I was running the following list:
Cassian Andor (Hunter, Offensive Push, Recon Intel, A280-CFE Sniper Config)
Cassian Andor(Loadout) (Endurance, Overwatch, Environmental Gear, A280-CFE Pistol Config)
K-2SO (Jyns SE-14 Blaster)
Rebel Troopers
Rebel Troopers
Rebel Troopers
Rebel Troopers
Rebel Commandos (Strike Team) (DH-447 Sniper)
Rebel Commandos (Strike Team) (DH-447 Sniper)
Rebel Pathfinders (Pao, Duck and Cover, A-300 Long Range Config)
Tauntaun Riders (Endurance)
AT-RT (AT-RT Laser Cannon)
AT-RT (AT-RT Laser Cannon)
Commands:
Crack Shot (1), Ambush (1), Push (2), Last Stand (2), Volunteer Mission (3), Covering Fire (3), Standing Orders (4)
Deployments: The Long March, Roll Out, Advanced Positions, Major Offensive
Objectives: Recover the Supplies, Sabotage the Moisture Vaporators, Intercept the Transmissions, Breakthrough
Conditions: Clear Conditions, Supply Drop, Fortified Positions, Minefield
I just wanted a list capable of dishing out the hurt at long range and then being able to clean up as the enemy got in closer. This was the starting point of that vision.
My son Landon, was running the following Empire list and it was the first time running Vader.
Shoretroopers (T-21B Trooper, Shoretrooper)
Shoretroopers (T-21B Trooper, Shoretrooper)
DF-90 Mortar Trooper
DF-90 Mortar Trooper
Stormtroopers (DLT-19 Stormtrooper, FX-9 Medical Droid)
Stormtroopers (DLT-19 Stormtrooper, FX-9 Medical Droid)
Scout Troopers (Strike Team) (DLT-19x Sniper)
Scout Troopers (Sonic Charge Saboteur)
Commands:
Implacable (1), Ambush (1), Fear and Dead Men (2), New Ways to Motivate Them (2), Coordinated Fire (3), Master of Evil (3), Standing Orders (4)
Deployments: Battle Lines, Advanced Positions, Danger Close, Major Offensive
Objectives: Intercept the Transmissions, Breakthrough, Sabotage the Moisture Vaporators, Key Positions
Conditions: Limited Visibility, Clear Conditions, Fortified Positions, Supply Drop
We played the following:
Battle Lines
Supply Drop
Intercept the Transmissions
Deployment
During deployment I had a vision to have Andor get into a position to shoot length ways and cover at least 2 out of the 3 transmission objectives. I started putting troops on the Eastern flank which drew out opposing Stormtroopers. With the activation advantage stacked in my favour I then placed the remaining troopers and Tauntauns in a central position drawing out the Shoretroopers. From here I infiltrated Cassian Andor (giving command to Pathfinders) and positioned the remaining units to take out the Mortar and Scouts before sweeping towards the East.
Turn 1 - Push vs Coordinated fire
Order tokens go on both AT-RT's vs All Shoretrooper units who coordinate onto the Mortar, and a single Stormtrooper unit.
James - AT-RT activates and moves into range of the Mortar. Inflicts no damage however.
Landon - Shoretrooper activates and moves into range of the Rebel Troopers. Attacks killing two.
James - AT-RT activates doing exactly the same as the first.
Landon - Western Mortar activates. Fails to rally and takes a dodge token.
James - Random draw Rebel Troopers. Moves into heavy cover and takes a dodge token.
Landon - Random draw Stormtroopers. Move into heavy cover then DLT-19 takes a shot at the Rebel Troopers for no damage.
James - Random draw K2SO. Performs Calculate Odds then moves towards the Mortar.
Landon - Random draw Mortar. Performs a move towards heavy cover then performs a standby action.
James - Random draw Rebel Troopers. Double move away from the objective.
Landon - Random draw for the Scout troopers. Move and plants a Sonic charge next to objective.
James - Random draw for the Rebel Commandos. Aims then attacks the Scout trooper strike team killing them both.
Landon - Shoretroopers activate. Move then attack the Rebel Troopers killing the other two that were remaining.
James - Random draw Pathfinders. Move towards the objective then shoot at the Scout troopers killing two.
Landon - Random draw Stormtroopers. Move into heavy cover then the DLT-19 shoots at the Rebel Troopers for no damage (heavy cover).
James - Random draw Tauntauns. Double move towards the objective and then uses relentless shooting into the Shoretroopers for no damage.
Rebel Troopers move then shot at the Shoretroopers killing one. Cassian takes an aim then kills two of the Scout troopers. Rebel Commandos performs an aim then shot at the Scout troopers and leaving one left.
Turn 2 - Ambush (1) vs Ambush (1)
Order token onto Tauns for me (won roll for initiative) and Landon places a order token onto Vader.
James - Tauns activate and move then Scout trooper detonates the sonic charge. This does a single wound to the Tauns and suicides the scout. Tauns then move again triggering relentless attacking the Mortar for no damage.
Landon - Vader activates and moves taking force reflexes and a dodge action.
James - AT-RT aims then shoots onto the Mortar for one wound.
Landon - Random draw Shoretroopers fails to rally moves towards objective pulls out targeting range finder then performs an attack on the Rebel Troopers kills three .
James - Random draw Rebel Troopers fails to rally moves towards the objective .
Landon - Random draw Shoretroopers they move towards the objective and then kills the last Rebel Trooper.
James - Random draw Pathfinders move to the objective and shoots at the Mortar for no damage .
Landon - Random draw Mortar aims and shoots the Rebel Troopers for no damage.
James - Random draw AT-RT aims shoots onto the Mortar for two damage killing him finally!
Landon - Random draw Stormtroopers double move into range of the objective.
