A lot of people are currently frustrated by the use of flotilla as flagships. However rather then nerfing the lifeboats, this tread is about adding new upgrades that naturally provide more benefit to larger ships or more simply ships in the thick of the action, with the flagship only restriction.

Some examples of upgrades/people that I would associate with a flagship;

- Communications Officer (Officer, 5pts): Flagship Only. After this ship reveals its command dial, you may discard this card to give all friendly ships at range 1-5 a matching token

- Logistics Officer (Officer, 5pts): Flagship Only. After this ship finishes its activation, you may discard this card to immediately activate another ship at range 1-5

- Operations Officer (Officer, 5pts): Flagship Only. When you activate this ship, you may discard this card to choose an enemy ship at range 1-5. Once per activation, friendly ships attacking the chosen ship may modify 1 dice in their attack pool until the end of the turn

- Captain Piett (Officer, 8pts): Empire Only. Flagship Only. When you activate this ship, you may discard this card to target an enemy ship at range 1-5. Once per activation, friendly ships attacking the targeted ship add 1 black dice to their attack pool until the end of the turn

- Bail Organa (Officer, 8pts): Rebels Only. Flagship Only. After an opposing ship finishes its activation within range 1-5, you may discard this card to force your opponent to activate another ship

- Flag Bridge (Offensive Retrofit, 4pts): Flagship Only. When you discard an Officer card, you may instead discard this card

Thoughts?

I'm not opposed to the basic idea (although I think the fervor about lifeboats is overblown, personally) but I don't see how any of the ideas you proposed wouldn't also be useful on a lifeboat.

I like the idea, but I think they are not really encouraging the flagship to be large right now, they just seem to pull the lifeboat closer to the fight. The overall concept is good!

I like Comms Officer and Operations Officer.

Since you do not have a size class restriction, which I think would be a mistake, make the ranges shorter. Range 1-3 means the flagship has to be closer to your ships. Range 5 is quite far.

I don't like upgrades that force activations to either side. They become auto-includes and an upgrade passing game.

Piett is favored to MSU style play, instead of ISD style. I get more value with 3 Raiders than 1 ISD. Or 5 Assault Gozantis tossing 2 blacks (CF+Piett) and 1 red. Jeez, imagine attacking a Most Wanted target with that. 5 reds, 15 blacks.

If you had upgrades that were flagship-only and had a certain effect depending on the hull, shield, command, engineering, or squadrons value of the ship then they would clearly be superior with a larger ship rather than a flotilla. Just a thought.

Interesting idea, however I think these particular suggestions help the fleet but do nothing to make the flagship a better combatant itself (except perhaps Flag Bridge ).

I really don't care if a flotilla is the flagship, but I liked the idea of upgrades that are specific for the flagship. Hope it can be an addition to Armada in the future, seems interesting

Yes I like the idea, the effect range could be dependent on the command value of the flag ship:

1 = black range

2= blue range

3= red range

That way the size of the flag ship matters.

You could even do it now by FAQing the abilities of the present admirals into range bands say command 3 whole table, command 2 red range, command 1 blue range.

or the most simplistic ( and easy for a club to house rule)

Any admirals effects only apply to ships with an equal or lower command rating than the flag ship.......( I think this one could work very well).

3 minutes ago, Jondavies72 said:

Yes I like the idea, the effect range could be dependent on the command value of the flag ship:

1 = black range

2= blue range

3= red range

That way the size of the flag ship matters .

...

(Que insecure joke about size compensation)

9 minutes ago, Marinealver said:

(Que insecure joke about size compensation)

You are a Bad bad man.......

2 hours ago, Divad said:

- Logistics Officer (Officer, 5pts): Flagship Only. After this ship finishes its activation, you may discard this card to immediately activate another ship at range 1-5

Hahaha oh yes! Pair with Demo triple tap and it is done.

Why not switch it to an upgrade type that isn't on existing flotillas and not likely to be?

Imperial Doctrine (unique, flagship only, Imperial) - Gunnery Slot - You may reroll any number of Red dice when attacking

I mean alternatively you could always specify
Flagship only

Medium or large only

And just make it clear this is a big boys only club.

