There is no problem with Tarkin because Tarkin is good for any kind of list he's attached to. Different commanders do different things, and you'll find a lot of people like Screed because he's delivering the hit-crit result on Gladiators and thereby ensuring the special effect triggers (for ACMs). For me, I take Screed in my current list because I like reliably kicking Overload pulse on whatever the Avenger is pointed at. Tarkin feels watered down in comparison but this is because Tarkin can help your fleet in other ways, like getting navigation and engineering commands pretty much at will. Just as long as your whole fleet needs that command.

I'm not sure how qualified I am to comment on this holding an Imperial Star Destroyer (You really can't go back to pure wave 1 after experiencing the power of that thing), but I'll chip in anyway.

For the most part the Empire is a slow-moving defensive force. Sure, we do have some fast ships in the Gladiator and the Raider but these are more like concessions to variety than ships that specialize in that role. If they did, the Gladiator would have more clicks on its dial and not rely on things like Navigation teams and a command to give it the legendary manueveability it wants. CR-90s meanwhile do this without trying.

So with that in mind focus on slower engagements on your end, especially in wave 1, and try to pick where you want the engagement to happen. Being player 2 can be easy in this regard since not only are you playing to your objectives but you can help set-up the terrain by placing the first obstacle. Placing the space station is a good start because it benefits whomever gets there first. Also being forward-arc dependent on your VSDs, you have a bonus of being able to fire sooner than your opponent when they come into range.

Firepower is also to your advantage because in Wave 1, only the assault frigate can match your ships gun-for-gun, and it has to have broadsides to target to do this. You need to fly head-on to your victim, and your defense tokens help you do this. Barring any accuracy, those two redirects are meant to utilize either side of your VSD while preserving the front arc for the next turn. Your hull is also superior to the rebels, don't be afraid to take some damage if it means utterly squashing a CR-90 that is stupid enough to get into close range.

VSD-Is can be kitted out to lethal degrees (With expanded launchers) but you will suffer trying to get them into range to hit a target. Until tractor beams become mainstream, you'll need to deploy in such a way that you can respond to how you predict the rebels will move. I usually drop in a corner.

For fighters, know that your ships are all specialists, and that specialization is killing enemy starfighters. TIE Interceptors are my go-to fighter because they are lethal no matter what they do... attack or be attacked they can cause damage. TIE Fighters are cheap swarmers that can be used to take fighters out of the capital ship contest (by engaging them), and Bombers are just there. To Bomb. Take Rhymer because no matter what the starfighter all of them will now shoot at medium range, giving us the Empire's most popular fighter tool in the game: The Rhymer ball.

If nothing else learning the Wave 1 empire will help you prepare for Wave 2. Having learned on VSDs, Imperials will be large pleasant breaths of fresh air because of their expanded capabilities and attack power. Raiders now give the empire a corvette of their own, but in my mind I'm thinking of what kinds of utility weapons to offload to them from my VSDs to put more ships in my list. Still when building for empire I still reach for some good Wave 1 tools.

Ok, so what I've gathered so far is, play more defensively, let his bombers get close enough that I can make proper use of squadron commands, because ideally if he keeps his Cap's in command range, they'll also be in pummel range of my main guns. I had no idea Howlrunner stacked with counter attack, that just makes the Interceptors even more awesome. Having my second fighter pack should really help. Also don't over extend my GSD, keep it back for mopping up rather than trying to spike forward with it. Alternatively, try using it for goat herding.

And really try getting into objectives when we feel we've gotten a better handle on things. Because more so than the time limit, that seems to be what's killing me. I need to control the field and I can't do that in a free for all match.

Thanks all! I'll have a game tomorrow and I'll see how it goes now. I need to get better with the Imps because I basically refuse to play Rebels. I've even thought about looking into a custom Republic fleet as an alternative lol, but that's expensive.

At 300 points I like 4-5 Fighters, be it standard TIE's or Interceptors. I also always run 1 or 2 Advanced. That escort saves TIE's for at least one turn. Typically 60-70 points depending on the build. It's just enough to slow opponents down at worst.

There is no problem with Tarkin because Tarkin is good for any kind of list he's attached to. Different commanders do different things, and you'll find a lot of people like Screed because he's delivering the hit-crit result on Gladiators and thereby ensuring the special effect triggers (for ACMs). For me, I take Screed in my current list because I like reliably kicking Overload pulse on whatever the Avenger is pointed at. Tarkin feels watered down in comparison but this is because Tarkin can help your fleet in other ways, like getting navigation and engineering commands pretty much at will. Just as long as your whole fleet needs that command.

I'm not sure how qualified I am to comment on this holding an Imperial Star Destroyer (You really can't go back to pure wave 1 after experiencing the power of that thing), but I'll chip in anyway.

I've been using a Raider II as an overload pulse missile with Avenger and Screed, I haven't got it down quite right (not used to small, hyper maneuverable, super squishy ships) but when it comes off its amazing! I have tried both keeping the little guy cheek-by-jowl with the ISD and also as a flanker that shoots in if the rebels take the bait and go for the ISD en masse. I have yet to field both my raiders but I'm mulling over a list that might work.

Ok, so what I've gathered so far is, play more defensively, let his bombers get close enough that I can make proper use of squadron commands, because ideally if he keeps his Cap's in command range, they'll also be in pummel range of my main guns. I had no idea Howlrunner stacked with counter attack, that just makes the Interceptors even more awesome. Having my second fighter pack should really help. Also don't over extend my GSD, keep it back for mopping up rather than trying to spike forward with it. Alternatively, try using it for goat herding.

And really try getting into objectives when we feel we've gotten a better handle on things. Because more so than the time limit, that seems to be what's killing me. I need to control the field and I can't do that in a free for all match.

Thanks all! I'll have a game tomorrow and I'll see how it goes now. I need to get better with the Imps because I basically refuse to play Rebels. I've even thought about looking into a custom Republic fleet as an alternative lol, but that's expensive.

Yeah! You are getting it. Remember that if you pull his squadrons out first and keep yours back and keep your ships slow the added benefit is that you will likely be out of long range of most his fleet when squadrons engage, this frees you to use some arcs as anti-squadron and that means a shot at every one of his fighters in arc at medium range. Combined with the other synergies this typically spells the end for most fighter swarms as the option is either keep them together and suffer cumulative damage from all those sources or keep them apart and be picked off piecemeal.

I hope to see you come back on here to tell us about your Imperial victory and your opponent wondering wtf happened

For what it's worth, I pulled together a blog post recently on my philosophy for Imperial fleet doctrine in Wave 1. The key points have been well covered in the posts above, but I would boil it down to:

- Engage the enemy at favourable range for your match-up

- Seek to box in your enemy where possible and force bad choices

- Navigate, navigate, navigate - who wins the battle of manoeuvre wins the battle

http://preparethefleet.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/imperial-tactica.html?m=1

If you are playing against yourself then that isn't a great test. The imperials rely on out maneuvuring and trapping the rebels and you can't really simulate that without an opponent. You need to play hammer and anvil. Gladiators run wide to sweep the AF into the jaws of the VSD. If the AF exit the kill zone you will lose. If they do not you will win. Everything else is largely irrelevant.

Rhino, if I had people to play against I'd happily do so. Unfortunately I have a limited base of people who play available.