So I have not perfected using this fleet, but over the course of one Casual Game night and one 10 player Tournament, I am very happy with this.

The Bringer of Pain!

400Pts

Empire

Objectives - Anything you choose.

ISD 1 152pts

Admiral Ozzel

Gunnery Teams

Leading Shots

XI-17

Avenger

Gladiator 1 75pts

Ordnance Experts

Assault Proton Torpedos

Demolisher

2 x Gladiator 1 65pts each 130pts Total

Ordnance Experts

Assault Proton Torpedos

Howlrunner 16pts

Tie Interceptor 11pts

2x Tie Fighters 16pts

As I have said above, I have run this through 5 matches against both Empire Fleets and Rebel Fleets. I have only failed once due to my blundering ways. "I am clumsy as I am stupid!!"

My basic strategy is pretty simple. Slow the game by moving speed 1 until you spring the trap. About round 4. Moving all the ships into boxing formation. Box out forward movements with Gladiators and fire away. The Gladiators job is to attack and force the major ships to use their Defense tokens or risk massive damage, then Ozzel attacks with Avenger. If you go first there are plenty of ships to burn a turn or shoot and run. If going second then most ships can last one attack so then can hit and run. I like to run with the two Gladiators up front with the ISD. Demolisher runs last getting a final side attack, then hit and run out at the start of the second attack round. I also have used Demo as diversion letting my opponent shoot at him while the other two Glads fire away setting up the ISD.

No matter what I am expecting some ships are going to be destroyed and they are pretty cheap at 65 or 75. Loosing one or two Gladiators ships (Disregarding Objective Points) still gives a 9-1, All three is 8-2.

Proper movement is critical. During my last battle against Ackbar and 2 MC80's, I ran two close in the front with Demo trying to box and had my other two Glads out of the battle. Ackbar just side stepped.

Running the fighters as a CAP and keep them close. I have sent them in the same time as the Glads or the turn before to shut down the Bombers. Usually with a squadron command on the ISD. This gets them into position to tie down the others fighters. I do target anyone that gives the Intel Buff.

Please ask questions or if you have suggestions or comments, Fire Away!

Naboobo2000

I just had one question for you ! First of all, this sounds like a good and fun list

Being a new Imperial Admiral, I'm going to have a game soon and I wanted to feature a dedicated fighter screen, with my go-to build being : Howlrunner + TIE Fighter + 2 TIE Interceptors. I was wondering if you could tell me how they performed in your games, since you run a build that is very close to my target one

I too am curious about the Interceptor. By swapping it for a fighter you would build at 4 points under, giving you a better shot at initiative. Did it make up for those points?

The Tie Interceptor was interesting. If it lasted at least one attack then points well spent. In one case it went down in one shot, but I did get the counter off. So in that case it was a toss up. All my other matches people went for the Tie Fighters first so it lasted longer.

Howlrunner paid off well. She was attacked last in every round. The buff she gave everyone was great making this cap work as I thought.

As far as building under for Initiative, It really didn't matter I think. If I went first I had 4 ships which was fine, If I went second then I picked the Objective and still had 4 ships.

Naboobo2000

I really feel the assault proton torpedoes are in the game to give empire an edge on rebels. The big problem with rebels is their hull points, whereas their shields and defensive capabilities are quite good. Six shots of black dice that manage to crit guarantee kill a guppy regardless of the defense tokens they spend. Eight kill an MC80, again regardless of their defense tokens. This many ships firing that many times helps do exactly that, and I feel like Fantasy Flight knew that when they designed them. On a rebel ship they're good. AGAINST a rebel ship, they're extremely deadly (not to mention the actual effects of the critical hits, like extra damage, losing a die, only being able to target a ship once per round, not attacking at long range, not being able to make obstructed shots, losing turn capabilities, dropping shields, losing the ability to redirect, etc etc).

Pairing this with an objective like precision strike would be brutal. I can just imagine rebel ships falling apart left and right with shields still intact all around. Plus ramming!

I think one of the main benefits to this build is the critical damage which combined with Avenger to single shot most ships is straight up brutal.

Glads dish out two critical damage each and stip those shields. Then Avenger double shoots for two major kills in one shot.

Example : 2 Isds with Motti. 8 front shields 6 side shields..

With 3 Glads each shooting with a dual ark front and side. Let's say in any givin round one Glad dies first before firing a single shot. The others shoot and give 12 Black and 4 Red dice.. 4 critical hits handed out and approximately 50% double and 25%hits with black due to re-roles -- 18 hits. 25%hits with red 1 hit. Brace will narrow that down to 10. If they do or don't redirect the XI-17s kick in. The Glads just effectively stripped the shields and that forced the brace to be used.

Avenger shoots. There is no bracing or redirects minus 1. I don't worry about accuracies so rerolling and a concentrate fire command.. 50% hits again. 11 hits.. Or 22 shooting twice. 32 damage not including Glads concentrated fire or ramming or even the third Glad. With Devine intervention, in one round damage could be 6 criticals, 68 shooting damage, 4 ram damage.

That's brutal!

Naboobo2000