On 5/22/2017 at 9:50 AM, Payens said:

What am I missing about Moff Jerjerrod?sure that extra yaw is nice but the damage is brutal, seems to me it just helps you loose faster, so you might only want to use it once or twice a game. Figures to me just having a navigate command when needed or Nav team would be a better idea.

Think of it this way mobility is everything in Armada, which is why good positioning enabled by a nav can be more potent than cf and protect you more than a repair command. JJ let's you dodge double arcs and set up yours much better without even needing a nav command. Heck, ever see an ISD at speed 3 turn to the inside (2--) of the maneuver tool... That's a bit gross. So he helps you land more dice and get shot by less when used effectively. The shield damage is paltry by comparisson.

Letsee;

Empire
Admiral Motti
Darth Vader
Admiral Screed
Admiral Sloane
Moff Jerjerrod
Admiral Konstantine
Grand Moff Tarkin
Admiral Ozzel
General Tagge

I rank them in terms of all comers / specific builds / not very useful. Motti is the most useful out of the Imperial lineup because, while he doesn't shine offensively, he makes half of the Imperial inventory (Mediums- QFs, VSDs, INTs, ISDs) even tougher. If you have no set strategy in mind, you go with him. Vader is next because he allows, at will, control over specific dice pools. He was wasteful before, but once ARQs joined the fleet now it's a good idea to be controlling a lot of dice pools without relying on Leading Shots.

Screed is the most useful of the specifics because not only does he just deal a crit anyway, but there are so many powerful cards now that can kick off a critical effect that screed can guarantee. APT swarms come to mind, but the potential for Ion triggering (should an awesome Ion eventually exist) is there. He's kind of the Biggs card from X-Wing; you can't create any critical-trigger cards without thinking about how Screed is going to guarantee that they happen. Sloane is the next up because she needs fighters to succeed, but I'm wary that her ability for fighters to stamp out chosen defense tokens is going to be overwhelming. Here's everyone's favorite JJ, useful only because he can help speedsters turn and mediums turn better... but there are so many better offensive choices, and Jerjerrod is easily defeated by just running away from the VSDs he's trying to help. Konstantine kind of ties with JJ, but he needs big ships to work. It would be awesome if big ships actually worked (and weren't massive few-activation floating targets for MSUs and fighters, alas).

I would rate Tarkin a lot higher (in the all-comers category), but Comms net has taken away his usefulness (+1 activation and at-will commands for sending tokens places). Ozzel is the discount admiral, and speedster lists are more likely to take Jerjerrod than Ozzel. Tagge's timing makes him too difficult to really rely on.

Haven't really played the Rebel commanders enough to know where they rank, so I'll withhold commenting on them for now.

I think Sato is being underrated. He definitely requires more careful fleet building and use, but I don't think that makes him a bad choice. And I think, in the current squadron-heavy meta, a properly played Sato list is a strong counter to bomber-heavy lists that remains competitive against other list types. I'd put him in a tier similar to Ackbar.

On 2017-5-22 at 9:53 PM, thecactusman17 said:

Madine falls out of the top, in my opinion, due to the fact that very few rebel ships currently need his ability (though the MC80 Liberty is a clear exception)

I used to not like Madine for the same reason. Only the Liberty needs his ability. Then I tried a list with CR90s with engine techs and fell in love with Madine. He is probably my favourite Rebel commander now.

I can't believe how many people think JJ is meh. JJ helps every Imperial ship and is probably the best imperial admiral. Motti is good but he doesn't help you win(and is BOOOORING).

Good Guys. (2-5 are pretty much tied, I just ranked them based on my play style)

1. Moff Jerjerod: Gets you out of the arcs you don't want to be in and keeps your arcs pointed at the enemy. Try him instead of Ozzel in a twin Gladiator w/Engine Tech fleet. MC-30s tpically only get one or two shots, JJ Glads swing right back around on your rear and keep shooting. ISDs are suddenly always where you want them, so are Arquitens, Raiders at high speeds and yes, Victorys. Takes his pound of flesh but if you're using him every round and complaining your ships are dead... you're doing it wrong. You typically use him 3, maybe 4 times, getting you the perfect approach turns 2-3, then getting you back around into the fight for turns 4-6.

