Grand Tier List for IA Skirmish (To be updated as new Waves emerge)

By theaficionado, in Imperial Assault Skirmish

@DTDanix If you would take Shyla out of your worlds list how would you replace her? ePigs? Some combination of other things?

8 hours ago, naitsirk said:

@theaficionado

Really good job. Community need this kind of list. I would love another one based on the command cards, as it is a big part of skirmish games.

Coming up at some point! :)

3 hours ago, TheUnsullied said:

@DTDanix If you would take Shyla out of your worlds list how would you replace her? ePigs? Some combination of other things?

Probably hired guns and vinto, and also minus devious scheme.

Did you not like Shyla in your list? Is this a post Worlds adjustment?

She's okay, and lets you do certain things and threatens certain things. However, most of my games she died before or after 1 attack.

5 hours ago, DTDanix said:

5 hours ago, DTDanix said:

Probably hired guns and vinto, and also minus devious scheme.

I find myself super torn about devious scheme these days. Black market is absolutely an auto include but I feel like Devious isn't so important in the current rotations because the maps are generally well balanced enough it doesn't make a notable difference. Also going first in round 2 is hardly a guarantee anyway!

2 minutes ago, beefcake4000 said:

Also going first in round 2 is hardly a guarantee anyway!

It is nice to not have to rely on Take Intiative to get it though.

5 hours ago, TheUnsullied said:

It is nice to not have to rely on Take Intiative to get it though.

True but I was thinking the flip side. Because of devious you would expect to go first and plan accordingly... that's where it goes bad

Yeah but your opponent will generally only have drawn through 4-5 cards by the start of round 2. That's a 33% chance or less for TI to be in their hand. Obviously it happens and when it does it's pretty painful but I don't think that devalues Devious Scheme.

Ey what happens here? We can't let this die! Is the most complete tier list i saw for IA.

When finally the list will be complete? At least to jabba's realm. :rolleyes:

@theaficionado you are our only hope.

3 hours ago, naitsirk said:

Ey what happens here? We can't let this die! Is the most complete tier list i saw for IA.

When finally the list will be complete? At least to jabba's realm. :rolleyes:

@theaficionado you are our only hope.

Agreed. I'll throw my two cents out there for Jabba's Realm content so far using @DTDanix rating of tiers which is

"I know the OP defined the tiers, but I like this definition:

1 - You definitely want to play this if possible
2 - You might want to play this, they're decent
3 - You don't want to play this without a good reason
4 - You definitely don't want to play this"

Tier 1 - eQuays, eJets, Vinto, Hera

Tier 2 - ePigs, Shyla, Onar, Dewback Rider, Captain Terro, BT-1, Ig-88 w/upgrade, Chopper

Tier 3 - Rancor, 0-0-0, rJets, rJawa, eJawa, rQuays, Jabba

Tier 4 - rPigs

I'd love some opinions if anything thinks I'm off track on anything here. I do love that a lot of the things in Jabba's wave are in Tier 2(in my opinion) which is where ideally I'd like to see most units. Giving us plenty of options and not restricting list building by having too many overpowered units.

1 hour ago, TheUnsullied said:

Agreed. I'll throw my two cents out there for Jabba's Realm content so far using @DTDanix rating of tiers which is

"I know the OP defined the tiers, but I like this definition:

1 - You definitely want to play this if possible
2 - You might want to play this, they're decent
3 - You don't want to play this without a good reason
4 - You definitely don't want to play this"

Tier 1 - eQuays, eJets, Vinto, Hera

Tier 2 - ePigs, Shyla, Onar, Dewback Rider, Captain Terro, BT-1, Ig-88 w/upgrade, Chopper

Tier 3 - Rancor, 0-0-0, rJets, rJawa, eJawa, rQuays, Jabba

Tier 4 - rPigs

I'd love some opinions if anything thinks I'm off track on anything here. I do love that a lot of the things in Jabba's wave are in Tier 2(in my opinion) which is where ideally I'd like to see most units. Giving us plenty of options and not restricting list building by having too many overpowered units.

Mostly agree, although I'd put Jabba and fixed IG-88 up to Tier 1

IG-88 is always the MVP in every Merc game I've played, and is the only unit I've found so far that can reliably take down a driven-by-hatred Vader (I think IG-88 > Jedi Luke)

Jabba's Order hit works great with IG (2VP is expensive so make sure IG's hitting something big...like Vader). Jabba is also pretty good by himself: focus anyone or add the 1pt black market then go nuts with command cards

5 hours ago, naitsirk said:

Ey what happens here? We can't let this die! Is the most complete tier list i saw for IA.

When finally the list will be complete? At least to jabba's realm. :rolleyes:

@theaficionado you are our only hope.

It will come soon! :) I'll try update for Jabba's Realm today.

Literally twice I've done half the wave and then the forum has decided to crap out on me.

Apologies for the delay; university and life is hectic at the moment!

28 minutes ago, ricope said:

Mostly agree, although I'd put Jabba and fixed IG-88 up to Tier 1

IG-88 is always the MVP in every Merc game I've played, and is the only unit I've found so far that can reliably take down a driven-by-hatred Vader (I think IG-88 > Jedi Luke)

Jabba's Order hit works great with IG (2VP is expensive so make sure IG's hitting something big...like Vader). Jabba is also pretty good by himself: focus anyone or add the 1pt black market then go nuts with command cards

I agree with you about Jabba and IG-88 synergy. That's why I think Tier 3 is perfect for Jabba. He definitely is not an auto include if you are running scum nor does he have enough merit on his own to include in most lists without a specific reason. You should be playing Jabba if you have a good reason for it like trying to get more attacks out of IG or another important figure(mostly just IG at this point)

I mean for 6 points you could almost be running another set of eQuays and we all know how much everyone loves them.

