Thursday, February 20, 2025

The Jar Jar Cup, Part 2

Good morning gamers,

Round two of our four-round escalation event was this past weekend and it was a blast! We were going to pair off winners and losers from last time, but the organizer decided to do a full random allocation again, so I wasn't all but guaranteed to face my son (which is good, because after facing him four times in practice, I still hadn't won a game). 

This time around, we were playing with 650-point lists, Standard list building constraints (though we used the "Team" option in Tabletop Admiral, since that's a 600pt limit), but instead of playing with POIs and the standard scenarios, the tournament organizer decided to have us play what he and his brothers usually play: "total annihilation" (or as I will be calling it, "King of the Hill", since it's actually pretty hard to totally annihilate someone's army in five rounds). Let's look at the lists and then see how we did!


This is my list - and I'll be honest, while I dabbled with an Empire list and a Republic list that I thought could be fun, I knew there was a good chance I'd be facing my son Gorgoroth's list and that meant that Impact was gonna be necessary. Also, people in my group have been talking trash about Commander Luke, so golly I needed to take him this round! 
  • Luke Skywalker (Commander) with Burst of Speed, Offensive Push, and Recon Intel
  • 3x Rebel Troopers
  • 3x AT-RT with Laser Cannon
  • 2x X-34 Landspeeder with RPS-6 Rocket Gunner, Unstable R5 Astromech, and Mark II Medium Blaster
While I played a lot with an alpha-strike version of the list that had M-45 Ion Blasters on the X34 Landspeeders along with Rebel Vets with CM-0/93s and a squad of Rebel Troopers with MPL-57 to lean hard into anti-armor, I really wanted to get Luke into the list and I got a clear signal from Centaur that he wasn't using Luke. 

The Landspeeders are really great on the first turn, since I can shoot twice with 1 red/5 black/3 black at range 2 with BOTH Landspeeders . . . hopefully this gives me a quick lead with only minimal damage suffered from the Astromech upgrade. All this piles in with the damage from three AT-RTs. Turn 2 opens up Luke as an attack option, along with any of the remaining armored units.

All told, I have 3 activations that can shoot at range 4, 2 activations (technically three with Luke/Long Shot) that can move up to range 3 and crack through armor, and all of these units are equally happy if armor isn't in the mix and we just have to clear "guys upon guys."  I also have three Corps units . . . yeah, I didn't have the points for SX-21s or MPL-57s to make them dangerous against armor (or unarmored) matchups. I'm really happy with the list and glad that I got to use Luke since Centaur didn't need him. Speaking of Centaur . . .



This is Centaur's list (I always put his and my lists first) and he's gone for a "can't-kill-this" approach that uses the three required Corps (2 super-sized Rebel Vets and 1 Mark II Medium Blaster), plus the required Support (FD Cannon), plus Leia and a T-47 Airspeeder. He originally had Luke in the list, so his removal of him has seriously tanked my list idea . . . sadness, but I'll get over it.
  • Leia Organa with Improvised Orders, Up Close and Personal, and Prepared Supplies
  • 2x Rebel Veterans with CM-0/93 Trooper, Rebel Veteran Squad, Offensive Push, and Prepared Supplies
  • Mark II Medium Blaster Trooper with Linked Targeting Array
  • 1.4 FD Laser Cannon Team with Linked Targeting Array and Barrage Generator
  • T-47 Airspeeder with Wedge Antilles, Ax-108 Ground Buzzer, and Hacked Comms Unit
This list is still basically the Poland strategy from Bolt Action for Centaur - he's got artillery to fire from long range, two beefy infantry squads to coordinate with the two emplacement troopers, LOTS of dice being thrown, a fast armored unit, and Leia to bring it all together. It's very much the way Centaur likes to play EBD.


