I've literally almost haven't loss a Deci to enemy fire, so here's my advice: Decimator is not a bull. You don't run it into the oppo's firing line at range 1. People that tell you to charge with Oicunn are just wrong.

Take Kenkirk, Lone Wolf, Ysanne, Captive and EU; fly it around the borders, boost like it is your only action, look at your oppo cry when your Deci has still 8 HP and has 1 Lone Wolf Agility, 1 free Evade and stresses his Ace by turn 6. Decimators, as any other large ship, can really run around the map with ease, and there is no point to play the aggressive role when you can both avoid fire and survive for 16 HP.

[bw]You can use the Push the Limit (PtL) elite pilot talent off any action, including Ysanne Isard's free evade action. And Engine Upgrade specifically says that it adds Noost to you action bar. Thus, you can combine Kenkirk, EU, PtL and Ysanne Isard to get three actions per turn - a focus or target lock as your standard action, the Isard's evade action at the start of the combat phase, then a boost action after even the highest PS aces have moved. Arguably one of the best repositioning options in the game, and that combo leaves 45 points free - I normally run it with three black squadron pilots with Crackshot. It's a good combo.

When you have an evade token every round, and an evade die, and a tonne of HP even after your shields are down, and the opportunity to potentially dodge arcs or ensure you're taking shots from range 2 or 3 rather than one the Decimator becomes remarkably hard to kill, especially one on one. Comparable in many ways to Fat Han, actually.

@OP: If you go for Oicun then take the title too - you really want to bump, and the title ensures that you get some (extra) modifiers for your attack. I played Oicun with Expert Handling, Intel Agent and Anti Pursuit Lasers a lot and that loadout gives you quite some tricks - see where your target is going, bump it for a damage, use EH to roll away either into it's path (if target is higher PS) so it will bump you then and take the Lasers plus another bump next turn when you move (that's 2 - 3 guaranteed damage), or use EH to roll out of arc and at the same time being R1 and not touching anymore.

There are several other good suggestions here in this thread, so you see that you have quite some variations to go through.

Pred is better than Expose, damage-wise. Modding dice is better than +1 dice in most cases.

I have had some recent success with this list:

Rear Admiral Chiraneau + Gunner

The Inquisitor + Adaptability + TIE/v1

Valen Rudor + Adaptability + TIE/v1

This version of RAC is one of the easiest ever to fly. He does a good job of dishing out damage (with Gunner to increase your odds of doing damage each turn). While *ideally* you would want him at range 1-2 of your targets its not mandatory. Just make sure you bring 3 pieces of debris (as opposed to asteroids) so he can still shoot even if you pilot him poorly.

The other two ships are just decent to add. Inquisitor adds good firepower and Valen has great survival skills. Both get the title to increase their overall survivability.

In summary, the single best tip for Decimator is: use debris, not asteroids.

I've literally almost haven't loss a Deci to enemy fire, so here's my advice: Decimator is not a bull. You don't run it into the oppo's firing line at range 1. People that tell you to charge with Oicunn are just wrong.

this is utter stuff and nonsense

Oicuun is objectively the manliest Deci, and the most badass to go back too once you've bored yourself to death on taking a ship that looks like a space-faring saber-toothed shark and running away with it like a namby pamby all game

something that awesome looking deserves to adhere its true calling: plowing through lesser ships like it was made to do

if you want to have fun in a Decimator, it's Oicuun or bust

If you really want to go a bit more defensive,add Determination as an ept to Kenkirk. I used it for four games in a store tourny. The minimum Crits I Shunted away was 2, the most was four! For 1 point, I think it was totally worth it.

So I just bought this today, and I don't have the Raider or the Lambda, how do I fly this thing?

first of all you learn the "flavours" your deci comes in

1) Flavour 1, RAC, Rear admiral chiraneau, the top gun, PS8 with epic ability, when paired with predator giving him a damage output that rivals FCS foes

Comes with Isane Isaard for protection, Engine upgrade because it's broken as hell agains Ps7 and lower, and Rebel Captive because it's OP as hell.

