Star Wars Armada Regionals Roundup 2018

Star Wars Armada Regionals Roundup 2018

Aka - Why Armada is the best competitive game going right now... 

One of the only advantages of slowly becoming an old fart is the advantage of hindsight. As someone whose been playing competitive tabletop games for over 20 years I’ve got a fair bit of that and it’s a big part of the reason why I love Armada so much.

              You see to me a quality competitive environment is really defined by 2 things. The first is absolutely that you want a tight rules set. Nothing worse than a system with obscure rules or endless issues with LOS and movement. With Armada’s custom movement tools and some really intuitive LOS systems I could count on one hand how many times I’ve needed a TO for help but I’d have to take my shoes off to tell you how many comps I went in just last year.

      The second factor, arguably more important is that when I turn up to a weekend worth of games what I really want to see is some variety in the lists. This harkens all the way back to 3rd edition 40k which I really enjoyed except for the fact that at any given event I would inevitably find that ¾ of the players were running marines… If you wanted to include Chaos marines and Necrons it was more like 80% of everyone was running around with a 3+ save and a bolt gun (or equivalent), while it was still fun killing the same lists over and again the novelty does wear off.

      In the age of netlisting that we live now its ever more difficult to ensure the balance of unit options essential to getting a varied meta. We see it time and again in X-wing where a solid build appears and dominates for a while before FFG errata’s it into oblivion. Imperial assault seems to fall into the same trap time and again where it really only takes a month or so after a wave is released before  people have worked out the latest awesomeness which replaces the previous awesomeness… Anyone who follows IA will be overly familiar with the 4x2 which copped the nerf stick, followed by the Imperial trooper spam which went the same way, then it was scum hunters for a year where if it wasn’t double Weequay it was IG and probably some Weequays…  Currently the trending podium finishers are basically some combination of Emperor/Darth/E-Jets/1-2 officers and an ATDP to flavour… Its fun for a while but I must admit the last regionals where every game I played was against Vader/Palp/Jets/Officers + one extra something left me feeling a bit lacklustre about the game.

      This brings me to why I feel Armada is just brilliant. See I’ve been following the regionals data as it is collected and published by the amazingly engaged Armada community and the proof really is in the product. Don’t take my word for it just check out what I’ve collected below, it won’t take you long to work out what I’ve noticed:

2018 Regional Season Lists

1st place in the NJ regional goes to y-wings – 4 Activation Bomber Horde led by Garm Bel Ibis, not a list I could imagine doing well with but here it is…

Fleet 280 (397/400)
==================
Assault Frigate Mk.II B (72 + 42)
    + Garm Bel Iblis (25)
    + Flight Controllers (6)
    + Boosted Comms (4)
    + Electronic Countermeasures (7)

Assault Frigate Mk.II B (72 + 19)
    + Ahsoka Tano (2)
    + Flight Controllers (6)
    + Boosted Comms (4)
    + Electronic Countermeasures (7)

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 + 17)
    + Toryn Farr (7)
    + Bomber Command Center (8)
    + Bright Hope (2)

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 + 5)
    + Leia Organa (3)
    + Comms Net (2)

2 x VCX-100 Freighter (2 x 15)
Gold Squadron (12)
2 x A-wing Squadron (2 x 11)
7 x Y-wing Squadron (7 x 10)

Next up we have  3 activation ISD led Imps clearly using the Wave 7 tricks and a full toolbox of tricks.

Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 398/400

Commander: Moff Jerjerrod

Assault Objective: Advanced Gunnery
Defense Objective: Planetary Ion Cannon
Navigation Objective: Superior Positions

[ flagship ] Imperial Star Destroyer Kuat Refit (112 points)
- Moff Jerjerrod ( 23 points)
- Devastator ( 10 points)
- Governor Pryce ( 7 points)
- Darth Vader ( 3 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- Leading Shots ( 4 points)
- External Racks ( 3 points)
= 169 total ship cost

Raider-II Class Corvette (48 points)
- Hondo Ohnaka ( 2 points)
- Veteran Gunners ( 5 points)
- Disposable Capacitors ( 3 points)
- Heavy Ion Emplcements ( 9 points)
= 67 total ship cost

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
- Minister Tua ( 2 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- Slicer Tools ( 7 points)
= 39 total ship cost

1 Morna Kee ( 27 points)
1 Gar Saxon ( 23 points)
1 Colonel Jendon ( 20 points)
1 "Mauler" Mithel ( 15 points)
1 Saber Squadron ( 12 points)
1 Boba Fett ( 26 points) 

At Liverpool we have a Darth led double ISD build with 2 activations and a huge bid for first place. All of these events took place over the span of only a few weeks in different parts of the world. Can you see the awesome variety I’m talking about yet? Armada might only have 2 sides but far from stifling variety I’d argue that it makes it much easier for the designers to balance the options available.

