I played the last Twin Suns campaign as an Imperial using the Military Might deck. So because of that I had often both Stormtroopers and Heay Stormtroopers available to deploy.

It was often difficult to choose between the two. Stormtroopers gives 3 units for 6 threat (or 5 with Endless Ranks) and Heavy Stormtroopers cost the same but give 2 units. I often deployed a regular Stormtrooper group because I wanted the extra 2 dice. I had built my tactics to going close and personal attacking from close range for that extra surge icon. I liked getting the first Stormtrooper close, making him focused and attacking. Then the other two moving adjacent to him, firing and moving off so that they get a reroll.

With heavies...I don't know. They seem better from long range but I found that the rebels played in such a way that I could never get far enough from them and get a line of sight. They had Biv and Gaarkhan so they were often close. Heavy stormtroopers do have a better damage potential than regular ones but regular group has 1 more trooper.

I'm curious how people often choose between the two? Lets assume you're in a situation where you want to deploy more units to the map and have to choose between Stormtroopers and Heavy Stormtroopers.

And those were the regular guys as in the final missions I could deploy them, let them die and deploy them for the next turn again for 5 threat. It really aggravated the rebels and I won by wounding them. But what about the elites? Heavy Stormtrooper elites cost 8 (7) threat and Stormtrooper elites 9 (8) threat. Is the choice easier between these two? Of course there are Royal Guards and other awesome stuff for 8-9 threat but if you have to make the choice between Heavy and regular Stormtroopers elites. Which one would you choose to deploy?

Well, Heavies have better damage potential Stormies as a unit, even though there is only two of them, because its only two attacks vs three so the enemy only rolls defense twice instead of 3 times.

The choice between the two elites really depends on the situation. If I have an HP booster like Assault Armor in play, I grab the Stormies, cause it gives me a better boost (6 hp instead of 4). It also depends on the enemy and what the IP is trying to accomplish. The elite stormies is an extra body to throw in the way and gum up their movement and slow them down. They have decent speed to keep up with a mobile skirmish. Estormies also moist their squad when they die and cost less to reinforce, making then ideal for earlier missions there they can die and reinforce on the same turn (to great rebel frustration, usually)

Later missions when I can afford their reinforce costs I would bring the Heavies. They do better damage (a boatload more if you can trigger Blast) and are tough enough even the Wookie has to hit them twice usually. Their low speed makes then best defending a stationary point like a terminal, hallway, or prisoner, but that happens often enough.

Personal preference is the Heavy Stormtroopers, if I had to choose, but you can see each is better in a different situation.

It depends (Yay, cop-out answer!)

General Stuff:

If you actually get to attack with all of them stormies will do more damage than heavies, of course it's easier to kill them (to the point where getting to attack with all of them is not likely) and their damage drops off as you do.

Don't worry about keeping heavies at range, having high health is one of their best assets so you want the heroes attacking them.

Elite Stormies are (imo) one of the Imperial player's three best units in campaign (Along with royal guards and elite probe droids).

In a vaccum I would choose basic heavies over basic stormies and elite stormies over elite heavies.

Command cards are where it gets complicated:

Assault armour is best on basic stormies, things that add damage to all attacks (combat veterans etc) are better on a size three unit.

Anything that grants focus, a surge, or another attack is better on heavies (especially the elite versions).

Non health bonuses to defense are better on things with more health.

In general, if (and only if) you get assault armor I would probably favor basic stormies over heavies whereas most things that are good on elite heavies are better on royal guards so I'd probably stick with elite stormies and royal guards.

Yes, it appears I was mistaken. I forgot to calculate in the +2 damage from the surge on each attack. Elite Stormtroopers *do end up doing more damage at full health than Elite Heavies against a single target.

In my opinion: Regular Heavy Stormtroopers -> Regular Stormtroopers

Unless a regular stormtrooper gets lucky with die rolls, they usually don't deal much damage. Heavy Stormtroopers though with their +accuracy and blue die almost never miss from range. With a red die they are usually always dealing some damage. They don't rely on surges as much as stormtroopers, so an anti-surge is usually a blank when defending. Regular Heavy Stormtroopers are probably my favorite unit at the moment.

