How To Fix Squadrons (imo)

By Viratin, in Star Wars: Armada

Okay, really simple, but I think this would help out a ton!

Rather than having to choose whether to move or shoot, I believe that Squadrons should have the ability to move at speed 1 before shooting, or just move at full speed.

What this would basically do is allow bombers to keep up with some ships that would otherwise be much faster than they are, without Command support. After all, a squadron should be able to keep up with a slow moving Victory without having to resort to the overlap tactics we've been using to this point. This would allow faster ships, like full speed Gladiator or CR90, however, to keep away from bombers.

It's a really small change that I think will greatly help the efficiency of bombers in anti-ship roles.

Sounds good to me. i would say that FFG would probably never make such a fundamental change, but then they did the pass rule for skirmish mode IA so who knows.

Edited by bobbywhiskey

I'd rather see the following:

Rather than to move or shoot, squadrons can shoot and then move. This won't do anything for anti-fighter combat, but will boost anti-capital ship combat by easying positioning once you have a target under fire.

Babs out!

Then what would the squadron command dial/token do?

Then what would the squadron command dial/token do?

Same as now. It's a tantalizing idea, that shoot and more thing, but it's not going to happen.

Right now they let you shoot and move, If you can already do that why would you ever use a squadron command?

Squadron Command / Dial still would allow you to move at full speed and then shoot. Basically, it allows you to initiate the alpha-strike against your opponents. It'd be important for two situations: first, when you're locked in fighting with other squadrons, it lets you attack with those squadrons before the squadron phase. For instance, if you had three TIE-Fighters locked in combat, even if you have initiative, you'd normally get to fire with two of those before your opponent gets a chance to activate two of his, in the squadron phase. But, with a VSD commanding your TIE fighters, you can activate all three before the Squadron phase even begins, which gives you the edge. In addition, it would allow you to engage enemy fighters or ships from a further range.

Command dials/tokens would still be very useful, just not absolutely necessary, which they are currently.

Edited by Viratin

Shoot and move in the squadron phase is very different from Move and shoot or shoot and Move in the ship phase.

Sorry, with me using squadrons heavily currently I would dislike this. It makes squadrons overtly complex imo

I see what you mean. I guess there would still be a place for the dial/token. I wonder what FFG has planned. Squadrons are not exactly useless but they do not feel as useful as they should.

Sorry, with me using squadrons heavily currently I would dislike this. It makes squadrons overtly complex imo

I don't think it'd be overtly complex. The only thing that changes is that squadrons are allowed to move at speed 1 if they are firing in the squadron phase. Otherwise treat them as normal. All this really does is allow bombers to keep up with slow moving ships, or at least stay within range for a turn or two. Currently, you really have to work your strategy and list around squadrons in order to get them to do their job properly.

I personally feel that such a change would drastically change the overall concept behind the game's play and feel. We're not squadron leaders or captains of a single ship... We're taking the role of a fleet admiral. The current squadron method fits with the overall concept of the strategy behind Armada... You have to plan for how your opponent is going to move. This game is about out thinking your opponent before combat is ever engaged. You need to force your opponent where you need him to be. Chamgimg squadrons would fundamentally alter that for the fighter phase.

I see what you mean. I guess there would still be a place for the dial/token. I wonder what FFG has planned. Squadrons are not exactly useless but they do not feel as useful as they should.

How effective should they be?

I personally feel that such a change would drastically change the overall concept behind the game's play and feel. We're not squadron leaders or captains of a single ship... We're taking the role of a fleet admiral. The current squadron method fits with the overall concept of the strategy behind Armada... You have to plan for how your opponent is going to move. This game is about out thinking your opponent before combat is ever engaged. You need to force your opponent where you need him to be. Chamgimg squadrons would fundamentally alter that for the fighter phase.

I always focused on the cap ships but that's not the game. I am Commander of many ships not few

On the other hand, this is Star Wars. Even during the two fleet actions we actually see, we still mostly follow the fighter jocks. A capital ship that has no fighter cover fighting a ship with fighter cover should be in a horrible spot, but that's not really how it works right now.

