So I have a CC starting up this Thursday and I'm seriously, seriously waffling on my list. I want somebody to talk me off the edge of the cliff if this is really bad, though, because I've never really flown anything much like this before. I mean, I've used most of the elements before, but never together in this way.

To frame this thing:

I am in a 3v3 campaign with 4 newer players and one other very experienced player. The other experienced player and I are on opposing sides, and have a gentlemen's agreement to take (generally) subpar admirals in less-optimized lists. I'm also deferring to my teammates on any upgrades they want--which is why you'll note the painful absence of Toryn Farr in this list, for example.

I'm bringing the team's fighter-interceptor list, and have been going back and forth between Leia and Sato. This is what I'm looking at for a final build right now:

CC Sato Fighters (499/500)
=================

Modified Pelta-class Command Ship (60 + 52)
+ Commander Sato (32)
+ Hondo Ohnaka (2)
+ Shields to Maximum! (6)
+ Boosted Comms (4)
+ Engine Techs (8)

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 + 14)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Assault Concussion Missiles (7)
+ Task Force Antilles (3)

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 + 14)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Assault Concussion Missiles (7)
+ Task Force Antilles (3)

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 + 14)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Assault Concussion Missiles (7)
+ Task Force Antilles (3)

Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 + 14)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Assault Concussion Missiles (7)
+ Task Force Antilles (3)

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 + 6)
+ Ahsoka Tano (2)
+ Comms Net (2)
+ Bright Hope (2)

Hera Syndulla (28)
7 x E-wing Squadron (15)
2 x VCX-100 Freighter (15)

Opening Salvo
Fighter Ambush
Sensor Net

The idea is that, in a good matchup, I can kill squadrons quick before positioning the squadrons for Sato spotters. In a bad matchup, I can largely avoid engagement, kill a few squadrons with the E-wings, possibly even during a squadron phase with Hera, and then disengage with minimal losses.

Objectives: I picked objectives assuming that I'll have a Skilled Spacer if I need it to swap out an objective for any potential bad matchup: if I face an MSU that's going to punish me for OS, I can drop it for MW to offer them MW/FA/SN. If I face a squadron-heavy or particularly need deployment advantage, OR something I know doesn't have Strategic, I can drop Fighter Ambush for Firing Lanes to offer OS/FL/SN. If I run up against something with Strategic , I can swap SN for SC to offer OS/FA/SC if I choose to do so.

Pelta: I think it's important in the AOO to bring as many Fleet Commands as the team can reasonably manage (same story with large ships, but my teammates are taking those).

Sato: I think Sato scales well with larger point pools, and particularly in the AOO where it's so hard for your opponent to avoid your squadrons.

E-wings: I think E-wings need a critical-mass number of them before they really become effective, and that in normal lists once you've hit that critical mass, you've also overinvested in squadron defense. In CC, MoV is less important, but survival is more important. Being able to deal damage from outside the opponent's engagement range could pay off very well in mitigating my own losses. That said, I've never used an E-wing before, so this may be a tragedy waiting to happen.

Hera: Hera is amazing. Haters back off. The ability to threaten over distance 6ish with 2 Rogue E-wings--while also avoiding engagement in return--is a great threat to have hanging over your opponent's head.

ACM vs APT vs ExRax: ACM is better when you're not going for one-shots on small ships. The Hammerheads aren't likely to be doing that, particularly from range, and are likely to be more effective against enemy large ships. ExRax are cool but since I really shouldn't need them for anti-squadron, and should be getting more than one round of black shots off, I think the investment in ACM could pay off.

But what are you going to do against MSUs like Kitten or Raider swarms? Pair them against somebody else. >.> My usual approach is useless here, as I've promised not to use MC30's...

On getting all three commands on the Pelta (STM, ET, and carrier): There should be no more than 2, maybe three rounds that I really need to push all 3 commands out. I'm pretty sure, if I've figured it right, that Hondo, Ahsoka, and Comms Net can combine to give me all the tokens I need at the time I need them for three rounds. It will definitely be a challenge, but I feel like I really need it to be able to do all three. Phoenix Home would help with this, but alas--a teammate wants it.

Fitting in a BCC could be really nice with red dice bombers. And Fire Lanes feels stronger for raw points, while letting you keep that disgusting deployment advantage.

Having met Sato E-wings before, I’m glad I’m in the four-player campaign right now...

I know you feel confident in it, but I still don't see you shuffling enough tokens to ET more than once, maybe 2 times per game. Wouldnt it be better just to go with FCT and increase your threat range? Or is ET just the emergency control to keep the Pelta from getting pinned.

1 hour ago, BrobaFett said:

Or is ET just the emergency control to keep the Pelta from getting pinned.

