Explore the Space

So about a weekend ago a list with a GSD won, and it did not have the Demolisher title. The Demolisher title is almost stapled to the GSD but not in this list so lets take a look at the list. Imperial II (120) • Grand Admiral Thrawn (32) • Captain Brunson (5) • Gunnery Team (7) • Electronic Countermeasures (7) • Leading Shots (4) • Quad Battery Turrets (5) • Seventh Fleet Star Destroyer (5) = 185 Points

Gladiator I (56) • Hondo Ohnaka (2) • Projection Experts (6) • Seventh Fleet Star Destroyer (5) = 69 Points

Squadrons: • Mauler Mithel (15) • Bossk (23) • Dengar (20) • Maarek Stele (21) • Colonel Jendon (20) • Morna Kee (27) = 126 Points

Total Points: 380

As soon as I saw this I was so pumped, as I love Thrawn 2 ship, but this dose that without an activation gimmick no Pryce no Strategic adviser. I think this shows just how wide open the game is right now. It has a survival gimmick with Seventh Fleet, and projection experts, but from my understanding it was very much needed, and it makes the ISD super hard to take down, with Brunson, seventh fleet plus the defensive retrofit. I personally feel that this list just shows how open the game is to exploration. You can take an idea and run with it.

A lot of people myself included tend to get stuck up in the things that are “good” and we don't deviate from what is “good”, and by so doing fail to explore one of the most key parts of this game fleet building/customization. Some might say “well this list has a lot of squadrons so that is why it won” well check out this other winning list.

Faction: Galactic Empire Points: 369/400 Commander: Moff Jerjerrod

Assault Objective: Most Wanted Defense Objective: Planetary Ion Cannon Navigation Objective: Solar Corona

Gladiator I-Class Star Destroyer (56 points) - Demolisher ( 10 points) - Intel Officer ( 7 points) - Ordnance Experts ( 4 points) - Engine Techs ( 8 points) - Assault Proton Torpedoes ( 5 points) = 90 total ship cost

Raider I-Class Corvette (44 points) - Ordnance Experts ( 4 points) - Assault Proton Torpedoes ( 5 points) = 53 total ship cost

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

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

[ flagship ] Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer (120 points) - Moff Jerjerrod ( 23 points) - Avenger ( 5 points) - Strategic Adviser ( 4 points) - Gunnery Team ( 7 points) - Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points) - X17 Turbolasers ( 6 points) - Leading Shots ( 4 points) = 176 total ship cost = 0 total squadron cost

This list has probably the most insane bid that I have ever seen, it also has no squadrons, you can still win with few to no squadrons, okay but all these list are Imperial list and the Empire has been doing really really well recently well here are some winning Rebel lists:

Commander: Admiral Raddus

Assault: Close-Range Intel Scan Defense: Fleet Ambush Navigation: Solar Corona

MC80 Command Cruiser (106) • Admiral Raddus (26) • Strategic Adviser (4) • Electronic Countermeasures (7) • XX-9 Turbolasers (5) • Home One (7) = 155 Points

MC80 Battle Cruiser (103) • Intel Officer (7) • Gunnery Team (7) • Engine Techs (8) • SW-7 Ion Batteries (5) • Quad Turbolaser Cannons (10) • Spinal Armament (9) = 149 Points

GR-75 Medium Transports (18) • Leia Organa (3) • Comms Net (2) = 23 Points

GR-75 Medium Transports (18) • Ahsoka Tano (2) • Comms Net (2) = 22 Points

Squadrons: • Shara Bey (17) • 3 x A-wing Squadron (33) = 50 Points

Total Points: 399

MC80 Assault Cruiser -Admiral Ackbar -Defiance -Strategic Advisor -Electronic Countermeasures -Advanced Projectors -Quad Battery Turrets -Leading shots =189

CR90 Corvette A -Turbolaser Reroute Circuits =51

CR90 Corvette A -Turbolaser Reroute Circuits =51

GR-75 Medium Transports =18

GR-75 Medium Transports =18

Squadrons -Wedge -Dutch -VCX-100 x2 -Z-95 x2 Total: 400 pts

The health of this game has never been better the meta is wide open and we have so much space so many unused upgrades/ships to explore. It has been awhile since we have gotten new toys, and I would like to get some sooner rather then latter. However I feel that a lot of the comments about the game becoming bland or not having veritably simply comes from sticking to what is “good”, the game is wide open you can play it the way you want to, if you want to play a squadron fleet go play that, do you want to play an all ship list go play that, you want to play a balanced version of that play that, you want to play with a funny gimmick you play that, and if you practice and fine tune the list you can play this game anyway you want.

We have so much space to explore so many fun things to try, I have been playing since wave 0 and I have 5 list that I am waiting to get to the table and try. If you are getting board with the old toys, well try something new with them I still have so much to explore myself, so while we have some downtime really explore the space, have fun, and play the way you want to, have a wonderful week guys. I mean really Explore the space...