Thoughts on probe droids.

They seemed to be a pretty tough opponent but what should their main role be assault (tough and full of punch)or support (soft but with special traits to boost units or allow unique attacks)?

Maybe a combination of the two?

I have a hard time imagining a probe droid in close assault...

I'd see them in a support role. In actual military use, I see them relaying comms, scouting, calling air/artillery strikes, and sentry duty. As it stands now, I don't know exactly how they'd translate that into the game. Be cool if they introduced artillery/indirect fire units and the probe droid functioned as a forward observer.

They're definitely support. Primary role is recce. Not great at ATK or DEF, but great optical packages. I think they should have a role, maybe to improve the effective range of adjacent units?

Just spitballing.

Maybe they give all units within range 1 Sharpshooter 1, for recon and identifying enemy units hiding in cover?

They should be capable of being issued orders outside range 3 by default.

I'd see them specifically supplying units within a certain range with benefits to attack, defense, or something else.

They could be a way for the Empire to get the keyword infiltrate, or whatever the special word the pathfinders and Jyn have. A self destruct would also have to be a keyword, with blast radius of range 1.

I’d give them an Action to mark a target. Anybody shooting the target gains sharpshooter 1 and may reroll 1 die.

Maybe as operatives, where their command cards do lots of synergy to give boosts to nearby units?

1 hour ago, Jedirev said:

Maybe as operatives, where their command cards do lots of synergy to give boosts to nearby units?

I’d really love to see this. Infiltrate would be a good mechanic for them, along with Spotter.

I like them as deep strike units deployed after the game has started, short range, low health figures with the option to self destruct

Probe Droid

Support - Droid

? points

Keywords:

Infiltrate

Small: You can engage, and be engaged, in melee.

Mark 1: As an action, choose up to 1 opposing units and give them a Marked token. When a friendly unit performs a ranged attack against a unit with a Marked token, the attacking unit may add 1 Black die to their attack pool. A unit cannot have more than one Marked token and retains the Marked token for the duration of the game.

Self-Destruct: When you are destroyed, perform an Area attack with 2 Black die against all units within range 1 including friendly units.

Weapons:

Light Laser Cannon: 1 black, 1 white die attack at range 1-2

Called Orbital Strike: Exhaust Weapon 1 red, 2 white dice attack at range 2-3, Impact 1.

Manipulator Arms: 2 white die melee.

Upgrade Slots:

Comms Slot

Comms Slot

20 hours ago, Indy_com said:

Probe Droid

Support - Droid

? points

Keywords:

Infiltrate

Small: You can engage, and be engaged, in melee.

Mark 1: As an action, choose up to 1 opposing units and give them a Marked token. When a friendly unit performs a ranged attack against a unit with a Marked token, the attacking unit may add 1 Black die to their attack pool. A unit cannot have more than one Marked token and retains the Marked token for the duration of the game.

Self-Destruct: When you are destroyed, perform an Area attack with 2 Black die against all units within range 1 including friendly units.

Weapons:

Light Laser Cannon: 1 black, 1 white die attack at range 1-2

Called Orbital Strike: Exhaust Weapon 1 red, 2 white dice attack at range 2-3, Impact 1.

Manipulator Arms: 2 white die melee.

Upgrade Slots:

Comms Slot

Comms Slot

I'd also give them unhindered and maybe Jump 1.

2 hours ago, buckero0 said:

I'd also give them unhindered and maybe Jump 1.

Wouldn't they technically be a repulsor vehicle? They are constantly airborne, so they'd be on a flight stick? Or I guess they'd work like Boba

Let you cheat with command cards. Cause of their recon tools and direct link to an off-board intelligence network that is watching everything from space. Put down two command cards, pick the one you want to use after the reveal.

On 12/28/2018 at 4:00 PM, Sharkbelly said:

I have a hard time imagining a probe droid in close assault...

You have not played Dark Forces videogame then...

On 12/29/2018 at 5:34 PM, Indy_com said:

Probe Droid

Support - Droid

? points

Keywords:

Infiltrate

Small: You can engage, and be engaged, in melee.

Mark 1: As an action, choose up to 1 opposing units and give them a Marked token. When a friendly unit performs a ranged attack against a unit with a Marked token, the attacking unit may add 1 Black die to their attack pool. A unit cannot have more than one Marked token and retains the Marked token for the duration of the game.

Self-Destruct: When you are destroyed, perform an Area attack with 2 Black die against all units within range 1 including friendly units.

Weapons:

Light Laser Cannon: 1 black, 1 white die attack at range 1-2

Called Orbital Strike: Exhaust Weapon 1 red, 2 white dice attack at range 2-3, Impact 1.

Manipulator Arms: 2 white die melee.

Upgrade Slots:

Comms Slot

Comms Slot

I feel the marked tokens should only last one turn. Otherwise you're adding a lot of firepower over the course of one game. Especially because, the way that's worded, you could just keep the Droid out of sight in the back and mark targets all game without exposing it.

