Hey all.

I'm gonna be up front and say I have very little actual playing experience due to being unable to find a community nearby, but I'm still trying to make lists to figure out what works and what doesn't.

So, how does this list look? I'm considering dropping some squads for a cheap ship or combat retrofit gr-75.

496 Points

Pelta Class Assault Ship

Garm Bel Iblis, Major Derlin, Raymus Antilles, Engine Techs, Expanded Launchers, Shields to Maximum, Phoenix Home

Pelta Class Assault Ship

Ahsoka Tano, Engine Techs, Assault Concussion Missiles, Entrapment Formation

MC30c Torpedo Frigate

Weapons Liaison, Fire Control Team, Redundant Shields, XX-9 Turbolasers, Assault Proton Torpedoes, Foresight

Squadrons:

Shara Bey, Tycho Celchu, A Wing Squadron, X Wing Squadron x2, Gold Squadron, Norra Wexley.

Objectives:

Intel Sweep, Targetting Beacons, Jamming Barrier

Fire control team, APT and XX-9 turbolaser do not stack.

I knew APTs didnt stack with the others because it deals its card at a different point, but I forgot to check the FAQ about Fire Control Teams. Thanks.

Would it be better to switch the XX-9 for H9s or X-17? I'm leaning toward the X-17.

First of all, sorry to hear about your lack of a local community. If you can, try to build one up yourself! If that's not an option for whatever reason, there's a very strong community playing on Vassal (just Google Star Wars Armada Vassal) where you might be able to get some games in online.

Rebel close-in fleets are my jam, so I've got some feedback, both general and specific to this fleet.

Generally, you want an even number of squadrons. A big advantage that squadrons provide is deployment delay: you can avoid revealing where some of your ships are going to deploy, forcing your opponent to reveal his plans before you, but you only get this with squadrons deployed in pairs. This isn't a hard and fast rule, but it is a good rule of thumb.

Also, activated squadrons are much more powerful than unactivated squadrons, so you also want to provide for the ability to activate them all in the same turn. You only have three total squadron activations--up to six with your Garm bucks--but 7 squadrons.

Furthermore, it's usually a good idea to build your squadron ball in one of three broad ways. A minimal defensive force designed to slow down opposing bombers and die doing so; a medium interceptor force designed to engage and kill any opposing squadrons, with a secondary role of supporting against ships; or a dedicated bomber wing with escorts, Intel, and/or other support designed to get the bombers positioned to kill ships. Your squadron wing is a bit of each--A-wings are great in minimal setups; X-wings are good interceptors and escorts; and Norra is great bomber support, but your only really reliable bomber is Gold (yes, X-wings have the keyword, but they're not great in the bomber role by default). I suggest you go to a small A-wing force, something like 4 A-wings with one or both of the A-wing aces in there. This will reduce your numbers, allowing you to activate them all, while driving up your squadron efficiency. Alternatively, you could go for Jan + 3-4 X-wings, but if you did that I'd seriously consider switching one of your Peltas to a command variant to activate them all.

You're kind of all over the place with your ordnance upgrades. Usually, it's advisable to pick one type and stick with it, because they are fairly anti-synergistic with each other. APT penetrates shields fast for a quick, hard strike and pairs well with ramming. ACM has very good throughput, with the trade-off that it's unfocused so you generally end up having to wear all the shields down. ExL has high potential absolute damage output, but 1) it can be braced, and 2) it's widely considered to be substantially overpriced. None of those work well in conjunction with the other three, so unless you have a specific reason not to focus, go with all the same one. It doesn't make a huge amount of difference which one, as each has scenarios in which it's the best, though APT is the most popular because it's cheap.

On the MC30, you really, really want rerolls on your blacks. The one upgrade that is on every MC30 I ever use is Ordnance Experts. Whether you opt for APT, ACM, or ExL, all three want OE, and you want to fish aggressively with it to make sure you trigger those crit effects if you took APT/ACM.

Redundant shields isn't a bad choice for the MC30, but usually RS is going to be most valuable on a ship that's taking sustained fire over several turns, and that doesn't fit the MC30T's ideal engagement profile. The ship is designed to charge in at very high speeds, unleash and weather 1-2 rounds of very intense fire, and then run away. There are some defensive upgrades that can help with survivability for this kind of engagement (Reinforced Blast Doors or Advanced Projectors, in particular), but you actually are going to find more defensive value in the officer slots and title slots for this ship. Lando is a fantastic choice, and Major Derlin is a solid option too.

Then there's Foresight. Foresight is a great title. The problem it has is that Admonition is so much better in most cases, particularly in the MC30T's optimal engagement range. At close range, unless you're using Mon Mothma as your admiral, you get nothing from the evade piece of the title, making it essentially a half-effective Advanced Projectors. Admonition, on the other hand, is effective at all ranges, can't be locked out by accuracy, and--importantly--lets you choose the die to remove, allowing you to often prevent your opponent's crit effects like ACM, APT, and Norra.

