I do not play this game competitively so I do not know the meta. But I am reading that ithe is best to have 5 plus activations. I am just wondering how you go about that on the Empire side. I can see that with the rebels that have much more cheaper ships but with the Empire not so much what does a ship list with 5+ activations on the Empire side look like?

Until Wave 3 Hits:

A Souped-up Gladiator and 4 Mid-line Raiders.

although PT has a wonderful ISD list that is backed up by cheaper raiders.

Really, that's about it, if you want that magic 5.

But under no circumstances is it truly needed to be competitive. Its just one fleet type, in the end, that has its own issues.

To piggy-back what Dras said, the main issue with running lists that have upwards of 5 ships is that the firepower of each individual piece decreases. The Glad + 4x Raiders comes down to the Glad doing most of the heavy lifting, so once that dies you lose a big piece of the overall pie.

You don't have to run a load of raiders:

GSD1 - ordinance experts, advanced proton torps, Screed

GSD1 - ordinance experts, advanced proton torps, Demolisher

GSD1 - ordinance experts, advanced proton torps

GSD1 - ordinance experts, advanced proton torps

GSD1 - ordinance experts, advanced proton torps

Total - 361

Its an extreme example but you get the idea.

Personally when running a list like this I run three GSD1's and two Raider 1's with a modest number of squadrons. All the eggs just in Demo doesn't sit well with me. Having some backup glads is nice, as is having the option for some big squadron hits with the raiders.

It can also be done with larger ships but usually compromises entirely on squadrons e.g. the 2x ISD, 3x Raider list that was mentioned above.

You can also run 1x ISD, 2x GSD, 2x Raider with a decent number of upgrades.

It does get pretty hard to build a decent list with five activations that isn't just raiders and gladiators and still have some squadrons, but the fleet definitely doesn't have to be one giant basket of eggs + raiders.

I find VSD's quite hard to fit in since they really do like pushing squadrons around and its hard to have enough points for five capital ships and enough left over to make the squadrons the VSD(s) will push meaningful.

4xgsd And 1 isd1 motti and you can put some upgrades

I like:

One top of the range demolisher

Four budget raiders

One mini fire ball ( 3 fire sprays and rhymer)

All commanded by Ozzie

The strategy is simple place the raiders first in two pairs down the flanks, next if you have a flank with juicy targets place your fire ball on that flank. If not place demo and the the fireball supporting demo against the primary target.

Raiders start speed two with navigate ( then spam nav until you need firepower) allowing them a 90%, full stop or full speed turn one.( always work the raiders in pairs) you are using them as funnels and blockers at the flanks, let a ship drift into them ( do not chase).

Demo starts at speed 1, nav command, Nav command, firepower, nav..... Ozzie makes this guy as unpredictable as hell, you can go from 1 to 3+1, which is brutal hard to predict around attack run, fire ball can be used to add early damage to a motti ISD to ensure the trip tap kill, block fighters, Hunt out a small ship, support one of the flanking raider wings.......