So I'm sitting here...staring at Warlords (again) trying to make lists that use ships I've never touched.

I have never played the interdictor once.

So as per ususal, I'm looking at lists and fleet builds, and reading up on the dictor, the only two things it excels at...is making objectives very hard for foes, and tanking obscene amounts of damage...yet the return on damage investment doesn't seem so high.

So how do they work in a fleet? Could I run a carrier build with them? Are they the "big ship" in the fleet?

The idea I toyed with was a fleet that could scramble dice, and use those blues for Ion Batteries (so they will hit regardless) and kinda build a carrier force around that with Gonzo's and maybe toss in a raider.

An FC/FCT Interdictor means you can shoot someone in the face with Major Rhymer and 2 Bombers with the First Activation of the game.

Two Interdictors means you may well be doing so with the Enemy at Speed 0, so they can't spend Defense Tokens.

This also means they can protect each other and a Demo in the fleet with Targeting Scramblers.

But you must, must be confident with double-arcing, as Double-Arcing with them is the only way to really leverage their Attack Dice. A single Arc won't really cut it - even with Ion Cannon Batteries.

I've gotten some good damage out of the Suppression refit with double arcs. The damage itself is a bit low, but there's a lot of accuracy results so what you roll is often what you get. That said, you'll probably want to pick a ship that deals lots of damage to help even out the Interdictor. If you slow the enemy ships down, you can probably get an extra round of close range attacks from a Victory I or something.

Some thoughts & experience.

Hand of Justice + ECM/Interdictor/Targeting Scrambler is so ******* awesome but also...really expensive for the damage output. I'm usally the last person to whinge about efficeny and what not but it's hard to dole out damage to multiple threats

Combat Retro really helps if tons of Squadron players

Always be able to Eng for 8 or 9 (Eng Team) first activation as first or second player so tokens are very important

Have not tried as a carrier but with FCT maybe you have something there? Also you squadron 2, expanded hang, token you can get it up to 4 which at least lets it work in a squadron/relay list.

Was running a pretty good build wave 3/4. Pairs very well with Demolisher if you have Targeting Scrambler.

3 hours ago, Drasnighta said:

Two Interdictors means you may well be doing so with the Enemy at Speed 0, so they can't spend Defense Tokens.

Little fuzzy on what you are getting at, here.

The Experimental Retrofit that impacts speed is the 'G-8 Experimental Projector' ...but it's unique, so no more than one per fleet, regardless of how many Interdictors you have.

Are you thinking of maybe trying to work Konstantine into it? He can only bring the speed down by 1, but...

Oh, I dunno, I just don't find the speed shens very useful. Seems half the lists out there are spamming nav commands, for the maneuver tool yaw ticks if nothing else, so can just use the same command for speed control and effectively ignore whatever you were trying to do to them. The whole 'adjust speed by 1' that is done by the G-8, Konstantine, or Tractor Beams is just...meh. Never enough on its own, yet G-8 is unique, the number of times Konstantine will trigger in a match you can count on a couple fingers, and if you go the whole shebang, you're paying a CRAZY amount of points to MAYBE get ONE enemy ship down to speed 0 for one turn...

(Or, you know, it burns a nav token to ignore your tractor beams, spends its nav command to ignore Konstantine's efforts from the previous turn, while your single G-8 gimps its maneuver by all of one step ...unless the enemy was Ozzel, in which case even that has no impact at all)

Definitely feels like the start of an interesting idea, but...just not enough there for it, yet. Something is missing.

The interdictor is an amazing carrier with FCT. Its blue dice on the double arc really hurt and the arcs are nice. As far as they go, one of the easiest ships to double arc with.

FCT really helps the squads. Yv666s come into their own. The interdictor isnt going to die so yv666s have the time to really clear the battlefield.

Konstantine can go all in. Tractor beams AND Slicers. The priblem is you then lack the points for the rhymerball which can punish those who are spamming navs. CC though...

