In every game I have ever played there have models or cards that I have fallen in love with that are not exactly at the cutting edge of competitive play. They are below average; the mean spirited might even insist they are Unplayable.

In Imperial Assault that's Kayn Somos for me. The much maligned Stormtrooper commander was not even close to being in the thought process for my Regionals lists. He suffers from being one of the earlier solo's created and like many of his generation his point cost can be tough to swallow. Kayn has the dice to hit from downtown, but not really the abilities or surges to take advantage of that. At 12 health for 10 points he's not the worst from a health/cost perspective, but he's nowhere near the 2 for 1 ratio the Royal Guard made into a benchmark. His abilities could be quite powerful but often require somewhat restrictive positioning. To me he is at the top of the list of figures I wish were fantastic.

Well, FFG has given me a reason to put him back on the table: Advanced Com Systems. Is it a good reason? Does it solve the underlying inefficiencies in his game? Is Kayn going to be a fantastic figure now? The answers respectively: are probably not, certainly not, and only in my fever dreams. So, the game plan is going to be that I'll pay an extra point to put Kayn back in a list with a side of hope. This is not a great game plan.

Don't Call it a Comeback (It would of had to have something to comeback to):

Squad:

eStorm

eStorm

rSnow or rHeavy w Targeting Computer

Kayn Somos

rOfficer

rOfficer

Advanced Com Systems

Command Deck:

60 Health, which is a little lower than I like to build to, but I could get as much as 12 of it back with Reinforcements. More if I stick with rSnows. Some decent attacks with decent surges and as many as 8 rerollable attack dice for consistency if I go with the rHeavys. Even with two rOfficers the list is a little slow.

(Side note: I am really bummed that Advanced Com Systems doesn't effect command cards. I got super excited for about 3 minutes about how amazing Inspiring Speech and New Orders were about to become.)

Might work, probably won't. The point is, if I put this list on the table for long enough I will eventually live the Kayn + 3 Card Wombo Combo (Single Purpose, Rally the Troops, To the Limit) where he effectively generates 7 attacks in a round. And that, FFG, is just the kind of hope I needed to put this dude back on the table.

Thanks for reading!

I would love to see Kayn become a competitive option. Is this upgrade card enough? I guess we'll have to see. But you can bet I'm gonna give it a shot!

Thank you for sharing your list. I also started with Somos when I first started playing Skirmish. Hope that we can come up with creative ways to use Somos as I am getting somewhat bored of running a generic troopers list.

I think that Somos is a good attachment for heavy troopers.

What do you think about this list?

- Kayn Somos

- Elite ISB Infiltrator

Kayn Somos and the elite Heavy Stormtroopers with Targeting Computer are a good combination.

Elite Heavys only shine, if they can get that Blast. Kayn's Focus helps with that.

Kayn only shines, if he has viable Stormtroopers for his abilities. Elite Heavy Stormtroopers with Targeting Computer are perfect for this.

Add an Officer, 2 Elite Stormtroopers and Advanced Com Systems and you have a list.

My first skirmish list was also built around Kayn. I quickly realized something wasn't working, and then I just did a comparison between what I was getting for Kayn compared to other units.

10 Kayn Somos: 12 HP, 2 actions, 1 figure* , 3 attacks WITH** conditions, Leader, surge for focus x1

10 E Snowtroopers: 18HP, 6 actions, 3 figures*, 3 attacks WITHOUT conditions, Reinforcements, surge for focus x3, mass trooper healing

09 E Stormtroopers: 15HP, 6 actions, 3 figures*, 3 attacks WITHOUT conditions, Reinforcements, free focus

*figure count important for controlling objectives

**2 attacks have to have the same target and benext to Kayn, most of the time just 1-2 attacks

My conclusion was that unless you were maxed out on elite snowtroopers and stormtroopers, (38 pts) then it was a bad idea to choose Kayn over either of those two units. Does increasing the range of Firing Squad from 1 to 3 balance this equation? Not for me, no.

It's sad, Kayn was one of my favorite characters when I started playing, if they had cost him at 6 he would be good but not broken.

