I have always found MC80s to be the second best tank in the game (after the Interdictor) and if anything damage control officers make them even harder to kill (eliminate APT or overload pulse crit effects with contain). Honestly I have killed more ISDs and Liberties then MC80s

I'm a big fan of the Liberty, it's the flagship of my CC fleet right now. Beautiful model. It's got ISD levels of firepower, or more with good upgrade combos, plus the ability to take gunnery teams, but is not nearly as survivable as the ISD, and it costs 20 points fewer. I'd say it's a trade-off that can be worth-while.

Mon Karren, SW7, and Gunnery Teams is really good firepower. It is going to be a major threat to anything it aims at. As a result, it is going to be a target. There's a few ways to deal with that. First, the front arc has 5 shields, and this thing has 4 engineering. You can spam engineering commands as soon as you begin combat with the expectation it will get focused on, and keep your front shields on the target. Comms relay, engineering teams, or other upgrades can help. It CAN be tanky if you expect it to take fire. I also like having Lando on her to deal with one big alpha-strike from an ISD2 or Demolisher.

Engine techs and Madine is also a good way to mitigate damage. Fly fast and dodgy until you get behind a target ship, then stay there.

Another major component of keeping Liberty from being the prime target is taking other ships that need to be killed. Yavaris, Salvation, MC30s, etc., can make decent threats if they're deployed in an inviting way.

omg. the Liberty, a piece of junk?!?

listen, listen... this ship is super simple. find a way to protect its flanks so it can withstand hits with its front shields. use gunnery teams to annihilate smaller ships.

it is not a piece of junk. it has a function, and performs that function admirably.

i agree it is not one of the "best ships in this game for its cost". but neither is the ISD. that honor goes to Flotillas, Demolisher, Admonition and Yavaris.

2 hours ago, stuuk said:

The MC-80 battlecruiser specifically. I've been playing with it today, mostly because I bought it and wanted it to see the table.
She's very maneuverable.

She's also a total and utter piece of junk.

In theory a maneuverable ship seems good, yes? but considering that an ISD can also go speed 3, even if you can get behind one you can no longer catch her (even with engine techs you can barely catch her).
I've come to the conclusion that she's good for chasing down smaller ships, but shouldn't go near an ISD. Even from the rear she can't guarantee a kill within 6 turns against a running ISD.

Thoughts anyone? Someone help me justify my £30...

A befitting fate for all Rebels,

Next time, get an Imperial Star Destroyer instead!

I have good luck running a Battlecruiser with just Mon Karren and Vet Gunners. Keeps the cost under a naked ISD II at 116pts and gives you a fairly substantial long range bully.

9 minutes ago, BrobaFett said:

I have good luck running a Battlecruiser with just Mon Karren and Vet Gunners. Keeps the cost under a naked ISD II at 116pts and gives you a fairly substantial long range bully.

another favourite of mine is Star Cruiser, Mon Karren, Gunnery Teams and SW-7. 116 points. once it gets to mid range it deals absurd ammounts of damage. expect to lose it, but its all about the burst. for 1-2 rounds,it hurts the opponents so much.

I am currently running the following load out on my Liberty:

[ flagship ] MC80 Battle Cruiser (103 points)
- General Madine ( 30 points)
- Raymus Antilles ( 7 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Engine Techs ( 8 points)
- H9 Turbolasers ( 8 points)
- Spinal Armament ( 9 points)
- Leading Shots ( 4 points)
= 176 total ship cost

It is a beast of a ship. Use nav and CF commands for the first half of the game and go small ship hunting. Then if you are in the middle of a fight with a bigger ship, start feeding it engineering commands. Six engineering points every turn with Raymus along for the ride keeps this ship alive.

That being said, it really benefits from having Admo ride shotgun. Let Admo go after the ISD early in the fight and then when it needs to run let the Liberty come in for the finishing blow.

I like SW7s, Dual TTs, and IX7s on Mon Karen. Runs 120pts. Seriously would consider a gunnery team and/or a chart officer.

MC-80L with new Leia Commander sounds interesting.

The Liberty becomes permanent Squad 4

Nav Teams becomes mini Madine

Also it's not much of a statement to say your speed 3 ship with fail to catch a speed 3 ship, and fault it for that.

1 hour ago, Kikaze said:

i agree it is not one of the "best ships in this game for its cost". but neither is the ISD. that honor goes to Flotillas, Demolisher, Admonition and Yavaris.

You forgot VSD-1's.

1 hour ago, Divad said:

MC-80L with new Leia Commander sounds interesting.

The Liberty becomes permanent Squad 4

Nav Teams becomes mini Madine

Also it's not much of a statement to say your speed 3 ship with fail to catch a speed 3 ship, and fault it for that.

Also if you wanna catch a speed 3 ship with a m'lady you just need engine techs.