On to IG-88 I don't know that I've had enough experience playing with him to know if he should be moved up to tier 1. I defintely don't think he's an auto include for Mercs just yet which is what Tier 1 is for me. But he defintely has enough strength to play in many lists. Thus Tier 2.

I'd say Ig88 with fix is tier 1. Blaze of Glory is just like Son of Skywalker. Hard to block and if it is played, pretty much game over. It's that good.

Jabba is tier II at least. All figures are taken with a purpose. Jabba's purpose is to focus, draw cards, make extra points (this is big in a game where a race to 40 is the point) and when he needs to, get an extra shot.

7 minutes ago, buckero0 said:

I'd say Ig88 with fix is tier 1. Blaze of Glory is just like Son of Skywalker. Hard to block and if it is played, pretty much game over. It's that good.

Jabba is tier II at least. All figures are taken with a purpose. Jabba's purpose is to focus, draw cards, make extra points (this is big in a game where a race to 40 is the point) and when he needs to, get an extra shot.

My problem with Jabba is not that he doesn't do useful things. It's the opportunity cost of having him in your list. His most popular use is focus/draw but for six points you can take the Rebel Care Package in the same list and have access to two focus, two movement from Gideon and possibly even some surge cancel from 3PO. On top of that you get an extra stalling activation.

Now you could always take Jabba and the RCP but then you've sunk 12 points into figures who for the most part won't be attacking and who won't be targeted very hard by opponents. If I can kill you entire list except for those 12 points then the game is basically over at that point.

Im not trying to say that Jabba is bad by any means just that I wouldn't decide to throw him in a list just because I have 6 points left.

@buckero0 I'm rating Tier 1 as figures you should include in basically every list of that faction unless you have a really good reason not to. That's where you think IG belongs? I agree he's good and has plenty of merit that's why I put him in Tier 2.

1 minute ago, TheUnsullied said:

@buckero0 I'm rating Tier 1 as figures you should include in basically every list of that faction unless you have a really good reason not to. That's where you think IG belongs? I agree he's good and has plenty of merit that's why I put him in Tier 2.

I know its all subjective, I think I'm one of those everything is in Tier 2 unless its in tier 4 kind of guys. Or if it's in Tier 1 , I probably won't play it.

In my area and the few regular opponents I have, I've played against IG88 many times and believe in competitive play he's that good. Same with Vinto, etc. I've played against Jabba many times and while he's not an auto-include, I'd could argue he's better at support than RCPackage because of his VP addition and flexibility. I've found that after round 1(sometimes 2) 3po and the extra activation loses some of its value and you need to get in and kill stuff before you get killed, hence the popularity of Take Initiative, Squad Swarm, Strength in Numbers, etc. I appreciate any analysis (yours and the OP) so I'm not complaining. I think we're all splitting hairs anyway based on personal experience and playstyle.

Agreed. This isn't even my Tier list I'm just throwing my thoughts out there for discussion. And like I said in my original post the more units in the Tier 2 category the better. Gives us more options to play and tinker with while still being able to compete.

There is a problem with Jabba and Iggy. Iggy doesn't need the focus like the Weequays do. So you don't get the same synergy there like you do in the all those world lists that used Jabba. That leaves Jabba drawing cards or ordering a hit. So it really comes down to who else is in the list. If the list has BT-1 to double down on the droid cards, again another character that doesn't interact with Jabba at all. By all accounts Iggy is tier 1, which leaves Jabba where? I feel it comes down to the droid cards. Are they good enough to justify including BT-1 (and is he good enough) or does the Jabba 2x eWeequay still the way to go. It is possible to make a list with Jabba, 2x eWeequay, rebel care package and Iggy but then you lose the 5 speed support. So which is better, Jabba or the rebel care package. It comes down to card draw, which may be important now with Chopper running a muck. C-3P0 is replaceable with R2 for more card draw if need be.

Pretty good list @theaficionado !

I'd argue that Jabba's card draw just got more important now that people are figuring out what Chopper can do with Headhunter.

how do you attach a Merc skirmish upgrade to chopper?

5 minutes ago, buckero0 said:

how do you attach a Merc skirmish upgrade to chopper?

By having a mercenary army and bringing Chopper in with elite Jawa Scavenger or using Temporary Alliance.

19 hours ago, cnemmick said:

I'd argue that Jabba's card draw just got more important now that people are figuring out what Chopper can do with Headhunter.

Chopper + Headhunter is a nifty combo, but do folks think it's worth the extra point attached to Chops? Assuming your list could support Devious Schemes, Black Market, and Headhunter properly, but you could only bring one, which would be your choice and why?

Roughly I'd rank them

  1. Devious Schemes is great as long as Anchorhead has a large advantage for the outdoor deployment and small advantage for one side of Jabba's Palace
  2. Black Market helps you draw cards or maybe get that last point that puts you up to 40 for a small cost
  3. Headhunter turns strain damage into discard or damage which is useful but your opponent still gets a choice, so they can usually random discard to save a figure from Chopper's System Shock. Chopper is worth an extra VP so more important to protect him here.
Edited by nickv2002
fixed headhunter ruling thanks to next comment, didn't change ranking