What would you NEVER leave home without and why?

Gunnery Team?

Titles Devastator, Avenger, Relentless?

ECM? AP?

Wulff, Needa, Monferrate?

How essential do you think tractor beams are going to be?

Boosted coms, Hanger bays?

HTT/XI7?

And how many points would you risk on an ISD? With a commander I can find myself with over 180 points, which creates QUITE a target

Anything I've missed?

Isd 2, gunnery team, avenger, sw-7 batteries, possibly ECM and a commander

Needa for taste

ISD-1 is probably just T-beam and gunnery team with either avenger or relentless. Boosted comms if squadron heavy.

Havn't even found out if I can afford an ISD yet

.. Gotta get more Commissions before I can do that...

But I'm notoriously Cheap when it comes to ships. The more you put on, the more obvious a target it is, and the more you'll feel a loss when it finally goes up.

Like most Star Destroyers, Gunnery Team is a first consideration... Then ECM or AP for the Second... That'll depend on what I feel about XI-7 saturation when the time comes. But I don't know if I'll do much more than that... I do want to toy around with Tractor Beams, but again, I'm not sure at the moment.

Don't forget sw5 on and ISD2, that's another potent card, especially paired with Avenger.

ISD II, Gunnery Team, ECM, XI7, Avenger would be my minimum. 145 pt. I find XI7 absolutely necessary to stop redirects, especially with the new Advanced Projector errata. Also, I wouldn't put the commander on the ISD. This makes it 170+ points and you will probably lose the match in most cases where you lose the ISD.

Last game I also played Tractor beams, though I did not feel as they did much. If going all out on upgrades, add SW-7 and an officer (Needa, Tactical expert or Navigation officer would be my picks here).

I agree with that statement, Anomander... The Commander might look at a Slower Victory as their flagship, since they have Ablative ISD armour that way...

.. "I AM ABLATIVE ARMOUR. LIFE IS BORING, THEN BRIEFLY EXCITING, THEN OVER. I AM ABLATIVE ARMOUR. LIFE IS BORING, THEN BRIEFLY EXCITING, THEN OVER. I AM ABLATIVE ARMOUR. LIFE IS BORING, THEN BRIEFLY EXCITING, THEN OVER. ... "

Funny thing about the ISD is that it takes SO long to chew through youbmight not even be able to shoot it while other threats (such as GSDs) exist on the table

At least, that's what I found playing v Vader isd and 3 gsds. Had to ignore the ISD even after it devoured the yavaris and just climb to a win atop the broken bodies of the smaller imperial ships

I think you overestimate its durability. It can die to concentrated fire quite easily. I had mine stripped of shields by two VSDs and then killed by a Gladiator. Ackbar can also kill you in 4-5 volleys. However, the nice thing is you will always get to fire back and take at least one enemy with you (ideally you want to take two down). I found speed 3 essential in closing to medium range so that you can get those blue accuracy results. After that things in front of you tend to explode . As long as you can kill two enemy medium ships you got your points back and might even come out ahead in the exchange. Just make sure you don't run out of the table as I never think of that until turn 4 and by then it might be too late if you are at 3 and don't have navigate commands lined up. Here the navigation officer or Wulff would come in handy.

Relentless.

Every other card is an afterthought. Unless you are running double ISDs, far and away the best upgrade is Relentless. Relentless can outhink and outplay any enemy ship in the game. Unlike the VSD, MC80, or AF2 you'll never have to worry about a bad maneuver, you'll never have to worry about having the wrong dial. When at the head of a fleet of Gladiators and Raiders, the Relentless isn't trying to stay relevant for the shifting plans necessary to get all those ships into position, because it's setting command dials at the same time they are. When facing down other Command 3 ships, Relentless adapts to the coming fight as it is instead of the fight you hoped for.

Avenger's good. Devastator's good. Relentless is good and ready for the fight even when those ships aren't.

ECMs are an absolute must. Going up against an Ackbar volley, your opponent will most likely get an accuracy and shut down your brace. ECMs massively increases survivability for the ISD by keeping brace in play.

ECMs are an absolute must. Going up against an Ackbar volley, your opponent will most likely get an accuracy and shut down your brace. ECMs massively increases survivability for the ISD by keeping brace in play.

I keep thinking this too. Im still going to try a plain ol ISD1 though. Use it as bait.. mwhaha

If Vader isn't the admiral, then Leading Shots, every time.

Agree on the leading shots if no vader.

I'm thinking of trying an ISD 1 with xi7s, gunnery teams and devastator.(vader commanding). Some rough simulation suggests if it can close it will be doing around 7 damage plus accuracy, which means hull damage on almost anything on the first volley.

Also think either relentless or Nav officer so I can slow down and turn.