I played a practice game today against an admittedly inexperienced opponent(myself), when a surprising combination revealed itself. I'd outfitted a Raider I with Expanded Launchers, intending to use it to try and shank other small ships like CR90s. Instead, an opportunity arose, and I found myself pointing it at an AF II, and letting rip. This worked beautifully, stripping the frigate's shields and even landing a damage card on it, but more importantly, weakening it enough that the following salvo from an ISD completely vaporized it.

Now this was huge amounts of fun and I'll definitely be trying that again, but even though I'm not interested in tourney-level play, I'm pretty sure I'll eventually run into someone smarter or more experienced than me(read: any Armada player in the world). If I want to keep using this, what do I need to be wary of, and is there any way to counter those counters?

Thanks!

Not sure about counters, but I run my raiders with ACMs to do exactly that. One suicides into the thick of it to Itano Circus and strip whatever shields it can before the Fireball and ISD wade in to wreck with a second raider/ACM on cleanup duty.

The only thing to be wary of that I ran into is making sure you point your Raider where it NEEDS to be since it will most certainly die. Sometimes you can save them, but never expect survival.

Forum search is a good thing. Turns out this is a pretty common combo already. Sick minds think alike and all that.

Next step: Figure out what on/off earth an ACM is...

This style of play almost always begs for Screed and the Demolisher title. Just stay away from insane broadsides powered by fish creatures.

Forum search is a good thing. Turns out this is a pretty common combo already. Sick minds think alike and all that.

Next step: Figure out what on/off earth an ACM is...

I played a practice game today against an admittedly inexperienced opponent(myself), when a surprising combination revealed itself. I'd outfitted a Raider I with Expanded Launchers, intending to use it to try and shank other small ships like CR90s. Instead, an opportunity arose, and I found myself pointing it at an AF II, and letting rip. This worked beautifully, stripping the frigate's shields and even landing a damage card on it, but more importantly, weakening it enough that the following salvo from an ISD completely vaporized it.

Now this was huge amounts of fun and I'll definitely be trying that again, but even though I'm not interested in tourney-level play, I'm pretty sure I'll eventually run into someone smarter or more experienced than me(read: any Armada player in the world). If I want to keep using this, what do I need to be wary of, and is there any way to counter those counters?

Thanks!

I had a similar experience but my raider didn't fire. Their AF had to go in the middle of my formation with ISD closest and on the left. My raider was in the middle with EL and to the right was a gladiator. He chose to slow down instead of going into the raiders sights, but either way the AF would have been knocked out.

Raiders with Expanded Launchers are Cruise Missiles.

High Damage, but Prone to being Intercepted if the enemy is waiting for them...

But that's okay, as they're thoroughly disposable anyway.

But... but... a Raider with Expanded Launchers is as much as a naked Glad I which is just better in... like... every way!

But... but... a Raider with Expanded Launchers is as much as a naked Glad I which is just better in... like... every way!

But a Glad I is 20,000% Less Cruise-Missile-y

There is nothing in this game more satisfying than managing to jam a raider with expanded launchers right in the front arc of an MC80 or AFMK2 with no enemy side arc.

I have done it 2 times and both times it was very unpleasant (actually infuriating) for my opponent.

I DID once jam a raider in the front arc of an MC30 but I didn't check the opponents setup and it turns out his MC30 had expanded launchers TOO. We won't talk about THAT time...

But... but... a Raider with Expanded Launchers is as much as a naked Glad I which is just better in... like... every way!

Raider is faster and more manouverable than a naked Glad 1 and also doubles as effective anti-fighter if you run into a squadron list.

Raider is faster and more manouverable than a naked Glad 1 and also doubles as effective anti-fighter if you run into a squadron list.

... and 20,000% Less Cruise-Missile-y. You can't forget that!

Raider is faster and more manouverable than a naked Glad 1 and also doubles as effective anti-fighter if you run into a squadron list.

... and 20,000% Less Cruise-Missile-y. You can't forget that!

