Either i was missing it, or no one posted anything so far.

Last weekend was (at the same time as the German nationals...) the France national for Armada.

I only got my info from the FFG France Facebook
Maybe someone else can post a bit more.
I have no info about the number of players (there were 21 reservations). The results are not on T3 so far. And i have no further info about the other lists that were played.
But on the picture are 16 persons. So my guess would be around 16 players (more if some left early).

The Final was:

Patrack win with ( List Link ):
MC 80 Command Cruiser, 2x CR90B, 2x CR90A, 2x Transport. With Ackbar as admiral.

VS

Nobby ( Link List ):
2x MC-30, 2x Pelta, 2x Transport. With Mon Mothma as admiral.

It is really interesting, how different the Meta is. We had an extreme Squadron heavy meta in Germany. And this looks like a meta without squadrons (or with only few).

To be honest. Don't think that these lists would stand any chance against a real squadron list. But this is my personal opinion and experience. But if the meta does not has many squadrons, and there have not been many lists with heavy squadrons, this lists will work (as they obviously did). And France was not the only who had a squadron-less list that won after all.
But with 10 squadrons and Sloane, this means at least one dead small ship every turn (Admo and Foresight could be one turn, but not with Mon Mothma) if there are no squadrons to stop them. And this is without the help from the ISD.
Maybe someone can enlighten me if (and where) i am wrong .

As with any list in Armada, it really depends on the player. They may have faced folks with squadrons but they were able to out maneuver them or the other player didn't capitalize. As much as sheer firepower is important, if you dont use your tools properly you will lose.

2 hours ago, Tokra said:

To be honest. Don't think that these lists would stand any chance against a real squadron list. But this is my personal opinion and experience. But if the meta does not has many squadrons, and there have not been many lists with heavy squadrons, this lists will work (as they obviously did). And France was not the only who had a squadron-less list that won after all.
But with 10 squadrons and Sloane, this means at least one dead small ship every turn (Admo and Foresight could be one turn, but not with Mon Mothma) if there are no squadrons to stop them. And this is without the help from the ISD.
Maybe someone can enlighten me if (and where) i am wrong .

If there's one list that can go squadronless in a squadron-heavy meta, it's Mon Mothma MC30s. I ran my own squadronless 4x MC30/3x GR75 list specifically to counter the Rieekan aces that were dominating my local meta at the time, and it works fantastically well for it: I almost always 9-2 or 10-1 Rieekan aces with it. I could see that runner-up list working similarly well in that scenario.

I'm less confident about the winner's list, but not seeing it in action, couldn't really speak to it.

25 minutes ago, Ardaedhel said:

If there's one list that can go squadronless in a squadron-heavy meta, it's Mon Mothma MC30s. I ran my own squadronless 4x MC30/3x GR75 list specifically to counter the Rieekan aces that were dominating my local meta at the time, and it works fantastically well for it: I almost always 9-2 or 10-1 Rieekan aces with it. I could see that runner-up list working similarly well in that scenario.

I'm less confident about the winner's list, but not seeing it in action, couldn't really speak to it.

Yeah, these were my thoughts as well. I can see second list doing it due to Mon Mothma, mass Projection Experts and Shields to Maximum regeneration ( 5 shields every round without invoking Eng command or token on a ship in question), so Mc30s can survive long enough even against mass squadrons. The first list seems to be rolling a die for a beneficial match ups though (at least in my view)

30 minutes ago, Ardaedhel said:

If there's one list that can go squadronless in a squadron-heavy meta, it's Mon Mothma MC30s. I ran my own squadronless 4x MC30/3x GR75 list specifically to counter the Rieekan aces that were dominating my local meta at the time, and it works fantastically well for it: I almost always 9-2 or 10-1 Rieekan aces with it. I could see that runner-up list working similarly well in that scenario.

I'm less confident about the winner's list, but not seeing it in action, couldn't really speak to it.

Maybe against Rieekan. But against a Sloane Avenger List? They go down way to fast. Maybe not in one turn, but for sure in 1 1/2. Unless the ISD is in range. In this case they might go down in one turn.

We are talking about 8 blue dice and two double blue from Stele.

8 minutes ago, Tokra said:

Maybe against Rieekan. But against a Sloane Avenger List? They go down way to fast. Maybe not in one turn, but for sure in 1 1/2. Unless the ISD is in range. In this case they might go down in one turn.

We are talking about 8 blue dice and two double blue from Stele.

I think, that's not enough, as MC30 needs at least 2 shields + 1 (redirect) + 1 (redirect) + 4 = 8 damage. It will potentially receive 4 shields during the attack if the activations are stacked correctly, and will force attacker to reroll 2 dice. 8 blue + 4 blue bomber dice may be barely enough to kill it in 2 rounds but 3 is more realistic once Admo/Foresight effects are added in. Which means that it has a chance to speed away and survive.

Again. He must have done everything right, because he was in the finals .

From what i could see in the FFG Facebook, they planed 4 rounds and a cut on top2. Not sure if they did it. Or if they only played 3 rounds.

1 minute ago, Tokra said:

Again. He must have done everything right, because he was in the finals .

From what i could see in the FFG Facebook, they planed 4 rounds and a cut on top2. Not sure if they did it. Or if they only played 3 rounds.

Agreed. My point was that a mass PE strategy was a differentiator, as otherwise I would be expecting MC30 list to melt vs Sloane.

Hi Tokra it's been a long time since the Euro

The tournament was organized in 4 rounds with a final, we managed to gather 26 players (new record!) With a good rebel / empire balance.

There is not really any "Meta" in France we play before all lists that we are pleased. The massive use of squadrons and flotilla is relatively uncommon allowing a great diversity in the lists going from 0 to 134 squadron points and from 2 to 7 activations.