It's sad, Kayn was one of my favorite characters when I started playing, if they had cost him at 6 he would be good but not broken.

Even at 8 pts he'd be extremely better.

My General Sorin droid army might be playable when this comes out ( not super competitive, but playable)

I think 6 pts would be ridiculous, 8 pts would be great, the fact that you have to pay a point for this is a little galling, it should've been a unique attachment.

I'll give it a try:

Somos + ISB + Heavy Troopers + Advanced Com Systems | 40 points

• Kayn Somos
• Elite ISB Infiltrator
• Elite ISB Infiltrator
• Elite Probe Droid
• Heavy Stormtrooper

Skirmish Upgrade

• Zillo Technique
• Vader's Finest
• Targeting Computer
• Advanced Com Systems

• Element of Surprise
• Grenadier
• Hunter Protocol
• Recovery
• Reinforcements
• Reinforcements
• Take Initiative
• Urgency
• Maximum Firepower
• Jump Jets
• Cruel Strike
• Set a Trap
• Negation
• Comm Disruption
• Wild Attack

how do you play Set a Trap?

at the beginning of your activation you declare " I'm setting a trap"

then wait til the end of the round and shoot? How do you decide on a tile? When do you decide on a tile and who do you tell?

how do you play Set a Trap?

at the beginning of your activation you declare " I'm setting a trap"

then wait til the end of the round and shoot? How do you decide on a tile? When do you decide on a tile and who do you tell?

Good question. I don't know. I haven't used it yet. I assume you choose a tile in the beginning and announce it to the other player. You then do what it says on the card.

But why would you announce it? What kind of trap is that?

I thought you would write it down, but even then it makes it kind of a worthless card on most maps.

Advanced Com Systems is huge fix for Kayn and Sorin.

They will no longer be near impossible to play. Their problem was always that keeping adjacency was difficult. 3 Space is actually really far. Firing squad is great for heavies and e-webs as well as normal troopers. Don't forget you can use single purpose to use Firing Squad twice. That could be 3 shots each for 2 elite heavy stormtroopers in 1 turn.

It's also much easier for him to hand out focus tokens now.

Sorin becomes and even bigger beast. Focus and Stun surges for all elite probe droids and HKs in a 3space bubble around him? Amazing. Start the focus train (via doors or whatever) and you got tons of 4 dice attacks. Goodbye everything.

Sorin, Temp Alliance, 2x HKs, 2x eProbe, Advanced coms, 2x officer.

That's 6 x 4dice attacks, 7 activations.

Yeah it's a bit squishy, and yes it might struggle with objectives a bit, but that probably won't matter if you're melting everything in sight with one activation. Hell, probe droids with recover are actually a pain in the ass to kill.

A focused elite probe will do 5.5 dmg to Luke on average and a stun, all before the re-roll. A focused HK will do 4 on average before both re-rolls. And a stun. You'd actually probably kill Luke on average with one activation of focused HKs.

The huge amount of stun is insane. Consdiering how well HK's kill all the tough stuff, like AT-STs, RGC, Vader, anyone with a white dice, this is going to be very painful.

But why would you announce it? What kind of trap is that?

I thought you would write it down, but even then it makes it kind of a worthless card on most maps.

Set a Trap is a great zone control card. Take all the current skirmish tournament maps. Set a trap on Canitna. Boom, you now either force your opponent back off the tile or get a free extra attack. Same goes for the Hoth warzone, that huge central tile.

Every extra action and every extra attack is a big deal. It's probably best used with some hard hitters like an ATST, HKs, Luke, E-Webs etc.

It has less of an impact when it just gives you one more trooper shot. But sometimes that's all you need to scare your opponent into making a mistake or giving up an objective. Sometimes that's all you need to finish off the last figure of a group.

Sometimes it's one extra free attack that lets you kill a junk droid or a hired gun, something you wouldn't normally like to waste an attack on.

It's a situational card for sure, and probably half the time it does nothing, but it's pretty good filler.

Now with all the new Bespin stuff, there's probably enough other zero point cards that are better overall.