Author: Ginkapo

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 394/400

Commander: Admiral Konstantine

Assault Objective:
Defense Objective: Jamming Barrier
Navigation Objective: Navigational Hazards

[ flagship ] Interdictor-class Suppression Refit (90 points)
- Admiral Konstantine ( 23 points)
- Interdictor ( 3 points)
- Fighter Coordination Team ( 3 points)
- Grav Shift Reroute ( 2 points)
- Targeting Scrambler ( 5 points)
= 126 total ship cost

Victory I-Class Star Destroyer (73 points)
- Veteran Gunners ( 5 points)
- Phylon Q7 Tractor Beams ( 6 points)
= 84 total ship cost

Victory I-Class Star Destroyer (73 points)
- Veteran Gunners ( 5 points)
- Phylon Q7 Tractor Beams ( 6 points)
= 84 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Slicer Tools ( 7 points)
= 30 total ship cost

2 TIE Advanced Squadrons ( 24 points)
2 TIE Fighter Squadrons ( 16 points)
2 YV-666s ( 30 points)

in my experience, (used the interdictor LOTS of times), the interdictor has the following advantages and disadvantages:

pros:

-extremely capable self repair (huge engineering value)

-messes up black dice (targeting scramblers arent really super good against other fleets that may kite you, but they realy hurt stuff such as admonition)

-their firepower is ok if and only if they double-arc.

cons:

-expensive (20ish points cheaper than the mighty ISD)

-slow

-not THAT tanky( 9 hull seems so at first, but with just 1 x brace, 1 x redirect means ships that can produce acc results will destroy you fast, plus shields are almost equal to a mere GSD)

-single arcs are very weak.

conclusion: the ship works well alongside Victory class that can follow it, provide tankiness and firepower, and konsy/jerry as admiral. OR alongside a Motti ISD , protecting the beast from mc30s/GSDs etc with targeting scramblers.

From a CC perspective there are way more options regarding Dictors IMO.

Currently running a Vader fleet with an ISD-I with Tua, ECM, OE, XI7, Avenger. This is paired with a Supp Refit packing ET & Ion Batteries, plus the usual Grav Shift, Scramblers and Dictor title. 3rd ship is a GSD-2. And a Goz. Squads include Jonus.

As our primary assaulter I can often use grav shift to mess with opponents objectives (Show of Force becomes even easier). The combination of that close-in ISD, backed with ECM and Scramblers is just...horrible. All the while Demo and Jonus are lurking, ready to pounce.

But back to the Dictor. With ET and Ion batteries it can be where it needs to be, and reliably double arc. With Vader and Ion Batteries it gains a LOT of bang for the buck at medium range.

6 hours ago, xanderf said:

The Experimental Retrofit that impacts speed is the 'G-8 Experimental Projector' ...but it's unique, so no more than one per fleet, regardless of how many Interdictors you have.

Familiarise yourself with the Non-Unique, "G7-X" Grav Well Projector.

Twice.

Because the *core* of the impact is to do it with the first activation of the game if you're first player... But being second isn't a huge barrier, it just means you have lost a single choice of target.

I still want to try a dual Vic I with a Supression Refit (Jerjerrod as commander) but I can't figure out the balance of squadrons I want.

Haven't much experience, but from what I played with Interdictors, I paired up with an ISD1 and a Glad. I used the G-7X to set enemies to speed 0, then the G-8 and Konstantine to prevent them from moving and massacrated the enemies that couldn't spend defense tokens

5 minutes ago, Visovics said:

Haven't much experience, but from what I played with Interdictors, I paired up with an ISD1 and a Glad. I used the G-8 to set enemies to speed 0, then the G-7X and Konstantine to prevent them from moving and massacrated the enemies that couldn't spend defense tokens

The G8 speed reduction is temporary for one maneuver phase only. The only way to get an opponent's ship to speed 0 during your attack is for them to set it to 0 themselves, have them start in the G7 area and not modify their speed, or using the Comms Noise crit.

14 minutes ago, Snipafist said:

The G8 speed reduction is temporary for one maneuver phase only. The only way to get an opponent's ship to speed 0 during your attack is for them to set it to 0 themselves, have them start in the G7 area and not modify their speed, or using the Comms Noise crit.

My opponent will be so glad to know that

In My most unabashed but personal opinion:

That's half the problem with the Interdictor - or rather, selling how to use the Interdictor to people.

