The Strike Cruiser- Imperial MVP

[Zardnaar]

 In my rate the factions and basic strategy thread I have mentioned the Strike Cruiser more than a few times. I have been a fan of these since the mid 90's when I saw the stats for them in the D6 RPG material and used them in the old Rebellion game.

 Anyway I perhaps rated the Imperials higher than some would and a large part of this is due to the strike cruiser. Its not quite exclusive to the Imperials as the Greater Maldrrod can use them as well (and I rated them very high as well the SC is just part of the puzzle for them). No other faction has such a competitive package for a 3 point light cruiser. Generally I assume you use 305 capital ships in a fleet along with 2-5 cruisers (VSDs, Dauntless etc) with the rest of the points spent on support ships.

 However the Strike Cruiser I am finding can just out right replace almost every ship type in fleets except for the capitals. What makes this ship so good and why do I feel the other factions come up short in the 3 Point light cruiser spot.

1. Its cheap. Base price of 1600, real price 1200 (Corellia, Antemeridas, Economic advisers). Put simply you can get around 3 of them for every VSD.
2. It hits hard and can enhance its fire.
3. It has a TIE and TIE Interceptor
4. It has Ion Cannons
5. Its agile
6. It has a great range.
7. They can be built fast.

Cons
Its squishy (but so are VSD's).

Generally when I am playing as Imperials or Greater Maldrood my default plan is to go on the immediate offensive (to be fair ths more or less my defualt plan for all factions apart from Zsinj). Usually I can cobble togather a 60 point fleet out of whatever the starting units are that I can live with. Strike Cruisers fill in a lot of gaps when used En Masse. Basically you can rapidly build up to multiple 60 point lfeets very rapidly. For a simialr price to a Victory you can fill 9 points of a 60 point fleet. Two victories may cost slightly less and have more firepower than 3 Strike Cruisers but you can produce them faster and you get 6 TIEs vs 4.

 Sometimes Triangle ships also like to spin or otherwise not fly in a straight line so ig you build say 4 or 5 victories as your fire support only 1-2 of them will be available to open fire at once. Strike Cruisers have a decent range opn them so they can hide behind Tectors, SSD,s Allegances etc but more importantly they can support them better. A wolfpac of 8-12 strike cruisers can actually be in the right place at the right time and rapidly change facing to shoot different targets since they are so agile.

 Since they are so cheap you can rapidly expand your early fleets as well. Additionally they carry 2 TIES and as the Imperials you do not need space superiority but space neutrality works well enough. As long as you're not being bombed its all good. Consider

SSD
+2 Escort Carriers
+7 Strike Cruisers

4 Tectors (Or ISD's)
12 Strike Cruisers (-2 SC +3 escort carriers works)

3 Allegiances
9 Strike Cruisers

1 Bellator
11 Strike Cruisers

 These are all fleets I have used and like using. Now obviously I will use other ship types but these are often early fleets of mine. And games like EaW it often comes down to how hard you can snowball, the faster out the gate you are the more powerful you become. The strike Cruisers squisiness is minimised by the stronger units, or with ISDs you just have a lot of firepower available

 Even in the Caamas Campaign (era 5) I am still using ye olde humble Strike cruisers to escort the Bellators.

 In my current test (on Admiral) its week 37, I have 39 000 credits in the bank (6500 weekly)and 4 60 point fleets and 1 90 point fleet at Corellia and Isard and her strike cruisers (Isard, 2 escort carriers, 7 strike cruisers) havecut the map in half, the north is secure (1 fleet at Bilbringi, Ord Trasi and Bandomeer fortified to hell). and I have 3 fleets to play with on the offensive. I have built 8 Tectors and mostly strike cruisers to fill the fleets out. I don't think I have built anyVictories at all, it seems I have a total of 7 VSD I's I think the Imperials started with.  2 of the ISD/tector fleets fleets have 10 ot 11 strike cruisaers, Isard has 7, Corellia has 5, and my only fleet with significant amount of Victories has 3.

 I have lost a grand total of 1 planet which was rapidly recaptured.

Saving for an SSD, a Validusia staiton and to summon Thrawn.

 And all because of the humble strike cruiser;).

[t78]

I might try using more Strike Cruisers. Generally I have them as a squadron "flagship" for Carrack groups. Both are fast, good frigates though.

I'm also finding that the Lancer is better at close range than the other anti-fighter corvettes. It can even take on 2 Assassins and batter down their shields.

[tlmiller]

Yeah, I love the Strike cruiser.  While it fairs very poorly against anything with SUPER strong shields, it's power to weight ratio is quite impressive.  I'll usually have a ISD/ISD-II + 3 Vic/Vic-II's + a few corvettes and everything else Strikes.

[Zardnaar]

I might try using more Strike Cruisers. Generally I have them as a squadron "flagship" for Carrack groups. Both are fast, good frigates though.

I'm also finding that the Lancer is better at close range than the other anti-fighter corvettes. It can even take on 2 Assassins and batter down their shields.

 Lancers seem the best out of the anti fighter corvettes at dealing damage. Just slow.

[Magus]

I have grudgingly given the Strike Cruiser a prominent place in my fleet since 2.2 came out. I really loved the durability of the similarly-priced Dreadnaughts in 2.1, but it seems they are a bit squishier now, and buying the Loronar corporation (for, like 500 credits, I think? haha), as you point out, makes SCs dirt-cheap. Loronar can even be found on multiple planets!

[Deltarius]

huh, i've always overlooked the strike cruiser. maybe i'll have to give it another try

[Zardnaar]

I have grudgingly given the Strike Cruiser a prominent place in my fleet since 2.2 came out. I really loved the durability of the similarly-priced Dreadnaughts in 2.1, but it seems they are a bit squishier now, and buying the Loronar corporation (for, like 500 credits, I think? haha), as you point out, makes SCs dirt-cheap. Loronar can even be found on multiple planets!

 Greater Maldrrod can really spam cheap strike cruisers. They get Loronar on Antemeridas and have 2 economic advisers vs the empires 1 with Sate who doesn't tend to last long, Isard who is a modest one and there is another one in the Crimson Empire that grants discounts to fighers and frigates.

4 ISD II's/Tectors
12 strike cruisers

 Cheap, simple effective. 10 SCs and 6 lancers/IPVs perhaps vs heavy fighters.

 Anyone else finding Victories I and IIs under performing in 2.2 at least vs just build more SC's?

[Magus]

Anyone else finding Victories I and IIs under performing in 2.2 at least vs just build more SC's?

I'm playing Maldrood right now, and Crimson Command VIIs are great. I have Rendili StarDrive on Mon Cal, so I get that sweet 30% discount. CCVIIs put in a lot of work for four population points, though I'm supplementing with Neutron Stars (also discounted) for fighters/bombers.
With other factions, I prefer Acclamators (fighter/bomber spam) or Procursators (pure firepower) to Victory-class.

[Zardnaar]

I'm playing Maldrood right now, and Crimson Command VIIs are great. I have Rendili StarDrive on Mon Cal, so I get that sweet 30% discount. CCVIIs put in a lot of work for four population points, though I'm supplementing with Neutron Stars (also discounted) for fighters/bombers.
With other factions, I prefer Acclamators (fighter/bomber spam) or Procursators (pure firepower) to Victory-class.

 Well yeah CC VSDs are good I mean just vanilla VSD I and II.

 CC VSD, Procursators, MC 80's, Chaf are all better cruisers.