I wanted to try a few things tossed out on the latest IFF episode (Pedantic Romantics).

For the Rebs, I wanted to try running the Calamari right up the middle, with Assault Frigates on either side. To keep the MC80 alive, I assembled the Medical Frigate. Expensive... no room for Ackbar or even gunnery teams on the AFs, so I went with a Dodonna/XX-9 for extra crits.

[ REBEL FLEET (394 points)

1 • MC80 Assault Cruiser - General Dodonna - Electronic Countermeasures - Redundant Shields - XX-9 Turbolasers - Home One (161)

2 • Assault Frigate Mark II B - Electronic Countermeasures - XX-9 Turbolasers (84)

3 • Assault Frigate Mark II B - Electronic Countermeasures - XX-9 Turbolasers (84)

4 • Nebulon-B Support Refit - Projection Experts - Redemption (65)

5 • Objectives - Precision Strike - Fire Lanes - Superior Positions (0)

http://armada.fabpsb.net/permalink.php?sq=r18c2d1d3t3f20r8d1t3r8d1t3r4s4f3r0a3a6a12 ]

r18c2d1d3t3f20r8d1t3r8d1t3r4s4f3r0a3a6a12

Starting Fleet Positions:

Imps should've stuck together better... Rebels placed to try and keep the VSDs out of the fight, and opt to catch the ISD between 1 MC80 and both AFIIs (no gunnery teams, remember). But the course was set for Home One to barrel into the VSD front arcs...

Tarkin prepares his fleet for a beating and the VSDs navigate hard to port, trying to cut off the Cruiser. The Assault Frigates maneuver around an asteroid, trying to form up their line. Redemption navigates slowly at 1, being ready to add speed later. End of Round 1

At the end of Round 2, the superior numbers of the rebels have allowed the Imps to suffer the first few strikes. Unfortunately, Home One couldn't land many hits. Warlord trails behind, obstructed, but hoping to catch Home One when he comes out the other side. The Rebels have been careful to line up double arcs on the Avenger. Tarkin is not amused.

Dodonna knows it's too late to turn back. He powers forward between the destroyers, placing the Command ship in harm's way. An old-fashioned broadside battle!

At the end of Round 3, the Avenger is in serious pain. Her ability to brace is gone. While the rebels gunners are poor shots, the sheer volume of their fire has stripped away the shields of the ISD. Worst of all, her gunners are blinded and can no longer fire with accuracy! The Medical Frigate is in real danger too, though. She has no choice but to drive straight at the great behemoth. She daringly moves to speed 2 and closes the gap, knowing she's in range of the ion cannons already. Warlord finally had its opportunity to throw a long-range shot at Dodonna, and the flagship's shields begin to drop. She too burns her brace. At this close range... well, you know.

Unable to accuracy, Avenger fails to deliver enough damage to Redemption to fell her and glides past. But now the Assault Frigates have a clean shot on the engines, achieving a Superior firing Position™. They do the brunt of the work, but it's Redemption that gets to deliver the final blow: 3 clean hits to the side, and she glides past the massive hulk as it spirals out of control. Round 4 ends with a bang. The Rebels feel confident. Maybe too confident . . .

Enraged by the loss of their Grand commander, the captain of the lead VSD rallies his gunners. "Concentrate Fire™ on that Medical Frigate! We must stop that Mon Cal Cruiser from re-shielding!" With Redemption already down to 2 hull, and its side arc woefully exposed, she's no match.

And not even needing the extra dice for her, the VSD turns her guns on Home One with devastating results. The last shield flickers away, and the already damaged hull is exposed. Bulkheads buckle and Dodonna goes down with his ship. The VSD slips past the wreckage . . . right into the side arcs of the embittered Assault Frigates.

At the end of Round 5, the lead VSD has begun to take damage. With well-timed repairs, the new command ship for the Rebels is weakened but holding for now. It seems like it could be close!

http://i.imgur.com/Mt16gA0.jpg

. . . but the VSD's shields are too weak from Dodonna's parting shots. What good are redirects when you have no shields? Fire from the frigates and pinpoint Accuracy™ sends volley after volley of laser blasts into the crippled ship, and she begins to break up.

The Imperials have a lot to explain. In the end, the Rebels snagged 3 shots from behind and the Imperials only one, but the fully-loaded ISD was the prize, netting the Rebels a solid victory.

Reflections: Crits were hard to come by. If the Rebels had had a few more, it would have been even worse. The game was probably won in deployment, though I've hardly had a game where the ISD survived yet (I blame pilot error). Ion stuff was cute, but never came to bear, since the VSDs hardly got into blue range. ECMs are absolutely necessary. Redundant shields are helpful. Redemption/Projection Experts was great, but it's hard to keep her close and alive at the same time. A true "Ackbar Slash" might have done better, actually—the lack of AF gunnery teams would not have been a hindrance; on the other hand, the Neb's sides would've been more exposed. Never tell her the odds—she survived a direct assault on an Imperial Star Destroyer... the first one, at least. I would try the Redemption/Projection Experts trick again . . . but if I spend those 65 points to keep an MC80 alive, I'd rather it be Ackbar... and then I'd rather have 2 AFIIs, gunnery teams, etc...

Next date: $7 CR90 Swarm! (Thanks, Amazon!)

Seems like a great game and good report! Keep them up

I think XI7 Turbolasers would have killed things faster for you than XX-9's. That is just me though.

Probably so. Everyone rolled lots of accuracies. Even so, SW ion canons didn't really deliver. I only used it once or twice when having an extra damage would push me up into an odd number (braced rounding up)

If I'm gonna tank a MC-80 and turn it into a turbolaser sponge I don't leave spacedock without Walex Blisex. The ability to snag that Brace token from the discard pile (and the look of despair on your opponents face) are priceless!

If you replay this battle in your head compare the value of redundant shields against Walex. For Redundant Shields, 8 points bought you 6 additional shields. How many damage would 2 additional "Braces" have mitigated if Walex had given you back your brace?

Indeed... And really only 3 shields, since she took no shots on turn 1 and died on turn 5.