I've recently started transferring over from X-wing to Armada, along with a great deal of my FLGS. We've decided to start a Corellian Conflict. On each side we've got a Grand Admiral that's been playing for about three months, and the rest of us were total rookies at the beginning, having only played a handful of core set games.

Nevertheless, we bought and borrowed ourselves up to 400 points and mutually agreed to proxy upgrades. I joined the Imperial side flying Admrial Sloane, and all up we had:

Gelatinous Empire:

Grand Admiral Thrawn as our Grand Admiral, flying double Cymoon Refit ISDs, a Gozanti, Maarek, Zertik, Valen, IG-88 and a couple of generics.
Admiral Motti and his Kuat ISD backed by 2 VSDs, with a light squadron screen like the lettuce adjacent to a big steak.
Sloane with an ISD II, Suppression Refit Interdictor, Gladiator II and a cruel squadron ball of Dengar, Soontir, Ciena, 2 TIE Advanced generics and a TIE Phantom.

Rebellion:

Admiral Raddus as their Grand Admiral, flying a MC-75, MC-80 Command Cruiser and Hammerhead corvette as a Raddus Bomb, with accompanying fighter escort.
Admiral Ackbar flying an MC-80 Assault Crusier and MC-80 battle cruiser, backed by 8 X-wing squadrons, a YT-1300 and a VCX-100, maybe a gozanti?
Garm Bel Iblis with an MC-75, Assault Frigate, CR-90 and GR-75 with bomber command centre. A-wings, B-wings, Dutch, Keyan and Wedge as the squadrons.

Turn 0:

The Empire took three shipyards (including Corellia), and some skilled spacers. The Rebellion took two shipyards, a spynet, a set of diplomats and a set of skilled spacers.
The Empire started with 164 resource points, while the Rebellion began somewhere around 155.

Turn 1:

Via mutual agreement, we decided upon no special assaults and no base/presence assaults in the first turn, for some largely inconsequential battles. Nevertheless, the Empire took three victories in a row as the Rebel ships couldn't compete with raw hull and firepower without upgrades.

Thrawn Vs Garm Bel Iblis

Thrawn minced the frigate in the opening rounds due to some poor placement choices. Meanwhile the squadrons of both sides brawled inconsequentially, distant from any strong squadron command ships with the Empire eventually triumphing in the snubfighter battle. Both ISDs paid a positioning price for killing the frigate and GR-75 though, and were left hugging a board edge as the MC-75 closed in for a kill in the final roll of the 6th turn.

End Result: Victory for the Empire. While the ISD was pricy, scatter tokens kept most of the empire's squadrons alive, giving them an edge in the final count for a significant, though costly victory.

Motti Vs Raddus

The force was not with Raddus as he experienced the loss of his Profundity on the turn it deployed, leaving his fleet broken for a decisive in for Motti, who lost no capital ships in the process. Command-less squadrons couldn't seal the deal on wounded VSDs, leading to total victory for Admiral Motti.

End Result: Decisive victory for the Empire, with a fairly crippled enemy fleet fleeing to their repair yards.

Sloane Vs Ackbar

Sloane set up a lure using the Gladiator, which paid the price for its Imperial loyalties, but set up a perfect killstreak for the ISD and Interdictor flanking from the sides. As they bore in, timely squadron commands led to a decisive snubfighter victory for the empire against overwhelming numbers, and in the final roll of the 6th round, the MC-80Assault cruiser - with Ackbar onboard - exploded in a ball of fiery, fishy regret.

End Result: Strong victory for the Empire, with a wounded enemy fleet sent back into hyperspace exacting emergency repairs.

Campaign Turn Recap

The Empire managed some decisive victories in the opening stages, with two fleets at full capacity and another still going strong. Whie the Rebellion was wounded, they lacked essential equipment that they will begin sourcing immediately.

Empire: 3 campaign points.
Rebellion: 0 campaign points.

Turn 2:

Now in a no-holds-barred struggle for the Corellian Sector, the Rebellion declared assaults on the Empire-fortified Saberhing Asteroid Belt - a vital shipyard, and a special assault on Centrepoint. Imperials took the fight to them in Crash's Drift, only to discover a sprawling Rebel base there!