I've got more, but sorry, lunch is just about over so I don't have time to go in depth on the rest. You want more activations, at least one more. You're very heavy on upgrades: you don't need to fill every slot on every ship, try to identify the most useful ones and eliminate the others. Use the points from that and from reducing your squadron component to buy more ships. Weapons Liaison isn't a good choice on the MC30, use Skilled First Officer for dial flexibility on it. The Ahsoka/Garm/Raymus combos are good, but I'm not sure how good in this fleet. Take H9 or nothing on the MC30 turbolaser slot. Shields To Max is nice, but not particularly well-suited to this fleet (see the RS discussion for why). If you have a tooled-up MC30T, your yellow objective should virtually always be Hyperspace Assault. Consider Mon Mothma, Rieekan, Madine, or Dodonna as your admiral (Garm's not a bad choice, his utility just isn't huge here, particularly with a lot of the changes I've recommended).

Caveat: all of this is my opinion. Play what you want to play and see what works for you and what you like, and good luck!

H9s need something to guarantee accuracies against flotillas

Hey, thanks a lot for all that Ardaedhel, definitely a bunch of stuff I never thought of. I thought the upgrades I had meshed well together, so thank you for showing me the flaws. I think I'll swap everything to ACMs then, because that's the only card I have 3 of out of that group...

And it sounds like I should move away from focussing on tokens as much? Every time I've played it feels like I don't have enough punch or flexibility because I never have tokens, which is why I thought Garm was a good choice to help with that. Or am I over thinking how vital tokens are?

On the squadrons, I think I might be looking at them wrong. Whenever I make a list I always try to cram as many as I can into my remaining points (after ships/upgrades) and usually try to stay away from the more expensive ones to get 2 other squads instead. Also, I keep staring at Rapid Launch Bays and a ball of B-Wings/Nym. Would that go as well as I think it will, or is it a poor choice?

Last, where would the new ship points be best put? I know everyone is all about flotillas, but I feel like I should go with a CR90 instead? I like the support the flotilla offers, but if it loses the squads near it I feel like it will just sit there doing nothing of value. I guess I could give it the upgrade to let it repair ships, but if it gets that close to the fray I feel like it'll get gunned down before it can do anything of value.

Sorry if this is stuff other threads have already covered and I'm just forcing repetition.

No worries! We all been there, we are a mostly patient bunch, and definitely like talking fleets!

In regards to flexibility- try skilled officer and see if you like him. Typically with black dice ships like ard said you get 1 maybe 2 rounds of good shooting. It lets you dial up nav until you are in position, and then when you have a shot put a concentrate fire on your bottom dial, discard the top, resolve the con fire and then set 2 dials next turn (another con fire if you have a shot, or back to nav). It gives you a ton of flexibility on your dial without ever really even needing to take a token.

For squadrons, its a balanace of quantity and quality. A huge swarm of ties is good- but not as good as a same point swarm of defenders. Unless they have the right support in the form of Howlrunner, Flight Controllers, and a big carrier like an ISD that can throw a big group of them all at once to nuke important targets.

Rapid launch bays are good, peltas and assault frigates use them well, but make sure you need them in the bays, because you sacrifice tactical placement on the deployment phase to set them aside. Nym is not often seen, but i think somewhat unfairly. He is just a little too expensive, and generally he is generally outclassed by ten numb as the "heavy bomber" ace of choice.

Repair crews are really hard to use and rarely effective. Coms net (if you want tokens!) On the other hand makes them always useful. If you run bomber bomber command is vital.

Cr90a with jainas light and turbolaser reroutes is a hard hitting slippery ship that never can be obstructed, so you can hide it and take shots accross your own ships or obastacles.

Thanks for the advice folks. I've looked over it all and tweaked the list...a lot actually. I'm not entirely sure if it's better or worse, but I tried to keep it close range oriented while making changes based on what y'all said.

395 points

CR90 Corvette B (Flagship)

General Dodonna, High-Capacity Turbines, Jaina's Light

Pelta-Class Command Ship

Adar Gallon, Rapid Launch Bays, Entrapment Formation!

Pelta-Class Assault Ship

Ahsoka Tano, Engine Techs, Assault Concussion Missiles

MC30c Torpedo Frigate

Skilled First Officer, Assault Concussion Missiles, Ordnance Experts, Reinforced Blast Doors

Squadrons

Lancer Pursuit Craft (in Pelta), B-Wing x2 (in Pelta), YT-2400, A-Wing x3

Not sure if I went the right way with this or flew really far off base from where I should be. Some of it, like Rapid Launch Bays, is stuff I just really want to try out.

I'm still really unsure about the squadrons as far as what works and what doesn't, but I tried to keep like-types together at least.

Everything but the lancer looks good! To get it out of the bays you need a squad command, but since its rogue it doesnt want or need the command. I mean, you could use the command on another ship and drop it off to activate in the squad phase (bays work like that too), but it's still an odd process.

