Seriously the Empire is always being treated poorly in all it's games, even in the Lothal box. What the Empire needs are more 2-3 cost support units which are cost efficient, but instead we get 4-6 cost units. I mean Thrawn is cool but he is a Hera like character that costs 6 points for 9hp, Hera is a great hero because she costs 4 and has 7 hp. We don't need more 6 cost guys we need something better than freakin officers.

Death troopers look like the most interesting thing in this expansion

1 hour ago, Fightwookies said:

Death troopers look like the most interesting thing in this expansion

but it's more guardian/troopers, i think the imps have enough of those types

See I disagree with the idea that empire is getting the shaft. Heart of the Empire provided 4 units to the imperials. Palp, ATDP, Riots and Sentries. ALL of these units are great, some like riots have redefined the meta. Not to mention the vader fix. Rebels got Drokatta and the Han fix, the rest doesn't really see play and Scum got the clawdite, which is close to being great but just squeezed out by competition.

Also, the Empires Faction ID isn't really supportive of cheap super efficient support units. I'm amazed and happy the did the death troopers like they have

Death Trooper also combines (activates) with most Leader s, so they are not just Guardian - Trooper .

In my book, the answer to the thread question is that FFG made the mistake of making some imperial deployments too strong. If you add cheap support to haterd Vader, jets and perhaps also sentries and atdp I Think it is very easy to put them way over the top. They are strong in the meta today without any other support then rOfficers.

But since the Power curve is Rising, in a couple of sets and mechanics we should be ready for an imperal support troop.

While not a figure, Zillo Technique is probably the best support in the game for its cost

Did anyone forget about jet troopers?

4pt (3.5) figures that are ridiculously efficient. I think what the empire doesn't have is reasonably costed uniques. Outside of Vader and Emperor what do they have? Terro is good but the big base is wonky. Blaise, Sorin and Somos are pretty poorly costed and difficult to fit in a list because of it. I think Thrawn is finally going to give us a figure besides Vader and officers. Emperor is cool but i rarely see him

8 hours ago, Darth evil said:

but it's more guardian/troopers, i think the imps have enough of those types 

Aren't troopers/Vader the Empires identity? I'd be fine if you add droids to that, but Storm troopers are what make the Empire the Empire. Over run you with numbers lead by 1 strong-ish "Leader." Seems to me they've done a fine job of that.

10 hours ago, Fightwookies said:

Death troopers look like the most interesting thing in this expansion

I agree. I love the idea of your opponent not knowing who will activate next.

Wait, we haven't seen the skirmish version of Thrawn yet, right? Or did I miss it?

The other Imperial identity is Pouty Force Users. If the new skirmish upgrade card Doubt works to increase their survivability and/or spread around Harmful conditions, we might see the return of The Grand Inquisitor and possible tag-teams like Maul/TGI or Maul/Vader.

The other, other Imperial identity is Vehicles & Heavy Weapons. It'll be interesting to see if Heavy Fire & Extra Armor makes AT-STs still expensive but playable -- or if there's something else that reduces deployment costs for Weiss & AT-STs. (They really need a cost reduction.) Also, Heavy Fire will definitely do something positive for AT-DPs or Jet Troopers.

4 minutes ago, NeverBetTheFett said:

I agree. I love the idea of your opponent not knowing who will activate next.

Giving Imps a built-in Strength in Numbers with Death Troopers & other Leaders might help most problems the Imperials have when they have just 6 or 7 deployments and do not have initiative in the 2nd round.

Empire got great toys from both Jabba's Realm and Heart of the Empire. The only strong figures that came out of Heart of the Empire for Rebels/Scum was Han and Drokatta. Ko-Tun, Ahsoka and Clawdite are tier 2 figures. It feels like Empire has way more viable list-building options as a result. Empire can build Troopers, Vehicles, Brawlers, or even Droid lists, with the option of Vader or Palpatine as great agnostic anchors. Shoot, Empire can even build creature lists with Terro/Dewbacks. Rebels and Scum cannot escape the golden handcuffs that are Hunters, not only because of how great the command cards are, but because of how below-the-curve power level all of their non-hunter figures are.

Again, Death Troopers are going to be awesome. What do you want from the empire if not waves and waves of troopers? That's what the empire is.

And we now see the skirmish version of Death Troopers from the newest article.

i've seen the Deathtroopers and i don't see how they can really be a great help to the empire, the Field Tactics ability only works on(rE-Web,rStormies,Blaise,rHeavies,rSentries,rRiots',rJets and Dewback riders), except for rRiots and Blaise i can't see Deathtroopers making these units competitive.

What DTs bring are extra activations. You can easily get 7 or 8 activation lists. Their attacks aren't spectacular but they're much better than most single-figure deployment for a cost of 3 or 4. (Greedo being the obvious outlier here.)

Also, rDTs give one block token on deployment to a friendly leader, and eDTs can give out wildcard tokens once per round to any trooper or leader. So Vader and/or Palp can start with 2 block tokens each.

54 minutes ago, cnemmick said:

What DTs bring are extra activations. You can easily get 7 or 8 activation lists. Their attacks aren't spectacular but they're much better than most single-figure deployment for a cost of 3 or 4. (Greedo being the obvious outlier here.)

Also, rDTs give one block token on deployment to a friendly leader, and eDTs can give out wildcard tokens once per round to any trooper or leader. So Vader and/or Palp can start with 2 block tokens each.

Exactly. their flexibility gives you the best of both worlds. It's got the extra activation of a low-cost group when you're trying to stall to get your Vader last activation, and it's got the firepower of a 2-unit deployment (or more, depending on the leader) when you're in the middle of a shootout

7 hours ago, Stompburger said:

Wait, we haven't seen the skirmish version of Thrawn yet, right? Or did I miss it?

Nope. I assume that will come in the preview for his blister

The empire has all it needs to win big already, Zillo is insane and double eJets is crazy good on any current and upcoming tournament maps.

2 hours ago, Kalandros said:

The empire has all it needs to win big already, Zillo is insane and double eJets is crazy good on any current and upcoming tournament maps.

variety can't hurt

DTs are the best long range Imperial threat. They will average 3+ dmg and that's without counting surges and power tokens. The elite versions are going to be potent when charging themselves up.

Imperials just need smaller maps and they'll be fine

15 hours ago, brettpkelly said:

Imperials just need smaller maps and they'll be fine

Imps just need a map where the deployment zones are adjacent, that's all guys. Help us out FFG

Tarkin labs is pretty small horizontally