Just thought I would solicit some feedback on a devious idea I had. I'm the Imperial player.

The current threat level is 4, and my group just "won" the Luke Skywalker ally and half the time have a fifth player sitting out, so I'm thinking it's almost certain that they are going to choose to use him. Let's assume they do. So, I would start with 18 threat and an optional deployment at the beginning of the mission.

I'm considering deploying an AT-ST in the tile where the Rebels start, positioned so they still have 5 free spaces to deploy, and so that to get past the AT-ST would take 5 movement points minimum. My players have the heroes who AREN'T the smuggler or the general (Wookie, Bothan, Jedi and Spec Ops guy). I figure I'm likely inviting two attacks, which against 2 black dice, I might still not get to below half health. If they do half kill it, I then can back up a step and shoot a player, causing a maximum of 10 damage (using a class card that will give my figure focused from the MM deck), minimum 2 damage, and will very likely result in Blast 2 against the grouped up squad. If they DON'T half kill it, I can run my Royal Guards over to the AT-ST to give another block (just one) to the AT-ST and hope it survives two rounds of two attacks each (for four attacks total). If it STILL survives, I can also move my Stormtroopers over and Combat Medic the thing.

Devious, yes, sounds fun, yes, and while my gut/heart/soul cry out for me to do this, my mind is remembering the mission where they got Luke, where I deployed the AT-ST instead of a swarm of minions, and the heroes easily got me down to 2 figures in the hanger because of it. Would having 3 elite Stormtroopers and 3 regular Stormtroopers (and one extra threat to boot, since I have an Influence card giving me cheaper troops) be better for me? The AT-ST VERY much restricts beginning movement, but will really limit the number of enemies they're facing.

Massive figures, such as the ATST can only be deploy and move in outdoor spaces

Massive figures, such as the ATST can only be deploy and move in outdoor spaces

That is only the rule during the campaign (which is applicable here). You can move massive figures indoors during skirmish. Just wanted to clear that part up.

Regarding the deployment of the AT-ST: You still have to deploy your open groups to the specified (usually red) deployment points (or as close as possible). I don't have my campaign book in front of me, but from the missions I've played, the deployment points are usually several spaces away from where the Rebels start.

I think your strategy can work based on the rules I've stated above (as long as it's outside). I'd tweak it as you bring out the Royal Guards first, move them up a couple of spaces hopefully drawing the Rebels in. Then drop your AT-ST down behind the Guards and let it go crazy. That ought to help with the cleanup efforts. Although one would hope the Rebels wouldn't fall for it a second time.

The mission in question is two-thirds exterior, including the hero deployment tile. Also, the mission has unique deployment/reinforcement rules for the Imperial player, which would allow me to potentially deploy my AT-ST on their starting tile (in theory, on top of their deployment space, but per my first message, that is not my plan).

The point that I disagree with, thestag, is that going that route would not allow me to deploy the AT-ST until Round 2, after the heroes have already moved off of their starting tile. If you look at the mission map, I think the starting tile is the optimal place to put the AT-ST in order to bottle them in, either forcing them to attack twice and not move their first turn, or attack once and spend an action (and for most of the heroes, a couple of strain) in order to get past the AT-ST, and even then only 2-3 would be able to get by.

It also encourages heroes to just double move to get out and around the corner without worrying about the AT-ST, I think.

That wouldn't be too bad, would it? That would eat up an extra two movement points on each hero, plus possibly still leaving them clumped up for me to do a blast on them.

The mission is likely going to be played tomorrow. Basically I have to decide between the AT-ST, Stormtroopers and an E-Web for my open slots, and just deploy the AT-ST at the beginnning of the game (plus an Imperial Officer I get in my hand every game due to an Influence card), or Stormtroopers, an E-Web and Trandoshan Hunters as my open slots, and deploying all of them.

Remember that you can't deploy the officier from the influence card in special Setup. The influence cards read :After setup, add him to your hand

My strategy in this mission (first side mission) ended up being clogging the hallway to the champer with the nexu, royal guards and later troopers. Added a droid and an officer to my hand, but didnt not really use the droid, the officer came in handy when Vader spawned.

The only AOE they had was Wookie cleave, bu a combo of stun and bleed kept him occupied for a few turns. When Vader spawned he unleashed hell on them and retreated to get a bit out of ranged forcing Diala to spend all her strain to get to him and attack without removing a die which left him with 1 health at the end of the mission

Do you have Royal Guards? If so, I would spam these and keep them in front of the door. Block with the Nexu you get and withdraw the normal stormy group back to the door. Buy Royal Guard/Elite Royal Guard and just clog the door spaces. because of protector, you will be harder to kill and if they manage to kill anything, like half your guys get focused and pound. from there just keep reinforcing. If you can get 3/4 wounded before they get to Vader, you shouldn't have too much trouble finishing off the last hero.

My group (I play as a Rebel) completed this late in our campaign (threat level was 5) and had Chewy so naturally we added him. We basically rolled it, no one was wounded and we killed Vader in 1 turn. The Imperial player tried to block the hall, but our damage output was too high for even Elite Royal Guards to hold us off (the only person without a Tier 3 weapon was Diala before we won). Earlier in the game though, I could see where the Royal Guard mess could be really annoying. We leaned on protector and our damage output hard, and if you don't have that I could see where this mission would be really tough.