Vader with HIE and ACM's + fire control idea...

By themightyhedgehog, in Star Wars: Armada Fleet Builds

Hi. I am toying around with this idea. Basically i don't want you to have shields. Fire control teams lets both the HIE and ACm go off. Vader for the rerolls, Demo to clean anything up. I would appreciate thoughts and feedback on this. I will test it out and let you all know if it is any good!

Name: Vader ACM HIE
Faction: Imperial
Commander: Darth Vader

Assault: Advanced Gunnery
Defense: Capture the VIP
Navigation: Solar Corona

ISD Kuat Refit (112)
• Darth Vader (36)
• Strategic Adviser (4)
• Fire-Control Team (2)
• Hardend Bulkheads (5)
• Electronic Countermeasures (7)
• Heavy Ion Emplacements (9)
• Assault Concussion Missiles (7)
• Avenger (5)
= 187 Points

Gozanti Cruisers (23)
• Comms Net (2)
= 25 Points

Gozanti Cruisers (23)
• Comms Net (2)
= 25 Points

Gladiator I (56)
• Ordnance Experts (4)
• Assault Proton Torpedoes (5)
• Demolisher (10)
= 75 Points

Squadrons:
• Colonel Jendon (20)
• Maarek Stele (21)
• Ciena Ree (17)
• Valen Rudor (13)
= 71 Points

Total Points: 383

I like it. The bid is huge, but I think worth it in this case. Ulitmate performance is going to rest on being able to double arc with the Kuat. Hit with the side arc, hopefully hit ACM and HIE and force them to conserve tokens for the front shot, then hit them with the front and get ACM again (No HIE, it is an exhaust). Against weakened targets, make sure to declare HIE first as it can't transfer to hull while ACM can.

As far as changes go, I don't know if Maarek/Jendon are worth the points. You could drop the 2 of them and a Coms net (you really don't need 2) and add another Gozanti, Howlrunner, and a generic tie. Bid changes to 387 and gives you an extra activation. The bid would still be comfortable enough to get first in 99% of instances, and your squads have a better chance to trade up vs a larger squad force while Maarek/Jendon is such an investment they will be hard pressed to do that.

Naked gozantis though! Then I would the "that guy"...

Suggestions look great. I agree about Maarek/Jendon, too easy to trade down.
Demo is a standard build, would ACMs on him be overkill?

I second the recommendation on swapping to ACMs on Demo. With all the shield stripping it makes it the better choice.

Yup if your going to overload the enemy with shield stripping nonsense you might as well get the follow up shoot from ACM Demolisher to gain 2 extra damage (which hopefully will be getting through by now) rather than one face up.

Alternative being to run Ion Cannon Batteries and APT. It's cheaper, and focuses on nuking a single hull zone rather than simply stripping every shield. And ICB works on every attack as it doesn't exhaust. It also works to have a function after shields are stripped, as it can still remove tokens on a shield less foe.

Not to dramatically alter your fleet build, and I didn't bring it up at first cause you do your own tests and make your own decisions, but this is where I ended up after experimenting with this combo. FCT/ICB/APT > FCT/HIE/ACM. If you get an extra activation, you can even drop SA for Intel officer. Drop Avenger and Hardened Bulkheads and you can get Intel officer (or ET) on the Demo too.

32 minutes ago, BrobaFett said:

Alternative being to run Ion Cannon Batteries and APT. It's cheaper, and focuses on nuking a single hull zone rather than simply stripping every shield. And ICB works on every attack as it doesn't exhaust. It also works to have a function after shields are stripped, as it can still remove tokens on a shield less foe.

Not to dramatically alter your fleet build, and I didn't bring it up at first cause you do your own tests and make your own decisions, but this is where I ended up after experimenting with this combo. FCT/ICB/APT > FCT/HIE/ACM. If you get an extra activation, you can even drop SA for Intel officer. Drop Avenger and Hardened Bulkheads and you can get Intel officer (or ET) on the Demo too.

But new toys!!!!

38 minutes ago, BrobaFett said:

Alternative being to run Ion Cannon Batteries and APT. It's cheaper, and focuses on nuking a single hull zone rather than simply stripping every shield. And ICB works on every attack as it doesn't exhaust. It also works to have a function after shields are stripped, as it can still remove tokens on a shield less foe.

