My friend and I have been playing small games to try and improve our basic skills and basic control rather than rely on sheer brute force to cover up our shabby piloting. He’s new to the game, and I’m just plain terrible.
We are playing 225pts, only small/medium ships and the early squadrons (first fighter packs, so x's, y's etc) and aces (with CC aces also). We each made a few lists and I let him pick the match-up as I’ve played a little more. I normally play squadron-focused rebel lists, so making Imperials work for me has not been a strong suite. The lists are set, so I can’t make any modifications to it.
His List
Opening Salvo
Planetary Ion Cannon
Minefields
AFIIB
Mon Mothma
Gallant Haven
Redundant Shields
Pelta Assault
Raymus Antilles
Engineering Team
Set Shields to Maximum
Tycho Celchu
Shara Bey
My List
Precision Strike
Fighter Ambush
Dangerous Territory
Victory II
General Tagge
Tua
ECM
Phylon Q7s
XI7s
Gozanti Cruisers
Bomber Command Center
Major Rhymer
TIE Bombers x2
Soontir Fel
Tie Interceptors x1
Firstly I didn’t take an Initiative bid this time, so we’ll be taking the coin toss. I’m not sure whether to take first or second if it goes my way. It's two activations each so it's a bit *shrug*
None of my objectives will favour his fleet. He only has two fighters for the ambush, and he nearly totaled his ships on asteroids last game (I swear he drove his GR-75s into every obstacle in their path. He did more damage to his fleet than I did.) I’d expect Precision Strike, which works just fine for my mini-Rhymerball and Red-Blue dice Victory II.
Out of his I guess Minefields would be best as he’ll be trying to circle with his ships at high speed where maneuvering is not so good (see asteroid example previously), and if I roll from the side I can place mines and asteroids to herd his ships in or out of my VSD’s range. I think could comfortably tank some Opening Salvos and get my Brace token back with Tagge. I won’t be flying around the field in my VSD too much to be threatened by more than one Ion Cannon shot.
With only one capital ship, a VSD no less, I’m in danger of being flanked. Would rolling in from a corner and forcing his kiting Assault Frigate to overshoot work? If he comes close he’ll eat a big shot of reds and blues, so I’m expecting a long range engagement, he’s a cautious player. If he’s driving slow to protect that Pelta, I can get a good few rounds of full firepower in, and with ECM I can keep my defence tokens effective and spend them fairly readily. I was thinking about using the Gozantis as a tempting target. Shoot my VSD, OR my scatter flotilla, again free defense token back so I'm not scared to use it.
Overcoming the 2 shields per turn will be tricky. I don’t expect to get many shots against the Pelta without the frigate interfering, which is good in a way, I can force him to obstruct himself by using the Phylons on whatever ship needs to be slowed. I know his Pelta is most likely going to be spamming Engineering, so it will be less dangerous to me and more susceptible to tractor beams.
As for the fighters, against Mon Mothma, the main advantage of the Rymerball is nullified by being able to Evade at medium range, but by the same logic I can force him to spend them early before having the Victory lay in. Shara Bey can be dealt with, but Tycho is going to be a problem with his slippery nature. Shara can tie down my interceptors while Tycho goes after the bombers at will. I always seem to come down with a case of A-wing poisoning whenever I play. How should I tackle that situation? Keep the fighters close to the VSD and combine its anti-squadron with Fel’s counter/auto-damage?
I think he went big ships and aces rather than fighters because he met a Raider I with OEs and Impetuous last game and it chewed his fighters to bits. I think that's why he took Gallant Haven. If he stays next to the ship to make use of it, all the better for me, and if he comes out of the umbrella, it’s wasted points.
So how should I play this? I’m a bit spoiled for choice here.
