Fleet Troopers

[Jman444 82]

1 hour ago, ScummyRebel said:

You will want 1-2 units of them for list variation. They’re specialized units not spam infantry. Just like I only will get one snowtroopers most likely - more expensive specialized unit.

I only play Imperial, and I see the difference in how they operate from standard rebel units. It’ll be interesting to devise tactics for both.

Exactly, I'll only be getting one fleet trooper pack since they are so niche but I think in the future I will get a couple more snow troopers- they're a bit more expensive but they're a lot more versatile than fleets. Which is fine as I dont think they are exactly mirrors of each other- I think the next wave of corps will be when we see those- naval troops for Imps and hoth troopers for rebels. 

Rebel commandos are on the way too so it'll be interesting to see what tactics are used with a nice mix of rebel infantry available.

Although since we'll eventually have fleet troopers for both factions, it would be a lot of fun to build a star destroyer table with a lot of narrow hallways with maybe a central hangar with only infantry allowed. 

[MasterShake2 5,184]

The Standby aspect is a red herring. Then again, Precise 1 and Nimble kind of are as well. I can't count the number of times Stormtroopers have re-rolled a blank White die into another blank, but I can totally count the number of times Nimble has had a meaningful game impact because it happens maybe once a game, if that. Steady is the only really live ability on any corps unit and the Snowtroopers pay for it.

 

That being said, the shorter range is perfectly fine because with a heavy weapon that can reach out to range 3, they aren't out of the fight completely and against targets in cover the grenade launcher does about as much damage as whole units.

 

I don't think they replace basic troopers just like I don't think Sniwies replace Stormies as well they shouldn't. I don't play a SW themed ground combat game to not see freaking Stormtroopers on the table.

[Deuzerre 187]

Problem with them is if they get suppressed, standby dies. So even if you get close to a unit, they will be able to either shoot at them from somewhere else, or if they are within range 2 just shoot at you (which won't trigger standby).

So their special rules are a gimmick

[Mep 2,291]

47 minutes ago, Deuzerre said:

Problem with them is if they get suppressed, standby dies. So even if you get close to a unit, they will be able to either shoot at them from somewhere else, or if they are within range 2 just shoot at you (which won't trigger standby).

So their special rules are a gimmick

I would call it very situational and terrain dependent, not a gimmick. Their should be at least one if not two pieces of terrain where they can take a standby action and deny an area to your opponent. They also work well against other range 2 units, like Vader. They are so situational I don't see them getting a lot of use.

[VAYASAN 850]

I have a uni on order and will be using them to look cool!

[WAC47 1,796]

So the “suppression before standby” issue is a serious one, but I feel like most of the discussion has centered around a single unit of Fleet troopers. 

If you have multiple Fleet troopers covering an objective your opponent’s decision process becomes more difficult. 

[Jman444 82]

9 hours ago, Deuzerre said:

Problem with them is if they get suppressed, standby dies. So even if you get close to a unit, they will be able to either shoot at them from somewhere else, or if they are within range 2 just shoot at you (which won't trigger standby).

So their special rules are a gimmick

Their special rules aren't really a gimmick, giving fleet troopers a standby basically paints a target on them that you want to be there. They're saying "shoot at us instead of our friendly units next to us". Even if they get that suppression, an attack was used on them that could have been used somewhere else. And thats kind of the point. That tactic could go for any trooper unit as well.

I think if you picture their free aim after standby as you getting a bonus from putting your fleet troops into a tactical "camping" position, it makes more sense. Move your guys on or near an objective with cover, then take a standby- good job! Here's a free aim... now wait for the enemy to come to you (or create an area your enemy doesnt want to come into). But once the enemy units are "in the zone", you're going to be aiming and shooting instead of giving them standbys. 

Therefore, the main strategy is not to use standby on them all the time, it's very situational and you just get a bonus for it. It's a bit thematic too- they get ready and wait for stormies to come around a corner and then blast the heck out of them- something you'd do when fighting in tight, narrow hallways on starships.

All-in-all, I think I'd run two units max. Too expensive and close range to use more than that but they still roll a lot of dice and that scatter gun will help. Early game, keep them in cover or move them forward to cover and have them camp until enemy units get close enough to attack. Mid to late game, let them fall in line behind your other units and have them as assault teams that close in and throw a ton of dice at any stragglers near the objectives you hold.

[Contrapulator 717]

28 minutes ago, Jman444 said:

 It's a bit thematic too- they get ready and wait for stormies to come around a corner and then blast the heck out of them

Oh wow, I never made that connection until now. It's just like the opening scene of A New Hope, when they're all pointing their guns at the door!

Edited May 18, 2018 by Contrapulator

[Deuzerre 187]

@Jman444 well, wouldn't it just be better to actually shoot at something and give them suppression instead of saying "shoot us"? They aren't tough, so they are an easy target. It's easy to make standby rather irrelevant.

The only time I really had it used properly was when the opponent had a compulsory move through my own units range, but... If he compulsoried into my unit, that unit wouldn't have overwatched!

[Jake the Hutt 145]

I think maybe you all aren't playing with enough terrain? Engaging at range 3 should be less common than range 2 I think, and there should be plenty of good spots for any unit to take advantage of Standby.

[VAYASAN 850]

I just cant wait to paint them.

[BigBadAndy 640]

The fact that this discussion is happening at all gives me a lot of faith in FFG’s balancing.  I agree with those suggesting this will be a situational unit that will sometimes be pretty useful to have around.

