So. I have a Store Championship coming up and though I've finally started collecting (and playing!) Imperials recently I still haven't come up with a list I feel comfortable enough with to warrant taking. I have therefore returned to my first love, Rebels and started toying with a few 'high activation' lists. At the last Q2 Kit tournament I attended I was surprised by the number of six activation lists I saw, both Rebel and Imperial. As the recent FAQ did little to address this apart from not allowing you to lifeboat your Admiral around the table I'm (probably wrongly!) assuming the upcoming SC might see more of the same. Hence my attempts to put together a seven activation list. This is closest I've come to something I feel may be, if not competitive, at least a challenge for my opponents to face.

Snap! Cracken! Pop!
Author: HoundsTooth

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 382/400

Commander: General Cracken

Assault Objective: Most Wanted
Defense Objective: Hyperspace Assault
Navigation Objective: Navigational Hazards

[ flagship ] CR90 Corvette A (44 points)
- General Cracken ( 26 points)
- Turbolaser Reroute Circuits ( 7 points)
= 77 total ship cost

MC30c Torpedo Frigate (63 points)
- Admonition ( 8 points)
- Skilled First Officer ( 1 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- Assault Proton Torpedoes ( 5 points)
= 81 total ship cost

CR90 Corvette A (44 points)
- Turbolaser Reroute Circuits ( 7 points)
= 51 total ship cost

CR90 Corvette B (39 points)
- Engine Techs ( 8 points)
- Reinforced Blast Doors ( 5 points)
= 52 total ship cost

CR90 Corvette B (39 points)
- Engine Techs ( 8 points)
- Reinforced Blast Doors ( 5 points)
= 52 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
= 18 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
= 18 total ship cost

1 Tycho Celchu ( 16 points)
1 Shara Bey ( 17 points)

Fleet created with Armada Warlords

I'm a little 'unhappy' that I can't seem to get the bid down lower than eighteen points without dropping squadrons completely. I have considered dropping Shara for the extra points but I'm not sure if Tycho alone pulls his weight these days. I'm also hoping that Sloane and her nasty TIE swarms don't 'descend' on us before the event!

Unless your SC is on or after 6 July, you won't see Grand Admiral Sloane. As for suggestions? I'd honestly look at equipping SW-7s on those CR90Bs, even at the expense of engine techs. You'll get a lot more mileage damage wise out of them that way.

Cheers @Destraa for the reassurance regarding Sloane! As for the CR90B's, have you used them before as 'rammers' with Sw-7's? I've always assumed that two face down damage cards would be more reliable than the potential one or two extra damage going on shields or being negated by defence tokens. I might have to give them a run out in my next game.

1 minute ago, HoundsTooth said:

Cheers @Destraa for the reassurance regarding Sloane! As for the CR90B's, have you used them before as 'rammers' with Sw-7's? I've always assumed that two face down damage cards would be more reliable than the potential one or two extra damage going on shields or being negated by defence tokens. I might have to give them a run out in my next game.

The point isn't "Ram" or "SW7".

Its a "Why not Both?" situation... Since, y'know, best of both worlds in that case, for a price that's not *that* much more expensive.

2 minutes ago, Drasnighta said:

The point isn't "Ram" or "SW7".

Its a "Why not Both?" situation... Since, y'know, best of both worlds in that case, for a price that's not *that* much more expensive.

They're actually three points cheaper each if I drop the Engine Techs. I think the extra ten points if I stick SW-7's on both will affect the list in terms of losing too much of the initiative bid though

Its a Call to make, for sure

I mean, I have to re-learn Initiative bids now... The last 3 Tournaments I've played in, I've taken 400 on the dot and been second player once.

Its a sad day when you need to Bid for Second Player.

3 hours ago, HoundsTooth said:

They're actually three points cheaper each if I drop the Engine Techs. I think the extra ten points if I stick SW-7's on both will affect the list in terms of losing too much of the initiative bid though

Not really. Drop engine techs for SW-7s and with the extra points stick comms nets on the transports. I've found that to be an invaluable upgrade if you aren't using them for squadrons. My ISD gunline has two explicitly for throwing engineering, CF, or nav tokens to the ISDs or Raider.