2. Vader: Kills things dead. Arquittens release shot him way up in the rankings, still probably overcosted by 3 or so points and the pound of flesh he takes is usually worse than JJs but if the ship is dead, than it's not shooting you(wipe that grin off your face Rieekan).

3. Motti: Boring, but good, keeps your ships slightly more alive but doesn't help you win. Try killing a Motti Interdictor, I'll wait.

4. Sloane: Could be higher after we get her and the Quasar into our hands and see how she works with TIE Fighter swarms and Defenders(Phantoms? I want to believe) pigeonholes you into using 100+ pts of fighters though.

5: Ozzel: This one is just preference, 2-5 could easily be swapped, I just find JJ"s extra clicks that are command free better than Ozzel"s speed shenanigans. Ozzel's good fun he just doesn't help as many ships dance as JJ.

6. Screed: If you need a guarantee he's your man, but... black dice crits are just not the be all end all they once were, Reinforced Blast Doors, Damage Control Officer(try killing an MC80H1, with these on it, with Demolisher, I'll wait), and with ordinance experts being a thing and blue crits largely not, Screed doesn't shine like he used to. Losing a die is harsh, only once per turn slows him down too. Disposable Capacitor Raider-2s Overload Pulsing a ship to set up Avenger will be a thing though, and he'll be the only way to guarantee it goes off.

7. Konstantine: Maybe the Quasar makes him better? Still bad and he should feel bad, especially after losing that Interdictor in the finale, though I suppose considering Ezra just hopped on to the second one and shot it to death with a hand gun.... **** Rebels is dumb and awesome in equal measure.

8. Tarkin: Too many points. Maybe if you chose per ship or was 6-8 points cheaper. Has the best art of any admiral though. Good if you bring 8 flotillas and a Rhymerball though...

9. Tagge: counters Sloane...ish? TRC Arquitens? Still hot garbage, timing kills him. Died like a b***h.

Bad Guys. Again, 2-4 are pretty much playstyle dependent.

1. Rieekan: Duh.

2. Ackbar: Kills things dead rebel edition, with more red dice! Perfidious, perfidious red dice, you better have leading shots or reroutes, or better dice than mine most likely.

3. Dodonna: Can you use 10 more points in your list? Want a nifty ability that's always useful and potentially devastating? Also has the second best facial hair of all the other admirals(seriously, Motti need a beard or at least a mustache, he looks like he's in his early 20s with that babyface).

4. Mothma: Keeps your ships alive, and not much else. Really in Rieekans shadow, despite doing it completely different.

5. Cracken: Needs specific ships and a specific playstyle, but can be better than Mothma if played well.

6. Madine: Really good with Libertys, otherwise, shed a tear that you aren't JJ. Underrated, but not top tier, you can do silly thing with him though, thing even JJ only dreams about.

7. M***** F*****g Garm Bel Iblis! Another underrated commander that might be better than Cracken and Madine due to his flexibility, I feel he's just waiting for someone to harness the power of one of the coolest old EU characters. Pelta seems to be the way to go with Garm. Best facial hair.

8. Sato: Too expensive, too conditional but still better than Tagge....

Only Rebels and based on personal experiences:

• Ackbar - 3AFM + 2 GR + A screen is the current rebel meta here.
• Dodonna - Multipurpose specially with bomber lists on when you want to go creative and dont want to spend too much on the commander.
• Madine - Fun, surprising, creative commander can create "wtf" moments: How the hell did that liberty avoided that Imperial front hull and is completely facing its side hull?? Bit expensive though.
• Garm Bel Iblis - Resourceful, limited, works with everything but you squeeze the most of it with large ships. Cheap can fit in several lists.
• Rieekan - The suicide guy only useful when already losing something, if you go untouched or barely touched you spent 32 points for literally nothing. You can easily just take another commander and swap 30 points for maneuvering and positioning skill and a just a little dose of strategy.
• Sato - Sadly, the terribly overrated guy. 32 points is just too much for what gameplay actually provides.
• Mothma - Too expensive, limited to a couple of lists and ships and not really useful when in play. Moreso now, with so many ways to deny/spend/exhaust/outplay your defense tokens.
• Cracken - This guy has SO many counters for that little reward that is a one use time then bye bye.

Edit: As a fun fact, Imperials current commander points cost is at 239 points. Rebels are at 269.