My son, Gorgoroth, was the first to lock in his list - and honestly, he very quickly identified that if you're trying to not have your army killed off at 650 points, Tempest Force is at least worth a look. After taking all three AT-STs (two regular with the Light Blaster Cannons plus Marquand), he had room for the obligatory Corps squad (Stormtroopers) and the obligatory two Special Forces squads (Scout Troopers). This left him with 22 points, which he invested in Hammers Pilots for the AT-STs and Environmental Gear on the Stormtroopers:
  • Stormtroopers with Environmental Gear
  • 2x Scout Troopers
  • 2x AT-ST with Imperial Hammers Elite Armor Pilot and 88 Twin Light Blaster Cannon
  • Major Marquand
I've tried to kill 3 AT-STs in five rounds with a previous version of my list (it had 2 Rebel Troopers with DLT-20As instead of the Rebel Veterans with the CM-0/93s) - with Impact  16 and Critical 1/surge for crit on all of my units, I was almost able to do it. I'm feeling a little better about the matchup now, but only just - and frankly, I'm not sure I can beat this list. Once again, my hope is to not have to fight my son - we'll see if that holds.


This is the second list I might be facing - and it's Empire again! This one has forsaken the AT-STs and has leaned into Range Troopers, supported by a mix of Corps, Krennic, and his entouraged Death Trooper squad:
  • Director Orson Krennic with Lead by Example
  • 2x Shoretroopers with Overwatch and Recon Intel
  • Stormtroopers with HH-12 Stormtrooper, Stormtrooper, and Targeting Scopes
  • Imperial Death Troopers with DT-F16 and E-11D config
  • Range Troopers with DLT-20A Range Trooper
  • 2x Range Troopers with DLT-20A Range Trooper and Range Trooper
This is a solid list in many respects - if your goal is to not die and blow the other guy off the table. Can it kill 3 AT-STs? I don't think so - yes, there's Impact 6 with 6 red dice from the three Range Trooper squads - and yes, there's a fairly cheap Death Trooper squad (which is to say, it's a more-expensive Stormtrooper squad with surge for block) - and yes, there's Impact 3 coming from the HH-12, so I expect at least one (maybe two) of the AT-STs to fall.

That said, I can't figure out why the Recon Intel was put on the Shoretroopers. I also can't really tell why Overwatch was put on them either - yes, they can start on the board and they can aim-standby as the first activation if the enemy doesn't show up right away, but without a T-21 to double the dice pool and provide Critical 1, Shoretroopers are just more expensive Stormtroopers and are unlikely to do more than 2 hits to their target (which is likely to be nothing against an Armor 2+ unit . . . there's a few of those larking about).

In the end, it seems to me like you could run a list like this where the Death Troopers and Shoretroopers are downgraded to Stormtroopers (I have 2 HH-12s and 2 DLT-19s, each with extra guy) and Lead by Example from Krennic is dropped to get the extra Range Trooper on the third unit to make the list a bit punchier - but you would lose the benefits of Entourage on Krennic. Frankly, I'm a big fan of Stormtroopers and Snowtroopers over Shoretroopers and Death Troopers, so this is my personal bias coming through. Alternatively, just dropping the extra Range Troopers from the two squads that took them, along with the extra guy on the HH-12 and the upgrades on the Shoretroopers could get you both of the T-21Bs . . . I feel like if you're going to run Shoretroopers instead of Stormtroopers, that's gonna be a better play. But hey, play styles can be different, right?


We have a Shadow Collective list again - and this guy knew that there might be a triple-AT-ST list in his future, so obviously he leaned into all the anti-armor options . . . and I mean ALL the anti-armor options.
  • 3x Black Sun Enforcers with Mag-Det Enforcer, Black Sun Enforcer, Recon Intel, and Impact Grenades
  • Mandalorian Super Commandos with Super Commando Marksman, Up Close and Personal, Comms Jammer, Super Commando Combat Shields, and Super Commando Jetpack Rockets
  • A-A5 Speeder Truck with Refurbished Gonk Droid, Unstable R5 Astromech, Frenzied Gunner, AG-2G Quad Laser, Onboard Comms Channel
  • A-A5 Speeder Truck with Refurbished Gonk Droid, Unstable R5 Astromech, Raiding Party Leader, AG-2G Quad Laser, Onboard Comms Channel
So let's break this down - we have 3 Corps squads that can each roll 7 black/3 white with Impact 7 and if they're not issued an order, they'll have an aim token that can reroll 3 dice. That sounds really good . . . the key question will be if they can get to Range 1 in order to do that. Yes, the two that enter play on the buses can probably get to Range 1 on Turn 1, but those guys will have orders and won't have aim tokens and unless they activate right after dropping, it's quite likely that they won't be able to attack at full strength. Impact 4 from the grenades is really good, but you really need 2 non-Heavy, non-unit-leader guys in the squad in order to make the Impact 4 worth it (and the aim to make the dice all come up with icons). So yes, these guys will be good into armor for as long as they've got four models left. They will also be good into everything else in so far as Black Suns are normally good into everything else (6 black/6 white translates into 5-6 hits without aims).

