Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I haven't managed to win with Rebels yet playing 180 pts. I was thinking, maybe the problem is being too aggressive against the VSD especially as far as my X-Wings go. Next time I play, I plan to hang back with an Escort Frigate and my X-Wings while my other ship or ships start to get out of the VSD's front arc. The Escort Frigate's shields and fire power equal the VSD's at long range. The plan (hope) is my opponent will send his TIE out ahead where the X-Wings can take them apart with the Escort Frigate's help. Have any of you had success with this? Any other Rebel tactics at 180 pts?

This is based off of my experiences playing both fleets.

A huge part of the rebel strategy has to flanking the VSD because the front arc can take our ships apart in a single turn. Conserve fighters until you need them. Remember the escort frigate is pretty decent against attack craft. TIEs are mostly there to stop your X-Wings from pummeling the VSD on their attack runs. They pose far more of a threat to them than to your capital ships. Finally, take advantage of the low command score of the corvette vs the higher of the VSD. This is actually an asset. The corvette should either hang back & repair until the enemy gets close then reposition to get in behind & chase the VSD along with X-Wings. You have to be able to consistently hammer the VSD hard every turn once you start the attack or it can keep itself intact with repair orders & just wear you down.

How does repairing until the VSD gets close really help, unless the covette is getting shot at at long range?

I found the repair token to be all but useless on the corvette too. Yay, I get to move a shield at some point... Truth be told, the shield is probably going to be moved due to 'reinforce' anyhow. I'd probably rather store a navigate or a squadron on the CR-90 I think.

In any case, the thing to remember I've found is just simple.

If your ship gets shot at in the front arc, it's dead. - It's not necessarily true, in fact, my Nebulon B has lasted a good 3 turns in front of the star destroyers guns... But it's not ... recommended.

The way I see it, it might be worth taking a navigate action on the CR-90 on turn 1, yet starting it off at speed 3. - You deploy that first (180 points doesn't really work if the Impies have initiative, I've found...), then use it to swing out, at speed 3 on that first turn. That way you can deploy your nebulon B at a suitable flanking position.

Probably speed 2 on turn 1 for the Neb, with a navigate as your first action too, to keep as a token to spend in round 2. - I've always found the Round 2 Squadron token for the Neb B is the best.

Can't you start at any speed the ship is capable of besides zero?

Yep, that's what I mean.

Start the CR-90 off on speed 3. But still take a navigate action as a token for turn 2.

Your Nebulon Bs can actually take on VSDs from the front at long range. But it requires support and timing.

Have 2 Neb Bs get into long range on the same turn that you dart your CR90 in for the flank. Focus on one VSD at a time.

Have your Nebs focus fire on the VSD, while your CR90 mainly tries to drop as many shield points as possible to diminish the value of the VSD's 2 redirect defense tokens.

Neb Bs do not have the maneuverability to flank, so you will eventually have to get into a shooting match with the VSD, so your best chance is to keep it at long range for as long as possible. If it's a VSD 1, you can dip into medium range since it doesn't have blue dice.

In my case, I used 2 Nebs and had the Redemption title and repair teams. I could easily have both ships out repair the VSD's damage.