7 hours ago, Destraa said:

Not really. Drop engine techs for SW-7s and with the extra points stick comms nets on the transports. I've found that to be an invaluable upgrade if you aren't using them for squadrons. My ISD gunline has two explicitly for throwing engineering, CF, or nav tokens to the ISDs or Raider.

Comms Net is great I find for higher Command value ships but I've not found much utility in using them on smaller single Command ships. I tend to use my Flotilla's in an anti-squadron role, pushing them towards any fighter screen my opponent may have deployed. It's surprising how many people with use their squadrons for a turn or two killing thirty-six points worth of transports while the rest of the fleet is freely getting into position for the following turn!

6 hours ago, HoundsTooth said:

Comms Net is great I find for higher Command value ships but I've not found much utility in using them on smaller single Command ships. I tend to use my Flotilla's in an anti-squadron role, pushing them towards any fighter screen my opponent may have deployed. It's surprising how many people with use their squadrons for a turn or two killing thirty-six points worth of transports while the rest of the fleet is freely getting into position for the following turn!

Rthey do benefit the larger ships more, as they can store tokens, however they still work well in that they can give a crucial token to any ship at an opportune time.

What are you lot on about? The real question is why TRC90's in this list? For shield damage? Well thats going to be useful...

6 hours ago, Ginkapo said:

What are you lot on about? The real question is why TRC90's in this list? For shield damage? Well thats going to be useful...

TRC90s are stupidly effective harassers, even post FAQ. Done right, they can expend several defense tokens prior to Admonition letting loose.

7 minutes ago, Destraa said:

TRC90s are stupidly effective harassers, even post FAQ. Done right, they can expend several defense tokens prior to Admonition letting loose.

I didnt ask why people use TRC90s. I asked why they are in THIS list.

9 minutes ago, Ginkapo said:

I didnt ask why people use TRC90s. I asked why they are in THIS list.

The exact reason I stated. Defense token overload. ?

1 minute ago, Destraa said:

The exact reason I stated. Defense token overload. ?

How does this list deal damage?

Just now, Ginkapo said:

How does this list deal damage?

Judging by his composition, the 90Bs and Admonition are to use activation advantages to position where they can get in hits. Or the CR90s go in at flank speed as exceptionally high cost missiles to wound an enemy for the TRC90s and admonition to pick off.

7 hours ago, Ginkapo said:

The real question is why TRC90's in this list?

'Cos I've only got two copies of Engine Techs and two copies of Reinforced Blast Doors!

Professor Ginkapo's socratic wit. Gotta love it. ?

Im not sure you need that big of a bid in this list, so I don't think you need to drop anything for more. You could easily run about 395 comfortably. First is nice when you get it, but you'll have activation count when you're second.

i agree with SW-7 as a small damage increase. Both/and rather than either/or. You may get some ships just with hull ramming, but against the rest, the rams help, but you're still pinching through shields to hull eventually, so those small margins of damage help.

33 minutes ago, Vergilius said:

Professor Ginkapo's socratic wit. Gotta love it. ?

You gotta love it!

33 minutes ago, Vergilius said:

I agree with SW-7 as a small damage increase. Both/and rather than either/or. You may get some ships just with hull ramming, but against the rest, the rams help, but you're still pinching through shields to hull eventually, so those small margins of damage help.

Consider Ion Batteries under serious consideration

I'm all about reducing the possibility of a 'dud' roll!

1 hour ago, HoundsTooth said:

You gotta love it!

Consider Ion Batteries under serious consideration

I'm all about reducing the possibility of a 'dud' roll!

Again, SW-7s help with that, as blue dice are literally all damage sides at that point.

32 minutes ago, Destraa said:

Again, SW-7s help with that, as blue dice are literally all damage sides at that point.

I've been doing some 'dice rolling' this afternoon and they do seem to make more of a difference than I thought they would. I'm going to run the fleet on Tuesday with SW-7's on both CR90b's... I'll let you know how I get on!