I have tried and I just can't.

Can't what you ask?

Can't bring a fleet to a tournament that doesn't include multiple CR-90As with Turbolaser Reroute Circuits. Honestly it's just too dang good. To make matters worse, I'm now thinking about putting Intel Officer on each of them to make them even more deadly. Last tournament I was at the biggest challenge was to deal with these sneaky little GR-75's with Bright Hope. They are a pretty good counter for a typical CR-90A, but Intel officer will shut them down.

This is why I just can't fly Imperials in a tournament lately. Not until the Arquitens comes out. I just can't bring a serious list that only has 3 activations.... heck I can't even bring a serious list that only has 4 activations. I need to have 5 or more. with CR-90As I could in theory have 6+ activations, each of them hard hitting - and with Mon Mothma they are tough as bones.

Rebels just feel like the king right now, until Wave 5.

I mean, I guess. Note that Gencon was a two-ship Imp vs two-ship imp match, and no Rebels finished in the Top 4.

There were certainly lots of CR90a+TRCs and CR90 swarms there, though. I was playing Rebels and my three matches Day 1 were all against Rebel fleets with at least one CR90 and multiple TRCs. I was using no CR90s and no TRCs, and I won all three of those games (though one was quite close). The Wave 2 regional season certainly was not overpopulated with CR90s dominating Top 4 spots.


So, at least in Wave 2, I don't think it's fair to say that CR90s made "Rebels the king." Does Wave 3 and 4 make the CR90+TRC substantially better, such that they now obtain king-status? Maybe...? The Wave 4 meta has not begun to settle, but I doubt it, seeing as Interdictors will keep them from kiting away and flotillas present more blocking opportunities and very tough targets (since CR90s with TRC have a very hard time punching through that Scatter and Evade token). Are CR90s with TRC still a really solid ship? Absolutely. But I won't say they are the KING OF LISTS until Wave 5, nor do I believe they out-compete all other Rebel options.

Man I know I'm in the minority, but I just don't love them as much as the average rebel player. Maybe I just need to play it more

I think they are fine. They are very strong, but I've built plenty of very good rebel lists without them.

They do certain things exceptionally well. They are relatively inexpensive, as with only a 51 point investment its ready to rock and roll. They are exceptionally effective at their most survivable range, unlike some ships I could mention (Looking at you imperial raider!), they do consistent damage, they are exceptionally manuevable, and as such make double arcing very easy. They have 2 pretty solid and inexpensive titles that work well with the A variant, particularly the 2 point Jaina's Light. As an activation buffer, flanker and anti ship skirmisher, they are wonderful little ships.

But they do have their drawbacks. They are very, very prone to getting oneshot by Demo. Especially an expanded launcher demo. If your opponent ever sets a CR90 up facing forward, feel free to set your demo up opposite him (assuming conditions allow), because Demo can come across the board and one shot that puppy, on its first activation. This lack of survivability is also true in any of the large based ships major arcs, especially if they punk your redirect with an acc. Clearly, its hard to catch the little fella, but in the age of Interdictor speed effects and Konstantine Kontrol fleets, that reliance on manuevarability for survivabilty can become a liability.

Additionally, they do absolutely nothing to directly impact the squadron game, unless you are using tantilles to pass tokens. In previous waves this was less of an issue, but I think its going to be more of one going forward, as BCC and new powerful squadron options demand an answer in your fleet.

TL;DR- Yes, TRC90's are awesome and should always be considered in list building, but they aren't broken or a must include.

If your opponent brings multiple TRC90's play aggressive and get close. They tend to die of awkwardness when you get too close to them.

For the points, I think the theme is right, CR90 + TRC + optionally Intel can be nice but it needs to stay at long range which thankfully with the CR90s maneuverability isn't too crazy hard. Downside of course these things go up in a ball of fire pretty easy and squadrons have little problem taking them out.

While the meta for wave3/4 hasn't settled down I've noticed that Demo hasn't been around as much.

