Hey guys!

First off, Happy New Year! May the new year see blessings on all of you!

Second of all, I've just written a new review for the upcoming Jabba's Realm. This time, I look at the Alliance Rangers.

https://rebelhighcommand.wordpress.com/2017/01/01/jabbas-realm-review-alliance-rangers/

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

Once again, an excellent article! Thanks for sharing your talents with us!

I think that this paragraph in your article really nails it for them:

" The Rangers play more akin to HK Assassin Droids than anything else, preferring to stay far, far away and snipe down foes. Whilst they deal out less damage, they hit more reliably from further away, and have the superior Trooper trait (compared to the mostly useless Droid one). "

I hadn't considered the 98.15% likelihood of hitting at least Range 7, but that's a helpful statistic to have in the back of my mind. We know that the Regulars can hit Range 5 at a minimum (2x Blue and their natural +1 Acc), but it's helpful to know that we can realistically treat Range 7 as their minimum range.

What would be interesting to me is a chart comparing the Rangers' damage output with that of the HK droids at the upper ranges. When I'm playing the HKs I'm usually pretty comfortable making a Range 7 or 8 shot (that percentage is probably in the upper 90s% too). Most other pieces won't even bother attempting those shots unless they've got no other option, so it seems like the HKs and Rangers are in a class all their own.

And therefore, it also seems that to compare Rangers to Stormtroopers, as many have been doing ( myself included! ), is like comparing apples to oranges...or parsecs to time measurements ( ). Your article really helped to cement in my mind that Rangers and Stormtroopers actually fill different roles, so it makes sense that the Rangers will be out-classed in the damage-vs-damage comparison, if considerations of range are left out of the equation...and frankly, that had better be the case! lol I think that because I saw "Trooper" and "3-figure group at 9pts" and "able to use Reinforcements," I was automatically thinking, "the Rebel equivalent of Elite Stormtroopers , which is what the Elite Rebel Troopers should've been."

You're too kind, thereisnotry. You're most welcome for the articles, and thanks for reading and enjoying them!

I should clarify that the 98.15% includes re-rolls and surge uses. It's slightly lower if you're fighting a white dice due to the evades, and the damage on some of the lower end shots is a little low. Still, being able to take those shots at all, especially with all the Hunter options available, is a massive plus. The range becomes even more absurd with Focus and/or Hidden; you can then start confidently shooting from 9 or 10 spaces away!

I could definitely do the math on the HK vs Alliance Ranger shots as I do save all my statistics. I'm not a mathematician, however, so I feel as though I'm pretty inefficient at calculating (I'm waiting for someone much more qualified than me to tell me how wrong I am. Jokes aside, I'm very confident on my calculations). I'll see if I can find some time to do it!

On the comparison to Stormtroopers, I heartily agree. I too initially compared them to other troopers, but the truth is that you can't just run them to the frontline, start shooting and have them die for profit like you can with Stormtroopers. The Rangers require a little more finesse than that, and they're not as easy to just slot in.

Hope to see you around some more! Let me know if there's other content you'd like to see (at the moment, I'm going through Jabba's Realm entirely, but very happy to take other suggestions). Be on the lookout for tournament reports/skirmish battle reports in the future too!

Thanks for the articles, I really enjoy them.

Keep up the good work!

Thanks for the articles, I really enjoy them.

Keep up the good work!

You're most welcome! I very much intend on

Many of the maps do not allow for shooting at such a range consistently. Without the reroll, they can have difficulty getting dmg through. I find this interesting how they introduce this type of figure amidst an influx of anti-trooper and Melee units. I think the Hunter catagory is really going to make them perform differently from other troopers

Many of the maps do not allow for shooting at such a range consistently. Without the reroll, they can have difficulty getting dmg through. I find this interesting how they introduce this type of figure amidst an influx of anti-trooper and Melee units. I think the Hunter catagory is really going to make them perform differently from other troopers

Indeed, which maps are in the current tournament scene will be crucial in determining the success of the Rangers.

At the moment, I feel as though all three maps (ISB Headquarters, Coruscant Landfill, and Nelvaanian War Zone) all do allow for long range shooting (they all feature long corridors around their points of action).

The calculations included in the article are actually the damage calculations WITHOUT the reroll. While the basic troopers certainly don't put out a lot of damage, the Elites still deal reasonable damage even without the reroll.

