Welcome to the Taskforce format for Armada!

This is a half-size, skirmish style reduction of a normal Armada game. Imagine the deployment of a small task force of ships, under one direct commanding officer.
Pros: No additional rules beyond half sizing, tournament results suggest it is very balanced and diverse, games are done in less time 45min-1hour. Smaller size 3x3.
Uses: Great for learning how to play! Great for limited time or limited space. Great for custom campaigns of small games interspersed with other point values.

What is this format?

Plays like a standard game of Armada except half the size.
ALMOST NO ADDITIONAL RULES REQUIRED except keep the larger half:
200points
(3x3 board, 6 turns), station + 2 asteroids + 1 debris field.
Commander required, objectives required as normal, 1/3 squadron point limit as normal.
Deployment Zone is Distance 3 from your edge, and No-Deploy zone is distance 3 from the non-player, side edges.

Rules changed/Added:
1. "The Large Ship Half Scoring Rule" --- At the end of the game, if a LARGE BASE SHIP's remaining hull and shields are not higher than its printed hull value, the opposing player(s) earn the smaller half of its total fleet point cost, including upgrades (If multiplayer: divided by the total number of opposing players who contributed to damaging the large ship) .

The benefits of this format:

This format is much faster, six rounds taking about 45m average, with 1 hour as time limit. (Set up though, takes about 2/3s normal time.) You can easily finish two games, set up, and tear down within 3 hours.
It also takes a lot less space. 3x3
Its much more manageable for people who are new, have smaller collections or have a hard time remembering every upgrade or facet. But you still have to learn to build very well, taking into account your expensive admiral.
You also end up learning the objectives this way, as objectives are still required.
The format is meant to be universally acceptable. Minimum/no house rules required. No extra information required except for objectives rebalanced down to larger half.

Additional support for the Taskforce Format:

You can play any style you want, balance is still maintained. We've determined now that any style is still viable. 3 ship Demolisher, Ackbar, Yavaris mass squadron, 3 CRs, 1 ISD or MC80. (Wave 2 tournament results)

On page 3, we have an entire tournament of results from @florianhess So much thanks!
From playtesting and the tournament done of this format, it seems to be well balanced for any style of play and it plays similarly to a full game.

PDF Guide created by @TheBigLev , page 5: Task Force Format v2.1 Final ! Its very neat and easy to read, for new players.

Objectives rebalancing, courtesy of @FrightfulCommand , posting on page 4.

On 8/21/2017 at 5:19 PM, FrightfulCommand said:

The main premise is that the larger half of the tokens placed or points gained are kept.
If the change to the objective follows this simple rule, then it is written as “Halved, (keep larger half of tokens or points)”.
If there is literally no change, then “No change”.

Red
Precision Strike - Halved, you gain 8 points per victory token instead.
Advanced Gunnery - Halved, you gain half the points of the destroyed ship instead.
Opening Salvo - No change since you can only gain points based on the number of ships in the point value.
Most Wanted - Halved, you gain half the points of the destroyed ship instead.

Station Assault - Each station has only 5 hull and the points gained is halved to 20.
Blockade Run - Deploy like normal, place obstacles like normal. The scoring zone for second player is still the 1st player’s deployment zone. Scoring is not halved (due to number of ships limiting reward).
- Comments: This objective is the most difficult to translate, and in the case of disputes can be ruled out of choice by tournament organizers.
Close-Range Intel Scan - Place only 1 dust field, no change in scoring, this is limited by half size.
Targeting Beacons - Halved, place only 2 objective tokens.

Yellow
Fleet Ambush - No change
Hyperspace Assault - Halved, only 2 tokens.
Contested Outpost - Halved, each victory token is only worth 10 points.
Fire Lanes - Only the point gain halved, 3 objective tokens, 8 points per victory token.

Jamming Barrier - Halved, replace only one debris field with one dust field.
Planetary Ion Cannon - Halved, only 2 tokens.
Fighter Ambush - Halved, you gain 8 points per victory token instead.
Capture the VIP - Halved, you gain 25 points instead.

Blue
Minefields - Halved, but with 4 obstacles and only 3 tokens.
- Comments: This seemed okay with 3 obstacles and 1 station + 3 tokens.
Intel Sweep - Halved, you gain 38 points instead.
Dangerous Territory - Halved, there are only 1 station + 3 obstacles.
Superior Positions - Halved, you gain 8 points per victory token instead.

Salvage Run - Halved, add only 1 dust field, and 2 objective tokens. Still gain 20 points per victory token.
Solar Corona - No change, neutral sides are still the corona-able zones.
Navigational Hazards - 1 station 3 obstacles, you gain 8 points per victory token instead.
Sensor Net - Halved, place only 2 tokens, but still gain 15 points per victory token.

(These actually look super fun!!)

