Scheduled two games today, the first a regular game, followed by my first Corellian Conflict game. As usual, I was running Imperials, and I wanted to give another attempt at a kitted out ISD with Vader.

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 398/400

Commander: Darth Vader

Assault Objective: Most Wanted
Defense Objective: Hyperspace Assault
Navigation Objective: Superior Positions

[ flagship ] Imperial Star Destroyer Cymoon 1 Refit (112 points)
- Darth Vader ( 36 points)
- Devastator ( 10 points)
- The Grand Inquisitor ( 4 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Spinal Armament ( 9 points)
- X17 Turbolasers ( 6 points)
- Intensify Firepower ( 6 points)
= 190 total ship cost

Raider-I Class Corvette (44 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- External Racks ( 3 points)
= 51 total ship cost

Raider-I Class Corvette (44 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- External Racks ( 3 points)
= 51 total ship cost

Raider-I Class Corvette (44 points)
- Ordnance Experts ( 4 points)
- External Racks ( 3 points)
= 51 total ship cost

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

1 Ciena Ree ( 17 points)
1 Valen Rudor ( 13 points)

I was up against:

Raddus on a TRC90 w/ Engine Tech

TRC90 w/ Engine Tech

MC75 Ordnance Cruiser w/ Aspiration, Strategic Officer, Ordnance Experts, Rapid Reload, APT, Leading Shots, ECM

(I forgot to jot down what the squadrons were, I believe it was Dash, Han, 3 X-Wings)

My plan was to just try and hold up his squadrons with my two for at least a turn. I don't like going so small on squadrons, but I thought I would give it a shot. He selected my Superior Positions.

Deployment:

I set up trying to rush Raddus on the (double based) TRC90, attempting to block the MC75 from coming in.

End of turn 1, my ISD is slowly plodding along.

In turn 2, Raddus dropped Aspiration in, but I was able to destroy the other CR90. I lost a Raider in return.

In turn 3, I lost another Raider. Whoever decided on their defense tokens should be flogged with a wet noodle. End of the turn.

In turn 4, you guessed it, my last Raider got popped. I'm rushing the ISD forward trying to destroy the MC75. End of the turn:

Turn 5, I'm hoping to get two solid turns of shooting at the MC75. Unfortunately it's defenses are difficult to overcome. End of turn 5.

In the final turn, I was able to take another shot at the back of the MC75, but ECM prevented me from destroying it.

So I've decided I hate Raiders, they pop too easily. I don't understand how people get away with running just two scatter aces. And a comms net flotilla shooting Concentrate Fire tokens to the ISD allows it to run Intensify Firepower almost every turn.

The final score was about a 125 point loss for the Imperials.

i know your pain, i tried the Raiders with racks and they just failed every time, so now it's DC and HIE.

Raiders need to be behind the ISD. If you lead with them you are asking to get then blown up.

If you’re flying the Raider like a CR90 you’re doing it wrong. They don’t do well as vanguard ships. They’re best when you hang them back and then pounch on a target with a good burst dmg from ER/OE combo. Let your ISD lead the charge, that way your opponent will be forced to choose between the big threat or the small one.

I play alot of ISDs and I’ve found Raider-Is to be great companion ships that can punch well above its weight class while also performing a dual role as anti-sqd flak platform and anti-ship support. You just need to learn how to use them right.

Here's my take on the game and the list.

As already mentioned, the ISD and the Raiders need to engage at the same time in order to avoid losing the Raiders for little reward.

The ISD is most effective when it can last/first, so the list needs an initiative bid.

If the list doesn't get first player, it needs to have the last activation so it can avoid the opponent's last/first, so the list needs Strategic Adviser for that extra activation.

Raiders can be good, but the ISD needs something with a bit more oomph to either support it, or to go off chasing a second key target. That's why I would replace one Raider with Demolisher.

Of course, all this costs points, so there would be a lot of economies needed. But by paring things to the bone it is possible to design a 6 activation (including Strategic Adviser) list with Darth Vader, an ISD (seasoned to taste), Demolisher, 2 Raiders, a Gozanti and 2 Squadrons with an 8 point initiative bid.

PS the Darth Vader list I am working on is inspired by duck_bird's regionals list (but with a change of leadership), so all kudos goes to her.