I`m an X-wing player looking to get into Armada.

Love the ISDs and to me they`re reason enough to start playing..

However...

I`ve seen a number of videos and they seem to die rather quickly. Seen them get raped by assault frigates, in i don`t know how many videos.

Gladiators seem awesome though and people seem to get some mileage out of those Raiders.

So how are those ISDs? Anyone have decent experience with them?

I have yet to lose an ISD in a battle, they are beastly.

I`m an X-wing player looking to get into Armada.

Love the ISDs and to me they`re reason enough to start playing..

However...

I`ve seen a number of videos and they seem to die rather quickly. Seen them get raped by assault frigates, in i don`t know how many videos.

Gladiators seem awesome though and people seem to get some mileage out of those Raiders.

So how are those ISDs? Anyone have decent experience with them?

Depends on if you know what you're doing...if you don't they die, like any other ship.

They are great, but require more finesse than you'd think considering its a freaking Star Destroyer. The first impulse of many players is just charge in with them guns blazing. They get destroyed quickly when you allow them to be focus fired by multiple assault frigates commanded by Ackbar. An additional downside of the ISD is that it is expensive, so you will have less ships. This is bad not because you have less ships, but due to how ship activations work in Armada and especially with some lists that completely exploit this aspect. If you bring say an ISD and a VSD (2 ships) and your opponent brings a Demolisher list with a heft first player bid, the activation will go like this:

Turn Begins: He: Gladiator 1 - You: VSD/ISD - He:Gladiator 2 - You VSD/ISD - He: Demolisher -> Demolisher fires dealing roughly 10 damage and you don't have any more ship activations to counter him. Turn Ends {} Next turn: He: Demolisher -> Demolisher deals roughly 10 damage = dead ISD.

It's quite hard to stop such a list if you have less ships unless you plan for it during deployment.

It's quite hard to stop such a list if you have less ships unless you plan for it during deployment.

Make sure you have a list that flies well without your ISD. Like, y'know... Another ISD.

The worst case scenario - he trades Demolisher for one of your ISDs... Now, in order for him to keep his activation benefit up againts "most comers" - his Remaining Ships are going to be lightweight and no-where near as scary... Probably a bunch of raiders.

At which point, the Advantage can remain with you.

Yes, his opening salvo took out one ship - but you have the firepower to trash the Demolisher, and then you're often almost even on points again, because a Demolisher to do that is almost a 100pt Demolisher...

As a proud owner of 3 ISD's I will say the ISD is fantastic and deserves respect from any opponent. It is the hardest ship to kill, slightly edging out the mc80(some exceptions depending on situation) other then Ultra specialised heavily upgraded black dice ships it By far has the highest Damage Output (sometimes Ackbar mc80s get close) It is also Fairly maneuverable and capable of many different functions. That power of course comes at the cost of being the most Expensive ship in the game. And if misused it is easily outmanuvered and killed just like any other ship.

That said if you were to only play with fleets composed of ISD's and Fighters, you could easily become competitive. And ISD's are relatively forgiving compared to the other imperial ships.

I highly recommend ISD's

I was thinking i`d start off with a sinlge ISD with Turbolaser reroute curcuit (if that`s what it`s called) as well as ECM and Darth Vader.

I`ve seen the demolisher kick butt so i figured i`d have a demolisher build support the ISD. I`ve seen squadrons be very effective so maybe set up 6 or so squads backed by gozanti flotilla and Raider corvette? Not sure how that would work pointwise (seems like this would break the 400 point barrier)....

I`ve seen the empire get steamrolled by squadrons several times- mostly because the empire player didn`t bring any squadrons himself.

What`S the best way of protecting the ISD without gimping it`s offense and should I balance the build with all classes or go more narrow with ISD, demolisher and raider corvettes (anti-squad build)...?

It's quite hard to stop such a list if you have less ships unless you plan for it during deployment.

Make sure you have a list that flies well without your ISD. Like, y'know... Another ISD.

The worst case scenario - he trades Demolisher for one of your ISDs... Now, in order for him to keep his activation benefit up againts "most comers" - his Remaining Ships are going to be lightweight and no-where near as scary... Probably a bunch of raiders.

At which point, the Advantage can remain with you.

Yes, his opening salvo took out one ship - but you have the firepower to trash the Demolisher, and then you're often almost even on points again, because a Demolisher to do that is almost a 100pt Demolisher...

Possibly. I'm not saying it impossible for the ISD player to win, but its a massive setback when you only have 1 ship left and have to fend off both Demolisher (who can move after destroying the ISD in my example, so is not necessarily destroyed) and multiple other ships.

What`S the best way of protecting the ISD without gimping it`s offense and should I balance the build with all classes or go more narrow with ISD, demolisher and raider corvettes (anti-squad build)...?

These questions are almost impossible to answer neutrally, as it will completely depend on your style of play - which is up to you to find out... Some prefer Carrier Builds, some prefer Anti-Ship/Squadron Builds... its all wrapped up in how you feel and how you play...

What`S the best way of protecting the ISD without gimping it`s offense and should I balance the build with all classes or go more narrow with ISD, demolisher and raider corvettes (anti-squad build)...?

These questions are almost impossible to answer neutrally, as it will completely depend on your style of play - which is up to you to find out... Some prefer Carrier Builds, some prefer Anti-Ship/Squadron Builds... its all wrapped up in how you feel and how you play...

I was thinking i`d start off with a sinlge ISD with Turbolaser reroute curcuit (if that`s what it`s called) as well as ECM and Darth Vader.