They're fine, for the cost of a Nebulon B refit they're quite good. But CR90A+TRC+Intel officer? Frankly I get more utility out of a SW-90 than a TRC-90, because by the time I get to activate them, my opponent's fast movers are usually within medium range after I've tried to get my gambit piece (Yavaris, Mon Karran, etc) to do their job and not get eaten. It just doesn't fit with what I've been doing, so they aren't 'too good' so much as they're 'eating into my precious fighter points allocation, those thieving corvette varmints!'

As for the 'CR90's only have only two commands: Navigate as a default and Concentrate Fire when you git gud', the surprise at having a CR90 forgo its usual command to squadron command an H6 bomber is just beautiful to watch. Especially in a Regional competition with someone thinking you'd somehow messed up your dials.

If you're getting good utility out of a 58-ish point ship then that's great (might as well make it an even 60 for one with Jana's Light, because that is seriously great as far as I'm concerned). For me, I already find it hard enough to scrape by with 2 SW-90's, fighters, 4+ total activations, and a semi-decent bid. I can't afford luxuries when they go up in smoke just as easily as something for 39 points (With Farr somewhere as I've been trying to cut the SW7's from the budget too).

I see a lot more people wanting to fly the liberties lately, so no demolishers really.

And I'm not worried at all about Interdictors. They have to be close to affect me, and if I simply fly at speed 4, and continue to do a Nav each round, they really won't be able to do much. If they double down with Konstantine AND Phylons, then I still chalk that up to a win, because they've invested too many points in Control. I can still stay out of the Interdictor's range whilst pelting it with double hits. And if I focus 3 CR-90As on an Interdictor it might just go down in a turn or two.

I have tried and I just can't.

Can't what you ask?

Can't bring a fleet to a tournament that doesn't include multiple CR-90As with Turbolaser Reroute Circuits. Honestly it's just too dang good. To make matters worse, I'm now thinking about putting Intel Officer on each of them to make them even more deadly. Last tournament I was at the biggest challenge was to deal with these sneaky little GR-75's with Bright Hope. They are a pretty good counter for a typical CR-90A, but Intel officer will shut them down.

This is why I just can't fly Imperials in a tournament lately. Not until the Arquitens comes out. I just can't bring a serious list that only has 3 activations.... heck I can't even bring a serious list that only has 4 activations. I need to have 5 or more. with CR-90As I could in theory have 6+ activations, each of them hard hitting - and with Mon Mothma they are tough as bones.

Rebels just feel like the king right now, until Wave 5.

I don't know about dominant, but yes, they've always been really cost effective. The TRC90 is just a really good ship.

Do you think there is a better ship, for the cost?

Do you think there is a better ship, for the cost?

Maybe the transports, because they're 18 points for a deploy and activational advantage, but they're a non-combat activation. For combat activation, I don't think there's better

Do you think there is a better ship, for the cost?

Maybe the transports, because they're 18 points for a deploy and activational advantage, but they're a non-combat activation. For combat activation, I don't think there's better

Fair point. Both activation advantage and deployment advantage. I was expecting someone to suggest the Assault Frigate Mk II, which happens to also be an amazing and versatile ship.

I think once the Arquitens arrives it's going to join the CR-90 at the top of my list, and also promote VSD's to be slightly higher than the AFMkII

Do you think there is a better ship, for the cost?

Maybe the transports, because they're 18 points for a deploy and activational advantage, but they're a non-combat activation. For combat activation, I don't think there's better

Fair point. Both activation advantage and deployment advantage. I was expecting someone to suggest the Assault Frigate Mk II, which happens to also be an amazing and versatile ship.

I think once the Arquitens arrives it's going to join the CR-90 at the top of my list, and also promote VSD's to be slightly higher than the AFMkII

I do think that not enough people are driving speed-3 ISDs with Gunnerys into your face enough. What does your meta look like that you're seeing so much TRC90 dominance?

Do you think there is a better ship, for the cost?

Maybe the transports, because they're 18 points for a deploy and activational advantage, but they're a non-combat activation. For combat activation, I don't think there's better

Fair point. Both activation advantage and deployment advantage. I was expecting someone to suggest the Assault Frigate Mk II, which happens to also be an amazing and versatile ship.

