Objectively the Best: Close-Range Intel Scan
Well hello and welcome. JJs Juggernaut here, your friendly guide in this article about an objective I’ve never actually played....This objective: Close-Range Intel Scan is one I had largely written off as subpar in relation to some of the other red objectives; well who am I kidding, we all know I’m talking about Most Wanted. However, I have seen some potential in this objective that I think it’s time to explore. Special thanks to @Maturin here for giving me the incentive to look into this.
Close-Range Intel Scan reads:
SETUP: Place obstacles, adding the 2 dust fields, as normal.
SPECIAL RULE: While one of the second player’s ships is attacking a ship, the attacker may spend 1 die with an [accuracy] icon. If it does, the attacker’s owner gains 1 victory token.
While one of the first player’s ships is attacking a ship, the attacker may spend 2 dice with [accuracy] icons. If it does does [sic], the attacker’s owner gains 1 victory token.
10 points per VP token.
So first of all, from this objective, we can first discern that FFG clearly needs to proofread better, since this is the second card typo in the CC besides the unarmed station misprint….
Now that that (note the legal repeated word) is out of the way we can get down to business. There are two key points that I take away from reading this objective.
1.) It is very hard for your opponent to score points of this objective. Unlike other VP token giving objectives (Precision Strike, Fire Lanes, Superior Positions), this one is much less likely to backfire on you.
2.) It adds the 2 dust fields into the obstacles on the board. These are extremely powerful, essentially creating blinds spots on the map, but they are available to both players.
So the real question becomes “how to I best use this objective.” The answer to this, like most objectives, needs to start in fleet building. Due to the nature of the objective, any accuracy generating effects are going to be very potent in scoring victory tokens. Also maximizing the number of shots you get will result in a higher chance of you scoring those VPs. This can be accomplished through a higher number of ships, or also by upgrades like Gunnery Team that allow for more flexibility when shooting. Since Red and Blue dice are the only ones with accuracy icons, you will want to use ships with dice of those colors, perhaps even adding upgrades that add more Red or Blue dice to your battery (Enhanced Armament, Slaved Turrets, High Capacity Ions). Lastly you can add reroll effects for those Red and Blue dice. Cards like Leading Shots or Veteran Gunners can help increase your changes of rolling those accuracy icons.
Both factions can make use of H9 Turbolasers, as well as the oft maligned Sensor Teams to guarantee you are getting those accuracies. You could also consider Quad Turbolaser Cannons, to let you score a point, yet still have an accuracy left to use.
For the rebels, you have the additional option of Home One, which has the potential to score numbers of tokens
Imperials have a similar option in the TIE Bomber squadron Captain Jonus. His accuracy generation can affect multiple ships a turn, potentially scoring several VP tokens
Now while all these options are great in a vacuum, you still need a workable fleet. One that can destroy your opponent, and that works with your other objectives. This can be harder to do, but is very possible. Here is an example fleet I’ve quickly thrown together:
[ REBEL FLEET (398 points)
1 • MC80 Command Cruiser - General Dodonna - Electronic Countermeasures - Leading Shots - Home One (144)
2 • Nebulon-B Support Refit - Raymus Antilles - Quad Turbolaser Cannons - Salvation (75)
3 • Nebulon-B Escort Frigate - Quad Turbolaser Cannons - Yavaris (72)
4 • GR-75 Combat Retrofits - Comms Net (26)
5 • GR-75 Combat Retrofits - Comms Net (26)
6 • Shara Bey A-wing Squadron (17)
7 • Tycho Celchu A-wing Squadron (16)
8 • A-wing Squadron (11)
9 • A-wing Squadron (11)
The above fleet highlights a key point about using this objective, the same reason it has been seen as a “bad” objective:
“Why spend an accuracy to get 10 points, when your accuracy could instead be used to kill enemy ships and thus earn you more points, while helping save your own ships from death.”
I think the answer to this question is honestly, “you don’t”. Killing your opponents is much more important than those 10 VPs, however, there are still many situations in which you are given or create the opportunity to score those points were you otherwise wouldn’t do damage to your opponent:
1.) You have spare accuracies. It happens, and it’s just what Quad Turbolaser Cannons aims to do.
2.) You only have one shot and they have ECM. Since they will ECM anyway, you might as well get the VPs.
3.) You whiffed your roll (on those fickle red dice), but had an accuracy or two.
4.) You have a single red die, but they have evades. If you have an accuracy generator, use it since you won’t get damage through anyway.
5.) The ship you are shooting at isn’t threatening you. Maybe it’s a flotilla you don’t really care about killing; especially if you can score more VPs off of it that it is worth (say with those Home One powered Combat GR-75s from my fleet above). Or perhaps that ship is running away from you, you won’t be able to catch it, and won’t have enough damage to kill it.
6.) It’s a zombie. Flat out, just like other VP objectives, you can farm those Rieekan zombies to your heart’s content.
In the end, it comes down to seizing the objective points when the opportunity presents itself, while not hindering your combat power. This is an objective you need to build your fleet around, since it won’t fit into every fleet. Maybe you would include it solely for the fact that it used dust fields, since it is unlikely your opponent will score points off of the objective. I don’t have enough experience using the dust fields myself to comment as to how strong they might be, but it is an option.
I hope you found this guide to be useful and informative, maybe enough to get you to revising Close-Range Intel Sweep on your own! Thanks for reading, and remember, trying new things is fun!
Edited by JJs Juggernaut
