https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2015/9/2/rule-through-fear/

Finally! It's been forever since they announced these.

I am seriously reconsidering my 1 of each stand on the large ships. The ISD is so amazing, I'm starting to feel I need multiples.

I'm glad we get Vader's text finally. I like it.

So many wins here, even without running the ISD...

Needa, Phylon Q7s, Heavy Turbolaser Turrets...

Even Support Officer, for those Tournament Games where your plan is just thoroughly wrecked and you need to resubmit your order homework on the fly...

Vader seems very powerful, to the extent that I actually thought they meant "discard" a defense token, not spend.

Why do the Imperials get all the rerolls and dice modifications? First Screed, then Vader, not to mention swarm, Warlord

I feel pretty happy. I called the double Offensive Retrofit slot. Was a pure guess but was right. Points were just about right. 110 for the Impstar 1 was at my max range.

I feel pretty happy. I called the double Offensive Retrofit slot. Was a pure guess but was right. Points were just about right. 110 for the Impstar 1 was at my max range.

I'm very happy that the Imp 1 has the double offensive, whereas Imp 2 has a Defensive... Set them RIGHT apart other than just the Guns they have... And its a reason to run Both...

Lets not forget the different anti-squadron dice as well. Avenger is going to be a force too.

Vader seems very powerful, to the extent that I actually thought they meant "discard" a defense token, not spend.

Why do the Imperials get all the rerolls and dice modifications? First Screed, then Vader, not to mention swarm, Warlord

Probably because you're saving all of your Karma for Zombie Shrimp, come the Reeikan preview.

Vader seems very powerful, to the extent that I actually thought they meant "discard" a defense token, not spend.

Why do the Imperials get all the rerolls and dice modifications? First Screed, then Vader, not to mention swarm, Warlord

I took that as I would be discarding defense tokens because of how powerful it was.

While a friendly ship is attacking a ship, it my spend 1 defense token to reroll any number of dice in it's attack pool.

If we were spending them, wouldn't the text read "exhaust." It should have clarified that better in the text. They should have said exhaust or discard, or am I forgetting the term "Spend" in the RRG?

EDIT: Never mind, I guess you do just exhaust it.

RRG P.2:

Spend Defense Tokens: The defender can spend one or more of its defense tokens.

That is crazy OP, this coming from a stricly Imperial player -- the MC80 better hav some kick ass abilities of it's own or I'm going to be steam rolling everybody.

I feel pretty happy. I called the double Offensive Retrofit slot. Was a pure guess but was right. Points were just about right. 110 for the Impstar 1 was at my max range.

Good catch, I missed that ! This is pretty interesting !

OMG, can it mean that the Mon Cals might have two Defensive Retrofits on some variants ?

If we were spending them, wouldn't the text read "exhaust." It should have clarified that better in the text. They should have said exhaust or discard, or am I forgetting the term "Spend" in the RRG?

EDIT: Never mind, I guess you do just exhaust it.

RRG P.2:

Spend Defense Tokens: The defender can spend one or more of its defense tokens.

That is crazy OP, this coming from a stricly Imperial player -- the MC80 better hav some kick ass abilities of it's own or I'm going to be steam rolling everybody.

"Spend" uses the token, whether that is ready to exhausted or exhausted to discarded.

Spend is clearly spelled out in the RRG.

edit- sorry y'all covered that

Spend is clearly spelled out in the RRG.

Yep, I already edited the post after I looked it up. I had just been refering to exausting the defense token, because, well that's also what you're doing. All clear now though, and as I said, as someone who only plays Imperial, that's crazy over powered.

It's very strong, but I'm not sure about OP. In addition to his 36pt cost, he has other costs too- lowering your defense.

I think that makes Vader both VERY thematic, AND appropriately costed. Looking forward to using him!

Yeah, its risky to open the volley with that, unless you know you're in a Good Position, and you are very confident at trashing your opponent completely...

If its the start of the turn, you're opening yourself for the potential to discard tokens permanently...

If its the middle to the end of the turn, you're probably discaring tokens Permanently... ANd it better be the end, or, y'know, those are some glaring holes to exploit in the Squadron Phase...

There's a big risk to it... If something like Neb-Bs or Vics ont he other team force enough long-range damage to make you start spending your tokens BEFORE you activate, you're going to really have to play the Risk game on which ones you spend - and potenitally discard doing so - for your rerolls...

Yeah, its risky to open the volley with that, unless you know you're in a Good Position, and you are very confident at trashing your opponent completely...