The Rules are often half-read, and half-interpreted, and then when tested and corrected, people have already formed an image on it working, and now it "doesn't" in comparison to their desires.

The Interdictor is far more subtle than people are often willing to work out, I feel. They expect to be basically slamming people from speedy to dead in the water, or throwing them around with speed changes, like Gravity Wells and Tractor Beams are giant Movement Beatsticks...

But really, its a small, subtle enhancement that you need to be able to capitolise on completely...

I mean, for example - G7s have a wonderful effect. if your opponent deploys near the token, then they Deploy at Speed 0.

Okay, now ask yourself: "My Opponent has Deployed at Speed 0. How do I capitolise on that investment, making it more than just an 'aha, I got you!'...?"

Which is where, for example, the Nose-Punch came into it (for me)... The same as with G8s. They have the ability to manipulate the speed, or rather, force the enemy to over-or-under commit to a speed (remember, if they spend a nav token to change their speed to counter your G8s, it has the follow on of changing their speed so they are the speed higher next round... Use that.)

Phyloms are set to make you discard that Nav token if you have it, and only if you don't do you change speed. This can make Phyloms a great way of mitigating your enemy moving up in speed with G8s, if you want them in place....... Subtle, Subtle force Multiplication and Support.

Targeting Scrambler actually has Quite a Range on it, when you factor in the Distance from the Interdictor to the Ship you want to Protect, and then Close -Range Engagements to that ship... An ISD (Or Demolisher) can happily speed ahead, knowing the Interdictor can Protect it from behind the lines...

Having the Support slot is also a boon that is often shorthanded into the Projection Experts direction - but I find its combination with Expanded Hangar Bay quite useful for FC/FCT - either for the Nose Punch with fast bombers... Or just moving some of my slower things about... Like Decimators or Garbage Trucks...

There's a lot to Explore with the Interdictor, beyond its 5 Engineering and 9 Hull...

35 minutes ago, Snipafist said:

The G8 speed reduction is temporary for one maneuver phase only. The only way to get an opponent's ship to speed 0 during your attack is for them to set it to 0 themselves, have them start in the G7 area and not modify their speed, or using the Comms Noise crit.

ooops, I meant the G7 and G8 the other way round srry

We have a local player joking about a Dras-style CC fleet of 3xInt Suppresion with Grav Shift, 2 targeting Scramblers, and 3 grav wells. All with Konstantine and a Rudor/YV ball

From some measure of experience: He will be happier with the 3rd 'Dictor being a Real Killer Combat Ship... Two gives me a sweetspot of Deployment Denial to Hull to Combat measure, but a 3rd starts to feel like Diminishing Returns.

Besides, Screw Konstantine. You want Motti and all the Hull at that Point... ALL THE ENGINEERING REGENERATING HULL ...

And I mean... I'm hardly an Expert. I'm also one of the unluckiest sunofabitches out there... And yes, I had some success with Twin Interdictors in a Local Tournament, and I like to talk it up! (It was my one and only true Armada success in what feels, now, like years of constant failure.)

But I might have just gotten very lucky that day, hit the perfect opponents, found a tactic that no-one had seemingly tried (and seemed to be willing to replicate).

So in the end, maybe its just a whole bunch of So Crazy It Just Might Work .

But it worked for me. Once. I havn't been able to re-borrow that second Interdictor again to try again.

I currently a Rebel player, albeit a new Armada player overall, but I know when I start to try playing Imperial that I WILL incorporate Interdictor(s). They are easily my favorite ship in the Imperial fleet currently in Armada. I've got a couple of planned lists. One is with an ISD and Demolisher using Motti and the other is with 2 VSD-1s using Jerjerrod. I'll probably come up with plenty more lists including Interdictors by the time I get my first one on the table, but for now it's all theory crafting.

44 minutes ago, Drasnighta said:

From some measure of experience: He will be happier with the 3rd 'Dictor being a Real Killer Combat Ship... Two gives me a sweetspot of Deployment Denial to Hull to Combat measure, but a 3rd starts to feel like Diminishing Returns.

Besides, Screw Konstantine. You want Motti and all the Hull at that Point... ALL THE ENGINEERING REGENERATING HULL ...

