"We're back with a new Objective Set of the Week review with Red5ccg, Saej, and JKoellner reviewing Attack Pattern Delta, from the recently released "The Battle of Hoth" Force Pack.
Attack Pattern Delta (59- The Battle of Hoth)
Red5ccg:
A pretty standard objective with an ability that has good synergy within the set and with the other cards you'll want to play with it. Hoth Speeders are coming.
6/10
Saej:
So, I must confess that in all games I like decks that perform like cohesive units. They are not just piles of the best cards; they take a lot of average units and turn them into an unstoppable force. This objective set looks great, and this objective really supports the goal of a Speeder deck. Not playing a speeder deck? Then you probably won't play this objective set. I'm going to rate this set as it will fit into a Speeder deck. If you are not playing a speeder deck and you splash in this set...maybe you need to get someone to take a look at your deck.
It is a great ability that will allow you some free speeders every game (hopefully) and it suits the play style well. If your opponent is also playing Hoth, hopefully you can get Echo Base out so you still control more Hoth sites.
9/10
JKoellner:
I like this objective quite a bit. Outside of Rebel Assault and a couple of shielding things, Rebels don't have a whole lot of tricks. This objective seems (at least in theory since I haven't had a chance to play it... yet) to change that. I can see situations where you use the objective's action to cheat into play a unit during the middle of conflict phase to get those extra bombs, at the end of your opponent's deployment phase to bring out an extra defender, at the beginning of the Force phase to get Force control. Lots of options!
8/10
Rouge Leader
Red5ccg:
A unique unit that is fair for its cost though not particularly exciting. It gets much better with Rogue Two on the table, for what that's worth. Not really worth playing if you're not using a dedicated speeder deck to take advantage of its Speeder trait. Of course, that pretty much applies to this entire set.
4/10
Saej:
Well, not the best start to a set. A really weak unit that has a very situational boost. If it said "another speeder" instead of "Rogue 2," that would be a different story. That being said, it only costs 1, and it has a black blast. And maybe in a long enough game it will synergize with Rogue 2. So-so card. Only real saving grace is the "Speeder" designation which allows it to get boosted.
6/10
JKoellner:
This is a super squishy unit with one damage capacity. It's unique, to boot. This is one of those units that is practically useless in anything but a synergized Speeder deck. I mean, I always enjoy more tactics icons, but having it be so situationally dependent is rough. The one cost tries to mitigate that a bit... but it's not enough to boost the score.
4/10
Rouge Two
Red5ccg:
This would be an excellent card even if it had no text. You're getting well above average value for a 2-cost unit with 2 non edge dependent unit damage. There are splashier cards out there, but not for this cost.
8/10
Saej:
This is a stronger card, glad to see the unit damage icons! Rogue 2 obviously needs a few fellow speeders attacking with him to make him really useful, and the edge bonuses he and the fellow attackers can get from Hoth Operations can make his ability shine. Even with just two other speeders undefended, that is an objective gone. So if you opponent leaves himself open, plop down Rogue 2 and attack with two other snow speeders (hopefully you have some out!) and that objective is dust. The objective ability can even help make this happen!
8/10
JKoellner:
This card is great! Two guns is great against those pesky turn-one stormtroopers. Edge dependent bombs for each attacking speeder is a fantastic ability. With Hoth Operations out, you should be able to easily win edge, given that you have enough speeders. And those speeders that just gave you Edge also give you bombs! Rogue Two and two of his speeder buddies can feasibly take out an objective on their own.
7/10
Snowspeeder
Red5ccg:
It's an ok unit, being slightly under par in stats per cost. I like to see 2 damage capacity on my 2-cost units unless they have something big to make up for it. In this case, all the Snowspeeder has to make up for that is the Speeder trait.
4/10
Saej:
We have seen this unit and its many cousins before and it hasn't changed. But what has changed is the amount of support it has now, and how much support it gives! Yes, two cost for one health, yuck. But two cost for a unit that gives another unit a blast icon, has Edge (1) or (2) if you're lucky, and can focus out Walkers? And there is a chance it comes out for free? Yes please. See, as a lone unit, it is not all that great. But in a speeder deck, it is more than just the sum of its parts. I think these little guys are going to shine in the meta very soon.
6/10
JKoellner:
I feel like it's a bit spendy for one damage capacity, one black gun, and one white bomb. Though I see what FFG was doing... they don't want to give you too many one cost speeders to overpower Rogue Two and Hoth Operations. Still, though, looking at this unit in a vacuum... it's not the best.
4/10
Snowspeeder Launch Bay
Red5ccg:
This is a hard card to judge without knowing the dark side meta. It's very good against vehicle heavy decks and absolutely punishing against Walker decks, but is just a slightly inefficient resource generator against Sith decks and other Character-heavy builds.
6/10
Saej:
This is a meta card. A year from now, this may be a horrible card. Right now, it might fare well. It is a resource, but an expensive one. Against a Walker deck, it is amazing. Against anything else, it stumbles. But, on that occasional turn where you can play it strictly for resources because you don't need to play anything else, its ok. So using it in a speeder deck and facing a Walker deck, it's a 10/10. In a Speeder deck against any other deck, it's a 3. Considering the current meta, I'll give it a boost. (In a year from now, I see this as a 3-4/10)
8/10
JKoellner:
I like resources. I especially like resources that have abilities. And I LOVE resources that have abilities that don't require you to focus them to activate said ability. This can be absolutely brutal against Dark Side vehicles and will just out-right murder Walkers. And therein lies this card's flaw. Against anything other than vehicles, it becomes nothing more than an expensive resource.
6/10
Battle of Hoth
Red5ccg:
Nothing new to see here. 3 force icons is always good for edge battles, it's nice when you don't have to decide between playing the card or holding in hand for an edge battle.
7/10
Saej:
If you are running a Hoth deck, this is one of the best Fate cards around. And if you are running this set, you are using a Hoth deck. If your opponent is running a Hoth deck as well...even better.
9/10
JKoellner:
More Hoth objectives = more effective Battle of Hoth Fate cards. Three Force icons. 'nuff said.
8/10
Overall Objective Score -
39/60
Red5ccg:
By itself, this set isn't very exciting. In the context of a Hoth Speeder deck though, this is a must-have. My main worry about the deck is that it could run out of tricks if it doesn't manage to start Hoth Operations on table.
Saej:
This is a meta-shaping set. This set solidified the Speeder deck archetype. Just as Palp and Vader are the backbones of a Sith control, this and Hoth Operations are the foundation of a good Speeder deck.
Now some of you may scoff at the high rating I gave some cards or the set itself. I need you to really think about it in a deck and not in a vacuum. This set is not designed to be in a vacuum! Like I said above, if you put this set in a non-Speeder deck, you're doing it wrong. I give it the rating I do as I look at how it will be used. As more and more cards come out over the months and years, the meta will shift and I can see this set dropping in rating somewhat. But I really think that this set will be a backbone set to an archetype for a long time, and it has great synergy within itself and with other sets already out. And that is why I gave it (the set and the cards within) the rating I did.
JKoellner:
I am really excited for this. I'm already thinking of a deck using 2x Attack Pattern Delta, 2x Hoth Operations, 2x Rebel Fleet, 2x Prepare for Battle, 2x Prepare for Evacuation."
Hell, I'd say the speeder build is LESS dependent on drawing specific objectives. At least if you don't get your APD or Hoth Ops, you can fall back on your Preps for some pretty decent tricks. Sleuths without their two key objectives are crap.