However, Elite Stormtroopers -> Heavy Stormtroopers

The addition of Last Stand, more health, and upgraded surges definitely beats the small gains Elite Heavy Stormtroopers get in surges (which they barely get) and minor health increase. Elite Stormtroopers gain 6 health total as opposed to the Elite Heavies which gain only 4 more. That boost in health makes Elite Stormies much less AOE killable which means the heroes then need to usually focus on killing one at a time, perfect for Last stand. The 1 more threat cost is hardly a matter.

Good points. I admit that my view on Heavy Stormtroopers were colored by the one campaign we played in Twin Shadows. In the early missions, the Heavies had easier time surviving hero attacks which was nice. Later in the game, I found Stormtrooper group to be better mostly because the heavies were easy enough to kill for the heroes with a single attack and they didn't consider Stormtroopers to be that much of a threat.

But overall, I see your point. I think when I'm playing imperium, I'll add a regular Heavy Stormtrooper in my open group rather than a Stormtrooper.

And speaking of Heavy Stormtroopers, obviously they work well with Military Might deck but is there another deck that they shine in? I guess Technological superiority has Jetpacks and some other attachments that can help them.

I'd say stormtroopers gain more benefit from technological superiority than heavy stormtroopers. Jetpacks would be especially bad on heavies except for a cheap attachment for superior augments.

I'd say stormtroopers gain more benefit from technological superiority than heavy stormtroopers. Jetpacks would be especially bad on heavies except for a cheap attachment for superior augments.

On the flip side, experimental arms is way better on the heavies (especially elites).

I'd say stormtroopers gain more benefit from technological superiority than heavy stormtroopers. Jetpacks would be especially bad on heavies except for a cheap attachment for superior augments.

On the flip side, experimental arms is way better on the heavies (especially elites).

I'd say it matters how many white dice you are facing. I don't think it'd be uncommon to roll 0 surges and the heroes roll an anti-surge, making experimental arms serve no use for that attack.

EDIT: Actually, now that I put some thought into it. I'd say that experimental arms on regular heavies would be a bad choice. Their surges are pretty weak and pretty much only serve the purpose that if you manage to roll 1, its not a dead roll. +1 damage speaks for itself and even Blast 1 doesn't do much when heroes have 10-20 hp. Unless of course they all bunch up. I think experimental arms would be better on even normal stormies where they tend to die in a single attack anyways. Of course the best units for that attachment would be royal guards in my opinion so you're pretty much guaranteed to get a stun in. E-webs are also great since they have some good surges and can just heal themselves.

I'd say stormtroopers gain more benefit from technological superiority than heavy stormtroopers. Jetpacks would be especially bad on heavies except for a cheap attachment for superior augments.

On the flip side, experimental arms is way better on the heavies (especially elites).

I'd say it matters how many white dice you are facing. I don't think it'd be uncommon to roll 0 surges and the heroes roll an anti-surge, making experimental arms serve no use for that attack.

I think experimental arms would be better on even normal stormies where they tend to die in a single attack anyways.

Of course the best units for that attachment would be royal guards in my opinion so you're pretty much guaranteed to get a stun in.

It does but in general I'd rather be facing the "I rolled no surges and my opponent rolled an evade" than "I rolled more surges than my opponent rolled evades" as a problem (especially as in the former case you're almost certainly doing good damage to the hero).

Self inflicted damage on regular stormies opens the door for heroes to kill them without an attack.

I think that's fact rather than your opinion. XD

This is so good information. Stormtroopers are the iconic Imperium units and they're in many missions as initial groups. So naturally I want the most use of them.

One reason I thought that Jetpacks might help Heavies is that it could allow them to move over obstacles to get in a position to fire as range is not an issue for them. But then again, as range is not an issue, their 3 movement is usually enough to get them into a position to fire anyway. Range is more of an issue to the regular stormtroopers, you're right.

Thank you all for your views.

The one situation that Elite Heavy Stormtroopers actually might be your first choice is as companions for Kayn Samos, they love getting focus and, 1 for 1, they have more powerful attacks than Elite Stormtroopers.

