Tauntaun Riders! And Rebel Veterans!

[Jabby 1,042]

I saw this and my first thought was , “lets go call out @TauntaunScout“

[Jabby 1,042]

10 hours ago, thepopemobile100 said:

I feel bad for your wallet. 

Can we get an “F” for @TauntaunScout‘s wallet?

[TauntaunScout 4,276]

15 minutes ago, Jabby said:

I saw this and my first thought was , “lets go call out @TauntaunScout“

It was pretty funny that the one morning I wasn't on the boards, THIS happened. 

[thepopemobile100 977]

17 minutes ago, Jabby said:

Can we get an “F” for @TauntaunScout‘s wallet?

F

[aniron 218]

6 hours ago, TallGiraffe said:

Seems irrelevant considering it is it's own unit. 

No, because it seems from the wording like it will still be bought as an addon to the veterans unit, or have some rule requiring a unit of veterans per, or similar.

 

So if you take all rebel troopers, you don't get any, so that's a pro for the veterans if the Mark II is any good.

[aniron 218]

4 hours ago, That Blasted Samophlange said:

Major Bren Derlin would be the best choice.   As I recall he has been used in one or two canon novels, was there on hoth, has the rank, and played By John Ratzenberger so very recognizable.

Is that one of the brothers from Force Commander?

[ellhaynes 188]

“Ram” could well be something like, if you move before melee you get impact 1.

 

That feels like a lot of fun to play with, and also helps address their lack of anti-armour.

[Kingsguard 358]

Sweet! Hoth army here I come!

[Shanturin 267]

6 hours ago, That Blasted Samophlange said:

Major Bren Derlin would be the best choice.   As I recall he has been used in one or two canon novels, was there on hoth, has the rank, and played By John Ratzenberger so very recognizable.

They used Bren Derlin likeness to represent Rebel Veterans leader model (same as the did with Melshi in Pathfinders) so i doubt they'll make him a commander anytime soon. Carlist Rieekan seems to be safer choice.

[That Blasted Samophlange 6,923]

2 hours ago, aniron said:

Is that one of the brothers from Force Commander?

No.  Bren Derlin is seen telling people “lets go” in Empire Strikes back.  He is played by actor John Ratzenberger who played Cliff  Claven on Cheers, and does a voice in EVERY Pixar movie.

[DtLS 72]

14 hours ago, NeonWolf said:

@Tubb I've been wondering that myself.  Maybe some of the "EU-gurus" out there can tell us if all tauntauns have white fur or not...

Pretty sure there were some brown Tauntauns or close-but-not-quite tauntauns in Star Wars Galaxies.

[Pooleman 963]

Is there rreally a need to take the rebel troopers anymore? Using fleet troopers and rebel veterans as your core you set surges on attack and defense. I’m not seeing the benefit to taking rebel troopers unless you are wanting the Z6. 

[Weikel 68]

9 hours ago, JediPartisan said:

edit: actually you can do 7 equivalent actions if one move can proc multiple abilities. 2 moves, 2 dodge tokens -Agile1, 1 attack -Relentless, 2 pivots -Reposition. Yep broken.

It is a lot of actions but they'll have their weaknesses. No impact shooting means they'll have to Ram armor, if that has a impact like effect. Suppression hurts them since it is taking away 3 potential actions. Range 2 shooting means they have to get close, so standby actions can counter them. Units like the E-Web (fittingly), deathtroopers, or fleet troopers will hurt given their synergies with standby.

Not having compulsory movement is nice for these guys so they can sit back until the rest of the army engages and then they can charge in.

[ScummyRebel 5,346]

13 minutes ago, Pooleman said:

Is there rreally a need to take the rebel troopers anymore? Using fleet troopers and rebel veterans as your core you set surges on attack and defense. I’m not seeing the benefit to taking rebel troopers unless you are wanting the Z6. 

At the end of the day, they’re still all backed by the same defense die. And your basic rebel troopers have better survivability if they are shot at more than once in the course of the turn (assuming both vets and the trooper have their dodge token).

And by being 40 points instead of 48, it’s a lot easier to get more of them into a list. At 48 points, it’ll be harder for the Rebels to achieve the same levels of activation spam that they are good at.

 

[Pooleman 963]

10 minutes ago, ScummyRebel said:

At the end of the day, they’re still all backed by the same defense die. And your basic rebel troopers have better survivability if they are shot at more than once in the course of the turn (assuming both vets and the trooper have their dodge token).

And by being 40 points instead of 48, it’s a lot easier to get more of them into a list. At 48 points, it’ll be harder for the Rebels to achieve the same levels of activation spam that they are good at.

 

I couldn’t determine the cost was 48. That does change things a little, but I do love having that hit surge on the fleet troopers. 

