SW Armada: Corvettes For Days
We are testing out a Rebel Corvette fleet today Admirals.
I’ve always loved the light Rebel corvettes. They flit around the battlefield avoiding attacks and putting out a surprising amount of fire. In a good number of games and tournaments I’ve really had a lot of luck with using CR90s of both types. What I have not gotten to use much is the newer Hammerhead Corvette. So I wanted to try to build a list around using a combination of the two ships. Lets take a look at what I came up with.
The List
Go! Corvettes, Go!
Commander: Admiral Ackbar
Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 points)
– Task Force Antilles ( 3 points)
– Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
– External Racks ( 3 points)
49 total ship cost
Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 points)
– Task Force Antilles ( 3 points)
– Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
– Quad Laser Turrets ( 5 points)
– External Racks ( 3 points)
54 total ship cost
Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 points)
– Task Force Antilles ( 3 points)
– Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
– External Racks ( 3 points)
49 total ship cost
Hammerhead Torpedo Corvette (36 points)
– Task Force Antilles ( 3 points)
– Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
– External Racks ( 3 points)
49 total ship cost
CR90 Corvette A (44 points)
– Slaved Turrets ( 6 points)
50 total ship cost
CR90 Corvette A (44 points)
– Slaved Turrets ( 6 points)
50 total ship cost
[ flagship ] CR90 Corvette A (44 points)
– Admiral Ackbar ( 38 points)
– Slaved Turrets ( 6 points)
88 total ship cost
Assault Objective: Opening Salvo
Defense Objective: Planetary Ion Cannon
Navigation Objective: Solar Corona
Faction: Rebel Alliance
Points: 389/400
How The List Works
The idea is to combine the strengths of both types of corvettes and just put out as much firepower as possible. The CR90As, three of them, use my favorite cheap build of just taking slaved turrets. This build saves points and with Ackbar and concentrate firepower can put out 5 red dice from the sides, or 6 dice at mid range. This is an amazing points per dice value and combined with maneuverability makes them very deadly.
The other half of the list is the close range slash of the Hammerheads. These guys run in close and deliver a powerful frontal attack with the external racks or double tap out the side with Ackbar. Either one of these options can also put out 6 dice a turn, for again a roughly 50 point ship. Though the Hammerheads are close ranged, their increased chance of crits will hopefully come in useful against ships already lacking shields from CR90 fire. In a perfect world the list can throw out 46 dice in a turn, which is pretty respectable. In addition it has plenty of opportunities to ram for extra damage.
Getting out of Dodge
Playing this fleet is going to rely on a lot of careful maneuvering. None of your ships are particularly tough, and all have a chance of being one shotted by an ISD or Liberty. Overall the fleet is pretty mobile. CR90s are the most maneuverable ship in the game and with their red dice never have to get close to the enemy. Hammerheads on the other hand aren’t quite as good, but still have options and can use their Task Force to stick around a bit longer.
Obviously the fleet doesn’t have any squadrons. Speed is its main defense against fighters, and it will just have to try and avoid them. The Hammerheads do throw out black anti-squadron dice, so working together, and with gunnery teams, they can hurt enemy squadrons.
Final Thoughts
I’ll almost certainly revise this list a bunch as I play it. It grew from the idea of trying to use both types of Corvettes together but it remains to be seen how viable it is. My main worry is that I am just using the Hammerheads to do what the CR90s do, but that they aren’t as good. Would I just be better off with 7 CR90s? Maybe. Maybe the real key would be to switch up the Hammerhead load out so that they really bring something different to the table? Time will tell.
Thats all for this time Armada fans. Let us know what you think about this fleet, and how you use corvettes, down in the comments!