That being said, it really depends on the mission. The new Bespin one with the carbonite freezing chamber for example... that would be awesome for set a trap since that one room is so important.

Advanced Com Systems is huge fix for Kayn and Sorin.

They will no longer be near impossible to play. Their problem was always that keeping adjacency was difficult. 3 Space is actually really far. Firing squad is great for heavies and e-webs as well as normal troopers. Don't forget you can use single purpose to use Firing Squad twice. That could be 3 shots each for 2 elite heavy stormtroopers in 1 turn.

It's also much easier for him to hand out focus tokens now.

Sorin becomes and even bigger beast. Focus and Stun surges for all elite probe droids and HKs in a 3space bubble around him? Amazing. Start the focus train (via doors or whatever) and you got tons of 4 dice attacks. Goodbye everything.

Sorin, Temp Alliance, 2x HKs, 2x eProbe, Advanced coms, 2x officer.

That's 6 x 4dice attacks, 7 activations.

Yeah it's a bit squishy, and yes it might struggle with objectives a bit, but that probably won't matter if you're melting everything in sight with one activation. Hell, probe droids with recover are actually a pain in the ass to kill.

A focused elite probe will do 5.5 dmg to Luke on average and a stun, all before the re-roll. A focused HK will do 4 on average before both re-rolls. And a stun. You'd actually probably kill Luke on average with one activation of focused HKs.

The huge amount of stun is insane. Consdiering how well HK's kill all the tough stuff, like AT-STs, RGC, Vader, anyone with a white dice, this is going to be very painful.

Thanks for sharing your ideas. This sounds inspiring for people who want to play with Somos.

But why would you announce it? What kind of trap is that?

I thought you would write it down, but even then it makes it kind of a worthless card on most maps.

Set a Trap is a great zone control card. Take all the current skirmish tournament maps. Set a trap on Canitna. Boom, you now either force your opponent back off the tile or get a free extra attack. Same goes for the Hoth warzone, that huge central tile.

Every extra action and every extra attack is a big deal. It's probably best used with some hard hitters like an ATST, HKs, Luke, E-Webs etc.

It has less of an impact when it just gives you one more trooper shot. But sometimes that's all you need to scare your opponent into making a mistake or giving up an objective. Sometimes that's all you need to finish off the last figure of a group.

Sometimes it's one extra free attack that lets you kill a junk droid or a hired gun, something you wouldn't normally like to waste an attack on.

It's a situational card for sure, and probably half the time it does nothing, but it's pretty good filler.

Now with all the new Bespin stuff, there's probably enough other zero point cards that are better overall.

That being said, it really depends on the mission. The new Bespin one with the carbonite freezing chamber for example... that would be awesome for set a trap since that one room is so important.

No, I agree, I've wanted to include the card in several of my lists, but I have yet to find anyone who agrees on how to use it. If I need instructions on how to use the card, then I can't take it, because it just turns into a interpretation game and I can't find a clear outline of how to play the card.

here is the text :

Use at the start of a round and choose a map tile. At the end of the round, choose one of your figures on that tile to interrupt to perform an attack targeting a hostile figure on that tile.

My question is do I tell my opponent at the start of the round when I play the card which tile I've selected?

Advanced Com Systems is huge fix for Kayn and Sorin.

They will no longer be near impossible to play. Their problem was always that keeping adjacency was difficult. 3 Space is actually really far. Firing squad is great for heavies and e-webs as well as normal troopers. Don't forget you can use single purpose to use Firing Squad twice. That could be 3 shots each for 2 elite heavy stormtroopers in 1 turn.

It's also much easier for him to hand out focus tokens now.

Sorin becomes and even bigger beast. Focus and Stun surges for all elite probe droids and HKs in a 3space bubble around him? Amazing. Start the focus train (via doors or whatever) and you got tons of 4 dice attacks. Goodbye everything.

Sorin, Temp Alliance, 2x HKs, 2x eProbe, Advanced coms, 2x officer.

That's 6 x 4dice attacks, 7 activations.

