Play tested the SSD!
Before anyone tells me this belongs in the sub forum, I figured that play testing the newly announced ship would hold enough interest to merit front page.
-we made a ruling before the match that the SSD would execute maneuvers from the base at the rear.
-we made a ruling before the match that the SSD deploys by touching the rear hull to the owning players edge. (Similar to how huge ships deploy in X-wing).
While we may not know if that is how this expansion functions, we estimate this may be right.
I ran:
SSD (220)
-Moff JJ (23)
-tua (2)
-Brunson (5)
-Damage control officers (5)
-Gunnery teams (7)
-ECMs (7)
-Boosted comms (4)
-leading shots (4)
-Xi7s (6)
Total: 283
Gozanti (23)
-bomber command center (8)
-suppressor (4)
Total: 35
-Jendon (20)
-steel (21)
-4x tie bomber (36)
Total: 77
Grand total: 395
-precision strike
-fleet ambush
-superior positions
He took Precision Strike, I was second player. Mistakes in navigation and a solid slicer tool on my carrier made this match way too close. Ended in my favor with a table and only 2 HP left on the SSD.
Beginning of Round one:
As second player I had to use my gozzer and bombers to wait out deployment. I got a good line on his mc80, and I figured I may be able to lock it up to prevent Akbar from dealing his worst, and take out salvation while my bombers shredded the shields of the mc80. I set up Nav, Squadron, Con fire, Engineering. Round one went as you would expect, Ships tokening up. There was an exchange between the SSD and the mc80 at long range for 1 or 2 damage. The real blow was a well landed slicer tools on my SSD changing my intended round 2 dial from squadron to engineering.
Beginning of Round Two:
Without my squadron command the SSD had to rely on it's arcs and multiple shots to try to end the fight as soon as possible. I had Moffy JJ, so I figured as long as I can set up a solid double arc for round 3 the bombers could do their thing by the end of round 4 or 5 in the squadron phase on their own. I gambled that the defense suite, the hull and shields of the SSD should last long enough to do what was needed. I delayed with the SSD as long as I could. The SSD got shots off on the Nebulon, the mc80, and the Gr75 on it's starboard flank. I made a mistake activating my squads with the gozzer, I activated two that were in range of the gr75 already instead of pulling in two from out of range. most of my squads were useless this round. When I navigated the SSD I mad a severe misjudgment on where it would land. I had a nav token, and should have spent it to slow down and JJ, instead, I just used JJ. The results not only DIDN'T line up a double for me, it put my SSD in both the broadside arcs for the mc80.
Beginning of Round Three:
I was in a bad place, worst yet, his slicer tools had changed my con-fire to a navigate, a command that, with JJ, really didn't help much. The SSD activated, the front had clear LoS on the neb's side, at medium, and the nebulon was destroyed. The front right arc had shots on the mc80, which did a little bit of damage, but not much, and I peeled off just enough at the gr75 in my rear arc to kill it. I made a major mistake here. Again, confused about how the SSD maneuvered I had the opportunity to save my ship a ton of damage. I had JJ and a nav command so I figured I may just be able to swing right around the far side of the mc80, but there just wasn't enough to make that turn, instead, I decided to ram his mc80 to remain where I was, gambling that the 22 hull and his mc80 being forced to ram would ultimately melt the measly 8 hull it had. It was a mistake. At speed 2 a straight movement would have placed my SSD's double on his ship and barely gotten the rest of my ship out of his double broadsides, I should have done that. I was able to use my Jendon and steel combo to put some damage on the mc80's shields, and move the rest of the bombers up. The mc80 hit me HARD. Both sides, Akbar, Defiance, intel officer, Xi7s, it was not a pleasant time for me.
Beginning of Round Four:
He had first activation, and after last round, I was hurting on both defenses and shields. After both shots and the ram, my ship had only a handful of shields and 3 hull to it's name. I activated, using my engineering command to remove a damage card, and move 3 shields from my left auxiliary hull to my right and right auxiliary hulls. I took shots on his Mc80, dealing just minor damage... at this point I was even beginning to tilt, I thought for-sure I was going to lose because of the obvious mistakes I had made. My opponent was in good humor that helped keep the tone light enough for me to cool off. I sank the GR75, and made my speed 2 forward. The bombers, finally in position to do work, landed hits and shredded his shields, but the EWS defenses did not make it easy.
Beginning of Round Five:
Again, he had first activation, except this time my SSD had moved up enough that the only hull zones in range and LoS had full shields. I was able to survive the mc80's attack and ram with only 1 hull left. The I healed a card and some shields with my next engineering, my double arc into the mc80 was just enough to seal the deal. It sank and my SSD made a JJ swing right to avoid the edge of the mat. His pelta made a long range shot and hit some shields but then flew into my swarm of bombers. They ate up a bunch of shields and a token.
Beginning of Round Six:
His pelta activated, threw some reds at my SSD, but failed to deal damage cards. My SSD fired back and moved up, dealing more shield damage. I used the gozzer to push my only out of range squads in range for a bombing run dealing damage to his ship. The game ended with a table when the jendon/steel combo finished off his last ship.
End of Game:
Altogether the conclusions I've drawn from the SSD are that with a nav command and or JJ, it actually doesn't move too different from other ships, you just have to picture the movement a little differently. The side arcs take some getting used to, and are a major weakness for this ship. Getting close doesn't have enough negative effect to not attempt to land both broadsides as a rebel player. I definitely feel like this version needs a bomber compliment.
Anyways, I do enjoy it. More playtesting stories to come!
(If you're looking for the ship token, I hosted it
here
.)