Yes, also that. lol

My favorite part of using the Raider is the mad cackling psychopathitude(trust me, it's a word now) of taking a ship that tiny right into the middle of an enemy fleet, and (maybe) coming out the other side intact.

Definitely gonna have to try something similar with a Gladiator, and see how well it performs as a beatstick.

My favorite part of using the Raider is the mad cackling psychopathitude(trust me, it's a word now) of taking a ship that tiny right into the middle of an enemy fleet, and (maybe) coming out the other side intact.

Definitely gonna have to try something similar with a Gladiator, and see how well it performs as a beatstick.

I've never seen this end well with a glad TBH, you wouldn't think speed 3 vs speed 4 would be such a big difference until you can make it out the other side of a ship...

I love these little ships. They represent a previously unseen ability for Imperial fleets to spread their threat equally across numerous targets rather than putting all the eggs in one big, triangular basket. Presently I'm running a GRGRG list that I can't get enough of.

First of all, add Ordnance Experts. There's no reason not to have Ordnance Experts on a Raider-I.

Now, you've realized their big weakness already: they go pop.

Survival for a Raider is entirely a matter of maneuverability and positioning, and I find their best admiral to be Ozzel for this reason. An Ozzel'd Raider can launch out at speed 4, staying well out of range of significant return fire, slow down to 2 and pull a 90 degree turn, then speed back up to four to close the distance on an enemy flank.

Running a Raider wide like this both keeps them alive, and forces your opponent to modify their maneuvering based on the hovering threat. If they ignore a Raider with Expanded Launchers (Honestly, even if they ignore a basic R-I with Ord Experts) they are in for a world of hurt when that undamaged little thorn comes back at the worst possible moment to bleed them dry.

Another good way to keep them from dying too quickly is to run them in pairs, and make sure their attack run is timed with another ship.

Give your opponent one big ship and two small meanies to choose from, instead of one vulnerable ship. This game is all about choices. Try to give your opponent decisions that YOU wouldn't want to make.

I love these little ships. They represent a previously unseen ability for Imperial fleets to spread their threat equally across numerous targets rather than putting all the eggs in one big, triangular basket. Presently I'm running a GRGRG list that I can't get enough of.

First of all, add Ordnance Experts. There's no reason not to have Ordnance Experts on a Raider-I.

Now, you've realized their big weakness already: they go pop.

Survival for a Raider is entirely a matter of maneuverability and positioning, and I find their best admiral to be Ozzel for this reason. An Ozzel'd Raider can launch out at speed 4, staying well out of range of significant return fire, slow down to 2 and pull a 90 degree turn, then speed back up to four to close the distance on an enemy flank.

Running a Raider wide like this both keeps them alive, and forces your opponent to modify their maneuvering based on the hovering threat. If they ignore a Raider with Expanded Launchers (Honestly, even if they ignore a basic R-I with Ord Experts) they are in for a world of hurt when that undamaged little thorn comes back at the worst possible moment to bleed them dry.

Another good way to keep them from dying too quickly is to run them in pairs, and make sure their attack run is timed with another ship.

Give your opponent one big ship and two small meanies to choose from, instead of one vulnerable ship. This game is all about choices. Try to give your opponent decisions that YOU wouldn't want to make.

Seconding the "running them with another ship"

Its amazing how much damage the little bastards can do when someone decides to focus on the ISD instead of the raider. Its really a lose/lose choice. I have not been able to execute the wide launch tactic, but that is a function of my own suck rather than the viability of the tactic.

words

Seconding the "running them with another ship"

Its amazing how much damage the little bastards can do when someone decides to focus on the ISD instead of the raider. Its really a lose/lose choice. I have not been able to execute the wide launch tactic, but that is a function of my own suck rather than the viability of the tactic.

The difficulty of maneuvering the Raider, combined with the necessity of it, is the drawback of the ship itself. It's very much a finesse weapon that you have to expect to see die horribly many times before you start really understanding all the places you can put it.

