My idea for the VSD is a carrier...

VSD II + Expanded hanger bays + Flight Controllers

Pretty simple design based around gaining space superiority. If you want it to support a Rhymer-ball then swap the Flight Controllers for the Corrupter title.

My best VSD build for maximum damage is five of them, no upgrades.

The issue with a powerful VSD combo is that, by the time you're done sinking points into it, there's something else in your list that can do it better. Want a VSD-I with ordnance upgrades and Ordnance Experts? The GSD is faster, more maneuverable and throws more black dice (and that's not even getting into the titles). Want to make it as serious a brawler as possible? The ISD gets into the fight faster, has more dice and can maximize damage more effectively.

But, want to cover a large number of fighters and bombers? Two VSD-I's cost about the same as an upgraded ISD-II, but combined have more hull, more dice and a higher Squadron value.

My ISD-II is this...

Imperial-II Class Star Destroyer

Grand Moff Tarkin

Avenger

Wulff Yularen

ECM

Gunnery Team

Overload Pulse

X-17s or HTTs

I'm using GMT as a supplier of Conc. Firepower tokens, Wullf to get another every time. I can also use Screed to get the Crit needed for Overload Pulse/ protect another crit I've already rolled form an evade token.

The MC80 would have to be something like...

MC80 Assault Cruiser + X-17 Turbolasers + Engineering Team + ECM + Redundant Shields + Raymus Antilles

Basically designed to be super tough. With Akbar as admiral it still gets that big, long range punch but it can also take a real beating.

But then you have no points left. An extra ship is better defence as it gives your opponent something else to shoot!

The MC80 would have to be something like...

MC80 Assault Cruiser + X-17 Turbolasers + Engineering Team + ECM + Redundant Shields + Raymus Antilles

Basically designed to be super tough. With Akbar as admiral it still gets that big, long range punch but it can also take a real beating.

But then you have no points left. An extra ship is better defence as it gives your opponent something else to shoot!

So your build for the MC80 is 'don't take one'?

If I decided to strip the cruiser entirely of upgrades then I would save around 33 points which isn't even enough to get a CR90 B.

Remove Raymus, engineering team and redundant shields. Add engine techs.

12pts

Thats 30% of a corvette, or 1.3 hull and 2.3 shields.

(I would also downgrade to command cruiser for 8pts too personally)

So even if you run with your build it still won't get you another ship.

ISD-II

Gunnery Team

XI7

SW-7 Ion Cannons

ECM

Avenger or Relentless

Limit your opponent's ability to redirect, and throw a guaranteed four damage at Medium range. Anything worth using its Brace is going to have ECM as well, so trade those accuracies for damage. In a Screed list, you can guarantee five damage, even if you throw four blank Reds. And I said Avenger or Relentless because it depends on the fleet build. Relentless in any situation because two command dials is hilarious on an ISD. Avenger if you have something that can reliably trigger OLP on your target first. And in that kind of build, I would swap the XI7s for Reroute Circuits and add Needa, so you can flip a Red to two damage, sac and flip another to a crit, and guarantee seven damage on a target that can do nothing. Even an MC80 is taking three to the hull with one face up.

In the case of the Avenger take the XX9. If you can overload pulse your target then a CF can give you another blue, there you go you have 6 guaranteed damage and two guaranteed crits that ruins most ships beyond a come back. Even the MC80 with 4 shields will be limping after 2 crits.

So even if you run with your build it still won't get you another ship.

That's the problem with the larges. By the time you've got them and added a few of the "standard" upgrades, you've priced yourself out of another ship. The ISD is a better "buy" than the MC80 IMO because you have a more substantial ship even though the MC80 is cheaper.

So even if you run with your build it still won't get you another ship.

That's the problem with the larges. By the time you've got them and added a few of the "standard" upgrades, you've priced yourself out of another ship. The ISD is a better "buy" than the MC80 IMO because you have a more substantial ship even though the MC80 is cheaper.

So the best MC-80 build is 'don't take one, take an Assault Frigate and a CR90 instead'?

I only ran the mc 80 once, and it was glorious. It sported home one, ackbar, intel officer, ecm, engine techs, leading shots and x17 and while it sure was pricey, it utterly annihilated a Motti Isd2 with ecm in 2 activations,courtesy of first player advanced gunnery,suffering no damage in return and winning me the game.

