@Mag... you should break down the Chewies by Waves. Only Wave 1. Only Wave 2.

@Mag... you should break down the Chewies by Waves. Only Wave 1. Only Wave 2.

So this was something I wrestled with at inception, and I went back and forth on it until clon requested I do it and this was the way he suggested it, so I honored his wishes, despite being late. Have to remember to email him the list. Additionally, this allows me to avoid giving an upgrade that saw like no use an award because it was the only one of its type to come down the pipe this wave, and allows me to diversify the categories further. If you look at wave one, I think I only had 9 categories. Now I was able to recognize 16 components.

Part of it is also that an upgrade thats mediocre at release may become great down the road. E.C.M.'s was always good, but it was the second best defensive retrofit in wave one until the Xi7 errata. I think the advent of Slicer Tools makes things like Leia and Wing Commander better cards. By not restricting to a certain wave, I can award based on the roles they play in the meta.

What I might do in the future is like maybe, best new, most improved, best overall (no restrictions). Thoughts on that?

Armada History Lession: Wave 1 Meta

ECM was a chump choice until the XI7 buff that made AP's less useful just in time for Wave 2. Wave 2 then gave us a ton of ships that were high accuracy / high damage monsters (ISD / MC80 / Ackbar AFIIs) and making sure you had a Brace for that one monster attack became the norm.

BECAUSE ECM became popular, you saw Intel Officer show up more regularly as the soft counter to that.

Before that, getting an accuracy to shut down a VSD or AF2's brace was just easier that taking 7 points of upgrades on a shot that probably wasn't going to warrant a brace anyway. Only GSDs really wanted them, and again, their problem was AF2s with Advanced Projectors, and they solved that in a limited way with Assault Concussion Missiles.

@Intel Officer being discovered in Clonisher lol

That's literally the first upgrade I bought just for the card. Same with XI7s. Good thing both come in the Neb.

http://lkhero.blogspot.com/2015/11/armada-ackbar-control.html

Also, 11/10/2015 was the date of this article.

Things I've learned from this forum so far: People catch on pretty **** late in this game (i.e. Intel Officer, TRCs, XI7s, ECM, Fireball). While I understand that certain things need more testing before they can be vetted, I just can't wrap my head around how long it takes for it to become obvious for a lot of people.

Even in my Spring tournament season this year, people were still questioning some of these really powerful upgrades.

So let me ask you guys really quick: Do you think its a local meta thing, the lack of exposure to popular builds, or people not visiting the forum, or a mix of all of these? Given, I'm a spike-tuner archetype competitive player, but the week I bought into Armada, I bought 3x Nebs without a second thought.

Intel officer wasnt discovered in Clon's list, and no one has intimated that it was.

@Mag, this is positive feedback of course, but if you associate someone's name with a particular upgrade or whatever, you're implying that they popularized it. That's the impression that I got, so I was disagreeing with it.

Intel Officer has always been popular.

I also disagree with Biggs when he says that IO only got popular because of ECM. I mean, I joined the party at the end of Wave 1, 3 weeks before Wave 2, and I remembered Intel Officer and XI7s being good then. ECMs only became mandatory after the damage monsters came out to make sure that Brace wasn't so easily suppressed. IO has always been good. XI7s only became more beastly after the AP nerf, but even they they are still incredible. Essentially, a common trend to pull from your list is that anything that pushes damage, or is a defense-suppressor is good in this game for the most part.

The only ones that really stand out as being remotely different at the ones that give you superior versatility or maneuverability.

@Intel Officer being discovered in Clonisher lol

That's literally the first upgrade I bought just for the card. Same with XI7s. Good thing both come in the Neb.

http://lkhero.blogspot.com/2015/11/armada-ackbar-control.html

Also, 11/10/2015 was the date of this article.

Things I've learned from this forum so far: People catch on pretty **** late in this game (i.e. Intel Officer, TRCs, XI7s, ECM, Fireball). While I understand that certain things need more testing before they can be vetted, I just can't wrap my head around how long it takes for it to become obvious for a lot of people.

