Just picked up my Raider and am just rather a bit stoked for the Rader vs CR-90 battle that is to ensue later this evening. I've player epics before but never against each other. I've been going over a couple things (faq and whatnot) but I'm just wondering if anyone has any pointers or anything to help make this mayhem run smoothly.

We'll probably be playing 200 points or thereabouts (unless we decide to do a mission of sorts involving the GR-75, then there is no hope for a decently early night) and I plan to play Empire (as I usually always do) and the raider loadout will probably clock in around 125-130. I'm thinking I'll run most if not all small base ships. A few ties maybe an advanced (or two now that i have a second and the sweet new upgrade cards to boot) and a bomber plus whatever else I can squeeze in.

Any suggestions on force complememnt, playing area size, point adjustment or tactics welcome. Cheers folks.

Having fun: Strongly recommended.

I had a really fun battle last week using this scenario: Face Off.

Basically, it has a CR90 and a Raider facing off across a 6x4 table. The main change from a standard game is that the objective for both sides is to destroy the opposition's huge ship. I think that made the gameplay a little more interesting because it made us make difficult choices in terms of squad building and tactics on the table.

In any case, I suggest around 250+ points for a robust epic game including the Raider and Corvette.

As for tactics, I usually recommend bringing a large force of generics. I don't find ordnance necessary to bring down a huge ship - but also anticipate that your opponent will probably do just that and bring ordnance carriers. Build your squad to counter them.

Having fun: Strongly recommended.

Grand Moff Tarkin: "Ahh yes, the 'Fun' system. I belive we pacified them last year. We've had 'Fun' ever since."

In all seriousnes though we always do. That is the point of the game.

Basically, it has a CR90 and a Raider facing off across a 6x4 table. The main change from a standard game is that the objective for both sides is to destroy the opposition's huge ship. I think that made the gameplay a little more interesting because it made us make difficult choices in terms of squad building and tactics on the table.

In any case, I suggest around 250+ points for a robust epic game including the Raider and Corvette.

As for tactics, I usually recommend bringing a large force of generics. I don't find ordnance necessary to bring down a huge ship - but also anticipate that your opponent will probably do just that and bring ordnance carriers. Build your squad to counter them.

Would you suggest we use a 6x4 even if we arent running that scenario?

250 looks a little more open. Allows for a few more ahips for sure and with taking more generics may allow for a large ship or two (If I'm brave enough).

I'd definitely suggest 250 or 300 points, I think it will feel a little barren on that big table at 200, unless you're only running cheap TIEs with that Raider.

Our groups first epic game was 250 points, which was a good size, but we bumped up to 300 for subsequent games and it seems better. It provides enough room to throw in 1 or 2 tooled up pilots while still having a good size fleet of generics.

Scenario 13 that comes with the Raider looks fun too..

Would you suggest we use a 6x4 even if we arent running that scenario?

250 looks a little more open. Allows for a few more ahips for sure and with taking more generics may allow for a large ship or two (If I'm brave enough).

I'd definitely play on a 6x4 if you're each taking a huge ship. 3x3 is a little cramped for two ships that large - they'll be very restricted in their maneuvers. A game on a 3x3 would be over very fast, for better or worse.

Scenario 13 that comes with the Raider looks fun too..

Yeah - that one looks very interesting. I'd recommend it but I am leery about the balance.

I played my brother a couple weeks ago on a 5'x3' area, at 200 points, and it felt pretty cramped.

Others may have different experiences, but I just didn't find that the 1 huge + escorts vs. 1 huge + escorts made for a very dynamic battle.

I played my brother a couple weeks ago on a 5'x3' area, at 200 points, and it felt pretty cramped.

Others may have different experiences, but I just didn't find that the 1 huge + escorts vs. 1 huge + escorts made for a very dynamic battle.

I've really enjoyed my battles with huge ships and escorts so far. It's a different feel than the standard game, but I like the larger scale, for thematic and tactical reasons. It's the same game, but you need to think about it a little differently. Agree to disagree here, I guess.

I also really like to play objective based scenarios in my epic games - you may consider trying one if a huge ship deathmatch is not your speed.

- Stick with 300 points on a 6’ by 3’ table. 200 points definitely feels a little barren. I’d say have a good mix of elites and generics

- Don’t overload your huge ship with too many upgrades because things like engineering team and backup shield generator can get lost in the chaos.

- Don’t underestimate the single turbo lasers! They were neglected when Epic games were one sided, but now that both sides will have huge ships, these puppies are great huge ship counters (double 0 agility is 0!) and are pretty decent against small ships with the new errata.

I had a brilliant 300x300 this week. I'd have been struggling at 200 points - then it's really a choice of a bare-bones capital ship with some decent escort, or a pimped out ship with not a lot else.