Yeah it's a bit squishy, and yes it might struggle with objectives a bit, but that probably won't matter if you're melting everything in sight with one activation. Hell, probe droids with recover are actually a pain in the ass to kill.

A focused elite probe will do 5.5 dmg to Luke on average and a stun, all before the re-roll. A focused HK will do 4 on average before both re-rolls. And a stun. You'd actually probably kill Luke on average with one activation of focused HKs.

The huge amount of stun is insane. Consdiering how well HK's kill all the tough stuff, like AT-STs, RGC, Vader, anyone with a white dice, this is going to be very painful.

I wish I could remember all that calculus I took back in the day to predict probabilities. I need remediation.

I think this is a great boon to both characters, BUT why does it have to cost a point? Can't we all agree that Somos and Sorin are overcosted anyway? If you made this a unique card, is it really that broken if it was 0pts, unique and if an elite imperial officer took it, is it broken to have him get 3 range instead of 2 ? I don't think so, elite officers don't see a lot of playtime as it is.

Advanced Com Systems is huge fix for Kayn and Sorin.

They will no longer be near impossible to play. Their problem was always that keeping adjacency was difficult. 3 Space is actually really far. Firing squad is great for heavies and e-webs as well as normal troopers. Don't forget you can use single purpose to use Firing Squad twice. That could be 3 shots each for 2 elite heavy stormtroopers in 1 turn.

It's also much easier for him to hand out focus tokens now.

Sorin becomes and even bigger beast. Focus and Stun surges for all elite probe droids and HKs in a 3space bubble around him? Amazing. Start the focus train (via doors or whatever) and you got tons of 4 dice attacks. Goodbye everything.

Sorin, Temp Alliance, 2x HKs, 2x eProbe, Advanced coms, 2x officer.

That's 6 x 4dice attacks, 7 activations.

Yeah it's a bit squishy, and yes it might struggle with objectives a bit, but that probably won't matter if you're melting everything in sight with one activation. Hell, probe droids with recover are actually a pain in the ass to kill.

A focused elite probe will do 5.5 dmg to Luke on average and a stun, all before the re-roll. A focused HK will do 4 on average before both re-rolls. And a stun. You'd actually probably kill Luke on average with one activation of focused HKs.

The huge amount of stun is insane. Consdiering how well HK's kill all the tough stuff, like AT-STs, RGC, Vader, anyone with a white dice, this is going to be very painful.

I wish I could remember all that calculus I took back in the day to predict probabilities. I need remediation.

I think this is a great boon to both characters, BUT why does it have to cost a point? Can't we all agree that Somos and Sorin are overcosted anyway? If you made this a unique card, is it really that broken if it was 0pts, unique and if an elite imperial officer took it, is it broken to have him get 3 range instead of 2 ? I don't think so, elite officers don't see a lot of playtime as it is.

I think it costs a point because otherwise it would be too good. That might sound funny, but if you look at possible lists that use it, that extra point might allow for another officer for example, which is a big deal. Extra body, extra activation etc.

In general most of these skirmish upgrades are fine for 1 point. It's the 2 point ones that are hard to justify. Under Duress is great of course, but First Strike? What's up with that? Even General's ranks is probably not worth 2.

But why would you announce it? What kind of trap is that?

I thought you would write it down, but even then it makes it kind of a worthless card on most maps.

Set a Trap is a great zone control card. Take all the current skirmish tournament maps. Set a trap on Canitna. Boom, you now either force your opponent back off the tile or get a free extra attack. Same goes for the Hoth warzone, that huge central tile.

Every extra action and every extra attack is a big deal. It's probably best used with some hard hitters like an ATST, HKs, Luke, E-Webs etc.

It has less of an impact when it just gives you one more trooper shot. But sometimes that's all you need to scare your opponent into making a mistake or giving up an objective. Sometimes that's all you need to finish off the last figure of a group.

Sometimes it's one extra free attack that lets you kill a junk droid or a hired gun, something you wouldn't normally like to waste an attack on.

It's a situational card for sure, and probably half the time it does nothing, but it's pretty good filler.