Faction: Imperial
Commander: Darth Vader

Assault: Most Wanted
Defense: Capture the VIP
Navigation: Intel Sweep

ISD Kuat Refit (112)
• Governor Pryce (7)
• Boarding Troopers (3)
• Early Warning System (7)
• External Racks (3)
• Avenger (5)
= 137 Points

ISD Cymoon 1 Refit (112)
• Darth Vader (36)
• Strategic Adviser (4)
• Gunnery Team (7)
• Quad Turbolaser Cannons (10)
• H9 Turbolasers (8)
• Devastator (10)
= 187 Points

Gozanti Cruisers (23)
= 23 Points

Squadrons:
• Ciena Ree (17)
• Lambda Shuttle (15)
= 32 Points

Total Points: 379

  

Next it’s Sloan with a build focussing on high activations and squadron advantage rather than worrying about going first at all costs like the some of the previous builds.

Name: Ryan Rhodes    Points: 26
Faction: Imperial
Commander: Admiral Sloane

Assault: Most Wanted
Defense: Contested Outpost
Navigation: Superior Positions

Imperial II (120)
• Admiral Sloane (24)
• Strategic Adviser (4)
• Gunnery Team (7)
• Electronic Countermeasures (7)
• Leading Shots (4)
• Avenger (5)
= 171 Points

Gozanti Cruisers (23)
• Comms Net (2)
= 25 Points

Gozanti Cruisers (23)
= 23 Points

Gozanti Cruisers (23)
= 23 Points

Gozanti Cruisers (23)
= 23 Points

Squadrons:
• Dengar (20)
• Howlrunner (16)
• Maarek Stele (21)
• Mauler Mithel (15)
• Saber Squadron (12)
• Soontir Fel (18)
• TIE Interceptor Squadron (11)
• Colonel Jendon (20)
= 133 Points

Total Points: 398

And another double ISD Darth build but this time there’s huge investment in those ISDs and no real attempt to include squadrons at all. It’s so cool in the current wave seeing so many big ships going around.

Faction: Galactic Empire

Points: 399/400  

Assault Objective: Most Wanted
Defense Objective: Contested Outpost
Navigation Objective: Solar Corona

 [ flagship ] Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer (120 points)
-  Darth Vader  ( 36  points)
-  Devastator  ( 10  points)
-  Intel Officer  ( 7  points)
-  Gunnery Team  ( 7  points)
-  Early Warning System  ( 7  points)
-  Quad Battery Turrets  ( 5  points)
-  Heavy Ion Emplacements   ( 9 points)
= 201 total ship cost

 Imperial Star Destroyer Kuat Refit(112 points)
-  Avenger  ( 5  points)
-  Strategic Adviser  ( 4  points)
-  Boarding Troopers  ( 3  points)
-  Electronic Countermeasures  ( 7  points)
-  External Racks  ( 3  points)
= 134 total ship cost

 Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
-  Comms Net  ( 2  points)
= 25 total ship cost

 Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 points)
= 23 total ship cost

 2 TIE Fighter Squadrons ( 16 points) 

Another really unusual build and one that I’ve never considered. Who would have thought that a horde of Z-95s and Pelta of all things would take out a regionals but there it is.

Name: Untitled Fleet Faction: Rebel
Commander: General Dodonna
Objectives - Assault: Precision Strike Defense: Contested Outpost Navigation: Solar Corona

Pelta Command Ship (60)

General Dodonna (20)

Toryn Farr (7)
Engine Techs (8)
All fighters, Follow Me! (5)

Rapid Launch Bays (6)
Phoenix Home (3)
Flight Commander (3)
= 112 Points

Nebulon-B Escort Frigate (57) • Yavaris (5)
= 62 Points

GR-75 Medium Transports (18) • Bomber Command Center (8) = 26 Points
GR-75 Medium Transports (18) • Comms Net (2) = 20 Points
GR-75 Medium Transports (18) • Comms Net (2) = 20 Points
GR-75 Medium Transports (18) = 18 Points

Squadrons:
Gold Squadron (12)
Dagger Squadron (15)
Ten Numb (19)
B-wing Squadron (14)
2 x VCX-100 Freighter (30)
2 x HWK-290 (24)
Z-95 Headhunter Squadron (7) = 121 Points
Total Points: 379

Squadrons? Who needs squadrons when you’ve got the fattest of fat triangles, interestingly though this guy missed the memo about how good Wave 7 stuff is, using almost entirely old tech to take out his regionals.

