Why use squadron commands when you can go rogue

By Sybreed, in Star Wars: Armada Fleet Builds

Hey guys,

so I had a crazy idea in mind. What if I made a list that does not include a flotilla (crazy I know), is squadron heavy-ish (well, not just a fighter screen), and only includes small ships with low squadron values!

Anyway, here it goes. It could be a lot of fun IMO.

Please leave comments on objectives, I did not really went in deep in picking objectives that fit the list, so there might be better choices (most wanted felt obvious though)

Also, I was hesitating between Mon Mothma and Cracken, as I feel Cracken is not that useful for the Neb and assault frigate (I usually fly them at speed 2 or less for the neb). But Mothma with TRCs?? Hmm.

The goal is to have an entire rogue Squadron with Hera, so I don't have to bother with Squadron commands!

Who needs squadron commands
Author: Vhailor

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 399/400

Commander: Mon Mothma

Assault Objective: Most Wanted
Defense Objective: Planetary Ion Cannon
Navigation Objective: Salvage Run

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

Nebulon-B Support Refit (51 points)
- Salvation ( 7 points)
- Spinal Armament ( 9 points)
= 67 total ship cost

[ flagship ] Assault Frigate Mark II A (81 points)
- Mon Mothma ( 30 points)
- Paragon ( 5 points)
- Skilled First Officer ( 1 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
= 131 total ship cost

3 Lancer-class Pursuit Crafts ( 45 points)
2 X-Wing Squadrons ( 26 points)
1 Hera Syndulla ( 28 points)

Edited by Sybreed

I actually like this list, but would suggest some tweaks. First off, Paragon title and Gunnery Teams go against each other. I'd consider dropping Gunnery Team for Intel Officer on Salvation. I'd also consider dropping one of the Lancers for Rogue Squadron. You may also want to think about subbing an X-Wing for a Hwk-290 to give you Intel coverage.

Edited by Silver Crane

I actually like this list, but would suggest some tweaks. First off, Paragon title and Gunnery Teams go against each other. I'd consider dropping Gunnery Team for Intel Officer on Salvation. I'd also consider dropping one of the Lancers for Rogue Squadron. You may also want to think about subbing an X-Wing for a Hwk-290 to give you Intel coverage.

hmmm interesting ideas (I completely derped on Paragon + Gunnery teams) . Should I go straight to Jan Ors or just the generic one?

Edited by Sybreed

You'd have to scrounge for points to squeeze Jan in, but it's not a bad idea.

hmmm... I'm actually thinking of ditching Paragon, retaking Gunnery teams and going Gallant Heaven...

new version! This time the assault frigate goes deep with the squads!

Who needs squadron commands
Author: Vhailor

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 400/400

Commander: Mon Mothma

Assault Objective: Most Wanted
Defense Objective: Planetary Ion Cannon
Navigation Objective: Salvage Run


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


[ flagship ] Assault Frigate Mark II A (81 points)
- Mon Mothma ( 30 points)
- Gallant Haven ( 8 points)
- Skilled First Officer ( 1 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
= 134 total ship cost


Nebulon-B Support Refit (51 points)
- Salvation ( 7 points)
- Spinal Armament ( 9 points)
= 67 total ship cost


2 Lancer-class Pursuit Crafts ( 30 points)
1 Hera Syndulla ( 28 points)
1 Rogue Squadron ( 14 points)
1 HWK-290 ( 12 points)
1 X-Wing Squadron ( 13 points)

Card view link

Fleet created with Armada Warlords

For running a Rogue list, I'd take WWPDSteven's list that won the Nova Open and placed top 4 worlds as the starting point. That was 8xYT2400, 4 TRC90s, and a Flotilla. I know you mentioned not taking a flotilla, but its hard not to take one as a cheap activation. You could also look at Q's Nationals list as a starting point, 1 MC30, 3 TRC90s, 8YT2400s.

The problem with GH in a list like this is that your squads are defensive first and foremost, which means they have to go wherever the opponent is attacking your ships. This list naturally wants to spread out, and so that means you lose the GH bonus at some point. In fact, I'm not even sure I'd really want an AF in a list like this, or Salvation for that matter. For example, you could scrap both and take two MC30s for the points, and I think your list would be much much better for it. You've got a lot more punch on them then. Then if you shift to MC30s, Cracken really is the better buy in this list since you've got the squads to deal with opposing squads, whereas Mothma seems to provide that extra cushioning if you're going no/light squads and face a squad heavy list. Much of getting a list to work is changing up just a couple of pieces so that the ships, squads, and commander all synchronize together better.

For a list like this, you want to win the squadron game first, and then bomb ships with whatever is left, and with that, its still hard to beat YTs for the points.

For running a Rogue list, I'd take WWPDSteven's list that won the Nova Open and placed top 4 worlds as the starting point. That was 8xYT2400, 4 TRC90s, and a Flotilla. I know you mentioned not taking a flotilla, but its hard not to take one as a cheap activation. You could also look at Q's Nationals list as a starting point, 1 MC30, 3 TRC90s, 8YT2400s.

