I used to use Screed a lot but then Ordnance Experts came out and I sort of forgot about him.

No more I say!

393/400. Opening Salvo , Planetary Ion Cannon , Solar Corona
VSD-II, Screed , GTs, HIE, D-Caps, QBTs 135
Raider-II, HIE, D-Caps 60
GSD-I, Demolisher, ACMs, OE, Brunson 82
GSD-I, ACMs, SFO 64
Valen, Ciena, 2xTIE-Int 52

Not sure about where to place the commander. Should I increase protection by moving Brunson to the VSD or place Screed on the Raider as it is more able to power away and HIEs aren't needed as much late in the game?

Opening Salvo with GSDs adding black dice to 2 red from the front at long range and guaranteeing ACMs with Screed seems fun but other ship heavy fleets may like it more....

Planetary Ion Cannon could be replaced for Hyperspace Assault which is always a laugh with Demolisher or maybe Insidious if I replaced a TIE-I with a TIE-F or Black squadron.

Solar Corona is always nice to get the drop in deployment and keep the braces more protected from enemy accuracies.

I have been working on a slightly similar list for my local Regionals, using Screed of course, but zero squadrons.

I am not a fan of Solar Corona with GSDs, only because, often they get behind enemies. I tend to select Dangerous Territory. I believe also in a slightly stronger bid, you REALLY want to go first. I also use Hyperspace Assault for the reasons you state.

I took this fleet in a game against @Touston at the weekend. I made a few tweaks putting an extra SFO on the VSD and changing the blue objective from Solar Corona into Salvage Run. My 6 point bid was no where near his 20 point bid and he chose first player and Salvage Run.

I was against a Thrawn 2 ship. From memory he had something like...

ISD-II, GT, LS, ECM, Pryce, Exhanded Hangar, Thrawn
Quasar-I, Flight controllers, Boosted Comms, Squall, Brunson
Jendon, Steele, Mona, Mauler, Jumpmaster, Sabre, Valen, Gamma, Black squadron(?)

I placed the base in the centre with a dust field at 4 O'clock radiating out and a bunch of rocks at 11, noon and 2 O'clock blocking his path. Tokens were on my side at 4, 5, 7 & 8 O'clock. I deploy speed 2 VSD and Demolisher facing the base with the other GSD speed 3 close on my left and the Raider-II on my right hidden by the dust also at speed 3. His ISD was to my Right on a route direct to the base and the Quasar further out than that planning to orbit around the dust cloud but still able to control squadrons through it, both at speed 2. He declared Price on Turn 2.

Turn 1. He spend up to 3 with the Quasar and Squalls Steele and Sabre and Mauler forwards then Squadrons them into my fighters killing an interceptor and removing Ciena's Scatter. Reasonable Counter back form me. I move the GSD. ISD comes in still at speed 2 and lines up for the gap between rocks facing the base, Ciena dies. Raider Flaks and speeds up to 4 landing on the dust with a clear shot to the ISD for next turn. VSD squadrons my fighters and flaks killing Steele and Stripping Mauler's scatter. Then plod speed 1 towards the base. Demolisher double flaks and follows at speed 1.

Turn 2 . Quasar squadrons fighters at my squads killing the second TIE-I. Mona and Gamma attack the VSD dropping a side shield. My Raider shoots ISD Screeding to get the crit and using HIEs to strip shields, also flak out the rear into the interloping imperial squadrons on my VSD's nose. I then collect all 4 tokens with my ships - Raider goes to 4 to get on the ISDs right flank but is now going a little fast to come back. My other ships are out of range and creep forwards with more flak and a final squadron command killing Gamma and Mauler. Demolisher did one damage after moving with 1 red dice to the ISD. ISD shoots at long range on both GSDs with GTs doing little with the base in the way, my evades and Brunson. Jendon makes Mona shoot the VSD again and my last squadron dies. ISD lines up a medium range shot against the VSD and close range against the GSDs.

Turn 3 . ISD fails to kill anything but the VSD now only has one redirect left and 1 rear shield. It couldn't get the double arc due to the Dust field off his side. He then moves over my Glads turning away to his right but with his rear still in the VSD's front and flank arcs, takes 2 to the front shield for landing on debris. VSD repairs 2 shields (discarding the SFO to do so) and shoots with the flank obscured but QBTs doing 3 and screeds the HIE to strip shields. Front volley exhausts the ECM and does 3 after bracing. VSD lands on the base repairing a crit. Quasar gets fighters to attack the VSD removing all shields again and doing 2 hull damage. My GSD flank shoots the ISD hit + hit/crit + ACMs = 5 damage. Then rear shot, screeds into a hit/crit + ACMs and the ISD explodes. Wow! a Raider shot, double arc VSD and flank/rear GSD just took out a fresh ISD over 2 turns. I still had Demolisher just in case but he accelerated and ran after the quasar.

Turns 4-6 the VSD has constant repairs plotted and crawls across the base surviving. I chase the quasar but we only remove its shields with D-Cap Flank/rear shooting from the VSD. I call off pursuit when Demolisher gets a bit damaged from fighters and so we turn off as the quasar runs for open space.

A very sad day for Thrawn. I feel the matchup was against me here, with the ISD forces to confront something while getting hit from every side! Not to discredit @Mad Cat 's impeccable positioning as always. I think a second game with the same fleets I could maybe pull out a minor win (6-5) with a whole new approach (or lack there of) of toilet bowling the VSD at speed 3 while squads eat a small base ship.

Either way it's scary list on the turn everything hits you. Shields are gone redirect is useless. Brace isn't a massive help because ACM's extra 2 hull hits ain't effected.

i wonder how it will fair versus a more maneceurable opponent though. JJ arqs or similar.