Hey all im looking into being Squadron Heavy and I really like the Independence for this im looking at making it look like this:
MC80 Command Crusier 106
-Dodonna 20
-Electronic Countermeasures 7
-Expanded Hanger Bay 5
-Wing Commander 6
-Engine Techs 8
-Independence 8
-H9 Turbolasers 8
im thinking I am loading it up too much but I want to get yalls thoughts, obviously I want to have a bunch of B-wings here but I know ill need at least 2 other ships. but that is for another time
MC-80 command cruiser (106)
-Garm (25)
-ECM (7)
-Boosted Comms (4)
-Independence (7)
[149]
at most, add a token mitigating turbo-laser
spend too much on the ship and you'll have no room for bombers!
even the above Mc-80 w/ 3 b-wings, Keyan, & Jan can only fit:
@ 400 points
really, though, the only essential upgrades are Independence (duh) and Comms. Everything else is luxury.
Remember, Squadrons don't care about your arc, so you don't really need E-techs as you might (still think it's rather expensive) on a shooty MC-80 like Defiance for hull-zone orienting purposes
Edited by ficklegreendiceMC-80 command cruiser (106)
-Garm (25)
-ECM (7)
-Boosted Comms (4)
-Independence (7)
[149]
at most, add a token mitigating turbo-laser
spend too much on the ship and you'll have no room for bombers!
really, though, the only essential upgrades are Independence (duh) and Comms. Everything else is luxury.
Remember, Squadrons don't care about your arc, so you don't really need E-techs as you might (still think it's rather expensive) on a shooty MC-80 like Defiance for hull-zone orienting purposes
Pretty much this.
When you're building your fleet, you really need to make some hard choices about the roles your ships will take. Don't get lured in by making them good at everything; that's just going to make your ship really expensive, and it still won't be as good as having two ships for that cost.
In this case, if you're making the MC80 into a carrier, focus your upgrades on that role and let the other things handle themselves. Is this going to be kept at long range? Maybe instead of a defensive upgrade, give it Projection Experts to keep the ships screening it from attack up instead. Is it going to be diving into the middle of the enemy, throwing turbolaser shots out alongside the fighters? A defensive upgrade would certainly be good there to protect your point investment.
Bottom line: give your ship a role and kit it out to fill that.
although, you also gotta be careful about "over kiting" for a role
I've seen quite a few people go overboard on a single carrier (like Adar + hangars + controllers + haven, or Cheri + hangars + corrupter + flight controllers) and then cry foul on squadrons when said point-sink is destroyed and the squadrons left adrift.
although you shouldn't plan on having the MC-80 dying, overloading it to the point where it's the only effective carrier is going to play havoc on maintaining effective squadron usage while also keeping away from the enemy. It is almost always more effective to spread the power/responsibility out across as many ships as possible (good ole Escort Nebs 
)
with the introduction of boosted comms, however, commanding squadrons from a safe distance is easier than ever 
That's very true, and someone bringing Chirrenannneaueeau and Corrupter along with Flight Controllers isn't really kitting out for the role. They need to decide if they're focused more on anti-squads or making bombing runs, and pick accordingly. I think of it as doing that thing well and planning around the lack of the other thing, but if I get some of the other thing out of them that's a bonus.
I'd take admiral cheery and flight controllers for a mauler led tie fight screen. Using mauler as a finisher and essentially interceptors. Wouldn't add corruptor, although cheery, flight controllers, and corrupted in a mauler, rhymer, bomber ball sounds innovative at least
I'd be going with General Rieekan if I'm taking Independence and going squadron heavy.
Then I would go with Hero combos like Dutch, Wedge, and Jan ors. For sure go with 4 hero pilots.
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions indicated:
Column 1
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton
Column 2
North Carolina:
William Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Arthur Middleton
Column 3
Massachusetts:
John Hancock
Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton
Column 4
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Franklin
John Morton
George Clymer
James Smith
George Taylor
James Wilson
George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney
George Read
Thomas McKean
Column 5
New York:
William Floyd
Philip Livingston
Francis Lewis
Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton
John Witherspoon
Francis Hopkinson
John Hart
Abraham Clark
Column 6
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett
William Whipple
Massachusetts:
Samuel Adams
John Adams
Robert Treat Paine
Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
William Williams
Oliver Wolcott
New Hampshire:
Matthew Thornton
TL;DR, in the most offensive way possible.
Independence eh. . . hmmmmm
MC80 Command Crusier (106)
General Dodonna (20)
Independence (8)
Boosted Comms (4)
Raymus Antillies (7)
ECM's (7)
152 total.
Boosted Comms allows me to continually get those speed 4 squadrons to attack or re-position as needed. ECM/s help in survival, Dodonna assists in making crits much stronger.
There is a case to add in Wing Commander or one of the other command suite to make things easier but that comes down to how you play.
I'm all for joke posts, but when they're that long they go from funny to just annoying. Bordering on spam.
