Hy,

I want to bring in a friend to Armada for the first time and built two 300 points fleets. My idea was to not maximize strength but to introduce some basic concepts and strategies of both sides. 300 Points to speed things up, hopefully we can play two matches, so he can play both sides once. Points are equal so initiative will be rolled.

My question is if you find one fleet obviously stronger than the other or have other balancing ideas.

Thanks for your advice!

Empire 300 learning fleet
Author: Plattenhelge

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 300/400

Commander: Admiral Motti

Assault Objective: Opening Salvo
Defense Objective: Fleet Ambush
Navigation Objective: Superior Positions

[ flagship ] Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer (120 points)
- Admiral Motti ( 24 points)
- Relentless ( 3 points)
- Skilled First Officer ( 1 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
= 155 total ship cost

Gladiator I-Class Star Destroyer (56 points)
- Demolisher ( 10 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- External Racks ( 3 points)
= 73 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)

- Hondo Ohnaka ( 2 points)
- Comms Net ( 2 points)
= 25 total ship cost

1 Valor Rudor ( 13 points)
4 TIE Fighter Squadrons ( 32 points)

Rebel 300 learning fleet

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 300/400

Commander: General Dodonna

Assault Objective: Most Wanted
Defense Objective: Fighter Ambush
Navigation Objective: Superior Positions

[ flagship ] Assault Frigate Mark II B (72 points)
- General Dodonna ( 20 points)
- Adar Tallon ( 10 points)
- Boosted Comms ( 4 points)
- X17 Turbolasers ( 6 points)
= 112 total ship cost

Nebulon-B Escort Frigate (57 points)
- Yavaris ( 5 points)
- Flight Commander ( 3 points)
- Dual Turbolaser Turrets ( 5 points)
= 70 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
- Comms Net ( 2 points)
= 20 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
- Comms Net ( 2 points)
= 20 total ship cost

1 Luke Skywalker ( 20 points)
3 X-Wing Squadrons ( 39 points)
1 Jan Ors ( 19 points)

Fleet 1 fits the description of "not optimized, just good for teaching the game." The rebel fleet on the other hand is a tournament optimized bomber list that got it's bomber command and the rest of it's aces chopped by going down to 100 pts. It needs a complete redesign, or the Imperial Fleet needs to have all the inefficiency chopped out of it and made to be a fierce competitive fleet.

Also, never except EVER put Luke in a learn to play. Unless you are letting you opponent use him against you exclusively. If it's his first game and you hit him with a Luke Hit/Crit and Dodonna it to something nasty he will never play Armada again.

If the idea is you play Imperials and he plays Rebels and kicks the **** out of you, you have solid lists. If it's not, then back to the drawing board.

I would suggest limiting upgrades to 1 per ship. You don't want the experience of learning to play muddied by having to remember different upgrades, or to feel like you're just being smacked with combos that are frustrating to play against. Try to find a title or upgrade that works really well as the sole upgrade on a ship: TRC on a CR-90, XI-7 on a ISD-II, Ordnance Experts on a Glad or Shrimp, Gunnery Teams on a AF-II, Mon Karren on a Liberty, Salvation on a Neb, you get the idea. Just give them one rule-changing element to remember per ship.

Keep squadrons simple. I'd drop Valen for Howl. She's a simple force multiplier and will teach your friend to consider the order he attacks with using squadrons.

Also, leave out Intel for the early games. When you do include it, I make sure that both sides have it. Currently only the Rebels have Intel.

Edit: this was a list that I used recently for a learner's first 300 point game (they had played the L2P several times with a friend). They brought a simple Imperial list and I brought this:

(298/300)
===============
Assault Frigate Mk.II B (72 + 25)
+ General Dodonna (20)
+ Expanded Hangar Bay (5)
CR90 Corvette A (44 + 7)
+ Turbolaser Reroute Circuits (7)
CR90 Corvette A (44 + 7)
+ Turbolaser Reroute Circuits (7)
GR-75 Medium Transports (18 + 2)
+ Comms Net (2)
Tycho Celchu (16)
4 x X-wing Squadron (13)
A-wing Squadron (11)
Most Wanted
Intel Sweep
Capture the VIP

The aim was to demonstrate different roles of the ships (carrier, fast flanker and support flotilla) and bring two iconic squadrons to the table (interceptor and all-rounder) with one rule breaking ace.

Thanks for the advice.