Wave 4 is true!

By Lyraeus, in Star Wars: Armada

The thing about veteran gunners is you have to re roll all of your dice, not just the blanks or ones you want to. Makes it far riskier when you have to re roll a lot of red dice. I think it can be useful to help prevent a completely disastrous roll however. Curious to see the other upgrade cards as I am sure there will be plenty that will also give us some great options.

Excellent catch, and I missed this myself. This takes Veteran Gunners down a notch. Still not a bad weapon team but not a "no duh" choice by any means. They're effectively "bad dice insurance" rather than "blank dice insurance." There's some overlap there, but targeted rerolls like Leading Shots, Ordnance Experts, and Darth Vader can help much more selectively whereas Veteran Gunners could result in a "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" situations, where the baby is your 2-hit or crit dice.

swm17_veterangunners.png

JUST IN CASE ANYONE MISSED IT, USING THIS UPGRADE REQUIRES YOU TO REROLL ALL THE DICE IN YOUR POOL. YES, ALL OF THEM.

A few things I want to note from a close look at the teaser pictures:

swm16_spread.png

Please note:

  • The ion cannon blue crit upgrade. It seems to do something AND exhaust's the defender's (stuff). Either this is a targeted form of Overload Pulse (hitting certain types of defense tokens) or it works on upgrade cards (the only other exhaustable resource), which could get mean for shutting down Engine Techs and the like. Hrm... Interesting.
  • TWO unique crew upgrades. They can't be the commander, because (s)he's hiding like a creeper for the moment.

swm17_spread.png

Please note:

  • It's hard to say for certain, but there don't appear to be any offensive or defensive retrofit upgrades (that we know of) visible.
  • The Spinal (noun, presumably Turbolasers) is a modification that improves the battery armament for your (blank) hull ZONES(plural). Presumably, 1 red dice added to the front and back, given the name.
  • The High-C(apacity?) Ion T(letters) is the game's first ion cannon modification and it adds 1 (blue dice, I'd assume) to your (blank) hull ZONES(plural).
  • The token suite comes with a Contain token, which means one of the following:
    • The alternate Liberty MC80 adds a Contain token OR swaps a defense token we can see now for a Contain token (which would be the first time different build options had differing token types)
    • One of the included upgrades adds or swaps for a Contain token (like Needa with an Evade token for the ISD)

Veteran Gunners is built for the AFMK-II....

... Where you want Dice Manipulation...

... But the only way you can do it is with TRCs...

.... But you want to have a different Turbolaser Upgrade rather than TRCs...

So now you can.

The thing about veteran gunners is you have to re roll all of your dice, not just the blanks or ones you want to. Makes it far riskier when you have to re roll a lot of red dice. I think it can be useful to help prevent a completely disastrous roll however.

Wow, I missed the "reroll everything" too. That... hmmm... Not sure I like it anymore.

The thing about veteran gunners is you have to re roll all of your dice, not just the blanks or ones you want to. Makes it far riskier when you have to re roll a lot of red dice. I think it can be useful to help prevent a completely disastrous roll however. Curious to see the other upgrade cards as I am sure there will be plenty that will also give us some great options.

Excellent catch, and I missed this myself. This takes Veteran Gunners down a notch. Still not a bad weapon team but not a "no duh" choice by any means. They're effectively "bad dice insurance" rather than "blank dice insurance." There's some overlap there, but targeted rerolls like Leading Shots, Ordnance Experts, and Darth Vader can help much more selectively whereas Veteran Gunners could result in a "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" situations, where the baby is your 2-hit or crit dice.

swm17_veterangunners.png

JUST IN CASE ANYONE MISSED IT, USING THIS UPGRADE REQUIRES YOU TO REROLL ALL THE DICE IN YOUR POOL. YES, ALL OF THEM.

A few things I want to note from a close look at the teaser pictures:

swm16_spread.png

Please note:

  • The ion cannon blue crit upgrade. It seems to do something AND exhaust's the defender's (stuff). Either this is a targeted form of Overload Pulse (hitting certain types of defense tokens) or it works on upgrade cards (the only other exhaustable resource), which could get mean for shutting down Engine Techs and the like. Hrm... Interesting.
  • TWO unique crew upgrades. They can't be the commander, because (s)he's hiding like a creeper for the moment.

swm17_spread.png

Please note:

  • It's hard to say for certain, but there don't appear to be any offensive or defensive retrofit upgrades (that we know of) visible.
  • The Spinal (noun, presumably Turbolasers) is a modification that improves the battery armament for your (blank) hull ZONES(plural). Presumably, 1 red dice added to the front and back, given the name.
  • The High-C(apacity?) Ion T(letters) is the game's first ion cannon modification and it adds 1 (blue dice, I'd assume) to your (blank) hull ZONES(plural).
  • The token suite comes with a Contain token, which means one of the following:
    • The alternate Liberty MC80 adds a Contain token OR swaps a defense token we can see now for a Contain token (which would be the first time different build options had differing token types)
    • One of the included upgrades adds or swaps for a Contain token (like Needa with an Evade token for the ISD)

Your user name should be Sherlock! Excellent detective work!