Motti ISD 2 and isd1 (390/400)
=================================
Imperial II-class Star Destroyer (120 + 58)
    + Admiral Motti (24)
    + Agent Kallus (3)
    + Gunnery Team (7)
    + Quad Laser Turrets (5)
    + Reinforced Blast Doors (5)
    + Leading Shots (4)
    + Quad Battery Turrets (5)
    + Avenger (5)

Imperial I-class Star Destroyer (110 + 24)
    + Strategic Adviser (4)
    + Ordnance Experts (4)
    + High-Capacity Ion Turbines (8)
    + H9 Turbolasers (8)

Raider I-class Corvette (44 + 7)
    + Ordnance Experts (4)
    + External Racks (3)

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 + 4)
    + Hondo Ohnaka (2)
    + Comms Net (2)

Contested Outpost
Solar Corona
Station Assault

Dodonna strikes again, this time it’s a 4 activation build with a good ol wave 2 space whale in the middle.

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 400/400  

Assault Objective: Precision Strike
Defense Objective: Fighter Ambush
Navigation Objective: Superior Positions

[ flagship ] Assault Frigate Mark II B (72 points)
-  General Dodonna  ( 20  points)
-  Gallant Haven  ( 8  points)
-  Raymus Antilles  ( 7  points)
-  Flight Controllers  ( 6  points)
-  Expanded Hangar Bay  ( 5  points)
-  Electronic Countermeasures  ( 7  points)
-  XX-9 Turbolasers  ( 5  points)
= 130 total ship cost

Nebulon-B Escort Frigate (57 points)

-  Yavaris  ( 5  points)
-  Flight Commander  ( 3  points)
-  Fighter Coordination Team  ( 3  points)
= 68 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
-  Bright Hope  ( 2  points)
-  Adar Tallon  ( 10  points)
-  Boosted Comms  ( 4  points)
-  Bomber Command Center  ( 8  points)
= 42 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
-  Ahsoka Tano  ( 2  points)
-  Boosted Comms  ( 4  points)
-  Comms Net  ( 2  points)
= 26 total ship cost

1 Keyan Farlander ( 20 points)
1 "Dutch" Vander ( 16 points)
1 Wedge Antilles ( 19 points)
1 Jan Ors ( 19 points)
2 B-Wing Squadrons ( 28 points)
1 Luke Skywalker ( 20 points)
1 Gold Squadron ( 12 points) 

And again with Dodonna, clearly the cheapest commander in the game must be broken AF! With no bid for first and some clear objective synergy with the strategic ships you can see the flexibility of this build.

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 400/400  

Assault Objective: Advanced Gunnery
Defense Objective: Fire Lanes
Navigation Objective: Intel Sweep

[ flagship ] MC80 Battle Cruiser (103 points)
-  General Dodonna  ( 20  points)
-  Mon Karren  ( 8  points)
-  Intel Officer  ( 7  points)
-  Caitken and Shollan  ( 6  points)
-  Engine Techs  ( 8  points)
-  X17 Turbolasers  ( 6  points)
-  Spinal Armament  ( 9  points)
-  SW 7 Ion Batteries  ( 5  points)
= 172 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
-  Leia Organa  ( 3  points)
-  Comms Net  ( 2  points)
= 23 total ship cost

 GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
-  Ahsoka Tano  ( 2  points)
= 20 total ship cost

 GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
= 18 total ship cost

 GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
= 18 total ship cost

 GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
-  Bright Hope  ( 2  points)
-  Toryn Farr  ( 7  points)
= 27 total ship cost

  GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
= 18 total ship cost

2 VCX-100 Freighters ( 30 points)
1 Jan Ors ( 19 points)
5 A-Wing Squadrons ( 55 points) 

Back to imperials, 4 activations, huge bid for first and so many black dice it’s crazy…

++ Standard (Imperial Navy) [386pts] ++

+ Objectives +
Assault Objective: Advanced Gunnery
Defense Objective: Contested Outpost
Navigation Objective: Solar Corona

Imperial I-class Star Destroyer [162pts]:

