What kind of builds do you think make the most of his ability? It seems like he isn't like Moffy J which allieviates a critical weakness of VSDs. He feels more like Tarkin, more generalist, yet.. also having a tough time really finding why I want him beyond better efficiency.

Also, Share your builds for really underused commanders that actually turned out well? Like Leia, Tarkin, etc.

All builds. All builds use Thrawn. Thrawn is Life. Thrawn is Love.

Just now, Crabbok said:

All builds. All builds use Thrawn. Thrawn is Life. Thrawn is Love.

The thing is, he can actually go anywhere.

On a more serious note -

A) ISD's will make great use of Thrawn, in that they tend to work really well when used for Squadrons, but also they can easily rely on the extra Yaw from a Nav command, or even an Engineer command. This will be great for newer players too, so they may be able to just queue up Nav every turn - equip an Engineering Captain, and have Thrawn get 3x Squadron Commands ready.

B) Arquitens and TRC-90A fleets, for me, tend to like to do ALOT of concentrate Fire commands, and this will allow you to use Thrawn for Nav commands, whenever you need them.

13 minutes ago, Crabbok said:

On a more serious note -

A) ISD's will make great use of Thrawn, in that they tend to work really well when used for Squadrons, but also they can easily rely on the extra Yaw from a Nav command, or even an Engineer command. This will be great for newer players too, so they may be able to just queue up Nav every turn - equip an Engineering Captain, and have Thrawn get 3x Squadron Commands ready.

This is most of my plans. He lets battle-carriers work well and no longer be half in half out of the role.

10 minutes ago, GiledPallaeon said:

This is most of my plans. He lets battle-carriers work well and no longer be half in half out of the role.

That was the first thing I thought when I saw Thrawn and I still feel like it's likely the strongest use for him. ISDs and VSDs don't need to decide between being carriers and battleships for the important squadron-commanding turns (usually 2-4 or 3-5), they can do both. You can run your heavy facebeater Team Triangle core fleet while still going heavy on squadrons if you like without needing to lean on Quasars or Gozantis too much to make it happen.

Your number of activations won't be great, but you're sacrificing quantity for some hardcore quality right there and that's all right.

39 minutes ago, Snipafist said:

That was the first thing I thought when I saw Thrawn and I still feel like it's likely the strongest use for him. ISDs and VSDs don't need to decide between being carriers and battleships for the important squadron-commanding turns (usually 2-4 or 3-5), they can do both. You can run your heavy facebeater Team Triangle core fleet while still going heavy on squadrons if you like without needing to lean on Quasars or Gozantis too much to make it happen.

Your number of activations won't be great, but you're sacrificing quantity for some hardcore quality right there and that's all right.

I like that idea. So VSDs? a carrier ISD will basically only be one ship benefiting in such way.

1 hour ago, Crabbok said:

On a more serious note -

B) Arquitens and TRC-90A fleets, for me, tend to like to do ALOT of concentrate Fire commands, and this will allow you to use Thrawn for Nav commands, whenever you need them.

That's what Jerry is for you big silly!

7 minutes ago, Blail Blerg said:

I like that idea. So VSDs? a carrier ISD will basically only be one ship benefiting in such way.

Personally my first list with Thrawn was a trip VSD with a giant swarm of TIEs

3 minutes ago, Alzer said:

What's what Jerry is for you big silly!

Personally my first list with Thrawn was a trip VSD with a giant swarm of TIEs

Mm. In the build I gave @Mikael Hasselstein I did note that you could replace the Glad with a 3rd vic. I don't have one. But I think I did surmise at one point that a 3rd vsd might actually be BETTER in threat and flight-ease than a Gladiator in a 2nd player list. Yes I'm serious. 3 VSDs (3 of the same ship) being BETTER than a diverse choice + Demolisher!

