Darth Coupon
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Posts posted by Darth Coupon
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You're welcome, and to clarify you'll need two large hinged boxes (one for each faction) and two medium hinged boxes (one for dice and one for damage markers). I stuff loyalty markers (and sabotage for Rebels) in the middle section of each 5-bin compartment.
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I wasn't looking closely enough, you found the exact bins I use!
I use the single (SDs, SSDS, assault carriers) and five bin (one for Rebels, one for Imperials) compartments from this line:
Leaders and rings fit in the large hinged boxes, and dice and damage markers fit in the medium hinged boxes.
http://www.containerstore.com/s/hinged-boxes/d?productId=10032173&q=plastic%20container%20with%20lid
Sadly I could never find anything I like for Death Stars, so I made a foamcore box for them.
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I can't seem to find the links at the Container Store's site but they have hinged plastic bins that are small enough to fit in the original box insert. The five section ones can store all the Rebels units and all of the Empire's small units, while the basic bin can hold SDs and SSDs. I use their flatter bins for the leaders, dice and damage markers.
For the cards I never found an adequate solution so I made foam boxes that fit into the tabs in the insert. If you have the chance I would check out the Container Store or a similar place.
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That's a great idea for production and loyalty bookkeeping, and it will be useful for teaching new players the limited production that comes from subjugated systems.
davidumstattd reacted to this -
One thing to consider with logistics missions and action opportunity cost is that the logistics leaders for the Empire (Tarkin, Tagge, Ozzel and Jerjerrod) are limited to those missions, some basic missions (like starting ones) and non-essential combat due to limited skill icons and tactics values. Unless you are attempting specialty missions (Fear Will Keep Them in Line, Probe Droid Initiative, etc), these leaders would probably just be ferrying forces for reinforcement or easy subjugation. While expansion is important, exchanging two actions (R&D and the project execution) could be worth it to get a SSD (it's rare to get Corellia and Mon Cal/Utapau loyal at once for big SD builds), a factory to get a free build and sabotage removal, or extra deployment prior to a base invasion.
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More missions to add even more elements of theme would be welcome. What about six per side that have two candidates for added success, to mirror the combo action cards? The bonus would be limited to one of the leaders only.
And as mentioned elsewhere individual tactics decks would be welcomed, as they can expand on basic block/damage/special mechanics with specialized flavor.
6?
The way leaders work they would be added in sets of 2. So that each leader can have two action cards that can recruit them. One specific to them and one they share with the other person.
So six new hero specific missions per side would mean six new leaders which I think is pushing it. 4 max. But I think just 2 new leaders is sufficient. Hera Sulydus and Jyn Ersa for rebels, Thrawn and Gillad Pellaeon (or Orson Krennic if you want to keep it to Rogue One) would probably cover most of the needed areas. There's not a whole lot more variability you can add to the generals without giving both sides complete parity with their hero selections. Which is something you don't want.
Oh, I was referring to mission cards. There would be six new missions per side with a choice of two leaders to choose from for the bonus (you can't double dip the bonus).
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More missions to add even more elements of theme would be welcome. What about six per side that have two candidates for added success, to mirror the combo action cards? The bonus would be limited to one of the leaders only.
And as mentioned elsewhere individual tactics decks would be welcomed, as they can expand on basic block/damage/special mechanics with specialized flavor.
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Right, I just figure that by midgame there is so much board clutter that the Rebel player can overlook an elevated subjugation marker over a loyalty marker of a starting system. But generally with so much movement on the board you can see the token underneath.
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I do wonder if a Rebel player has ever lost track of loyal systems for the "Loyalty in 6 Systems" objective, clearly it would be shame on him/her for forgetting to check underneath subjugation markers.
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One issue with R&D is a Rebel player will often sabotage subjugated systems to force the Imperial player to vacate it (if they want to avoid Cut Supply Lines) or have to use Rule by Fear to make it loyal (if it was neutral) to make it eligible for R&D. The second option is a major action sink. In that case it may as well be done on a loyal system to get a choice of cards.
That said, I believe the Imperial player should use it at least twice per game. Oversee Project and Construct Factory can be critical for reinforcing supply lines.