I'd prefer squadrons be able to move and shoot naturally anyway. Then squadrons activated by ships should be allowed to re-roll one of their dice.

I see what you mean. I guess there would still be a place for the dial/token. I wonder what FFG has planned. Squadrons are not exactly useless but they do not feel as useful as they should.

Couldn't disagree more squadrons have a strong presence in the game I think all that needs to be changed is that tabling the ships gives the opponent 300 points.

Couple things:

1. Ships are, and should, be the focus in Armada. Squadrons should a secondary resource to tap into.

2. I think Squadrons are fine in their current state of game play. 'Play approach' needs more change than rules.

3. I think Squadrons are made less attractive in the current tournament package, ie. granting full list points for destroying all an opponents Ships.

The more we play, the more this stuff gets sorted. I do like seeing ideas on making improvements on games as long as its just that, and not making adjustments that are attractive to the suggestors own play style.

I have another fix.

Enforce a minimum squad point limit per list.

Now you don't have to worry as much if they are completely balanced in power versus ships, just amongst themselves.

I see what you mean. I guess there would still be a place for the dial/token. I wonder what FFG has planned. Squadrons are not exactly useless but they do not feel as useful as they should.

You are using these tiny groups of crafts to launch piddly lasers and small torpedoes at these hulking ships that are 10 times to 100 times your size if not bigger.

How effective should they be?

There was this one time a farm boy in an x-wing... or that one a-wing pilot who...

:P

I think squadrons are fine so far in my experience, maybe because I won a tournament today thanks due to heavy work from tycho and b-wings with yavaris. I think in the last game my b-wings did 14+ points of damage (I love slow victories without a big fighter screen).

But that is my "limited" experience but I think a fix for squadrons is a bit premature as we will soon get both a ship with 5 command and a bunch of squadron powerhouses in wave 2.

Well placed bombers with squadron command can be 2-3 times as powerful as a concentrate fire command and a cheap fighter screen can give you that extra round to take down your opponents carrier. They are a powerful tool in the right hands but they can't do everything.

Edited by jocke01

I have another fix.

Enforce a minimum squad point limit per list.

Now you don't have to worry as much if they are completely balanced in power versus ships, just amongst themselves.

I can't emphasize this enough. No.

Why should we be forced to take squadrons? And then have those squadrons cost me games when they die from my opponents mandatory squadrons?

I see what you mean. I guess there would still be a place for the dial/token. I wonder what FFG has planned. Squadrons are not exactly useless but they do not feel as useful as they should.

You are using these tiny groups of crafts to launch piddly lasers and small torpedoes at these hulking ships that are 10 times to 100 times your size if not bigger.

How effective should they be?

There was this one time a farm boy in an x-wing... or that one a-wing pilot who...

:P

I have another fix.

Enforce a minimum squad point limit per list.

Now you don't have to worry as much if they are completely balanced in power versus ships, just amongst themselves.

No.

I can't emphasize this enough. No.

Why should we be forced to take squadrons? And then have those squadrons cost me games when they die from my opponents mandatory squadrons?

Ok, give an optional 100 pts for squadrons instead of a minimum. Now you can just run a smaller list and be happy.

I have another fix.

Enforce a minimum squad point limit per list.

Now you don't have to worry as much if they are completely balanced in power versus ships, just amongst themselves.

No.

I can't emphasize this enough. No.

Why should we be forced to take squadrons? And then have those squadrons cost me games when they die from my opponents mandatory squadrons?

Ok, give an optional 100 pts for squadrons instead of a minimum. Now you can just run a smaller list and be happy.

I think the only thing squadrons need is to be able to activate like ships. It should be a blanket "You may activate one ship, or two squadrons". Because lowering your fleet activation count in order to include squadrons is pretty painful, especially if your opponent is the first player.

I think the only thing squadrons need is to be able to activate like ships. It should be a blanket "You may activate one ship, or two squadrons". Because lowering your fleet activation count in order to include squadrons is pretty painful, especially if your opponent is the first player.

I can't say this is a bad idea but what use would squadron commands be? It would lower your total activations