He zooms around, tries as hard to stay out of most arcs to prolong the battle and make the most out of Isaard. Reb captive breaks PTl-abusers and crab bros. predator+RACability=awesome damae output

2) Flavour 2, DOOM DECIMATOR

Patrol leader with Vader crew. simple as hell, you stay at maximum range and avoid fire exchange, because your hp = damage, don't lose it to enemy fire! Wipes the floor with soontir tears.

Might make some use out of antipursuit lasers to let you block as well

3) Flavour 3, Sumo Lord

Captain Oicunn can damage foe by BUMPing into him,

likes using ion projectors or engine upgrade (paired with title to bump+fly overhead)

and enjoys Intimidation, Predator EPTs.

Mara jade and rebel captive let you pile stress onto filthy aces, making them predictable

2+3=Double deci, the best FUN the Empire has to offer!

Pred is better than Expose, damage-wise. Modding dice is better than +1 dice in most cases.

Which is why you take EI as well so you can target lock, for 7 points you get a 4 attack PWT with rerolls.

Pred is better than Expose, damage-wise. Modding dice is better than +1 dice in most cases.

Which is why you take EI as well so you can target lock, for 7 points you get a 4 attack PWT with rerolls.

What's EI?

Experimental interface

"Once per round, after you perform an action, you may perform 1 free action from an equipped Upgrade card with the "Action:" header. Then receive 1 stress token."

Experimental interface

"Once per round, after you perform an action, you may perform 1 free action from an equipped Upgrade card with the "Action:" header. Then receive 1 stress token."

Thank you.

The problem is that then you're losing Engine Upgrade, which might as well just be stapled to any Decimator card.

Okay, a bit of explaining for the beginner on why Boost (and therefore Engine Upgrade) is the best option for a large ship: A regular base is equal to a Straight 1 movement. A large base is equal to a Straight 2 movement. Because Boost uses the same movement templates whether it's large or small, on a large ship it moves 33% farther than a small ship would. In a game where maneuver is the most important thing, that gives large ships a serious advantage.

Combining that with Rear Admiral Chiraneau's high pilot skill (at 8) and innate dice modification (turning an eye to a crit), it means he can maneuver to be out of enemy arc while still keeping his own shot. It's also why Veteran Instincts + Engine Upgrade are the most commonly used cards on him: Going to PS10 lets him see the movements of as many enemy ships as possible and try to dodge them. Gunner is usually added because it's a Crew slot that lets him deal with bad offense dice luck, and the usual add (Predator) isn't available because VI takes that slot.

Not that I haven't had FUN with an Oicunn Ramming Speed list, but Rear Admiral Chiraneau (Veteran Instincts, Engine Upgrade, Gunner) is good for beginners because it's fairly forgiving to fly and it's strong.

As some others have said but expose and experimental interface is a good build, here is how I use my Deci

Rear Admiral Chiraneau (67) - VT-49 Decimator

Expose (4), Emperor Palpatine (8), Emperor Palpatine (8), Experimental Interface (3)

Obviously you don't have the Emperor but this build works fine without him

I've literally almost haven't loss a Deci to enemy fire, so here's my advice: Decimator is not a bull. You don't run it into the oppo's firing line at range 1. People that tell you to charge with Oicunn are just wrong.

this is utter stuff and nonsense

Oicuun is objectively the manliest Deci, and the most badass to go back too once you've bored yourself to death on taking a ship that looks like a space-faring saber-toothed shark and running away with it like a namby pamby all game

Manly maybe, but I've never seen a competitive list running him. Nor I've seen an Oicunn survive until the end. Any alpha strike can easly take down a Deci in 2 or at worse 3 turns, and a mindless charge it's the easiest way to lose yourself a Decimator.

That's my experience, and while I've never seen an Oicunn win anything, my Kenkirk build won me more than one tournies.

Oicunn is a staple in double Decimator lists. He probably is the most common Gunner/Vader carrier in my area.

Pred is better than Expose, damage-wise. Modding dice is better than +1 dice in most cases.

4 attack dice with modification (5 attack dice with modification at range 1) are better than 3 attack dice with modification.