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I recently got into this game, but no one at my local gaming store has it yet (most didn't even know it existed). So I'm building fleets of both UNSC and Covenant so I can drum up interest. I'm working on building balanced lists so I can demonstrate through gameplay, without turning players off by having one fleet simply being clearly better than the other. Any recommendations towards this end would be appreciated.

The sets I currently have are:

Fall of Reach 2 player box set
Covenant and UNSC Fleet Boxes
Covenant and UNSC commander upgrade sets
CAS upgrade
RCS upgrade
UNSC Core Battlegroup upgrade

The first game I played:

UNSC: 1,000 pts
Michael Stanforth
Gorgon Battle Group
1 Battle Group (Epoch, Paris Formation)
2 Battle Groups ( 2 Marathons, Paris Formation)

Covenant: 1,000 pts
Rho 'Barutamee
Solemn Vow Battle Group
1 Battle Group (ORS, SDV)
1 Battle Group (Supported CCS, 2 SDV)

UNSC deployed centrally, Covenant placed the Solemn Vow to one side and the other two battle groups to the other. The main feature on the map was a planet in the middle of the table. The UNSC wolfpacked the Covenant's 2 battlegroups, putting the planet between them and the Solemn Vow, then circling around the planet to hit them from behind. The Covenant had total casualties, the UNSC lost its Epoch, a couple Marathons, and most Paris formations.

I am looking into getting:

DSC Upgrade (Cheap BR2 Capital vessels allowing me to field more Corvettes)
ADP Upgrade (Cheap non-Capital vessels to make the CCS+RCS Battle Groups legal)
MAC Station Upgrade (For 20 dice at 40" which causes automatic Vulnerables, also because I don't have a Punic)
Valiant Upgrade (For extra long range firepower as Defended Valiants)
Halberd Upgrade (To field Defended Valiants)


That would bring both fleets up to just over 4,000 points if I field as many models as possible, with most Battle Groups having at least 15 dice for their primary weapons at 32". And only a few Frigates, Halberds and Corvettes remain unused.

UNSC 4,000pt Armada (10pts over)
Lord Hood
Cortana
4 Spartans
Orthus Battle Group
Gorgon Battle Group
Harpy Battle Group
2 MAC Battle Groups (2 MAC Platforms each)
5 Battle Groups (Supported Marathon, Marathon, Paris Formation)
3 Battle Groups (Defended Valiant, 2 Paris Formations)
1 Battle Group (Supported Epoch, Paris Formation)

Covenant 4,000pt Armada (5pts over)
Rho “Barutamee
Minister of Etiology
1 Zealot
Harbinger Battle Group
Solemn Vow Battle Group
1 Assault Carrier
4 Battle Groups (CCS, RCS, ADP)
2 Battle Groups (DSC, 4 SDV)
2 Battle Groups (DSC, 3 SDV)

(I don't have a Punic because I specifically want the UNSC to outnumber the Covenant, and as it is, they only have 3 more Battle Groups.)

I wish you better luck than I had trying to recruit folks. Since I only played an intro scenario or two in addition to reading the rules and never got any ships outside of the initial plastics, my advice may seem basic. Make sure you get the UNSC to MAC6 to start in every squadron you can. The commander pack admiral and cortana are borderline broken in power level so use them if you feel like it but be warned. If you're demoing, don't bother with the wing phase. It takes up alot of time and barely makes a dent as you're not likely to damage/kill anything beyond an escort base on its last damage track. Hope that helps and again good luck!