So I've decided to throw Norra back in then. It seems like her ability will sync up well with the B-Wings.

Also I just finished Aftermath so I'm really digging her right now.

Thanks for the help everyone! Hopefully I can find someone to play with soon, even if it means going through the hell of starting a regular group...

So that list went ok, but I really need to just play more and get better. I think it would go better if I had more experience and skill.

Still, I decided to make up new lists in my down time just to mess around, but also to try different ships and upgrades as well as playstyles.

This is a list I'm planning to run on September 2, and am convinced it will go poorly, but it seems fun at least...

Author: Blinkus Maximus

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 392/400

Commander: Commander Sato

Assault Objective: Targeting Beacons
Defense Objective: Capture the VIP
Navigation Objective: Solar Corona

[ flagship ] MC80 Battle Cruiser (103 points)
- Commander Sato ( 32 points)
- Mon Karren ( 8 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Quad Battery Turrets ( 5 points)
- X17 Turbolasers ( 6 points)
= 161 total ship cost

Hammerhead Scout Corvette (41 points)
- Task Force Organa ( 1 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
= 46 total ship cost

Hammerhead Scout Corvette (41 points)
- Task Force Organa ( 1 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
= 46 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
- Jamming Field ( 2 points)
= 25 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
- Quantum Storm ( 1 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
- Jamming Field ( 2 points)
= 26 total ship cost

1 Luke Skywalker ( 20 points)
1 Jan Ors ( 19 points)
1 Norra Wexley ( 17 points)
1 Gold Squadron ( 12 points)
2 Y-Wing Squadrons ( 20 points)

Again, pretty sure this won't be the best list ever, but it seems fun to sit back with a large ship and 2 little ships throwing black dice.

Still, if anyone has any tips on how to run this list or changes, in always up to learn more and get better!

13 hours ago, Blinkus Maximus said:

So that list went ok, but I really need to just play more and get better. I think it would go better if I had more experience and skill.

Still, I decided to make up new lists in my down time just to mess around, but also to try different ships and upgrades as well as playstyles.

This is a list I'm planning to run on September 2, and am convinced it will go poorly, but it seems fun at least...

Author: Blinkus Maximus

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 392/400

Commander: Commander Sato

Assault Objective: Targeting Beacons
Defense Objective: Capture the VIP
Navigation Objective: Solar Corona

[ flagship ] MC80 Battle Cruiser (103 points)
- Commander Sato ( 32 points)
- Mon Karren ( 8 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Quad Battery Turrets ( 5 points)
- X17 Turbolasers ( 6 points)
= 161 total ship cost

Hammerhead Scout Corvette (41 points)
- Task Force Organa ( 1 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
= 46 total ship cost

Hammerhead Scout Corvette (41 points)
- Task Force Organa ( 1 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
= 46 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
- Jamming Field ( 2 points)
= 25 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
- Quantum Storm ( 1 points)
- Expanded Hangar Bay ( 5 points)
- Jamming Field ( 2 points)
= 26 total ship cost

1 Luke Skywalker ( 20 points)
1 Jan Ors ( 19 points)
1 Norra Wexley ( 17 points)
1 Gold Squadron ( 12 points)
2 Y-Wing Squadrons ( 20 points)

Again, pretty sure this won't be the best list ever, but it seems fun to sit back with a large ship and 2 little ships throwing black dice.

Still, if anyone has any tips on how to run this list or changes, in always up to learn more and get better!

I wouldn't say you need OE on those HHs, you already have Task Force Organa. Replace those with Slaved Turrets, and watch those dice fly!

Also, with Commander Sato, you tend to want to have fast "spotters" and not a bunch of slow bombers. About 6-7 A-wings should do the trick, make one Tycho. If you really want to run bombers, at least put BCC on one of those flotillas.

Good points, I didn't really think of the redundancy between OE and TFO.

Would it be good to keep Jan in there for the Intel, or just blast through anything that tries to tie up the A Wings?

6 hours ago, Blinkus Maximus said:

Good points, I didn't really think of the redundancy between OE and TFO.

Would it be good to keep Jan in there for the Intel, or just blast through anything that tries to tie up the A Wings?

I don't think you'll need Jan for her Intel. The A-Wings are speed 5 and shouldn't have any difficulty rushing from beyond engagement range to within distance 1 of an enemy ship.

@Megatronrex has a point. Though if you are really worried they'll get tied up, split them up. And Tycho should be in there, too.

Ok, so I threw on Tycho and 5 A Wings for squadrons, pulled off OE from the Hammerheads and put Spinal Armament on both instead (I don't have 2 copies of Slaved Turrets).

I also put Bright Hope on the other GR75 leaving me with a 13 point bid. I would put on another A Wing, but I've been told odd numbered squadrons are bad because it messes with deployments, plus then I have 1 too many for the flotillas.