9 Engineering, plus the flotillas remove a single damage card upgrade, could have some serious capability to remove damage cards.

I am looking forwards to seeing what the Imperial commander does, after flotilla's gave the rebels Montferrats ability, and Madine making them more maneuverable, Motti already adds health, so more damage dealing capacity? or something to do with squadrons?

One flotilla for Repair Crews, one for Comms Net?

Here's a prediction:

Liberty gets the current VSD movement profile, which is countered by Madine.

Interdictor gets the MC80 profile, to be as slow but more mobile than the VSD.

The Imperial Commander does something to heavily benefit VSDs and Interdictors, without a huge benefit to Gladiators or ISDs.

I really like what they've done with the Experimental Retrofit upgrade type - we were all hoping for an Interdictor with gravity wells, but this more generic title opens up the possibility a) of other ships having similar capabilities in future, and b) their not being limited to gravity/movement based effects.

Here's my question - do we think we'll see Rebel ships with similar capacities? The Interdictor was a very specifically Imperial ship, with a very particular purpose. But it would seem a shame for only one faction to benefit.

Unless, like me, you're an Imperial player, in which case... woop. ;)

I am very excited about this 4th wave. The Liberty is an amazing looking large ship. Will be getting two if those. Glad I did not get more than one home one. The imperial ship will be nice tank for me. This is gonna be fun.

9 Engineering, plus the flotillas remove a single damage card upgrade, could have some serious capability to remove damage cards.

I am looking forwards to seeing what the Imperial commander does, after flotilla's gave the rebels Montferrats ability, and Madine making them more maneuverable, Motti already adds health, so more damage dealing capacity? or something to do with squadrons?

One flotilla for Repair Crews, one for Comms Net?

Here's a prediction:

Liberty gets the current VSD movement profile, which is countered by Madine.

Interdictor gets the MC80 profile, to be as slow but more mobile than the VSD.

The Imperial Commander does something to heavily benefit VSDs and Interdictors, without a huge benefit to Gladiators or ISDs.

I think this all sounds plausible, especially the point about the Interdictor. One of those cards is Engineering Team, which I presume means that the ship has a support team upgrade. Like the MC80, therefore, it could take engine techs, making it an effective speed 3 if you wanted it to be.

And I hope that that's what the Imperial Commander does. Interdictors could either be the death of VSDs, or give them a new lease of life; the only thing wrong with a VSD per se is its lack of maneouvrability, so if you can mess around with your opponent's movement, then you can pin them in place to be rolled over by the VSDs at their own pace. Any further benefits given by an admiral would be ace.

I'm not so sure they'd cripple the Liberty like that - it's a dynamic looking ship with wings and a fancy(ish) paint job! I'm gonna bet a speed three chart with a lil' less yaw than an ISD.

Here's my question - do we think we'll see Rebel ships with similar capacities? The Interdictor was a very specifically Imperial ship, with a very particular purpose. But it would seem a shame for only one faction to benefit.

Not exactly "calling it," but I expect we'll get one too .

Forward shooter with engine techs = insane amount of fire/arc bump control. I'd personally rather have e-techs than the equivalent speed chart for a big bruiser that lives/dies off of getting the right arc in play. So much more flexibility with e-techs (unless you're an imperial with Ozzel...).

Oh yeah, shield 5. Nummy nums.

swm16_g-8_experimental_projector.png

And, you could also use this for preventing engine techs, no?

It's definitely going to need an FAQ, but my first thought is no.

Why would it even potentially prevent engine techs ( need faq) engine techs are not dependent on speed, just the command ? If I had changed my speed to 0 last turn and I had a navigate dial or token I could spend the command for no effect, stay speed 0 then use engine techs to make a 1 move, but still be speed 0 for next round..... Not sure why I would, but I could.

The engine techs are not part of the first maneuver in fact it states engine techs takes place after it, and this card states its effect lasts to the end of the maneuver.

Engine-Techs.png

swm16_g-8_experimental_projector.png

And, you could also use this for preventing engine techs, no?

