How do imperials deal with the Assault Frigate Congo line? VSDs are so slow. The only thing I have found to work is to get a Gladiator in front to block. There has to be other tactics that can be used, otherwise the game gets a bit stale.

How do imperials deal with the Assault Frigate Congo line? VSDs are so slow. The only thing I have found to work is to get a Gladiator in front to block. There has to be other tactics that can be used, otherwise the game gets a bit stale.

May I introduce you to wave 2??

Or failing that, the infamous Rhymerball

Wave 1, man. There's limited tactics (on both sides).

The solution is Wave 2, and that's ASAP now...

The Game is somewhat stale when you're not playing with the full Quiver of Basic options.

See Imperial Class Star Destroyer, released this week. Drive said Star Destroyer at front ship of Conga line. Conga line breaks apart trying to avoid the speed 3 monster with gunnery teams. Used it several times now. I don't know if it should be called Wave II or the 'Other Half' of the core game.

See Imperial Class Star Destroyer, released this week. Drive said Star Destroyer at front ship of Conga line. Conga line breaks apart trying to avoid the speed 3 monster with gunnery teams. Used it several times now. I don't know if it should be called Wave II or the 'Other Half' of the core game.

HA! Kinda true. It's very clear the game was designed with everything in the game through wave 2 at least in mind. But its not like it was when all we had was the core set and no wave 1, and we were really only playing a demo. Wave 1 had a deep variety of tactics given the number of models available. Its just that we're all so familiar with them now.

See Imperial Class Star Destroyer, released this week. Drive said Star Destroyer at front ship of Conga line. Conga line breaks apart trying to avoid the speed 3 monster with gunnery teams. Used it several times now. I don't know if it should be called Wave II or the 'Other Half' of the core game.

I have actually tried an ISD (won one at Sullust) It got killed by Ackbar broadsides from 2-3 AF2B with XI7 turbolasers before I could actually kill anything. 5 reds and a blue hurt when they roll at least one accuracy to negate the brace and those side arcs are difficult to avoid with a large base.

See Imperial Class Star Destroyer, released this week. Drive said Star Destroyer at front ship of Conga line. Conga line breaks apart trying to avoid the speed 3 monster with gunnery teams. Used it several times now. I don't know if it should be called Wave II or the 'Other Half' of the core game.

I have actually tried an ISD (won one at Sullust) It got killed by Ackbar broadsides from 2-3 AF2B with XI7 turbolasers before I could actually kill anything. 5 reds and a blue hurt when they roll at least one accuracy to negate the brace and those side arcs are difficult to avoid with a large base.

Why aren't you running ECMs? The ISD-II gives you this option to help you hang around longer. The only thing ECM ISDs have to fear is Intelligence Officer, but even then you can pop it when you need to for the most heinous amount of damage. If you're paranoid, take an Engineering Captain on the ISD as well.

If you choose to use an ISD-I, I'd recommend fighters with boosted comms so that you're at least staying out of blue range until you can get closer, and your fighters are doing most of the shooting. Rhymer with Boosted Comms should give you the range to do some damge and let your fighters take the hits for you in place of your ISD.

When it comes to beating Conga lines I try to deploy in their front arc. Line formations can be dangerous if they decide to split and head on either side of you, so you want to try making the msot out of your forward shots. Fortunately almost every ship in the Imperial navy has heavy front arcs for this, and if GSDs are exchanging broadsides the rebels have more to fear from the most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

Electronic Countermeasures make sure that Star Destroyer can always use its brace.

just so we are all clear on this and Dano I'm looking at you too it is "congA" line not "congO" line.

just so we are all clear on this and Dano I'm looking at you too it is "congA" line not "congO" line.

Congo lines are a mix of gunpowder and cocaine. Not good for you, apparently.

...the rebels have more to fear from the most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

There are many ways to defeat the congoline with Imperials. If he's running heavy congo with 3+ capital ships, heavy squadrons can give that list a lot of fits. The meta around here have been running heavy Firesprays and they absolutely tear Ackbar's whaling fleet a new one.

The other tactic is of course, to block the congo line or least disrupt its movement so your ISD-II can shut it down hard. Even if you need to ram the other ship, it's well worth the investment. Not only do you severely cripple their movement, but you also do damage to them while your ISD pounds away.

I suggest you position your fleet well before you go in charging. Unless you're fielding heavy heavy squadrons, positioning to stop the congoline is more effective than damage. Damage will come once the line stops and your ISD can freestyle on the enemy ships.

...the rebels have more to fear from the most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

*Second-most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

The lack of a brace token means I cannot agree with you. MC30s are going to absorb -all- of the damage that comes their way, so they'll need Advanced Projectors at least to not instantly die when something heavy shoots at them. Lacking the ability to take Navigation teams is also a markdown on CQC ability. At a glance Mc30s feel more like hit-and-run ships than stand-and-fight ships like the Gladiators, I'll need to fly them to be certain. More dice doesn't necessarily make a better ship.

