So technically this is legal (about as legal as mixing your squads in 40K so that they all get cover saves out in the open) but fortress builds. I wouldn't call it fun, and it breaks the theme completely. But it is possible.

Team Covenant Fortress Build

With Wave 5 release imminent I have thought of some builds to try out just to see how boring they are but also how well they work such as 2 decimators or Falcon + outrider. With TC I will give them cudoes on using Shuttles for this. (I would have never considered non turreted ships)

I'd figured Lando Lebo builds would be the best because it will allow Lebo to take actions even though they are always bumping into each other.

So here is what I came up with

Lando

• Determination
• C-3PO

Leebo

• HLC
• Saboteur
• Outrider
• Shield Upgrade

So this is what I'm thinking. Lando gives Leebo who is the heavy hitter with HLC actions so that Lebo can TL or focus. I gave Leebo a SU to keep him in the fight a little longer as it would be dificult for C-3PO to defend him since he has 2 agility. As for the outrider HLC bubble the Saboteur should be able to take care of that + it is likely they will be within range of Lando as well who will shoot before Leebo. Lando scores a hit that deals damage. Lebo's saboteur will flip it face up.

As for Lando well C-3PO who works best on 1 agility ships and Determination so that an injured pilot won't stop Leebo from taking any actions.

Honestly I don't see much synergy with this build. The best way to use Lando's ability is to put Nien Nunb on board, whereas Leebo's ability is just screaming for determination. Draw two damage cards for the crit, discard the one you like least and if the other has a pilot trait then discard that one too. So keeping in mind your goal with using Lando and Leebo, I would play the following:

Leebo (34)

Determination (1)

Intel Agent (1)

HLC (7)

Outrider (5)

Lando (44)

Predator (3)

Nien Nunb (1)

C-3PO (3)

MF (1)

The intel agent is to help Leebo avoid higher-PS pilots from getting into range 1 of him (ie. barrel roll) and Lando has more green maneuvers to give Leebo a focus. Lando also has the evade token and the golden rod for defense and can still boost his attack with predator.

You just need a flanker with damage and another ship that can reliably down that front bsp. There are lots of lists that would just walk over this list if you "flew" it that way.

I looked at the fortress build way back in wave 2-3, before the C3P0, Lando, Jan, Kyle buffs came into the equation. There will be more reasons for more players to take this option as turrets are now more defensive enabled and maneuvering doesn't impact them. With the phantom changing the meta to have turrets to counter them, fortress builds will become the norm.

FFG is going to have a problem on their hands if they don't change how turreted ships function in the game.

Just as a note the fortress doesn't work as well as before as they have FAQ'ed that ships that overlapped will overlap again if one of them does not move or they make a repeated maneuver.

Just as a note the fortress doesn't work as well as before as they have FAQ'ed that ships that overlapped will overlap again if one of them does not move or they make a repeated maneuver.

They will overlap, which will cause each ship to skip its perform action step. But Lando can do a green 1 straight and pass of a free action to Leebo. So overlapping does not impact it.

Most builds work around needing an action to work. Predator, Lando's free action passing, Determination. They are not reliant on actions to function.

The reason FFG doesn't ban them is because they suck.

The reason FFG doesn't ban them is because they suck.

This.

Yes, there are now more defensive upgrades that can let you absorb a little bit more damage. But when you're taking fire from the entire enemy squad with no cover, they almost cease to matter.

The reason FFG doesn't ban them is because they suck.

By nature of the Fortress, the enemy can swarm one of your ships without fear of the other.

That being said, so long as you know how and when to BREAK the fortress, it can be a powerful bait.

The thing with that fortress build is that it can still do a decent job of hemming you in once you commit to an approach.

I'm going to test this strategy out, especially with the new wave 5 opening up the options. I'll post how the game(s) go on Vassal today.

The strategy seems to be easy to identify and counter, but you have to know its coming. If you don't know what it is, and so position on the left and right flanks of the table to flank your opponent, you then start out of position to take on a Fortress build.

It is counterable if you know what a fortress build is.

In a tournament, a Fortress hands your opponent total control of the approach and total control of the game clock. They can literally go up their end of the board and fly up and down until near time, then blitz one of your ships and win. If your opponent's position is off you're not exactly coming for them so they can freely fly out of your range and group up however they want.

