Current List
List Explantion
Stratergy This list was designed to fight the many joust fleets post Wave 4 launch whilst swagging out with VSD and the new kid Interdictor. Combined with a Demolisher you can easily kill large ships, even two (currently undefeated by any ISD list and Liberties).
The VSD/GSD/Interdictor have 3 front shield. You seek to close the distance, use Targeting Scrambler to turn dice down to minimual damage via a careful reroll stratergy of seeking 4-5 damage. At 4 damage (without taking a brace into account) you can redirect 1 (assuming Xi7) and take 3. This way you try to win the violent war of attrition against Large Ships or Fat Batteries.
Against Rebel MSU (think 2 MC30, TRC0, Floats) you have consistent damage with Spinal/Demo at medium and should they close in you have Targeting Scrambler to fend off hungry MC30s.
The Interdictor is the glue of the fleet combining survivability through abilities, consistent damage and solid AA. Targeting Scrambler pairs naturally with the VSD but especially Demolisher. Projection Expert massively increases Demos survivability, giving it 4 Engeneiring (2 Shields).
Card Selection
Combat Retrofit:
Screed: This list must do as much damage as quickly as possible when at it's ideal range. Motti providing 1-2 extra hull is somewhat moot when you cannot brace as is Tarkin regarding engeering commands. Konstantine didn't work with 3 speed 2 ships. Ozzel who I love and have played extensively on VSD speed ships wasn't helpful here. Screed pairs supremely well with Demo but importantly the VSD. At close Range it turns the 1 Black Side Arc dice into a successful hit. This allows you to fire the Front Arc with a high chance of a natural hit crit or reroll into it with Veteran Gunners. Screed allows 1 garunteed hit for the Combat Retrofit point defence which is very useful happens quite bit
Aresko: Every iteration of this list was running Wulf until I thought of a use for Aresko. Aresko will naturally be close to the VSD to gather important commands but the best synergy is with Comms Net. The floatila triggers Aresko who can take a token and then Comms Net passes it off to a seperate ship
Interdictor: no duh
Targeting Scrambler: Help improve the survivability of everything. Try not to make every dice blank but try to keep the damage to the shields. It is risky to reroll reds if you cannot brace!
Projection Experts: Sends the equivilent of 4 Engeering remotely to a ship at Range 5 and on the Interdictor it can also regain +1 shield of its own with 8 Eng
VSD I
Captain Needa: I prefer Support Officer but there are to many TRC right now. If you are double arched use Brace/Redirect against one attack and Evade the double on the second attack
Assault Proton Torpedo: clutched so many kills because of the extra damage
Spinal Armament: It is really good!
Veteran Gunners: Use to fish for acc and reroll lower than average damage. Works at all ranges which is why it was selected.
GSD I
Demolisher/OE/Assault Proton Torpedo/Engine Tech: no duh
Skilled First Officer: I would prefer Monterfret (which pairs amazingly well with Targeting Scrambler) but with Mauler i can no longer afford him. However instead of dodging TRC90 SFO allows you to aggressively use Concentrate Fire to try to kill a full health TRC90 in one activation. Allows good for putting an instant Eng command into play.
Gozanti Carrier
Comms Net: no duh
Admiral Titus: Would prefer Veteran Captain so I can take a dial and Comms Net in a critical situation but I cannot afford it with Mauler. However Titus makes Contested Outpost and Minefields marginally better.
List Development
In all I have played this list for a couple of months. I have gone through 9 iterations, an 11 loss losing streak and the inital expression of the list (grav effects) is no longer present. Never give up!
Fight now against squadron heavy lists it's tricky but it is getting much closer. Imps present an issue with a well shepherded Firespray ball but Rebel Squadrons are decent. You have to select objectives carefully and pick the fight.
Version 0
- 5 ships
- Bu this is due to the ambitious lack of squadrons
- Was not enough
Version 1
- Still with 2 VSD, Konstantine slow theme
- Slows were effective but not enough utility with 3 speed 2 ships
- Not enough anti squadron
Version 2
- More anti squadron for 1 less ship
- No good red objective, not enough activations
- Am now on an 11 loose streak with various lists despite starting 3-0. Terrible!
Version 3
- Konstantine is gone
- Dropped a VSD. Back to my Wave 2 Rhymer Ball Demolisher setup. TRC90 avoidence and anti squadron madness. And what does Demo give me?
- Win streak...wooo...whoooo...but...Demo II in this list is going against its potent anti ship purpose because i do not have bombers or other fast, spike damage dealers
Version 4
- Sighed and dropped the Experimental Rertofit...never looked back. Great anti squadron battery. The lack of a 2nd Experimental Retrofit hurts Contested Outpost as both first and second player but squadrons an awnser
- The list is really coming together. I play it in a major event. I take two losses. My overall record with this list is 9-2. The two losses in the event I was practicing for...doh (more on this in an upcoming podcast)
- In a joust heavy meta this will do well. Against TRC or mass bomer you need a few refinements.
- I make adjustments for TRC90. Needa is great. Support Officer is great. But TRC90s are sniping my 96 point ship in turns 5-6 costing me major wins as well as handing me losses. I refer you to the top of the page for the current list!
Will post an update of the first thrown together list I tried.