My Armada thoughts went in a few weird directions today and combined into a half-baked idea for a list.

I started off musing on the "Interdoctor" build (Targeting Scrambler + Projection Experts), maybe with a Combat version of the ship. Lacking another experimental retrofit to manipulate the board meant taking different objectives than one normally associates with an Interdictor, and my eye fell on Opening Salvo.

Now, people are getting excited about the cards in the upcoming wave that give a ship a one-time boost of extra dice or range. Well... Opening Salvo does that for *all* your ships -- two dice of any color to your first attack. Yes, your opponent also benefits, gaining 2 red dice to each ship's first shot... but if you're bringing an Interdictor with Targeting Scrambler and Projection Experts then that could mitigate that a great deal. Plus, with folks bringing lots of flotillas these days, that means that many more "first shots." Your rebel opponents, however, are likely to bring *unarmed* flotillas that can't attack at all and gain no benefit from the objective.

I've wondered further about using Gozanti Assault Carriers so their red dice can allow for opening salvos at greater range. Would Vader be worth bringing if we're slinging so many red dice now? Or Screed since those extra dice are likely to be black ones...

Thoughts?

The only issue is if you come up against a MSU fleet. They would pick this objective in a heartbeat. A 3 TRC Corvettes and 2 MC30 build would put out horrendous damage.

Also the targeting scrambler only works at shots coming from short range, so I'm not sure that has any bearing on Opening Salvo.

7 minutes ago, Tayloraj100 said:

My Armada thoughts went in a few weird directions today and combined into a half-baked idea for a list.

I started off musing on the "Interdoctor" build (Targeting Scrambler + Projection Experts), maybe with a Combat version of the ship. Lacking another experimental retrofit to manipulate the board meant taking different objectives than one normally associates with an Interdictor, and my eye fell on Opening Salvo.

Now, people are getting excited about the cards in the upcoming wave that give a ship a one-time boost of extra dice or range. Well... Opening Salvo does that for *all* your ships -- two dice of any color to your first attack. Yes, your opponent also benefits, gaining 2 red dice to each ship's first shot... but if you're bringing an Interdictor with Targeting Scrambler and Projection Experts then that could mitigate that a great deal. Plus, with folks bringing lots of flotillas these days, that means that many more "first shots." Your rebel opponents, however, are likely to bring *unarmed* flotillas that can't attack at all and gain no benefit from the objective.

I've wondered further about using Gozanti Assault Carriers so their red dice can allow for opening salvos at greater range. Would Vader be worth bringing if we're slinging so many red dice now? Or Screed since those extra dice are likely to be black ones...

Thoughts?

I can't speak for anyone else, but when any damage card on a ship makes it worth half points, it makes picking up quick VPs really easy for you and your opponent. Too symmetrical to be a useful mission outside of weird corner cases like combat flotilla lists.

1 minute ago, MasterShake2 said:

I can't speak for anyone else, but when any damage card on a ship makes it worth half points, it makes picking up quick VPs really easy for you and your opponent. Too symmetrical to be a useful mission outside of weird corner cases like combat flotilla lists.

Nah, you use it with MSU swarms and stuff that you don't expect to live too long. I expect it to come back with Hammerheads soon. Here's 4 ships with 2 more dice? Sure sounds great. Oh, if they take damage? They were dead anyways, really. Just a matter of getting stronger attacks out of them first.

The fears about MC30s are a bit unfounded. Yeah, They hit harder with Opening Salvo. They also typically aren't geared towards modifying reds. So it's a crapshoot +1.5 average they gain.

TRC Corvettes are a different story. They excel with opening salvo.

I think opening salvo salvo is more of a Sato-style objective. You want to use it to apply crazy crit effects at range.

Its the scoring points that make it unloved for large ships. When a CR90 can ram your ISD turn 6 for half points it becomes difficult to defend against.

I used to run it with my MC30 Ackbar build. What it actually meant is I forgo the long range red shots and waited till I was closer in before unloading an unholy single salvo from close range for the first shot.

If you bid for second, it could work nicely with a 1 command fleet and Leia. She would allow you to repair damage when you needed so you can prevent VPs being handed over.

Hammerhead with Task Force Antilles and TRC90s + Leia. Opening Salvo, Jamming Barrier, Superior Positions/Navigational Hazards.

Opening Salvo with either Hammerhead works well. Might be worth taking the Torp HH with OE and ER. You will get 2 large black dice attacks, or 1 massive attack. TRC90s are just good. Leia let's you get the extra black die and a reroll.

Jamming Barrier will protect your ships from being 1 shot, and Task Force Antilles makes them extremely durable. Torp HH will be able to run up to the barrier, and then cross over taking very little damage. 2 Evades on the TRC90 makes them tough.

Nav Hazards because it gives you an advantage against medium and large ships, and is the best defense against squadrons/Rhymer. Move an obstacle to cause obstruction. Works well against ships too. With Leia, you have a nav chart better than JJ so you should never land on an obstacle.

By bidding for second and having at least 6 activations, you can draw your opponent out before hitting them hard. Demo is an issue, but with 2 defensive objectives and TFA, you should be able to manage. And if Demo takes OS, you can burn it down from a distance.

Not sure about the Interdictor build yet.

1 hour ago, SmurfWedge said:

The only issue is if you come up against a MSU fleet. They would pick this objective in a heartbeat. A 3 TRC Corvettes and 2 MC30 build would put out horrendous damage.

Hah, even worse, the dreaded pummeling one may receive from 4-5 angry Opening-Salvo powered flotillas flying down your gullet.

I've actually played someone who had that with their list that featured a pair of VSD-Is and a pair of flotillas. I was running 4x APT Raiders, 2x APT Gladiators, and a lifeboat.

He was not happy I chose that objective...

10 hours ago, Church14 said:

The fears about MC30s are a bit unfounded. Yeah, They hit harder with Opening Salvo. They also typically aren't geared towards modifying reds. So it's a crapshoot +1.5 average they gain.

TRC Corvettes are a different story. They excel with opening salvo.

I think opening salvo salvo is more of a Sato-style objective. You want to use it to apply crazy crit effects at range.

My MC-30's would love this objective as i typically pack TRC's, Rapid Reloads and OE in them

Hmmm... Opening Salvo with Disposable Capacitors on a VSD II... 10 dices at long range... Yesplease

I have to agree though that taking it with an Interdoctor is a bad idea. And the more I play the Interdictors the more I realize that Targeting Scramblers aren't worth it. That close range is an issue as only Glads and MC30s linger in that distance. And Raiders sometimes.

A card thwt is effective only against one ship from each side isn't really worth it.