If anything, the Rangers are a fascinating unit in that they allow for counterplay (run up close) and they are going to fluctuate in validity based on the current map rotation (much as I believe Obi-Wan and R2 do).

Thanks for reading and commenting! Hope to hear more from you!

Thanks for another detailed write-up.

I've done a few tests with the non-elites and been unimpressed with them for these reasons:

1. While they can strike at long range similar to HKs, two blue die just don't do very much damage a lot of the time.
2. You want to constantly be 5+ range away to keep their re-rolls but the current maps only support this kind of range in some locations. They would thrive more in maps that were larger and more open rather than having so many chokepoints where tiles come together.
3. Hunter is a great trait but it's best supported in the Merc faction. Biv is the only other Rebel figure with the ability (and he's pretty over-costed).
4. Becoming hidden after a kill is really great but their low damage output makes this hard to do, it's even more difficult if you go up against a Unique/Hero/Heroic Effort type list which just have fewer units to kill. Since it triggers so rarely it's not very powerful, though it's more effective with the Elites obviously.

I'll be discussing these on my New Orders Podcast after testing more, but my thoughts from when they were spoiled haven't changed much yet.

Keep writing these articles. I'm interested to see what you think of the new Merc and Imperial units. Thanks!

Thanks for another detailed write-up.

I've done a few tests with the non-elites and been unimpressed with them for these reasons:

1. While they can strike at long range similar to HKs, two blue die just don't do very much damage a lot of the time.
2. You want to constantly be 5+ range away to keep their re-rolls but the current maps only support this kind of range in some locations. They would thrive more in maps that were larger and more open rather than having so many chokepoints where tiles come together.
3. Hunter is a great trait but it's best supported in the Merc faction. Biv is the only other Rebel figure with the ability (and he's pretty over-costed).
4. Becoming hidden after a kill is really great but their low damage output makes this hard to do, it's even more difficult if you go up against a Unique/Hero/Heroic Effort type list which just have fewer units to kill. Since it triggers so rarely it's not very powerful, though it's more effective with the Elites obviously.

I'll be discussing these on my New Orders Podcast after testing more, but my thoughts from when they were spoiled haven't changed much yet.

Keep writing these articles. I'm interested to see what you think of the new Merc and Imperial units. Thanks!

You're most welcome! Glad you've been enjoying them

In regards to your points:

1. Agree that they do less damage, but they can strike at longer ranges than HKs can due to their surge, especially the elites. This does, however, mean they do small amounts of damage, while HKs punish even at long distances.

2. In my experience, it's quite easy on the current maps to be 5+ squares away, especially in rounds 1 and 2, where some of the most important attacks will be made. I do, however, agree that their ability can be difficult to trigger in certain setups, and clever opponents can make it even more challenging.

3. Hunter cards are definitely better in Scum because there are more options available, but I could see Assassinate making a splash even in a list with just a single squad of Elite Rangers.

4. Agree. It's a nice added bonus, not a reason to take them. I wish they had a more reliable way to gain hidden, but hey, I'll take it.

I'll probably be doing Imperial next as there are fewer of them. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy them as well!

Good article.

I think they need something more to be really viable with their damage, a third dice, the hidden condition as an action or something. So low % to make 3 dmg for the regulars are not good.

I really like them and will be trying them but dont see them being in the meta with other options in the rebel faction.

The elites are uniqie in their points cost and health and therefore I think they will be used more if you find good combos for them even if they cant be reinforced.

Good article.

I think they need something more to be really viable with their damage, a third dice, the hidden condition as an action or something. So low % to make 3 dmg for the regulars are not good.

I really like them and will be trying them but dont see them being in the meta with other options in the rebel faction.

The elites are uniqie in their points cost and health and therefore I think they will be used more if you find good combos for them even if they cant be reinforced.

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

The regulars are definitely lacking in damage, and I think there is going to be a significant misevaluation of the unit as a whole because of it.

The more I talk about them, the more I can't wait to try them out.

