You are correct.

My point was that there are different windows. A squadron command activated squadron is far better for sato than rogue is. Rogue would require you to preplan the movement and hope the activation order goes correctly while a squadron activated with a command can get into position right before the attack. No carrier needed but you have to be aware of the pros and cons.

Yes, I think that including one Carrier will be the way to go, or a transport with Comm Net to transfer squadron tokens.

For the Carrier part, it looks like the Phoenix Home will be the cheap carrier we're looking for: It has red dice, can take ordnance and have a squadron value of 3. So it can potencially shoot 4 black dice from its front arc with an APT. Not sure it has the place for an ordnance expert though.

Interestingly enough, I think that one way to go will be very Star Wars Rebels thematic:

Commander Sato in the Phoenix Home

Hera that gives Rogue to 2 other squadron (2 A-Wing looks like a perfect fit with their speed 5)

(And I think that we'll see Tycho in the third season, so including him is also thematic and works wonder)

Try to have to be first player so that you can tag for your first ship that activates, then when it's Phoenix Home turn, order your squadron to tag for your 4 black dice long range attack and exhaust some defense token before your strike.

Two black dice long range. Sato allows you to trade out two dice max

You are correct.

My point was that there are different windows. A squadron command activated squadron is far better for sato than rogue is. Rogue would require you to preplan the movement and hope the activation order goes correctly while a squadron activated with a command can get into position right before the attack. No carrier needed but you have to be aware of the pros and cons.

Yes, I think that including one Carrier will be the way to go, or a transport with Comm Net to transfer squadron tokens.

For the Carrier part, it looks like the Phoenix Home will be the cheap carrier we're looking for: It has red dice, can take ordnance and have a squadron value of 3. So it can potencially shoot 4 black dice from its front arc with an APT. Not sure it has the place for an ordnance expert though.

Interestingly enough, I think that one way to go will be very Star Wars Rebels thematic:

Commander Sato in the Phoenix Home

Hera that gives Rogue to 2 other squadron (2 A-Wing looks like a perfect fit with their speed 5)

(And I think that we'll see Tycho in the third season, so including him is also thematic and works wonder)

Try to have to be first player so that you can tag for your first ship that activates, then when it's Phoenix Home turn, order your squadron to tag for your 4 black dice long range attack and exhaust some defense token before your strike.

Two black dice long range. Sato allows you to trade out two dice max

Yes you're right. Stupid brain fart here!

You are correct.

My point was that there are different windows. A squadron command activated squadron is far better for sato than rogue is. Rogue would require you to preplan the movement and hope the activation order goes correctly while a squadron activated with a command can get into position right before the attack. No carrier needed but you have to be aware of the pros and cons.

Yes, I think that including one Carrier will be the way to go, or a transport with Comm Net to transfer squadron tokens.

For the Carrier part, it looks like the Phoenix Home will be the cheap carrier we're looking for: It has red dice, can take ordnance and have a squadron value of 3. So it can potencially shoot 4 black dice from its front arc with an APT. Not sure it has the place for an ordnance expert though.

Interestingly enough, I think that one way to go will be very Star Wars Rebels thematic:

Commander Sato in the Phoenix Home

Hera that gives Rogue to 2 other squadron (2 A-Wing looks like a perfect fit with their speed 5)

(And I think that we'll see Tycho in the third season, so including him is also thematic and works wonder)

Try to have to be first player so that you can tag for your first ship that activates, then when it's Phoenix Home turn, order your squadron to tag for your 4 black dice long range attack and exhaust some defense token before your strike.

Two black dice long range. Sato allows you to trade out two dice max

Yes you're right. Stupid brain fart here!

No worries, happens to me all the time haha . In regards to Pheonix home being able to take OE, I think it's almost guaranteed. They are pushing it as the new centerpiece carrier for the rebel fleet, so it would of course have to have a weapons team slot for flight controllers. Also, if it didn't have that slot it would be the first black dice ship that couldn't equip OE

Tantive with raymus spamming out squadron tokens to mc30s with awings and or HWKs running targeting missions.

I feel that the intention is for exchanging dice, before rolling. It seems too powerful otherwise. Hopefully FFG will clarify before the wave is released!

It could go either way, but the wording as-is supports the interpretation that it has the same timing as, say, a concentrate fire dial.

Even if you have to replace before rolling, it's still awesome. Libertys and MC80s can replace one red with a blue and leading shots if needed, and Ordnance Experts lets you reroll blacks anyway. If the timing does stay where you can replace blanks, well, naked CR90s just became pretty awesome. My question is if you replace with any color, and it takes place after rolling dice, can you replace red dice with red dice? Basically rerolling them for free? Or black dice with black dice?

It could go either way, but the wording as-is supports the interpretation that it has the same timing as, say, a concentrate fire dial.

Even if you have to replace before rolling, it's still awesome. Libertys and MC80s can replace one red with a blue and leading shots if needed, and Ordnance Experts lets you reroll blacks anyway. If the timing does stay where you can replace blanks, well, naked CR90s just became pretty awesome. My question is if you replace with any color, and it takes place after rolling dice, can you replace red dice with red dice? Basically rerolling them for free? Or black dice with black dice?