Theoretical lists:

This list I think is literally probably the worst list you could have to fight against:

Fleet Summary Page (192 of 200 pts)

I think this one is probably the worst you could have to fight as Imperial

Fleet Summary Page (197 of 200 pts)

Fleet Summary Page (195 of 200 pts)

It could be worth considering the need to even include the admirals, perhaps using a named officer as the commander of a small task force makes more sense! Also it could free up a vital 20+ points. But yeah it looks like fun! Turning shouldn't be a problem either, my friend and I often play 400 point games on a 4x3 board due to space limitations, so 200 on a 3x3 should be easy enough to make work!

200 point skirmish
Author: Wilf-Solo

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 200/200

Commander: General Dodonna

Assault Objective: Advanced Gunnery
Defense Objective: Fleet Ambush
Navigation Objective: Superior Positions

[ flagship ] MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 points)
- General Dodonna ( 20 points)
- Assault Proton Torpedoes ( 5 points)

MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 points)
- Assault Proton Torpedoes ( 5 points)

4 A-Wing Squadrons ( 44 points)

Fleet created with Armada Warlords

Could be fun

I think I would try

Dodonna

3xNeb-B Supports (one being Salvation)

1 YT2400

Total 196

Possibly drop Salvation upgrade to get Han instead.

Alternatively

Dodonna

Neb-B Support, Salvation

Neb-B Escort, Yavaris, Raymus

3 B-Wings

1 A-Wing

Total 200

I think this is eminently possible and would use the full rules with the amendments you already mentioned. I'd leave Admirals in and at full cost. I don't see the 3 x 3 board being an issue either.

Three rules I may add are that you may spend no more than 20% of your points on squadrons, you may only run named Rogues and you may have no more than three of any one ship.

Large ships on the 3x3 is unruly and hard to use, could see the mc80 flying off.

Medium would be the max.

Large ships work just fine on a 3x3 (I know, I've done it :-) )

I don't like the 3X3, mostly because a legitimate strategy of dealing with a large ship is AVOIDING IT, or at least splitting and making them prioritise your fleet - and you can't do that when it can place itself in such a way.

Uhhh!
Very interested in this format idea. Will try to give it a go myself on my 3x3 kitchen table, hehe

Overall i would also tend to try to not take any existing rules away and keep new fleet building rules as few and tight as possible.

My spontaneous fav limitations, echoing others:

- no admirals

- no ship more then 3 times (to avoid gamey vanilla Corvette/Raider spam)

This could be a great format for demos and short and furious pick-up games!

My love for GSDs would result in this sample list:

[ EMPIRE FLEET (197 points)

1 • Gladiator I-class Star Destroyer - Engine Techs - Assault Proton Torpedoes - Demolisher (79)
2 • Gladiator I-class Star Destroyer - Engine Techs - Assault Proton Torpedoes (69)
3 • Bossk Hound's Tooth (23)
4 • Boba Fett Slave 1 (26)

For Rebels i could see this being fun:

Overall i would also tend to try to not take any existing rules away and keep new fleet building rules as few and tight as possible.

For Rebels i could see this being fun:

[ REBEL FLEET (194 points)

1 • Assault Frigate Mark II B - Raymus Antilles - Expanded Hangar Bay - Gallant Haven (92)

2 • Jan Ors Moldy Crow (19)

3 • X-wing Squadron (13)

4 • X-wing Squadron (13)

5 • X-wing Squadron (13)

6 • Keyan Farlander B-wing Squadron (20)

7 • Dash Rendar Outrider (24)

Uhhh... 102 in fighters and only 92 in ships? I'd call that a pretty significant 'new fleet building rule.' Just sayin.

Okay. No extra rules except you can't deploy within close range of the neutral edges. (Distance 3 from the edges basically).

4 rocks as per 3x3 rules.

NOTE: standard 1/3 max as squadrons still applies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guys it seems like theoretically this could be a really fun format! Let's play some real games like this and tell us what you think!

Skirmish mode armada.

Also IMO there's enough dodging you can do on the 3x3 if you have small ships vs a large ship. I think mediums with support should still be able to go toe to toe with a large.

The question is if the game becomes boring if it's too easy to blow up a single ship and thus end the game. I think it won't be most of the time: objectives count for much more points and having lots of squadrons can still screen against rushes.

Minefields should still be fine since there are only 4 rocks.

I think requiring a commander at full cost seems to make for interesting choices. Let's play test it.

Although I could see half cost commanders and no commanders as an option also being fun. (But not mixed with full cost commanders).

Imagine this for fighter lovers:

Apparently 60/67 points is still a hefty amount of squadrons!

(You could get 7 more points by taking a TRC-CR90)

Fleet Summary Page (200 of 200 pts)

What if you kept the fleet size to 180 pts (REALLY coreset!)