[TauntaunScout 4,276]

17 hours ago, player2801864 said:

Commander Skywalker would be nice. New personas for already released units would be crunchy.

If he’s on a tauntaun then yes. Yes he would be. 

[TauntaunScout 4,276]

A problem I see is that Atgars and tauntauns take up the same slot. I can either make some tough calls on collecting. Or I can make Hoth my “grand army” sized thematic force. Plus a small band of temperate zone, movie themed, rebels and imperials. 

Guess it’s 1600 points of Hothic stuff for both sides!

But with this much pressure on my support slots, snowy AT-RT’s might have to be deleted from my collection. The good news is, AT-RT pilots can probably be used to make non-Hoth tauntaun riders. 

Edited March 9, 2019 by TauntaunScout

[TauntaunScout 4,276]

19 hours ago, Caimheul1313 said:

Proper Dragoons were unlikely, since that would entail having the unit dismount in order to attack, which would mean different profiles for the same unit (mounted VS unmounted). Dragoon style tactics are probably better represented through the use of transports in Legion. 

Mounted infantry (by any other name) are well depicted in other games as regular old infantry models. They get to make a cavalry move after setup but before the first turn. Then the "horses" are assumed to be led off the nearest table edge and held by someone.

Course the other way it's done is rather complex rules that need a horse and foot model, and let you keep track of  stuff like loose horses with dead riders, etc.

[DewbackScout 178]

1 minute ago, TauntaunScout said:

Mounted infantry (by any other name) are well depicted in other games as regular old infantry models. They get to make a cavalry move after setup but before the first turn. Then the "horses" are assumed to be led off the nearest table edge and held by someone.

Course the other way it's done is rather complex rules that need a horse and foot model, and let you keep track of  stuff like loose horses with dead riders, etc.

I would like to see a unit that rides up on Dewbacks and dismounts to fight.

[Alpha17 2,853]

11 hours ago, JediPartisan said:

Did anyone notice this at the bottom of the article?

”Once on the field, however, the Mark II Medium Blaster Trooper is free to aid the ranged attacks of any friendly unit.”

Wonder if that means that it can combine fire with another unit like Chewie’s 2 pip Command Card, where he and Leia make one attack together?

That would be soooo awesome. Maybe that’s the only way it can attack? The sentence before that is curious. “Rather than act as a heavy weapon upgrade, this miniature becomes its own unit that can only be deployed as a detachment from the Rebel Veterans.”

Does that mean the Mark II Medium Blaster Trooper is somehow controlled by the Veterans?

So many questions. Still can’t wait ...Are they here yet... are they here yet... are they here yet?

1

I'm wondering if it's part of the unit for force structure and list building, but it's fucntions as it's own unit for assigning commands or taking actions. 

[TauntaunScout 4,276]

10 minutes ago, Alpha17 said:

I'm wondering if it's part of the unit for force structure and list building, but it's fucntions as it's own unit for assigning commands or taking actions. 

I still suspect it can't activate without a buddy. It's order token might be just to show you that it has already gone.

[SirCormac 530]

14 hours ago, JediPartisan said:

If the Tauntaun’s Abilities only proc one per move, then they’re closer to what the Speederbikes are in power. Speederbikes don’t get suppression like @chemnitz mentioned. Also bikes get a free move, they have cover one and impact, etc, etc.

But if both Tauntaun Abilities can proc from the same move, it becomes OP. And I don’t think that’s just my opinion, cause any unit that can do 5 equivalent actions (6 if you throw in pivot) in one activation is just plainly OP. And I say this as primarily a rebel player. If they came out with an Imp unit with the same, I would say the same.

 

edit: actually you can do 7 equivalent actions if one move can proc multiple abilities. 2 moves, 2 dodge tokens -Agile1, 1 attack -Relentless, 2 pivots -Reposition. Yep broken.

I was worried at first too, but I have some thoughts on why they aren't power creep (I may be wrong).

1. I think the RRG will state you can only proc Agile 1 once per turn. 

2. Offense: Range 2 is a big downer from Range 3 Bikes. Take two examples. Bikes/Tauntauns move, and are at Range 4. They move again. Bikes take a shot, Tauntauns take none. Second situation, Bikes/Tauntauns move, are at Range 3. Bike Aim and shoot, Tauntaun moves and shoots. Statistically, the bikes are better here offensively, even when accounting for Sharpshooter.

