What are the pros and cons you see between the Class I and Class II variants. Is it better to go for the blue dice or the black dice?

This is not the answer you're looking for : it depends

Black Dice have more raw damage output (50% chances to hit, 25% chances to Hit Crit), Blue Dice have more utility (50% to hit, 25% chance to crit, 25% accuracy chance). In general, Blue Dice are more "support" dice while Black Dice are raw damage dealers.

Blue Dice have also more range than Black Dice by about 1.75", making it easier for damage application and giving a wider area denial.

Blue Dice tend to work well against ships that make strong use of their defense tokens to survive, while Black Dice overwhelm opponents under a large amount of damage. In short, blue dice are more accurate and are generally better against large ships, while black dice absolutely much smaller vessels regardless of whether they use their tokens or not.

I still personally rarely ever see VSDs fart black dice at anything other than other VSDs

unless those are VSD-1s commanding rhymer balls, then yeah that's a lot of black dice

so basically, never go for the black dice. Imo you either go for the relatively cheap VSD-1, the roadblock that just happens to be space worthy, or the blue dice.

VSD-2s are bloody expensive, though, so only take those if you're planning on using your VSD as dedicated anti-ship. For anything else (roadblock, squadron-support, skreed caddy), VSD-1.

Personally, I prefer the VSD I for a couple of reasons:

- Black dice plus Screed = bad news for any enemy ship in close range. The black dice generally are a lot stronger but require close range, which is where the Imperial forces perform best. (E.g. Gladiator). More of a synergy with the rest of the fleet I would say. But depends on your build.

- in my games, the VSDs tend to get one good barrage at close and/or medium range before the Rebels fly off. The rest of the time you will be trading red dice. Black dice cause more pain for that one exchange, especially with Assault Concussion Missiles.

- I would rather keep the VSDs cheap for more upgrades/ships/squadrons for weight of numbers. 12 pts is a lot extra, especially if you take more than one.

The VSD-II is the better choice if you're going for a gunship. Longer range is what you need when fighting rebels with a slow thing like the Victory. The VSD-I, however, works better as a fleet carrier, because it's a good bit cheaper, so you can afford the upgrades.

Offensively, going for the black dice + screed with VSD-I's really is a terrible idea. For the first part, you're weilding a slow, non-maneuverable craft and relying on its ability to get close to deal damage. Even then, less than half of its attacking dice are being used for the strategy. If you're going to go for black dice + screed, there's no reason not to use Gladiators, who are smaller, faster, and more manevuerable, plus they have a larger percentage of black dice. That's sorta the reason he comes in that set after all.

I've been a couple of games now without being able to bring my VSD2s blue dice to bear on the rebels. On the other hand, when I've got them in range of enemy VSD1s, they haven't been able to carve out enough damage and I've lost the gun battle!

Thinking of running VSD1 as my ship killer and optimising for red dice combat with the point break - gunnery teams, turbo lasers (Xx9s or Xi7s) and maybe intel officer

The VSDII is the better ship. Your black dice are next to useless because all rebel ships can outrun you. But I had success recently with VSDI as carriers. The black dice didn't do anything in that game, but the extra squadrons I could afford did. But the point is moot now. Take an ISD.

There is the additional option that a VSD-I is an area denial ship. You can place it somewhere and know with relative certainty that your enemy won't approach that area.

That gives you some good options. And, should they decide to do so (maybe it's the lesser of the bad options) - you get to make your black dice kill shot.

speaking of, now that the ISD is out, we get to make more distinctions between which destroyer you should take

the answer is still VSD-1 if you need anything other than dedicated anti-ship. We don't know much about all the sexy new upgrades in the ISD, but FFG is any good at game design (and they are) then the ISD will be prohibitively expensive and the VSD more efficient.

the flip-side is the ISD will concentrate more power into one big brick, making it an ideal flagship. What said flagship will do depends a lot on the multitude of new upgrades coming in wave 2 (of which the ISD pack has like 16), but the points you pay for the ISD-2 are not worth it at all for the dice it spits out of any arc but the front.

granted the VSD-2 isn't either, but it's also 35 points cheaper

for those 35 points, you're getting

+2 shields

+contain defensive token

+defensive retrofit

+blue dice to every arc; +1 red and +1 blue to front

+a really fat ass

all of these advantages, minus the last two, are there to ensure the ISD delivers something to wherever it has to go. The question then becomes what could that something be to merit such a massive ship.

also 2 anti-fighter dice. But yeah, it's going to have to justify the huge cost. Is simply being really tough to take down (and a wall of death throughout) enough?..

I can't wait to field my ISD. However, there is still a lot to be said for weight of numbers. At 400pts an ISD backed up with 2 VSDs and a GSD will be very tasty.

To get back to the original question, rebel ships are better dancing around and duelling at range while the Imperial ships benefit from getting close to punch them in the face. I would prefer the black dice on my star destroyers every time.

Strap a sensor team on the VSD-I and then embrace the facts: Black dice is best dice.

One thing I don't see mentioned here is that, while currently Rebel ships are all about those reds, the MC30s will want to hug their targets, GSD-style. And that's just not a healthy option against VSD-Is.

VSDII warlord - h9 combo

VSDI dominator - wuff + sensor team + EA

There is the additional option that a VSD-I is an area denial ship. You can place it somewhere and know with relative certainty that your enemy won't approach that area.

That gives you some good options. And, should they decide to do so (maybe it's the lesser of the bad options) - you get to make your black dice kill shot.

I dunno if I'd spend 1/4 of my points just for area denial.

Not a Quarter of your points at 400... Unless you start really throwing on upgrades to an Area Denial ship...

even at 300, its usually accomplishing something *alongside* Area Denial, and that, I'll pay for.

I've used it for exactly that purpose in fire lanes and one or two other missions, can't remember off hand now (pussers rum time!)

There is definitely mileage in areal denial

and yeah, Diablo, the MC30 is going to be an interesting puzzle for the Rebel commander. Just as the Neb is currently.

Who knows, maybe they will complement one another?

I like the Vic I because I find usually where I get to use Blue Dice I also get to use Black. Anyway many of these points will be overturned once Wave II hits anyway.