The card says "any colour" so yes you can change 2 reds with 2 reds.....

It could go either way, but the wording as-is supports the interpretation that it has the same timing as, say, a concentrate fire dial.

Even if you have to replace before rolling, it's still awesome. Libertys and MC80s can replace one red with a blue and leading shots if needed, and Ordnance Experts lets you reroll blacks anyway. If the timing does stay where you can replace blanks, well, naked CR90s just became pretty awesome. My question is if you replace with any color, and it takes place after rolling dice, can you replace red dice with red dice? Basically rerolling them for free? Or black dice with black dice?

Weaker on anything without a weapons team IMO. With Sato, even MKIIs with Ordnance Experts is a thing rofl.

It could go either way, but the wording as-is supports the interpretation that it has the same timing as, say, a concentrate fire dial.

Even if you have to replace before rolling, it's still awesome. Libertys and MC80s can replace one red with a blue and leading shots if needed, and Ordnance Experts lets you reroll blacks anyway. If the timing does stay where you can replace blanks, well, naked CR90s just became pretty awesome. My question is if you replace with any color, and it takes place after rolling dice, can you replace red dice with red dice? Basically rerolling them for free? Or black dice with black dice?

Weaker on anything without a weapons team IMO. With Sato, even MKIIs with Ordnance Experts is a thing rofl.

Right? I mean anything with more than 4 dice and an ion cannon isn't too shabby either. Dice manipulation FTW. I'm don't have enough l33t rolling skillz to go without some dice mod upgrades.

It could go either way, but the wording as-is supports the interpretation that it has the same timing as, say, a concentrate fire dial.

Even if you have to replace before rolling, it's still awesome. Libertys and MC80s can replace one red with a blue and leading shots if needed, and Ordnance Experts lets you reroll blacks anyway. If the timing does stay where you can replace blanks, well, naked CR90s just became pretty awesome. My question is if you replace with any color, and it takes place after rolling dice, can you replace red dice with red dice? Basically rerolling them for free? Or black dice with black dice?

Weaker on anything without a weapons team IMO. With Sato, even MKIIs with Ordnance Experts is a thing rofl.

Right? I mean anything with more than 4 dice and an ion cannon isn't too shabby either. Dice manipulation FTW. I'm don't have enough l33t rolling skillz to go without some dice mod upgrades.

Huh... That just made me realise that for 50 pts a CR90A with Dodonna's Pride might not be a bad idea in a fleet with Sato... fishing for blue crits at long range!

It could go either way, but the wording as-is supports the interpretation that it has the same timing as, say, a concentrate fire dial.

Even if you have to replace before rolling, it's still awesome. Libertys and MC80s can replace one red with a blue and leading shots if needed, and Ordnance Experts lets you reroll blacks anyway. If the timing does stay where you can replace blanks, well, naked CR90s just became pretty awesome. My question is if you replace with any color, and it takes place after rolling dice, can you replace red dice with red dice? Basically rerolling them for free? Or black dice with black dice?

Weaker on anything without a weapons team IMO. With Sato, even MKIIs with Ordnance Experts is a thing rofl.

Right? I mean anything with more than 4 dice and an ion cannon isn't too shabby either. Dice manipulation FTW. I'm don't have enough l33t rolling skillz to go without some dice mod upgrades.

Huh... That just made me realise that for 50 pts a CR90A with Dodonna's Pride might not be a bad idea in a fleet with Sato... fishing for blue crits at long range!

That can work!

Dodonnas pride, Scout frigate OE APTs, MC80 blue crit effects, there are a bunch of options here that as an Imperial can only be described as "horrible" on a fleet with very little access to evade.

Here's a list that I think could be interesting with Sato (No MC30 involved though)

398 pts

Commander Sato

-MC80 Battle Cruiser with Liberty, Intel Officer, Gunnery Team, Leading Shots, X17 Turbolasers, Spinal Armament

-Nebulon-B Support Refit with Salvation, Slaved Turrets

-CR90A with Dodonna's Pride

-GR-75 Medium Transports with Raymus Antilles, Boosted Comms, Comms Net

-Luke Skywalker

-Tycho Celchu

-2 A-Wing

-2 HWK 290

But basically, the Liberty have 5 dice at long range, can switch one for a blue for leading shot and one for a black for damage. Salvation shoot 4 dice front and can switch two for black dice, potencially dealing 3 damage if he rolls hit/crit with a black. Dodonna's Pride switch his red for blue trying to fish for the crit to give damage cards pass the shield. Transports do some squadron command but keep the free token handled by Raymus to pass it to the Liberty. HWKs, A-Wings and Tycho are there to scout for the ships, Luke to push some more damage through the shields.

For objectives, since Dodonna's Pride and Luke can push damage through shields, I would be tempted to take Opening Salvo (also gives the possibility to shoot with 4 Black, 2 Red with Salvation first shot at long range). Hyperspace Assault, to get the Salvation behind ennemy lines. Maybe Superior Positions for blue.