·         Admiral Sloane [24pts],

·         Governor Pryce [7pts]

·         Boarding Troopers [3pts]

·         Leading Shots [4pts]

·         Spinal Armament [9pts]

·         Avenger [5pts

Gladiator I-class Star Destroyer [80pts]

·        Assault Proton Torpedoes [5pts],

·        Ordnance Experts [4pts],

·        Captain Brunson [5pts],

·        Demolisher [10pts]

                 Gozanti-class Cruisers [25pts]

·         Comms Net [2pts]

Gozanti-class Cruisers [23pts]

Squadrons

·         Lambda-class Shuttle [20pts]:

·         Colonel Jendon [20pts]

·         2x TIE Defender Squadron [32pts]

·         Maarek Stele [21pts]

·         TIE Fighter Squadron [8pts]

·         "Mauler" Mithel [15pts]

Now I know most people will look at this one and go he’s done well because of the squadrons… but hell, anyone who can win a regionals with an interdictor as their flagship has my vote no matter what they back it up with. Literally thought I would never see the day. It was a 5 game regional with a top cut too if anyone wants to think it was a fluke…

Fleet 300 (379/400)
==================
Most Wanted
Contested Outpost
Superior Positions

Interdictor Suppression Refit (90 + 59)
    + Admiral Sloane (24)
    + Captain Brunson (5)
    + Disposable Capacitors (3)
    + G7-X Grav Well Projector (2)
    + Targeting Scrambler (5)
    + Heavy Ion Emplacements (9)
    + Engine Techs (8)
    + Interdictor (3)

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 + 23)
    + Minister Tua (2)
    + Slicer Tools (7)
    + Expanded Hangar Bay (5)
    + Vector (2)
    + Electronic Countermeasures (7)

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 + 4)
    + Repair Crews (4)

Gozanti-class Cruisers (23 + 2)
    + Comms Net (2)

Maarek Stele (21)
Colonel Jendon (20)
Dengar (20)
Howlrunner (16)
Mauler Mithel (15)
Zertik Strom (15)
Valen Rudor (13)
Saber Squadron (12)

Guess who! Dodonna, whale and squads, again, it’s amazing how a few tweaks to the original wave stuff keep it going and going.

1st Regional Dortmund 2018 
Author: Tlist

Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 400/400  

Commander: General Dodonna

Assault Objective: Precision Strike
Defense Objective: Fire Lanes
Navigation Objective: Sensor Net

Assault Frigate Mark II B (72 points)
-  Gallant Haven  ( 8  points)
-  Toryn Farr  ( 7  points)
= 87 total ship cost

[ flagship ] Nebulon-B Escort Frigate (57 points)
-  General Dodonna  ( 20  points)
-  Yavaris  ( 5  points)
-  Flight Commander  ( 3  points)
-  Fighter Coordination Team  ( 3  points)
= 88 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
-  Adar Tallon  ( 10  points)
= 28 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
-  Bomber Command Center  ( 8  points)
= 26 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
-  Comms Net  ( 2  points)
= 20 total ship cost

GR-75 Medium Transports (18 points)
= 18 total ship cost

1 B-Wing Squadron ( 14 points)

1 Ten Numb ( 19 points)
1 Corran Horn ( 22 points)
2 VCX-100 Freighters ( 30 points)
1 Luke Skywalker ( 20 points)
1 Gold Squadron ( 12 points)
1 "Dutch" Vander ( 16 points)
= 133 total squadron cost

Well if you survived through that giant pile of lists I hope you see what I’m excited about. Almost every ship is represented to some extent including ships that are from the original waves but are still competitive in a way that contradicts claims of power creep. I’ve even been amazed that ships I frankly consider write offs are doing well in some metas with large player bases. Nebulon’s and Corvettes come from the starter pack and though we don’t see hordes of them they still punch well in their respective categories. Hammerhead corvettes that I personally don’t rate just contributed to winning this year’s vassal world cup due to an interesting amalgamation of old tech with new ideas as Raddus/Profundity pop out a hammerhead for some surprise death. Even the Pelta and the interdictor feature though clearly not as much as Imperial Star Destroyers which are totally dominating the tables in many places right now… I’d have to ask though, is that a bad thing? We’ve seen enough waves of small ships nobody has ever heard of (looking at you Demolisher…) taking down everything. Seeing the big boys dominate really does just illustrate the active efforts of Armada’s brilliant design team.

