So, just to provide some background, this is my first ever post on the forum. I have been watching the forum weekly, since the core set, but never thought I had anything to add. I have never been to a tournament, never played tabletop games before, even though I love strategy games and played a ton of Axis and Allies, Avalon Hill war-games, and Risk growing up. After the Core set was released, I went all in and purchased a lot of Armada items, excitedly adding ships as more and more fun toys were released by FFG (take my money please). I played a few games by myself, but thought I was probably always messing something up (how do the crits work again?). I got a good friend involved in the game, but our schedules and life’s were busy (transition in jobs, young kids, and life in general). I basically bought Armada as the game that I would really play 10 years from now, when my boys were older. I have always loved naval combat (I’m a former Navy guy) and like many of you, Star Wars has always been in my blood.
So recently I said "enough is enough" and needed to carve out some time for this awesome game. My buddy and I were able to play 2 games against each other, where we stumbled through things. I found a FLGS that happened to be running a “Summer Tournament Kit” over the holiday weekend. Nothing says new guy like showing up to a tournament with a bunch of loot up for grabs. I just wanted to see how some seasoned admirals played and learn what I was doing incorrectly. My good friend came along too, much like me wanting to see how the experienced admirals do it.
Before I go into the After Action Report (AAR), I want to say thanks to all of the guys at the tournament. There were a total of 6 of us. All of the guys were welcoming and great in helping two newbies. Shout out to cynanbloodbane, who was at the tournament and like everyone else, was extremely welcoming, understanding, and gladly gave pointers when needed to us newbies.
I also want to say thanks to all of you guys on the Forum, for the great posts, rules clarifications, and directions to awesome videos, articles, blogs, and podcasts, such as the IFF guys, Armada Tactics at The Steel Squadron, Armada Warlords Fleet Builder, as well as many more that I am not mentioning. It has been great to learn through all of your help, and everything is greatly appreciated from an Armada Newbie.
So to the AAR. Sorry for forgetting to take a lot of pictures. I kept forgetting to take a them, as I was wrapped up having so much fun and trying not to screw up too much. I also forgot to write down details on my opponent’s fleets, and my final scores might be off a bit. I have to shout out to IceQube who won at Origins. I liked his list and plagiarized/modified it a bit. I like his idea of tempo and multiple activations, and felt that the TRC’s make things easy for a newbie. Below is the list that I landed on. I only own 4 YT2400’s instead of his 8, and then ended up going with Jan and some X Wings, per other discussions on the Forum, so the YT2400 were less in the end.
“3CR90A, MC30T, Bright Hope, Mixed Bag”
Author: LT BDP
Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 397/400
Commander: Mon Mothma
Assault Objective: Most Wanted
Defense Objective: Contested Outpost
Navigation Objective: Minefields
CR90 Corvette A (44 points)
- Jainas Light ( 2 points)
- Turbolaser Reroute Circuits ( 7 points)
= 53 total ship cost
CR90 Corvette A (44 points)
- Turbolaser Reroute Circuits ( 7 points)
= 51 total ship cost
CR90 Corvette A (44 points)
- Turbolaser Reroute Circuits ( 7 points)
= 51 total ship cost
MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 points) (
- Lando Callriassian ( 4 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- Assault Proton Torpedoes ( 5 points)
= 76 total ship cost
< Decided to not to take Admonition title, to have more room for fighters and Bright Hope>
[ flagship ] GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
- Mon Mothma ( 30 points)
- Bright Hope ( 2 points)
- Boosted Comms ( 4 points)
= 54 total ship cost
2 YT-2400s ( 32 points)
3 X-Wing Squadrons ( 39 points)
1 Jan Ors ( 19 points)
2 A-Wing Squadrons ( 22 points)
Due to time and the amount of guys, everyone decided to just do two rounds (Labor Day weekend in the States and thus people needed to be at events, home, and BBQ’s).
In Game 1, I actually got matched up with my friend. He was running an Ackbar list with a MC80, two CR90B’s, Neb B, and a mixed bag of a handful of X’s and 2 B’s. I won the bid, and elected to go second. We ended up on Minefields. I setup a barrier on the one side of the board (not seen in the picture below, but was on the left). He spread his fleet out wide. I had all of my ships on the left half of the deployment area to start, pointing 45-60 degrees to the right from the center. The picture below is during turn 2. They were all at 3 and jumped out in a line on turn one headed to the right . He got a little too aggressive with the Neb B, running it up the center. On turn two I then started the entire fleet turning to port, to star the maneuver to come back to the center of the board. The closest CR90A and the MC30T got some good rolls and the TRC’s help take out the NebB real early. His MC80 was a little too far out and couldn’t get engaged until later. I was running the CR90s at speed 3 and was able to swing them around on the right back toward the center, as our CR90’s passed each other taking long rang shots. One of his CR90B’s was just out of medium/blue range, so that helped me out. His CR90B’s then flew to far out, and thus were not in the fight on turns 5 and 6 (again we are still learning). As I swung back to the center and port side of his MC80, now making its way towards the center of the board by turn 5 and 6, my MC30T and 3 CR90’s all go in his port side broadside. It was a lot of dice/Ackbar fun. One CR90 went down. The fighter battle went toward his way, but his B’s were unescorted, they got some devastating shots on my MC30T for one round, but then the YT2400’s were able to get loose and take them out with some help from some X’s. I lost the MC30T in turn 6. I lost a total of 1 YT2400, 2 X’s, and 2 Y’s. It was real close but luckily the TRC’s and some good dice finished off the MC80 in turn 6, with some help from the YT2400 (those guys rock). I luckily walked away with the win, with the score being something like 280 to ~180-200.
