I have my first tournament this weekend, and I am not sure which of these two builds would survive the best. Any advice would be appreciated!

List 1 (5 activations):

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 394/400

Commander: Moff Jerjerrod

Assault Objective: Precision Strike
Defense Objective: Contested Outpost
Navigation Objective: Dangerous Territory

Victory I-Class Star Destroyer (73 points)
= 73 total ship cost

Gladiator I-Class Star Destroyer (56 points)
- Demolisher ( 10 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- Engine Techs ( 8 points)
- Assault Proton Torpedoes ( 5 points)
= 83 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
= 28 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
= 28 total ship cost

[ flagship ] Victory I-Class Star Destroyer (73 points)
- Moff Jerjerrod ( 23 points)
= 96 total ship cost

1 Maarek Steele ( 21 points)
2 TIE Defender Squadrons ( 32 points)
3 TIE Interceptor Squadrons ( 33 points)

List 2 (3 activations):

Notes: I don't know if ECM or RBD is more appropriate for the VSD. I'm not terribly happy with the low bid.

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 399/400

Commander: Admiral Screed

Assault Objective: Advanced Gunnery
Defense Objective: Contested Outpost
Navigation Objective: Minefields

[ flagship ] Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer (120 points)
- Admiral Screed ( 26 points)
- Avenger ( 5 points)
- Point-Defense Reroute ( 5 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- XX-9 Turbolasers ( 5 points)
- Leading Shots ( 4 points)
= 172 total ship cost

Victory II-Class Star Destroyer (85 points)
- Minister Tua ( 2 points)
- Flight Controllers ( 6 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- Overload Pulse ( 8 points)
= 113 total ship cost

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

1 Maarek Steele ( 21 points)
3 TIE Defender Squadrons ( 48 points)
1 Dengar ( 20 points)

Before I give any (humble!) suggestions, can I ask whether this fleet is limited by what you have? Do you have access to the majority of upgrades, or are you limited to Imperials or a smaller selection of ships?

I have at least two of everything.

Just now, Doc Jedi said:

I have at least two of everything.

Haha, nice one, so no real limits then.

I personally like the look of the second list (I like big ships and I cannot lie...), and the combo of Avenger with an overload pulse ship can work really well, but I think there's quite a lot of fat that could be trimmed. Point-defense re-route, for instance, is probably not going to prove that useful - you really want your ISD firing at capital ships, and your squadrons to be taking care of your opponents' fighters. I also think that Expanded Hangars and Flight Controllers are overkill on the Victory - between the Gozanti and the naked Victory you can command all your fighters, and the extra dice is nice but a bit superfluous. I'd also suggest that four Defenders might not be the most efficient squadron cover, even if Dengar and Maarek are great.

There are a few other things I'd do differently, but that's personal preference. Overall my temptation would be to trim down the big ships, go for some cheaper anti-squadron cover, and either take a second Gozanti, or upgrade it to something like a Raider. I'd also try to make a decent initiative bid, as you're almost always going to be outnumbered with that list.

Hope that helps!

So good to see folks doing pulse taps!

(I'd say 2 if you could squeeze a second goz in there... activation count can matter to PT fleets)

This is my avenger PT build.

Nothin' special

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 398/400

Commander: Admiral Screed

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

[ flagship ] Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer (120 points)
- Admiral Screed ( 26 points)
- Avenger ( 5 points)
- Captain Needa ( 2 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- Turbolaser Reroute Circuits ( 7 points)
- SW 7 Ion Batteries ( 5 points)
= 179 total ship cost

Victory II-Class Star Destroyer (85 points)
- Minister Tua ( 2 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- Overload Pulse ( 8 points)
= 109 total ship cost

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

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

5 TIE Advanced Squadrons ( 60 points)

15 minutes ago, Darth Sanguis said:

So good to see folks doing pulse taps!

(I'd say 2 if you could squeeze a second goz in there... activation count can matter to PT fleets)

This is my avenger PT build.

Nothin' special

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 398/400

Commander: Admiral Screed

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

[ flagship ] Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer (120 points)
- Admiral Screed ( 26 points)
- Avenger ( 5 points)
- Captain Needa ( 2 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- Turbolaser Reroute Circuits ( 7 points)
- SW 7 Ion Batteries ( 5 points)
= 179 total ship cost

Victory II-Class Star Destroyer (85 points)
- Minister Tua ( 2 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- Overload Pulse ( 8 points)
= 109 total ship cost

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

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

5 TIE Advanced Squadrons ( 60 points)

I was under the impression the TIE/Adv was not that great...am I wrong?

