Doesn't Jyn Odan basically have a lesser form of an overwatch ability with her Quick Draw ability? Also, on top of that couldn't she bail if she did damage?

I've given the OP a Like just to stick up for him against the tide of "how dare you say that here" bile, but I kinda disagree.

As others have said - you can take cover by moving behind cover.

I would like an Overwatch ability though. Well, I say I would like them - I've been in plenty situations where I wished I had one, obviously I don't know whether it would spoil the flow of the game.

I second your support for the OP, it doesn't seem like people take critics too well around here.

I have yet to try skirmish mode, but my impression with what I read here is that it is dominated by melee builds. Vader, Royal Guard Champion, Royal Guard and Officiers (to allow your melee units to move faster) seems to be the hot kids. A build based on range attackers doesn't seem to get much love.

If I were to make the game, I would have included an Overwatch ability (I named it guard action in my earlier post), something you can do once per round if you took the action for it. This way, getting initiative to get into position would have been more important, and melee build would not have been able to run into melee range without any penality. Simple and effective.

As for cover, while I don't think it is necessary, it would have been easy to include and would not have slow down the game, just add a little depth to positioning. Flanking would have played a part in the game. It would also have kept the melee combat relevant (when combined with an Overwatch ability) since they would not be affected by cover.

I love the game as is, but including those two mechanics, and balancing the game accordingly, would have give more depth to it. I also don't think it would have slow the game down: Anima Tactics was a fast miniature game that had a cover mechanic. It was played on a mat with scenery like WH or Flames of War, determining cover on map with a grid is very easy and fast.

But now, the game is done, fun and balanced according to the present rules. I don't feel a need to include new rules that could inbalance it.

People talk alot about mele builds because right now all the people that use the word "meta" 8 times a day are making nothing but Vader and/or RGC lists... well, because they are no brainers. Vader is, well, Vader. He's what we would expect... a force using mele monster. He is almost half the points in your list after all. Its easy to just play mele beasts. Load yourself up with ways to move faster and get stuck in.... not much thought needed for a new player to jump in with these builds and still be able to beat people.

But I wouldn't agree that its a mele game. I've won games shooting Luke to death with lowly stormtroopers, and when I play my Rebels, Fenn has almost always been the key to victory for me. I have also used e-webs to great effect (and my e-web completely shut down the rebels from delivering holocrons in one game I played.

Its all about the mission parameters and there are many scenarios where the right shooters, properly placed, steal the show

Cover in IA would not work as we don't have obstacles as such, if there was a cover mechanic there are very few places on the maps/boards that you couldn't in effect claim cover for a table/chair/bush/box/rock/steps etc. I like to view it that the defence die/dice already presume that the character is doing its best to stay in 'cover' at all times, kneeling, crouching, bobbing up and down etc. Cards like the 'take cover' card are for times the character is actively doing more than the norm to stay in cover, expose weakness etc for the times when they don't manage it.

Coming from a predominately skirmish wargame background (where cover rules abound in most) I find this approach works well especially for the feel of the game.

Rich J

When I talk about cover I understand the all covered / no cover distinction just that particularly in the first scenario where winning means running like hell at many points.

I suppose I would have liked cardboard cover standees' with a cover die/Dice printed on them to show which one to roll and an over watch rule. Oh and a flanking bonus of some kind.

I suppose I play too much Xcom.

I will write my scenarios based on a single combat meeting and make it a positioning game with the rules above.

So if you break through you win hold them off is a different x wing result and counter attacked another

Thanks for the support guys