X-Wing player here, looking to tip my toes into Armada (maybe in time for the Summer kit?). I currently have:

Core Set

Imperial Star Destroyer

Imperial Fighter Squadrons

Annnnnnd that's it.

I'm looking to aim my purchases to get me a competitive list quickly more than anything else -- in X-Wing, that's a royal PIA and requires buying into every faction. Knowing this and not knowing much about Armada, I'm looking to you as my only hope!

I just want to know what I should get next. Another ISD? A second VSD? The Raider? Rogues?

Note: the more expensive it will end up being, the longer it will take me to acquire. So, while my preference is "competitive quick", this is basically just looking for the cheapest buy in to get there. I can work on rounding out the collection later, to get me more options.

... I also am not very cognizant of what merits a competitive list, or I'd try and pull something together myself and set up a purchasing order. I'll have some reading to do on that front.

Thanks, all!

I would say first definitely a Gladiator. With that you are already quite flexible.

You could be competitive with as little as 2 more imperial fighter squadrons. You can run a VSD, ISD bomber list. As mentioned about adding a Gladiator with it would also be great. You can create a nice ISD, VSD, Glad combo with some fighters and bombers that could hold its own. The biggest thing you need to be ready for a tournament is just experience playing games to learn deployment, controlling the engagement, how to approach different objectives etc.. A wide variety of fleets can win right now so don't worry about that.

You could also use a Rogue and Villians fighter pack for Dengar but Admiral Chiraneau that comes with the Gladiator expansion can fill that role too.

The Gladiator is something you need to learn how to fly.

The upgrades overall are meh, but the Ship itself, and in particular, demolisher, is something you need to learn... Even if you don't use it competitively, knowing how to use it will increase your play skill with the Imperial Star Destroyer at the same time.

Aside from ships, there are also certain upgrades you are going to want to be sure you have access to. A few that spring to mind which you may not have access to buying only imperial, not buying a VSD expansion, or simply might want in greater numbers-

-Xi7 Turbolasers (Neb B, Summer 2016 Kit)

-Boosted Comms (Home One, ISD)

-Electronic Countermeasures (You only need as many as you have ISD's- Core Set, CR90, AFMK-2)

-Ordinance Experts (MC30, Raider)

-Assault Proton Torpedoes (MC30)

-Intel Officer (Neb B, VSD)

-Flight Controllers (VSD)

-Expanded Hangers (VSD)

The parenthesis has which expansions the upgrades can be found in. I'm sure I've missed something, or maybe I included things some would say are a luxury. But there you go.

The Gladiator is something you need to learn how to fly.

The upgrades overall are meh, but the Ship itself, and in particular, demolisher, is something you need to learn... Even if you don't use it competitively, knowing how to use it will increase your play skill with the Imperial Star Destroyer at the same time.

100% Demolisher top priority.

Glad comes with ACM's, I believe Exp Launchers, and Engine Techs. Some decent cards in there.

Gladiator for Imps. Assault Frigate for Rebs, MC30 for the cards.

Thanks all! Would still love to hear suggestions, but it looks like I'm grabbing a Gladiator as soon as I can.

I tried one of the squad builders and just set it up to create whatever from what I own, and it didn't appear to even be enough to RUN a full list (unless I'm just not understanding something). So these suggestions are VERY welcome.

Gladiator is the obvious first choice like people have said. I'm fairly new myself, but I have done a lot of research and many hours of squad building.

The most common competitive gladiator build I have seen is this, and I have not found much reason to refute it:

Wulf Yularen (Core)

Ordnance Experts (raider, mc30)

Engine Techs (gladiator)

Expanded Launchers (gladiator)

Demolisher title (Gladiator)

So most of the good stuff for the gladiator comes in its own box. Ordnance experts is nice and comes with a cheap imperial ship but it's not essential.

