Okay so far in Armada each faction has two options for the light cruiser role.

Imperial have the Arquiten and the Gladiator class Star Destroyer. While the Rebels have the Nebulon-B and the MC -30.

What are your favorite way to use these pint sized packages of death?

First you need to solve one question. What is a light cruiser role? What is your definition for it in Armada?

The GSD and MC30 are not really "light" when it comes to their weapons.

Light cruisers role: picket for larger vessels but also able to provide independent fire power just not necessarily as well as a larger ship.

I consider gsds and mc30s as light cruisers due to hull points if they had 6 hull with their dice pool they are easily medium cruisers.

What's the point of trying to shoe horn Armada ships into (presumably) WW2 naval classifications?

1 minute ago, Green Knight said:

What's the point of trying to shoe horn Armada ships into (presumably) WW2 naval classifications?

Makes discussions easier and Lucas was inspired by WW2 naval combat for his space battles.

11 minutes ago, chr335 said:

Makes discussions easier and Lucas was inspired by WW2 naval combat for his space battles.

What kind of discussions are easier if we call X ships CLs?

And I don't think FFG Armada game design as a close connection to Mr. Lucas.

Meh just a simple category to explain how we use a strong ships didn't expect it to be such a controversy.

It seems the OP intended for this thread to be a discussion about the various ways in which the aforementioned ships could be utilised and less about ship classification systems. I believe there is another thread that discusses that topic.

Personally, I like to use the MC30c as a secondary threat in my lists. I use the standard Admo, H9, OE and APT because it works very well against most ships, especially those that cannot equip ECM. The same applies with the GSD, equipped with APT, OE, Demolisher and ET.

For the Nebulon, I prefer Yavaris (not surprisingly). I have been tickering with both Redemption and Salvation as of late because they are really fun titles. Especially Salvation with Spinal Armament, CF and Sato can prove devastating! Redemption is more tricky to use and I have yet to find a list in which it can pull its weight. I have tried making a "repair fleet" where I accumulate multiple repair effects but then I severely hamper my ability to actually do any damage.

I have yet to try the Arquitens but I like the idea of a spam Arquitens fleet with Tarkin. Seems fun!

1 minute ago, chr335 said:

Meh just a simple category to explain how we use a strong ships didn't expect it to be such a controversy.

Well, I use the MC/Glad very differently from the Neb/Arq.

MC/Glad hangs back, ready to pounce in close, then get out again. Neb/Arq just wants to stay at range.

2 minutes ago, Green Knight said:

Well, I use the MC/Glad very differently from the Neb/Arq.

MC/Glad hangs back, ready to pounce in close, then get out again. Neb/Arq just wants to stay at range.

I wouldn't expect anyone to use the ships the same simply due to their dice pool

4 minutes ago, Hawkwing said:

I have yet to try the Arquitens but I like the idea of a spam Arquitens fleet with Tarkin. Seems fun!

I had a guy I play with use a force of 4 arquitens with TRC and Tagge.

Well out of all four of those classes I can easily say I use the Arquittens the most. I find they are a capable gun platform and generally find 2 or 3 of them in my fleet with Dual turbolaser Turret upgrades. They are in my list to simply give the rebels that like to circle the toilet bowl something to think about so they can't just flank my larger slower Victory and or Interdictor with little care. I do find the Damage control officer to be of decent cost vs help as well when trying to keep these fairly fragile ships on the table.

I use the Arqs in rather uninspired ways. A flank support vessel. Sometimes in pairs. Typically, TRCs unless Vader as an Admiral.

I dont run GSDs much at all. I dislike Demolisher as a title and basically refuse to use it unless helping somebody prep for tourneys. Because not taking Demolisher is such a bad way to run a GSD, I don't use it much.

Nebs are usually one off support ships. Either a gunboat Salvation or a carrier Yavaris 95+% of the time. Every blue moon a battle line of 3 focusing down a target is fun.

MC30s get mileage for me as aggro. While I'm interested in them for damage output, I'm also using them a lot to mess with formations as players turn towards the MC30 on the flank. I just recently got reminded of what a Scout Frigate powered by Ackbar can do, so I'll revisit that soon

I think in general most people would build and use the Gladiator and MC30 about the same. Just a few minor changes in their build for their specific pros and cons. Choices boil down to admonition vs Foresight, ACM vs APT vs EL, Engine techs or not, intel officer or SFO, H9 vs X17 or neither (or Enhanced Armament on Akbar fleet).