As it was, we had a glorious battle, I with a cr90, 3x blues with advanced sensors, and 4x A wings with prockets and stealth. He had a raider, with a decimator, two elite tie advance and two academy pilots. I can see me playing epic a lot more in future, now that there's more than one capital ship.

My multiple broadsides turned the raider and decimator into junk in no time! FIRE THEM ALL!

Awesome fun.

Ok so the game was great. We played 250 on a 6x4 and it worked well. I ran:

Raider Fore

Ion Cannon

Assailer

Raider Aft

Quad Laser

Turbo Laser

Eng Team

Engine Booster

Shield Tech

Captain Jonus

Proton Torpedos

Cluster Missiles

Tempest Squadron Pilot

TIE 1/x

Advanced Targeting Computer

Howlrunner

Swarm Tactics

Mauler Mithel

Marksmanship

Backstabber

Academy Squadron Pilot

Against (More or less):

Corvette Fore

Quad Laser Cannon

Sensor Team

Corvette Aft

Quad Laser

Turbo Laser

Engineering Team

WED-15

Tibanna Gas

Han Solo

Chewie

Millenium Falcon

Luke Skywalker

Proton Torpedos

R2-D2

Nera Dantels

Proton Torpedos

Flechette Torpedos

My opponent won the initiative toss and I had to deploy my Raider first and I did so in the "bottom right" (from my perspective) he then deployed his Corvette in the "top right" corner to minimize the amount of head on firing I could direct at him. I pulled towards him initially to try to re-maximize my arcs and over the course of a few turns pounded it with good effect while using the minimal profile of the ship to force him to target my fore section which I re-enforced (plus Assailer) and used the combat range bonus to take virtually no damage. Captain Jonus was flying next to the Raider all the while. While that was going on Howls Mauler and the Academy Pilot took on Luke and Nera and the Advanced and Backstabber held down the left flank against Han. Through some bad luck and good blocking Han got forced onto an asteroid two turns in a row losing two shields then got surrounded and taken down over the next few turns. Mauler and Howls took Luke down to 1 hp in a combined shooting effort. The Raider then finished Luke off in the same turn. The Raider had some great luck shooting at the Corvette rolling 4 hits on a Turbo Laser volley, 3 hits on a Quad Laser Volley and 4 and 4 hits on his primary weapon all on the same turn doing some serious damage. One of the more interesting plays however was using my Engine Booster then a turn from the dial to swing in front of the Corvette to block a 4 forward move that would have overlapped 2 of my ships and killed them and subsequently caused the Corvette's fore to become crippled. I also flew a 2 damage Backstabber into my Raider and he took his 3rd damage but the game was in hand by then. All in all a great game that both my opponent and I had a great time playing.

I noticed a few things:

I wondered why Shield tech was so cheap; only one point. But I never used it (and used 3 recover actions). By the time I'd allocated my energy I only had 2/3 energy to spend on it anyway.

I need to stay farther away from ships with an Epic, specifically the other Epic to maximize shooting, we pulled up next to each other and all that could shoot were the Quad lasers which weren't too effective

Low agility ships like the 1300 and the B-wing suffered heavily to the epic which I knew would be the case but even the X-wing with the range combat bonuses against my primaries suffered. My TIEs on the other hand were better equipped to deal with he high volume of fire getting 4, 5 and at one point 6 green dice against attacks. Coupled with an evade token I don't believe any of my small ships took damage from the Corvette.

Assailer was great, rolling 2 dice (from a range 4 bonus) and rolling an evade and an eye meant I negated 3 hits with my re-enforce. Very potent and saved me several hits.

Captain Jonus has great synergy with epics, re-rolling two dice on 3 of my 5 attacks is hurting for the opposition. That said I don't think I used him more than twice because I for some reason (the force was with me) was rolling very well attacking. But had I needed to he would have been there. He also put a few hits onto the Corvette with his torpedoes.

However a couple things came up of which I am seeking clarification:

Do I gain energy from the 1 forward maneuver that my Engine Booster provides? We said no because **** that would be an aggressive combo, but I've seen one or two of those before in this game that we play.

On page 5 of the Raider Booklet under Raider Attacks its says: "During the Combat phase, the Raider may preform up to two attacks with its primary weapon..." Does this refer to the Raider Fore Section's ability to spend energy and attack again as the 'Second Attack' or do I get to attack twice then spend energy to attack a third time?

When one discards a Tibanna Gas does the energy go straight to the ship card or can it be allocated immediately?

Other than that our game ran smoothly. Thanks everyone for their suggestions. The 6x4 call was great, it would have been tight on an area any smaller and a 200 point game would have choked me on the squadron side more than I would have been comfortable.