It all comes down to personal preference I personally like APTs when flying against rebel ships because I always have a harder time getting through rebel ship shields and rebel ships crumple like tin foil once you get past the shields.
Expanded Launchers vs. APTs
I am looking forward to Sato on my Mc30 scouts.... wave 5 can't come soon enough, APTs at long range? Mwhaha!
I am looking forward to Sato on my Mc30 scouts.... wave 5 can't come soon enough, APTs at long range? Mwhaha!
But you only get 2 dice. And one of those can be evaded. Needa's gonna find his way into a lot more lists, now.
Needa can't be everywhere, after all 
Needa can't be everywhere, after all
True, but all you need is him on an ISD with some Glads, Raiders, and Gozantis.
I think sato will be much more effective for unloading a broadside of 5 black die with OE into a ship from the MC30 (when you aren't worried about brace, and alternatively being able to substitute in more blue dice when you are). Or for getting leading shots into an MC80 broadside at long range.
I've already stated my position:
Assault Frigates.
I've got the Red Dice to start with. I can aim for an Acc (or plan for it), sub in some blacks for extra damage, and even reroll those with OEs... All its lacking is a black critical effect, but meh, its okay if I'm still skirting at Long Range...
Coupled with some of the other things Wave 5 will bring... I'm going to be so happy.
But its irrelevent to the Expanded Launchers vs APT discussion....
Why spend 4 points and a slot with many good choices in order to roll more hit/crits that are just going to get scrambled anyways?
Well, think about the math. Expected damage per black die is one, right? So if you get four usable results and I make you reroll all four, you're probably still doing four damage. If you get two usable results and I make you reroll them, you're probably doing two damage. OE still results in more expected damage, scramblers or no.
And, yeah, as others said not everybody will have an interdictor.
Needa can't be everywhere, after all
True, but all you need is him on an ISD with some Glads, Raiders, and Gozantis.
I think sato will be much more effective for unloading a broadside of 5 black die with OE into a ship from the MC30 (when you aren't worried about brace, and alternatively being able to substitute in more blue dice when you are). Or for getting leading shots into an MC80 broadside at long range.
Please do. This means you're not taking Targeting Scramblers and we're right back to where we were in W2, with the MC30 wrecking you with 4-5 blacks at close range instead of 2 at long.
Why spend 4 points and a slot with many good choices in order to roll more hit/crits that are just going to get scrambled anyways?
Well, think about the math. Expected damage per black die is one, right? So if you get four usable results and I make you reroll all four, you're probably still doing four damage. If you get two usable results and I make you reroll them, you're probably doing two damage. OE still results in more expected damage, scramblers or no.
And, yeah, as others said not everybody will have an interdictor.
On black dice you only scramble the hit/crit. So the scramble will take a face showing 2+ damage (depending on what the crit does) and results in an average of 1+ damage. You don't force rerolls of just a hit. The actual average damage of a black die is more than 1 due to the crit effect. Rerolling a die showing a single hit INCREASES expected damage.
I've already stated my position:
Assault Frigates.
I've got the Red Dice to start with. I can aim for an Acc (or plan for it), sub in some blacks for extra damage, and even reroll those with OEs... All its lacking is a black critical effect, but meh, its okay if I'm still skirting at Long Range...
Coupled with some of the other things Wave 5 will bring... I'm going to be so happy.
Youre a genius. Spinal Armanent Assault Frigate MK IIA Paragon.
I should caveat my last statement. In certain situations such as lethal damage already showing on the dice you should reroll the single hits hoping for the blanks because them rolling hit/crits won't make you MORE dead.
Right, that was a poorly supported argument, let me try again. The more dice you (re)roll, the better your odds of getting (still having) a hit/crit. Ordnance experts gives you better odds of multiple crits, which in turn gives you better odds of still having a crit after being scrambled.