The problem with GH in a list like this is that your squads are defensive first and foremost, which means they have to go wherever the opponent is attacking your ships. This list naturally wants to spread out, and so that means you lose the GH bonus at some point. In fact, I'm not even sure I'd really want an AF in a list like this, or Salvation for that matter. For example, you could scrap both and take two MC30s for the points, and I think your list would be much much better for it. You've got a lot more punch on them then. Then if you shift to MC30s, Cracken really is the better buy in this list since you've got the squads to deal with opposing squads, whereas Mothma seems to provide that extra cushioning if you're going no/light squads and face a squad heavy list. Much of getting a list to work is changing up just a couple of pieces so that the ships, squads, and commander all synchronize together better.

For a list like this, you want to win the squadron game first, and then bomb ships with whatever is left, and with that, its still hard to beat YTs for the points.

hmm well it's fun and all but I have a grand total of 1 YT 2400 and I don't intend of buying more rogues packs

and I intend on making a no-flotilla list that works...

For running a Rogue list, I'd take WWPDSteven's list that won the Nova Open and placed top 4 worlds as the starting point. That was 8xYT2400, 4 TRC90s, and a Flotilla. I know you mentioned not taking a flotilla, but its hard not to take one as a cheap activation. You could also look at Q's Nationals list as a starting point, 1 MC30, 3 TRC90s, 8YT2400s.

The problem with GH in a list like this is that your squads are defensive first and foremost, which means they have to go wherever the opponent is attacking your ships. This list naturally wants to spread out, and so that means you lose the GH bonus at some point. In fact, I'm not even sure I'd really want an AF in a list like this, or Salvation for that matter. For example, you could scrap both and take two MC30s for the points, and I think your list would be much much better for it. You've got a lot more punch on them then. Then if you shift to MC30s, Cracken really is the better buy in this list since you've got the squads to deal with opposing squads, whereas Mothma seems to provide that extra cushioning if you're going no/light squads and face a squad heavy list. Much of getting a list to work is changing up just a couple of pieces so that the ships, squads, and commander all synchronize together better.

For a list like this, you want to win the squadron game first, and then bomb ships with whatever is left, and with that, its still hard to beat YTs for the points.

hmm well it's fun and all but I have a grand total of 1 YT 2400 and I don't intend of buying more rogues packs

That's fine. I also don't own 8 YT2400, and certainly with the new squadron packs, there are even more diverse ways to get good quality Rogues into a list. By starting point, I mean taking a list that we all know works and then examining the underlying concepts that explain why it works. Then see if you can replicate those same principles elsewhere.

On a no flotilla list, you almost need the flotillas in an MSU to help with activations. For a no flotilla list, the better ones that I've seen are the Ackbar lists with light squads, though one could possibly run an MC80 and 3 Corvettes with squads and have it still be quite good.

I run a Home One + 3xTR90 build with 70 or so in squads. It is viable and an easy fleet to run if deployed smartly. I took it to Chicago regionals and got 2nd. Tied in VP (25) but lost the MOV tiebreaker.

I am actually not a fan of just adding flotillas for activations or deployments. Without turning them into pocket carriers or some kind of fleet support (Comms, Repairs, Toryn, Leia), they just become mostly useless filler.

I run a Home One + 3xTR90 build with 70 or so in squads. It is viable and an easy fleet to run if deployed smartly. I took it to Chicago regionals and got 2nd. Tied in VP (25) but lost the MOV tiebreaker.

I am actually not a fan of just adding flotillas for activations or deployments. Without turning them into pocket carriers or some kind of fleet support (Comms, Repairs, Toryn, Leia), they just become mostly useless filler.

I call flotillas "pay to activate" for that very reason.

Were you running Ackbar with your list?

So I tried this list yesterday, but a 400 points version

Who needs squadron commands
Author: Vhailor

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 392/400

Commander: Mon Mothma

Assault Objective: Most Wanted
Defense Objective: Planetary Ion Cannon
Navigation Objective: Salvage Run


CR90 Corvette A (44 points)
- Turbolaser Reroute Circuits ( 7 points)
= 51 total ship cost


[ flagship ] CR90 Corvette A (44 points)
- Mon Mothma ( 30 points)
- Jainas Light ( 2 points)
- Turbolaser Reroute Circuits ( 7 points)
= 83 total ship cost


MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 points)
- Admonition ( 8 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- Assault Proton Torpedoes ( 5 points)
= 80 total ship cost


MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 points)
- Foresight ( 8 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- Assault Proton Torpedoes ( 5 points)
= 80 total ship cost


2 Lancer-class Pursuit Crafts ( 30 points)
1 Rogue Squadron ( 14 points)
2 X-Wing Squadrons ( 26 points)
1 Hera Syndulla ( 28 points)

Card view link

Fleet created with Armada Warlords

And being 2nd player sucked hard. MC30s had excellent shots but ships could just leave before I take them, and going rogue as 2nd player is just not as useful as I thought at first. My opponent had IG-88 and could just snipe the Lancers before I could do anything about it. So, I'm going with this new list with the intent on being 1st player for sure.

Rogue squads still need to be managed so long as your opponent has squads that can hurt them, otherwise you can pitas on the squad commands and let rogue do its job, and the carrier do something else...

Rogue squads still need to be managed so long as your opponent has squads that can hurt them, otherwise you can pitas on the squad commands and let rogue do its job, and the carrier do something else...

IMO, the usefulness of going with rogues is to ditch ships with high squadron values.

Rogue squads still need to be managed so long as your opponent has squads that can hurt them, otherwise you can pitas on the squad commands and let rogue do its job, and the carrier do something else...

IMO, the usefulness of going with rogues is to ditch ships with high squadron values.

Edited by SkyCake