So I feel like the most competitive list is likely a single commander variant of two following. Effectively boiling down to 6x B-1 Units with 2x Droideka Units or 5x B-1 Units with 3x Droideka Units. What are folks thoughts? Here is the list which I am currently leaning towards:

Count Dooku (205 + 30 = 235)
--Force Choke (5), Force Push (10), Force Reflexes (10), Esteemed Leader (5)

B1 Battle Droids (36 + 24 = 60)
--E-5C B1 Trooper (18), B1 Battle Droid (6)

B1 Battle Droids (36 + 24 = 60)
--E-5C B1 Trooper (18), B1 Battle Droid (6)

B1 Battle Droids (36 + 16 = 52)
--B1 Battle Droid (6), HQ Uplink (10)

B1 Battle Droids (36 + 16 = 52)
--B1 Battle Droid (6), HQ Uplink (10)

B1 Battle Droids (36 + 0 = 36)

Droidekas (100 + 0 = 100)

Droidekas (100 + 0 = 100)

Droidekas (100 + 0 = 100)

I'm not a huge fan of B1 squads without a heavy trooper, 6-7 white attack dice without surge hits like a wet noodle. 1-2 squads maybe for activation and object control but 3 without heavies im not so sure.

Having said that the faction is quite limited in its configurations with both commanders being high point costs as well as the only support unit currently available being on the higher end as well.

I would also possibly suggest getting some E-60R heavy troopers in as well, currently the list is very weak to armour (though this is a meta call as well), and if your already running HQ Uplinks then they pair well in units that need to use the recover action periodically.

Most of my comments are speculative though so grain of salt and all that.

As a newer player who's only faction is CIS, these are just my opinions:

I agree that a single commander is the way to go for the CIS. Their two available leaders are powerhouses, but take up too many points if run together.

The standard army list I've seen people playing (including myself) seems to be flexible enough to handle most situations given the CIS's limited amount of units. The list is 6x B1 Battle Droid squads (4x with E-5C and B1 Battle Droid upgrade and 2x with E60-R, HQ Uplink, and the Battle Droid upgrade) and 2x Droidekas with Linked Targeting Array.
The E-60R squads give you a response to any units with Armor that might pop up, and the HQ uplinks on them will give you the chance to chain order tokens on turns when you might not be able to get order tokens to your droids (like when playing your commander's signature 1-pip command card). This list typically uses Grievous, but if running Dooku, I'd consider dropping the Linked Targeting Arrays on the Droidekas and the B1 Battle Droid upgrades on the Battle Droid squads. That should be enough points to run Dooku with upgrades.

Heavy weapons on B1 squads are a near-must for them to be effective at all in the game.

Two Droidekas seem to give enough firepower to support the Battle Droids. Since they can't have order tokens chained to them from the B1s (because they aren't "Droid Troopers"), it can be tough to have more than two without letting them suffer from AI too much.

Quick tactics question: Droidekas count as light cover to Trooper units behind them right? How effective are they as a mobile shield wall?

18 hours ago, Derpzilla88 said:

As a newer player who's only faction is CIS, these are just my opinions:

I agree that a single commander is the way to go for the CIS. Their two available leaders are powerhouses, but take up too many points if run together.

The standard army list I've seen people playing (including myself) seems to be flexible enough to handle most situations given the CIS's limited amount of units. The list is 6x B1 Battle Droid squads (4x with E-5C and B1 Battle Droid upgrade and 2x with E60-R, HQ Uplink, and the Battle Droid upgrade) and 2x Droidekas with Linked Targeting Array.
The E-60R squads give you a response to any units with Armor that might pop up, and the HQ uplinks on them will give you the chance to chain order tokens on turns when you might not be able to get order tokens to your droids (like when playing your commander's signature 1-pip command card). This list typically uses Grievous, but if running Dooku, I'd consider dropping the Linked Targeting Arrays on the Droidekas and the B1 Battle Droid upgrades on the Battle Droid squads. That should be enough points to run Dooku with upgrades.

Heavy weapons on B1 squads are a near-must for them to be effective at all in the game.

Two Droidekas seem to give enough firepower to support the Battle Droids. Since they can't have order tokens chained to them from the B1s (because they aren't "Droid Troopers"), it can be tough to have more than two without letting them suffer from AI too much.

A tournament was won with Grievous and Dooku paired together

18 minutes ago, TheHoosh said:

A tournament was won with Grievous and Dooku paired together

Like I said, those are just my opinions. Not fact.

I personally wouldn't run the two of them together because that's a significant loss of activations and health total across the army. But the right player using the right skill and strategy makes a difference. I also wouldn't take one single tournament's results as what's best in that faction.

6 minutes ago, Derpzilla88 said:

Like I said, those are just my opinions. Not fact.

I personally wouldn't run the two of them together because that's a significant loss of activations and health total across the army. But the right player using the right skill and strategy makes a difference. I also wouldn't take one single tournament's results as what's best in that faction.

Not saying its best in faction, it was also the top player in the world, I'm just saying it can be viable for droids. Personally I've been running lists similar to what you suggested

5 minutes ago, TheHoosh said:

Not saying its best in faction, it was also the top player in the world, I'm just saying it can be viable for droids. Personally I've been running lists similar to what you suggested

I agree. I think the two-commander list is viable but only with significant practice. That's the only reason why I wouldn't suggest it as a go-to list for the faction.

I've only gotten to play a few games so far, but from what I've seen online and experienced, the number of activations matter and the sheer number of units in a squad of B1s feels like the CIS army's greatest strength. That's why I'm hesitant to suggest or try running the Grievous-Dooku list.

2 minutes ago, Derpzilla88 said:

I agree. I think the two-commander list is viable but only with significant practice. That's the only reason why I wouldn't suggest it as a go-to list for the faction.

I've only gotten to play a few games so far, but from what I've seen online and experienced, the number of activations matter and the sheer number of units in a squad of B1s feels like the CIS army's greatest strength. That's why I'm hesitant to suggest or try running the Grievous-Dooku list.

Yes B1s with activation control are quite a nice boost when playing CIS

I would go with 6 b1 units for sure. Dooku + Grevious is also great, but single commander 2 droidekas works. I would use less droidekas when given the choice.