Cracken - How do you do the Crackening

[Church14 2,495]

So, I'm a mostly Rebel player. I can find myself a design space for every Admiral except for this guy. What am I missing?

 

last list I tried with him was

Bright Hope/Cracken/EHB

2xTR90

2xMC30 Torp/OE/APT/Title

2x2400, Dagger, 3xZ95, Blount

 

I won do to a really favorable matchup, but at no point did Cracken feel like he was worth it. I think 3 shots all game got his effect. We fought inside 4/6 obstacles and ships got tight. It just feels like the 4 extra points for Mothma would be absolutely worth it virtually every game. What am I missing?

[Ginkapo 9,320]

TRC's

[WuFame 1,269]

You want to be dedicated to going speed 3 or 4 with all your ships for the majority of the game. For this reason, Cracken works best with fleets that can largely get away with only spamming nav commands (you need that yaw with most ships at speed 3).

This is why he's so popular with Rogues. You don't have to squadron order them, but you can if you get the opportunity. I personally think he also gives a little bit more life to the Neb Bs, but I think the MC30 really likes Mothma more since they tend to get in close.

[Church14 2,495]

6 minutes ago, Ginkapo said:

TRC's

2xTR90 == Two CR90A with TRCs. My shorthand may have been too condensed. 

 

The lifeboat Transport sped up and did a sort of Squadron spam while sailing through at speed 3. The rest of the fleet did mostly spam navigate commands with a few CF thrown in

[Ginkapo 9,320]

3 minutes ago, Church14 said:

2xTR90 == Two CR90A with TRCs. My shorthand may have been too condensed. 

MOAR 

Mothma does more for ships which go in close. 

[geek19 6,557]

Bright Hope, Cracken, Major Derlin, Slicer Tools, potentially tractor beams. World's biggest pain in the butt.

 

And yeah, consensus seems to be Rogues and TRCR90s, though part of me wants to try an MC30 build with him.

 

If you want a FUN game, throw in Navigational Hazards.

[shmitty 3,315]

Biggest advantage over Mothma is his ability stacks with the damage reduction from Evades.  He is limited by only using the Evades at medium-long range.  So, TRC90s and MC30 scouts seem like your best bet with Cracken.

[RocketPropelledGiraffe 95]

I wonder, did anyone ever get Crackened-Liberty-Engine Techs to work?

[Reinholt 1,719]

A few notes from someone who is now undefeated with Cracken across two Regionals:

 

1: He is not good with MC30s in general. One admonition MC30 can be great with him but Shmitty's comment on the anti-synergy between Cracken and evades at close range is dead on. A heavy MC30 list would do better with Mothma.

2: Cracken is weak vs. Squadrons as his ability, like the infamous Simpsons goggles, will do nothing. I always run him with max or near max points into squadrons for this reason.

3: Activations are your friend and a very tight set of objectives to go 2nd with are your friend. I prefer six activations but would never leave home with less than five in a Cracken list.

4: WuFame, another Cracken player, is also dead on about the need for speed. Glue all your dials to speed 3 and 4. If you go slower, you lose.

The only ships I would take with him are CR90As with TRC, Admonition, Yavaris, and flotillas. Thus, his fleet building space is very limited and it is more about practice, practice, practice.

[Undeadguy 5,749]

22 minutes ago, Reinholt said:

The only ships I would take with him are CR90As with TRC, Admonition, Yavaris, and flotillas. Thus, his fleet building space is very limited and it is more about practice, practice, practice.

Sounds like Relay would work well with speed 3 Yavaris once you get tied up.

[SkyCake 1,183]

1 hour ago, RocketPropelledGiraffe said:

I wonder, did anyone ever get Crackened-Liberty-Engine Techs to work?

Cracken is no on The large bases...

[RocketPropelledGiraffe 95]

Argh, you're right of course. Sorry about that, it has been a strange day...

[Valca 397]

2 hours ago, Reinholt said:

A few notes from someone who is now undefeated with Cracken across two Regionals:

 

1: He is not good with MC30s in general. One admonition MC30 can be great with him but Shmitty's comment on the anti-synergy between Cracken and evades at close range is dead on. A heavy MC30 list would do better with Mothma.

2: Cracken is weak vs. Squadrons as his ability, like the infamous Simpsons goggles, will do nothing. I always run him with max or near max points into squadrons for this reason.

3: Activations are your friend and a very tight set of objectives to go 2nd with are your friend. I prefer six activations but would never leave home with less than five in a Cracken list.

4: WuFame, another Cracken player, is also dead on about the need for speed. Glue all your dials to speed 3 and 4. If you go slower, you lose.

The only ships I would take with him are CR90As with TRC, Admonition, Yavaris, and flotillas. Thus, his fleet building space is very limited and it is more about practice, practice, practice.

No Assault Frigates? Those can cruise at speed 3. I guess they don't hit hard enough for the points and eat points that should go on squadrons?

[Blail Blerg 7,585]

9 hours ago, Valca said:

No Assault Frigates? Those can cruise at speed 3. I guess they don't hit hard enough for the points and eat points that should go on squadrons?

AFs aren't maneuverable enough to avoid getting into trouble, off the board or out of the fight at constant speed 3.