As deliveries are being made, pictures are leaking of the unannounced HotE content. (I'm unable to post pix - if somebody else could, I'd appreciate it.) It appears FFG shared everything about the blister packs, other than the maps. We've got 2 Vehicle and 1 Trooper command cards that were previously unknown. There doesn't appear to be any additional Skirmish Upgrade cards other than Vader/Han/Chewie.

Time to jerk them knees!

* The Elite Sentinal Droid won't pump out a lot of raw damage with Green-Green-Yellow. (Ask anybody who's played Shyla.) However it will be swimming with surges, and the surge abilities are pretty decent. Having that built-in one-attack-die reroll helps. So doing 2 attacks with -1 DMG on each really isn't bad at all... especially since you can almost guarentee a surge for +2 Accuracy.

* Elite Riot Troopers getting Weaken and +1 STRAIN when doing damage is great. Anything that increases the SURGES makes them actually deadly, with the chance to spend 2 SURGES for +1 DMG and +2 DMG. Otherwise, these guys make for excellent blockers for other Troopers or set-up attackers for Vader or The Emperor.

* The clawdite's final form (Scout) is the long-range attacker we expected it to be. We didn't expect it to be unique. That means only up to 3 Clawdites can have forms. The surge abilities and the change of red attacking die to blue for the Scout means it's going to get a little damage in every shot.

Overall, the Clawdites are the figures that might inspire the most crazy lists. Imperials could bring in two, and Rebels could get one with Saska for a total cost of 10 or 12 points. An elite Clawdite Senator rolls Red-Green-Yellow-Yellow for Conspire, which has a very good chance of rolling at least 3 SURGE.

* Little disappointed that we didn't get some sort of Skirmish Upgrade or command card to use Energy Shields. I suppose manipulating line-of-sight could slow the skirmish game down to an argumentative crawl.

* Also a bit disappointed we didn't have more command cards or attachments for applying power tokens. But I'm sure more will come with the next wave.

* Overall, I think HotE is a must-have for skirmish players and is going to help make the game more compelling and diverse.

* FFG, shut up and take my money.

I'm disappointed that we won't get an energy shield command card (yet), that there's no Large Vehicle Tamer, and that there isn't a 3-point brawler card, but otherwise I'm stoked to get this to the table!

(I actually dreamed this week about unboxing this expansion; I have problems ?)

-ryanjamal

19 minutes ago, cnemmick said:

* FFG, shut up and take my money.

What he said. LOL

14 minutes ago, ryanjamal said:

I'm disappointed that we won't get an energy shield command card (yet), that there's no Large Vehicle Tamer, and that there isn't a 3-point brawler card, but otherwise I'm stoked to get this to the table!

(I actually dreamed this week about unboxing this expansion; I have problems ?)

-ryanjamal

I had a dream a couple weeks ago about some new errata that FFG out out. I really need to find some productive outlets for my time.

My knee jerk is that all the generics from this wave(Riots, Sentries, Clawdites) aren't anything particularly special. I don't really think they hold a candle to eJets, ePigs and eQuays.

My hopes for this wave are sticking with the AT-DP, Palpatine and the upgrade cards for Han and Vader.

18 minutes ago, TheUnsullied said:

I had a dream a couple weeks ago about some new errata that FFG out out. I really need to find some productive outlets for my time.

My knee jerk is that all the generics from this wave(Riots, Sentries, Clawdites) aren't anything particularly special. I don't really think they hold a candle to eJets, ePigs and eQuays.

My hopes for this wave are sticking with the AT-DP, Palpatine and the upgrade cards for Han and Vader.

You guys think you have problems? I would swear Santa is coming tonight.

47 minutes ago, cnemmick said:

As deliveries are being made, pictures are leaking of the unannounced HotE content. (I'm unable to post pix - if somebody else could, I'd appreciate it.) It appears FFG shared everything about the blister packs, other than the maps. We've got 2 Vehicle and 1 Trooper command cards that were previously unknown. There doesn't appear to be any additional Skirmish Upgrade cards other than Vader/Han/Chewie.

It's killin me! What are the Vehicle cards? I can't seem to find spoilers on my own.

Are there some links to these? I'm dying to see them.

Try here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=524906841178598&id=103765986626021

And here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1551885518468362/permalink/1914730278850549/

55 minutes ago, NeverBetTheFett said:

It's killin me! What are the Vehicle cards? I can't seem to find spoilers on my own.

They are on facebook lol

RIP NeverBet TheFett

I can't access facebook at work, stop torturing me :(.

18 minutes ago, MadFuhrer said:

I can't access facebook at work, stop torturing me :(.

Be tortured no more

oh heavens thank you! I wish they showed the skirmish riots though!

2 minutes ago, MadFuhrer said:

oh heavens thank you! I wish they showed the skirmish riots though!

glorious! I can replace the epigs in my RGC list now . And they are reinforcable. Oh I'm feelin' the vapors!

33 minutes ago, Kenseventy said:

They are on facebook lol

RIP NeverBet TheFett

Yes! Apparently Fakebook likes fake profiles less than I like my privacy! Glad they're here now. Thanks boys!

8 minutes ago, MadFuhrer said:

glorious! I can replace the epigs in my RGC list now . And they are reinforcable. Oh I'm feelin' the vapors!

And built-in Weakened? Dirty. Love it!

24 minutes ago, TheWelcomeMat88 said:

Awesome. Thanks bro.

I'm a little skeptical of the eRiots. They may have some interesting utility with built in weaken, but they do an average of three damage and a strain against a black die. Against Vader, who'll doubtlessly be popular regardless of how the meta shakes out, make that a measly one damage and a strain.

That said, I'd be happy to be proven wrong. To devil's advocate my own point, they might fit better into a tank / support role. They get a free +1 block once per activation, they're reinforceable, and they hand out weaken. Denying surges or surge blocks can be a powerful tool. I don't think I'd run more than one group though.

Yeah I see eRiotTroopers as front-line, line-of-sight blockers you're gonna force your opponent into shooting instead of the rest of your army. Vader flanked by eRiots puts all sorts of Guardian command cards into play, like Bodyguard & Guardian Stance.

Do Han/Vader/Chewie actually have new stat cards or did they just release upgrade deployment cards that make them a viable use of points in competitive play?

11 minutes ago, TauntaunScout said:

Do Han/Vader/Chewie actually have new stat cards or did they just release upgrade deployment cards that make them a viable use of points in competitive play?

No. Yes. See: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2017/8/28/true-professionals-dead-precise/

I still believe that a "soft counter" to new vader is his own droid 000. If he doesn't have his surge blocked, that is a stunned vader.

As I'm sure I mentioned somewhere, whenever I run vader, I'm going to take unshakable; mostly for parting blows, but if my opponent has stun it is still a great card!

My knee jerk reaction is that most of the new stuff is meh compared to what we saw in jabbas. I like the skirmish upgrades, I like the new walker, emperor and Asoka. The rest I'll wait and see but I haven't come up with anything magic