I've been stuck listening to my entire play group (Imperials and Rebels) gushing over how awesome Admiral Ackbar is.

So I've been taking time out of my time brain-storming about possible counters to this (lazy) strategy. (Which is strange... I'm a Rebel player... I should be endorsing him.)

So to list off what I've been able to figure:

1. His ability Forces you to use your Left and Right hull zones. Huge, HUGE weakness! So all you have to do is stay in either his front or rear hull zone! (Mind you... this will be significantly easier with smaller ships.) (Squadrons are an expectable alternative. But thus far, there is no cost effective anti-squadron options, excluding the Named Raider Corvettes.)

2. You have to take out the Commander's carrier ship. So either a MC-30 or Gladiator can achieve that. (As sort of a speed bump.)

3. Deployment is going to be easier to predict.

4. Ackbar is only a reasonable commander when you have more than three ships.

So obviously I'm not the only one who sees the BS in the Ackbar strategy. I'd love to see someone else's perspective!

He's not hard to counter. Put a glad in front of the lead ship "boxing" the front arc. Making them bump into each other. GG.

Mass squadrons also does the trick. Just blop at them turn after turn.

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Edit: I've had real table experience of both of these. Not just theory.

Boxing in the MC80 can be effective, but dodging those frankly gigantic side arcs is nowhere near as easy on the table as it seems in theory.

They are massive, and more often than not if he has a front arc shot on you he also has you in at least one side, unless you're a small ship.

A more viable strategy than trying to dodge their massive sides is to approach with most of your ships on one side, limiting their shots to singles and giving your own ships cover.

Squadrons also take them apart.

Basically the best way to deal with Ackbar is to burn down whatever ship Ackbar is on. If he's out of the fight, that's a lot of Red Dice that have gone away. Problems with that is that he is probably on the biggest, nastiest thing, and your opponent isn't going to be nice about deploying him first to facilitate focus fire.

GSDs parking in front of the flagship, squadron attacks (Ackbar isn't likely going to be bringing a lot of squadrons, both because of his cost and the cost of taking other big side arc ships to take advantage of him), swarming more ships than he can shoot into the arcs, and using all your favorite tricks to make sure a specific target dies ASAP (NK-7s, Intel Officer, ACM, APT, etc).

There's no way to really mitigate the Ackbar advantage until he's not on the table anymore.

Can confirm:

Approaching Ackbar's flagship is made infinitely more difficult when there are multiple CR-90s schooling around it spitting out Assault Frigate level broadsides.

I really hate that walking filet-o-fish.

Boxing in the MC80 can be effective, but dodging those frankly gigantic side arcs is nowhere near as easy on the table as it seems in theory.

They are massive, and more often than not if he has a front arc shot on you he also has you in at least one side, unless you're a small ship.

A more viable strategy than trying to dodge their massive sides is to approach with most of your ships on one side, limiting their shots to singles and giving your own ships cover.

Squadrons also take them apart.

A good technique is to use the tractor beams to mess the gunline up because have no doubt, there will be a gunline and if you trip that lead ship up. . .

Good! GOOD!! Feel the dark side flowing through you! Let it make you stronger!!

But always expecting the enemy to utilize a conga line is absolutely silly!

But always expecting the enemy to utilize a conga line is absolutely silly!

Have you played the 3AFs? Have you found a different deployment you can share? Because I've tried different ones. So far conga seems to be the best.

Two conga lines of two ships seems like the best bet.

But always expecting the enemy to utilize a conga line is absolutely silly!

Have you played the 3AFs? Have you found a different deployment you can share? Because I've tried different ones. So far conga seems to be the best.

Two conga lines of ships seem like the best option.

I still maintain that the Assault frigate is awesome!

Even though the VSD is by far the most cost effective ship there is!

But always expecting the enemy to utilize a conga line is absolutely silly!

Even without expecting the gunline the tractor beams still stop the smaller fish and keep them in range.

As for anger or hatred, I play rebels almost exclusively and I LOVE Akbar

One AFII to the left flank, one to the Right.

Third with no upgrades goes for the slash.

The best way to counter Ackbar is massed squadrons attacking while your shops are out of range or with the Rogue keyword. Ackbar gets no benefits against squadrons and they can rapidly deplete shields and hull.

I've beaten him, but that was as much luck as skill. He's scary as hell.

