One SSD, then a dash of Gozanti and/or Raider with a large squadron wing.

Which makes Grand Admiral Thrawn and Admiral Piett written as interpreted the best choices for commander. Combining squadron commands on top of Nav and Concentrate Fire.

why?

because fighters can go much more nimbly everywhere while ships have to maneuver and simply impossibly can't in some cases? (not that fighters can get everywhere either, but much more versatility)

To an extent, yes.

Plus it helps fight against bombers as well as having the most board presence with models.

4 hours ago, Blail Blerg said:

why?

because fighters can go much more nimbly everywhere while ships have to maneuver and simply impossibly can't in some cases? (not that fighters can get everywhere either, but much more versatility)

The SSD doesn't have the guns to remove pesky large base ships from its side arcs. Any ISD or MC-XX can throw more dice at the SSD's sides than they take in return, so a few Engineering commands - they repair just as well as the SSD does, so no advantage there - and they can bring it down over a few turns.

Because of its size and mobility, you're not getting a ship that's one on side of it to the other side. And because of its price, you're going to be out-deployed by anything but the mirror.

Squadrons allow you to add a bunch of black dice to one your side arcs to start tearing into an Ackbar broadside that you can't otherwise get rid of.

6 hours ago, Shadow345 said:

One SSD, then a dash of Gozanti and/or Raider with a large squadron wing.

Which makes Grand Admiral Thrawn and Admiral Piett written as interpreted the best choices for commander. Combining squadron commands on top of Nav and Concentrate Fire.

Something like this...

400/400. Station Assault, Planetary Ion Cannon, Solar Corona
SSD-Prototype, Moff JerJerrod, Brunson, SFO, TUA, Advanced Projectors, GTs, LS, QBT - 273
Gozanti - 23
Dengar, Mauler, Zertek, 4 TIE-B, Firespray - 104

• Moff JJ allows the big ship to turn without navigating and to avoid being beached on an asteroid for too long.
• APs gives it access to all 20 shields with Brunson thrown in for extra defence.
• SFO for an emergency command dial change.
• GTs so the SSD can use all three shots per turn even if the enemy clump together.
• QBTs because SSD's are slow and it will work on all volleys unlike DTTs. Leading shots can also now be used at long range too if the enemy are fast enough.
• Gozanti means three activations (huge ship can skip one) and it can deploy first, followed by 4 pairs of squadrons and finally the SSD. Not too bad.
• Dengar keeps things moving and gives out counter attack. Mauler loves to keep moving. Zertek protects these two. TIE-Bs lay on the bombing damage and the firespray can help without overloading your squadron activations.

Options

• Change Brunson for a Damage Control Officer. Depends on how popular ACMs, APTs & HIEs are in your sector.
• Add Bossk to benefit from Zertek's friendly damage to get the auto accuracy. Drop Brunson to convert the firespray.
• Downgrade Zertek to Tempest squadron and add Comms Net.

According the old information, there were about 7 SSDs in total. These things are the Flagship Battleship. the HMS Victory (104 guns baby!) in space, that sort of thing.

The Empire would bring them to the party to cast an imposing shadow over the battle "Asteroids do not concern me Admiral".

I'm a little conflicted about all this, I'd like to see more of the game balancing elements before making my mind up completely (Of course I'm going to get one!).

I think it was a Zahn novel where I remember the comment "Promotions were readily available when Vader was in command of the SSD Executor", so I imagine there'll be lots of 'sacrifice this card for that effect' going on.