Game 2 had me matched up against another great welcoming, helpful, and understanding gentlemen, who was trying a new list of Imperials. He usually plays rebels, but was testing the new build. He had an ISDII (I believe) lit up like a Christmas tree with upgrades, Demolisher GSD build, and Raider 1, with Howlrunner, and a swarm of some T/I’s, regular Tie Fighters, and IG88. He won the bid, and had me go 1st. I was going to go with his Most Wanted, but was at the tournament for fun, and said “what the heck, lets see out this Hyperspace Assault thing works.” He chose to hold Demolisher back for the Hyperspace Assault. His Raider was wide left at the start (my left across from the CR90's), and his ISD was center of the deployment area. Both ships pointing straight forward. I had the 3 CR90A’s starting on the left side of my deployment, pointing left of center by about 45 degrees, with a little bit of spacing between each. The GC75 was inside the 1st and 2nd CR90A’s on the left side. The MC30T was last in the line, also angled to the left by about 45 degrees. Thus, all of my ships were pretty much on the left half of the deployment zone. He had the hyperspace locations centered right along my deployment area, so I guessed that the MC30T was probably going to be the target. Again everyone was at speed 3 to start. I started with running the GC75 out first. He then did a 90 degree turn with the raider to the center of the board. I got real lucky with my deployment and spacing the of the CR90’s. I basically was able to have them jump out at speed 3 making a 45 degree’ish turn, to within red and red/blue range of his Raider, in a line that made his Raider move across all three on the CR90's next activation, where they single arc shot or double arc shot it, with all chucking concentrate fire commands. The TRC’s and some good dice rolling took the raider out quickly in turn 3, I believe (IceQube you are one smart son of gun and my “Armada self-esteem” thanks you). His ISD made progress to the center of the board coming from right to left on the picture below. He dropped Demolisher in right behind my MC30T on turn 2. I jacked up speed to 4, and ran like heck (the picture shows it after I moved it, and before he activated Demolisher to try to catchup). The fighter melee, which occurred in the middle of the board, went my way with some good dice again (better lucky than good). As you all know, Jan and the X’s are studs. I was able to take Howlrunner out early, and then clear out the fighters, other than IG88, who he deployed with Demolisher. The fighters were then able to get loose and go after the ISD. By now we near the picture below, which allowed the CR90’s (and those awesome TRC’s) to do some good blows to the ISD’s front arc and starboard side, striping shields and stacking up damage, as they moved along his starboard side. The YT2400’s got a few turns hit up the rear side of the ISD and I think a few X’s got into the mix as well. The ISD went down in I believe turn 5, due to getting hit from multiple sides. He got one of the CR90’s with the ISD before it went down, and almost got Bright Hope with Demolisher, since I left it hanging in the rear too much (thanks to the scatter). I then did the classic Newbie move and ran my MC30T off of the board (just barely out), running like heck from Demolisher, with one or two hull points left on the MC30T. The score ended up at 295 to 156.
By the way, I really screwed up with the GC75 in both games, that it didn’t do much fighter support/activations, which was the main reason I put it in this list to try it out. I ran it away from the fighters in game 1 and didn’t put it next to too many fighters in game 2. It still allowed me to have the option to activate it early on, making the opponent activate and many times fly into range of a CR90A, which then hit and got out of the dangerous arc of the ISD or MC80. Also was a good “lifeboat.” It goes with out saying that Mon Mothma also paid dividends on the defensive side of the coin. Lastly can’t say it enough that TRC’s and Mon Mothma was fun to fly.
In the end, I finished 2nd (what is that saying about a blind squirrel…) out of the six person, two-round holiday weekend tournament. Congrats to Cyanbloodbane for taking top spot with a dual Liberty build. Even though it was farthest from what I was wanting out of the experience, I got some cool loot. More importantly, I got some future potential playing partners, had a great time, and learned some too.
Sorry for the lengthy write up. I am still pumped from the experience, and had to get it out of my system. Maybe it is time to get going on Vassal.
I knew this game was awesome and right up my alley, but actually playing and learning from some great guys at the tournament just cemented all my previous thoughts that this game was made for me. Now, I just have to sweet talk my wife and arrange my schedule to get a game or two in, at least once a month. Waiting 10 years for my 5 year old and 2.5 year old boys to grow up just isn't going to cut it, to fill my new addiction (again, FFG take my money). Thanks again everyone. People like the guys I played with today and all of you, are reassuring that this is a great gaming community and hopefully will be for many years to come.