle and speed up right.

Upgrades should be considered. Intel officer is great against Monmothma in particular.

Gladiator - Don't send this guy out by himself. Keep him at speed 1 and shadowing the VSDs if necessary. A rebel is probably quite happy to kill the gladiator while avoiding the VSDs if he can.

Against the fleet you mentioned, (2 x corv, 1 x AF), almost any imperial fleet is going to be at a speed disadvantage, but if you keep your ships together wherever he chooses to attack you should be able to deal critical damage back.

Remember the Imperials have the best "game breaking" options so far, by which I mean guaranteed criticals (Screed), move THEN shoot (Demolisher), squadrons ignoring engagement (Chirenau), and squadrons that can shoot long distances (Rhymer).

I actually misunderstood Screed when I read him the first time. That seems really good!

Thanks so much for the thoughts, I figured the Imperials had ways around the problems I had.

When it comes to VSDs as well, the Objective of the game makes or breaks... Sometimes, the Enemy has to be where you're going - if you've deployed correctly, you'll get there - maybe nto as quickly, but they have a choice of getting closer to try and do an objective, or give it up to you... Either way, your VSD becomes something that cannot be ignored...

as a rebel player, my whole plan is to be able to flank to one side and focus on one ship, while leaving another ship out of the fight.

So keep your ships as close together as possible, and use nav commands to get that extra yaw click to deny the flank. Secondly, it helps to visualize when moving your ships that you turn them into the direction you want to go NEXT turn.

Force the rebels to react to you. Don't play their game. They want you always trying to anticipate what and where they are going. Use that VSD as bait, it can fake a few hits. Let that GSD lag behind, save a Nav token and set up navigation dials or use a defense liason to get the navigation command to go from 1 to 3 and engine techs to 4 when you need to. Trust me, CR90's with no brace will DIE to that.

And as a suggestion if you are currently not using objectives, start! It will change your games, and provide you with a better indication of deployment strategies.

Yeah, the VSD is going to be a non-factor if you leave it behind your GSDs. If the enemy comes into range of your VSD and you have your GSDs alongside it, it'll be a totally different scenario! I use my GSDs to flank, but I have to time it so that all ships come into range in the same turn. If my GSDs come into range one turn earlier, they'll blow past their initial target once the VSD gets a shot in. I don't want that.

The VSD also has a hard time turning around. Once the enemy ships blow past you, better hope you've got Navigation commands queued up!

However, a lot, and I mean A LOT of this depends on the objective you are playing and how you've kitted out your fleet. If all the VSD has to do is sit and guard an objective, that'll be a different story compared to a mission wherein you'd need to pickup some objective markers. A fleet build around Screed will feel totally different to a build with Tarkin.

Finally, playing with Imperials needs a different style compared to playing with Rebels. I find my Imperial lists can hit hard and I want to do that since Rebels do fly all around my ships. I want it to hurt when they get close

Force the rebels into poor decisions. For me this starts with deploying my VSD2 in the center of the board in almost all games, right of the bat. Then my GSDs are put into close flanking positions on either side or loaded to one depending on how deployment goes. The rebels have 3 options:

1. Deploy directly in front of me - great! Head on engagement!

2. Deploy strictly on either flank - great! I just cut the board in half!

3. Deploy spread out - great! They just opened themselves to being defeated in detail!

Objectives alter this somewhat, so either have a plan for things like hyper assault and intel sweep or don't pick or bring them. Superior positions and fleet ambush are hilarious... I'm dropping my fleet in the center make your choice... And get my VSD2 and a GSD closer to you with my 2nd GSD catching up on full speed.

Thanks so much everyone!

We ended up playing Hyperspace Assault, which I chose over Most Wanted and Minefield (I was first player). I figured Minefield would make it very difficult for the VSD to navigate, and Most Wanted seemed like it would make it easy for my opponent to hit and run on one GSD and take it out. Next time I'll try to be second player and choose some missions with stationary objectives.

Your VSD II might be thought of as area denial. The cone in front of it is a very dangerous place, and the Rebels will avoid it like the plague. Use this to your advantage. When using Objectives, this is easier.

Gladiator is a brawler. If you use the Engine Tech and the Demolisher title, it can sprint across the board and smash up an enemy in one shot, and usualy finish it off the next turn. Add a Munitions card for bonus smashing.

You didn't mention your fighter complement. I tend to over-use fighters, but I really enjoy them. Even if you don't want to play the fighter game, I reccomend a minimum of 4 T/I or 6 T/F, with Names included. That will give you the firepower to screw up the other guys fighter game.

contrary to what you might except of the VSD as a big, hulking tank, the most important commands for it are Navigate and Squadron

Navigate because the **** thing can't turn 45 degrees without it

Squadron because squadrons are the simplest way to get around its slowness. the VSD is less a tank and more of a command bunker on (very slow) wheels. With squadrons, and especially Rhymer, you can actually outfight rebels at long range; just picture your VSD firing cannons that shoot little fighters instead of blaster bolts. Squadron 3 is massive asset and you have to make the most out of it. What sets it apart from other squadron boats, like the fattie or the Neb, is its terrifying front arc which you can use to deny area or intercept ships fleeing your other ships/squadrons (the whole rock and a hard-place concept)

Repairs should be taken rarely; only if you're certain you're going to be stuck in. About the only time I really use them is on the Dominator (VSD-2 dominator being a great way of transcending the VSD's arc dependency) and only then when it's getting stuck in. Otherwise, navigate and squadrons all day.

Concentrate Fire should basically never be used unless there's simply nothing better you could do with your time. They won't help you win long range against rebels unless you have actual concentrated fire from multiple sources, and they're overkill on front-arc shots. More often than not, squadrons will add more dice than the one from CF.

Your VSD II might be thought of as area denial. The cone in front of it is a very dangerous place, and the Rebels will avoid it like the plague. Use this to your advantage. When using Objectives, this is easier.

Gladiator is a brawler. If you use the Engine Tech and the Demolisher title, it can sprint across the board and smash up an enemy in one shot, and usualy finish it off the next turn. Add a Munitions card for bonus smashing.

You didn't mention your fighter complement. I tend to over-use fighters, but I really enjoy them. Even if you don't want to play the fighter game, I reccomend a minimum of 4 T/I or 6 T/F, with Names included. That will give you the firepower to screw up the other guys fighter game.

Great advice, thank you. I had Vader, Rhymer, one bomber squadron, one interceptor squadron, and two fighter squadrons.

Also fickle thank you! I love the idea of the VSD as a fighter launcher that can cut off escape routes for fleeing enemies.

One question; how would you guys recommend taking on the Gallant Haven? My opponent was able to bring it around to any fighter engagements and ensure his squadrons wiped the floor with mine.

Either ignore it an hit a different ship, or swarm it with ships and fighters and watch it die a slow death

You can either punch yavaris (the real damage dealer) or collapse everything onto the ship. It doesn't benefit from its own ability, so it'll either **** off (leaving vulnerable squadrons behind) or die.

GH wins every squadron on squadron engagement (it's that good) so you have to capitalize on the distance 1 restriction. Squadrons love getting close; fatties don't.

One question; how would you guys recommend taking on the Gallant Haven? My opponent was able to bring it around to any fighter engagements and ensure his squadrons wiped the floor with mine.

If you don't want your opponent to fly his ship somewhere, point your VSD at that area. Want Gallent Haven to stay clear of fighter engagements? Keep your VSD pointed at the engagement. Either your fighters get to clean up, or you get to fire into his capitol ship. Win/Win.