On 12/28/2018 at 10:17 AM, Alpha17 said:

I'd see them in a support role. In actual military use, I see them relaying comms, scouting, calling air/artillery strikes, and sentry duty. As it stands now, I don't know exactly how they'd translate that into the game. Be cool if they introduced artillery/indirect fire units and the probe droid functioned as a forward observer.

This! They need a system for indirect fire the game. There's also a different version of the probe Droid that appears in Solo: A Star Wars movie. I forget what it's called (now I'm going to go have to look when I get home) it had guns mounted on its side and seems a little more apt for an assault roll. I think it would work as a nice option for an operative for the imperials.

2 hours ago, Obvious_Ninja said:

This! They need a system for indirect fire the game. There's also a different version of the probe Droid that appears in Solo: A Star Wars movie. I forget what it's called (now I'm going to go have to look when I get home) it had guns mounted on its side and seems a little more apt for an assault roll. I think it would work as a nice option for an operative for the imperials.

It could simply be represented by the basic Probe Droid only having 2 white dice for shooting, but giving it a Hardpoint slot to equip some big guns.

3 hours ago, Obvious_Ninja said:

This! They need a system for indirect fire the game. There's also a different version of the probe Droid that appears in Solo: A Star Wars movie. I forget what it's called (now I'm going to go have to look when I get home) it had guns mounted on its side and seems a little more apt for an assault roll. I think it would work as a nice option for an operative for the imperials.

11-3K Viper Probe droids

46 minutes ago, BadMotivator said:

It could simply be represented by the basic Probe Droid only having 2 white dice for shooting, but giving it a Hardpoint slot to equip some big guns.

Except they are definitely visually different from one another. And while the ESB version will always be connected to fond childhood memories, I think the 11-3K actually fits the game a bit better.

I would love a Legion scaled Imperial Probe droid- game definitely needs more droids, especially ones you can activate instead of just tacking on like the droids in the specialists (but I can't wait to have those though). I think the probe droid is on one command card art for the generic Imperial officer so that could be a hint of future release? 🤔

Operatives might be delegated solely to characters that don't fit the commander role but I can see probe droids coming as support units, most likely on a speeder bike base.

On 12/29/2018 at 3:34 PM, Indy_com said:

Probe Droid

Support - Droid

? points

Keywords:

Infiltrate

Small: You can engage, and be engaged, in melee.

Mark 1: As an action, choose up to 1 opposing units and give them a Marked token. When a friendly unit performs a ranged attack against a unit with a Marked token, the attacking unit may add 1 Black die to their attack pool. A unit cannot have more than one Marked token and retains the Marked token for the duration of the game.

Self-Destruct: When you are destroyed, perform an Area attack with 2 Black die against all units within range 1 including friendly units.

Weapons:

Light Laser Cannon: 1 black, 1 white die attack at range 1-2

Called Orbital Strike: Exhaust Weapon 1 red, 2 white dice attack at range 2-3, Impact 1.

Manipulator Arms: 2 white die melee.

Upgrade Slots:

Comms Slot

Comms Slot

I like your rules, but I'd have to agree that marking a unit for the entire game might be a little too over powered- perhaps they can stay marked as long as the probe droid is alive / in LOS of that marked unit. But then it can spend an action in the next round to mark a different unit... And maybe instead of a gaining an attack die the target just loses light and/or heavy cover when marked?

That paired with infiltrate and self destruct could be super fun- deploy near enemies, mark them, and then move in close so they have to destroy the droid but will suffer for doing so with the self destruct. Could definitely be a cool counter unit to the pathfinders.

12 hours ago, Tubb said:

You have not played Dark Forces videogame then...

Nope. 🙂 I don't play video games. If it ain't got minis, I ain't interested!*

*mostly

On 12/29/2018 at 8:15 AM, Jedirev said:

Maybe as operatives, where their command cards do lots of synergy to give boosts to nearby units?

I think this is the best and most logical idea put forward for how they should be classified, especially since the probot in Empire was capable of remote and relatively independent operation. Command cards associated with an operative would open up more tactical options for their use than simple abilities hard-coded into the unit in all instances.

I can't imagine them running around the battlefield.

Just kidding, but that's what everyone always says about cool looking proposed future units in Legion.

As for close assault, they are covered in sharp looking metal claw-legs. I think they'd be terrifying in close combat. But they'd avoid it for strategic reasons. If a recon droid is in hand to hand combat, something has gone very wrong, from a mission objective standpoint.

3 hours ago, TauntaunScout said:

I can't imagine them running around the battlefield.

Just kidding, but that's what everyone always says about cool looking proposed future units in Legion.

Because I thought about it for a few minutes and can't see how X unit can work, I am convinced it can't work.

Lotta good comments here!