It is probably no surprise to thoughts that have kept up with AMM for a long time that I tend to be an Armada player that gravitates toward the Unconventional ideas. Unconventional ideas are what makes the meta go round, like the conventional Idea of more activations/ships are better by the unconventional idea of Thrawn 2 ship, and then Tharwn 2 ship became a conventional way to play the game. 2 ship has faded out a bit but many of the core principles in that list are found in other list right now particularly in what I call the Cataclysmic Squall list:
Onager Testbed (96)
• General Romodi (20)
• Admiral Ozzel (2)
• Ordnance Experts (4)
• Veteran Gunners (5)
• Medical Team (1)
• Orbital Bombardment Particle Cannons (5)
• Cataclysm (5)
= 138 Points
Quasar Fire I (54)
• Governor Pryce (7)
• Flight Controllers (6)
• Boosted Comms (4)
• Squall (3)
= 74 Points
Gozanti Assault Carriers (28)
• Hondo Ohnaka (2)
• Comms Net (2)
• Reserve Hangar Deck (3)
= 35 Points
Gozanti Assault Carriers (28)
• Comms Net (2)
• Reserve Hangar Deck (3)
= 33 Points
Squadrons:
• Morna Kee (27)
• Mauler Mithel (15)
• Colonel Jendon (20)
• Maarek Stele (21)
• JumpMaster 5000 (12)
• Black Squadron (9)
• 2 x TIE Fighter Squadron (16)
= 120 Points
Total Points: 400
Challenging conventional thinking is the way to create a diverse and ever changing and in my opinion healthy meta. There are plenty of conventional ideas in armada some more broad like: Squadrons are the best way to kill squadrons, you should always attack a ship with your smaller die pool first, etc. some much more narrow like: Z-95s are bad squadrons, or an ISD-II should always equip gunnery team, etc.
When challenging conventional thinking in armada I would say more often than not you will end up with something not quite as good, but through revision and trial and error you can get something highly competitive list like the Garm list one that won the North America Continental Championship last year.
MC80 Star Cruiser (96) • Garm Bel Iblis (25) • Strategic Adviser (4) • Nav Team (4) = 129 Points
Nebulon-B Escort Frigate (57) • Yavaris (5) = 62 Points
Hammerhead Scout Corvette (41) • Slaved Turrets (6) = 47 Points
Pelta Command Ship (60) • Ahsoka Tano (2) • Fighter Coordination Team (3) • Intensify Firepower! (6) = 71 Points
Squadrons: • Jan Ors (19) • Gold Squadron (12) • Biggs Darklighter (19) • 2 x X-wing Squadron (26) • VCX-100 Freighter (15) = 91 Points
Total Points: 400
Even if you don't end up with a top tier you will increase your understanding of the game, and maybe even reshape the meta even if just slightly. Sometimes you may feel like a mad scientists delving into one sacred Armada mantras that should not be tampered with, but you might be surprised with what you end up with.
I want to give you are going to do just that, by challenging the idea that an ISD-II should always take Gunnery teams. I have two examples that in the depths of madness I came up with. First up is what I call the salvo master:
Imperial II (120)
• Emperor Palpatine (3)
• Local Fire Control (4)
• Electronic Countermeasures (7)
• SW-7 Ion Batteries (5)
• Linked Turbolaser Towers (7)
• Avenger (5)
= 151 Points
With this guy no one wants to attack you, they need to spend a token just to do that with Palpatine. Then they will take a salvo attack back and do they spend a token to help defend against that only to get shot at by an avenger shot, and while you are attacking them do they salvo to just spend another token? In the list I ran it in I used Hand of Justice title for extra salvo fun. It is a very fun and interesting build and I think it might have some legs. Next how about a double arcing ISD?
Imperial II (120)
• Tactical Expert (6)
• Weapons Battery Techs (5)
• Electronic Countermeasures (7)
• High-Capacity Ion Turbines (8)
• Quad Turbolaser Cannons (10)
• Chimaera (4)
• Intensify Firepower! (6)
= 166 Points
Okay so let's add the caveat that this ship will need to be accompanied by Captain Jounus. So we improve our side by 1 blue die with High-capacity Ion Turbines so 5 dice so far QTC with Jounus will add red accurices and IF and WBT can flip both thoughes dice to a hit or crit respectively, and I am not personally a huge fan of Tactical Expert, but it gives us the edge on the turn we need it bringing our side dice pool to a total of 7 so 7 from the side 9 from the front with QTC and well that is a ship with one scary double arc. You could always change things up and take Darth Vader as a commander and end up with something more like this:
Imperial II (120)
• Darth Vader (36)
• Tactical Expert (6)
• Boarding Troopers (3)
• Electronic Countermeasures (7)
• High-Capacity Ion Turbines (8)
• Quad Turbolaser Cannons (10)
= 190 Points
I have not gotten this strange idea to the table, but it's intriguing to me and unconventional so it will at some point see play from me. How have you seen unconventional ideas shape your meta? What Ideas unconventional have you tried where they successful or not? Thanks for reading stay safe and until next time have a great week!
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