A popular effective ISD core build:

Gunnery team (Core)

Electronic Countermeasures (core)

XI7 Turbolasers (nebulon B)

Some basic builds you could make with minimal purchases:

ISD/VSD/heavy squadrons

ISD/VSD/Gladiator

ISD/Gladiator/raider

Basically, gladiator has the biggest impact. Raider adds ordnance experts to your card collection and is an in-faction ship, but it's a hard ship to use effectively.

An additional imperial squadron pack and/or the rogues and villains squadron pack add to your squadron options but squadrons are a more personal choice and with big hull imperial lists there often isn't much room for them.

Do consider proxying or borrowing XI7 turbolasers to try them out on your ISD, but the Nebulon B expansion is not in-faction. It is at least a cheap expansion if you eventually decide its worth it. it also includes Intel officer which is nice but also comes in the VSD expansion.

Again, I am fairly new and this is just a collection of my thoughts from personal squad building tests and research.

This is fantastic.

If I can build off my topic without adding a new thread, are there any recommended instructional videos to watch for folks still learning? Even better if they have some consideration for X-Wing players, but that's not actually important.

I didn't end up grabbing the Gladiator this weekend, but it's next up when I've got the time. I've got a bit of store credit from an X-Wing tourney, so it might make sense to use it to fund Armada

This is fantastic.

If I can build off my topic without adding a new thread, are there any recommended instructional videos to watch for folks still learning? Even better if they have some consideration for X-Wing players, but that's not actually important.

I didn't end up grabbing the Gladiator this weekend, but it's next up when I've got the time. I've got a bit of store credit from an X-Wing tourney, so it might make sense to use it to fund Armada

I recommend reading Biggs blog. He has a lot of good articles on various concepts and tactics in Armada.

http://xwingtactics.blogspot.com/

This is fantastic.

If I can build off my topic without adding a new thread, are there any recommended instructional videos to watch for folks still learning? Even better if they have some consideration for X-Wing players, but that's not actually important.

I didn't end up grabbing the Gladiator this weekend, but it's next up when I've got the time. I've got a bit of store credit from an X-Wing tourney, so it might make sense to use it to fund Armada

You should also read clontroppers analysis of threat range on this forum, if you havent already.

Gladiator. No question. I despise Demolisher as a Rebel player, which makes it an auto include in my Imperial lists.

Demolisher, Rhymer and Fett... The basis of the Unholy Imperial Trinity

Here would be my suggestions to add to what you own for the basics, I'll then have a more expanded list as well.

Basics:

• Glad expansion (dead horse now I know, but Demolisher and Screed are big).
• raider expansion (It will give you a cheap ship option as well as a great anti-squadron platform. This ship takes some finesse, though so be warned)
• 1 more imperial squadron pack (extra bombers mainly)
• 1 Rogues and Villains (Dengar for intel is HUGE)
• 1 VSD (Admiral Motti, and flight controllers will be useful)

This with what you have will give you a number of lists which are competitive. You may want to look into some cards which come in Rebel only packs (xi7s,Assault Proton Torpedeos,leading shots), but you might be able to trade for them, or wait for alt-art releases (xi7 in the 2016 summer kit, leading shots in the 2015 spring kit I beleive). They aren't nessecary, but they are very good cards.

Extras:

Now if you really want to open up even more fleet options this is what I'd recommend after the basics

• 1-2 Glad
• 1-2 ISDs (2 is all you really need IMO as they take up a lot of points. You can fit 3 in a list, but nothing else. It's still an option though)
• 1-2 fighter packs(Bombers!)
• 2-3 Rogues and Villains (They really are wonderful squadrons, and combined with the fighter packs you can make any type of squadron build)
• 1-3 Raiders (depending on if you really want to use an activation high/swarm list)
• 1 VSD (Maybe. This one is a little iffy, as I very rarely see 3 VSDs used nowadays. You are mainly buying for the cards or if you really like the VSD)

This gives you a huge pool to build fleets from, though its still excludes some possible fringe builds (max glads or raiders, or TIE Bombers). Once you have a good understanding of the game and know what type of ships you like and what your playstyle is, I'd pick and choose from this list. You probably don't even need all of these, but it depends on what you like and what you want to try.