The reason you take the Regulars though, is to still fit in Grenadier and Reinforcements, otherwise you would have invested in the elite and Call the Vanguard so I don't think Assassinate is going to make it in a lot of times, or if it does, it will be at the expense of several other good 1-2pt cards. (try making a command deck with Grenadier, Assassinate, Reinforcements x2 in it)

The reason you take the Regulars though, is to still fit in Grenadier and Reinforcements, otherwise you would have invested in the elite and Call the Vanguard so I don't think Assassinate is going to make it in a lot of times, or if it does, it will be at the expense of several other good 1-2pt cards. (try making a command deck with Grenadier, Assassinate, Reinforcements x2 in it)

If they are your only troopers, you may consider removing Grenadier anyway. They already prefer to be at a range, so your opponent would have to be pretty aggressive for them to be in the best grenade position. Assassinate can cause an unexpected kill reliably, which isn't something to take for granted. Anything that mitigates the luck factor is a major boon in this game.

I agree completely with Crabhand; Grenadier is still nice, but Assassinate is superior if they're your only troops.

The reason you take the Regulars though, is to still fit in Grenadier and Reinforcements, otherwise you would have invested in the elite and Call the Vanguard so I don't think Assassinate is going to make it in a lot of times, or if it does, it will be at the expense of several other good 1-2pt cards. (try making a command deck with Grenadier, Assassinate, Reinforcements x2 in it)

Challenge accepted:

2 Reinforcements
Grenadier
Assassinate
Negation
Primary Target
Single Purpose
Change of Plans
Tough Luck
Planning
Urgency
Take Initiative
Marksman
Wild Attack (or Superior Position)
Element of Surprise

You can use it with:
2 Regular Alliance Ranger
C-3PO
Gideon Argus
Leia Organa
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Motivation
On a Diplomatic Mission

That said, I don't think this is an optimal list, but neither do I think Grenadier should be used with Alliance Rangers alone anyway.

Possibly pairing them up with Leia or Fenn for extra attacks could really help trigger the hidden ability, and makes those little plinks of damage much more worrisome for players.

cool,

Do people play a lot of Rebel Troopers as it is? I know I've seen some Rebel Troopers on the table, but usually people run to something else because the BY is so Bleh. Hence the Rebel Sab Twins lists. I think outside of turn 1-2 keeping Rangers beyond range 5 is going to be tough or you're going to be massacred anyway. Grenadier is good for when they get close (they will come to you) I think competitively a lot of the maps are built with both long and winding turns so it kind of depends on the opponent and their patience. Why run down the long hallway with snipers at the end when you can go around . it just comes down to lists and matchups.

cool,

Do people play a lot of Rebel Troopers as it is? I know I've seen some Rebel Troopers on the table, but usually people run to something else because the BY is so Bleh. Hence the Rebel Sab Twins lists. I think outside of turn 1-2 keeping Rangers beyond range 5 is going to be tough or you're going to be massacred anyway. Grenadier is good for when they get close (they will come to you) I think competitively a lot of the maps are built with both long and winding turns so it kind of depends on the opponent and their patience. Why run down the long hallway with snipers at the end when you can go around . it just comes down to lists and matchups.

I'd point to Desmond, who came second at World Championships with Elite Rebel Troopers. Not saying a single tournament's results means they're worthy, but you only need to look at the largest tournament in the world to see they can at least compete.

If an opponent is the one charging at you, generally speaking you have the positioning advantage anyway. Don't forget your army is not going to just be Alliance Rangers; you could compliment them with some Elite Echo Base Troopers, who not only shoot reasonably well from afar, but really punish up close.

In regards to taking the long way around, it's not always possible to take the long way AND avoid the snipers; they can reposition too! You also have to remember that the clock is a very significant factor in IA, with many, many games going to time.

Love the discussion though, and you raise interesting points! Let's not let this talk die off so easily!

Rebel troopers have been a part of the meta for a long time. I played two top tier Rebel Trooper players in top 4 at Nationals, as well as Desmond at worlds (who knocked me out first round of top16). I have personally shied away from them because I find their attacks unreliable, especially against Zillo Technique and the inherent weakness of pierce against a white die. If your opponent can weather the first wave of focused attacks and not give Aim opportunities, they don't do much.

Alliance Rangers fill that 9 point trooper niche in a more satisfying way for Rebel lists, at least to me. They don't have the boost of being able to focus en mass, but they are overall more reliable with better surges and built in rerolls.

