Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-30220004-20171017010625/@comment-454133-20171017025334

Here's a couple of fleets:

"Backdraft" + Adaptability + FCS + Cruise Missiles + Primed Thrusters + Special Ops Training + Lightweight Frame

Rear Admiral Chiraneau + Thermal Detonators + Gunner + Systems Officer + Operations Specialist + Extra Munitions + Engine Upgrade

The Decimator is a pretty good starter ship, IMO. There's a few neat tricks here to track, but she won't be terribly hurt if she forgets any of them. She'll get to experience rear arcs, primary turret weapon, PS advantage with barrel roll or boost, bombs, and officer shenanigans.

Norra Wexley + R5-P9  + PTL + Tail Gunner + Alliance Overhaul

Jake Farrell + A-Wing Test Pilot + Intensity + PTL + Proton Rockets + Autothrusters

Kyle Katarn + Deadeye  + Synced Turret + Recon Specialist

The rebel fleet will be a bit more tricky, on purpose since you're the teacher. You've got a terror in Norra Wexley and she can survive like a champ, healing & shooting while fleeing. How to prioritize targets is a valuable lesson since Norra can heal up if allowed to escape wounded. Jake is a flying nuke. He'll be out-PS'd in this matchup, but when he lines up a procket it'll hit like a truck. Kyle is a great help for Jake's ability, allowing him to reposition at the start of combat. I gave Kyle synced turret which doesn't quite synergize with his need to focus, so he also has Deadeye.

Here's two fleets loved by me and Dragoon, and I suspect they're reasonably well-balanced against each other.

Deathfire  with  Extra Munitions, Homing Missile ,  Cluster Mines , and  Long-Range Scanners

Colonel Vessery with Crack Shot, TIE/D, and Ion Cannon

Backdraft with A Score To Settle, XX-23 S-Thread Tracers, Special Ops Training, Lightweight Frame, Fire Control System, and Pattern Analyzer

Dragoon's fleet has a lot of power and good synergy. Target Locks from Backdraft & Deathfire feed Vessery, Ion Cannon leaves victims vulnerable to shots and bombs, and each ship is dangerous in its own right. And each ship flies somewhat differently.

Jan Ors + Squad Leader + TLT + Nien Nunb + Moldy Crow

Nera Dantels + FCS + Advanced Proton Torpedoes + Extra Munitions + Adrenaline Rush + Guidance Chips

Biggs Darklighter + R4-D6 + Integrated Astromech

You have a walking nuke in Nera, but she has to get close with a target lock and ideally a focus. This is where Jan's elite comes into play; she can offer a target lock, focus, barrel roll, whatever Nera needs to ruin a life. Jan pumps her allies' attacks, and her TLT is ravenous on its own too. Biggs can be paired with Nera or Jan as needed (usually Nera, maybe both) to make sure they go unmolested and get to deal damage instead of being trivially wiped out. The normal proton torpedoes version looks similar:

Jan + Squad Leader + TLT + Recon Specialist + Moldy Crow

Nera + FCS + Proton Torpedoes + Extra Munitions + Deadeye + Guidance Chips

Biggs + R4-D6 + Integrated Astromech

Pick whichever one sounds most fun; IMO the risk-reward of the APTs is more fun for me, but might be too deadly for a teaching game.

Blue Squadron Novice + R2 Astromech + Primed Thrusters + Integrated Astromech

Rookie Pilot + R2 Astromech + Integrated Astromech

Blue Squadron Pilot + FCS + Ion Cannon

Gold Squadron Pilot + R5 Astromech + TLT

This is a much simpler squad: more pilots instead of more upgrades.

The Inquisitor + PTL + Cruise Missiles + TIE/v1 + Autothrusters

"Omega Leader" + Primed Thrusters + Juke + Stealth Device

"Pure Sabacc" + Swarm Leader + Adaptive Ailerons + Lightweight Frame

Academy Pilot

Again, much simpler. This squad trades the rebels' HP and power for agility, arc-dodging, and trickery. I'm hoping it's a valuable teaching squad, instead of just ultra-complex like the stuff above. :)

Last of all, and maybe the first to try:

Luke Skywalker

vs

"Night Beast"

Obsidian Squadron Pilot

That original tutorial game is a great starter. Though actually I'd like to recommend a higher-PS TIE to show off the value of PS and repositioning.

Luke Skywalker + R2 Astromech + Lone Wolf

vs

"Howlrunner" + Veteran Instincts

Academy Pilot

Hopefully Luke isn't too powerful with his really strong defense roll, but the same could be said for Howlrunner. An arc-dodging high-PS TIE can really wear down an X-Wing, and learning how to do that is very useful. Likewise with using that Academy Pilot as a blocker. With only 3 ships on the board and not a ton of upgrades, you get to focus on positioning and thinking ahead. Start with a fleet like this, and work your way up to the other fleets (probably literally up -- try my fleets from bottom to top).