For a long time now particularly at higher levels of play the list archetype MSU (Multiple Small Units) has been absent, or at the very least severely lacking. MSU used to be one of the strongest archetypes in the game particularly in the early days, so what changed? I have thought about this a good deal and asked the Armada community why they thought this was. I got a lot of insightful thoughts about this and I want to really touch on what I think are the 3 key reasons MSU is currently a rare sight: activation shenanigans, trouble dealing with squadrons, vulnerable to early alpha strikes.
One of the big selling points of MSU is to out activate your opponent. This is something that has become a bit more difficult or even impossible with cards like Pryce, and strategic advisor. On the rebel side you can take a Liberty star cruiser and get two activations out of it for 100 points even by adding strategic advisor, The rebels are still just barely able to squeeze in 3 activations under while keeping relatively similar firepower, with two GR-75's and an MC-30 clocking in right at 99 points, however it is impossible for the rebels to get 3 "Real Ship" activations under 100 points. On the Imperial side this problem is only exacerbated as they now have the Testbed meaning they have a large ship that can get two activations for 100 points now the Empire can get that 3 activations below the 100 point mark with a raider and 2 Gozanti, but the firepower is extremely dissimilar.
Because of this point spread its very easy to get 7 activations in what is called LMSU (Large ship plus Multiple Small Units) in both factions:
Onager Testbed (96) • General Romodi (20) • Strategic Adviser (4) • Veteran Gunners (5) • Ordnance Experts (4) • Medical Team (1) • Orbital Bombardment Particle Cannons (5) = 135 Points
Gladiator I (56) • Ordnance Experts (4) • External Racks (3) • Demolisher (10) = 73 Points
Arquitens Light Cruiser (54) • Linked Turbolaser Towers (7) = 61 Points
Arquitens Light Cruiser (54) • Linked Turbolaser Towers (7) = 61 Points
Gozanti Assault Carriers (28) • Slicer Tools (7) = 35 Points
Gozanti Assault Carriers (28) • Slicer Tools (7) = 35 Points
Squadrons: = 0 Points
Total Points: 400
and for rebels:
MC80 Star Cruiser (96) • Kyrsta Agate (20) • Strategic Adviser (4) • Weapons Battery Techs (5) • Auxiliary Shields Team (3) • Heavy Ion Emplacements (9) • H9 Turbolasers (8) • Spinal Armament (9) • Endeavor (4) = 158 Points
Pelta Command Ship (60) • Lando Calrissian (4) • Intensify Firepower! (6) • Disposable Capacitors (3) = 73 Points
Hammerhead Scout Corvette (41) • Slaved Turrets (6) = 47 Points
Hammerhead Scout Corvette (41) • Slaved Turrets (6) = 47 Points
Hammerhead Scout Corvette (41) • Slaved Turrets (6) = 47 Points
GR-75 Medium Transports (18) • Hondo Ohnaka (2) • Comms Net (2) = 22 Points
Squadrons: = 0 Points
Total Points: 394
Because of this ture MSU lists really want at least 7 activations to at least be on par with LMSU but preferably 8 to get some advantage from taking ture MSU over LMSU, and while not impossible for the Empire it is rather tough for them:
Raider I (44) • Admiral Ozzel (20) • Corvus (2) = 66 Points
Raider I (44) • Ordnance Experts (4) • External Racks (3) = 51 Points
Raider I (44) • Ordnance Experts (4) • External Racks (3) = 51 Points
Raider I (44) • Ordnance Experts (4) • External Racks (3) = 51 Points
Raider I (44) • Ordnance Experts (4) • External Racks (3) = 51 Points
Raider I (44) • Ordnance Experts (4) • External Racks (3) = 51 Points
Gozanti Cruisers (23) • Slicer Tools (7) = 30 Points
Gozanti Cruisers (23) • Slicer Tools (7) = 30 Points
Squadrons: = 0 Points
Total Points: 381
the Rebellion has an easier time with this due to access to cheaper ships.
CR90 Corvette B (39) • Mon Mothma (30) • Liberator (2) • Entrapment Formation! (5) = 76 Points
CR90 Corvette B (39) • Ezra Bridger (3) • SW-7 Ion Batteries (5) • Jaina's Light (2) = 49 Points
CR90 Corvette B (39) • Sabine Wren (4) • SW-7 Ion Batteries (5) = 48 Points
CR90 Corvette B (39) • SW-7 Ion Batteries (5) = 44 Points
CR90 Corvette B (39) • SW-7 Ion Batteries (5) = 44 Points
CR90 Corvette B (39) • SW-7 Ion Batteries (5) = 44 Points
GR-75 Medium Transports (18) • Jamming Field (2) • Advanced Transponder Net (5) = 25 Points
GR-75 Medium Transports (18) • Slicer Tools (7) = 25 Points
Squadrons: • VCX-100 Freighter (15) • 3 x Y-wing Squadron (30) = 45 Points
Total Points: 400
It's just a bit more difficult for ture MSU to get activation advantage than it once was, so its advantage in this category has diminished and has in part led to the decline of MSU.
Squadrons, they provide an interesting challenge to MSU lists. This is in part that most MSU lists are not able to take squadorns if they want to leverage the activation game, as more points in squadons means less points in ships and less activations. So while it is not impossible to do well against squadrons with MSU it can be a challenge.
In addition squadrons in general provide a bit of a conundrum for MSU lists. The main theory behind MSU taking ships down in the death by a thousand cuts, however the theory behind squadron lists are much the same. In addition a large squadonball provides something that MSU has trouble with a point fortress.
Squadons unless they run into another squadron ball are fairly difficult to kill, and can act as a point fortress of sorts in that if you are not tabled they won't count toward your opponent's MOV and if you have 100+ points in squadrons that is a lot of missed points. In addition even when a squadball starts to take damage from another squadron wing it tends to bleed points far less quickly than when an MSU list starts losing ships squadrons are generally 15-20ish points while a ship after upgrades are generally at least 40 points, almost double, factor in that ships are simply easier to kill than squadrons it starts to look grim for MSU, this leads us into our last point that we will talk about in this article.
With Squall and Cataclysm in play turn one alpha strikes are a thing, and saidly for MSU this is very bad news. You start losing bits of your firepower and activations to early in the game it become near impossible to recover. MSU lists unfortunately tend to bleed points and if they start to bleed to early its game over. In addition because MSU tend to bleed points it can be rather difficult to get a larger MOV.
How can you combat these disadvantages in an MSU list, well for some things like activation advantage there is not much you can do. For bleeding to many points you can take objectives that you can farm points off of to help negate that. at the end of the day I don't think ture MSU is dead, but playing MSU requires a fairly high skill level, and can be rather taxing on the player as every mistake you make is likely going to give your opponent points. What are some other Pros/Cons of MSU, how have you seen MSU flown successfully? I hope to give ture MSU another go after I finish up playing Agate, I only have 2 more ships to try her on, I know her final thoughts write up has been a long time coming and I promise it's coming, I hope to get the two games I need with her in this week and her wright up out next monday, or the following monday. Until next time stay safe and have a great week!