So we all know that the 4x4 is the best list in the current meta, even with all of the rule changes. Imperial officers + "X" troops is disastrous for the opponent.

My question is that if there is any way to actually take down this synergy? I am not saying be competitive and come in second place, but are there lists that can actually dethrone the 4x4 and its variants?

for example, we were playing the "get to the ship" scenario last night and I ran the following list:

http://ia-armies.com/army/4pAqaJpO

My opponent is still learning the game, and ran the list below:

http://ia-armies.com/army/lJXxoRwP

Needless to say, the game ended within a few turns, and after review, my opponent was pretty doomed from the start. Chewbacca did a decent job of being super annoying and avoiding death for multiple activations, however the game was already well within reach for me at that point.

Do you have to pack stuns and play the hit and run tactics to try to knock off my above list? Just looking for advice from the community, so that I can prep my opponents when playing casually. It was almost lopsided to the point where it wasn't even fun winning

I agree his list was doomed from the start having only 4 units is a recipe for disaster.

The list you ran was competitive but I wouldn't call it earth shattering. So my advise would be to ensure that at the very least your opponents squad consists of at least 7 units. Activation's aren't as important now with the pass rule. But overall unit count still makes a big difference.

Try giving your friend the following list, I'm sure it would be much more competitive next game.

Vader

Elite Storm Trooper x2

Officer x2

Ensure he has 2 copies of reinforcements in his command deck.

If he want's to run a Han list I've been having some success with the following:

Han

Jyn

C3Po

Luke

Gidon

Elite Sabs

The key to this list it to keep Jyn C3Po and Han in tight formation allowing their distracting and cunning abilities to synergies. I would add each uniques command card as well as hard to hit, which should be an auto include in any rebel list. Try to keep the Elite Sabs and Jyn focused to stun key units. The sabs rolling red, yellow green with lukes re-roll can be down right nasty.

thanks. i will have them try it. I was thinking maybe a Kayn trooper heavy list might be formidable as well, but I think the stun is required against the Royal Guard freight train

this is the Kayn list that I was thinking about countering the freight train with:

http://ia-armies.com/army/R8HC1SKW

thoughts?

this is the Kayn list that I was thinking about countering the freight train with:

http://ia-armies.com/army/R8HC1SKW

thoughts?

My suggestion would be to drop the Reg Stormtroopers (6pts) and one of the Officers (2pts) for Royal Guards (8pts). The extra durability will go a long way. You really don't need a third officer in most situations. Elite Stormtroopers are fantastic, but Regular Stormtroopers die too easily.

I'm still not sure this squad can reliably beat 4x4 though. Those Guards are too strong. Their +2 Damage surge ability really puts them over the top. And their high Health. And Speed 5. And.... Yeah, enough said.

hrm. was trying to go for an all out trooper variant and avoid the red bruisers

they are definitely the best all around, but I am trying to come up with ways to not use them while effectively beating them.

hrm. was trying to go for an all out trooper variant and avoid the red bruisers

they are definitely the best all around, but I am trying to come up with ways to not use them while effectively beating them.

I took the 3rd officer and regular troopers out for an elite e-web engineer. Still get the trooper bonus + theme, and packs a punch, although I do lose 4 actual units on the board. Also redid the command cards to add more umph...

http://ia-armies.com/army/hlm52b3J

There more good lists at the moment.

I have 2 favorites. Which one is better, depends on the mission.

Vader's Fist

Vader

3x Officer

2x Royal Guard

4x4

4x Imperial Officer

4x Royal Guard

Just for the fun of it: Run that Vader's Fist against a 4x4 in the mission Bounty Hunter or Chosen of the Force . Here the 4x4 goes down fast ...

The 4x4 list is a very strong list, but it is not unbeatable. The problem I have with the 4x4 list is that it requires zero skill to play and be successful with. That goes for pretty much any spam list that people make. One trick ponies that do one thing really well.

