So, I signed up for my local store's championship this Sunday. I've been playing the part of the Imperials in the campaign with some buddies, but never had the opportunity to play the skirmish mode. I signed up because I figure it would be a fun way to try it out. I don't have my heart set on winning. I just want to have fun. Plus, I'd like to play a rebel army since I've played the death out of the Imperials and Mandalorians. Finally, I don't want to buy extra packs. I just want to use what I've bought to use in our campaigns. This is what I have: the core game, Twin Shadows expansion, R2-D2/C-3PO, Echo Base Rebels, Wookies, Rebel Sabateurs, Rebel Troopers and Chewie.

I was thinking of going with Luke, Diala, elite Rebel Saboteur, Jyn Odan, Mak, R2-D2, C-3PO, Rebel High Command, and Balance of Force. I built a command deck of each character's personal cards, plus Devotion, Maximum Firepower, Strength in Numbers, Against the Odds, Recover, Celebration, Of No Importance, Hard to Hit, and Rally. I built this army with the idea that a fast moving squad would quickly amass VP's, while the droids and Jyn break off and help me draw command cards. Looking at the maps in the official tournament rules, it seems like there's lots of opportunities to win games by grabbing VP's. They remind me a lot of the maps I play in BattleLore Second Edition, wherein it's better to focus on acquiring VP's rather than trying to obliterate the other army. I also liked the elite Rebel Saboteurs and Mak for their ability to shoot through their teammates (Priority Target).

Alternatively, I was thinking of an all Wookie army that included Chewie, Gaarkahn, elite Wookie Warriors, Fury of Kashyyk, Combat Suit, Rebel High Command, and Balance of Force. For command cards, I put together Debts Repaid, Furious Charge, Wild Fury, Jump Jets, Roar, Pummel, Emergency Aid, Wookie Rage x2, Adrenaline, Celebration, Urgency, Sit Tight, Improvised Weapons, and Recovery. For this one, I just liked the idea of Wookies rampaging through the map pulling the arms off of everything in sight.

So, what do you think? I'd love to read any comments (good or bad) about what I've put together. Suggestions are much appreciated. I'd also love any general advice for someone with a lot of campaign experience, but no skirmish experience. Heck, this is the very first time I've ever entered anything like this, unless you count the solo/ensemble competitions I did on bassoon in high school. Thank you for your input.

hmm you could just buy leia and run twin powers.

or elite echo base troopers, gideon, c3po, elite rebel troopers, on a diplomatic mission, elite rebel sabs and luke. You can drop something down to reg if u want to run rebel high command. Prob the echo base troopers.

The wookie army looks fun but its prob not gonna do well. not enough range support or fodder.

I played a very similar list last night:

Fenn

Elite Echo Base Troopers x 2

Elite Rebel Troopers

Gideon + Dip Mission

C-3PO

It was a blast (no pun intended) if you can position well with Fenn you can get so much value out of his assault ability as well as gifting it to a friendly trooper, with Gideon pushing around a few units where required.

Of course most will say to run Luke as his re-roll buff might just be better than Assault for Fenn and a friend.

Either way a list (as suggested above) of this build would certainly be competitive whilst fun:

Luke

Elite Rebel Sabatours

Elite Echo Base Troopers

Elite Rebel Troopers

Gideon + Dip Mission

C-3PO

Mandatory Command cards would be:

Son of Skywalker

Take initiative

grenadier

+ the usual suspects

Consider Devotion if you're feeling brave, if you set up with 3PO and Luke next to each other and you draw it in your opening 3 cards your gona have a good time

I would stick with keeping the elites over dropping 1 to a regular to squeeze in RHC, often I find the value you get from your guys being on the board and soaking up more activation of your opponents as well as contesting/holding objectives and terminals is better than 1 additional command card a turn but that just how I play, if you prefer more command cards feel free to drop the EBT's to regulars.

For your first list, you might consider taking Mak out. In skirmish he really needs a focus to get damage through on an attack, and generally that focus can be better used on another figure. Gideon is amazing and costs the same as Mak. Along those lines, Diala can be great in skirmish but be aware she is a surprisingly fragile activation and spending an almost equal amount of points can get you 2 Figures with the same or more health(Wookies or Elite Echo Troopers.) Command cards can absolutely win games, if they are played at the right time, and with R2 and Rebel High command you will probably burn through all of your command card deck by the end of round 3 or 4. That said you need to be able to last that long and I'm worried that there might not be enough meat in your list. You should try to find a way to get some sort of Troopers or Wookies in there.

Other than that: Jyn+C3PO is really effective, Luke is amazing but he shouldn't be left of the front lines to be targeted, If you keep the R2+High Command combo you wont need devotion, Element of Surprise and Take Initiative are AMAZING command cards that can win games and both are 0 points. You rarely can win in skirmish with mission objectives alone, usually there will be some intense fighting in rounds 2-4.


For your second list 3 activations is very small and will hurt you in later rounds once combat has started. You probably should be aiming for 5 activations minimum, unless you have a very specific strategy for 4 activations. In all likelihood you will be playing against 5-8 activations worth of figures. You also have 6 points going towards upgrades and not more figures on the board, that is a lot of deployment points to lose to upgrades. My last thought is that Gaarkhan can be surprisingly fragile like Diala(see the comment above). I would say only bring him along is you have a specific purpose in mind for him.