Thrawn Vs Raddus

Wounded by his previous engagement and short on upgrades, Thrawn took an uncharacteristically conservative approach that proved to be his undoing. Combat began on turn 4, and was quickly followed by the destruction of Thrawn's flagship ISD in exchange for Raddus' hyperspace reserve MC-80. The squadron battle was inconsequential.

End Result: A narrow victory for the Rebellion, with ships severely scarred on both sides.

Motti Vs Ackbar (Hyperspace Assault)

Motti, emboldened after a previous clean victory due to his enormous frontal firepower, became overconfident and flew his star destroyers into a pinned position on the narrow field of battle, and as he watched ship after ship fall he reflected back on his life choices with regret.

End Result: A decisive victory for the Rebel Alliance, with enormous scarring for the Imperial fleet.

Sloane Vs Garm Bel Iblis (Imperial Base Defense: fighter Wing)

Revitalised by an enormous reward for her previous good work, Sloane was ambushed in the Saberhing Shipyards where her fleet was undergoing extensive - and experimental - refits. Garm Bel Iblis had, typical to his own Corellian blood, foregone repairing all but the most essential systems and purchased additional weapons systems and expert crew to aid his cause.

Sloane rapidly deployed the now-titled Demolisher on the right flank as a lure, setting speed to 1. Garm deployed down the center-right of the map, with his MC-75 unusually placed on the far right win with speed 2. The ISD and newly named Interdictor deployed dead center at maximum speed. surrounded by a total of 10 strong squadrons due to the ambitious commandant of a nearby fighter base pledging their support.

As the first two turns unfolded, the ISD swung impeccably around the slightly slower Interdictor, angling in on the flanks of the weaker CR-90 and Assault Frigate. Garm's ambitions for an early kill on the demolisher were thwarted by the demolisher's slow speed.

On turn 3 Garm attempted a hit-and-run attack from his CR-90, which was only just in range of the G-8 experimental projectors just installed on the Interdictor, leading to it not quite making it behind the debris field it was aiming for, and being destroyed to Interdictor fire in the end. The Demolisher fired its forward cannons at the Frigat's left flank, then increased to speed 2 and closed to range 1. It used the Demolisher title to unload 7 black dice - again into the frigate's side - for a total of 5 damage (1 crit) after the Frigate burned its defense tokens forever. The MC-75 ineffectually pinged the Demolisher out of its front arc at medium range.

Turn 3 saw the first snubfighter engagements, with powerful squadron commands coming from both the GR-75 and the ISD II. Sloane's TIE reinforcements proved the key, as overwhelming numbers rapidly began to eat away at the Rebel aces. Wedge Antilles fell to three attacks, without ever firing a shot, and the rest of both faction's flights swarmed between the Frigate and the Demolisher.

Turn 4 saw the destruction of the Frigate and the Demolisher, but not until after the Demolisher delivered another withering series of blows onto the Frigate out its port side (destroying it) and the MC-75 out its right side (burning its starboard shields significantly).

The Squadron battle continued in the Imperiel's favour, with both sides continuing strong squadron commands - with both the interdictor and the ISD feeding telemetry data to snubfighters. TIE fighters were instrumental in engaging enemy B-wing squadrons just log enough to disrupt their bombing runs, while Rebel-piloted A-wings held a strong presence in the bottom-right corner.

Turn 5 saw the ISD bring to bear its highly trained Gunnery Teams, and Intelligence Agents along with a timely navigation command to finally slow to speed 2 to begin peppering both the GR-75 and MC-75 with long-range fire, leading to the MC-75 being shieldless on its right flank (directly facing both the ISD and Interdictor) and weakened on its rear. The MC-75 found itself in a corner with nowhere to run but towards the ISD's front arc after ineffectually peppering the Electronic Countermeasures-equipped ISD with long range fire. The Interdictor's veteran crew concentrated fire and overrode safety protocols to burn out its long-range capacitors and strip frontal shields on the the MC-75.

The GR-75 continued to rally squadrons together, leading to the elimination of all but the Imperial aces, at the cost of most of their own pilots lives in Dengar and Soontir's flawless return fire. The Aces' return fire burned Keyan and Dutch to pieces, leaving only a few brave A-wing squadrons to hold off their Imperial counterparts.

