I have been tuning a squad using an MC-80, MC-30 and AF with squadrons.
(I am doing so as all three are painted to a very pleasing standard, as are the squadrons I can deploy with them.)
Yesterday I ran an MC-80 Command Cruiser, an MC-30 Scout Frigate and an AF MKII-A with 4 x generic A-wings.
The list had Ackbar as it's admiral.
The list did OK, but I found squadron support was to weak and Ackbar was actually not used that much. Lost 6 - 4 to a VSD-I, Demolisher, 2 x Raider-I with Expanded Launchers, 3 Firesprays, 3 Aggressors and Rhymer.
I am also resolutely convinced that red dice are far to fickle.
With what I learned I am next going to field this:
Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 400/400
Commander: Mon Mothma
Assault Objective: Advanced Gunnery
Defense Objective: Contested Outpost
Navigation Objective: Minefields
[ flagship ] MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 points)
- Mon Mothma ( 30 points)
- Foresight ( 8 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- XI7 Turbolasers ( 6 points)
Assault Frigate Mark II A (81 points)
- Flight Controllers ( 6 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
MC80 Command Cruiser (106 points)
- Defiance ( 5 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- XI7 Turbolasers ( 6 points)
1 Dash Rendar ( 24 points)
1 Han Solo ( 26 points)
1 "Dutch" Vander ( 16 points)
Mon Mothma is still my favorite admiral in the rebel fleet and although she only effects 2 ships here, her contribution will help keep the Frigate and Foresight alive.
She is on Foresight as if that dies she is no longer that important anyway and is very hard to kill on this ship.
The MC-80 is designed to fly in to medium range and try for dual arc shots. She's a hardy boat and Defiance is a very nice title. (Love to add a black dice)
The Frigate is taking on carrier and anti-squadron duties, a slightly odd role for that ship especially seeing that two of my squadrons are rogue, however being able to activate all three and add the extra die is very handy, the squadrons move in and tie down the enemies squadrons, then the AF moves up to medium range and adds its two blue dice to killing the enemy, in many cases, shooting unhindered by enemy squadrons that are engaged by my squadrons.
If I get Advanced Gunnery as the objective as player two, it will go on the Frigate and I'll engage on the opposite side of the enemy squadrons away from their ships (Mon Mothma die negation coming into play) and fire 4 blue dice a turn at them.
The squadrons themselves are tough and send out a large amount of fire backed up by lots of hull and defense tokens. Dutch can really level the field by taking an opponent out of the fight.
The MC-30 is built to swoop in and get 1 or 2 dual arc shots and cripple or finish a ship, then bug out and repeat (easier said than done, but she is a tough little ship.) If the squadrons are not engaged with enemy squadrons, they go on harassment duty finishing off wounded ships.
We'll see how she goes, but I like the evolution.
Love peoples thoughts, the three ship models are not open to change, despite their being potentially better combinations (I do not want the trip AF list or the 5 - 6 CR-90A TLRC's list) although upgrades and sub-type on ships are, as are squadrons.
Edited by Englishpete