@Blail Blerg list:

IAAZZ Vader s6ties b0

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 400/400

Commander: Darth Vader

Assault Objective: Advanced Gunnery
Defense Objective: Fire Lanes
Navigation Objective: Intel Sweep

Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Skilled First Officer ( 1 points)
- Enhanced Armament ( 10 points)
= 65 total ship cost

Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Skilled First Officer ( 1 points)
- Enhanced Armament ( 10 points)
= 65 total ship cost

[ flagship ] Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Darth Vader ( 36 points)
- Comms Net ( 2 points)
= 61 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
= 23 total ship cost

Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Minister Tua ( 2 points)
- Flight Controllers ( 6 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
= 125 total ship cost

1 "Howlrunner" ( 16 points)
4 TIE Fighter Squadrons ( 32 points)
1 Valen Rudor ( 13 points)

Card view link

My thoughts:

1. I wouldn't put Vader on Gozanti, esetially in a squadron-light list. Gozanti is too easy to kill and it's loss will significantly weaken fleet's offense.

2. The issue with Arquittens that I found is their low durability. So I would consider dropping EA on one to add RBD to both of them.

3. I would think about upgrading at least 1 Gozanti to a combat version.

4. I strongly recommend replacing some of the squadrons in the list with Cienna Ree. In my mind Valen/Cienna is a good minimal points squad.

I'll add my thoughts about Vader in general later.

3 hours ago, Blail Blerg said:

What are people's best build with Vader?
Ive heard of really silly risky builds like ISD dominator, but... yeeesh.

Arquitens with Enhanced Armament?

I'm running him in the Corellian Campaign:

CC: Death Squadron
Author: Onidsen

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 500/500

Commander: Darth Vader

Assault Objective: Station Assault
Defense Objective: Contested Outpost
Navigation Objective: Superior Positions

[ flagship ] Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Darth Vader ( 36 points)
- Devastator ( 10 points)
- Admiral Montferrat ( 5 points)
- Heavy Turbolaser Turrets ( 6 points)
= 167 total ship cost

Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Avenger ( 5 points)
- XX-9 Turbolasers ( 5 points)
= 120 total ship cost

Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Hand of Justice ( 4 points)
- Skilled First Officer ( 1 points)
- Slaved Turrets ( 6 points)
= 65 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Comms Net ( 2 points)
= 25 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Suppressor ( 4 points)
= 27 total ship cost

1 "Howlrunner" ( 16 points)
6 TIE Fighter Squadrons ( 48 points)
1 Saber Squadron ( 12 points)
1 Black Squadron ( 9 points)
1 TIE Interceptor Squadron ( 11 points)

Card view link

If I were to drop down to 400 points, I might go something like this:

Vader List 1.0
Author: Onidsen

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 394/400

Commander: Darth Vader

Assault Objective: Station Assault
Defense Objective: Fire Lanes
Navigation Objective: Intel Sweep

Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Devastator ( 10 points)
- Minister Tua ( 2 points)
- Reinforced Blast Doors ( 5 points)
= 127 total ship cost

[ flagship ] Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Darth Vader ( 36 points)
- Reinforced Blast Doors ( 5 points)
- Slaved Turrets ( 6 points)
= 101 total ship cost

Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Reinforced Blast Doors ( 5 points)
- Slaved Turrets ( 6 points)
= 65 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
= 23 total ship cost

1 Saber Squadron ( 12 points)
1 "Howlrunner" ( 16 points)
1 Black Squadron ( 9 points)
1 Soontir Fel ( 18 points)
1 TIE Fighter Squadron ( 8 points)
1 Lamda-class Shuttle ( 15 points)

Card view link

Fleet created with Armada Warlords

47 minutes ago, pt106 said:

@Blail Blerg list:

IAAZZ Vader s6ties b0

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 400/400

Commander: Darth Vader

Assault Objective: Advanced Gunnery
Defense Objective: Fire Lanes
Navigation Objective: Intel Sweep

Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Skilled First Officer ( 1 points)
- Enhanced Armament ( 10 points)
= 65 total ship cost

Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Skilled First Officer ( 1 points)
- Enhanced Armament ( 10 points)
= 65 total ship cost

[ flagship ] Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Darth Vader ( 36 points)
- Comms Net ( 2 points)
= 61 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
= 23 total ship cost

Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Minister Tua ( 2 points)
- Flight Controllers ( 6 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
= 125 total ship cost

1 "Howlrunner" ( 16 points)
4 TIE Fighter Squadrons ( 32 points)
1 Valen Rudor ( 13 points)

Card view link

My thoughts:

1. I wouldn't put Vader on Gozanti, esetially in a squadron-light list. Gozanti is too easy to kill and it's loss will significantly weaken fleet's offense.

2. The issue with Arquittens that I found is their low durability. So I would consider dropping EA on one to add RBD to both of them.