Turn 6 , and the battle swung heavily in the Imperials favour. Garm activated his GR-75, feeding suicide attack plans to his remaining A-wing forces, which coordinated fire onto Soontir Fel, only to be rebuffed by his extraordinary scattering techniques and decimated by Counter-3 and Swarm return fire, damaging both severely.

The ISD activated, bringing its immense guns to bear on the MC-75 parked directly in front of it at medium range, with a shieldless face presented to it. It revealed a concentrate fire command and, along with a token banked on a previous round, led to a total of 2 accuracy, 5 damage with a crit negated by the MC-75s remaining containment abilities. Sloane viciously rammed the MC-75, dealing it a sixth damage card.

The MC-75 activated, only to find it had a single arc on the ISDII, which was almost entirely negated by Electronic Countermeasures and the Interdictor's targetting scramblers. It then found itself unavoidably double-arced by by the Interdictor.

The Interdictor fired first front its starboaard side into the MC-75, landing 5 damage which was promptly redirected to the MC-75s as-yet untouched port side shields. It then blasted a bow shot into the same target, veteran crew again concentrating fire in time with yet another concentrate fire command from the cruiser to score over 6 damage, destroying the MC-75 on the last capital ship action of the game. Drained of all power, the Interdictor collided with the ISD, bringing both to a halt as the snubfighter battle raged on.

The Imperial aces shrugged of ineffectual B-wing fire and annihalated three enemy squadrons in three shots through the use of Swarm tactics and veteran instincts earned during the opening phases of the campaign.

End Result: A devastating loss for the Rebel alliance, whose Assault Frigate was already scarred before the battle, leading to a chain-reaction in the engine compartment, killing all aboard and leaving the ship a charred hulk floating through hyperspace. Sloane's fleet triumphantly returned to the shipyard they so bravely defended, fully intending to repair the disabled Demolisher for further use in what was proving to be a lengthy campaign.

Campaign Turn Recap

The Rebellion made a strong comeback, breaking two fleets in a single rotation. Alongside it they gained 60 additional resource points from hyperlane raids and support from local groups. The Imperials successfully defended a vital shipyard, and due to the presence of an Interdictor the Rebel fleet were unable to escape the consequences of their grave mistake.

Empire: 4 campaign points.
Rebellion: 1 campaign point.

Good reports, keep 'em coming!

Turn 3:

Rebel cells live in perpetual fear of Imperial raids as the long arm of the fleet closes in. Ruthless tactics have left numerous Rebellion-controlled vessels structurally scarred, while the Imperial fleet bolsters their presence throughout the sector.

Thrawn Vs Ackbar

A quick and bloody affair, with losses on both sides. Nevertheless, both fleets left with the distinct impression of an Imperial victory, as both fleets retreated to address their wounds.

Motti Vs Garm Bel Iblis 150-300

Motti and Garm collided in a conflict of Corellian steel and Imperial might. In a match of brute commanders, brute force prevailed, and Motti's larger fleet routed his more cunning opponent in a decisive victory for the Empire.

Sloane Vs Raddus

The rebel supreme commander engaged the powerhouse fleet of Imperial Admiral Sloane over the orbital shipyards of Selonia. Sloane's fleet - bolstered by a veritable swarm of TIE Interceptors faced off against Raddus' scarring gambit. In an effort to bolster his fleet's size temporarily, Raddus neglected to repair his snub fighters, instead outfitting his capital ships with the latest technology Rebel spies could pilfer from Imperial data banks. The definitive Imperial control of nearby hyperspace lanes allowed her to keep a small ship in reserve a small jump away.

The opening engagement was swift and sure - both fleets moved into position against each other throwing flight upon flight of fighter craft in the no man's land between massive instruments of death. As Raddus' engines burned out fighting against the pull of immense G-8 grav-well projectors he deployed an aggressively outfitted Hammerhead Corvette from his hangar bay and activated a beacon, bringing in an MC-80 from behind a nearby moon in an instant. Seeing events unravel, Sloane brought in her own reinforcements - directly behind the newly arrived MC-80.

