Hi guys,

I don't really get much experience playing Armada since the scene around me is pretty small. I'm not expert tactician either. I can plan a fleet using numbers, and it will seem sound and solid, however I rarely have the opportunity to understand their tactical benefits.

I know you might not have fancy names like "pincer" or "blitzkrieg", but does anybody have some battlefield tactics they'd like to share? Please feel free to create your own scenarios you might use them in or ships preferred for the tactic.

Along the same lines, I'm playing around with the idea of deception (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_deception). Sun Tzu felt that deception was a key tactic in achieving victory over your opponent, however I'm finding it hard to transfer some of the philosophies to Armada. Any thoughts or comments?

Bait and switch is a tactic I like to play

I play Imperial, so my tactics are pretty much just flying straight at them, and throwing more dice than them.

I use my Raider to try to get around and nab squadrons, and I try to get my Gladiator right in front of a ship without a good front arc.

You know, nothing groundbreaking.

Hi guys,

I don't really get much experience playing Armada since the scene around me is pretty small. I'm not expert tactician either. I can plan a fleet using numbers, and it will seem sound and solid, however I rarely have the opportunity to understand their tactical benefits.

I know you might not have fancy names like "pincer" or "blitzkrieg", but does anybody have some battlefield tactics they'd like to share? Please feel free to create your own scenarios you might use them in or ships preferred for the tactic.

Along the same lines, I'm playing around with the idea of deception (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_deception). Sun Tzu felt that deception was a key tactic in achieving victory over your opponent, however I'm finding it hard to transfer some of the philosophies to Armada. Any thoughts or comments?

It is hard to apply pincers theory to Armada sadly. While it would be nice you have to remember that your action be followed by your opponents action from there you have your action and it will continue.

Now, forcing decisions will work great in this game.

Along the same lines, I'm playing around with the idea of deception (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_deception). Sun Tzu felt that deception was a key tactic in achieving victory over your opponent, however I'm finding it hard to transfer some of the philosophies to Armada. Any thoughts or comments?

Deception starts at deployment, particularly as player 2.

Deploy a ship near the centre of your long edge, pointing slightly towards a side of the board edge, rather than 90 degrees. It doesn't need to be a large angle, just enough to be noticable.

This frequently encourages the opponent to heavily weight towards deploying near your 'obvious' flight path.

Then deploy fighters for as many drops as you can ideally between your ship and the edge it is pointing towards (to signal intent), then finally the rest of your ships pointing in the actual destination.

Set Nav orders (or 2) for the first ship you deployed. Until it moves, the opponent is likely to activate some ships towards its obvious path so move this ship last if possible, using the nav orders to drastically change direction towards the other edge.

This works best with rebels, and often ends up with a couple of enemy capital ships left out of the fight or arriving late for the party.

Along the same lines, I'm playing around with the idea of deception (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_deception). Sun Tzu felt that deception was a key tactic in achieving victory over your opponent, however I'm finding it hard to transfer some of the philosophies to Armada. Any thoughts or comments?

Deception starts at deployment, particularly as player 2.

Deploy a ship near the centre of your long edge, pointing slightly towards a side of the board edge, rather than 90 degrees. It doesn't need to be a large angle, just enough to be noticable.

This frequently encourages the opponent to heavily weight towards deploying near your 'obvious' flight path.

Then deploy fighters for as many drops as you can ideally between your ship and the edge it is pointing towards (to signal intent), then finally the rest of your ships pointing in the actual destination.

Set Nav orders (or 2) for the first ship you deployed. Until it moves, the opponent is likely to activate some ships towards its obvious path so move this ship last if possible, using the nav orders to drastically change direction towards the other edge.

This works best with rebels, and often ends up with a couple of enemy capital ships left out of the fight or arriving late for the party.

Awesome point there! I'll definitely be trying out these in my next game.

Hi guys,

I don't really get much experience playing Armada since the scene around me is pretty small. I'm not expert tactician either. I can plan a fleet using numbers, and it will seem sound and solid, however I rarely have the opportunity to understand their tactical benefits.

I know you might not have fancy names like "pincer" or "blitzkrieg", but does anybody have some battlefield tactics they'd like to share? Please feel free to create your own scenarios you might use them in or ships preferred for the tactic.

Along the same lines, I'm playing around with the idea of deception (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_deception). Sun Tzu felt that deception was a key tactic in achieving victory over your opponent, however I'm finding it hard to transfer some of the philosophies to Armada. Any thoughts or comments?

It is hard to apply pincers theory to Armada sadly. While it would be nice you have to remember that your action be followed by your opponents action from there you have your action and it will continue.

Now, forcing decisions will work great in this game.

Hmm, forcing decisions. That sounds like a promising idea. Any tips or examples you could give me?

I've had success recently by convincing my opponent I would be conga-lining and then using nav commands to move out of the line to box in the opposing force. This was accomplished by deploying at an angle and by using fighters to gain an edge in deployment by deploying a flanking ship last. Also force less than ideal situations with your objectives and by having a bid for initiative. Being able to decide if you want first player when you feel objectives don't stack up well against your opponent can be a life saver.

Far too many situations in which giving your opponent bad choices can lead to victory.

A good example is from my game yesterday where I had my opponents Gladiator and VSD in near death situations. He could only save one of them and choose the Gladiator.

Another would be having my opponent in a situation where I am going to deal 9 damage with XI7 Turbolasers and I Intel Officer his brace but he knows a second hit is going to be coming and has to make the choice.

It is about decisions in this game. Maybe they are good maybe they are bad but each one puts pressure and can effect the game.

Remember in this game, little mistakes can cost the game

Remember in this game, little mistakes can cost the game

Which is precisely why I only make large mistakes.