Agreed on the shocking amount of damage they can do.

In fact, I've started leaving Expanded Launchers at home and just taking multiples of Raider-Is with Ord Experts.

People CONSTANTLY underestimate the front arc of the Raider-I, but its seen more MC80s off than I care to count. Two black and two blue with a re-roll and a concentrate fire goes as such: Roll dice pool, if you roll an accuracy, add a black die, if you don't, add a blue die. Re-roll any blank black dice.

Roll this combo a few times at home, and it'll start to become apparent that the Raider can dish out black eyes pretty handily.

Has anyone thought of mottie with raiders? Do people find it helpful at all? I mean, going from 4 to 5 health is a 25% increase...

Has anyone thought of mottie with raiders? Do people find it helpful at all? I mean, going from 4 to 5 health is a 25% increase...

Thought about it, but haven't run it.

I have run AGAINST it and that extra hull across multiple ships can be a serious impediment.

Give your opponent one big ship and two small meanies to choose from, instead of one vulnerable ship. This game is all about choices. Try to give your opponent decisions that YOU wouldn't want to make.

Oh, I'm no stranger to that approach. I'm an avid Battletech player, and in there people often claim that light 'mechs with low speed and heavy firepower have no survivability because players will in theory always eliminate them first as the easiest way to quickly remove the most firepower from the enemy force. I've found that in practice, the simple act of shoving something big and scary down their throat tends to distract most folks nicely.

It's all psychology. Probably works even better in Armada, because the big and scary ISD is a genuinely huge presence on the table, and most Armada players have a decade or three of cultural programming towards having an Imperial-class trigger their threat instincts.

Give your opponent one big ship and two small meanies to choose from, instead of one vulnerable ship. This game is all about choices. Try to give your opponent decisions that YOU wouldn't want to make.

Oh, I'm no stranger to that approach. I'm an avid Battletech player, and in there people often claim that light 'mechs with low speed and heavy firepower have no survivability because players will in theory always eliminate them first as the easiest way to quickly remove the most firepower from the enemy force. I've found that in practice, the simple act of shoving something big and scary down their throat tends to distract most folks nicely.

It's all psychology. Probably works even better in Armada, because the big and scary ISD is a genuinely huge presence on the table, and most Armada players have a decade or three of cultural programming towards having an Imperial-class trigger their threat instincts.

Funny you should mention psychology, my regular Rebel opponent has now had an irrational fear of ISDs instilled in him to the point that he attempts to ignore or fly around/away from them despite being on equal footing because he has a belief that he can't destroy it quickly enough if at all. The first time he destroyed one of my ISDs he was totally psyched even tho he had already lost the match lol

Give your opponent one big ship and two small meanies to choose from, instead of one vulnerable ship. This game is all about choices. Try to give your opponent decisions that YOU wouldn't want to make.

Oh, I'm no stranger to that approach. I'm an avid Battletech player, and in there people often claim that light 'mechs with low speed and heavy firepower have no survivability because players will in theory always eliminate them first as the easiest way to quickly remove the most firepower from the enemy force. I've found that in practice, the simple act of shoving something big and scary down their throat tends to distract most folks nicely.

It's all psychology. Probably works even better in Armada, because the big and scary ISD is a genuinely huge presence on the table, and most Armada players have a decade or three of cultural programming towards having an Imperial-class trigger their threat instincts.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaan, now I want to outfit my ISD with a drop pod and a few Marauders.

I was just playing around with a list maker last night and then this topic pops up. Suicidal Raiders seemed like a good move.

399/400

+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Expanded Launchers (13)
Imperial Raider: Raider I-class Corvette (44 + 17)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Expanded Launchers (13)

Squadrons: Tie Bomber Squadron (9)

Squadrons: Tie Advanced Squadron (12)

Squadrons: Tie Advanced Squadron (12)

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaan, now I want to outfit my ISD with a drop pod and a few Marauders.

We can't! The fandoms can't repel awesomeness of that magnitude!