Hey everyone looking to get back into skirmish and attending a couple Store Championships in my area in the next little bit and I haven't had as much time to practice the current maps as I'm used to. Anybody noticed any little tips or tricks about the currents maps that can give you an edge? What deployments zones are people favoring?

I know this is not going to make up for practice and experience playing them but unfortunately with work and getting ready for a new baby in the house there isn't as much time for that as I'd like.

^I'd actually be really interested in this information as well, or a location where this information is discussed. I honestly don't see the maps being talked about much, and it's one of the biggest apprehensions I have about trying to jump into the competitive scene.

Well, that and my inability to paint the figures to look decently (currently using unpainted or, in home games, swapping out the older WotC pre-painted Miniatures figures).

I've give it a shot. If we were chatting in person or on Vassal then I could show you on the map how I've found that things tend to go, but I'll give it my best for a text-only format.

Anchorhead Cantina: Take the TOP zone. That is, the deployment zone that is colored Blue on the rulesheet. Starting on that side allows you to advance your figures safely and set up for a good 2nd round strike. Starting from the bottom is very difficult, especially if your opponent has any decent (and Focused!) snipers (whether Alliance Rangers or Weequay Pirates or HK Assassin Droids). For the mission where you pick up crates, pay attention to the mission's card text, because a Small figure that is carrying a crate cannot attack. Most of the combat seems to take place on the cantina tile (with the white tables pictured on it) and on the 2 tiles to the left of it (around the central terminal).

Jabba's Palace: I've only played on this map a few times, but I've watched some of the playoff round matches from Worlds this weekend. It seems that most people don't open the doors that are right beside their deployment zones. Rather, they tend to move most of their forces down, toward the terminals, and then approach the center tile (with all the red lines on it) as they start to engage each other in combat. If you open your door then you should be prepared to take a lot of fire. Also, don't send a big or strong piece into the Rancor Pit; rather, send a small or weak or insignificant piece down there instead, to pick up the mission VPs that you'll find there on either mission. It seems like people seem to prefer the right side on this map, because its deployment area and terminal is more protected than the other side's.

ISB Headquarters: Don't open your door until you're ready to (that is, until your squishy units are safetly out of the line of fire). Use the lateral hallways to break line of sight, so that your opponent has to extend (or even over-extend!) his forces forward in order to get any decent shots on your figures. But when you decide to strike, then do it with everyone...coordinate your movements so that all or most of your figures can get in on the action at the same time. I generally prefer the Top zone on this map, because it seems to have more safe hiding spots for your figures (especially your support figures, who aren't always very mobile when they're doing their thing). Personally, I've found that, of the 3 maps in rotation right now, this map is the one that probably allows for the most free-flowing combat; I've had combat really explode in just about any portion of the map because it has more avenues for attack. Almost certainly, the area between the two doors will be crucial as combat begins to develop. Oh, and the Bantha really likes this map too...it seems like it can get to almost anything on the first turn.

That's the best I can suggest at this point. I hope it's at least a little bit helpful!

Another tip for the ISB map: If you start on the top side and have a 5 speed figure, you can make it all the way to your opponent's terminal with a double move. If you manage to get 11 movement points and you're doing the holocam mission, you can get next to their terminal and place a holocam that can see your opponent's whole deployment zone and the lateral hallway right above it. This can be a great move if you have the last activation and Hired Guns.

19 hours ago, turkishvancat said:

Another tip for the ISB map: If you start on the top side and have a 5 speed figure, you can make it all the way to your opponent's terminal with a double move. If you manage to get 11 movement points and you're doing the holocam mission, you can get next to their terminal and place a holocam that can see your opponent's whole deployment zone and the lateral hallway right above it. This can be a great move if you have the last activation and Hired Guns.

Greedo is also really good at this. I love dive bombing him in, getting a camera activation, and still getting an attack when they waste time killing him

2 hours ago, ThatJakeGuy said:

Greedo is also really good at this. I love dive bombing him in, getting a camera activation, and still getting an attack when they waste time killing him

That's a good idea! And if you Focus him first then your opponent has to think very carefully about when or how to kill him, since he's gonna hit really hard on his Parting Shot.