I`ve seen the demolisher kick butt so i figured i`d have a demolisher build support the ISD. I`ve seen squadrons be very effective so maybe set up 6 or so squads backed by gozanti flotilla and Raider corvette? Not sure how that would work pointwise (seems like this would break the 400 point barrier)....

I`ve seen the empire get steamrolled by squadrons several times- mostly because the empire player didn`t bring any squadrons himself.

What`S the best way of protecting the ISD without gimping it`s offense and should I balance the build with all classes or go more narrow with ISD, demolisher and raider corvettes (anti-squad build)...?

If you want to run Turbolaser Reroute Circuits on an ISD, you need to have Capt. Needa in your officer slot, as they do not work without an evade. If you are using Vader as your admiral anyway, I wouldn't bother as you have roll protection on those reds built in. Go with Xi7's instead.

Oddly enough I have yet to use the ISD in battle.

Oddly enough I have yet to use the ISD in battle.

Lol

I was going to use an ISD 1 as a Venator...but couldn't make a list that I liked that had the biggest ship acting as a carrier.

(Plus I like the VSD too much....)

I was going to use an ISD 1 as a Venator...but couldn't make a list that I liked that had the biggest ship acting as a carrier.

(Plus I like the VSD too much....)

once you play ISD you will quickly find VSD's to be clumsy oats hardly worth their points lol

I honestly don't know how to use the ISD to make it really work.

I mean I normally roll with a baby Rhymer ball with about 4 bombers, 4 interceptors and Dengar...I'm a carrier player.

I am considering the Vader/Fel/Mauler/Dengar party...

ISDs are the scary scary tanks that can go scary fast as well in this game. There's not a ship that's better at all aspects of the game.

ISD1s have up to 2 upgrade slots making them a 5 spot carrier (6 if you go for a wulff token), with long activation range, for about 131? (I think I had something else on it.) Who doesn't have the speed limitation that rebel bombers pose, so you can sail at the enemy flagship and blow it away.

ISD2s are scary, due to their long range and ability to get accuracies to lock down defense tokens. Along with med range 2 AA die, and the gunnery teams they almost always have, they can throw a lot of hurt.

Both have good squad values, so they can serve as both carriers and gunships at the same time.

Few ships can take them out easily. Usually where it comes down is under concentrated fire. I first lost an ISD when I was playing with a carrier and ISD, and the other player setup 2 or 3 AFM2s at red range for me to walk into. Still took 2 turns to die.

I beat the piss out of one with a single VSD with assault concussion missiles...I literally took him from full health to 1 HP in a single salvo.

I beat the piss out of one with a single VSD with assault concussion missiles...I literally took him from full health to 1 HP in a single salvo.

Uh, how?

Best a VSD1 can do in a single shot is 12 damage, which would be braced to 6. 10 with 1 accuracy. It's got a minimum of 9 shields to redirect to (unless you hit the rear arc (If so, congratulations) -2 (ACM)= 7 effective on redirects.) Plus 11 hull is 18 damage required.

Using a side arc as well, assuming the same side arc target. Means -2 effective shields for 5, or 16 damage. Plus the theoretical 10, to not be braced Gives a maximum of 4 damage. or 14 total. That's assuming every single non accuracy (2) of them is a double hit or hit+crit.

So it should have 2 health left in an absolute best case scenario. (Of 2 accuracy (1/8 chance), and 3 double hits (1/8 chance) and 4 hit+crits (1/4 chance)

I beat the piss out of one with a single VSD with assault concussion missiles...I literally took him from full health to 1 HP in a single salvo.

vs the Amount of Times I've seen 1 ISD one-shot two Vics at the same time, using its Gunnery Teams on its ridiculous forward arc...

I beat the piss out of one with a single VSD with assault concussion missiles...I literally took him from full health to 1 HP in a single salvo.

Uh, how?

Best a VSD1 can do in a single shot is 12 damage, which would be braced to 6. 10 with 1 accuracy. It's got a minimum of 9 shields to redirect to (unless you hit the rear arc (If so, congratulations) -2 (ACM)= 7 effective on redirects.) Plus 11 hull is 18 damage required.

Using a side arc as well, assuming the same side arc target. Means -2 effective shields for 5, or 16 damage. Plus the theoretical 10, to not be braced Gives a maximum of 4 damage. or 14 total. That's assuming every single non accuracy (2) of them is a double hit or hit+crit.

So it should have 2 health left in an absolute best case scenario. (Of 2 accuracy (1/8 chance), and 3 double hits (1/8 chance) and 4 hit+crits (1/4 chance)

He was an ISD 1 that had the attention of 2 other ships that round to strip the shields.

I beat the piss out of one with a single VSD with assault concussion missiles...I literally took him from full health to 1 HP in a single salvo.

vs the Amount of Times I've seen 1 ISD one-shot two Vics at the same time, using its Gunnery Teams on its ridiculous forward arc...

Sounds like I need to run the ISD and see the light any suggestions on a list?

Take ~150 points out of your list.

Add ISD-II*, ECM, Leading Shots, XI7, Gunnery Team

Relish in the fact that 2 targets are going to be eating 8 Dice at Medium Range, most of them rerollable once you're at Medium Range, and you'll have your Brace when you need it.

Go play.

*Suggested as the More Expensive, ergo, more basically capable variant to run with... However, I personally don't like it as much, preferring the cheaper, cheerier, and much more punchy-brutal ISD-I... Because my Admiral is in another Cast-I mean, Victory. Yes. Victory SD. So I consider my Imperials Expendable.

He was an ISD 1 that had the attention of 2 other ships that round to strip the shields.

Well, if there's no shields, them having been stripped by someone else, then its not "Full Health" now, is it?

Aaah, Terminology... This is what happens when you don't define your variables...