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You definitely hit on the critical points for the Rebels, including sabotaging and infiltrating. You're right that you never want to put all your eggs in one basket but it can be worthwhile to gain objective points for combat or to distract the Imperial player if the fleet is far enough away from the base. Regarding your questions:
1) Lead the Strike Team lets you stage a ground attack from the base and Plan the Assault lets you move space units from the base to initiate a battle. They're very, very powerful missions, with bonuses given to Han and Dodonna, respectively.
2) Rapid Mobilization allows you to move units back to the base but those units can't come from a system with a leader in it. So it's hard to truly hit and hide.
3) Your leaders already there can participate (along with your opponent's) and when a new mission is attempted you can send yet another leader to oppose.
To your last point Hidden Fleet allows you to move forces out of the base but it can only be to a non-hostile system so it takes two turns to do something with the fleet.
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I've rarely seen two Death Stars in a game, let alone two in a single system! I might be inclined to make a house rule adopted from the original PC game that capped one Death Star to a system due "gravitational field effects."
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I don't want to gripe about a bad beat poker-style but when my Imperial opponent opened the game with Fear Will Keep Them in Line and then recruited Fett for a Bounty of Mon Mothma and a Lure of the Dark Side in Round 2, my diplomacy game was shattered as were my potential builds. He then was able to capture Dodonna later and got Yularen to interrogate him. It was a perfect storm, right down to Piett using the Long Range Probe to confirm my base far earlier than normally in our games.
Often times the Rebels will start the game with their base missions, but if the Imperials get a really good draw they can go to town on special missions with powerful leaders like the Emperor and Vader.
It does go to show how important capture is for the Imperials, I think it could be worth playing Capture Rebel Operative early on (could let Tagge assign it as a bluff to lull the Rebels into thinking he's doing R&D and bring Vader in to oppose the Rebel Sabotage/Infiltration mission or merely activate to chip in) as the early drain on the Rebel leader pool is useful and the opponent may not have rescue missions or appropriate leaders to go on those missions.
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I've seen this mentioned on other boards and it is worth echoing: themed combat cards for Rebels and Imperials. It would add a little more flavor to what is one of the more wobbly elements of the game. You'd want to give each side some exclusive advantages (like a Green Leader sacrifice for the Rebels) but I'm sure it could be balanced and integrated.
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I think Stone37 is referring to expeditionary fleets; I am of the belief that Coruscant needs a token force of at least an Assault Carrier with TIEs or possibly even a Star Destroyer depending on the starting systems to mop up any possible surprise incursions into Corellia. The SD could be left in the core worlds to subjugate nearby systems and then defend against Heart of the Empire plays.
Loading up the other two fleets prevents any possible strikes against poorly defended Star Destroyers to protect against a surprise Rebel Assault early in the game.
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As others have mentioned the game seems to be more forgiving to the Rebel player since they have different avenues to victory -even after a setback- and as a last resort can move the base. The restricted movement forces the Empire to be cognizant of distributing forces in the event they find the base so that they are not out of position to deliver a knockout blow.
Given the number of missions the Empire has that require captured leaders it's in the player's best interest to be active in this regard. Between carbon freezing and Lure of the Dark Side to swing the reputation marker (Empire needed one more these in my opinion), the missions that can help pinpoint the base and just as vitally reveal the Rebel hand of objective cards. Vader can do this early on until you get Fett or some two spec-ops characters. Plus you can prevent the No One Left Behind objective.
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That is a critical mistake Imperial players can make early in the game, they don't have enough leaders to oppose missions the first round and do what they need to do. The player needs to be a little calm early on and work on his or her plan. If I had to pick one I'd oppose Infiltration over Sabotage.
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I agree the first two turns for each faction are critical, especially for the Empire since they're under a turn limit.
I also place a token defense at the Rebel base, and I generally place my remaining units on a neutral system (Utupau and Geonosis are good ones) to get a head start on Build Alliance. Depending on the objective card I start with I might move the fleet on the first round or wait til the next one. Infiltration is a must early on, since there is a good chance it will go unopposed (the only risk is capture, but it's one less move for the Empire to make early in the game - you could save Riekaan for opposing it). Sabotage is not as effective early since the Empire *should* be playing R&D the first turn anyway (if you want to build SSDs you should get the project within the first two turns).