As fiery light erupted into the void on the third cycle of this battle, the fleets began to bleed. Raddus poured fire from both his capital ships into the ISD, which rapidly began burning through its defensive resources. The Interdictor bent the fabric of space to freeze enemy vessels in place, forcing them into devastating collisions - all the while scrambling targeting systems and pouring its own formidable fire into the MC-75 flagship. Sloane's fighters - rallied by precise coordination from teams on board each capital ship - eliminated the enemy squadrons making for a nearby station with ease. The Demolisher unloaded a blistering round of fire into the MC-75 - ripping through shields with volley after volley of munitions. The Hammerhead Corvette attempted to ram the Interdictor, only to be thrown into the path of the '75.

The fourth cycle of the engagement opened with a second blistering salvo against the Demolisher which, while sturdy, cracked like an old piece of flimsiplast. In retaliation, the ISD directed its fighters to strafe the hulls of each capital ship, stripping their defensive resources, and fired an incredible salvo back at the '80 with pinpoint accuracy guided by some leading shots. Already weakened by the Demolisher, the MC-80's engines detonated in a cascade of detonations which left the vessel a drifting hulk in space. The veteran firing teams of the ISD then directed a second strike against the flank of the '75 - directing rippling energy along shields which glowed, shrunk and fell. Intelligence agents directed fire towards crucial hard points, leaving the '75 bleeding and spent of defensive resources entirely. The '75, seeing an opening, fired upon the nearly defenceless ISD, cracking its hull along key lines and nearly wiping out the bridge crew. Sloane's ace fighters obliterated the last of the opposing pilots.

During the fifth cycle, Raddus, seeing his flagship immobilised and facing imminent death, drained his remaining capacitors and launched a salvo against the ISD, managing to blow through its engines and damage the power core. Shutdown was immediate, and the ISd was left floating, lifeless, mere light-seconds from a repair yard. In retaliation, the Interdictor first fired at the '75, cracking its command spire at the base and snaring the engineering centre behind it. An emergency protocol activated, and the Raddus left the system in flames, bridge crew aboard. The Interdictor's commanding officer saw his superior's flagship drifting and decided on a path of glory, firing again at the Hammerhead, nailing it with close-range fire as its engines overloaded and blew with a force unrivaled by conventional explosives.

End Result: A nearly complete route. While Sloane's flagship was crippled, she promptly took control of the shipyards at Selonia and effected immediate repairs. Raddus' snubfighters were wiped out and, due to the gravity well generated by the ISD, there was no escape. Raddus left with two shattered capital ships, and the dregs of his pride.

Campaign Turn Recap:

The Rebellion took its most devastating loss yet, with numerous ships being damaged beyond repair. Imperial forces continue to gain momentum, and constructed a fourth shipyard.

Empire: 7 campaign points.
Rebellion: 1 campaign point.

Sounds like a snowball in progress.

3 minutes ago, Democratus said:

Sounds like a snowball in progress.

Oh yeah. No report yet, but round 4 had three crushing defeats in a row for the Rebels.

We're designing some serious protection against it for our next campaign.

Just a quick update. Round 4 was incredibly one-sided. I don't think the Imperials lost anything above a generic squadron in any battle. Regardless, we gave them a bunch of extra points and sorted out our AoA schedule, which then occurred last night. No spoilers here, because the battle will be in its own post.

Myself and Thrawn have been working on a revised campaign rule set, expending the campaign to 8 players and preventing the same kind of snowballing we experienced here.

@Astech if you ever get around to finishing the protections from snowballing, please feel free to share.

Here's the revised rules. I've incorporated a section on updated rules - including snowballing prevention - and a section on an 8-player variant to accommodate the increased interest in our next campaign (starting in June, most likely). The document is available here .

I've tried to keep meaningful outcomes for every battle, yet make the first few turns about getting one's team into position rather than annihilating the opposing team on round 1. The 8 player rules keep the overall balance and catch up mechanisms, with a few interesting tweaks like First Strike cards.

How do the new rules play out? I like the idea of 8 fleets in total, and may try that in a 4 player campaign (4 fleets each).

I like the 1 upgrade card limit in the original rules as it forces some conservative play in the first turns, but I do agree it is limiting on the big ships until you can flood them with upgrades!

I do hope FFG releases an another campaign - with more unique squadrons.