Also, tonight I'm playing 2 VSDs. =)

Thrawn TriVic w/ Canon fighters

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 400/400

Commander: Grand Admiral Thrawn

Assault Objective: Station Assault
Defense Objective: Hyperspace Assault
Navigation Objective: Minefields

[ flagship ] Victory II-Class Star Destroyer (85 points)
- Grand Admiral Thrawn ( 32 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Disposable Capacitors ( 3 points)
= 127 total ship cost

Victory I-Class Star Destroyer (73 points)
- Flight Controllers ( 6 points)
- Dual Turbolaser Turrets ( 5 points)
- External Racks ( 3 points)
= 87 total ship cost

Victory I-Class Star Destroyer (73 points)
- Flight Controllers ( 6 points)
- Dual Turbolaser Turrets ( 5 points)
- External Racks ( 3 points)
= 87 total ship cost

9 TIE Fighter Squadrons ( 72 points)
3 TIE Bomber Squadrons ( 27 points)

I'm extra pumped since each VSD, per legends, carries 3 squads of Fighters, and one of bombers, and I was able to get the squads right on the money.

Lol. Very thematic, but err.... doesn't sound like a strong list.

Not the strongest, but it looks very fun to play =D

I'll add that if you're going with Thrawn as a squadron-button masher, I'd strongly recommend Boosted Comms on your angry triangles to make sure they can consistently get the full commands in without having to hassle themselves too much with positioning.

Nose Punch 4.0a is coming together with Thrawn at the helm.

But I am also updating my ISD/3Arq thematic “Battle of Batonn” list to be even more thematic now!

Thrawn is a magnificent generalist. If nothing else, his three commands are repair commands that you trigger after the first round of combat for ship survival. That allows all your ships to get closer to combat with free redirects/hull repairs.

There are two ways to approach thrawn, IMO.

The first is to have one command lined up over the course of three turns that you know you want while your ships are free to do other things. I figure this will be something like Navigate while all your carriers have selected Squadron . If I slip Thrawn into my ARQ battery list he'll be banking concentrate fires while the rest of my fleet is running navigate commands. Or you can go about your normal business of navigating into range, opening fire with concentrate fire , and then using Thrawn for engineering for maximum survival combined with maximum firepower.

The second is to use him in a contingency fashion. If you're hit with Slicer Tools or Cham, you have a command banked so you can still activate the command of your choice. Think you might want a round in the future when you want to repair? Thrawn is right there. Emergency navigation? Thrawn has you covered. It's less direct to use, but still an optional way to use this commander.

A possible third way is if you're a masterful tactician and already know how the battle is going to proceed, because you've practiced for months on end and know how your list works inside and out. Then you have commands chosen to take advantage of every step of the way to make it really hurt.

Bottom line, resolving two commands at once is a great ability. Use it to the greatest advantage you can, and you'll go far.

If you plan on nav spamming with thrawn take Jerry instead.

If you plan on eng spamming with thrawn take motti instead

If you plan on cf spamming then take Jerry instead.

If you plan on squad spamming then take jerry instead.

You have to be doing more than one thing, thrawn brings flexibility and you have to find a way to use it.

That's pretty much what I think.

Raw value? eh.

He seems... too general and generic for what I expected.

Strong yes. But generic. And a multiplier as you go beyond 400 pts. But also, probably ok at 200pts. Just for raw versatility.

THRAWN is gonna be my go to Admral, followed by Sloane, and then Motti. I'm already having visions of ISDs doing Nav and Squadron at the same time, with Intensify Firepower thrown in.... ?????????

This was my first attempt with Thrawn. It was great.

I am planning on playing around with Thrawn with a bit of a Glad and Raider build as i feel (and not just as I love both those models both in game and looks) that he could really give them that punch with high mobility and that extra chance for fore power could make them a fast and deadly fleet of torping goodness ............. or it will die trying...........

i am heavily hyped for thrawn as It might give me some ells to use in my generalist to break me from playing Screed Torps for the Torp god lists and Sloane Tie spam lists

I didn't think about builds yet but I am interested on glads.