The Recon Intel is a good choice on at least one of these guys, but since Scout only triggers when you're undeployed, at least one application of Recon Intel isn't needed depending on who gets Transported. The above discussion about Turn 1 Impact shooting is kind of predicated on two Black Sun squads being Transported on and so there's an argument that two are not needed.

We also have a squad of Mandos that's packed to the teeth with upgrades - two shield tokens, some rockets for an alpha strike on the first turn, free dodge tokens when they attack, a comms jammer to limit orders being issued nearby, and the Marksman for good damage at a variety of ranges (and access to a third reroll with Precise 1). A good squad indeed, albeit a bit expensive for only having 4 wounds. With some downgrading of the Black Sun/A-A5s and limiting the upgrades you take on the Mandos, you can actually get a second Mando squad (heck, you can get a THIRD Mando squad if you drop a lot of the other upgrades and one of the squads of Black Sun . . . golly, that list wouldn't be fun to face), which I can't help but feel might give better order control and power in the long-run.

Then there are two buses - neither of which have medics and instead of have gone for the defensive gonk build. They also have Onboard Comms Channels, which seems like it's working against the Independent: Aim on the Black Suns a bit. Since we're playing "king of the hill," I feel like order control is less important (and since the six command cards available to this list can issue orders to any units they want, they can have orders on 1-3 important units if they want). Still, these should be difficult to kill, which is kind of the point for "king of the hill" games, right?


This list is exactly what I expected - our tournament director is back for revenge with Count Dooku (with basically the same upgrades he had last time), 3 B1 Battle Droids, and 2 AATs . . . or put a different way, three cheap-but-vulnerable units and the hard-to-kill expensive units:
  • Count Dooku with Force Reflexes, Force Choke, Fear, and Esteemed Leader
  • B1 Battle Droids with E-5s B1 Trooper
  • 2x B1 Battle Droids
  • 2x AAT Trade Federation Battle Tanks
Having a low number of activations is pretty solid and if he can use pass tokens/the B1 activations to get some intel on what's on the board, he could get some shots in with the AAT main guns on the first turn and shield Dooku from any fire on the first turn. That said, I'm a big fan of Burst of Speed, especially on a model that only gets a free attack action on one turn of the game, and I feel like dropping the E-5s and Fear would easily get Burst of Speed into the list (with room to spare for two bonus B1s). 


No input provided on this list before its submission - this player brought the Bad Batch last time and really liked to pile on the upgrades on his Clones (and super-size them). He has . . . well, he's done it again, but this time, he has Yoda instead of the Bad Batch:
  • Yoda with Force Reflexes, Force Barrier, Saber Throw, and Vigilance
  • Clone Trooper Infantry with Clone Trooper Infantry Squad, Tenacity, and Targeting Scopes
  • Clone Trooper Infantry with Mortar Clone Trooper, Clone Medic, Hunter, and Targeting Scopes
  • Clone Trooper Infantry with RPS-6 Clone Trooper, Clone Trooper Infantry Squad, Tenacity, and Targeting Scopes
  • AT-RT with Laser Cannon and Linked Targeting Array
Last game, this player happened to kill Vader in melee with a Clone Trooper Infantry squad - and it would appear that two super-sized squads with Tenacity/Targeting Scopes are on the menu this time. I have to assume the assumption is that melee is going to be a thing and if they can aim/punch on one turn with +1 red die making up for fallen comrades and rerolling 3 dice, they can crunch something in melee. Time will tell if that actually works out.