If its the start of the turn, you're opening yourself for the potential to discard tokens permanently...

If its the middle to the end of the turn, you're probably discaring tokens Permanently... ANd it better be the end, or, y'know, those are some glaring holes to exploit in the Squadron Phase...

Risky? It depends on what you're up against. In the beginning, you can count on spending contain all day long. When you're out of shields, you can spend a reinforce if you still have one around (odds are, if you know you have Vader, you'll keep a Reinforce even if there's an opportunity to discard it on your last shields.

It's very strong, but I'm not sure about OP. In addition to his 36pt cost, he has other costs too- lowering your defense.

I think that makes Vader both VERY thematic, AND appropriately costed. Looking forward to using him!

I'm definitely sharing your take on that. It's got drawbacks, but it can work well.

Yeah, its risky to open the volley with that, unless you know you're in a Good Position, and you are very confident at trashing your opponent completely...

If its the start of the turn, you're opening yourself for the potential to discard tokens permanently...

If its the middle to the end of the turn, you're probably discaring tokens Permanently... ANd it better be the end, or, y'know, those are some glaring holes to exploit in the Squadron Phase...

Interesting take ! I'm actually looking at it the other way around. It works well in a list that has initiative because you won't have already spent defense tokens that you might need later on. And the fact that you'll activate one ship before the other means that you'll always be able to have free defense tokens.

I feel it's more of an Alpha Strike ability. While it works well in blue dice range due to having a boatload of dice, activating it in red dice range will prevent completely whiffing your rolls and inflicting damage early on before the opponent slips away. And you have a Contain token that really won't be used until later game.

Also, what I like is that it prevents from completely whiffing.

Yeah, its risky to open the volley with that, unless you know you're in a Good Position, and you are very confident at trashing your opponent completely...

If its the start of the turn, you're opening yourself for the potential to discard tokens permanently...

If its the middle to the end of the turn, you're probably discaring tokens Permanently... ANd it better be the end, or, y'know, those are some glaring holes to exploit in the Squadron Phase...

Risky? It depends on what you're up against. In the beginning, you can count on spending contain all day long. When you're out of shields, you can spend a reinforce if you still have one around (odds are, if you know you have Vader, you'll keep a Reinforce even if there's an opportunity to discard it on your last shields.

Any time you give up defensive capability, its termed "Risky"... Some times that risk is acceptable, yes...

I thin Avenger is going to be a widely used title. . . Captain Needa might find himself on VSD's, the Impstar 1 is going to be amazing with Expanded Hanger Bay and Boosted Coms.

Ohhh the Tractor Beams allow for some great defensive play. Gladiator charging in? Nope, now it's slower. VSD or Raider too close for comfort, nope now they are slower. . . I like it.

Man, I LOVE the tractor beams. Hell, I almost want them on VSDs! Since they're passive abilities, that can help mitigate that thing's absolute slow-ness.

I can't decide which I'm more excited about: Vader or the tractor beams. Dance around out of range of me now will you, rebel scum?

Am I right in thinking that you can't equip the same card twice? (If you can, that's 2 tractor beams on the ISD-I )

I thin Avenger is going to be a widely used title. . . Captain Needa might find himself on VSD's, the Impstar 1 is going to be amazing with Expanded Hanger Bay and Boosted Coms.

Ohhh the Tractor Beams allow for some great defensive play. Gladiator charging in? Nope, now it's slower. VSD or Raider too close for comfort, nope now they are slower. . . I like it.

Oh, Neb-Bs, Vette's and AF-IIs moving at Speed 1 with a Token, expecting to unload, speed up, and take off....

Nope, you've been Tatooined! Time to shoot some Droids out the Airlock!

Nah just 1 tractor beam since it's a modification.

But thanks FFG for that Preview, anyone else feels like they *really* need one ?

Giving more thought, I do see a shift of the meta to squadron based lists for the Rebels. The ISD's greatest drawback is being forced to fire anti-squadron even with PDR. Even with Speed 3, the large base of a Star Destroyer will make it easy to see where it will end and so squadrons even in the squadron phase will be able to apply damage.

"We count thirty Rebel ships, Lord Vader. But they're so small they're evading our turbolasers !"

And of course, Vader has the answer.

"We'll have to destroy them ship to ship. Get the crews to their fighters."

EDIT : I'm saying this because Tractor Beam scares the hell out of small ships like Vettes and Nebs (to a lesser extent).