Been playing around with a deck using ISD + Gladiator + Raider, but i`m not convinced the Raider is worth it. Especially if if i don`t have initiative.

Raider costs me just shy of 60 points- so I started wondering what else i could get for those points.

Raider has a high cost and not a lot of hitpoints. Since I expect to be "second player", the Raider seems like it will be difficult to position properly. It will take hits while getting into range and will likely die before I get more than salvo out of it.

So if I drop the Raider, I can step up to Gladiator II, but more importantly i can change up my squadrons:

Original build with Raider:

3x TIE-I

3x TIE-A

Then I went Rogue:

1x TIE-I

1x TIE-A

Darth Vader

Soontir Fel

Boba Fett

Bossk

With this squadron configuration I get more dice, more hitpoints, more defensive tokens and I only need squadron command on my ISD-II, since Bossk and Boba can work on their own.

Seems to me that ISD-II + Gladiator II and lots of solid elite squadrons are a better way to go. Boba and Bossk have 13 hitpoints between them and a lot more dice and flexibility than a Raider. Or so it seems to me...

Am I missing something??

Yeah, you get massively outactivated by your opponents. They get to move their ships after you have made your moves, safe in the knowledge there is nothing you can do about it. The Raider gives you a flexible activation and can force your opponent to make tough choices. It doesnt necessarily have to rush in to be useful, sometimes it can do a lot just by threatening to close the range.

Either way I feel like you're going too heavy on squadrons that are primarily only good against other squadrons. When you come up against lists with lots of activations and no squadrons, those TIE Intercepters and TIE Advanced become pretty expensive blue dice, and the former are easily flak'd down. If you plan to go light on ships and heavy on squads, bigger ships (ie ISDs and VSD-Is) and a more bomber-centric squadron ball tend to be preferred, since they can still deal with a variety of opponents.

ISD-II + GSD-I + 2 Raider-Is + approximately 4 TIE Fighters could work to alleviate the issue of being out-activated, while not overspending on squadrons that might end up getting nothing done.

TIE Advanced are at least Black Dice on Enemy Ships... No Bomber, but that doesn't matter... They're 1pt more than an A-Wing, and are doing virtually the same Job as them at that point, and Rebel players will tell you, A-Wings are still okay at doing that when they need to...

I think just a raider 1 with ordinance experts is pretty good paired with cheap fighters. Only what? 48 points?

My thinking at the moment is that I likely won`t be bidding for initiative and the Raider has bad weapons range. Most often I suspect I will move it into firing range of the enemy and then I`ll get to shoot with it on the next round if it`s still alive.

If i replace the raider with 2x elite rogue pilots, I get more flexility, lots of dice and can choose my attacks much better.

As far as the Interceptors and Advanced are concerned, they`re supposed to be running screen for the ISD-II.

TIE-Advanced engage a squad each and then the Interceptors come in to finnish them off.

The Rogue squads can run picket, but also support the other fighters as needed.

If the other players doesn`t use squadrons then that`s not entirely bad. Interceptors don`t last long but Boba, Bossk and the TIE-As should be able to land a lot of dice on any of the ships.

Empire just feels like they don`t have alot of options. Victory star destroyer has rubbish agility and the empire has no frigates. Flotilla might be of help with what I want to do.

Gladiator and ISD are great. Raider just isn`t providing it`s point value.. at least this is my current sentiment:)

What do you want to do? Break this down and we may be able to help.