I often feel that lack of gunnery team seriously harms this ship, in ackbar lists even more, but having the manouverability granted by engine techs is really awesome and the whale is the toughest nut to crack of em all if properly fitted.

MC80 Command - Intell Officer, Engine Techs, ECM and Defiance.

Sure its the minimum to go with, buts its also all the MC80 needs if you build the right fleet:

TRC90A Dodonna Jainas Light,

CR90A Raymus Taintive IV

Dodonna Pride B

SW7 90B

Jan X X

394 points.

I'd probably go for a similar fleet for my MC80 build.

MC80 Assault + x17 Turbolasers + Engineering Team + ECM + Redundant Shields + Raymus Antillies

CR90 A + Ackbar

CR90 A

CR90 A

CR90 A

3 A-Wing squadrons

393 points

Ship Killer

ISD II

Intel Officer

Gunnery Team

ECM

XI7

Leading Shots

So even if you run with your build it still won't get you another ship.

That's the problem with the larges. By the time you've got them and added a few of the "standard" upgrades, you've priced yourself out of another ship. The ISD is a better "buy" than the MC80 IMO because you have a more substantial ship even though the MC80 is cheaper.

So the best MC-80 build is 'don't take one, take an Assault Frigate and a CR90 instead'?

It all depends on what you're trying accomplish with your fleet I suppose. If you need more ships to control the ship activation phase, then yes, go with the two smaller ships. If you are playing Rebs and need a large, then no.

Thanks for the posts, it's great to see others' ideas on what works. Sorry for the big gap in posts, I've been . . . indisposed.

Now on to the 'it's so ugly it's beautiful' Rebel Assault Frigate, battle chariot of the reigning World Champion haha.

Victory I-Class Star Destroyer (73 points)

- Dominator ( 12 points)

- Wulff Yularen ( 7 points)

- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)

- XI7 Turbolasers ( 6 points)

- Expanded Launchers ( 13 points)

Take him with Vader for maximum gambling!!!

10 dice out the front, 5 out the side... you could also swap wulff for Intel officer, but wulff will keep an engineering token to help dominator regen those shields so Vader can keep them dice rolling!!!

ISD II

Admiral Screed
Tactical Expert
Flight Controls
Expanded Hanger bay
Redundant Shields
Overloaded Shields
XX-9 Turbolassers
Avenger

Fighters

Bossk Hound

Darth Vader

Soontir Fel

Mauler

IG-88

287 points

Build to lock out the defenders defense tokens and make them eat the damage that comes from the fighters finish the deal. Could change out some of the Named Fighters for lesser variants of ships. Like a few Tie Bombers

M80 Assault home one, Intell officer. Redundant Shields, and ECM. Overload pulse and X!7's.

Get's to medium range and be your first shot to open things up for your other ships. Problem with dream builds is it doesn't leave a lot of points for supporting ships.

M80 Assault home one, Intell officer. Redundant Shields, and ECM. Overload pulse and X!7's.

Get's to medium range and be your first shot to open things up for your other ships. Problem with dream builds is it doesn't leave a lot of points for supporting ships.

True Dat.

So it would seem no one likes the Assault Frigate?

What's to like? It's urgly and oversized. Sure it's got nice-ish stats, but aesthetics come into play too.

Who needs aesthetics if you can obliterate your enemies?

I like dem fat whales.

What's to like? It's urgly and oversized. Sure it's got nice-ish stats, but aesthetics come into play too.

Who needs aesthetics if you can obliterate your enemies?

I like dem fat whales.

After all, look at the A-10. There's a reason its referred to by its unofficial nickname more often than its official one.

Ok, so it would seem the shrimp boat is too ugly to be liked by anyone. Sad really but what are ya gonna do.

Now, on to the small ships. I know it's hard to have them be an "only ship" in a fleet but remember, the point of the thread is to focus on A ship class rather than an entire fleet. What combos of upgrades make a ship hum. Of course there will be variations.

So, with that in mind, the mighty itty bitty Gladiator Star Destroyer (GSD) with its forked tongue. I'm sure there is a large consensus that Demolisher/ACM/Eng Techs is a "must" on a GSD. I know I've had some good success especially if there is an Intel Officer on board but does anyone have something else? I've wanted to try APT but haven't acquired any yet. Of course my GSD2 is usually escorting and ISD2 w/ 4-8 squadrons.