Even in my Spring tournament season this year, people were still questioning some of these really powerful upgrades.

So let me ask you guys really quick: Do you think its a local meta thing, the lack of exposure to popular builds, or people not visiting the forum, or a mix of all of these? Given, I'm a spike-tuner archetype competitive player, but the week I bought into Armada, I bought 3x Nebs without a second thought.

Intel officer wasnt discovered in Clon's list, and no one has intimated that it was.

@Mag, this is positive feedback of course, but if you associate someone's name with a particular upgrade or whatever, you're implying that they popularized it. That's the impression that I got, so I was disagreeing with it.

Intel Officer has always been popular.

I also disagree with Biggs when he says that IO only got popular because of ECM. I mean, I joined the party at the end of Wave 1, 3 weeks before Wave 2, and I remembered Intel Officer and XI7s being good then. ECMs only became mandatory after the damage monsters came out to make sure that Brace wasn't so easily suppressed. IO has always been good. XI7s only became more beastly after the AP nerf, but even they they are still incredible. Essentially, a common trend to pull from your list is that anything that pushes damage, or is a defense-suppressor is good in this game for the most part.

The only ones that really stand out as being remotely different at the ones that give you superior versatility or maneuverability.

I said it was a component of Clon's list. I also wrote that it was popular since the early days of the game in a wide variety of lists, in the very next sentence . I also gave it an honorable mention in the wave one chewies, and if you read the thread there were plenty of folks who thought it should have won that one. For the record, Clon popularized a list style, and perhaps a Demo loadout if you were late to the game on it.

But I'd really love to not keep talking about this. I do appreciate the feedback. I'd appreciate it even more if it was about what I wrote, and not a list we've all talked to death in like thirty threads already. I'd love to know what you thought of the choices made, or the reasoning proffered. I'd like to know if you thought the jokes were funny or came across as trying too hard. Is this the kind of thing we'd like to see more of? Were we better off without it?

I think the list is fine. I was here for your first list, so I appreciate the humor and effort. While some things I would disagree with, they're mostly covered in your runner up choices.

There's some things I disagree with pretty harshly though, like best Imperial title not being Demolisher, and best ace squadron being Jan Ors over Rhymer LOL. Rest of the stuff is pretty on-point.

Thank you for once again focusing on meta builds and not the overlooked side cases that give them headaches.

Personally I think it's great. I thought it was well written and well reasoned.

You could make a bigger production out of it by allowing for nominations in various categories. Then have a guest write up on each nominee.

Or go bracket style (although we all know Demo wins that)

I like the award being for the current meta, rather than by wave.

I think the list is fine. I was here for your first list, so I appreciate the humor and effort. While some things I would disagree with, they're mostly covered in your runner up choices.

There's some things I disagree with pretty harshly though, like best Imperial title not being Demolisher, and best ace squadron being Jan Ors over Rhymer LOL. Rest of the stuff is pretty on-point.

Both of those won Chewies in Wave 1 and were therefore disqualified from consideration. I put a disclaimer up and a link in the preamble. Otherwise, yes, both of those would have won. And would probably keep on winning.

Thank you for once again focusing on meta builds and not the overlooked side cases that give them headaches.

You know, snark aside, it might be cool to include some under the radar awards in the next one.

I've seen various Rebel titles in competitive pay, but if I had to pick one that's had a massive impact it's Yavaris. Yavaris in wave 2 has completely redefined the idea of how a Rebel squadron fleet should be built. Admonition has done a good job, but hasn't taken over fleet builds like Yavaris has.

Expect to see Nebulons treating it up once wave 4 and 5 hit (wave 4 being the Corellian Conflict campaign).

Personally I think it's great. I thought it was well written and well reasoned.

You could make a bigger production out of it by allowing for nominations in various categories. Then have a guest write up on each nominee.