In casual, your opponent can simply roll their eyes and leave the table.

In casual, your opponent can simply roll their eyes and leave the table.

Yeah - I think if someone tried that on me in a casual game, I'd let him set up all his cards, tokens, minis etc ...... then concede, then offer to play again, then concede

If my opponent accuses me of being a d*ck I'll just point out that (s)he started it

The strategy seems to be easy to identify and counter, but you have to know its coming. If you don't know what it is, and so position on the left and right flanks of the table to flank your opponent, you then start out of position to take on a Fortress build.

It's rectifiable, though. Take a few turns slow-rolling one flank while the other rushes over to join it. It's not like the Fortress is going anywhere, after all.

It's rectifiable, though. Take a few turns slow-rolling one flank while the other rushes over to join it. It's not like the Fortress is going anywhere, after all.

This. If someone sets up two YT-1300s nose-to-nose, or a block of Lambdas, or something similar, here's what you do:

Take. Your. Time.

One advantage to a "fortress" tactic is that it concentrates its firepower. Another is that it doesn't require maneuvering skill, only internet research. But the third advantage, and this is the most important, is that it throws you off your game.

I ran up against a YT-1300 fortress at Regionals this summer. Lando and Chewie, sitting in a tree, N-O-T M-O-V-I-N-G. I seriously considered K-turning off the board. Once I got over that though, I decided that although I couldn't make him play my game (you know, the one where spaceships actually fly) I wasn't going to let him control me either!

So I took the next ten turns to circle around the board and achieve the best possible approach angle. I first flew to the far neutral edge, then followed that all the way down to his corner and turned in. This allowed me to approach approximately parallel to the board edge (actually, a couple of my ships were closer to his board edge than he was) so that I didn't have to worry about flying off the board or having to turn away from him. I approached as slowly as possible, to keep my ships out of range of the far-side YT-1300, and unloaded into the nearer one.

After the second round of firing, I intentionally collided my most heavily-damaged ship into the near-side YT-1300 so that my other ships would collide into it (rather than the YT-1300) and still be able to fire, while he would have to either split his fire or switch to a new target. At this point he abandoned his "fortress" and I chased him down, eventually losing to Chewbacca with only a single point of Hull remaining.

Just as a note the fortress doesn't work as well as before as they have FAQ'ed that ships that overlapped will overlap again if one of them does not move or they make a repeated maneuver.

overlapping inline ships

Sometimes a round will end with two ships touching each other, parallel, and facing the same direction. If both ships are the same base size and execute the same unobstructed straight [] maneuver during the next round, the ships do not overlap each other and are not considered touching, even though they remain physically adjacent.

In casual, your opponent can simply roll their eyes and leave the table.

Yeah - I think if someone tried that on me in a casual game, I'd let him set up all his cards, tokens, minis etc ...... then concede, then offer to play again, then concede

If my opponent accuses me of being a d*ck I'll just point out that (s)he started it

Yeah I think it is common courtesy if you are going to bring a fortress build for a casual game it is best to ask if they would play it or not. If no one wants to play against it then just use a regular build designed to move around the board as the game was intentionally designed for. Also asking if they would play against a fortress build is giving a casual opponent an opportunity to tailor list against it so it shouldn't be too much of a trouble.

However if you don't want to play against such a list then you should be frank with the person and tell him you won't play against that. After all you were given fair warning and the option to customize list and above all the option to opt out and ask to play against something else.

(note: if something else includes a Falcon or a Phantom, and if you still don't want to play then I am afraid you are playing the wrong game).

I played Rekkon on Sunday with a fortress build. He was practicing for Worlds and had never played against one. We set up opposite corners. He took his time and came slowly down the one side and 2 turned then did 1 forwards with Roark, Nera, Gold, and a Rookie with R3-A2. 3 rounds of exchange fire and I had his Gold down to 2 hull and rookie down to 1 but he put the hurt on Chewie and stressed him out to prevent actions. Lando was taken out 3 rounds later. Was an eye opening experience.

We discussed the tactics in use and looked at the setup. I could have made it difficult on him by setting up more in the center of the table instead of giving him a full lane run-up to the fortress.

The important part is knowing what you are facing. If you take your time you can beat it. Set up your approach and slow roll in.

Empire squads will have a harder time against a fortress build as they can't do a 1 straight and have to fly in faster.