I have concerns about Yoda's load-out though - I'm a big fan of Burst of Speed (especially on Yoda, who can bypass the penalty of Burst of Speed by playing his 1-pip the following turn) and I think both Saber Throw and Vigilance are suboptimal choices. Yes, Yoda can generate dodge tokens, but he lacks Nimble, so he can't keep them if he uses them. Yes, if you're performing dodge actions with your Clones, you could keep up to 2 of those, but I don't think this list is going to win a "king of the hill" contest by spending precious actions dodging. Saber Throw gives you a 2 red die Impact 2/Pierce 2 range attack, but Yoda already has a 4 black dice attack with the same range (with Blast/Suppressive instead of Impact/Pierce, so it works better against different things). Personally, I'd have saved 2pts by dropping Vigilance and Saber Throw and taking Burst of Speed and Esteemed Leader (since you're drowning in Clone Trooper Infantry and you're trying not to lose an expensive piece).


This is our ringer player list - and it's Grievous and a bunch of B-2s supporting a Tank . . . tough nut to crack that:
  • General Grievous with Esteemed Leader, Aggressive Tactics, Tenacity, and Targeting Scopes
  • 2x B2 Super Battle Droids with B2-HA Trooper and B2 Super Battle Droid
  • B2 Super Battle Droids
  • AAT Trade Federation Battle Tank with OOM-series Droid Pilot, Emergency Transponder, Armor-Piercing Shells, and "Bunker Buster" Shells
I think this is one of the better lists to show up, though I have concerns about how quickly B2s can chew through the competition. They are hard to take down - and honestly I'd drop ALL of the upgrades on the AAT to get another B2-HA on the "naked squad". Still, it's got a lot of wounds, red saves across the board, and multiple dice on each model.

Okay, so with the lists out of the way, let's see how everyone did!

Table 1: Tempest Force vs. Separatist Alliance 

The tournament organizer random drew my son as his opponent and . . . well, the way I understand it, there was a rude awakening for how powerful an AT-ST standby attack is, followed by the normal shot of an AT-ST. This was one of two games where one side was tabled, but to the credit of the CIS, they managed to take down two of the AT-STs (one of which was Marquand). Like my practice games against Gorgoroth, that third AT-ST was elusive, so Gorgoroth advanced to his second win in the event.

Table 2: Shadow Collective vs. Echo Base Defenders 

Centaur played a Shadow Collective list last time, and this time he drew it again, but run by a different player. The result was pretty rough - apparently there was a Mando squad that just got save after save after save . . . also Centaur forgot to apply his Armor 3 on his speeder, so Centaur was tabled and his opponent was also sitting on two wins (after eeking out a victory with Vader last round).

Table 3: Rebel Alliance vs. CIS

This was my game and I would love to say that it was really close and that it came down to the last activation of the last round, but I was playing against an AAT that came out early in the first round. It got pretty decent saves, but after two AT-RTs and two Landspeeders with their double-shots had their say, I clipped off the ninth wound and it was gone. 

Turn 2 began with Luke tapping Offensive Push and burning Burst of Speed with Son of Skywalker to slam into a squad of B2s and clear out half the wounds on the unit. He ended the game with 5 wounds suffered (so almost killed) and one of my AT-RTs was in similar straights, but the only units I actually lost were the Landspeeders. I got a few wounds on Grievous, but didn't have the firepower (or desire) to try to kill him off. 

Everything else was killed by the reliable damage coming from my AT-RTs and the ridiculously high dice volume of my Landspeeders. I was super thrilled with how they performed and I tried my best to keep things light and fun for my opponent (while trying to teach him the importance of pass tokens on the first round and creative uses of Grievous's special rules and 1-pip command card). Second win in the bucket for me, overall very happy with the Rebel performance!

Table 4: Empire vs. Republic 

This was the table that was out of my line of sight, but it was apparently a plinking war, with the Empire dumping shots into an AT-RT that refused to die and the Republic blowing chunks out of Empire units. In the end, the Republic won the day, placing both players solidly in the middle of the pack with 1 win/1 loss.

Conclusion

So yeah, pretty great weekend - we're excited for Round 3, which I think will be a swiss pairing of the top four and bottom four, but I don't know how the two 1-1 players will be split. Then again, who knows - we could do full random again (time will tell). Hope you enjoyed the write up - until next time, happy hobbying!
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