...love the topics on Stormies!.....

I just got the upgrade that means I can change one of my dice any time I attack, improving regular stormies attacks at a stroke. Although with Fenn on the rebels and his double blast they tend to just be red mist on first attack.

In my experience, Heavy Stormtroopers are always a huge pain in the butt for the Rebels. Stormies are hit-and-miss, for me at least.

I played a campaign using the new armored assault deck. Heavies are definitely better there because of their red die, as well as armor corps.

In general, I prefer regular heavies to regular stormies but elite stormies over heavies (except during threat 4 missions).

In the early stages of the game, I prefer regular snow troopers to both of them as the extra health is a pretty big deal. But going into the mid game, the extra hp becomes irrelevant. Elite Snow troopers are kind of meh throughout the game.

I played a campaign using the new armored assault deck. Heavies are definitely better there because of their red die, as well as armor corps.

In general, I prefer regular heavies to regular stormies but elite stormies over heavies (except during threat 4 missions).

In the early stages of the game, I prefer regular snow troopers to both of them as the extra health is a pretty big deal. But going into the mid game, the extra hp becomes irrelevant. Elite Snow troopers are kind of meh throughout the game.

Snowtroopers on Tattoine. That's an odd concept. Legal, but really odd.

I played a campaign using the new armored assault deck. Heavies are definitely better there because of their red die, as well as armor corps.

In general, I prefer regular heavies to regular stormies but elite stormies over heavies (except during threat 4 missions).

In the early stages of the game, I prefer regular snow troopers to both of them as the extra health is a pretty big deal. But going into the mid game, the extra hp becomes irrelevant. Elite Snow troopers are kind of meh throughout the game.

Snowtroopers on Tattoine. That's an odd concept. Legal, but really odd.

Try to think of them as "extreme environment troopers" and tell yourself the suit both heats and cools at a hyper effective level to maintain a comfortable 70 degrees internally.

It's total nonsense, but it helps my brain get over it.

I played a campaign using the new armored assault deck. Heavies are definitely better there because of their red die, as well as armor corps.

In general, I prefer regular heavies to regular stormies but elite stormies over heavies (except during threat 4 missions).

In the early stages of the game, I prefer regular snow troopers to both of them as the extra health is a pretty big deal. But going into the mid game, the extra hp becomes irrelevant. Elite Snow troopers are kind of meh throughout the game.

Snowtroopers on Tattoine. That's an odd concept. Legal, but really odd.

Try to think of them as "extreme environment troopers" and tell yourself the suit both heats and cools at a hyper effective level to maintain a comfortable 70 degrees internally.

It's total nonsense, but it helps my brain get over it.

I would argue that it extreme environment troopers legitimately make more sense than troopers specifically for snow, it's not as if the Empire has any interest in camouflage.

I played a campaign using the new armored assault deck. Heavies are definitely better there because of their red die, as well as armor corps.

In general, I prefer regular heavies to regular stormies but elite stormies over heavies (except during threat 4 missions).

In the early stages of the game, I prefer regular snow troopers to both of them as the extra health is a pretty big deal. But going into the mid game, the extra hp becomes irrelevant. Elite Snow troopers are kind of meh throughout the game.

Snowtroopers on Tattoine. That's an odd concept. Legal, but really odd.

Try to think of them as "extreme environment troopers" and tell yourself the suit both heats and cools at a hyper effective level to maintain a comfortable 70 degrees internally.

It's total nonsense, but it helps my brain get over it.

I would argue that it extreme environment troopers legitimately make more sense than troopers specifically for snow, it's not as if the Empire has any interest in camouflage.

Doesn't quite roll off the tongue though does it? Also, the idea is that the Empire has specialized stormtroopers for each kind of climate. Which is kinda silly. They should just have 1 self-contained suit design and be done with it. But that'd be pretty expensive and if TIEs are any indication it's that the Empire is cheap.

"Hazard Troopers"

"Hazard Troopers"

Thats pretty much what I call them.

EvoTroopers