3. Suppression: The bikes cannot gain suppression and already have the best bonus suppression can ever give: cover 1. The tauntauns will likely need both of their actions to close range, so shooting them twice just might deny them a chance to attack, when the Bikes would get a full aimed shot on the sames turn. Panicking them is going to be rare, but losing an action is pretty doable

4. Manueverability: While the Tauntauns are highly mobile, they cannot 'jump' over terrain and buildings the way bikes can, which allow the bikes to hide behind LOS terrain and then jump out to strike, while the Tauntauns will need to work their way around.

5. Defense: The Tauntauns have alot of defense but they will need to close on the enemy to shoot, while the bikes can stay a little further back. This will expose the Tauntauns to heavy fire. Also, their keyword Agile only works if they activate, so to get the dodge they will need to move closer to the enemy. 

6. Anti-armor: if the new expansions bring armor into the meta, the bikes will be much stronger here.

 

Overall, I think they are very strong units and may be better than bikes but we'll need to see. Range 2 is a bugaboo and often to get it you need to expose yourself, which I think will balance them out.

Edited March 9, 2019 by SirCormac

[JediPartisan 810]

13 minutes ago, SirCormac said:

I was worried at first too, but I have some thoughts on why they aren't power creep (I may be wrong).

1. I think the RRG will state you can only proc Agile 1 once per turn. 

2. Offense: Range 2 is a big downer from Range 3 Bikes. Take two examples. Bikes/Tauntauns move, and are at Range 4. They move again. Bikes take a shot, Tauntauns take none. Second situation, Bikes/Tauntauns move, are at Range 3. Bike Aim and shoot, Tauntaun moves and shoots. Statistically, the bikes are better here offensively, even when accounting for Sharpshooter.

3. Suppression: The bikes cannot gain suppression and already have the best bonus suppression can ever give: cover 1. The tauntauns will likely need both of their actions to close range, so shooting them twice just might deny them a chance to attack, when the Bikes would get a full aimed shot on the sames turn. Panicking them is going to be rare, but losing an action is pretty doable

4. Manueverability: While the Tauntauns are highly mobile, they cannot 'jump' over terrain and buildings the way bikes can, which allow the bikes to hide behind LOS terrain and then jump out to strike, while the Tauntauns will need to work their way around.

5. Defense: The Tauntauns have alot of defense but they will need to close on the enemy to shoot, while the bikes can stay a little further back. This will expose the Tauntauns to heavy fire. Also, their keyword Agile only works if they activate, so to get the dodge they will need to move closer to the enemy. 

6. Anti-armor: if the new expansions bring armor into the meta, the bikes will be much stronger here.

 

Overall, I think they are very strong units and may be better than bikes but we'll need to see. Range 2 is a bugaboo and often to get it you need to expose yourself, which I think will balance them out.

Well thought out. We’ll have to see what they do when they update the rules. Really, I think they could go either way and I suppose it will come down to how it play tested.

[thepopemobile100 977]

15 minutes ago, SirCormac said:

2. Offense: Range 2 is a big downer from Range 3 Bikes. Take two examples. Bikes/Tauntauns move, and are at Range 4. They move again. Bikes take a shot, Tauntauns take none. Second situation, Bikes/Tauntauns move, are at Range 3. Bike Aim and shoot, Tauntaun moves and shoots. Statistically, the bikes are better here offensively, even when accounting for Sharpshooter.

I agreee with everything you said but this. Because the Tauntauns have relentless they can still move twice then shoot, and I'm fairly confident that they're on a bigger base than the bikes so they go farther with their two moves than two moves from a bike. It also means that so long as you have the foresight (I don't usually) to take an aim for your first action, you can shoot after your move with an aim.

I don't think this is power creep as this unit isn't for the empire and really should be getting compared with the RT for the rebels since they seem to be geared for a similar purpose. Except the Laser Cannon RT, that's for anti armor purposes (and my favorite for the job).

[KommanderKeldoth 3,141]

14 minutes ago, thepopemobile100 said:

I agreee with everything you said but this. Because the Tauntauns have relentless they can still move twice then shoot, and I'm fairly confident that they're on a bigger base than the bikes so they go farther with their two moves than two moves from a bike. It also means that so long as you have the foresight (I don't usually) to take an aim for your first action, you can shoot after your move with an aim.

They look like they are on the same size base as the bikes. Just got out my minis and compared to the preview picture.

I think the range 2 pistols are still strictly worse than the bikes range 3 main cannon + range 2 black dice pistols. Having to get that close will open them up to snowtrooper grenade retaliation, aimed lightning from the emperor, etc. 

The lack of the Speeder keyword can't be overstated either, bikes really need that key word to be effective hit and run flankers by ducking over LoS blocking terrain.

The tauntauns look good, and people are seeing a lot of keywords on the card and declaring them broken, but unhindered, agile, and relentless are just giving them the basic tools that Speeder bikes get from cover 1 and speeder 1