Anyone try Raider IIs with heavy Ion cannons and disposable capacitors? Seems like a mighty fine harassing ship for 60 points, especially with Screed in command.

I haven’t, because I don’t know how it could ever outcompete:

> a Raider I with External Racks and Ordinance Experts for pure damage per cost

> an Arquitens with Dual Turbolaser Turrets for long range damage.

Those two mental barriers keep me from trying it. But, as I haven’t, I could be completely incorrect.

I like them. Screed is strongly recommended but you can get away with Vader and a little luck.

Shooting at long (or even medium) range means you need to target ships with no evade token, so softening up MC30s will be tricky unless you get in close.

Running a force of 1-2 of them and some ACM armed Kuats or GSDs could be fun. Shred the shields then ACMs pile on the damage. Who needs XI7s when you are shredding shields at such an appalling rate.

28 minutes ago, Mad Cat said:

Running a force of 1-2 of them and some ACM armed Kuats

Why not just skip the middle man? ;P

I've been running dual kuats with FCTs, HIEs, and ACMs, using screed as my commander.

Out of 20 or so attack activations (over the coarse of 3-4 games) I've only had 1 fail to proc both results. (If you con-fire a blue into the front arc it gives you something like an 87% chance at rolling at least 1 blue or black crit, from there screed takes care of the rest.)

49 minutes ago, D503 said:

Anyone try Raider IIs with heavy Ion cannons and disposable capacitors? Seems like a mighty fine harassing ship for 60 points, especially with Screed in command.

I have a fleet built with them, but I'm hesitant to run it, like @TheCallum, I'm having trouble seeing how it could out perform other builds.

There was a (fairly short-lived) thread about this not too long ago:

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/269471-raider-ii-and-hie/

I haven't had the chance to try them yet, but it sure looks amazing on paper.

2 hours ago, TheCallum said:

I don’t know how it could ever outcompete:

> an Arquitens with Dual Turbolaser Turrets for long range damage.

HIE just by itself is three damage (edit: not real damage, but effectively so in the early game) though, bypassing brace, and Screed can guarantee that assuming no evade or force it through the evade if you roll a crit naturally. The Arquitens is probably more useful in the late game, but early in the engagement an HIE Raider looks fantastic to me. Great synergy with ACM, too. But again, I haven't personally tried it yet.

1 hour ago, Villakarvarousku said:

There was a (fairly short-lived) thread about this not too long ago:

https://community.fantasyflightgames.com/topic/269471-raider-ii-and-hie/

I haven't had the chance to try them yet, but it sure looks amazing on paper.

HIE just by itself is three damage though, bypassing brace, and Screed can guarantee that assuming no evade or force it through the evade if you roll a crit naturally. The Arquitens is probably more useful in the late game, but early in the engagement an HIE Raider looks fantastic to me. Great synergy with ACM, too. But again, I haven't personally tried it yet.

HIE is NOT damage. You lose shields. Unlike ACM, if there are no shields to lose, it does nothing. So, it's great in the early game, but once you've stripped the shields, they're useless.

14 minutes ago, Darth Lupine said:

HIE is NOT damage. You lose shields. Unlike ACM, if there are no shields to lose, it does nothing. So, it's great in the early game, but once you've stripped the shields, they're useless.

I'm aware of that, and I did mention I was talking about the early game. But you're right, I was using the word damage a bit too loosely there. I thought it was obvious, but it's still a new card and everything, so I'll edit to make that clearer.

I've been running 2 of them in my CC, and they're working great. Well, except for the living through the encounter, which is a problem Raiders have in general, which is augmented by the CC's design. But I digress. The two of them have been working to clear out shields on two different targets, allowing my (non-XI7) ISD to come in and push all of the damage through to the hull. It's amazing how much damage those things can do at long range with Dcaps and HIEs. Rolling their 3+1 blues (via CF) means they have a 68% chance of naturally rolling a crit and not needing Screed. So likely you can get 3 damage through plus the HIEs. In my experience, that means that one side zone and the front hull are down to around 1 shield total. The next round you can clear that final front shield, along with the other side shields, and then push 2 hull damage. The opponent doesn't want to use their brace to knock it from 3 damage (plus HIE shields) down to 2 damage (plus HIE shields), so if you go big fish hunting, it all goes through. Now the Raider is useless, and you bring in your ISD for those punishing shieldless shots. And you can replace your turbolaser with QBT, DTT, or Spinals for some more punishment from the ISD. And as I said, I've been running 2 of them, so the ISD has two shieldless targets ready to drop with its GTs. Quite effective imo.

The trick (for me at least) is going to be in figuring out when to cut my loses and run away. Raiders have a habit about going poof in one round. But at the same time, in a tourney that would be less of a concern - I'll gladly trade a 60pt ship to take out your MC80. I've been using them after those first two rounds to help with the squadrons since they are black/blue (which is pretty decent, 1.25 average damage) and I don't often take a large squadron force myself.

I have been running one or two for a couple weeks. I brought one to regionals with a bomber fleet to assist.

Raider II (48)
• Veteran Gunners (5)
• Disposable Capacitors (3)
• Heavy Ion Emplacements (9)
= 65 Points

This little guy does wonders. I have dropped an ISD to Zero shields and 2 hull tapping it twice long range then medium. I have done the same to an MC75 leaving it with 4 hull left. I use Veteran Gunners since I love running Jerry and Raiders. They put out an amazing amount of damage then get out. I have found it is great at taking out flotillas as well if you get the ACC and Crit.

8 minutes ago, BozoLtD said:

I have been running one or two for a couple weeks. I brought one to regionals with a bomber fleet to assist.