That's pretty much it. I don't think I articulated that well above, but ET is primarily there to ensure I can play keepaway-to-hyperspace if I have to be the team fall guy.

What I might do is swap that out as needed, though. We're using a disband house rule (can dump stuff out of the fleet for no rebate, just to free up points-cap space) which I may use to swap that upgrade slot as needed. Against a Sloane list it would be very nice to have that FCT for increased threat range, then shuffle VCXs.

i'm interested to see how your squadron plans work out, but what's your plan for either commanding all of them and/or ensuring your VCXs dont die? Anyway you could jam an X-wing or 2 in there?

17 minutes ago, geek19 said:

i'm interested to see how your squadron plans work out, but what's your plan for either commanding all of them and/or ensuring your VCXs dont die? Anyway you could jam an X-wing or 2 in there?

Between the pelta, transport, and Hera he can command all 9 squads (assuming tokens). And between 8 hull each and a rediculous amount of snipe he should be able to keep the VCX’s safe

18 minutes ago, MandalorianMoose said:

Between the pelta, transport, and Hera he can command all 9 squads (assuming tokens). And between 8 hull each and a rediculous amount of snipe he should be able to keep the VCX’s safe

That's fair, but what happens if his opponent plays Quasar Howl Flight Controllers and womps one of the VCXs or something? I can see a fair amount of the command ability, I'm just curious about if that's a concern or not.

3 minutes ago, geek19 said:

That's fair, but what happens if his opponent plays Quasar Howl Flight Controllers and womps one of the VCXs or something? I can see a fair amount of the command ability, I'm just curious about if that's a concern or not.

Hopefully that squad ball of hate has been decently sniped at before it gets the drop on his squads- that would be my guess

42 minutes ago, geek19 said:

That's fair, but what happens if his opponent plays Quasar Howl Flight Controllers and womps one of the VCXs or something? I can see a fair amount of the command ability, I'm just curious about if that's a concern or not.

Definitely a concern. My thinking is that, in a pitched squadron on squadron fight, I'm likely to lose (best case) a few fighters in the first round of engagement, so I can dump tokens to push them, then use natural squadron activations for follow-up turns. If that doesn't happen and I find myself really needing those last couple of squadron activations, I have a fleet full of command-1 ships that are likely to be in activation range of at least a few of those squadrons to supplement. Granted that it's not an ideal solution--I would love to have a big turbo snipe alpha strike with an FC/ExHB AF2, but it doesn't really fit in my vision for the fleet.

I've also considered swapping out STM for AFFM, but that will depend on what's on the other side of the map. If a Sloane super alpha shows up, then I'll probably do either that or an ET->FCT swap.

I don't know, do you guys think I should just go for FCT from the get go? I don't feel great about my flagship being a speed 2, defenseless sitting duck... I'd rather have a speed 3 defenseless running-away duck.

I actually feel pretty good about the ability of the ships themselves to weather a Sloane alpha storm, with TFA redirecting damage around. I feel like I can play the E-wings defensively in that scenario and still come out on top. But again, minimal HH experience here, so... Maybe I'm wrong.

DEfinitley engine techs on the flagship- a small base capped at speed 2 is a delicious treat for an opponent (only exception being a projector pelta hiding behind a death pickle)

And now show the 400pt variant as this is pointless to discuss

14 minutes ago, Ginkapo said:

this is pointless to discuss

Got wrecked in our last CC, did we?

CC Fleet Round 1 (394/500)
=========================
Modified Pelta-class Command Ship (60 + 38)
+ Commander Sato (32)
+ Shields to Maximum! (6)
Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 + 3)
+ Task Force Antilles (3)
Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 + 3)
+ Task Force Antilles (3)
Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 + 3)
+ Task Force Antilles (3)
Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 + 3)
+ Task Force Antilles (3)
GR-75 Medium Transports (18 + 2)
+ Comms Net (2)
2 x VCX-100 Freighter (15)
6 x E-wing Squadron (15)

Fighter Ambush
Sensor Net
Opening Salvo

4 hours ago, Ardaedhel said:

Got wrecked in our last CC, did we?

Someone has wisely posted in the main forum about building fleet to respond to your opponents rather than meta....

ACMs are better for whale hunting. External racks are better for squads and smaller units. But who cares till you see their lists?

Quote

Stupid CC List

If it's stupid, but it works, it ain't stupid.

5 hours ago, Ginkapo said:

Someone has wisely posted in the main forum about building fleet to respond to your opponents rather than meta....

ACMs are better for whale hunting. External racks are better for squads and smaller units. But who cares till you see their lists?

Whoever that wise handsome man is, he's not wrong. But that doesn't mean it's pointless to map out a planned end state ahead of time. It's easier to adjust a good plan to implement counters to things I see than to charge in willy-nilly without a plan at all and hope for the best.