Friday, September 23, 2016

Incorporating a Healer in your List

We just recently touched on Tanking, so it is time to talk about the other side of the coin.  Healing, or the art of helping keep a different ship alive.  Unlike tanking, a lot of the key concepts in healing did not quite make the transition into Armada.  Instead, we have only a few things that make the cut, so we aren't even going to go through the advanced healing concepts, we are just going to look at things that might work.





Option #1 - Repair Crews


Repair crews are an option for either Rebel or Imperial fleets on their flotilla ships.  At 4 points each, it is a relatively inexpensive upgrade to either flotilla, and gives them an alternative role if they find themselves in a situation where activating squadrons isn't a good option.

For 22 points, a GR-75 with repair crews can start an engagement by activating 2 squadrons, then switch to healing hull points from nearby large ships once fighters are engaged.  For the Imperials, 27 points gives a Gozanti with a similar role, but who can also shoot if needed.

Because this is hull repair, and not shields, it requires ships that are likely to take hull damage, but still be flying.  As an escort to a Motti fleet of Medium / Large Imperials is where the Gozanti would shine, while the GR-75 would probably work best escorting a Liberty (and making up for its lack of squadron commands as well) or some NebulonBs.  Another option to think of is as part of a Tarkin or Garm fleet - free tokens can be used for the Repair Crew command, and the dial can be used for squadron activations.

Let's look at a few inexpensive builds that utilize repair crews:


GR-75 Medium Transport
- Repair Crews
- Veteran Captain
- Expanded Hanger
Total:  30 points

Squadron Supported
- X-Wing x3
Total:  39 points

- A cheap way to activate three squadrons, while the Veteran Captain lets you do a quick hull heal without changing your strategy.  A very reactive healer.  Pair with Garm, and you can heal 3 hull over the course of the game, while never pausing your squadron commands.  Let's face it, 3 times is about the number of uses you would get out of this over the course of a game.


Gozanti-Class Cruiser
- Repair Crews
Total:  27 points

Squadron Supported:
- TIE Fighter x2
 Total: 16 points

- Two squadrons activated initially, and then you can switch to engineering commands once something takes hull damage and your squadrons are engaged (or dead).  A very cheap piece at just 43 points - about the same price as a naked Raider I-Class (44 points).


Option #2 - Projection Experts



The second of two options here is Projection Experts, a 6 point upgrade that lets you move shields from one ship to another.  This is a better option for healing than Repair Crews, if only because shields are the first thing to take damage, and as such you can get healing faster.  The challenge with this card though is that it fills a Support Team slot, so it can't go on something as inexpensive as a flotilla, so whatever you put it on is going to have to contribute to the fight in some way, or you have committed 50+ points into a non-combat role.

The ships that can take Projection Experts are as follows:

CR-90 Corvette
Nebulon B Frigate
Gladiator Class Star Destroyer
MC80 Home One Class
MC80 Liberty Class
Interdictor Cruiser

Let's look at a couple of builds and see what it could support:


CR-90B Corvette
- Projection Experts
Total - 45 points

- Literally the cheapest way you can get the upgrade card on the table.  This ship could function as a tag-along to a bigger ship that needs shields, like an MC80, feeding it 2 shields a turn until it runs out.  Not spectacular, and can't contribute to the fight.


CR90A Corvette
- Projection Experts
- Jaina's Light
- Turbolaser Reroute Circuits
Total:  59 points

Here's an interesting addition to the 53 point Jaina's Light TRC90.  The CR90A can hide behind the larger ship, and still engage anything that tries to close.  It can dump 2 shields onto whatever is in front of it as needed, and between evades and obstruction, should be a poor target to shoot.  Might be even better as part of an Ackbar list, hiding behind the other broadsiders.  Another 8 points adds redundant shields, to recover 1 of the 2 you send over each turn.


Nebulon B Support
- Redemption
- Projection Experts
Total: 65 points

 Not only does this improve your tanking ship's self healing, but it also gives you the chance to recover 1 shield when you move 2 over.  Another 7 points gives you Turbolaser Reroute Circuit to help your red dice.  Conversely...


Nebulon B Support
- Salvation
- Projection Experts
Total:  64 points

Better offense, you can move 1 shield and recover it per turn.  The big drawback is it looses the Concentrate Fire command that is a staple of Salvation lists.  You might be able to use it as a trailing ship to finish off wounded ships trying to limp away from your big boys.


Gladiator II-Class Star Destroyer
- Projection Experts
- Ordinance Experts
Total:  72 points

A relatively inexpensive shield bubble for your ISD that doubles as anti-fighter flak.  Still hits like a truck if your opponent tries to get around the ISD to the flank.  Forget the flak and scale down to a GSD1 for 6 points less.


MC80 Assault Cruiser
- General Rieekan
- Defiance
- Intel Officer
- Projection Experts
- Redundant Shields
- Electronic Countermeasures
- Heavy Turbolaser Turrets
- Leading Shots
Total:   187 points

- A beast of a ship that comes to nearly 1/2 your total fleet list.  But a very difficult nut to crack.  You can repair yourself 2 shields a turn if you are under fire and recover one after the fact, or you can pass off 2 shields (and recover those same shields) to something else that is under fire.  Rieekan ensures that even if you are focused down and die, you can recover 1 shield and pass that and any leftovers on to whatever is still alive as your last activation.


Interdictor Combat Refit
- Targeting Scrambler
- Projection Experts
- Leading Shots
Total: 108 points

- A beefed up version of the GSDII listed above.  But with 2 Red dice the Interdictor can still participate in long range engagements, and is more deadly at medium range.  It has a good anti-fighter barrage as well, able to reroll the black dice if it wiffs an anti-squadron shot.  More importantly it not only heals shields (and recoveres at least one of the two) but it also can protect from close quarters fire with Targeting Scrambler.  Leading Shots is arguably optional, or you can add the Interdictor title if you expect to crash into Close Range early with your other ships.  Another option is to go with Support Refit and SW-7 Ions for 2 points cheaper than Combat Refit and Leading Shots.


That's it for me, but let's here from you.  What would you put together as a ship and upgrades to get a healer working?

2 comments:

  1. Fantastic article, something I've been debating myself. Since I'm mainly an Imperial player that GSD build looks fantastic.

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  2. The CR90 with projection experts works well with redundant shields on as well. Give away 2 shields, recover 1

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