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I bought the starter set for the game and, so far, I am enjoying it greatly! I'm wanting to buy more ships and expand my fleets.

However, there's just one teeny problem I have to deal with: budget.

On top of finishing off my Federation Commander fleets (~$65-$100 in total for me to finish my Federation, Klingon, and Romulan fleets) and other normal expenses, I estimate that I'm only going to have around $100-$120ish to invest in each faction ($200-$240 total). I'm gonna want a good fleet for each faction (tourney level would be nice, but just below that would be fine).

So, I'll ask: Which Wave 1/Wave 2 ships would be essential for each faction, and how many?

I think that it's kinda too early to say, but it looks like (to me) if you go the 1-of-everything route, you could probably stay at one of everything (unlike X-wing).

Imperials, I'd probably say that get everything from wave 1, for more upgrades, fighters, and Admirals. Wave 2 we don't have enough information to even guess, really.

Rebels, maybe grab an extra assault frigate or multiple fighters as well as the extra starter ships. From what I've seen, the Frigate and fighters will be the real damage dealers, with the smaller ships more there for support. The Mon Cal stuff from Wave 2 also is looking like it will have good damage output.

If you go "one of everything" you will end up with two of most things: two VSDs, two CR90s, two Neb-Bs ... but of course you will want the expansion pack cards. They are pretty essential because they come with options for your commander, which is an essential part of any Armada list ... and the core box only comes with one Imp and one Reb. As far as buying two of anything goes, I would guess you might want two Gladiators.

Now when the MC30 comes out ... that might be a certified Must Buy Three ship for Reb players, depending on points cost.

Orrrr...pick a faction for now and stick with it. Pick up 2 Gladiators, a second Victory, and the fighter expansion pack.
That should come in right around 100 dollars and keep you going until the ISD/Raider comes out.
Conversely, pick up the MC-30, a second CR90 and Neb, and the rebel fighter expansion.

My only problem with buying one of everything in Wave 1 are concerns about a few ships: the VSD, the Assault Frigate, and the Neb-B. Looking at Wave 2, I'm seeing ships that could render them obsolete (VSD, MC-80, MC-30 respectively).

Is that a legitimate concern? Would it still be wise to get them anyways for the upgrade cards, commanders, and what-not?

I imagine you don't want to think about the specific ships so much, but more about the ratio of ship classes.

It seems to me that, generally speaking, the ships all have a short range version and a long range version, so it's kinda a wash, speaking overall.

I wonder if someone could work out approximate 'size' points for your fleet to make up a sensible fleet ratio for rule of thumbness.


In saying that, on the very surface, the Mon Cal Frigate doesn't seem to synergise well with the Nebulon-B Frigate, for example. I can't help but think you'd want either 2 nebulon B's in a squad, or 2 Mon Cal Frigates, not one of each.


Conversely, I could see an Imperial Raider and Gladiator, if not complementing each other directly, but at least not getting in each others way. - Though, could Raider Ion nastiness, followed by Gladiator short range massacre become a combo?


In any case, I like the general long rangeness of the Nebulon B Escort frigates in my few games I've played. My current thinking for my fleet is a heavy fighter/bomber focus, with 2 Nebulon B's in the center, and flanking speedy CR-90 short ranged corvettes.

I'll need to see how it goes though. It's not like I've done anymore than just scratched the surface.

Arcanis161 wrote:
My only problem with buying one of everything in Wave 1 are concerns about a few ships: the VSD, the Assault Frigate, and the Neb-B. Looking at Wave 2, I'm seeing ships that could render them obsolete (VSD, MC-80, MC-30 respectively).

Is that a legitimate concern? Would it still be wise to get them anyways for the upgrade cards, commanders, and what-not?

Here's the thing: We know next to nothing about Wave 2, just some bulk attack/Shield/hull numbers for one variant of each ship. Yes, the ISD>VSD, but we lack information on movement and cost, which are essential for us to judge which ship is "better".

FFG would not design the ISD to make the VSD useless. The same goes for the whole line. And even to the extent that some ships suffer in the meta, FFG has shown with X-Wing that they like to revise things to refresh the balance.

Here is a file I made on what I know so far as to the stats and abilities for all ships and fighters. This may help you or it may not.

One tab is fighters and the other ships. The fighters one has some other stuff on it since I'm using what we know as a basis of comparison to convert some other things over.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Crazy_Carnifex wrote:

Arcanis161 wrote:
My only problem with buying one of everything in Wave 1 are concerns about a few ships: the VSD, the Assault Frigate, and the Neb-B. Looking at Wave 2, I'm seeing ships that could render them obsolete (VSD, MC-80, MC-30 respectively).

Is that a legitimate concern? Would it still be wise to get them anyways for the upgrade cards, commanders, and what-not?

Here's the thing: We know next to nothing about Wave 2, just some bulk attack/Shield/hull numbers for one variant of each ship. Yes, the ISD>VSD, but we lack information on movement and cost, which are essential for us to judge which ship is "better".

Even if similar stat-wise, some ships are limited in what upgrades they can have and use making each unique and so I don't think a Nebulon Frigate will be obsolete with some of the new stuff at all.

If I was on a must buy budget I'd probably pick a faction and do the following thru Wave 2;

Pick up a starter and trade my non-faction for more of my faction stuff.

Imperial
1 VSD Expansion (for the cards)
2 Gladiators
2 Raiders
1 Imperial SD
2 Fighter packs

Retail: $330 Miniature Market/Cool Stuff Price: Around $221.10

Rebels:
1 Assault Frigate MKII (for the cards)
1 Neb-B (for the cards)
1 CR90 (for the cards)
2 MC-30
1 MC-80
2 Fighter Packs

Retail: $320 Miniature Market/Cool Stuff Price: Around $214.40

For me personally I'm running both factions at present and am getting the above +1 more of each Gladiator/MC-30 and the scum pack. You could, if you're not into the specialist fighters, cut one of the fighter packs from each.

Hopefully prices like that can indeed become a thing

 Manchu wrote:
FFG would not design the ISD to make the VSD useless. The same goes for the whole line. And even to the extent that some ships suffer in the meta, FFG has shown with X-Wing that they like to make people spend money on new ships with cards for old ships to refresh the balance.

Fixed for accuracy.

Did you figure the for-profit toy company would give you the toys for free?