I hope FFG will do something about spam list, as it is breaking the "feel" of the game and making pretty much the majority of the releases they come up with useless.

It's no secret that Royal Guards have it uphill against Elite Saboteurs. I'd say Royal Guard + Officers variations (either pure 4x4 or any list with 2+ RGs and 3+ Officers really) and Rebel Elite Saboteurs are the two "Tier 1" meta-defining squads. What's interesting is that the Saboteur lists got a lot of new tricks in Wave 2 (Threepio for an extra focus, R2 for card draw, Devotion for pulling up Son of Skywalker, Biv for the pretty useful Hunter keyword) but the only useable new bit for the Royal Guard lists is the Rule by Fear card, which won't even fit in a pure 4x4. Wave 3 again doesn't seem to include anything immedietely usable for Royal Guard lists. Once that sinks in and Rebel players start making good use of their new tricks, I think Royal Guard lists will start to struggle.

Both 4x4 specifically and spam lists in general will go away once we have more releases allowing for a more varied meta with new builds and themes. Part of the reason spams work so well in IA is the command card keyword system, which promotes command decks based on 1-2 keywords that are present on multiple groups in your squad. Simply put, the cards that give you the best damage potential (Pummel) and best board control (Parting Blow, Bodyguard, Close the Gap) are Brawler and Guardian cards, which, in the absence of other cost-effective Guardians and Brawlers, makes them Royal Guard cards almost exclusively. It's simply a question of the amount of synergy available, and Brawler/Guardian/Leader allows you the most, followed by Trooper (but IMO trooper builds still need a tiny bit more oomph damage-wise to make them scary againt Tier 1 lists). Squad building will open up immensely once we get a larger pool of strong cards for underepresented keywords, more units with more varied keyword descriptions and a more even spread of particular keywords between the factions. This is the reason I am eagerly awaiting the release of Wookie Warriors. A tough Rebel deployment group with Brawler will surely shake up the meta.

It's no secret that Royal Guards have it uphill against Elite Saboteurs. I'd say Royal Guard + Officers variations (either pure 4x4 or any list with 2+ RGs and 3+ Officers really) and Rebel Elite Saboteurs are the two "Tier 1" meta-defining squads. What's interesting is that the Saboteur lists got a lot of new tricks in Wave 2 (Threepio for an extra focus, R2 for card draw, Devotion for pulling up Son of Skywalker, Biv for the pretty useful Hunter keyword) but the only useable new bit for the Royal Guard lists is the Rule by Fear card, which won't even fit in a pure 4x4. Wave 3 again doesn't seem to include anything immedietely usable for Royal Guard lists. Once that sinks in and Rebel players start making good use of their new tricks, I think Royal Guard lists will start to struggle.

Both 4x4 specifically and spam lists in general will go away once we have more releases allowing for a more varied meta with new builds and themes. Part of the reason spams work so well in IA is the command card keyword system, which promotes command decks based on 1-2 keywords that are present on multiple groups in your squad. Simply put, the cards that give you the best damage potential (Pummel) and best board control (Parting Blow, Bodyguard, Close the Gap) are Brawler and Guardian cards, which, in the absence of other cost-effective Guardians and Brawlers, makes them Royal Guard cards almost exclusively. It's simply a question of the amount of synergy available, and Brawler/Guardian/Leader allows you the most, followed by Trooper (but IMO trooper builds still need a tiny bit more oomph damage-wise to make them scary againt Tier 1 lists). Squad building will open up immensely once we get a larger pool of strong cards for underepresented keywords, more units with more varied keyword descriptions and a more even spread of particular keywords between the factions. This is the reason I am eagerly awaiting the release of Wookie Warriors. A tough Rebel deployment group with Brawler will surely shake up the meta.

concur

Part of the reason spams work so well in IA is the command card keyword system, which promotes command decks based on 1-2 keywords that are present on multiple groups in your squad.

The truth you speak.