Man, that makes fitting a large ship tough!

Anyways, at 200, here's what I'd run:

CR90, TRC, Dodonna, Taintive

Neb-B Escort, Yavaris

Jan Ors

X-wing

2 x H6

That's a nice, round, 200 even!

This does seem like fun!

I just took my Imp list and cut if in half:

ISD-1 Motti

Rhymer

Bomber x2

Tie ADV

Dengar

Also 200 even. Hmmm, now to try these out in the kitchen tonight

I would probably run this;

GSD-1 Ozzel (100pts)

Intel Officer

Ordnance Experts
Expanded Launchers

GSD-1 (98pts)

Wulff Yularen

Ordnance Experts

Engine Techs

Expanded Launchers
Demolisher

Would be very very hard hitting.

So to repeat - the rules:

200 points

3x3 space

3 rocks + station (per core rules)

Must have admiral

Initiative and objectives work as normal

only 1/3 of your list can be squadrons. (hey guys, 66.6 points rounded down? or 67)

[under testing optional: Undeployable zone: Distance 3 from the neutral edges.]

This is actually really cool. It looks like we literally can port the whole game with basically no rules change to 200 points and it still works. Balance is a little different still with objectives being worth much more.

imo, 180 is tough to fit a large ship.... but at 200 they become much more interesting.

A reminder that you only have 67 points of squadrons.

Another reminder that most of us prefer not making more rules....

including for now, not making a new rule that let's you not have an admiral . (This to me is a good rule to keep since admirals make you plan your game much more. Second it allows for much more effective ship spam. Third, with 200 points there's enough room for admirals.)

There should be no rule preventing you from taking multiples of the same ships. At max, you can have Ackbar with 3 TRCRs. That's the worst. Figure out how to beat it. Its completely not unbeatable.

Even my undeployable zone rule could be considered extraenous.. but here's my reasoning. We have a undeployable zone in the real game, and it prevents things like an ISD sitting on a corner at 45 degrees and never moving. Although I'm not sure it would work in this game, cuz Distance 3 is not a lot of buffer from going off the board attempting to flank. In fact, I'm not sure it would even be enough room to flank. Perhaps this rule isn't even needed.

CAN WE PLAYTEST THIS, and come back to me with your findings?

With undeployable zone rule and without!

This format looks to make for easy quick games of Armada that are more conceptual, better for practice, and really fun skirmish type.

This would be my 200

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 199/400

Commander: Admiral Ozzel

Assault Objective: Advanced Gunnery
Defense Objective: Fleet Ambush
Navigation Objective: Minefields

Gladiator I-Class Star Destroyer (56 points)
- Demolisher ( 10 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- Engine Techs ( 8 points)
- Expanded Launchers ( 13 points)

[ flagship ] Raider-I Class Corvette (44 points)
- Admiral Ozzel ( 20 points)

1 Bossk ( 23 points)
1 IG-88 ( 21 points)

This does seem like fun!

I just took my Imp list and cut if in half:

ISD-1 Motti

Rhymer

Bomber x2

Tie ADV

Dengar

Also 200 even. Hmmm, now to try these out in the kitchen tonight

Please let us know how this game went!

For me the biggest problem is the 3' x 3'. It will dramatically change the value of some ships, so I expect your pointing will be off. Anything close range and punchy is going to get significantly better, and anything that is a long range dancer will get significantly worse as you have a smaller space to maneuver in. I routinely fly CR90s far more than 3' during a game, so this would be a massive change for them.

Likewise, as others have said, large ships could have some interesting events as well, but for me, it's more that things like the CR90 vs. Glad-1 pricing is going to be out of whack.

For me the biggest problem is the 3' x 3'. It will dramatically change the value of some ships, so I expect your pointing will be off. Anything close range and punchy is going to get significantly better, and anything that is a long range dancer will get significantly worse as you have a smaller space to maneuver in. I routinely fly CR90s far more than 3' during a game, so this would be a massive change for them.

Likewise, as others have said, large ships could have some interesting events as well, but for me, it's more that things like the CR90 vs. Glad-1 pricing is going to be out of whack.

You bring up a good point. But the lists I've been creating definitely don't seem to give that impression. We might have to see what it actually ends up like on the table. I have the feeling there's plenty of room for CR90s vs Glads.

And funny enough, theres plenty of room to circumvent a large ship too if it moves. I'm less sure about if it doesn't move.

I like this Rebel list as well.

