Hi everybody,

I've been doing a bit of research for an upcoming local tournament and I've put together this bad boy. Any criticisms / ideas / thoughts? Would love to hear any opinions.

Any fleet lists that might hard counter this one? Scenarios I should consider?

I myself am not 100% sure about the Insidious title on the gladiator. It seems alright, but I've never actually used it.

link to list:

http://armadawarlords.hivelabs.solutions/view_list.php?token=6293

Cheers!

I like the idea overall. One thing I'd caution you on: Overload Pulse activates after the target has had the chance to use defense tokens, so it doesn't work well on Avenger itself--you would generally want to take it on a separate support ship, which fires first, to enable Avenger to take advantage of it.

Aside from that, the IGG will hit like a truck, and as a Rebel, I wet myself when I see Howlrunner surrounded by clouds of TIE/IN's.

A couple of things. Ditto with Ardaedhel on the overload pulse on Avenger. Unless your opponent is foolish enough to give you advanced gunnery it won't work for the ISD itself. It might be great for setting up Glads but in that case you should probably shed the title because it will want to fire first every game.

Also this list really seems to want initiative due to the glads and the fact that you have no way to protect Howl Runner. Your opponent is incentivised to shoot at her anyway, now you are giving him more of a reason to not shoot at any other squads. I think she could easily die to an alpha before doing anything.

I have never seen Insidious do much but I haven't seen it played much either.

Thanks for the feedback guys. I definitely agree on the overload pulse. In that area, I decided to do a more solid switcharoo:

-Overload Pulse

-Avenger

-Insidious

+Relentless
+Intel Officer

+XI7 Turbolasers

In terms of squadrons, the aim was to have a solid arrangement to tackle other squadrons, whilst also posing a threat to ships if they lacked squadrons. What would you suggest to bolster the squadrons? Perhaps some advanced and Soontir?

Also is needing initiative a bad thing? Should I/is there a way to make it more balanced towards being second player?

I think the changes you made above are to the betterment of the list.

I wouldn't worry to much on having initiative with this list as it is fairly solid with going first or second.

I don't like Hyperspace Assault with it, it leaves one Gladiator horribly exposed, I'd swap that out for Fleet Ambush and have your opponent have to expose some of their fleet to the whole of yours. Your fleet set up lends itself well to savaging one or two ships and then moving against the rest of the opponents fleet.

Insidious is a situational title, but for 3 points, can be golden as throwing black dice at medium range into the weaker shielded rear of ships can be a game changer and it isn't that hard to get a Gladiator into that spot.

I agree that the changes are mostly for the better. Hyperspace Assault is not as good of an option without Insidious. However I have seen it used really effectively not just to ambush an enemy fleet from behind but also for blocking to say drop a glad right in front of a conga line.

I still hold on the initiative comment because Demolisher loves going first and then last to drop the hammer on a big threat and get to safety. Also I still think your squad comp is really susceptible to an alpha because of the 3 health and you will have to be careful not to lose Howl first or let your opponent engage her in a position where he can always choose to shoot her and not the interceptors.

Thanks for the insight on Hyperspace assault. I agree that Fleet Ambush is a more solid choice with less variables to consider. I've done some significant changes, and attached my new list below in a quote.

Squadron composition

I've also made some changes to my squadrons, adding in a Rhymer and a Firespray to threaten ships, with Dengar, Soontir and some advanceds to run protection/squadron disruption. My only issue with running advanceds and Soontir is that unless I'm the one initiating squadron combat, they can engage one ship at a time, leaving the advanceds useless and ignoring Soontir's ability, until I can get everything into the fray. That said, I do think this will prevent any named ships from being alphaed.

Ship composition

I've also swapped out a Demolisher for a raider. I'm not really 100% about this choice. Weighing the two options, Raiders cost 8 less initially, and without needing Ordnance experts, can be 12 less. Their front arc is just as lethal as the Demolishers. At speed 4, it also has the opportunity to be an objective runner in objectives such as Intel Sweep. It isn't as durable as a gladiator though, exchanging a redirect for an evade. At close range, those evades are going to be unfortunately absolutely useless.

With a stronger squadron list, hopefully that will make up for my lack of ships.

On a side note, does anybody know good battle tactics, such as manoeuvres to get in my opponents rear arc without being annihilated by the rebel side-arcs? I understand it's pretty fleet-specific, but anything you guys can recommend would be great.

Screed, Brawling & Dogfighting

Author: Seriaph

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 400/400

Commander: Admiral Screed

Assault Objective: Advanced Gunnery
Defense Objective: Fleet Ambush
Navigation Objective: Minefields

[ flagship ] Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer (120 points)

- Relentless ( 3 points)

- Admiral Screed ( 26 points)

- Intel Officer ( 7 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- XI7 Turbolasers ( 6 points)

Gladiator I-Class Star Destroyer (56 points)
- Demolisher ( 10 points)
- Intel Officer ( 7 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- Assault Concussion Missiles ( 7 points)

Raider-I Class Corvette (44 points)
- Assault Concussion Missiles ( 7 points)

1 Soontir Fel ( 18 points)
1 Dengar ( 20 points)
1 Major Rhymer ( 16 points)
1 Firespray-31 ( 18 points)
2 TIE Advanced Squadrons ( 24 points)

Fleet created with Armada Warlord

That's shaping up nicely. My only tweak would be to take out the ACM's and replace them with APT's, with the 4 points that frees up, replace Soontir with IG-88, you won't get the 1 damage from not attacking Soontir, but you will get to pick which ever squadron you like and attack it. he is the ultimate assassin and can act alone if needed.

If you do this I would change Advanced Gunnery for Precision Strike.

- Sontir + 1-2 Engine Techs on the glads and Gunnery Team on the ISD. Techs can be an extra two raw damage if you ram them twice.

Also fly into the front arc of rebel ships, one exception is Nebulons. The Mc80 can't leave and the Guppy has to go speed 3 to jump over you, which can put it out of position.

Massive wide turns with Demolisher/glads (to get into the rear) do work in two situations. Your ISD travels slowly then around turn 5-6 the glad is behind and the ISD is in front. You can pile on massive damage but you have a limited window to kill. The other one is Objectives. Flanking ships can get behind Fire Lanes/Outpost to force them off and swing back loads of points your way.

If I'm playing a no victory point objective I use Engine techs to avoid arcs. Fly into the front against weak front arcs or use it to escape strong front arcs and stay in the side for one turn vs ISD, Neb etc. then close in and kill, kill, kill!