The Imperial Class Star Destroyer is a fearsome ship on its own but combined with a squadron escort this ship can take on anything the Rebels can muster.
The ISD-I may have lost favor due to the presence of new ISD options in the Kuat and Cymoon but definitely, don’t sleep on it! The ISD-I fills a classic role of the Empire: a ship that can battle any other Rebel ship out there and take on Rebel squadrons. Having a squadron value of 4 and an impressive array of firepower, this large base Imperial ship can do it all. 
To further beef up this ISD’s offensive output, Expanded Hangar Bay is a great option to upgrade this multi-role ship. Being able to command 5 squadrons (6 with a squadron token) puts this ship on par with common Quasar builds, without all the vulnerabilities that come from a dedicated carrier. 
Since the ISD-I has an impressive mix of firepower, it can forgo other options that may hinder it. Gunnery Teams is commonly placed on the ISD-II, but this ship favors more close range engagements. Flight Controllers can enhance your squadrons that you will want to be activating with this ship. An aggressive alpha strike against enemy squadrons can see them taken out before they have time to react. 
The TIE Defender is the perfect squadron platform to aid the ISD-I in its battle-space conquest. 6 hull and speed 5 make this ship impressive in its hardiness, and 2 blue/ 2black dice for its anti-squadron attacks are most impressive. With this ISD-I super carrier, your Defenders can fire 3 blue/ 2 black dice at enemy squadrons; evaporating them with ease. Their speed of 5 may be hard to keep up with, but with a Relay squadron, you can get around this.
With the change to Relay mechanics, you will need to keep your Relay ship within activation range in order to extend your squadron reach. Colonel Jendon is perfectly suited for this role. Jendon can extend your squadron reach and also act as a powerful support squadron by allowing a friendly squadron at distance 1-2 that may perform an attack, even if it had already attacked. This can pair up perfectly with the fearsome Maarek Stele.
Maarek Stele strikes fear into the hearts of Rebel squadrons everywhere. Maarek is suited at destroying squadrons and ships handily as with Flight Controllers, he may attack an enemy squadron with 3 blue, 2 black and may change 1 of his dice to a side with a critical. This adds up quickly and can punch through ship shields with ease. Having an anti-ship attack of 2 blue, with at least 1 guaranteed crit is going to hurt. This array of ship and squadron dominance will ensure the Empire stays on top in Star Wars Armada!
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About the Author: Barclay Montgomery