Come to think of it the only thing they haven’t managed to fix is the victory, the good ol space brick isn’t represented anywhere here… Many who read my previous opinions on it decried my hate for the Vic offering overwhelming piles of anecdotal and ‘in a vacuum ‘examples to support their positions claiming that the Vic is still great. I put it to you that even Trump himself couldn’t make the Vic great again, it’s about as useful as a hat full of assholes.

Balancing Epic Tournament Lists with DBAD

Establishing a healthy meta

Quite a few people, mostly from outside Aus have asked me just what DBAD (don’t be a dick) is all about since it turned up in our tournament setting about a year back. Some have asked what the criteria are and how it is enforced consistently. 

The answer is both simple and hugely complex. At its simplest DBAD has come out of a series of competitive events in Australia where our top players have frankly pushed the boundaries of Epic well into power gaming territory. DBAD is the reaction then to a situation which was poisoning our competitive system and gaming community. Essentially we started to recognise a few realities in our context.

There are probably only 5-6 players in our country who represent the top tier of possible gamers. The sort of people who invest significant time and energy researching, refining, practicing builds. Dredging the forums for top builds and obscure lists and finding ways then milk the power from those lists. The vast majority of our tournament players are likely to be far more casual than this so DBAD comes from a concern for the enjoyment of all players at our events. Our most controversial lists have all been covered in the past but I’ll give you this one as an example we recently saw from the Uk. 

Epic UK Space Marines 2018

Thunderhawk Thunderhawk Thunderhawk Thunderhawk Thunderhawk Thunderhawk Scouts Scouts Assaults Assaults Titan/Air Third Thunderbolts Thunderbolts Thunderbolts Thunderbolts Thunderbolts

Now of course this list is entirely legal to use but what DBAD is trying to recognise is the reality that our game doesn’t have the same level of fluidity and adjustment to list design that we would expect from many other systems. Those of you who have played bigger systems like Warhammer 40k or X-wing would be familiar with the inevitable process where OP lists are identified at comps and there will be an inevitable nerf bat cycle completed through errata or new builds etc and the cycle continues. In those games it works to an extent because their is an active governing body but our systems are glacial if anything. DBAD is about giving TOs more discretion to decide not just whether lists are powerful but when they cross the line between competitive and just plain not fun. 

Using the list above as an example would anyone try to argue that its in any way themey, or fun? If you are also running a hugely powerful list it might make for a super tactical game and be really challenging but thinking back to the fact that only a few players at any given comp will be running lists in that category. For the players who turn up with just a standard/balanced list reflective of a more casual gamer they will ultimately get smashed and have no real chance of even engaging with that game. DBAD is saying use lists like that at home against players of equivalent skill and list building. 

Now while some of you are no doubt reading this and getting ready to argue away about how tournaments are for competitive play and nothing else so people who don’t want to bring an air cav abomination just get what they deserve remember I’d suggest you’ve missed the point. Taking that position will just lead to a decline in the number of people bothering to play at your tournaments and a stagnation of your community. Accept the reality that Epic is so easy to break and exploit that it just isn’t the place to go if you want to be an Uber gamer. There are plenty of other systems better suited. Hell, come play Star Wars Armada with me, it’s got incredible strategic depth and nobody has ever questioned the power level of my lists at comps, no matter how hard I try to break the game. 

The best Epic tournaments are the ones which are competitive but still friendly. Where all players can walk away knowing that the best player, not just the best list won. I would encourage every community around the place to give this adaptation a go. As I said initially, there are no magic limits or criteria, the power level is determined by your own community and TOs and even here there is certainly variety. At our events I’d suggest that 10-15% of lists are initially rejected and most commonly the reason is just spamming of a single powerful unit like Vessels of Pain in Dark Eldar, or Orkeosaurus in Feral Orks. 

No system is perfect but the proof to me is in the data. In anecdotal terms all of our comps played with DBAD have had positive feedback from players which is not something I would have said before hand. For those who prefer quantitative data I’d point to our tournament attendance numbers which have been steadily growing as news of these changes spread around. To me our comps are the healthiest and most enjoyable we’ve ever seen.  

If you happen to be an Aussie sitting on the fence about attending a tournament I would encourage you to get along to one at some point. heavy Bolter is just around the corner, Castle Assault in August and of course Cancon every January which seems to be the one with the biggest representation from across the county. 

Thanks for reading, feedback is always appreciated, especially those ads for penis enhancement and other drugs that seem to pop up in the comments. And remember, Don’t Be A Dick!