Also, surprising that this may seem my list is precisely designed to counter Sloane and it worked rather well. I'm running out of time, but maybe I'll do a quick report later.

Ps: Sorry for reading my English level is low...

@Dr alex rubbed off on Patrack at Euros then.

I quite liked his Valen Bomber RS glads list he had then.

10 hours ago, Ginkapo said:

@Dr alex rubbed off on Patrack at Euros then.

I quite liked his Valen Bomber RS glads list he had then.

Oh yeah, that looks like Patrack took my Euros list from when we played, adapted it and ran with it, well done Patrack.

There does seem to be a selection of variations on the Ackbar mega-doom-pickle plus corvette friends and no/minimal fighters which keep popping up and doing well, so it's not just a French thing, it's a pretty horrible list when you get it to work.

This pleases me, I shall call it the Dr Ackbar list

37 minutes ago, Dr alex said:

Oh yeah, that looks like Patrack took my Euros list from when we played, adapted it and ran with it, well done Patrack.

There does seem to be a selection of variations on the Ackbar mega-doom-pickle plus corvette friends and no/minimal fighters which keep popping up and doing well, so it's not just a French thing, it's a pretty horrible list when you get it to work.

This pleases me, I shall call it the Dr Ackbar list

It looks very strong vs other ship-heavy lists. 7 activations, multiple threats, token mitigation.

The thing I found with my version was that against squad heavy builds you aim to table their ships leaving the fighters dead in space. You have a massive points advantage as all the anti-fighter squadron points are useless against you and you are quick enough to take down lurking carriers, particularly flotillas using relay

18 hours ago, Dr alex said:

The thing I found with my version was that against squad heavy builds you aim to table their ships leaving the fighters dead in space. You have a massive points advantage as all the anti-fighter squadron points are useless against you and you are quick enough to take down lurking carriers, particularly flotillas using relay

I adjusted @Dr alex list for the Galway store championship. You may lose a small ship a turn but you can kill and Isd in 2 turns at worst and do most other things in a shorter period.

@Dr alex You're totally right

I completely fall in love of your list and tried to adapt it to my play style. Since January I test different builds around Ackbar but I never succeed until you just enlighten the good path by shattering my Madine at Euros

These small flotillas are a nice addition even if I lose 1 CR90-B compare to your original concept, I upgraded 2 CR90-B to TRC90 and they're doing a very good job against big ships.

I don't know how this list can manage heavy squadrons lists except by using the radical full face approach and killing the big carrier with slicer help. But even with that, Jendon relay is a major pain in the *** I think. Because flotillas will never be reachable. In that sense I follow Tokra opinion, I will certainly loose against relay.....

Regarding French final, I already played against nooby in round 3 and I won by brawling in the center but I feel not confident by this direct approach because he has a bunch of black dice and I think I was lucky. I preferred to slide in a flank thank to my last 2 deployment. Slicer tools were critical by removing navigate to Foresight and allowing my MC80 to move around his fleet instead of being blocked.

Some pictures of the final in this article (in french sorry)

https://chantiersdekuat.wordpress.com/2017/08/28/championnats-de-france-2017/

Patrack

Ps: Our promo rhymer also included the proper errata.

@Patrack , against what lists did you play?

And how does it go against these?

Here is a brief Report

Round 1 - Empire Sloane - Benito75

2nd Player on Intel sweep

Quasar + ISD + 2 Raider + 4 Tie-F + 2 Tie-I +Howlrunner

He spread to much his fleet on deployment. I've threatened directly is raider objective ship and set a trap with all my fleet by waiting his ISD. It quicky died followed by a raider.

Just one flotilla crushed on my side and I take intel sweep. Activation superiority made all the job.

9-2

Round 2 - Empire Motti - Corsarmike

2nd player on Contested Outpost

ISD + 2 Arquitens (with load of stuff) + Gozanti + a small squadron support

Deployment is more balanced. He tried to flank me but let me the station in the with my MC80 in long range double board.

On my left flank I manage to block his arquitens and kill one of them with 2 corvette + MC80 long range support.

On the right side my 2 TRC90 + MC80 kill his ISD around turn 5-6

120 pts on contested outpost ^^ Activation superiority also made the job

10-1

Round 3 - Rebel Mom Mothma - Nooby

2nd Player intel sweep

See above for his list

His 2 MC30 tried to flank me but are not enough close each other letting me to place my MC80 inbetween and outside of black range. I'm bumping against his Pelta in the center but my MC80's succeed to perform double fire at medium range during 2 turn before being destroyed. I kill in the process admonition and badly hurt is two Pelta and the 2nd MC30. I finished 1 pelta and Foresight by ramming them with CR90.

Intel sweep was mine.

8-3

Round 4 - Empire Motti - Hely

1st player on Targeting Beacon

I'm a bit disappointed because Hely is one of my playing partner and we have done is fleet together just the night before the tournament. And I know that he can beat me easily.

ISD1 avenger + boarding trooper

Demolisher + ET + APT + OE

3 Gozanti (BCC, Comm Net)

Rhymer, Jendon, Marek, Tempest Squadron, Bomber, Jumpmaster

I can't afford to brawl against Demo + Avenger that are close each other. I tried to kill some flotillas but the bomber ball + targeting beacon managed to kill 2 CR90 plus my slicer flotilla. I succeed to kill a squadron and two flotillas.

On the other side I knew that if Hely wanted to enter on the final he has to win big and to commit all his fleet. I simply avoid a big defeat by fleeing. I don't know what would have been the result in case of big melee in the center but I think I would have lose.

5-6

Final vs Nobby

See my post above