And maybe a couple extra turns in practice.

Sato + Spinal + Leading shots + Mon Karren + XI7 + gunnary team.

Toss out Tycho in a mix of flotilla's and you're throwing what...5 red dice right...cool...turn 1 to blue and 1 to black...so you can use leading shots at long range.

It just gets more ugly as it gets closer....

19 minutes ago, Gottmituns205 said:

Mon Karren + XI7

Should pick one or the other.

TBH you're right...

Try this:

5 activation
Author: GottMituns205

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 400/400

Commander: General Dodonna

Assault Objective: Precision Strike
Defense Objective: Planetary Ion Cannon
Navigation Objective: Superior Positions

[ flagship ] MC80 Battle Cruiser (103 points)
- General Dodonna ( 20 points)
- Mon Karren ( 8 points)
- Walex Blissex ( 5 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Spinal Armament ( 9 points)
- H9 Turbolasers ( 8 points)
- Leading Shots ( 4 points)
= 164 total ship cost

Nebulon-B Support Refit (51 points)
- Salvation ( 7 points)
- Intel Officer ( 7 points)
- X17 Turbolasers ( 6 points)
= 71 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
- Bright Hope ( 2 points)
- Bomber Command Center ( 8 points)
= 28 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
= 18 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
= 18 total ship cost

4 X-Wing Squadrons ( 52 points)
1 Norra Wexley ( 17 points)
1 Gold Squadron ( 12 points)
2 Y-Wing Squadrons ( 20 points)

I think the point here is taking gunnery team and H9 as a bare min...build from there.

5 hours ago, chr335 said:

I have always found MC80s to be the second best tank in the game (after the Interdictor) and if anything damage control officers make them even harder to kill (eliminate APT or overload pulse crit effects with contain). Honestly I have killed more ISDs and Liberties then MC80s

Liberties are 80s

I will be using the liberty as Leia's flagship when her command card releases. Being able to put a wing commander/flight controllers on it and then get the double bonus from Leia's token has good synergy. An instant, boosted 4-squadron command on demand from a battleship is going to be gravy.

The Liberty is an awesome ship but as Gink poinzed it out you have to know hoe to fly them. It has awesoe firepower but it's fragile from the sides you can't ram into tue middle of the fight like you do with an ISD, you absolutely MUST rely on its maneuverability. If youleatn hoe to fly them it will be one of your favorite ships. But you have to endure the learning cycle first.

12 hours ago, BrobaFett said:

I have good luck running a Battlecruiser with just Mon Karren and Vet Gunners. Keeps the cost under a naked ISD II at 116pts and gives you a fairly substantial long range bully.

12 hours ago, Kikaze said:

another favourite of mine is Star Cruiser, Mon Karren, Gunnery Teams and SW-7. 116 points. once it gets to mid range it deals absurd ammounts of damage. expect to lose it, but its all about the burst. for 1-2 rounds,it hurts the opponents so much.

I think this might be the key. Having a big hitter is nice, but they have to be at the right price point.
Yesterday I tried itzsteve's 176 point built (or close enough), making an absolute beast of a ship. But if you do that you now have the best part of half your force in one ship.

And, whilst her manoeuvrability is very nice, you have to make it work - and it's certainly possible to screw it up.
I did successfully arc dodge and hurt an ISD yesterday, but sensing it doing badly for him my opponent put down the clog and disengaged, and I wasn't able to claim the kill.
(I braked hard to get onto the flank and was unable to speed up quicker than he was)

The main problem for me is finding a role for the battlecruiser; one that she can do better than anyone else. If she's 'chasing down' smaller ships, is she doing it better than anything else? and what's happening to everyone else while the main effort is off joyriding? A lot of those points are in the engines.
I think at the 176 point beast level, you'd best be certain how you're going to use her.

8 hours ago, Tirion said:

Liberties are 80s

No liberties are liberties 80s are homeones since that is what we got first.

Try it with dodonna and xx-9.

16 hours ago, stuuk said:

Yep waste of space. The MC-80 side firing monster earned points as they always do. The Liberty moved a long way and looked very impressive but let down the side and almost lost me the game.

Fly it like a big Neb B and see what happens. Nose first, like a lawn dart*

*(for you younger tikes out there, a lawn dart is a fun game we had in the late 70's early 80's that were essentially long steel spikes with feathers on one end we could throw at hoola hoops** in the yard, but usually broke down into throwing them at the neighbor's dogs.)

**(Hoola Hoops - Google it. I'm not explaining this one....)

My most effective use was 2xstar Cruiser/GunTeam/LeadingShots at 107 each and a pumped up flotilla commanding squads. That fleet handles most things well except for double ISDs

Liberties can't kill ISD's? Can ISDs not kill other ISDs? (They both roll 8 dice out the front)