James - Random draw Rebel Troopers hugs the wall and performs a dodge.
Landon - Random draw Stormtroopers move over the barricade and then performs a dodge action.
James - Random draw Rebel Commandos. Attack for suppression only onto the Shoretroopers.
Random draw K2SO moves into range with objective and then performs calculate odds onto Cassian.
Random draw Rebel Troopers double move back towards the table edge
Cassian aims and shoots onto the Shoretroopers. Then uses the supply drop to get precision scopes.
Rebel Commandos attack onto Shoretroopers for suppression only.
Landon - 2 VP
James - 1 VP
Turn 3 - Implacable (1) vs Volunteer Mission (3)
Order token onto Darth Vader. I place tokens on Cassian and the two Rebel Commandos units.
Landon - Random draw Mortar double move towards the objective.
James - Rebel Commandos activate and shoot onto the Shoretroopers doing no damage or suppression.
Landon - Random draw Stormtroopers move then shoot at the Rebel troopers killing three of them.
James - Rebel commandos activate aim and then kill one of the Shoretroopers.
Landon - Random draw Shoretroopers they fail to rally and then move out of line of sight of enemy.
James - Random draw Rebel troopers (RT2). They move to line of sight of the Shoretroopers (S3) dealing only a suppression damage.
Landon - Random draw Shoretroopers they double move away form line of sight and out of the trees.
James - Random draw Tauns. Double moves towards the Shoretroopers and then triggers relentless shooting onto the Shoretroopers. Dealing two damage and a suppression.
Landon - Random draw Stormtroopers they move and shoots at the Rebel trooper and killing the remaining man.
James - Random draw Pathfinders who double move to gain future line of sight onto Shoretroopers.
Landon - Darth Vader activates by moving out of line of sight of Cassian and uses force reflexes to gain a dodge.
Cassian Andor double moves to overview the Western objective.
K2SO double moves and uses free action to open supply crate which contains Bacta Capsules.
Last AT-RT moves to take position to open fire onto Shoretroopers leaving one remaining.
Turn 4 - Standing Orders (4) vs Covering Fire (3)
Landon puts order token on the Mortar and I put it on last Rebel Trooper unit.
James - Rebel troopers activate. Aim then shot at the last guy in the Shoretrooper unit killing him.
Landon - Mortar activates then takes a dodge and fails to hit.
James - Pathfinders activate then grab holo projector from the supply crate then attacks the Shoretroopers killing two.
Landon - Random draw Stormtroopers. Double move into range with the central objective.
James - Random draw Rebel commandos. Shoot at the Stormtroopers doing two wounds however the medical droid kicks in shortly after.
Landon - Random draw Shoretroopers aim and shoot at the Tauns dealing two damage.
James - Random draw K2SO. Double moved into range of objective and uses Bacta Capsules to heal a wound off the Tauns.
Landon - Random draw Darth Vader who double moved out of Line of Sight of Cassian Andor.
James - Random draw Cassian Andor. Aimed and shot at the Stormtroopers and killing two.
Landon - Random draw Stormtroopers. Double move towards the central objective.
James - Random draw AT-RT moves into combat with the Shoretroopers and killing three of them.
Random draw AT-RT shooting onto the Stormtroopers which killing two. Random draw Rebel commandos they double moved to get line of sight for last two turns.
Tauns activate and move into the trees attacking the last Stormtrooper killing him.
Landon - 3 VP
James - 2 VP
Turn 5 - Crack Shot (1) vs Fear and Dead Men (2)
Cassian Andor takes the faceup token and receives aim token. Darth Vader takes a faceup token.
James - Random draw Tauntauns. Double move around the building and nail the last Mortar trooper.
Landon - Random draw Stormtroopers. Move forwards and take standby.
James - Random draw Commandos. Drop the last Shoretrooper.
Landon - Vader uses Force Reflexes and double moves towards AT-RT.
James - Random draw K2SO. Calculates Odds to Pathfinders and fires onto Stormtroopers exhausting the medical droid.
AT-RT takes an aim and puts another suppression into the Stormtroopers.
Pathfinders aim then shoots the Stormtroopers and kills one Stormtrooper. Commandos double moved through the trees.
Rebel troopers aim then shoot onto the Stormtroopers killing one of them.
AT-RT reverses then shoots onto the Stormtroopers killing one.
Cassian aims and shoots at Darth Vader dealing two wounds.
Turn 6 - Last Stand (2) vs Master of Evil (3)
James - Cassian aims and shoot onto Vader for a single wound.
Landon - Vader uses force reflexes to gain a dodge and then moves and performs a standby action.
James - Pathfinders aim and kill the final stormtroopers.
I can't quite kill Vader at this stage but shuffle the Tauns into range of the Western objective securing the victory.
Final victory points:
James - 7 VP
Landon - 3 VP
Conclusion:
Thanks for reading again. This was my son's first game using Darth Vader and I don't think he was prepared for how super slow he was. I thought he was going to get dumped into the swarm of Shoretroopers but when he was placed on the flank with the Stormtroopers I was confident I'd be able to contain him and keep him out of the game. I'm sure this won't happen ever again with him though!
I have a real hatred for Rebel Troopers. They simply just fill a corp tax in the Rebel army at the moment and although they do provide a target, they always drop when shot at. Unfortunately investing in weapons or upgrades just seems to play into my opponents hands even more in this regard.
Tauns were amazing, but of course they're supposed to be. On the AT-RT's I originally took them for the range 4 laser however, I think the rotary blaster is the way to go as they can easily move into range and sit at range 3 keeping the weapon threat range active.
Pathfinders didn't do anything amazing for me and I can't help but feel perhaps a unit of Commandos would be better suited. Besides the black dice to shoot with, they low profile rule looks to be a better option in my eyes.
Onwards!