I think once the Arquitens arrives it's going to join the CR-90 at the top of my list, and also promote VSD's to be slightly higher than the AFMkII

I do think that not enough people are driving speed-3 ISDs with Gunnerys into your face enough. What does your meta look like that you're seeing so much TRC90 dominance?

Maybe a beginner tip we should really start pushing is start the game at full speed? Hell, most of the time it seems like my advice to someone is play aggressive and get in your opponent's grill.

-Edit- Start at full speed and spam nav commands.

I like the TRCs on the MC30. I've never played with that many Blockade Runners, nor would I want to buy that many. I don't care if it is meta worthy or not.

Do you think there is a better ship, for the cost?

Maybe the transports, because they're 18 points for a deploy and activational advantage, but they're a non-combat activation. For combat activation, I don't think there's better

Fair point. Both activation advantage and deployment advantage. I was expecting someone to suggest the Assault Frigate Mk II, which happens to also be an amazing and versatile ship.

I think once the Arquitens arrives it's going to join the CR-90 at the top of my list, and also promote VSD's to be slightly higher than the AFMkII

I do think that not enough people are driving speed-3 ISDs with Gunnerys into your face enough. What does your meta look like that you're seeing so much TRC90 dominance?

Maybe a beginner tip we should really start pushing is start the game at full speed? Hell, most of the time it seems like my advice to someone is play aggressive and get in your opponent's grill.

-Edit- Start at full speed and spam nav commands.

If you see TRC90s across the table, and you have plentiful deployments, you should definitely look into setting the ISD to 3 and queuing up Nav commands.

I was gonna comment, but you know what? this thread is just crying out for Lyraeus.

Rhymer Ball is a good counter too with Gozantis.

I actually played against a list with 2 TRC90s with intel officers on Saturday.

I hate them.

However, I was playing my TB spam list (3 gozantis with BC and a decked out interdictor with 7 tie bombers and Rhymer, Dengar, Vader and a tie advanced) and while my interdictor took way too much heat from such small ships my Tie Bombers made very short work of the corvettes, especially after they got hit by tractor beams and G8s leaving a corvette in range of several squadrons backed by 2 bomber commands (roll+reroll+reroll = hit/crit heaven).

They are a great platform but I don't think they are "OP" the TRC/Intel combo is powerful but it makes for a 58 point ship which has severe fragility problems, for the same cost Imperials can field a Raider with APT and Intel (yes I know, raiders are harder to keep alive, but CF+Screed and intel off can potentially hit significantly more effectively than a TRC90). ISDs with gunnery teams and Interdictor control lists make CR90s quite balanced yet still very viable.

I love the CR-90A. But I think I need to fly them in moderation. I tend to get my self into bump-city situations too often. But I also play aggressive and close, so.

That means I'm bad. =)

TRC are not that OP let's be honest. You push an extra damage on a average at the cost of a defense token.

They're only annoying when people refuse to change their strategy when there are some on the table !

TRC are not that OP let's be honest. You push an extra damage on a average at the cost of a defense token.

They're only annoying when people refuse to change their strategy when there are some on the table !

Not quite, Red dice are notoriously fickle, so it lets you turn zero damage in 2 damage, every time you shoot (caveat : obviously it needs a Def token, but CR90's get 2 of them.)

Add in Home one, and you have on average 2 damage + 2 damage(manipulated via TRC) and an Accuracy (Manipulated via Home One.) reliable every time you activate a CR90.

Dice Manipulation > adding a dice to your attack pool, in virtually any and all circumstances, and that is what makes TRC's amazing.

as someone who always likes a pack a bombers in my list ive never really cared about the TRC90's, if you are first just roll upto one which has already gone and if second player threaten 2 of them and let him pick which one dies, bombers can go after ones he thought was safe and gives him very hard choices which one to activate first

as someone who always likes a pack a bombers in my list ive never really cared about the TRC90's, if you are first just roll upto one which has already gone and if second player threaten 2 of them and let him pick which one dies, bombers can go after ones he thought was safe and gives him very hard choices which one to activate first

yeah exactly. they are fragile and once you start packing significant points into them with TRC and intel they become very attractive targets to threaten.