Yeah. Our CC group is laid back and the next campaign is going to be more goofy. Two Imp players argued over who gets Tarkin. So he would run triple for lulz. I also threatened to show up with triple MC80 Battle cruisers (LShots, X17, and GTeam) and Rieekan. Fun idea, but huge screaming liabilities.

39 minutes ago, Church14 said:

Yeah. Our CC group is laid back and the next campaign is going to be more goofy. Two Imp players argued over who gets Tarkin. So he would run triple for lulz. I also threatened to show up with triple MC80 Battle cruisers (LShots, X17, and GTeam) and Rieekan. Fun idea, but huge screaming liabilities.

Triple mc80s? Nah, start with 3 shrimps and move up from there

Shrimp (396/400)
===============
MC30c Scout Frigate (69 + 10)
+ Enhanced Armament (10)
MC30c Scout Frigate (69 + 8)
+ Rapid Reload (8)
MC30c Scout Frigate (69 + 7)
+ Assault Concussion Missiles (7)
GR-75 Medium Transports (18 + 36)
+ Commander Sato (32)
+ Comms Net (2)
+ Bright Hope (2)
10 x A-wing Squadron (11)

I'm only a recent Armada convert, but the Interdictor was the first ship I bought, and I've used it in every one of the eight or so games I've played. T rue, on a pure firepower to points ratio it's pretty poor - but that's not what it's for.

One theory of warfare divides tactics into four key areas - attack, defence, mobility and 'friction' - i.e. the ability to degrade the enemy's fighting performance. It's in this last area that the Interdictor excels (although it's got very respectable defence too).

I generally run mine with targeting scramblers and a grav-shift reroute - and the latter of these is a game winner. In fact, it's got the potential to be so effective that you can virtually win before the first turn starts. The key is to pick your fights to make best use of that ability. Dragging, say, a contested outpost closer to you can get you a huge haul of victory points, making it very hard for an opponent to catch up. Conversely, sliding an asteroid field into the path of a key enemy ship can disrupt their entire battle plan.

Sone of my games were in a local store tournament, where I managed to win all three matches and take first place. In each one the grav-shift was fundamental to victory, either giving me an overwhelming strategic advantage, or scuppering enemy battle plans from turn one.

Simply put the Interdictor is the best source of friction in the game - it's not the cheapest, fastest or hardest hitting ship, but it is by far and away the best at messing with your opponent's plans. If the enemy admiral is tearing their hair out in frustration at what your Interdictor's done, then you know it's doing its job...

Yeah that's the Dic. Not a combat ship, but a huge influence on the battlefield, and a tanky ship.

5 hours ago, Darth Tam said:

Yeah that's the Dic. Not a combat ship, but a huge influence on the battlefield, and a tanky ship.

I would counter that. My Dictors (I have one in both my CC fleets) have been solid, reliable damage dealers. They're just maneuverable enough to double arc fairly reliably, their blue dice and High-Capacity Ion Turbines give them reliable damage output, and Engine Techs helps them get into the position you want (and offset their low base speed). Couple that with their high engineering, and scramblers + Tua + ECM or RBD, and they have surprising durability. They are all about toughing it out in a fight and being reliable DPS over being high-spike DPS.

I've not be disappointed by the performance of mine.

I've mentioned before, my last battle my ICR destroyed an MC-30 (after taking a truly ridiculous 8-9 dice volley from the 30 right in the teeth) and maimed a AFMKII while tanking shots from the MC30, both of the opposing AFMKII's, and an Akbar Home One. It did fall, but it tanked a load of firepower and dropped a lot of dice before falling in turn four I think it was. Had just one thing gone slightly differently (regarding my token timing - burned one earlier than I should have), it would have survived being encircled, broken free, and roadblocked the MC80 in time for a devastating counter attack from my ISD.

The one thing I will say I would prefer is two redirect tokens, but eh, can't have everything.

I have run three interdictors in 'combat mode' using the suppression refit.

SW-7's

Targeting Scrambler

Damage Control Officer

Tarkin.

It's Tanky and can scrape together enough firepower for the low point wins, but it isn't going to win you a tournament even if you don't lose a game.