So I am going to introduce a new Player this evening. He wants the Rebells.

Is this a good list for a starter game and for him as a new player?


http://armada.fabpsb.net/permalink.php?sq=r8c2r3r3r2r6r6r6r6e2c6g1t1e4e4e4e4e4e3e7e7e6o1e9e9

1 • Assault Frigate Mark II B - Assault Frigate Mark II (72) - General Dodonna (20)
• Total : 92 • Code : r8c2
2 • Nebulon-B Escort Frigate - Nebulon-B Frigate (57)
• Total : 57 • Code : r3
3 • Nebulon-B Escort Frigate - Nebulon-B Frigate (57)
• Total : 57 • Code : r3
4 • CR90 Corellian Corvette B - CR90 Corellian Corvette (39)
• Total : 39 • Code : r2
5 • X-wing Squadron - X-wing (13)
• Total : 13 • Code : r6
6 • X-wing Squadron - X-wing (13)
• Total : 13 • Code : r6
7 • X-wing Squadron - X-wing (13)
• Total : 13 • Code : r6
8 • X-wing Squadron - X-wing (13)
• Total : 13 • Code : r6

against:

1 • Victory II-class Star Destroyer - Victory-class Star Destroyer (85) - Admiral Screed (26) - Expanded Hangar Bay (5) - Enhanced Armament (10)
• Total : 126 • Code : e2c6g1t1
2 • TIE Fighter Squadron - TIE Fighter (8)
• Total : 8 • Code : e4
3 • TIE Fighter Squadron - TIE Fighter (8)
• Total : 8 • Code : e4
4 • TIE Fighter Squadron - TIE Fighter (8)
• Total : 8 • Code : e4
5 • TIE Fighter Squadron - TIE Fighter (8)
• Total : 8 • Code : e4
6 • TIE Fighter Squadron - TIE Fighter (8)
• Total : 8 • Code : e4
7 • ''Howlrunner'' TIE Fighter Squadron - TIE Fighter (16)
• Total : 16 • Code : e3
8 • TIE Interceptor Squadron - TIE Interceptor (11)
• Total : 11 • Code : e7
9 • TIE Interceptor Squadron - TIE Interceptor (11)
• Total : 11 • Code : e7
10 • Gladiator II-class Star Destroyer - Gladiator-class Star Destroyer (62) - Wulff Yularen (7)
• Total : 69 • Code : e6o1
11 • TIE Bomber Squadron - TIE Bomber (9)
• Total : 9 • Code : e9
12 • TIE Bomber Squadron - TIE Bomber (9)
• Total : 9 • Code : e9

That's a lot of squadrons for an introductory game. Why not just use the starter scenario?

The Rebels will activate four ships against 2 for the Imperials, that's a big advantage for them. I assume you'll be playing the Imperials? If not, I'd give the Imperials a Raider.

Perhaps you don't have the pack, but I would throw in some rogues, maybe one per side, just to show off that mechanic. When I do demo games I try to keep it balanced re squadron strength and number of activations, and I usually try to go for one large, one medium, and one small ship with some light upgrades/titles to give an even taste of how the game works.

I do think running something like this is way better than doing the learning scenario, as the learning scenario only serves to confuse people about initiative and doesn't show off one of the coolest (in my opinion) aspects of the game: the objectives.

unfortunately I think starter scenario is best for a starting player. It's boring as hell to you, but Armada is intimidating if you try to throw all of it at someone all at once. After the starter, run a small battle with a few upgrades and elite squadrons next.

Thanks for youm feedback.

As we wanted a shoerter game we used a shorter list:

Quote

1 • Assault Frigate Mark II B - Assault Frigate Mark II (72) - General Dodonna (20)
• Total : 92 • Code : r8c2
2 • Nebulon-B Escort Frigate - Nebulon-B Frigate (57)
• Total : 57 • Code : r3
5 • X-wing Squadron - X-wing (13)
• Total : 13 • Code : r6
6 • X-wing Squadron - X-wing (13)
• Total : 13 • Code : r6
7 • X-wing Squadron - X-wing (13)
• Total : 13 • Code : r6
8 • X-wing Squadron - X-wing (13)
• Total : 13 • Code : r6

against:

Quote

1 • Victory II-class Star Destroyer - Victory-class Star Destroyer (85) - Admiral Screed (26) - Expanded Hangar Bay (5) - Enhanced Armament (10)
• Total : 126 • Code : e2c6g1t1
2 • TIE Fighter Squadron - TIE Fighter (8)
• Total : 8 • Code : e4
3 • TIE Fighter Squadron - TIE Fighter (8)
• Total : 8 • Code : e4
4 • TIE Fighter Squadron - TIE Fighter (8)
• Total : 8 • Code : e4
5 • TIE Fighter Squadron - TIE Fighter (8)
• Total : 8 • Code : e4
8 • TIE Interceptor Squadron - TIE Interceptor (11)
• Total : 11 • Code : e7
9 • TIE Interceptor Squadron - TIE Interceptor (11)
• Total : 11 • Code : e7
11 • TIE Bomber Squadron - TIE Bomber (9)
• Total : 9 • Code : e9
12 • TIE Bomber Squadron - TIE Bomber (9)
• Total : 9 • Code : e9

and it was absolute fun. I wanted to make myself a more difficult list, so it would be a bit evend out, and it fit perfetcly.

In the end I lost on the smallest possible margin and 1 Hull point more for the victory would have seen the Empire winning:

The Assualt frigate was destroyed in turn 4 by combined firepower of the VSD and the Bombers. However the VSD took a point of ramming damage and hat to fly through asteroids. That made it possible for the Neb-B to unleash a final salvo in turn 5 and put it on 1 hull point before it had to ram it.

The TIEs did great against the X-Wings (of which my opponent was very fond of) but struggled to inflict enough damage on the Neb-B to indluence the outcome (they arrived late there too).

For fun we played it out: He had 1 XWing and a damaged Neb-B left and I had 2 TIE Bomber, 2 TIE-Interceptors and 1 TIE-Fighter sqaudron left. Whil first the Bombers put out decent damage, in the long run all TIEs were destroyed withou destroying anythin in return.

TOTAL TIME (incl. explanation of the game and me forgetting over the enhanced armament): 2h

For a store demo a couple weeks ago I went with 300 points bare bones lists with a few squadrons to throw in. I think in all I had an 2x AF-B and a MC30 Torp plus a few X-Wings. I used Dodonna as the Admiral. No upgrades and no objectives. I wanted them to get a feel of the Admiral and 3 ships with squadrons but also keeping it simple enough that it was easy to grasp basics. To me, the starter scenario just doesn't give the game justice. It's great for setting it up on the dining room table and figuring the game out with your kid, but with experienced people at the store showing new people the game, it goes pretty smooth with the setup I ran. We hooked two new players in, they have a basic understanding and immediately wanted to play more.

IMO, it's the environment they're introduced to. Having people that know the rules and know the mechanics helps immensely. I know when I first got into the game, even the starter scenario was difficult enough on it's own. I would have LOVED to have someone that knew the game show me the game like I demo'd it recently.

The Imperials had a Vic and two Glads bare bones with a few Tie's and a couple Advanced.

We tried to make the lists as similar as possible (same number of activations and similar number of squadrons. It can work very well if you keep it basic enough and even enough to where one person doesn't feel "outgunned".