Now with all the new Bespin stuff, there's probably enough other zero point cards that are better overall.

That being said, it really depends on the mission. The new Bespin one with the carbonite freezing chamber for example... that would be awesome for set a trap since that one room is so important.

No, I agree, I've wanted to include the card in several of my lists, but I have yet to find anyone who agrees on how to use it. If I need instructions on how to use the card, then I can't take it, because it just turns into a interpretation game and I can't find a clear outline of how to play the card.

here is the text :

Use at the start of a round and choose a map tile. At the end of the round, choose one of your figures on that tile to interrupt to perform an attack targeting a hostile figure on that tile.

My question is do I tell my opponent at the start of the round when I play the card which tile I've selected?

Oh sorry, I didn't realize you were asking about the actual rule.

Yes you play the card at the start of the round, and choose a map tile. You inform the other player what your choice was. Then at the end you make a free attack with one figure on that tile targeting another figure on that tile.

Nothing in this game is done secretly so you'd have to reveal it.

That's why it's a zone control tool, your opponent knows they will have to take an extra hit and will have to accept it or play around it.

I guess I see how it can be interpreted the other way, but I'd say that if that was the case the card would say something like "secretly note down". I've never come across a different interpretation of this card until now. But in general you always reveal, annoucnce and discuss everything that's happening in Imperial Assault. You say what surges you're using, you say what actions a figure is performing etc.... I don't think anything was intended to be secret in these rules.

Maybe the card should have been called Ambush instead of Set a Trap?

I guess I interpreted it the second way. I did find an explanation in the far section. I guess I'm new enough to the game I hadn't figured out where everything is

New list - http://ia-armies.com/army/gajNdtt9

Somos + Troopers + Droid + Advanced Com Systems | 39 points

• ▪ Kayn Somos
• Elite Stormtrooper
• Elite Stormtrooper
• Heavy Stormtrooper
• Elite Probe Droid
• Advanced Com Systems

• Element of Surprise
• Fleet Footed
• Grenadier
• Inspiring Speech
• Planning
• Rally
• Reinforcements
• Reinforcements
• Take Initiative
• Jump Jets
• Single Purpose
• Rally the Troops
• Negation
• Stall for Time
• Disorient

one thing in some of these lists the was a vaders finest and a targeting computer on a Heavy stormtrooper it was my understanding you could only have one attachment per deployment card.

I played Kayn very often, at a few smaller tournaments and went 2nd place with this list at a regional this year.

Deployment Cards
---------------------------
▪ Kayn Somos
Elite Stormtrooper
Elite Stormtrooper
Elite Heavy Stormtrooper
Imperial Officer
Imperial Officer

Command Cards
------------------------
Deadeye
Element of Surprise
Fleet Footed
Focus
Grenadier
Inspiring Speech
Marksman
Planning
Reinforcements
Reinforcements
Take Initiative
Urgency
Hard to Hit
Rally the Troops
Rank and File

A good thing about him is, that people don't play against him often and sometimes underestimate the combinations with the other troopers. Also "rally the troops" was a real game changer in a lot of games.

I played Kayn very often, at a few smaller tournaments and went 2nd place with this list at a regional this year.

Deployment Cards

---------------------------

▪ Kayn Somos

Elite Stormtrooper

Elite Stormtrooper

Elite Heavy Stormtrooper

Imperial Officer

Imperial Officer

Command Cards

------------------------

Deadeye

Element of Surprise

Fleet Footed

Focus

Grenadier

Inspiring Speech

Marksman

Planning

Reinforcements

Reinforcements

Take Initiative

Urgency

Hard to Hit

Rally the Troops

Rank and File

A good thing about him is, that people don't play against him often and sometimes underestimate the combinations with the other troopers. Also "rally the troops" was a real game changer in a lot of games.

I would like to start playing with a Somos used list. Can you please share you strategy and tactics?

• Is there a specific squad/trooper formation that you use?
• Do you keep Somos with heavy or regular troopers? Or is it situation specific?
• Why elite heavies and not regular? Are they really worth it as I've read on this forum that the elite are not worth the extra cost?
• Why elite and officers rather than another trooper squad?