@Jman444 pointed out that standby is thematic to the opening scene of the first movie.  Which is fantastic all by itself.  But it’s worth mentioning that the Fleet Troopers in the opening scene a) got killed and b) accomplished their mission - which was buying time for Leia to transfer the Death Star plans to R2D2. So they died, but they also won.  I don’t think that it’s an accident they are releasing alongside Leia for Legion. Leia by herself is a pretty powerful support unit, but very vulnerable.  Everyone seems to agree she is going to be paired with trooper units all the time. I think setting up a situation where the fleet troopers are body guarding Leia in cover near an objective is going to be pretty easy to achieve.  Yes, you will sometimes have to make difficult choices with your fleet troopers action economy.  But that’s what makes the game interesting.  

Edited May 18, 2018 by BigBadAndy

[VAYASAN 850]

4 hours ago, Contrapulator said:

Oh wow, I never made that connection until now. It's just like the opening scene of A New Hope, when they're all pointing their guns at the door!

Thats all ive been thinking about since their announcement ?

 

I even commented im sad that there arnt any kneeling troopers ?

[Jman444 82]

6 hours ago, Contrapulator said:

Oh wow, I never made that connection until now. It's just like the opening scene of A New Hope, when they're all pointing their guns at the door!

That's hilarious! ? That and I remember when playing the old battlefront games where you'd play on polis masa and the tantive IV- you could just camp  with your buddies around a turn in the corridors and lay waste to everyone that came to take the command post haha

6 hours ago, Deuzerre said:

@Jman444 well, wouldn't it just be better to actually shoot at something and give them suppression instead of saying "shoot us"? They aren't tough, so they are an easy target. It's easy to make standby rather irrelevant.

The only time I really had it used properly was when the opponent had a compulsory move through my own units range, but... If he compulsoried into my unit, that unit wouldn't have overwatched!

Exactly, its also implied in the name of the ability: Ready 1.  I dont think you ever give out a standby if theres an attack to be had, they roll a ton of dice so you should probably always be attacking if you can. Standby with ready is very situational. Its when enemy units come near them that they want to be shot at.

Alternatively, a bold strategy would be to give them a dodge and standby when they could have attacked to direct the attack(s) at them.

What originally I meant was that when/if you get your fleet troopers near an objective or soon-to-be-contested area before enemy units do, you give them standby tokens to essentially force your opponent to either deal with them or leave that area alone and go to a different objective. 

The thing is that they get outranged and that tactic doesnt work just running out into the open, so thats where using a lot of big terrain will help them. You have them standing by around a corner in an area of terrain that the enemy unit would have to be at range 2 of them to see them, thus able to use that standby.

[Tvayumat 3,637]

19 hours ago, WAC47 said:

So the “suppression before standby” issue is a serious one, but I feel like most of the discussion has centered around a single unit of Fleet troopers. 

If you have multiple Fleet troopers covering an objective your opponent’s decision process becomes more difficult. 

Oh, so it only takes two (more expensive) units that have already activated and have superior positions to (potentially) stop a (cheaper) unit that hasn't/doesn't?

What a deal!

[Orkimedes 592]

I think they are still plenty good without the standby.  I think it's best to view Ready 1 as a nice bonus when it comes up, rather than something their value should be derived from.

It seems like their firepower is being underestimated, just because they throw white dice.  A 6 man unit with scatter gun does the same average number of wounds to a 6 man stormtrooper squad as the dreaded AT-RT flamethrower, but at twice the range.

[Jake the Hutt 145]

10 hours ago, Tvayumat said:

Oh, so it only takes two (more expensive) units that have already activated and have superior positions to (potentially) stop a (cheaper) unit that hasn't/doesn't?

What a deal!

I mean, yeah. More expensive units in  superior positions where they can use their built in advantages are going to be good at stopping cheaper units. That makes sense, and thats how nearly every game works.

[Jake the Hutt 145]

Looks like the grenade launcher does exhaust. Thats too bad.

[Orkimedes 592]

55 minutes ago, Jake the Hutt said:

Looks like the grenade launcher does exhaust. Thats too bad.

Where did you see the grenade launcher stats?

[Ghost Dancer 401]

2 hours ago, Orkimedes said:

Where did you see the grenade launcher stats?

On a fb group - spanish I think but you can see all the stats.

[Orkimedes 592]

28 minutes ago, Ghost Dancer said:

On a fb group - spanish I think but you can see all the stats.

Do you guys have a link...

[Orkimedes 592]

Never mind I found it.

Two white, one black, 1-3, exhaust, 33 points.

That seems... not great.  I mean, blast is really good.  And impact 2 is the most for any rebel infantry weapon, but the exhaust and 33 point cost seem to price it out of being efficient.

[Matt Antilles 333]

That...sucks.

[NukeMaster 248]

18 minutes ago, Matt Antilles said:

That...sucks.

I was going to point out that blast at range 3 is really nice, but then I remembered the rest of the unit only shoots at range 2 so it's not as great as I was thinking.

[Orkimedes 592]

58 minutes ago, NukeMaster said:

I was going to point out that blast at range 3 is really nice, but then I remembered the rest of the unit only shoots at range 2 so it's not as great as I was thinking.

Yeah, I don’t think you’re going to be wasting an exhaust to shoot two whites and a black by themselves, even with blast.