Raider II (48)
• Veteran Gunners (5)
• Disposable Capacitors (3)
• Heavy Ion Emplacements (9)
= 65 Points

This little guy does wonders. I have dropped an ISD to Zero shields and 2 hull tapping it twice long range then medium. I have done the same to an MC75 leaving it with 4 hull left. I use Veteran Gunners since I love running Jerry and Raiders. They put out an amazing amount of damage then get out. I have found it is great at taking out flotillas as well if you get the ACC and Crit.

My only problem with HIE Raiders is that it's expensive and the investment only works against ships that don't have evade, so its use is very meta-depended.

8 minutes ago, PT106 said:

My only problem with HIE Raiders is that it's expensive and the investment only works against ships that don't have evade, so its use is very meta-depended.

You'd be surprised at how often you get a accuracy with 4 blues. Without any rerolls it's 68% of the time. So even with ships that have an evade (or scatter if you were attacking one for whatever reason) you have a decent chance of getting through. Double evades now... that's a different story.

4 minutes ago, PT106 said:

My only problem with HIE Raiders is that it's expensive and the investment only works against ships that don't have evade, so its use is very meta-depended.

True. The new wave brought large ships back which is exactly what this raider wants to fight against (At least in my area). If i get that one ACC and Crit though, I can still push it through against evade ships assuming I am at long range/medium. Also most evade ships don't have a lot of shields so I use VG to roll for that ACC and just let the rest of the damage get pushed through. I have found he works well as a flotilla killer at late game, but he normally has to ram to finish it off.

I know @mr_mithrandir has used them to great effect, and have seen they can be pretty devastating against a large target.

Does nobody use DCOs on their ships that have Contain? With all the shield-stripping builds being talked about it seems like a must-have.

3 minutes ago, Don Henderson fan club said:

Does nobody use DCOs on their ships that have Contain? With all the shield-stripping builds being talked about it seems like a must-have.

Contains are usually on big ships, where the fight over the officer chair is already intense. Damage Control Officer is a legitimate choice (often dismissed by people who have never seen one used, I was a believer after it got used against me), but convincing someone to set aside a Strategic Adviser, Pryce/Bail, Intel Officer, Tua, Lando, Walex, or whatever for DCO is tough.

If FFG ever released an upgrade allowing for an extra officer on large ships, it would be extremely popular.

Oh, I'm not trying to convice anyone - I'll leave that to the HIEs, APTs, ACMs, etc, etc.

DCO and Hardened Bulkheads is a great combo on an ISD and is very effective on an MC75 as well.

3 hours ago, Khyros said:

I've been running 2 of them in my CC, and they're working great. Well, except for the living through the encounter, which is a problem Raiders have in general, which is augmented by the CC's design.

If they die every time anyway, jump them out once they've done their jobs and save on the repair bill!

8 minutes ago, Ardaedhel said:

If they die every time anyway, jump them out once they've done their jobs and save on the repair bill!

Yeah, I'm always a turn too late at doing that. They pop so easily that they basically come from full health to dead whenever they decide to attack it, so it doesn't seem like it's in danger, until it's too late. But that's a failure of my own, not of the ship.

2 hours ago, BrobaFett said:

I know @mr_mithrandir has used them to great effect, and have seen they can be pretty devastating against a large target.

True story. I run two Raider IIs with D-caps and HIEs (Vader commanding). I took 6th in the SoCal Regional with them. The trick is getting your payload off during round 2 preferably but beginning round 3 works too. You really don’t want to target smaller ships at all unless you can get two crits. I usually avoided it unless I was double arcing something or had nothing else to shoot at and didn’t want to waste my ability to shoot at long range. Perfect conditions can mean 6+ damage to shields in a front arc salvo. I never worried too much about an accuracy as I run Avenger and don’t care if you use those defense tokens. You would only need it against an evade.

They are definitely squishy, but if I can burn down your 170 point Cymoon? Yeah, that’s worth it. I usually only lost one. Raddus has been its Achilles heel that I still can’t figure out.

1 hour ago, mr_mithrandir said:

They are definitely squishy, but if I can burn down your 170 point Cymoon? Yeah, that’s worth it. I usually only lost one. Raddus has been its Achilles heel that I still can’t figure out.

What does Raddus do against the Raiders? How much should we worry about contracting raddish?

7 minutes ago, Blail Blerg said:

What does Raddus do against the Raiders? How much should we worry about contracting raddish?

His threat range with a popping hammerhead messes with my desire to stay at long range to drop d-caps. Also, I try to fly them together to create a “no fly zone” that forces you into my Cymoon. This weekend Raddus and friends dropped in and ruined my Raiders day before one of them could even fire at the top of turn 2. Lucky rolls sure, but that stupid Hammerhead with ex racks hurts.

I probably just need to adjust deployment… or find a good skin cream…

7 minutes ago, mr_mithrandir said:

His threat range with a popping hammerhead messes with my desire to stay at long range to drop d-caps. Also, I try to fly them together to create a “no fly zone” that forces you into my Cymoon. This weekend Raddus and friends dropped in and ruined my Raiders day before one of them could even fire at the top of turn 2. Lucky rolls sure, but that stupid Hammerhead with ex racks hurts.

I probably just need to adjust deployment… or find a good skin cream…

Dropped the Hammerhead with Profundity, going as first player??

4 minutes ago, Blail Blerg said:

Dropped the Hammerhead with Profundity, going as first player??

Yes

1 minute ago, mr_mithrandir said:

Yes

Cool.

So, he Raddus'ed in a MC75 in your face. The popped a HH in your side or face, and flew that away as the 1st engagement. Made you move into his MC75, then activated the MC75?

Just asking so I can replicate this skin-affliction myself.