The best strategy I can suggest, aside from mirroring is fighters. Lots of fighters. Lots of Rhymer's friends, with long range. Tractor beams as well. With an unofficial most wanted on him, every single time he plays. Because that's some BS.

Another interesting idea is the obstructed speed 3 officer on an ISD. Admiral Montferrat, which half counters him. (All attacks are considered obstructed (except Jaina's Light), until you ram someone.) If you are going to hit someone, and it's an ISD, there's a good chance of blowing them out of the way first.

Last one is Tractor beams, and ISDs. Granted, you'll take punishment, but an ISD should be able to slow it. If you've got two, a high speed run in, is going to hurt him badly.

Echoing squardons, because mr fish face can't counter them for ****

Idk about "massed", though. Four Sillies or B-wings (Independence a must for Bs or you won't catch ****) will rip an AFmk2 apart in short order, as do Rhymer Bombers

The isd-2, properly positioned (i.e, don't let him focus fire! Discourage that **** with some flanking or at least putting a bunch of other star destroyers in the way) with four bombers as support will eviscerate fatties

for Rebels, it's going to be a boosted comms mc-80 or Afmk2-B leading the bombers to victory while keeping at the very edge of the Akbar formation to take ideally only one ship shot a turn

Yep. Use tractor beams to slow the MC80 down to speed 1, wait until it is isolated from it's support and then strike.

Echoing squardons, because mr fish face can't counter them for ****

Idk about "massed", though. Four Sillies or B-wings (Independence a must for Bs or you won't catch ****) will rip an AFmk2 apart in short order, as do Rhymer Bombers

The isd-2, properly positioned (i.e, don't let him focus fire! Discourage that **** with some flanking or at least putting a bunch of other star destroyers in the way) with four bombers as support will eviscerate fatties

for Rebels, it's going to be a boosted comms mc-80 or Afmk2-B leading the bombers to victory while keeping at the very edge of the Akbar formation to take ideally only one ship shot a turn

I swear half the time I've no idea what you're saying, my friend.

What in blazes is a 'silly'??

Speak English, dammit!

Silly is the new nickname for the Scurrg bombers =)

http://starwars-armada.wikia.com/wiki/Scurrg_H-6

It's a terrible nickname.

It is indeed a horrible, nonsensical nickname. No idea how it started, but seems to have stuck with at least some people.

On topic, squadrons will do well against Ackbar fleets built for max firepower. So far i'm finding they are much more dangerous if they compromise a bit for a decent fighter screen though....you don't have to KILL the incoming bombers, just tie them up for a few turns. A-Wings of course are the kings at this.

Hey, leave Akbar alone!! He's our only hope

It is indeed a horrible, nonsensical nickname. No idea how it started, but seems to have stuck with at least some people.

On topic, squadrons will do well against Ackbar fleets built for max firepower. So far i'm finding they are much more dangerous if they compromise a bit for a decent fighter screen though....you don't have to KILL the incoming bombers, just tie them up for a few turns. A-Wings of course are the kings at this.

Having played a few Bomber using Wave 2 lists now, relying on an A-wing tie up just doesn't work worth a **** any more. Bombers bomb, A wings tie up, Intel tags the A wings, Bombers moonwalk out of there and bomb again without losing a turn. Heck they don't even need to move(or need a Squadron Command) if their target is still in range.

Intel has changed the squadron game completely.

Two conga lines of two ships seems like the best bet.

But always expecting the enemy to utilize a conga line is absolutely silly!

Have you played the 3AFs? Have you found a different deployment you can share? Because I've tried different ones. So far conga seems to be the best.

Two conga lines of ships seem like the best option.

I still maintain that the Assault frigate is awesome!

Even though the VSD is by far the most cost effective ship there is!

Cool, I'll just engage the closest line while ignoring the one thats out of range.

Intel does make tying stuff up much trickier, no doubt about it. Thats good IMO, it was a little too easy before.

Intel has changed the squadron game completely.

I'm curious as to how Intel is going to play out in the long run. It certainly makes tying up squadrons much more difficult and seems to reward actively destroying squadrons (using either Rogue squadrons with an anti-squadron bent or Squadron-command-activated generic fighters) rather than just tying them up and ignoring them for subsequent phases. It certainly gives something to Imperial players looking to use Rhymer balls to blow through the Ackbar Conga Line.