I played Kayn very often, at a few smaller tournaments and went 2nd place with this list at a regional this year.

Deployment Cards

---------------------------

▪ Kayn Somos

Elite Stormtrooper

Elite Stormtrooper

Elite Heavy Stormtrooper

Imperial Officer

Imperial Officer

Command Cards

------------------------

Deadeye

Element of Surprise

Fleet Footed

Focus

Grenadier

Inspiring Speech

Marksman

Planning

Reinforcements

Reinforcements

Take Initiative

Urgency

Hard to Hit

Rally the Troops

Rank and File

A good thing about him is, that people don't play against him often and sometimes underestimate the combinations with the other troopers. Also "rally the troops" was a real game changer in a lot of games.

I would like to start playing with a Somos used list. Can you please share you strategy and tactics?

• Is there a specific squad/trooper formation that you use?
• Do you keep Somos with heavy or regular troopers? Or is it situation specific?
• Why elite heavies and not regular? Are they really worth it as I've read on this forum that the elite are not worth the extra cost?
• Why elite and officers rather than another trooper squad?

Elite Stormtroopers are always worth the 3pts to upgrade from the Regular version. Regular Stormies die far too easily and don't hit hard enough. I guess they're worthwhile if you've got nothing else to do with 6pts and don't want more Officers.

If you're asking about Elite Heavies vs Regular Heavies, I really haven't used them enough to say for sure which is better.

Personally, if I had 6 pts left while building a squad I'd probably take 2 regular Officers and 2pts of skirmish upgrade cards or attachments or something...maybe 3 regular Officers, but I'm worried that the 3rd one wouldn't be as helpful as an upgrade of some sort. Officers are useful for pushing your guys around and for holding objectives. They're also great to have in your squad for controlling terminals in the back, away from the action, so that you're not hindering the effectiveness of your Deployment Group's offensive output. If you pay 6 or 9 points for a group of 3 troopers, then you really do want all 3 of those troopers to be able to make attacks...if you have to leave 1 of them in the back to hold the terminal then it's doable, but part of the effectiveness of Trooper groups of any sort is that you get a barrage of shots all in one activation, and that barrage can allow you to potentially drop an entire figure or group before it has a chance to retreat and deny you the VPs for it.

• Is there a specific squad/trooper formation that you use?
• Do you keep Somos with heavy or regular troopers? Or is it situation specific?
• Why elite heavies and not regular? Are they really worth it as I've read on this forum that the elite are not worth the extra cost?
• Why elite and officers rather than another trooper squad?

Just a few short answers, but I can tell you a few more details when I have a little bit more time.

• Is there a specific squad/trooper formation that you use?

Depends on the map and the mission, but a nice thing with Kayn and Heavys is: Double move with Heavys = 6, Order from a officer + move from Kayn = 6. So you can get a nice blast from the heavys in the first round or at least create some sort of "deadzone" where your opponet don't want to end his turn.

• Do you keep Somos with heavy or regular troopers? Or is it situation specific?

It depends on the situation, but to focus the Heavys with Kayn is great and therefore I try to stay close to the Heavys.

• Why elite heavies and not regular? Are they really worth it as I've read on this forum that the elite are not worth the extra cost?

I like the blast 2. In Germany trooper + RG lists are very famous (maybe that will change, because now the Bantha is legal for tournaments) and blast 2 is realy nice against them. Ever shot a RG surrounded by troopers with a focused eHeavy, Marksman and Element of surprise? It's fun The great advantage is that you can play Reinforcements on the rHeavys and for the 2 points less you can get a targeting computer and Rule by fear.

• Why elite and officers rather than another trooper squad?

More activations, more movement at the beginning. Good cards like planning or inspiring speech. I don't like the rStormtroopers, your enemy has a Grenadier rolls 3 dmg and it's (most of the times) game over...

It takes some practice to use Kayn, it was easyer before the Officer nerf. You need an eye where to send him to use his special abilities as often as you can and that takes some time.