In a mission where R5 draws the Shock Grenade (or Frag Grenade) supply card, it is just a proxy for some other weapon, for example the built-in defense system of the place that the R5 Astromech takes control of, disables its operation so it doesn't attack the rebels, and - at the moment the hero decides to use it - directs the system against the imperial forces.

You get better at imagining things by practicing.

In a mission where R5 draws the Shock Grenade (or Frag Grenade) supply card, it is just a proxy for some other weapon, for example the built-in defense system of the place that the R5 Astromech takes control of, disables its operation so it doesn't attack the rebels, and - at the moment the hero decides to use it - directs the system against the imperial forces.

You get better at imagining things by practicing.

With this kind of imagination, I can think of how an R5 droid gains access to a secret weapon that comes out of a ceiling and activates a head shot to Bossk or Vader wherever he is on the map and the mission is complete.

It seems to me that either the rules for R5 were not clearly defined or the game mechanic is broken.

Does the Supply deck have a supply card that provides that kind of effect?

My R5 astromech has a mini teleporter linked to the hero he's equipped to.

Every real game is going to have a rule or two that breaks theme for the sake of preserving fun gameplay without some flexible imagination by the player. Story telling activities like RPGs are much better at that than real games, since telling the story is the "game" itself.

After we finish our current campaign, I think it will be best to just take out R5 droid from the game.

During a recent Rebel Upgrade Stage, the Rebels decided to NOT buy the R5 Astromech and instead save up their credits, because "it doesn't seem very good"... ?! I think he's real fun and almost doubles whatever loot, the Rebels might find - they even have Jyn's Smuggler's Luck - they could basically have been digging for whatever they need in the Supply deck.

In a mission where R5 draws the Shock Grenade (or Frag Grenade) supply card, it is just a proxy for some other weapon, for example the built-in defense system of the place that the R5 Astromech takes control of, disables its operation so it doesn't attack the rebels, and - at the moment the hero decides to use it - directs the system against the imperial forces.

You get better at imagining things by practicing.

During a recent Rebel Upgrade Stage, the Rebels decided to NOT buy the R5 Astromech and instead save up their credits, because "it doesn't seem very good"... ?! I think he's real fun and almost doubles whatever loot, the Rebels might find - they even have Jyn's Smuggler's Luck - they could basically have been digging for whatever they need in the Supply deck.

However, I am totally in favor of cutting cards that make the game less fun, I have cut troop data and the twin shadows cards out of the supply deck because spending an action and drawing those cards is always a negative play experience for me. Just don't destroy it, somebody might really want to play with it.

I think if you look too closely at the supply cards, you're going to see other mechanics that don't make perfect thematic sense. Why does getting chance cubes from a crate let the Rebels win more credits? Are they single-use chance cubes? How does Verena use a power generator with her Combat Knife? How can you use a grappling hook outdoors with no structures around? How does finding a comlink also give you the information you need to delay some troops? Why are all these random pieces of equipment lying in crates anyway? And why only one thing in each crate? Are there also credits in each crate, or are the rebels lugging the crate around with them and selling it after?

I agree with a1bert - a little imagination and suspension of disbelief is needed for a lot of these mechanics.

On 6/2/2016 at 3:32 PM, Fizz said:

Back on track, or this thread will get locked.

Subtle nuance: Perhaps the point of the R5 Astromech is for *EXTRA* supplies? Nowhere does it say the R5 is interacting with the crate to claim it, just that they get to draw a supply card with a limit of once per crate. The crate would still be in play for a hero to interact with it, claim it for another supply card, and then score the credits at the end of the mission.

This was posted six months ago and I apologize if its been clarified here in the forum (I just cant find it). Has it been clearly stated that the forged creates provided by R5 count as an additional 50 credits? So if I only forge and interact with one create I would receive at the end of the mission 100 credits? I'm debating with my fellow Imperial!

It's in the core rules. You receive 50cr per each claimed crate. Supply cards do not give anything (except when explicitly said like Valuable Goods).

Forage does not claim crates, it only draws a supply card.
Just like Medical Loadout and Combat Override of MHD-19 draw supply cards, not claim crates.

That's exactly what I needed! Thank you Sir!