This guy looks really interesting, but how is the best way to use him?

At first I thought he would go well with a Vader list, then I realised the obvious problem with that idea.

To me the obvious one is leading two ISD2s with ECMs, as he would let you brace just about any decent size attack quite happily.

Whereas my VSDs and ISD1s hardly ever seem to get to brace anything these days....

But then if you expected to face demolisher and Intel officer in most games, he would still be really good in allowing (assuming he made his attack run in turn 2), to brace the first attack, recover the brace at the top of turn 2, and then brace the second attack... Would that let your VSD or ISD survive the triple tap??

Apart from that, trying to think of other uses for him is difficult at this stage.

At first I thought he would go well with a Vader list, then I realised the obvious problem with that idea.

Bloody funny!

But then if you expected to face demolisher and Intel officer in most games, he would still be really good in allowing (assuming he made his attack run in turn 2), to brace the first attack, recover the brace at the top of turn 2, and then brace the second attack... Would that let your VSD or ISD survive the triple tap??

Let's run some easy math.

Assumptions:

1) demo is triple tapping on the same hull zone, let's say front.

2) you flew right in his mouth in order to get some use out of Tagge in 3rd turn

3) Demolisher commands are both conc fire during the triple tap

1st tap: 5 rerollable blacks, 2 reds: rerolls are hard to account for, but let's assume 1 rerollable black dice= 1,5 expected damage (which is fairly generous in my game experience): total expected damage would be 7,5 + 1= 8,5, braced to 4-5 and 3 redirected to side. No hull damage, front shield is at 2-3, 1 side shield to 0.

2nd tap: 5 rerollable blacks: expected damage is 7,5. We're gonna brace the third tap, as it sports more dices and makes more sense to me. We're gonna redirect to intact side shield tho: as we're running a worst case scenario, let's say front shield is at 2, and we're taking 8 damage. Result is no more shields on front and sides, 3 damage to the hull.

3rd tap: 4 rerollable blacks, 2 reds. Expected damage is 6+1, braced to 4, totaling 7 damage on hull and 4 damage to go.

So the answer is yes, ISD should survive, even tho it's severely battered. Keep in mind this is a worst case scenario for the ISD, but taking average values. I had Clon shoot my isd for 10+ damage a shot when we first played, and there's no cure for that.

I've played your fly fast Vader list, I think Tagge lets you play a fast flying, hard striking fleet, very aggressively too!

Tagge is pretty darn awsome for ISDs because loosing brace just destroys them. It looses this precious token to pretty much anything playable. TRC90, TRC90/Intel, Demolisher, other ISDS/large ships, Firesprays

The most obvious is timed pushes. Against DeMSU for ISDs currently testing aggresively flying towards Demolisher to fight it on my terms so they don't choose when to jump in or they are forced to go. Aggressive naviation, Speed 3/Flanking/Yaw to get into position during turns 1-2 and focusing fire ships using superior token defense. On a ship with ECM you have a guaranteed brace on turn 2-3 facing an Intel Officer, Intel Officer crushes Large Ships. A better case Scenario is not getting hit by Intel Officer you might get up to 4 Braces. Add in Engineering Commands it seems pretty darn survivable. Put some Floatillas in and Scatter everything you can, they get theirs back too. They could also carry Repair Crews.

Tagge might actually be the better ''Repair/Engineering Tank'' than Tarkin because he gives you back the best damage mitigation ability in the game (aka Brace Token). You can fit Tagge and Wulf on one ISD and it's still cheaper than Tarkin. I'm hoping that Tagge might bring back x2 ISD in a big way, especially with a couple of Floatilas activations/in tow. Something i wipped up that looks fun! http://armadawarlords.hivelabs.solutions/view_list.php?token=27266

He facilitates being aggressive early. With him, you gotta move in quick and have exchanged serious shots by turn 2. If you miss the token at beginning of turn 3 then either you've set up your opponent well or you're engaging too late.

I imagine we'll see Tagge in two main types of fleets:

1) Being used in place of Screed for the most aggro styles of Imperial fleets that also want to include Gozantis. Screed does nothing for Gozantis and he doesn't really want the squadron support they bring either (Slicer Tools maybe, but you can always just mess with enemy ships by making them ex-ships, which is how one Screeds nowadays and that seems to work just fine). You can engage with Raiders, Gladiators and the odd ISD on turn 2 and use Tagge reliably in that fashion. He's effectively Safety Screed.

2) Being use in place of Motti for more mixed-arms fleets that can see action by turn 2 and include ships of varying hull sizes. Motti is best with medium and large ships (he's most cost-effective there, anyways) and Tagge is less picky (provided the ship can go speed 3+) and more flotilla-friendly as well (noticing a theme?). The only real ship that gets left behind here is potentially the VSD - if an opponent doesn't want to deal with a VSD on turn 2 he can generally just... not. It's a slow ship. This style of fleet wouldn't necessarily be as reckless as Safety Screed and could lend itself to carrier builds that wanted to include more Gozantis/Raiders/maybe a Gladiator than a standard Motti fleet. The main competition there will be a newly revitalized Tarkin who also loves himself a bunch of Gozantis to act as token colleciton buckets.

I guess i dont see it but then again, all i thought i knew about armada was a lie...

2 ISD1, 1 ISD2 ECMS to lead the assault seems ok. 372 with now other upgrades. All get leading shots and support officers and you are at 396.

or go 2 ISD2 squadron support and play the carriers super aggressive and back them with a rhymer ball.

At first I thought he would go well with a Vader list, then I realised the obvious problem with that idea.

I support the notion that you can field two Comanders, one other and one Vader. When/if the other one 'fails him (for the last time)', Vader can replace that Commander.

Only problem with that is you want Tagge to still be around AFTER Vader has burnt all the defence tokens attacking things.

The other idea I had for Tagge is with Needa and TLRCs and gunnery teams, Tagge would let you abuse Needa right through the game. You may even be able to use him to dodge something! Pity there is only one Needa available.

Only problem with that is you want Tagge to still be around AFTER Vader has burnt all the defence tokens attacking things.

The other idea I had for Tagge is with Needa and TLRCs and gunnery teams, Tagge would let you abuse Needa right through the game. You may even be able to use him to dodge something! Pity there is only one Needa available.

I agree that at least initially the TRCs + Needa combination on an ISD is going to be a common feature of Tagge lists. Might as well burn through that Evade if you know for sure it's coming right back and Tagge otherwise wouldn't trigger on that ship.

I will be running Tagge with my Wave 3 team. He adds a TON of survivability to my Gozanti carriers.