In my experience they are the ship where I use almost every command. Sometimes I want navigate to engage or disengage. I love CF when shooting and after close range combat some engineering is usually needed. Also my squadrons are usually flight around covering or supporting and found that sometimes a squadron command could be useful. I cover that with flotillas but Thrawn could open an interesting approach to that. He allows my Demo to ET with a navigation token, CF to shoot and command a pair of squadron. Corner? Could be but I found myself in to many situations where I HAVE to activate Demo but I would like to shoot with those damaged squadrons. Thrawn allows me both.

Also arquitens are another ship I would like to CF AND navigate with every round.

Raiders that CF and speed up? Oh yeah!

I suppose I think around the same idea but that's what I think. There are ships that sometimes and under some circumstances want two commands. But there are also ships that will love the possibility of doing that as its basic way of fight. Close range fighters are a good example. They usually want to shoot harder and escape during the same activation.

Just my 2 cents here but it looks like thrawn is good it the clutch. Meaning that if your a master planner on your high command ship he'll help make combat more decisive. On the same note but still the same idea, if you royally mess up your commands he can really save your bacon. Any command 2 but mainly 3 is gonna love him. I could see a 3 ISD list with him actually work well. Not alot of upgrades, but hey 3 ISD is still 3 ISD

On 11/28/2017 at 7:02 PM, Ginkapo said:

If you plan on nav spamming with thrawn take Jerry instead.

If you plan on eng spamming with thrawn take motti instead

If you plan on cf spamming then take Jerry instead.

If you plan on squad spamming then take jerry instead.

You have to be doing more than one thing, thrawn brings flexibility and you have to find a way to use it.

This is why thrawn leia and tarkin should all be 30 points max.

More generally, what i think he will NOT be good for is current meta fleets of one big ship and 5 gozantis. I think you will need multi 'proper' ships to get much value from him.

Based on what we know of Wave VII so far I see ISD's becoming the ship they should be. Thrawn adds greatly to that, but the new variants, coupled with some of the great cards from the initial 6 waves will see a large amount of lists with 2 ISD variants in them.

Thrawn brings so much to the ISD heavy build, three turns with dual commands on an ISD, coupled with his flagship Chimaera's ability, will see Imperial hitting power raised to new heights.

Thrawn is I think, going to be easy to use, but harder to master, learning what three commands to place and when to use them will take time to hone and will need to be practiced with a specific fleet to make the most of him. He is an Admiral that is going to need a solid plan and execution of that plan, to use well and that is very in keeping with Thrawn from the canon.

I intend to run this, close in brawling fleet, with Thrawn at the helm.

Thrawn
Author: Englishpete

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 395/400

Commander: Grand Admiral Thrawn

Assault Objective: Station Assault
Defense Objective: Planetary Ion Cannon
Navigation Objective: Solar Corona

[ flagship ] Imperial Star Destroyer Kuat Refit (119 points)
- Grand Admiral Thrawn ( 32 points)
- Chimaera ( 4 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- Leading Shots ( 4 points)
- Assault Proton Torpedoes ( 5 points)

- Intensify Firepower ( 6 points )
= 170 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Comms Net ( 2 points)
= 25 total ship cost

Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer (110 points)
- Avenger ( 5 points)
- Minister Tua ( 2 points)
- Boarding Troopers ( 3 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- X17 Turbolasers ( 6 points)
- Leading Shots ( 4 points)
= 137 total ship cost

1 Lambda-class Shuttle ( 15 points)
3 TIE Defender Squadrons ( 48 points)

On 11/27/2017 at 8:00 PM, Crabbok said:

All builds. All builds use Thrawn. Thrawn is Life. Thrawn is Love.

I agree, and this, IMO, is actually Thrawn’s weakness. Many other commanders like Sloane specialize in a certain type of build.