800 point game. Imperials fielded a double core set list and Rebels did two cores plus Z47 with Wedge and harpoon. One AT-Rt with laser cannon and one with rotary.

We deployed from long edges and had rapid reinforcements to carry out the Recover the Supplies objective. Our objectives were placed mostly near one short edge of the map, and as a result both deployments focused there with all units.

(Above, last two photos: the three objective tokens we fought over. One on the far side was claimed uncontested by a rapid reinforcements unit).

My plan with the Z47 was to strafe enemy positions to weaken and distract the dangerous speeder bikes while infantry marched ahead to claim 2-3 objectives. Luke would defend against Vader and the rotary AT-RT would lead the advance while the laser cannon AT-RT lobbed suppression from afar.

The Imperials got a couple wounds on Luke foolishly placed out of cover. Then they advanced with Vader in front, eventually drawing Luke into melee--and protecting Vader from any ranged attacks. I planned to use son of Skywalker to wail on Vader, but he saw it coming and chose Implacable and won the roll-off. Luke survived Vader's first activation but Vader survived Luke's as well.

However next round was truly brutal. Vader picked Master of evil and with some sithlike rolling managed to survive to be activated and dealt 3 suppression to my 4 troop units and put the final stroke on Luke. My entire force was panicked.

I had previously dropped the rapid reinforcements right into the middle of the fight, causing them to immediately panic. But my opponent dropped one of his units across the board on the far uncontested objective, and another near the uncontested middle objective. He immediately claimed the far one but delayed on using an action to pick up the middle one--a mistake that would prove costly.

Meanwhile the troops fled for retreat but my vehicles managed to defeat Vader and the closest speeder bikes. Within a round of suppression fade and rally most of my troop units stopped panicking and started moving towards objectives. The Imperial Stormtroopers remained dug in behind barricades and claimed one of the objective tokens.

But by round 5, the Rebel troops (bolstered by the remaining rotary AT-RT were playing suppression games of their own and managed to pick up an objective they had previously dropped and make a move for one more, bringing the tally to 2-2. I knew I would probably lose on points in a tie, so I did all I could to force the Stormtrooper squad carrying an objective tokens to panic. By round 6, I had placed 4 suppression on him and actually managed to wipe the squad out with a hot roll to win the game.

THOUGHTS:

Vader is an absolute beast, news to no one. But his Master of Evil suppression in combination with a commander killing in the same round is simply brutal.

We definitely need some guidance on moving speeder units on terrain they're allowed to fly over. That said, the Z47 was probably not worth the points in this game (could still be in the future). It did a great job of distracting, but with Vader in melee and having to use an action to refresh Wedge AND an action to pivot, it was just too fiddly in a tight engagement. I found it did a decent job of surviving though.

Objectives are king, and suppression is queen. In a chess sense that while the King is the game, the queen is your most powerful piece to get it done.

Second game in and I'm still underestimating cover to protect my troops. I want to continue to use AT-RTs as light cover for advancing troops in wide open areas.

My plan was to backline Luke early game to keep him fresh unless Vader led a charge. Vader did lead a charge, so Luke had to go in. If this happens, you have to focus Vader. Luke will likely die first and you can't have Vader turning his attention elsewhere. That said, my opponent regretted leading the charge with Vader so early, and future matches might end up with a late push to wreck units in the final rounds (think Rogue One) to push the objective fight in his favor.

Finally, both of our MVP squads happened to be the ones we had painted. Make of that what you will!

Wow, really well done and informative.

I also was chasing supplies last night as the rebel, except along the long axis of the board. He was running three squads, as was I, and I saw that as his choke point. If I could cut his squad count down, he would have great difficulty picking up and absconding with the objectives. I thus focused on taking up good defensive positions overlooking the objectives, let him come into range, then cut loose.

I used my speeder to go after his ATST but planned as well as I could to hit his squads with my rear gun, which worked well. I sent my Luke after the ATST rather than Vader, and Luke put a great deal of damage on it before Vader came up and entered melee against Luke. After a strafing run across two squads and the ST, Wedge did one of his patented turns to come back the other way. My anti-tank squad finished the ST off as the speeder finished off two of his squads.

Luke died, but within a turn all his squads were gone. The game was a blast--looked like you had fun too!

That sounds great, and much better executed than my tactics!

I also would note that it seems that when placing objectives you should always place them as close as possible to your deployment--as in on the line of minimum required distance. It doesn't mean you have to pick them up immediately, as there may be tactical reasons for not doing so. But there is no reason that I can see that you would force yourself to move an inch further than the rules require, with the exception of placing it adjacent to a barricade that is slightly further than minimum range. Thoughts?

I totally agree with you on objective placement. I probably didn't put the two I placed exactly at one range from my deployment, rather I essentially picked the closest cover in the appropriate range and dispersion to be where I put them.

Figured I didn't want to be right out in the open when I picked them up. But they sure as heck weren't too far from where the minimum was.

Of course, this deployment is what FFG expected, with the objective in the middle being presumed to be the deciding one people would fight for.

I agree on the Objective token placement as well. Pick the closest piece of cover to the range 1 requirement of your deployment zone as possible.

Cover is better than a bit closer, as most likely you will have to move and claim... leaving you in place for at least a round.

I also advocate not focusing any of your fire on the AT-ST if possible... as you get no points for killing it, and deny none either. As it can’t grab Objectives to begin with.

As for Vader... I think ignoring him is a good move too, at least for the first few rounds of fire. Since he is slow anyways, at most he can grab a close objective... and not really affect the center one over much.

But if you kill off his Trooper units, even at the cost of your AT-RTs and Airspeeder... they can’t score with their AT-STs and Speederbikes.

On 3/30/2018 at 7:00 AM, Big Easy said:

Objectives are king, and suppression is queen. In a chess sense that while the King is the game, the queen is your most powerful piece to get it done.

QFT. This is a very good way to put it.