Originally Posted by sniddy

If you want to build a squad of all counter, all AOE, all dodge girls....you can make it work....worried if whale ship may tip the balance a little but we'll see

So far, my trigger-squad usually managed to clear the small pests on first battle-rounds, although it probably helps that I also have Cattleya, Mei and Strawberry Candle on the ship, allowing me to support the trigger-squad with a solar blast on every encounter with small pests except the last one as well. (better use solar blast on the small pests, it makes a huge difference, while it hardly scratches the boss).

For the rest, it's a matter of adding your best girls and aligning your ship to deal weakness damage to the boss.
I haven't tested yet whether a wiped away-team would also weaken the whaleship. But if that's the case, I rather keep them all alive.