3. I would think about upgrading at least 1 Gozanti to a combat version.

4. I strongly recommend replacing some of the squadrons in the list with Cienna Ree. In my mind Valen/Cienna is a good minimal points squad.

I'll add my thoughts about Vader in general later.

I was gonna keep the Vader Gozanti as a lifeboat behind the main fleet which lets me be very aggro with the ISD and not worry about it dying and giving away 36 more points. To that end, I think saving Vader is worth the loss of offense from not attacking with the Gozanti.

I would too upgrade to combat, but not enough points.

Considering we go up against 9 squadrons, 134 points every other game, this meager 60 point screen is probably not enough to even last one turn. But I agree with Ciena.

Did you ever wish you had the EA? Would you sub for TRC? Do you really find that the kittens get melted? If so, I agree then, Or advanced projectors which help vs bombers and for alpha striking.

33 minutes ago, Onidsen said:

I'm running him in the Corellian Campaign:

CC: Death Squadron
Author: Onidsen

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 500/500

Commander: Darth Vader

Assault Objective: Station Assault
Defense Objective: Contested Outpost
Navigation Objective: Superior Positions

[ flagship ] Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Darth Vader ( 36 points)
- Devastator ( 10 points)
- Admiral Montferrat ( 5 points)
- Heavy Turbolaser Turrets ( 6 points)
= 167 total ship cost

Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Avenger ( 5 points)
- XX-9 Turbolasers ( 5 points)
= 120 total ship cost

Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Hand of Justice ( 4 points)
- Skilled First Officer ( 1 points)
- Slaved Turrets ( 6 points)
= 65 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Comms Net ( 2 points)
= 25 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Suppressor ( 4 points)
= 27 total ship cost

1 "Howlrunner" ( 16 points)
6 TIE Fighter Squadrons ( 48 points)
1 Saber Squadron ( 12 points)
1 Black Squadron ( 9 points)
1 TIE Interceptor Squadron ( 11 points)

Card view link

If I were to drop down to 400 points, I might go something like this:

Vader List 1.0
Author: Onidsen

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 394/400

Commander: Darth Vader

Assault Objective: Station Assault
Defense Objective: Fire Lanes
Navigation Objective: Intel Sweep

Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Devastator ( 10 points)
- Minister Tua ( 2 points)
- Reinforced Blast Doors ( 5 points)
= 127 total ship cost

[ flagship ] Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Darth Vader ( 36 points)
- Reinforced Blast Doors ( 5 points)
- Slaved Turrets ( 6 points)
= 101 total ship cost

Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Reinforced Blast Doors ( 5 points)
- Slaved Turrets ( 6 points)
= 65 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
= 23 total ship cost

1 Saber Squadron ( 12 points)
1 "Howlrunner" ( 16 points)
1 Black Squadron ( 9 points)
1 Soontir Fel ( 18 points)
1 TIE Fighter Squadron ( 8 points)
1 Lamda-class Shuttle ( 15 points)

Card view link

Fleet created with Armada Warlords

While this 400 pt fleet has a lot more effective fighter screen, its only 4 activations. In competitive level play, have you found that to be a huge problem? 2nd player can easily be moving 2 ships after you're all done.

37 minutes ago, Blail Blerg said:

While this 400 pt fleet has a lot more effective fighter screen, its only 4 activations. In competitive level play, have you found that to be a huge problem? 2nd player can easily be moving 2 ships after you're all done.

The 400 point list probably wants to bid for 2nd. Strategic and those objectives to punish your opponent. All of them are at least a 75 point swing in your favor.

I'm not a very experienced player (in terms of games played and opponents skill level), but from my experience, number of activations isn't an auto win button. Being out activated can be overcome, especially if you have high quality activations compared to high quantity. My last game I played, I beat 5 activations with an isd2, 2 Vics, and an Arq. In the game before that, I lost with a Screed MSU against a 3 ship Ackbar list. (Campaign play, but still relevant. Activation advantage doesn't go away in the CC, and the fleets were even points)

But a 5th activation isn't too hard to shoehorn in this list. Drop the lambda and the TIE, and upgrade Saber to Ciena Ree and black squadron to Valen Rudor. You've saved 14 points there, still have a decent anti squadron screen (Yavaris double tap b- wings take 2 auto -damage from attacking your ships!), and then drop the blast doors from the Arqs. Devastator should be drawing attention anyways. That's 24 points. 25 gets you a second Gozanti with jamming field, to help keep your fighters alive longer. And you still have a 5 point bid. (You'll want to change objectives, though. Without strategic, neither fire lanes nor Intel sweep are good choices. I'd recommend Contested Outpost and maybe solar corona. Without strategic, the blue objective is a little weak).

