SO I am struggling, coming up with a decent carrier fleet. Ive always enjoyed the idea of TIE Fighters Interceptors and Bombers on coordinated runs, very casual not really looking for min/max ( I already play a game to that degree) I enjoy the thematic aspect of this game, I just cant get anything to function, I seem to have too few squadrons to justify taking boosted comms, bomber command etc, or its built out to where my ships destroy dudes but my squadrons are literally just cannon fodder. Help! Am I just over valuing Squadrons, or is there actually a happy medium I am missing?

You can run a list that does a lot of work with bombers and fighters, a good deal of it will rely on having the right mix of fighters though. You're going to want to break up into a handful of subgroups:

An Alpha-strike screen of Interceptors and Fighters, run with a ship that uses Flight Controllers

• Howlrunner
• 1-3 Interceptors
• Valen Rudor
• Black Squadron

Alternatively you could go with: (Chiraneau helps this build)

• Mauler
• 1-3 Tie Advanced
• Dengar

A Bomber-Wing

• Major Rhymer
• Tempest Squadron
• Intel of some form
• 1-7 TIE Bombers

I think finding the right combination of Aces and Generics is going to be very important to your play in this regard.

I love Tie Advanced cheap enough to do mild swarms and a black anti ship dice makes them effective against ships even with out bomber.

Haven't tried defenders yet but on paper seem excellent space superiority fighters with adequate bombing abilities. They are not the hot concentrated death they were in Legends but still seem good for what they do and cost.

You can run a list that does a lot of work with bombers and fighters, a good deal of it will rely on having the right mix of fighters though. You're going to want to break up into a handful of subgroups:

An Alpha-strike screen of Interceptors and Fighters, run with a ship that uses Flight Controllers

• Howlrunner
• 1-3 Interceptors
• Valen Rudor
• Black Squadron

Alternatively you could go with: (Chiraneau helps this build)

• Mauler
• 1-3 Tie Advanced
• Dengar

A Bomber-Wing

• Major Rhymer
• Tempest Squadron
• Intel of some form
• 1-7 TIE Bombers

I think finding the right combination of Aces and Generics is going to be very important to your play in this regard.

This gives me ideas to think about, so what are some good carrier capitals? ISD? VSD?

ISD and VSD good places to start. Gozantis are really good, and Arquitens aren't bad at it if you want some cheap guns as well (granted, they're not good either).

ISD I's can equip Expanded Hanger and Boosted Coms, making them very capable fighter controllers, flying up to 6 squadrons at once if you get a token. Tack on Flight Controllers to boost your anti-fighter abilities and you can really start doing work.

VSDs can take roughly the same setup, except they only get one Offensive Retrofit, I fly a VSD II with Flight Controllers and Expanded Hangers pretty often though I may swap for Boosted Coms though.

The two Star Destroyers are great for primary carriers and can double up by throwing out some really nasty dice rolls as well, Gozantis, on the other hand, are there purely to make the rest of your fleet stronger. For your bombers a Gozanti with Bomber Command will really bring them up to the next level, alternatively you can use Coms Net to hand out tokens to your primary capitals to allow them to command more fighters.

As a demo that I wrote up*:

*I am a new player, and have very little experience, but I jump into groupthink on forums pretty quickly. This is probably not ideal with only three activations though.

Bomber Fleet

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 398/400

Commander: Admiral Motti

Assault Objective: Precision Strike
Defense Objective: Fire Lanes
Navigation Objective: Superior Positions

[ flagship ] Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Admiral Motti ( 24 points)
- Minister Tua ( 2 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
- Boosted Comms ( 4 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- H9 Turbolasers ( 8 points)
= 160 total ship cost

Victory I-Class Star Destroyer (73 points)
- Flight Controllers ( 6 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
= 84 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Bomber Command Center ( 8 points)
= 31 total ship cost

1 Tempest Squadron ( 13 points)
1 Major Rhymer ( 16 points)
3 TIE Bomber Squadrons ( 27 points)
1 Dengar ( 20 points)
1 "Howlrunner" ( 16 points)
2 TIE Interceptor Squadrons ( 22 points)
1 Black Squadron ( 9 points)

Card view link

Fleet created with Armada Warlords

Heres something based on what you showed (Ironically enough outside of the squadrons I had a very similiar idea)

I am wondering if there is a way to add 1 raider for some squad support (and idea because maybe Im thinking too WW2 Crusiers supporting squadrons)

Carrier Fleet

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 399/400

Commander: Admiral Motti

Assault Objective: Custom Objective
Defense Objective: Custom Objective
Navigation Objective: Custom Objective

[ flagship ] Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Admiral Motti ( 24 points)
- Flight Commander ( 3 points)
- Flight Controllers ( 6 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
- Boosted Comms ( 4 points)
- Spinal Armament ( 9 points)
= 161 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Bomber Command Center ( 8 points)
= 31 total ship cost

Victory I-Class Star Destroyer (73 points)
- Flight Controllers ( 6 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
= 84 total ship cost

1 Dengar ( 20 points)
1 Major Rhymer ( 16 points)
1 Tempest Squadron ( 13 points)
3 TIE Bomber Squadrons ( 27 points)
1 "Howlrunner" ( 16 points)
1 Black Squadron ( 9 points)
2 TIE Interceptor Squadrons ( 22 points)

Card view link

Fleet created with Armada Warlords

One thing I'd like to point out, Wulff Yularen is a godsend for a carrier, especially an ISD. Spend the Squadron token, exhaust Wulff, regain token.

You could lose a hanger bay and still activate all squads with just commands.