GSDs with Rapid reload on the other hand look nice throwing five black dice out of the side arcs. Pair with Navigation Teams and Tarkin for some great maneuvering with your favorite title. Pair with screed to ensure maximum hits. Take a GSD-II with Rapid Reload and Sensor Teams to get that accuracy to lock down any brace tokens at close range.

...the rebels have more to fear from the most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

*Second-most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

The lack of a brace token means I cannot agree with you. MC30s are going to absorb -all- of the damage that comes their way, so they'll need Advanced Projectors at least to not instantly die when something heavy shoots at them. Lacking the ability to take Navigation teams is also a markdown on CQC ability. At a glance Mc30s feel more like hit-and-run ships than stand-and-fight ships like the Gladiators, I'll need to fly them to be certain. More dice doesn't necessarily make a better ship.

GSDs with Rapid reload on the other hand look nice throwing five black dice out of the side arcs. Pair with Navigation Teams and Tarkin for some great maneuvering with your favorite title. Pair with screed to ensure maximum hits. Take a GSD-II with Rapid Reload and Sensor Teams to get that accuracy to lock down any brace tokens at close range.

I'm going to have to agree with this. The MC30 wants to get in real close, but its tokens suggest otherwise. I can see this as a flanking ship first and foremost; looking for opportunities to get in the sides and rear of Imperial ships. Definitely not something you will see in every list, especially with blue vs. blue as possible matchups.

...the rebels have more to fear from the most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

*Second-most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

The lack of a brace token means I cannot agree with you. MC30s are going to absorb -all- of the damage that comes their way, so they'll need Advanced Projectors at least to not instantly die when something heavy shoots at them. Lacking the ability to take Navigation teams is also a markdown on CQC ability. At a glance Mc30s feel more like hit-and-run ships than stand-and-fight ships like the Gladiators, I'll need to fly them to be certain. More dice doesn't necessarily make a better ship.

GSDs with Rapid reload on the other hand look nice throwing five black dice out of the side arcs. Pair with Navigation Teams and Tarkin for some great maneuvering with your favorite title. Pair with screed to ensure maximum hits. Take a GSD-II with Rapid Reload and Sensor Teams to get that accuracy to lock down any brace tokens at close range.

An MC30 with Mon Mothma and Foresight may be the hardest kill in the game to date. Add ECM, Lando and it IS the hardest kill to date. Add in ACM & EA on the scout version and it now has teeth too. Be afraid if you see this on the other side of the table.

Option 1: Squadrons

Rhymer is a pain, especially with Intel. Seriously, that was nasty as hell when one of my opponents did that to me. Yes, there are 3 squadrons around there, but no, I can still fire on your ship. It was rather rude.

Even without, 3 or 4 squads in Rhymer's flying circus at medium (or long with upgrade) + 5 (or 6 if you take the VSD upgrade) should do some nasty damage, estimated to be 6-8 in 2 turns, before you even engage ship to ship, for 34 or 43 points.

Option 2:

Take it, on. Depending on the deployment, isolate the last ship, or first ship, and pound it. If they avoid your front arc, they likely won't do much damage.

Option 3: Stop

Seriously, I have had 2 games, where my opponent deployed masterfully to hit me with all of his ships when I moved, he got me on the 1st one, the second, I slowed to speed 0, and took the fire of a single corvette. (as opposed to 2 and 2 AFM2s)

Now I play with squadrons an ISD(2) and a VSD as my fleet, so it's not a glad, and for the most part it's held it's own. (Not perfectly, it's lost. as mentioned, and was almost tabled.)

As a very practiced conga line player I think folks are severely overestimating ECMs. They exhaust on use, so it will only help you for one attack per turn. The real strength of the conga line is that it is really tough to approach without being in multiple firing arcs. One use of an ECM is not enough to be able to barrel right in. Bracing one attack out of four will still get your ISD killed.

Blocking is a good plan, but harder than it sounds with minimal margin for error.

I have had the most trouble when someone can maneuver to force my lead ship into multiple overlapping arcs. Plan a trap and set ships up where the conga line has to fly into overlapping arcs of its own.

The MC30 is both fast enough and maneuverable enough to hide in the front arcs of the conga line, dishing out pain to each ship in the line.

...the rebels have more to fear from the most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

*Second-most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

The lack of a brace token means I cannot agree with you. MC30s are going to absorb -all- of the damage that comes their way, so they'll need Advanced Projectors at least to not instantly die when something heavy shoots at them. Lacking the ability to take Navigation teams is also a markdown on CQC ability. At a glance Mc30s feel more like hit-and-run ships than stand-and-fight ships like the Gladiators, I'll need to fly them to be certain. More dice doesn't necessarily make a better ship.

GSDs with Rapid reload on the other hand look nice throwing five black dice out of the side arcs. Pair with Navigation Teams and Tarkin for some great maneuvering with your favorite title. Pair with screed to ensure maximum hits. Take a GSD-II with Rapid Reload and Sensor Teams to get that accuracy to lock down any brace tokens at close range.

An MC30 with Mon Mothma and Foresight may be the hardest kill in the game to date. Add ECM, Lando and it IS the hardest kill to date. Add in ACM & EA on the scout version and it now has teeth too. Be afraid if you see this on the other side of the table.