Just now, Doc Jedi said:

I was under the impression the TIE/Adv was not that great...am I wrong?

That's what folks say, but that 5 hull when mixed with the jamming field can go a long way. The defender would be the next best bet, in my book anyway, but at 16 points each, you'll lose a squad. The advanced gives you a nice semi-durable screen and allows you to keep 5 fighters...

It's enough to keep bombers off your hull long enough to PT some ships and let 'em know who's boss ;D

16 minutes ago, Darth Sanguis said:

That's what folks say, but that 5 hull when mixed with the jamming field can go a long way. The defender would be the next best bet, in my book anyway, but at 16 points each, you'll lose a squad. The advanced gives you a nice semi-durable screen and allows you to keep 5 fighters...

It's enough to keep bombers off your hull long enough to PT some ships and let 'em know who's boss ;D

Personally, I'd go Advanced over Defender most of the time, especially if you're not building around the bomber keyword. I'm just not convinced the standard Defender is worth the extra four points, especially as two blue bomber dice isn't amazing.

If it were me, I'd look at an out and out anti-squadron build, akin to what @Ginkapo recommends below, but chuck in a Jumpmaster. Similar points to what you're already spending, but deadlier, more survivable, and capable of targeting a nuisance squadron to potent effect. I think you'll get more out of that combination than vanilla Defenders alone.

6 hours ago, Ginkapo said:

I have been running:

Zertik, Saber, Mauler, Jendon with Maarek for taste as a squadron wing.

It is glorious. There is no single unit which can survive their targetting. Does your opponent have a intel or relay unit that is fustrating you? Not anymore.

Maarek is just there to get the most out of Jendon. If your enemy does not have squads, only saber is wasted points. That squadron cant go near ships.

15 minutes ago, ceejlekabeejle said:

Personally, I'd go Advanced over Defender most of the time, especially if you're not building around the bomber keyword. I'm just not convinced the standard Defender is worth the extra four points, especially as two blue bomber dice isn't amazing.

If it were me, I'd look at an out and out anti-squadron build, akin to what @Ginkapo recommends below, but chuck in a Jumpmaster. Similar points to what you're already spending, but deadlier, more survivable, and capable of targeting a nuisance squadron to potent effect. I think you'll get more out of that combination than vanilla Defenders alone.

That's tough.... it's definitely stronger but it's also 23 points more expensive....


I suppose that's the balance though, how much insurance do you wanna bring for fighters....


Personally, I'd do the standard advanceds, but then again, I don't heavily invest in squadron play.

4 minutes ago, Darth Sanguis said:

That's tough.... it's definitely stronger but it's also 23 points more expensive....


I suppose that's the balance though, how much insurance do you wanna bring for fighters....


Personally, I'd do the standard advanceds, but then again, I don't heavily invest in squadron play.

Yeah, it is an investment - I was working on the basis of what the OP had in their list: Maarek + 3 Defenders + Dengar is 89 points, whereas Jendon, Zertik, Mauler, Saber and Dengar are 82 points. So for 7 points less, you get lots of defence tokens, some handy abilities, and the flexibility of being able to activate your squadrons from anywhere on the board.

I think you and I are essentially making the same point: you're suggesting that you could have a similarly effective squadron build for a lot less; I'm suggesting that the number of points the OP was looking to spend could be better invested. Either way, we're both agreed that a handful of Defenders probably isn't going to make that list the best it could be.

4 minutes ago, ceejlekabeejle said:

Yeah, it is an investment - I was working on the basis of what the OP had in their list: Maarek + 3 Defenders + Dengar is 89 points, whereas Jendon, Zertik, Mauler, Saber and Dengar are 82 points. So for 7 points less, you get lots of defence tokens, some handy abilities, and the flexibility of being able to activate your squadrons from anywhere on the board.

I think you and I are essentially making the same point: you're suggesting that you could have a similarly effective squadron build for a lot less; I'm suggesting that the number of points the OP was looking to spend could be better invested. Either way, we're both agreed that a handful of Defenders probably isn't going to make that list the best it could be.

Ah! I was comparing it to my own! lol but yes, I agree. lol