Commander: Mon Mothma

Assault Objective: Most Wanted
Defense Objective: Fleet Ambush
Navigation Objective: Dangerous Territory

CR90 Corvette B (39 points)
- SW 7 Ion Batteries ( 5 points)

[ flagship ] MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 points)
- Mon Mothma ( 30 points)
- Foresight ( 8 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)

1 Dash Rendar ( 24 points)
1 Han Solo ( 26 points)

Okay. I tried a game. First of all, it was an utter blast: Extremely fun, unique lists with a plan for their commanders (funny enough, I don't think I used Ozzel even once, but I was planning to use him as insurance). The game was also over within about an hour, removing some time for checking rules and setting up. Total set up, rules searching 3 times, and tear down will take me about 2.5 hours. The game was really good for just practicing and messing around, and it seems to work almost the same, so you can take your normal lists and just do them!

So, I tried to take this to one max of possible imbalance: 2 Ackbar Gunnery Teamed AF2Bs vs Ozzel Demolisher + 2 Raiders.

The crazy part: It was a complete tie. Mov of 4 points, going to a 5-5 win-draw for Ackbar.

After doing a super quick set up comparatively, (very few cards and much less extra tokens and dials and commands), Raiders went first, and picked Fire Lanes. Ackbar places Fire Lanes really close together along one side of rocks. Raiders spread them back out toward the center and away from each other and closer towards Raider side.

Undeployable zone rule was in place for this game. It seemed to make for very thoughtful deploying.

Ackbar faced forward, planning to fly through the center of the rocks and board. Raiders on the side but spread out.

Turn 1: Raiders blast forward, take 3 fire lane tokens. T

Turn 2: Non-Ozzel Raider flies forward 4 to block the lead non-Ackbar AF. Ackbar decides to stop conga-ing and turns perpendicular to the other AF, swinging in towards the Raider and Demolisher. Demolisher comes in from the side. Takes some hits, deals some hits.

Turn 3: Ozzel Raider rams Ackbar AF but overlaps heal station, giving only Ackbar 1 damage. Ozzel activates first, thinking he would be safe. Forgets that Ackbar can slash at the other blocking Raider and Demolisher. Non-Ozzel dies in one-ish shot (with some help from a ram and 2 forward dice from the AF last turn.) Demolisher takes Ackbar to 2 hull with a ram.

Big mistake! Also, Raiders are not dealing enough damage with just their front arcs. Not nearly enough damage to justify themselves.

Turn 4: Demolisher has to activate first to kill Ackbar, or Ackbar will likely kill him. Does so. Moves to the rear arc of not-Ackbar. Non-ackbar, even without Ackbar's help, blows up the Ozzel-Raider.

Turn 5: Demolisher closes in on non-Ackbar who is nearly at full health. Demolisher has taken a beating from Ackbar previously. No defense tokens except evade, no shields anyway, close range to non-Ackbar's rear arc. AF resigningly takes a shot from the rear at Demolisher, adding conc fire to 3 reds. .... Gets two doubles and a crit. Into 0 shields, 4 hull. Kills Demolisher. Ga

me ends immediately. No more Fire Lanes.

Ozzel scored 105 Fire Lanes and Ackbar's AF. Lost 200 points of all ships (I believe that counts the 3 point init bid too right? if you're tabled) and 30 points of Fire Lanes: Comes down to 4 points difference. T

Take aways about the format: REALLY GOOD! Really fun. Fast. Seems like most lists still have a good chance.

You have to want squadrons to bring any. But I suspect squadrons will still be very darn good.

Take aways about Raiders: Ow. They suck. Still. Double blocks. Dodging most side arcs as best I could... Still died in literally one strong attack. Their firepower was also really lacking. Just... not strong at all. I need to try and double arc more with them.

Ozzel was a good idea, but literally never got used. I'm going to try Motti next. Or Screed.

Vet Captains were ok. Worth about 3 points. Meh.

I wish I had hull upgrade from X-Wing. ...

Admiral Montferrat was ... okay. He didn't come in handy cuz I was on the heal station anyway that one attack. Then I rammed and lost him anyway. And had to keep ramming to avoid side arcs.

Going perpendicular as Ackbar was crazy... crazy good. Unexxpectedly really strong to completely create no safe zones.

Lists I used:

Fleet Summary Page (200 of 200 pts)

Overall i would also tend to try to not take any existing rules away and keep new fleet building rules as few and tight as possible.

For Rebels i could see this being fun:

[ REBEL FLEET (194 points)

1 • Assault Frigate Mark II B - Raymus Antilles - Expanded Hangar Bay - Gallant Haven (92)

2 • Jan Ors Moldy Crow (19)

3 • X-wing Squadron (13)

4 • X-wing Squadron (13)

5 • X-wing Squadron (13)

6 • Keyan Farlander B-wing Squadron (20)

7 • Dash Rendar Outrider (24)

Uhhh... 102 in fighters and only 92 in ships? I'd call that a pretty significant 'new fleet building rule.' Just sayin.

UPS!

Must have gotten carried away when clicking buttons, hehe

You are of course correct, very illegal list.

On a different note i like the current set of format rules to start testing things. Very well done, Blail Blerg!