Looking at that setup I may have to agree with you on that one, especially with regard to Foresight and Mon-Mothma. You're effectively doubling your token count and ensuring evades are useful at close range. Not having reliable accuracy hurts, but with four red dice there's a good chance you might get something. If you don't that's still a pretty decent dice pool. The cost of that setup is 128 points and Mon Mothma being your dictated Admiral.

Thanks for mentioning that, I'll have to keep in mind when I get around to writing a tactical article about the MC30.

Depending on what else is across the table I'd probably make that a high priority for the Avenger hammer or swarming fighters. I considered using a Raider to intercept it, but with that dice pool I don't think I want to get anywhere near the side arcs. I wonder what effect a good fighter cloud hitting it will do to the defense token mix, wondering if it is a way to force Foresight to spend its defense tokens in an un-optimal way.

...the rebels have more to fear from the most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

*Second-most dangerous close-combatant ship in the game.

The lack of a brace token means I cannot agree with you. MC30s are going to absorb -all- of the damage that comes their way, so they'll need Advanced Projectors at least to not instantly die when something heavy shoots at them. Lacking the ability to take Navigation teams is also a markdown on CQC ability. At a glance Mc30s feel more like hit-and-run ships than stand-and-fight ships like the Gladiators, I'll need to fly them to be certain. More dice doesn't necessarily make a better ship.

GSDs with Rapid reload on the other hand look nice throwing five black dice out of the side arcs. Pair with Navigation Teams and Tarkin for some great maneuvering with your favorite title. Pair with screed to ensure maximum hits. Take a GSD-II with Rapid Reload and Sensor Teams to get that accuracy to lock down any brace tokens at close range.

An MC30 with Mon Mothma and Foresight may be the hardest kill in the game to date. Add ECM, Lando and it IS the hardest kill to date. Add in ACM & EA on the scout version and it now has teeth too. Be afraid if you see this on the other side of the table.

Looking at that setup I may have to agree with you on that one, especially with regard to Foresight and Mon-Mothma. You're effectively doubling your token count and ensuring evades are useful at close range. Not having reliable accuracy hurts, but with four red dice there's a good chance you might get something. If you don't that's still a pretty decent dice pool. The cost of that setup is 128 points and Mon Mothma being your dictated Admiral.

Thanks for mentioning that, I'll have to keep in mind when I get around to writing a tactical article about the MC30.

Depending on what else is across the table I'd probably make that a high priority for the Avenger hammer or swarming fighters. I considered using a Raider to intercept it, but with that dice pool I don't think I want to get anywhere near the side arcs. I wonder what effect a good fighter cloud hitting it will do to the defense token mix, wondering if it is a way to force Foresight to spend its defense tokens in an un-optimal way.

There are several such builds you can get with the shrimp. My current favorite revolves around Ackbar+TRC+Home One on the torpedo shrimp. You're throwing ISD-1 front arcs out of that (i think minus a red die, but easier to time the CF to make up for it), with a guaranteed brace and a guaranteed double on the red, plus whatever ordnance upgrade you stick on there... The synergies get brutal.

But really I was mostly just needling you for the conception of the Glad being the undisputed close-in champion, didn't mean to derail the thread. The two ships take very different approaches to close-in brawling, and which is better is mostly dependent on who's flying it and how well they handle it. The shrimp is generally speaking a little bit more glass and a little bit more cannon than the Glad.

Agreed, I just can't get behind the MC30 (in general) being the number one better close-in brawler. It might work for the Foresight, but I don't think generic MC30s can do it as well as that title carrier, or as well as generic Gladiators. It's an apple and oranges thing.

This was a bit of a derail but I don't think it was necessarily irrelevant to the discussion. MC30s are going to be part of a conga line and Gladiators are one tool the Empire can use to fight them because they are also broadside attackers.

I'm gonna call it now, sensor teams are going to shine on this ship.

I'm gonna call it now, sensor teams are going to shine on this ship.

Intel officers are quite nice too. I ran one build that had Home One support and IO. Roll one natural accuracy and you can shut down both redirects and IO the brace. And the kicker is, you actually have the firepower behind all that infrastructure to actually force them to use that brace.

^ It's times like that where I feel ECMs are really useful because you still have a choice, even under accuracy, to deflect some amount of damage without playing the IO's game and using up your brace. IOs are the top of the "cancellation" pile (since ECMs won't work on their targets) but it's good that there can only be one of them on a ship, and it exhausts to trigger.

And what ship are you talking about Tirion, the MC30?

As a very practiced conga line player I think folks are severely overestimating ECMs. They exhaust on use, so it will only help you for one attack per turn. The real strength of the conga line is that it is really tough to approach without being in multiple firing arcs. One use of an ECM is not enough to be able to barrel right in. Bracing one attack out of four will still get your ISD killed.

Blocking is a good plan, but harder than it sounds with minimal margin for error.

I have had the most trouble when someone can maneuver to force my lead ship into multiple overlapping arcs. Plan a trap and set ships up where the conga line has to fly into overlapping arcs of its own.

Wait for it...

It's a trap!