It's definitely going to need an FAQ, but my first thought is no.

Why would it even potentially prevent engine techs ( need faq) engine techs are not dependent on speed, just the command ? If I had changed my speed to 0 last turn and I had a navigate dial or token I could spend the command for no effect, stay speed 0 then use engine techs to make a 1 move, but still be speed 0 for next round..... Not sure why I would, but I could.

The engine techs are not part of the first maneuver in fact it states engine techs takes place after it, and this card states its effect lasts to the end of the maneuver.

Engine-Techs.png

See the discussion here for the answer.

Isn't it fun, that you can go out of your way to provide a space for people to discuss and not bounce a thread... And they bounce the thread? :D

why cant we get an upgrade called Deck Officer....

You're more likely to get "Cabin Boy"

why cant we get an upgrade called Deck Officer....

You're more likely to get "Cabin Boy"

Why, we all know where Luke is these days, don't we? :D

Anyone notice that card that I think says grav shift? I think it may let you love ships after deployment.

It looks like it may say:

Grav shift

Before deployment place one grav shift token in the play area

After deployment you may move each ship at distance 1-3 of the token distance x(maybe 2) Of its current location. Ships can not be overlapping obstacles

Anyone else think I might be reading that right?

Anyone notice that card that I think says grav shift? I think it may let you love ships after deployment.

It looks like it may say:

Grav shift

Before deployment place one grav shift token in the play area

After deployment you may move each ship at distance 1-3 of the token distance x(maybe 2) Of its current location. Ships can not be overlapping obstacles

Anyone else think I might be reading that right?

They name that card in the article:

"Grav Shift Reroute"

And the quote:

Featuring two new, fleet-defining ships, one each for the Rebels and Imperials, Armada Wave IV is your chance to harness the power of gravity well projectors, grav shift reroutes , massive forward-facing Rebel guns, and other powerful, new technologies.

Edited by Drasnighta

Yea just noticed that. Oops

A few things I want to note from a close look at the teaser pictures:

swm16_spread.png

Please note:

  • The ion cannon blue crit upgrade. It seems to do something AND exhaust's the defender's (stuff). Either this is a targeted form of Overload Pulse (hitting certain types of defense tokens) or it works on upgrade cards (the only other exhaustable resource), which could get mean for shutting down Engine Techs and the like. Hrm... Interesting.
  • TWO unique crew upgrades. They can't be the commander, because (s)he's hiding like a creeper for the moment.

swm17_spread.png

Please note:

  • It's hard to say for certain, but there don't appear to be any offensive or defensive retrofit upgrades (that we know of) visible.
  • The Spinal (noun, presumably Turbolasers) is a modification that improves the battery armament for your (blank) hull ZONES(plural). Presumably, 1 red dice added to the front and back, given the name.
  • The High-C(apacity?) Ion T(letters) is the game's first ion cannon modification and it adds 1 (blue dice, I'd assume) to your (blank) hull ZONES(plural).
  • The token suite comes with a Contain token, which means one of the following:
    • The alternate Liberty MC80 adds a Contain token OR swaps a defense token we can see now for a Contain token (which would be the first time different build options had differing token types)
    • One of the included upgrades adds or swaps for a Contain token (like Needa with an Evade token for the ISD)

Good summary, however I think you're mistaken about Spinal Turbolasers. Based on the picture, it is pretty clear that the card talks about a single zone.

Just pointing out, since I haven't seen anyone mention it yet, the interdictor has a blue and a black anti squadron attack. For a ship I always envisioned as almost exclusively support, this thing is remarkably tanky.

Here's my random stab in the dark:

Quad TL's let you set a red die to an accuracy if you don't get any.

Here's my random stab in the dark:

Quad TL's let you set a red die to an accuracy if you don't get any.

What's the (Effective) Difference to H-9 Turbolasers, then?

Here's my random stab in the dark:

Quad TL's let you set a red die to an accuracy if you don't get any.

What's the (Effective) Difference to H-9 Turbolasers, then?

touche!

That'll teach me to stab things in the dark. Well, that and the prison time.

Here's my question - do we think we'll see Rebel ships with similar capacities? The Interdictor was a very specifically Imperial ship, with a very particular purpose. But it would seem a shame for only one faction to benefit.

Not exactly "calling it," but I expect we'll get one too .

Nice! Think that's a good prediction there. Maybe you should have called it. ;)

In all seriousness, this makes complete sense as an addition to the Rebel fleet. Looks like it would be smaller than the Interdictor, and less well armed, but offer similar tactical flexibility. Maybe wave 5? Don't think they could leave it two waves to share those abilities around.