13 hours ago, Undeadguy said:

Piett is favored to MSU style play, instead of ISD style. I get more value with 3 Raiders than 1 ISD. Or 5 Assault Gozantis tossing 2 blacks (CF+Piett) and 1 red. Jeez, imagine attacking a Most Wanted target with that. 5 reds, 15 blacks

That is painfully true. Perhaps instead adding a blue dice set to an accuracy result. This favours large firing arcs much more.

10 hours ago, Snipafist said:

And just make it clear this is a big boys only club.

Certainly isn't a bad idea, but I was allowing room for the Pelta to function as a command ship as it is intended.

11 hours ago, ovinomanc3r said:

Hahaha oh yes! Pair with Demo triple tap and it is done

I concede that this would be bad.

6 hours ago, Divad said:

Certainly isn't a bad idea, but I was allowing room for the Pelta to function as a command ship as it is intended.

Alternatively, you could always specify

Command 2 or 3 ships only

If you'd prefer.

Make it Large and Medium ships (or the Command 2+ idea) and I give it two thumbs up!

I know my opinion doesn't matter and many hate my opinions but I think we agree here. Maybe differ on some of the suggestions slightly but otherwise I like this concept.

First off I love this idea.

I think if you want to encourage flagships on largerships you have to make upgrades that benefit small base ships the least and large base ships the most.

Take Motti, every ship in the fleet benefits from him but to get any real use from his effect you're gonna want to bring out the big boys.

I think the Command 2/3 restriction is the best way to do it. As it is, Rebels only have 1 medium ship, and Imps will have 3. Forcing Rebels to take an AF is not a great way to implement this upgrade IMO. It works well in an MC80 since it's a tank.

I prefer "less restriction" when it comes to fleet building.

Changing the effect by ship size/command stack is a really fun idea to be sure. I could imagine Piett's effect being something like

Large/3stack: Friendly ships add 1 black die

Medium/2stack: Friendly ships add 1 blue die

Small/1stack: friendly ships add 1 red die.

and so on and so forth.

I feel like Motti is always effective because he gives a hull relative to the points cost of the ship If you take 2 Raiders with him, they get 3 hull for 132pts. as opposed to 1 ISDi which gets 3 hull for 110pts, or 2 VSDis which get 4 hull for 144pts. (to focus on combat ships, gozantis get really silly really fast with him, 5 hull on 5 ships for 114).

I also prefer the Command 2+ variation of the rule myself. the Arquittens-Class Command Cruiser should be able to be taken as a flagship after all, as should the Modified Pelta-Class Command Ship. I mean...it's in the name!

I'd try this:

A flagship of medium-large size gains one Fleet Support slot.

The Pelta is special in that it was a small ship that served as an effective flagship. Thus the slot on that ship's card.

47 minutes ago, Democratus said:

I'd try this:

A flagship of medium-large size gains one Fleet Support slot.

The Pelta is special in that it was a small ship that served as an effective flagship. Thus the slot on that ship's card.

Problem with that is that the Pelta's special upgrade slot was a balance for the Interdictor's Gravity Wells. Giving that special upgrade slot to all ships would be unfair to Rebel players.

Also an Upgrade that allows more upgrades seems redundant. (Sorry Tua.) A new upgrade type with special Flag Ship limitations is the best way to go.

7 minutes ago, Beatty said:

Problem with that is that the Pelta's special upgrade slot was a balance for the Interdictor's Gravity Wells. Giving that special upgrade slot to all ships would be unfair to Rebel players.

It's not like the interdictor is dominating the tournament scene (or even in a single winning regional list).

And the CC rules have certainly left room for a Rebel ship with an Experimental Retrofit slot.

Just now, Democratus said:

It's not like the interdictor is dominating the tournament scene (or even in a single winning list).

And the CC rules have certainly left room for a Rebel ship with an Experimental Retrofit slot.

Even so not the best solution. Also the Interdictor is an excellent ship and the Gravity Wells are awesome. The only reason you don't see them more is because players like to bring an ISD and an Introdictor and ISD doesn't allow for many upgrades. Though I have seen very very competitive lists with both ships and a Flotilla.

I hope the interdictor does become competitive at the regional level. I'd love to see it.

3 minutes ago, Democratus said:

I hope the interdictor does become competitive at the regional level. I'd love to see it.

It does make a good flag ship and if there was an upgrade to encourage you making it your flag ship maybe we will.