For the Empire early on I agree it's vital to make at least one fleet movement on the first turn, or two if you have a good starting setup. Rule by Fear is not necessary unless you begin the game with Corellia subjugated (or not at all), you want that SD build the first turn. This is also the best time to capture a Rebel since they probably won't have any rescue cards yet.
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That's a great idea, I'm going to start using them to track builds.
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One common strategy I've often seen and used is the Rebel player homing in on Mon Calamari and even more importantly Utupau to load up on Mon Cal Cruisers and Corvettes. There's usually one big battle a game in my experience, with multiple capital ships and many fighters on each side. Plus I suppose they could be used as placeholders for loyalty markers, but I've never been in a situation where my group has run out of them.
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Trying to think of a new character for the Rebels to balance Thrawn, the only ones I can think would be a Rogue Squadron pilot like Wes or Hobbie since every major general, commander and admiral is accounted for (save for Red and Gold leaders from ANH). If FFG wants to get cute with a Disney nod they could add Major Bren Derlin (delivers the bad news to Leia about closing the Echo Base doors), who was played by John Ratzenberger, a Pixar voice regular. He could be a logistics and spec ops character, with an action card that adds a shield generator or troops to the Rebel base.
But if Thrawn is going to make the jump from EU to canon maybe Dash Rendar can do the same.
Grim Knight reacted to this -
We've had the time to play every game out, and most Rebel victories did come down to the wire with a little sweating til the end. It would take a perfect storm of objective cards and starting placement to have a comfortable victory since the Imperial player has time to narrow the base down to a few options. Have to say I'm a fan of the Probe Droid Initiative card with Ozzel, it makes up for his clumsiness. And yes, Planetary Conquest is a must have mission for the Empire, it's the closest essential to the Death Star Plans for the Rebels.
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One situation that occurred during a game yesterday was a lone X-wing attacking a DSUC with no other Imperial ships present. I assumed it would still be treated as a combat and sent Jerjerrod there and played his Fully Operational action card at the start of combat to take it out. Was this legal?
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I see the DSUC as a placeholder that represents a vulnerability that must be protected while the DS is in the build queue. I also see the logic, specifically pertaining to a mission like Rogue Squadron Raid, since that mission implies a quick hit and run that would only work on a smaller target (like a Star Destroyer shipyard or drydock) instead of a massive battlestation. However while the DS is still under construction the Rebels can attempt to knock it out if it is poorly defended. However depending on the game situation the Rebel player may want to wait anyway since there are no objective points to be gained for taking out a DSUC.
Tactics Talk: First Two Rounds
in Star Wars: Rebellion
Posted
Unless the Rebel player starts with Temporary Alliance or Establish Trade Relations, you're looking at an almost scripted first turn:
-Mon Mothma on Build Alliance (almost inevitably on Utapau)
-Leia or Rieekan on Sabotage (either on a subjugated system or if saved for last on Corellia)
-Leia or Dodonna on Infiltration
-Dodonna or Rieekan launching an attack or simply moving units
-In terms of base deployment I've often seen the airspeeders and a few fighters, and unless the Empire leaves a juicy target it helps to save the speeders.
A case could be made for Incite Rebellion if the Empire starts with a poorly garrisoned subjugated system but that mission might be best saved for scoring Liberation.
For the Empire there are a few things to consider:
-I believe in subjugating at least one Rebel system to cut into their production, especially Mon Calamari or Bothawui if possible.
-Not starting with Corellia isn't the end of the world but if the Rebels start with Mon Cal and you're not adjacent to it you might have to bite the bullet and waste two actions making it loyal. An alternative would be going on R&D to fish for building a SSD or Construct Factory.
-I like the four corners push for the Empire, as it puts pressure on a Rebel base located in a remote system. If you have the luxury of taking Bespin it does put heat on Endor or Hoth. Moving to Naboo also helps push toward Utapau, Geonosis and Ryloth, all valuable systems for the Rebels.
-If Corellia starts loyal you could afford to go on R&D to protect it.
-As mentioned, deployment is critical, you could have four fleets (DS being one of them) with concentrated ground forces, leaving a few stormtroopers on the other two systems. If needed you could chase a Rebel assault at an adjacent system, especially if there's a chance to strand airspeeders or take out a few fighters.