What would you take?

Fleet setup might be an ISDII, a VSD1 and a Raider1.

Should I spend the points on Darth Vader or take Admiral Ozzel and equip the ships with re-roll upgrades? Leading Shots for ISD and Ordnance Experts for the others.

Vader is 36 points allows you to re-roll all dice but exhausts a token. Ozzel, 2 x OE and Leading shots is 32 points, you re-roll less dice, but you re-roll enough, have the very useful trait of excellent speed control, don't exhaust defense tokens and save 4 points.

In this list I would go the Ozzel route.

This is entirely dependent on what dice you intend to reroll and at which range, and on how many ships this ability may be useful.

One thing that Vader does well is that he can Reroll unlimited red dice without any further penalty or drawback. If you are rolling primarily red dice, Darth Vader is an excellent option. If you intend to reroll blue or black dice, there are probably more cost-effectve options.

Vader is 36 points allows you to re-roll all dice but exhausts a token. Ozzel, 2 x OE and Leading shots is 32 points, you re-roll less dice, but you re-roll enough, have the very useful trait of excellent speed control, don't exhaust defense tokens and save 4 points.

In this list I would go the Ozzel route.

That doesn't tell the whole story though.

First, Ordnance Experts is a Weapon Teams upgrade. While Ordnance expert is cheap, you might prefer Gunnery Team, Sensor Team or Flight Controllers on your Victory Class. In that case, Vader is better because he keeps the upgrade slot open.

Secondly, Leading shot is great, but it will be useless at range 3. Also, since the Victory 1 has no blue dice, he can't take it so he'll be unable to reroll his reds. That's another advantage for Vader.

Both Admirals are great. It really depends on what you want to upgrade your ships with.

Personally, I don't feel Ozzel is very effective on a list containing a VSD. You have a commander who has zero effect on one of your primary ships unless you decide park it at speed 0 on the 1st turn.

Difference b/n Vader & Ozzel is 16 pts. IMO it's more effective to use Motti than Ozzel (+4), add OrdExp to VSD and RDR (+8) and Leading Shots to ISDII (+4) for a total of 16. Same points as Vader w/ black re-rolls, more hull, and LS on ISDII with a better mix of offense and defense.

But Ozzie's ability is quite fun on an ISDII so just pick what floats your boat.

Both the ISD and the raider have tokens they either dont need much at optimal firing range (raider - evade) or that is quite situational (ISD - contain), so the vader opportunity tax is not that high on 2/3rd of your fleet. Only bugger who might suffer more under the vader tax is the VSD - but than, he also profits the least from Ozzel, so he will be the least happy ship in your fleet composition anyhow.

Have you thought about changing the ISD-ii to an ISD-i? Vader benefits large black/red dice pools the most, where Ozzels speed changes help a lot to keep things at close range more easily. Both admirals do well with an ISD-ii, but I think they add a lot to awaken the true potential of the ISD-i.

Vader really shines with large Red/Blue dice pools.

Otherwise Screed is the man with Black dice pools and OE.

Vader really shines with large Red/Blue dice pools.

Otherwise Screed is the man with Black dice pools and OE.

Why have Vader when you can have Leading Shots?

Vader really shines with large Red/Blue dice pools.

Otherwise Screed is the man with Black dice pools and OE.

Why have Vader when you can have Leading Shots?

I'll follow up by saying you are really talking about the VSD 2 and ISD 2. VSD 2 has no spare token for Vader, so you'll lose your redirect to the first shot with one accuracy as you can't ECM.

You are only going to have 2 ISD 2s with Vader, (or 3 with 2 points of upgrades....), so you lose out on another Admiral where you can have only spent 8 points on Leading Shots.

Vader really shines with large Red/Blue dice pools.

Otherwise Screed is the man with Black dice pools and OE.

Black and red dice are the most fickle ones with the biggest variance - statistically they profit the most from rerolls.

Screed is the economy solution for brawler fleets, yes, but the OP specifically asked to decide between Ozzel and Vader.

Vader works really well with an ISDI and the Devastator title. Nothing feels better than rolling 4Red (spinal) 4blue and 3 black at once. Home One never stood a chance.

Vader works really well with an ISDI and the Devastator title. Nothing feels better than rolling 4Red (spinal) 4blue and 3 black at once. Home One never stood a chance.

Vader Rerolling 6 Red dice (ISD2 + spinal + CF) to swat a TRC-90 out of the sky at long range.

Ozzel is brutal with isd,raider,Glads. Where he truly flies is with fast high activation lists, it allows you to volley in ships in fast flying waves, leaping from speed one to four and the ethier crash stopping to get behind or bugging out to swing around again.

I love Ozzel, he makes your attacks unpredictable and allows fast ships to get out of dodge........

I love Ozzel, he makes your attacks unpredictable and allows fast ships to get out of dodge........

If only he wasn't as clumsy as he is stupid....

I would support Ozzel for your list. Darth Vader works great on VSD 1's and ISD1's and Gladiators. Maybe bump up your VSD 1 to a VSD 2 and toss leading shots on it?

Vader all day for me. Reason is that the reroll upgrades are mostly insurance policies - Vader is about damage maximisation across all dice. You lose a defence token, but a dead enemy ship is better than a token.

This encourages a very aggressive style of play, which is a lot of fun!

Everyone seems to have missed the large number of squadrons that are notable by their absence in the suggested ship list.

Tarkin is the admiral you are looking for.

Everyone seems to have missed the large number of squadrons that are notable by their absence in the suggested ship list.

Tarkin is the admiral you are looking for.