For something a little different, I've been theorising a MC30 torp with Fire Control team , ACM and XX-9 . ACMs sap the shields to allow XX-9 crits to get through. If your fleet will eventually deplete all shields anyway then ACMs do more damage then APTs from the get-go. Synergies well with TRC90s, that deal heavy damage but can't tunnel through shields. Maybe Cracken or Mon Mothma as commander. Problem is no OE, which is a proven performer. Maybe if I'm just keen on XX-9s , drop FCT and ACMs for OE and EL .

2 Arquitens builds I like are;

- Needa , TRC : Strong at long range, high damage output, cheap at 63 points

- Yularen , Engine Techs , your choice of Turbolaser : Expensive, but turns a very poorly manoeuvrable ship into one of the most flexible in the game. I.E bank a nav token, then every turn from then on you can change speed by one, and gain 2 clicks on last 2 joints. Throw in Ozzel and you basically do whatever speed you like with 2 clicks on last 2 joints. With Jerjerrod you lose the speed flexibility of Ozzel but gain the use of 6 clicks! Meanwhile you are free to spam CF dials.

Nebulon B's are also restricted in how they are built. For a start they only have 3 upgrade slots. Basically just Yavaris variants and the occasional Salvation variant. For something different try Redemption with SFO , Projection Experts and DTT with a Pelta with Projection Experts and Shields to Maximum. Both of these run in support of a heavy hitter getting up close. The Both ships can pass 2 shields and recover 1 with their 4 [Redemption] Engineering, and recover the 2nd with Shields to Maximum. That makes 5 shields per turn to the heavy hitter.

When I recived my first Arquitens I liked them more than I thought (I am generally more keen on "classical" ships like the carrack Crusier).

I toyed in my head with this list:

[ EMPIRE FLEET (399 points)
1 • Arquitens-class Command Cruiser - Admiral Motti - Projection Experts - Redundant Shields - Hand of Justice (101)
2 • Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54)
3 • Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54)
4 • Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54)
5 • Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54)
6 • Arquitens-class Light Cruiser (54)
7 • TIE Advanced Squadron (12)
8 • TIE Defender Squadron (16)
http://armada.fabpsb.net/permalink.php?sq=e36c3s4d3f33e37e37e37e37e37e12e43 ]
e36c3s4d3f33e37e37e37e37e37e12e43

The list is lacking flak, so I had put in two squadrons. I used hypersapce TIEs, because the Arquittens have no hangars. Toyed with a decimator first, but beeing heavy could be bad when you want to help to tie down enemy bombers.

4 hours ago, chr335 said:

Meh just a simple category to explain how we use a strong ships didn't expect it to be such a controversy.

Small, medium, large.

3 hours ago, Church14 said:

I dont run GSDs much at all. I dislike Demolisher as a title and basically refuse to use it unless helping somebody prep for tourneys. Because not taking Demolisher is such a bad way to run a GSD, I don't use it much.

Why don't you like the title?

3 minutes ago, Milienius said:

Why don't you like the title?

Its |"Too Good"|, is what he is saying.

Just now, Drasnighta said:

Its |"Too Good"|, is what he is saying.

I mean I figured I just wanted to hear him say it.

3 hours ago, Divad said:

For something a little different, I've been theorising a MC30 torp with Fire Control team , ACM and XX-9 . ACMs sap the shields to allow XX-9 crits to get through. If your fleet will eventually deplete all shields anyway then ACMs do more damage then APTs from the get-go. Synergies well with TRC90s, that deal heavy damage but can't tunnel through shields. Maybe Cracken or Mon Mothma as commander. Problem is no OE, which is a proven performer. Maybe if I'm just keen on XX-9s , drop FCT and ACMs for OE and EL

Ok did some math on these builds and concluded that the 1st is crap. OE is clearly a necessity , which is a pity for diversity. XX-9s are still viable in place of ACM or APT however.