As I said, the new Rebel ship set is totally OP. The ship itslef has a massive firepower and Sato is crazy... There is only one way to counter him: THRAWN! o7

Here's a list that I think could be interesting with Sato (No MC30 involved though)

398 pts

Commander Sato

-MC80 Battle Cruiser with Liberty, Intel Officer, Gunnery Team, Leading Shots, X17 Turbolasers, Spinal Armament

-Nebulon-B Support Refit with Salvation, Slaved Turrets

-CR90A with Dodonna's Pride

-GR-75 Medium Transports with Raymus Antilles, Boosted Comms, Comms Net

-Luke Skywalker

-Tycho Celchu

-2 A-Wing

-2 HWK 290

But basically, the Liberty have 5 dice at long range, can switch one for a blue for leading shot and one for a black for damage. Salvation shoot 4 dice front and can switch two for black dice, potencially dealing 3 damage if he rolls hit/crit with a black. Dodonna's Pride switch his red for blue trying to fish for the crit to give damage cards pass the shield. Transports do some squadron command but keep the free token handled by Raymus to pass it to the Liberty. HWKs, A-Wings and Tycho are there to scout for the ships, Luke to push some more damage through the shields.

For objectives, since Dodonna's Pride and Luke can push damage through shields, I would be tempted to take Opening Salvo (also gives the possibility to shoot with 4 Black, 2 Red with Salvation first shot at long range). Hyperspace Assault, to get the Salvation behind ennemy lines. Maybe Superior Positions for blue.

without going to everyone of this enormous amount of posts, and adding my two cent, I cant imagine that this is meant any other than replacing before you roll. You have two black but want to red instead, done and roll. To change them into another color after you rolled them sounds very very strange.

Apologies if cleared with ffg already, or if I angered a believer

without going to everyone of this enormous amount of posts, and adding my two cent, I cant imagine that this is meant any other than replacing before you roll. You have two black but want to red instead, done and roll. To change them into another color after you rolled them sounds very very strange.

Apologies if cleared with ffg already, or if I angered a believer

I don't think we are all believers as such, it's just the rules as written mean you would change the dice after rolling. I sort of think FFG have ment it this way as he's expensive and has a significant weakness (the fighter requirement). I would imagine the ability to "just" change out two dice would not come with a blockable requirement on a 32 point leader.

Here's a list that I think could be interesting with Sato (No MC30 involved though)

398 pts

Commander Sato

-MC80 Battle Cruiser with Liberty, Intel Officer, Gunnery Team, Leading Shots, X17 Turbolasers, Spinal Armament

-Nebulon-B Support Refit with Salvation, Slaved Turrets

-CR90A with Dodonna's Pride

-GR-75 Medium Transports with Raymus Antilles, Boosted Comms, Comms Net

-Luke Skywalker

-Tycho Celchu

-2 A-Wing

-2 HWK 290

But basically, the Liberty have 5 dice at long range, can switch one for a blue for leading shot and one for a black for damage. Salvation shoot 4 dice front and can switch two for black dice, potencially dealing 3 damage if he rolls hit/crit with a black. Dodonna's Pride switch his red for blue trying to fish for the crit to give damage cards pass the shield. Transports do some squadron command but keep the free token handled by Raymus to pass it to the Liberty. HWKs, A-Wings and Tycho are there to scout for the ships, Luke to push some more damage through the shields.

For objectives, since Dodonna's Pride and Luke can push damage through shields, I would be tempted to take Opening Salvo (also gives the possibility to shoot with 4 Black, 2 Red with Salvation first shot at long range). Hyperspace Assault, to get the Salvation behind ennemy lines. Maybe Superior Positions for blue.

as long as you have a friendly fighter in range 1 of the ship you are attacking this could work on a fleet that doesn't have fantastic AS

Which is enough to show that Sato has his own limitations and is not as OP as some seems to believe.

He reminds me a lot of Ackbar. But instead of adding 2 more dice, he allows you to change up to two dice for a different color (or at a bare minimum, 2 rerolls if you are okay with your current dice pool). Unless you are going for a particular combo (Ordnance at long/medium range, Dodonna's strike at long range, Salvation with Black Dice, Leading Shot at Long Range, etc), he doesn't really bring more firepower than what Ackbar already do (switching 2 red for 2 black sounds nice, but in reality it does less damage than the 4 red dice you would be rolling with Ackbar, especially if you also add a TRC). His potencial comes out when you are able to double arc on your target, since you can use his ability with all firing arc. Also, when building your fleet, you are not ''limited'' to ship with a big broadside to exploit his ability.

But, as you pointed out, he has a big limitation. If there is no squadron at distance 1 of the ship you are attacking, he doesn't help you at all. With Ackbar, as long as your target is in his broadside firing arc, his ability will trigger. For Sato, you need to bring enough squadron to be able to tag the ship you want AND not get obliterated by an opponent that just so happened to bring a lot of AS, or just enough to engage your squadrons. That's why I think that Tycho is probably your best bet (can move even when engaged, move at speed 5, and has a scatter token to hopefully survive longer) or HWK (They have counter, but more importantly Intel to move even when engaged).