Or go bracket style (although we all know Demo wins that)

I like the award being for the current meta, rather than by wave.

Yeah I think I might go with a panel next time, assuming I can find willing victi--volunteers.

I've seen various Rebel titles in competitive pay, but if I had to pick one that's had a massive impact it's Yavaris. Yavaris in wave 2 has completely redefined the idea of how a Rebel squadron fleet should be built. Admonition has done a good job, but hasn't taken over fleet builds like Yavaris has.

Expect to see Nebulons treating it up once wave 4 and 5 hit (wave 4 being the Corellian Conflict campaign).

I can't argue with that. Yavaris is freaking awesome. I stand by my pick, but I can completely see voting for Yavaris in that spot.

Personally I think it's great. I thought it was well written and well reasoned.

You could make a bigger production out of it by allowing for nominations in various categories. Then have a guest write up on each nominee.

Or go bracket style (although we all know Demo wins that)

I like the award being for the current meta, rather than by wave.

Yeah I think I might go with a panel next time, assuming I can find willing victi--volunteers.

Count me in if you go that route.

Intel Officer has always been popular.

I also disagree with Biggs when he says that IO only got popular because of ECM. I mean, I joined the party at the end of Wave 1, 3 weeks before Wave 2, and I remembered Intel Officer and XI7s being good then. ECMs only became mandatory after the damage monsters came out to make sure that Brace wasn't so easily suppressed. IO has always been good. XI7s only became more beastly after the AP nerf, but even they they are still incredible. Essentially, a common trend to pull from your list is that anything that pushes damage, or is a defense-suppressor is good in this game for the most part.

As of 10/16/15 and the release of the new FAQ, Advanced Projectors no longer are a soft counter to XI7s, and in fact the XI7 is a had counter to Advanced Projectors. This changes the major use for XI7, putting it as an excellent upgrade to take against enemy ships that have low hull and rely on their shields for defense - the same ships that would be taking Advanced Projectors.

Yavaris will wave IV.

It can now move and shoot with more destructive power than Demo...

Yavaris will wave IV.

It can now move and shoot with more destructive power than Demo...

And with added Relay for pseudo Boosted Comms

Yavaris will wave IV.

It can now move and shoot with more destructive power than Demo...

And with added Relay for pseudo Boosted Comms

Oh man, I hadnt made this connection yet.

Relay seemed a bit meh... but when you put it like that...

Armada History Lession: Wave 1 Meta

ECM was a chump choice until the XI7 buff that made AP's less useful just in time for Wave 2. Wave 2 then gave us a ton of ships that were high accuracy / high damage monsters (ISD / MC80 / Ackbar AFIIs) and making sure you had a Brace for that one monster attack became the norm.

BECAUSE ECM became popular, you saw Intel Officer show up more regularly as the soft counter to that.

Before that, getting an accuracy to shut down a VSD or AF2's brace was just easier that taking 7 points of upgrades on a shot that probably wasn't going to warrant a brace anyway. Only GSDs really wanted them, and again, their problem was AF2s with Advanced Projectors, and they solved that in a limited way with Assault Concussion Missiles.

Brings back memories this does...of old times, and comrades long since fallen

Yavaris will wave IV.

It can now move and shoot with more destructive power than Demo...

And with added Relay for pseudo Boosted Comms

And the Empire will rejoice as they blow it apart. (Still one of my most hated I want to kill it-kill it-kill it ships.)

You totally nailed the list Mads. I would also argue about Boosted Comms being better but it is a minor criticism. You definitely nailed Jan... and Cluster Bombs for the JarJar win.

You totally nailed the list Mads. I would also argue about Boosted Comms being better but it is a minor criticism. You definitely nailed Jan... and Cluster Bombs for the JarJar win.

Thanks Ninja I appreciate the kind words/wordplay!

very entertaining read, thx.

very entertaining read, thx.

My pleasure, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

As I said loved it! Surety for being the root cause of a derail. I'd be firm for the committee! I'm obviously super opinionated