@Crabhand is a big fan of the eRangers but I'm still not convinced they're worth their cost when compared to HKs that roll an extra die and have more re-roll options. I do admit to not having a chance to play much with or against them.

I look forward to seeing some larger tournaments report of all the new stuff, but I think the Rangers might be the most divisive unit yet. But this is a good sign for the health of the meta.

eRangers are amazing when focused. They almost inherently counter HK's because if both sides take focused shots on each other, the ranger can hit for 5 and kill the HK while the HK is hard pressed to hit for 7. The Hp difference is massive when you are comparing 1 shot vs 2, especially since there are many command cards now to buff your ~3 damage shot to ~5.

Call the Vanguard with eEBT and hunter cards are fine to use because it's very unlikely your opponent will be able to kill all 3 eRangers so they will not be dead cares. Especially because most people will be pairing them with Jedi Luke, who is a huge damage source and target. It's hard to close the distance when that means Luke can come in for double attacks

Also getting hidden after the initial focus shot means they can keep hiding while still putting out good damage.

I'm not as sold on the regular ones tho.

The 7 health has been a big difference maker in my matches as well, it takes at least two shots to bring them down without a command card or a unique hitting them. And any time someone wants to spend their big bad unique on one of my troopers I call that a win. And in either case, either the unique or the generic or whatever is hitting them has to over extend to pull it off.

They pair the best with Echo Base troopers imo, nice to have that meat shield and another group that can use Call the Vanguard if the opportunity is right. But I did play against a similar list that used Wookie Warriors as well, we've discussed them on other parts of this forum and originally I didn't see the merit of melee vs. range in this case, but the extra hit points and just the aggressive in your face attack style seems to be quite efficient.

I like the wookie paring because I see the meta shifting toward close range combat. 2 of the 3 maps now have hallways where you can dodge to the side

More people are playing melee/close range unique as well as the dreaded ePigs coming onto the scene. While eEBT also work with trooper cards, they also work better when you can focus them.. Which is hard when you want to focus eRangers. Wookie + Jedi Luke lets you play brawler cards too

On 2/4/2017 at 3:51 AM, FrogTrigger said:

The 7 health has been a big difference maker in my matches as well, it takes at least two shots to bring them down without a command card or a unique hitting them. And any time someone wants to spend their big bad unique on one of my troopers I call that a win. And in either case, either the unique or the generic or whatever is hitting them has to over extend to pull it off.

They pair the best with Echo Base troopers imo, nice to have that meat shield and another group that can use Call the Vanguard if the opportunity is right. But I did play against a similar list that used Wookie Warriors as well, we've discussed them on other parts of this forum and originally I didn't see the merit of melee vs. range in this case, but the extra hit points and just the aggressive in your face attack style seems to be quite efficient.

On 2/4/2017 at 3:58 AM, frotes said:

I like the wookie paring because I see the meta shifting toward close range combat. 2 of the 3 maps now have hallways where you can dodge to the side

More people are playing melee/close range unique as well as the dreaded ePigs coming onto the scene. While eEBT also work with trooper cards, they also work better when you can focus them.. Which is hard when you want to focus eRangers. Wookie + Jedi Luke lets you play brawler cards too

The thing I like most about this is I can see the merit for both. Whilst I'd probably lean towards the Echo Base Troopers (due to that Surge +2) I could also see the Wookiees being used to great effect, especially if you play a second group with all of the awesome Wookiee command cards (Wookiee Rage, Wild Fury, Roar, Adrenaline).

I love Imperial Assault!

I'm a big fan of the Alliance Rangers. I think you get more bang for buck from the regular version rather than the elites. The regulars' capacity to be reinforced is a major advantage and at 9 points for the group you can squeeze in two deployment groups and still have plenty of room for lots of support and one or two heavy-hitting unique characters.

Addendum: there are a lot of Command cards that are suited to the Rangers; Trooper-Hunter. Hunter Command cards in particular are aplenty and you can pull off some crazy damage with these:

I can also vouch from (bitter) experience that Elite Alliance Rangers can be devastating, especially when paired with Jedi Luke. Don't judge them by what they look like on paper. With all the great command cards at their disposal (i.e. the many new Hunter assault cards and Call the Vanguard) and focus (because they're Rebel), they can lay down huge amounts of damage while hanging back at a safe distance and daring you to venture closer to their turf and still survive.