The results; Build, Average damage double arc'ed (combined front and side), damage if lucky (always trigger the critical) and damage if unlucky (never trigger the critical);

[FCT]/ACM; 9.28 ; 11.25 ; 7.25

OE/ACM; 11.5 ; 12.5 ; 8.5

OE/EL; 11 ; 11 ; 11

Clarification; when saying if lucky and unlucky, that is solely used to trigger the crit effect to illustrate fluctuation in damage (ie I made the crit effect chance 100%). I still calculated black dice as 1.00 (or 1.25 with OE) per dice.

ACM builds overtake EL builds in damage if using both side arcs (while EL is using side and front)

Pros of EL: Not reliant on crit for damage, in extension to this are more resistant to forced re-rolls or cancelled dice. Can use XX-9 for double crits. Count towards armament for some objectives

Cons of EL: More expensive. Reliant on front arc. No long range Sato shenanigans. No APT crits bypassing shields. Brace

2 hours ago, ElSee said:

Small, medium, large.

Yeah but small has the two corvettes and the pelta too and each one of those is used completely different from the other 4 small base ships.

2 hours ago, Milienius said:

Why don't you like the title?

Without derailing the thread... It is a title that could cost twice as much and still be worth it.

Im on an Imperial kick, so maybe I'll putz with Insidious and no-title GSDs

15 hours ago, Hawkwing said:

It seems the OP intended for this thread to be a discussion about the various ways in which the aforementioned ships could be utilised and less about ship classification systems. I believe there is another thread that discusses that topic.

I believe this is the thread you were looking for:

Glads and MC30's would fit into the battle cruiser role...heavy weapons but light armor.

More like destroyers-fast and punching well above their weight class, but still fragile.

I'll bite. This is how I see the universe:

Auxiliary : GR-75, Gozanti
Not equipped for fighting. Support ships at best, the Gozanti is only good for chipping away at targets, the armed one is never seen.

Corevttes/Destroyers : CR-90, Raider
Light attack assets and escorts. TRCs on the CR-90s for light gunship roles, Raiders with Ordnance Experts and APTs for strike roles and escort AA. Activation padding if you want to fight.

Light Cruisers : Nebulon-B, Pelta, Arquitens
Larger dice pools at long range, with some secondary firepower. Best as gun platforms to engage at range. The Nebulon is contorted because the Yavaris title is so good it outweighs what you're usually supposed to take the ship for- point forward at enemy and shoot. The Arquitens does better in this role because it can maintain distance while firing away. The Pelta is harder to place because it's a standardized fighting cruiser, with more robustness than the Nebulon but slower and more focused on fighters.

Strike Cruisers : MC-30, Gladiator Star Destroyer
Designed for rush and close range assaults as shock forces. Demolisher is supreme offense, Admonition is supreme defense. They're specialized, upgunned light cruisers.

Medium Cruiser : Assault Frigate, Interdictor-class Cruiser
Four-dice throwers across multiple arcs with larger hull capacity and medium bases. These are the lighter end of the cruiser specification, the A/F betrays its ad-hoc nature (though being flexible) while the Interdictor is a utility ship with actual weapons. In theory as mediums they're supposed to give some heavy battery power to your list, but leaning on these outside of a specialized function (Interdictor upgrades, A/F with gallant heaven + Flight controllers) are going to find them lacking.

Heavy Cruiser : Victory-Class Star Destroyer
Standard heavy battery firepower designed to crush smaller ships. Multiple small ship attacks in the current meta overwhelm them in this capacity, forcing some to turn them into carriers and de-power their guns. Properly configured they can still threaten smaller ships with impressive batteries.

Battleship : MC80 Home One, MC80 Liberty, Imperial-class
The biggest sticks to each force, with the biggest batteries, largest hull, and biggest capability. The Imperial is supreme here because it's designed to handle all comers. Home one and the Liberty are too specialized to compete.

----------------

With this understanding, Light Cruisers I'd like to use in gun support roles. The Rebels can do this better with massed CR-90s with TRCs (and they don't have the vulnerability the Nebulon suffers from), but I've liked my Arquitens whenever I've brought them to the table. Usually they're running fire support for the heavy element in my list (either ISDs, or a GSD).

Gladiators and MC-30s are pretty straightforward to understand nowadays: get them into close range of your target in the proper opportunity, then strike.