I haven't seen much use of Opportunist in my area , but when I got a copy I couldn't help dreaming up a few ways to make it happen. My favorites so far are Leebo with HLC and Mauler Mithel (can you say 5 die TIE!?)
I've had decent success with the Leebo Opportunist build:
Leebo w/
- Opportunist
- HLC
- Dash Rendar
- Outrider
(52pts)
Wes Jansen
- Expert Handling
(31pts)
Prototype Pilot
- Chardaan Refit
- Autothrusters
(17pts)
Obviously the main synergy here is Wes strips a token (preferably from Range 3) or alternatively the ProtoPilot blocks and costs the target his action then Leebo gets HLC+Opportunist for 5 red dice. With some good set-up I can get TL+Focus every other turn and there's nothing I can think of that can cancel five hits ![]()
The rest of the strategy is to set up the asteroids as tight as I can and fly Leebo through them since HLC denies his target a range bonus, Dash (crew) denies them the obstructed bonus (being able to still shoot when I misjudge and overlap obstacles is a nice bonus here), and the asteroids discourage getting inside the donut hole. So Leebo's 5 dice attack is against a target with no modifiers and no bonuses.
Expert Handling is on Wes because a few people see that combo and go for him first so getting out of arc and throwing target locks keeps him alive, and if they do go for Leebo first I find that EH makes Wes a stronger closer. Considering dropping Dash crew and Autothrusters to add Engine Upgrade to Wes to further enhance manuevering...
The next one is based around what I call "Kathosaurus" which is a stress causing Kath, accompanied by a TIE with Opportunist to take advantage of the actionless target:
Kath Scarlet Alt Kath (using Proxy upgrades) with TIE/ln's instead
- Predator - Calculation
- Flechette Torpedoes - Mangler Cannon
- Gunner - Tactitian
- Slave I - Engine Upgrade
(48pts) (49pts)
Rexler Brath Mauler Mithel
- Opportunist - Opportunist
- Proton Rocket - Engine Upgrade
- Heavy Laser Cannon (25pts)
- TIE mk. II Obsidian Squad x2
(52pts) (13pts each)
So the strategy here is to use Kathosaurus to put multiple stress on a target ship by whatever means necessary so they lose the ability to take actions next turn, which leaves them particularly vulnerable to my Opportunist TIE. Then Engine boost Mauler to R1 for his bonus plus Opportunist for also five dice! For Rexler it's 5 dice at R2-3 and a one-shot 6 dice at R1 w/Prockets(!) and he clears stress with his newfound abundance of greens courtesy of mk.II engines. As a bonus with Rexler you have his pilot ability to turn the heat to 'incinerate' if you don't need your focus token to get in the hits ![]()
I've only flown this once using the no proxy cards Kath and the three TIEs. I had too much trouble getting the Flechette-Gunner combo to work for me, but in spite of that Mauler still managed to get range one behind a Talonbane who foolishly spent his focus on shooting Kath and laid some good damage on him.
Overall I'm enjoying the response from people when I manage to get five hits on a roll when they only have two defense dice and stress management is no more difficult than it is with PTL. It's just a difference of damage output vs. survivability.