During our second game at Tucson Games and Gadgets, my opponent went back to his staple, double ISDs, and I went back to my Rebel MSU. Here are the fleets.
Commander: Darth Vader
Imperial II (120)
• Darth Vader (36)
• Strategic Adviser (4)
• Gunnery Team (7)
• Hardened Bulkheads (5)
• Electronic Countermeasures (7)
• Leading Shots (4)
• Quad Battery Turrets (5)
• Devastator (10)
= 198 Points
ISD Cymoon 1 Refit (112)
• Minister Tua (2)
• Intensify Firepower! (6)
• Gunnery Team (7)
• Hardend Bulkheads (5)
• Spinal Armament (9)
• XI7 Turbolasers (6)
• Avenger (5)
• Electronic Countermeasures (7)
= 159 Points
Gozanti Assault Carriers (28)
• Comms Net (2)
= 30 Points
Squadrons:
= 0 Points
Total Points: 387
While it included Vader, this was a vastly different double ISD list than he usually runs (I created it as best as possible from memory, but he told me it was 396 points during the game). He likely included Hardened Bulkheads after my telling him about the Rieekan CR90B, Engine Techs, and Reinforced Blast Doors list for past days. He also included Devastator and only one Gozanti.
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Commander: General Cracken
Assault: Opening Salvo
Defense: Fleet Ambush
Navigation: Solar Corona
CR90 Corvette B (39)
• General Cracken (26)
• SW-7 Ion Batteries (5)
• Jaina's Light (2)
= 72 Points
CR90 Corvette B (39)
• SW-7 Ion Batteries (5)
= 44 Points
CR90 Corvette B (39)
• SW-7 Ion Batteries (5)
= 44 Points
CR90 Corvette B (39)
• SW-7 Ion Batteries (5)
= 44 Points
CR90 Corvette B (39)
• SW-7 Ion Batteries (5)
= 44 Points
CR90 Corvette B (39)
• SW-7 Ion Batteries (5)
= 44 Points
CR90 Corvette B (39)
• SW-7 Ion Batteries (5)
= 44 Points
GR-75 Medium Transports (18)
• Slicer Tools (7)
• Bright Hope (2)
= 27 Points
GR-75 Medium Transports (18)
• Slicer Tools (7)
• Quantum Storm (1)
= 26 Points
Squadrons:
= 0 Points
Total Points: 389
While I usually run Ackbar TRC90 swarms, Cracken is one of the two commanders I have yet to run, so he deserved a shot (Rieekan is the other). And since I wanted to try out CR90Bs with SW-7s, it seemed like a good choice and a fun list. I chose Opening Salvo for 14 extra damage in the first salvo, Fleet Ambush to try and take out a big ship extra with a gunline, and Solar Corona to force their deployment and survive longer.
I had initiative and chose to be second player. He chose my Fleet Ambush objective.
Deployment: He deployed his flagship in the ambush zone and so I placed Quantum Storm very far away from it near the center. He then deployed his other ISD closer to the center in his normal deployment zone. I then set up the gunline of CR90Bs in about a 45 degree angle from his flagship, just out of long range. With his flagship going at speed 2, it would likely be in medium range of five CR90Bs after its first maneuver.
Round 1: As he moves his ships forward, his flagship clips the Gozanti, which keeps it not only from moving, but out medium range for me. That was the first big mistake in my plan and it happened to my opponent completely on accident. Because I had mixed up placing Quantum Storm and Bright Hope on the board, I came up just short with my GR-75 on his flagship, and could not get Slicer Tools to go off. Second mistake. Lastly, I had all my CR90s going at speed 4 with most having Concentrate Fire dials (I really needed to take out his flagship in Round 1, at worst in Round 2), so I couldn't maneuver as great as I am use to with them. Third mistake of Round 1 for me.
Round 2: While I still put a lot of damage into his flagship during Round 2, two things happened that really hurt me. He started by destroying the two CR90Bs that were directly in his flagship's front arc, but that was expected (one of them still got off it's armament before the Cymoon killed it). My first mistake this round was that even though I was forcing him discard defense tokens, I failed to realize that he was running Devastator … because no one runs Devastator . This was going to hurt next round. My last mistake was that my other three CR90Bs that were entering the fire came up a bit too short, ending up with his flagship not getting into medium range. Not again.
Round 3: His flagship barrels through my CR90Bs, but fails to destroy any of them. This allows them to all get their shots off, with his flagship almost dead. The Cymoon pops Bright Hope from distance. I move Quantum Storm to ram the Gozanti, land on the asteroid, use the Quantum Storm ability against the Gozanti to destroy it, then land on the asteroid, destroying me. Good times.
Round 4: His flagship takes out one of my CR90Bs and his Cymoon pops my flagship. My remaining CR90B is able to take out his flagship, but ends up at medium range in the front arc of his Cymoon. My other two CR90Bs are out of the fight.
Round 5: His Cymoon takes out another CR90B and my two others run away. Game ends.
Thoughts: Surprisingly, I was not at all unhappy with my list and its performance during this game. I got a bad break and made a few mistakes, but it was a fun list to fly. Probably not so great in a double ISD meta that loves XI7s though. Like running TRC90s though, I really need to just staying out of their front arc, even if I am expecting them to be in medium range after movement. I hope you enjoyed the battle report.