Not to dramatically alter your fleet build, and I didn't bring it up at first cause you do your own tests and make your own decisions, but this is where I ended up after experimenting with this combo. FCT/ICB/APT > FCT/HIE/ACM. If you get an extra activation, you can even drop SA for Intel officer. Drop Avenger and Hardened Bulkheads and you can get Intel officer (or ET) on the Demo too.

Be careful with priority order.

Ion Cannon Batteries strip tokens first.

They only do extra shield damage when there are no tokens.

So superfluous tokens protects shields... Which happens with Garm and such...

its best to consider ICBs asvtoken strippers first, and additional damage secondarily.

Edited by Drasnighta
7 minutes ago, Drasnighta said:

Be careful with priority order.

Ion Cannon Batteries strip tokens first.

They only do extra shield damage when there are no tokens.

So superfluous tokens protects shields... Which happens with Garm and such...

its best to consider ICBs asvtoken strippers first, and additional damage secondarily.

Understood, the order was mostly regarding HIE and ACM. There are drawbacks to ICB, but for most ships, taking an ICB double arc will either strip all the tokens or start hitting shields, either effect is good in my book. It's mainly the exhaust mechanic that turned me off HIE.

Just now, BrobaFett said:

Understood, the order was mostly regarding HIE and ACM. There are drawbacks to ICB, but for most ships, taking an ICB double arc will either strip all the tokens or start hitting shields, either effect is good in my book. It's mainly the exhaust mechanic that turned me off HIE.

Agreed. I’m still trying to decide if I’m after the traditional twin ICB or twin HIE for Nose Punch

i tried something similar with screed.

Screed test/B (391/400)
======================
Kuat Refit (112 + 53)
+ Admiral Screed (26)
+ Strategic Adviser (4)
+ Fire-Control Team (2)
+ Heavy Ion Emplacements (9)
+ Assault Concussion Missiles (7)
+ Avenger (5)
Gladiator I-class Star Destroyer (56 + 36)
+ Intel Officer (7)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Engine Techs (8)
+ Assault Concussion Missiles (7)
+ Demolisher (10)
Raider II-class Corvette (48 + 16)
+ Disposable Capacitors (3)
+ Heavy Ion Emplacements (9)
+ Impetuous (4)
Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 + 2)
+ Comms Net (2)
Valen Rudor (13)
4 x Tie Fighter Squadron (4 x 8)
Advanced Gunnery
Hyperspace assault
Solar Corona

the small fighter screen came in handy and I can verify when both crits hit it is very nasty.

I like your take but I don't have the skills yet to pull off a 2 combat ship build yet.

7 hours ago, Whiplash205 said:

i tried something similar with screed.

Screed test/B (391/400)
======================
Kuat Refit (112 + 53)
+ Admiral Screed (26)
+ Strategic Adviser (4)
+ Fire-Control Team (2)
+ Heavy Ion Emplacements (9)
+ Assault Concussion Missiles (7)
+ Avenger (5)
Gladiator I-class Star Destroyer (56 + 36)
+ Intel Officer (7)
+ Ordnance Experts (4)
+ Engine Techs (8)
+ Assault Concussion Missiles (7)
+ Demolisher (10)
Raider II-class Corvette (48 + 16)
+ Disposable Capacitors (3)
+ Heavy Ion Emplacements (9)
+ Impetuous (4)
Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 + 2)
+ Comms Net (2)
Valen Rudor (13)
4 x Tie Fighter Squadron (4 x 8)
Advanced Gunnery
Hyperspace assault
Solar Corona

the small fighter screen came in handy and I can verify when both crits hit it is very nasty.

I like your take but I don't have the skills yet to pull off a 2 combat ship build yet.

I was debating whether the Kuat Shield muncher wanted Vader or Screed more with a friend of mine the other day.

From your experience, do you feel that Screed added enough reliability to regularly get off the double crit?

Our other idea was possibly making it Devastator. Helps to mitigate the weak link in the chain that is only having 2 blue IMO

I've only been playing a month and first time with screed so I can't speak to how reliable he's gonna be on the rerolls. I went with him and avenger for the cost primarily. Swapping out to Vader and devastator means trimming about 15 pts somewhere. Though that would seem to give more consistent rolls.

Edited by Whiplash205