If you want to build Independence just to fling B-Wings (and YT-1300s?), I'd keep it cheap. +Boosted Comms, +Independence. That should be plenty, and then include other minor upgrades as necessary - just be aware that using the Squadron command more consistently will make some of your other upgrades less beneficial (as you won't be using Navigate/Engineering/Concentrate Fire to get subtle benefits for positioning, longevity, or attack power).
If you've got some kind of silly combo in mind like flinging a character ace or B-Wing to the Yavaris to double-tap, you can include Adar Tallon as well. That's one long bomb from downtown.
Remember, Squadrons don't care about your arc, so you don't really need E-techs as you might (still think it's rather expensive) on a shooty MC-80 like Defiance for hull-zone orienting purposes
The engine techs are best used not for hull-zone orienting purposes, but instead for running-away purposes. It gives the B-wings more time to soften the target up before you engage. 
I'd got with Raymus, Engine Techs, Boosted Comms, and Independence. You can maneuver and maintain your distance more optimally.
I don't tend to go for XI-7's or disabling turbolasers as I find that squadrons tend to strip all the shields (and defensive tokens) off a target, negating their redirect anyways.
It's useful to have an AFII able to give squadron commands if necessary, equipped with Flight Controllers. But that's eating a lot more points too.
Remember that even if you have no shields on a hull zone e you can still redirect damage from that hull zone.
So while squadrons can strip one side of shields the opponent will still have options to shift damage.
As has been said, I am leaning toward just the title, ECMs, and Boosted Comms. It leaves room for more ships/squadrons. Do yourself and grab Boosted Comms over Expanded Hangars at a minimum. Independence really really wants it.
Well, I'll let you know once I have an MC80 to build out.
And I loved the Independence 'spam' post. Haha
Agreed. By far my favorite troll post in a good while.
There was an embarrassingly-long period of "what... the... fffffOOOOHHHH right, because Independence!" Can't say I didn't appreciate it. I blew air out my nose slightly harder than normal.
There is a case to add in Wing Commander or one of the other command suite to make things easier but that comes down to how you play.
Surely on a carrier you'll be spamming squadron commands, so the engineering captain (or whatever he's called) would be good? That way you can swap a squadron to engineering command if you take a bit too much damage one turn. Just a thought
Adar Tallon? 10 points, but could provide some interesting options.
There is a case to add in Wing Commander or one of the other command suite to make things easier but that comes down to how you play.
Surely on a carrier you'll be spamming squadron commands, so the engineering captain (or whatever he's called) would be good? That way you can swap a squadron to engineering command if you take a bit too much damage one turn. Just a thought
Well, that's the thing about carrier ships and squadrons in general. You basically lose the option to issue commands because you're spending all your time issuing Squadron commands. With Wing Commander, you can just give yourself orders as normal and whenever you need that squadron command, you've got it. This gives you the full suite of commands, with the option of always taking squadron when needed.
The other way, always spamming squadron commands and then using an Engineering captain to change your command limits you to Engineering or Squadron only. You don't want to risk throwing a Navigate or Concentrate Fire into your stack in case you really need a squadron command on that particular turn, which leaves your guns operating at less than optimal efficiency and leaves you very vulnerable to tractor beams. Not to mention just being plain slow and hard to maneuver. When you know you can swap your dial to a Squadron command at will, it gives you a lot more flexibility.
Edited by ChucknuckleWell, that's the thing about carrier ships and squadrons in general. You basically lose the option to issue commands because you're spending all your time issuing Squadron commands. With Wing Commander, you can just give yourself orders as normal and whenever you need that squadron command, you've got it. This gives you the full suite of commands, with the option of always taking squadron when needed.The other way, always spamming squadron commands and then using an Engineering captain to change your command limits you to Engineering or Squadron only. You don't want to risk throwing a Navigate or Concentrate Fire into your stack in case you really need a squadron command on that particular turn, which leaves your guns operating at less than optimal efficiency and leaves you very vulnerable to tractor beams. Not to mention just being plain slow and hard to maneuver. When you know you can swap your dial to a Squadron command at will, it gives you a lot more flexibility.Surely on a carrier you'll be spamming squadron commands, so the engineering captain (or whatever he's called) would be good? That way you can swap a squadron to engineering command if you take a bit too much damage one turn. Just a thoughtThere is a case to add in Wing Commander or one of the other command suite to make things easier but that comes down to how you play.
Pretty much Wing Commander allows a player to ignore the squadron part of the dial until they need it. You can throw in your Navigation and Repair commands as needed thus making your carrier that much harder to destroy.
Wow. That's an excellent thought. Basically the complete opposite to how I was thinking about it. Can't believe I didn't think of that. Seems I have the tactical finesse of a brick 
Wow. That's an excellent thought. Basically the complete opposite to how I was thinking about it. Can't believe I didn't think of that. Seems I have the tactical finesse of a brick
I did not look at it that way exactly either. Chucknuckle has a great mind for explaining things.
Wow - yes, squadron commander does look good! The opportunity cost is Intel officer or Raymus, both of which are really good on the MC80 . Which is probably why I had not considered SC before. Is having the flexibility worth it?