EDIT: The 5 activation fleet would look like this-

Vader List 1.1
Author: Onidsen

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 395/400

Commander: Darth Vader

Assault Objective: Station Assault
Defense Objective: Contested Outpost
Navigation Objective: Solar Corona

Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Devastator ( 10 points)
- Minister Tua ( 2 points)
- Reinforced Blast Doors ( 5 points)
= 127 total ship cost

[ flagship ] Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Darth Vader ( 36 points)
- Slaved Turrets ( 6 points)
= 96 total ship cost

Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54 points)
- Slaved Turrets ( 6 points)
= 60 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Jamming Field ( 2 points)
= 25 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
= 23 total ship cost

1 Soontir Fel ( 18 points)
1 "Howlrunner" ( 16 points)
1 Ciena Ree ( 17 points)
1 Valen Rudor ( 13 points)

Card view link

Fleet created with Armada Warlords

27 minutes ago, Blail Blerg said:

I was gonna keep the Vader Gozanti as a lifeboat behind the main fleet which lets me be very aggro with the ISD and not worry about it dying and giving away 36 more points. To that end, I think saving Vader is worth the loss of offense from not attacking with the Gozanti.

Considering we go up against 9 squadrons, 134 points every other game, this meager 60 point screen is probably not enough to even last one turn. But I agree with Ciena.

Did you ever wish you had the EA? Would you sub for TRC? Do you really find that the kittens get melted? If so, I agree then, Or advanced projectors which help vs bombers and for alpha striking.

I understand that it's a lifeboat and still stand by my previous comments. I think that a lot of fleets have a way to deal with lifeboats nowadays (H9 MC30, Raider, Ramming Corvette, Rogues etc) and Vader is a juicy target worth sending ships over. So the risk in my mind is just too great.

Well.. Ciena/Valen is combo that can withstand a lot of 3 die attacks or less. So it is more survivable than you think.

Yes, kittens melt too fast, especially vs squadrons. (I played against 2 Vader kittens build in a regional and they are melting fast especially once they're in medium/short range), So I think that they need to be supplemented/mixed with other damage dealers and VSD is a perfect candidate.

I just won the my first battle of CC with a vader arq list. Not something I would normally post about but since it appears germane to the discussion; going second against a MM 4 trc90/admo/foresight single awing list. This is what I ran;

Vader CC-1
Author: Madaghmire

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 400/400

Commander: Darth Vader

Assault Objective: Most Wanted
Defense Objective: Fire Lanes
Navigation Objective: Sensor Net

Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer (120 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
= 127 total ship cost

Arquitens-class Command Cruiser (59 points)
- Engine Techs ( 8 points)
= 67 total ship cost

[ flagship ] Gozanti-class Assault Carriers (28 points)
- Darth Vader ( 36 points)
- Comms Net ( 2 points)
= 66 total ship cost

Arquitens-class Command Cruiser (59 points)
- Hand of Justice ( 4 points)
= 63 total ship cost

1 Valen Rudor ( 13 points)
1 Whisper ( 20 points)
1 Ciena Ree ( 17 points)
1 Morna Kee ( 27 points)

I got a little lucky, opponent ate some rough dice. In the end I killed foresight, three corvettes and the A-Wing. The ISD, Morna and Whisper became veterans and HoJ is due for some time in drydock. I think Vader is a particularly good CC admiral since he gives you rerolls in the first round when you are forced to go upgrade light and then goes on to scale very well.

I find Hand of Justice works particularly well with Vader.

As for Arq usage, I like to set them up to run between the enemy fleet and my ISD, softening up choice targets before the ISD wrecking ball comes gliding in. So far its been pretty effective in a limited sample size. Navigation commands are key. Engine Techs give you a ton of extra yaw with that speed 1 2 click, but cost you in terms of chasis upgrade and actual card cost. That said, I think its a worthwhile investment in a Vader fleet.

I like slaved turrets on them, but I actually split my opponents fleet in this last one with both Arq's and that tactic wouldnt have been half so effective if I had only one shot. A strong (albeit anecdotal) argument for enhanced armaments in a vader list, and I wasnt sure which way to go but now I feel pretty strongly I'll go EA.

tl;dr Vader+red dice very effective.

I find your lack of Vader + OE distributing. And not a single raider between the lot of you. Sad.

Well its cc

30 minutes ago, Madaghmire said:

Well its cc

Meaning?

52 minutes ago, Green Knight said:

Meaning?

Chocolate Chip?

Common Core?

Chevy Corvette?

Meaning its round 1

Meaning this isnt even my final form!

9 hours ago, Green Knight said:

I find your lack of Vader + OE distributing. And not a single raider between the lot of you. Sad.

I used Raider in mine. (And didn't have points/right ships for OE )

1 hour ago, Madaghmire said:

Meaning its round 1

Meaning this isnt even my final form!

Right. Didn't really see that from what I read.

But Raiders do love Vader.