One of the things I've struggled with when it comes to Armada is timing my Squadron activation around other activations I feel the carrier needs to stay functional, like Engineering or Navigate. I tend to look at the position and wellbeing of the Carrier first, and that means my squadron game isn't very solid.

So how often do you use the squadron command? Should I be spamming it from turn 2 onward? Is it a good idea to take the Weapons Liason just in case? I'd appreciate some advice.

I will wait try to time it until I am at range. Then if have manny squadrons this is the best command to use.

You want to activate and use as manny squadrons as possible to cut down enemy fighters and bombers. Or if you have chance with your bombers to hit enemy capital ships hard before your captial ships start to pound the same ship.

Games are often very close in points. And often it comes down to the loss of a singel squadron. So you want to get as many points as possible and kill those enemy fighters fast.

As long as in range to use your squadron command , use it all the time. At least if you have squadron command value of 3 and up. If you have lower than 3 it depends on the situation.

used to be all the time

now it's the 2nd and 3rd round of the game, which is around the time when the GSDs start piling in

every other round? Navigate like your life depends on it (it does)

the trick with squadrons is learning when it's okay to just leave them be, which occurs when you just leave them on the table and let the enemy get in range by himself. This occurs most commonly in two scenarios:

1. B-wings against imps, especially VSDs (dat overlap)

2. Rhymer ball in general (dat range)

in both cases, knowing roughly which round will have your opponent cluttered in your minefield of squadrons is essential to getting that all important navigate in.

that navigate will pull your neb's spindly ass out of the fire, and direct your VSD's nose right to the flint and tinder that is your enemy's ships

because I so rarely get to play imps (literally the only person who does not own and constantly field a GSD in my entire group), my experience is mainly with the Nebs

like everything about Armada, it's all about planning ahead. During the 2nd round, when you have a squadron coming up and a nav token banked from round one (normally or through Garm), look at the board state and try to predict if you can avoid incoming ships and still be in command range of where your squadrons might end up this round. Then, slot in another squadron or navigate as appropriate.

If you have a carrier, all the time. Adar Talon isn't going to pay for himself just sitting there, and neither will your fighters. That said I usually always take my AF as my carrier going speed 2, so I have decent maneuverability.

I use it much the same as I do every other command.

As Appropriate.

Spamming a Command usually means one of two things...

a) You are supremely confident in your abilities to use what you have to conquer the enemy.

b) You are making up for a shortfall in how you fight by taking things all in one direction.

oh, I did forget to mention something

my experience is heavily curtailed by an imp-only (Apart from me ) meta, which is leaning towards ship heavy

there is one time where you would just spam squadron commands even if it means losing out on navigation, and it's when you're trying to win squadron superiority (especially with a Flight Controllers ship)

Never. I don't run squadrons, too much of an opportunity cost.

Like many others have said, it largely depends upon your use of squadrons. If I have a plan/fleet that intends to actually do damage with them, then usually on turns two and three I activate them with the squadron command and then as needed later if I don't need Engineering or Navigate. If you just have a small squadron base meant to slow down or screen enemy fighters/bombers, then one activation on turn two is probably all you'll need. There is no easy answer. It's like asking which model of car is the best. It just depends.

Never.

Unless I'm running squadrons...which is almost never. But then usually on turns two and three.

I don't always squadron command, but when I do...

I squadron command a Dos Equis.

I don't like dedicated carrier builds and tend to run three squadrons in my current 300 point lists (but will run more after wave 2). Since I run three, which is the number of squadrons VSD can activate, I run one command turn 2 on one VSD and then another turn three on the other VSD (keeping the fighters close enough for this to work of course). To decide which one goes first, I usually pick the one closer to the enemy and more likely to be harmed that way I can start spamming engineering tokens on turn 3 and still be able to activate squadrons that turn. Usually my three HPs Ties/Interceptors don't last long after that (or are at least stuck in) so that I don't need anymore than two squadron commands

For many reasons, I think playing squads will be easier post-Wave 2. Specifically relevant to this conversation will be the ability to better designate carriers (if you so desire) at 400 points and with more ship variety. Right now, your carriers also have to carry more weight as allrounders because you're fielding fewer ships.

It's very likely your Corrupter is also your flagship; your Yavaris is probably only being escorted by a single AFMkII, making it an easier target to get to (thus necessitating more defensive commands).

At 400 points you can: bring large ships with bigger squad values that make each squad command more impactful; have enough points to run a dedicated carrier that can spam squad commands; have multiple ships with high squad values that you can popcorn squad commands between (Vic A squad commands a bomber wing into range of Vic B, Vic B squad commands the bomber wing next turn).