So I've been playing around with a few SSD builds and wondering about what Objectives go best with the SSD. With the recent publishing of the SSD rules one specific rule stood out as having a big impact on objective choices:

"A Huge ship cannot be deployed overlapping obstacles"

Prior to this, for example, I was thinking that Salvage Run could be great for an SSD as it could just deploy facing the Station and just shunt forwards to get all the tokens. But this can be easily blocked now with good obstacle positioning.

I'd say good Objectives includes:

Contested Outpost - just deploy it somewhere you can slow roll towards and with Command 4 it's going to be very tough for the opponent to score points.

Solar Corona - deployment advantage and some accuracies will get cancelled.

Minefields - you get to place all obstacles so can keep deployment options open and can put mines to help cover your flanks.

Blockade Run - less chance of ships sneaking down your flanks.

Most Wanted - good as usual, assuming you have a Gozanti to be the objective ship.

Capture the VIP - you should be able to grab the VIP pretty easily and then it's going to be safe as can be on board the SSD! 50 free points easy.

Fleet Ambush - what's better than forcing your opponent to be even closer to impending destruction?

So-so

Station Assault - it should be possible to protect your stations but deployment may be limited and you don't want them placed so that they block your deployment options.

Intel Sweep - you're so big that you can probably line up tokens and grab them comfortably enough.

Sensor Net - you should be able to grab a few token safely enough.

Targeting Beacons - there's a good chance you'll have something in range of a beacon.

Planetary Ion Cannons - no harm but not great either.

Fire Lanes - the SSD can get a lot of firepower on some tokens but has to be careful about overlapping them and giving points to the opponent. A VCX or Lamda could really ruin the day here.

Bad Objectives:

Superior Positions - You've got a big butt and it's like to get shot at whereas you're unlikely to get to shoot anyone in the back. Solar Corona is the better choice if you want to get deployment advantage.

Salvage Run - with the addition of 2 dust fields and all obstacles having to go at Distance 1-5 of the station it's going to be hard for the SSD to deploy in such a way that it can get to the Station quickly, meaning your opponent will probably be able to grab some of those tokens.

Navigational Hazards - it's going to be too easy for your opponent to move obstacles in your path and get points from overlaps.

Close Range Intel Scan - more dust fields, useful for blocking deployment options and giving targets something to hide behind.

Advanced Gunnery - you're not going to want to risk not taking Gunnery Teams in the hope of getting this objective.

Precision Strike - this can backfire pretty badly!

Opening Salvo - very bad. 1 hull of damage and you're giving away lots of points.

Jamming Barrier - you really don't want something blocking your shots!

Hyperspace Assault - as this is limited to small or medium you're not likely to have points for something meaningful to hurt with as a drop ship.

On the whole there are some awesome Yellow Objectives. Some half decent Red options while Blue is pretty weak.

So what do people think?

Only of half of superior positions.

Deployment advantage with minimal drops is good...

Your butt is actually fairly small, and you can swing crazily to juke enemies off it — but you’re totally right, if you don’t have bunches of squads, you’re not scoring on it either.

13 minutes ago, Zamalekite said:

I'd say good Objectives includes:

[...]

Hyperspace Assault - Raddus SSD for the win!! Just how crazy would someone  have to be to pick this against the SSD?

This does not sound very good. Remember Hyperspace Assault only lets you set aside a small to medium ship. So you can't drop the SSD and fitting another strong ship (VSD or GSD typically) into an SSD build will be tough.

18 minutes ago, Zamalekite said:

So-so

[...]

Fire Lanes - the SSD can get a lot of firepower on some tokens but has to be careful about overlapping them and giv  ing points to the opponent. A VCX or Lamda could really ruin the day here.

This on the other hand could, with the right list, be a top notch Objective.

Collecting tokens while luring enemies into the imperial meat grinder if they want to do something about your token colleting.

10 minutes ago, LordCola said:

This does not sound very good. Remember Hyperspace Assault only lets you set aside a small to medium ship. So you can't drop the SSD and fitting another strong ship (VSD or GSD typically) into an SSD build will be tough.

Dang. Totally forgetting that rather important stipulation... mustn't post past my bedtime. I'll move that to the lame category...

I would argue that advanced gunnery is Sooo good it is bad lol

Good list though! I agree with your assesment

I'd put Contested Outpost in the so-so category, because I think healing on the station will be a crucial strategy for the SSD. I don't really like Blockade Run because of the limited deployment rules.

I'd maybe bump up Fire Lanes, Targeting Beacons and Planetary Ion Cannon, but otherwise I think you're right on.

Just wait for RITR to come out, TWELVE more objectives!