Mission Setup: Intercept the Transmissions

The Core Set comes with 4 different Objective Cards. Understanding these cards is of paramount importance since whoever plays the objective better wins. Here are some thoughts on Intercept the Transmissions.

Intercept the Transmissions

Setup: Place 1 objective token on the center of the battlefield. Then place 1 objective token halfway between the center token and the left short edge of the battlefield. Then place 1 objective token halfway between the center token and the right short edge of the battlefield.

Victory: At the end of rounds 2 and 4, each player gains 1 victory token for each objective token they control. At the end of the game, each player gains 2 victory tokens for each objective they control. A player controls an objective token if they have more trooper unit leaders at range 1 of that token than any other player.

In this objective there are 3 fixed locations that must be controlled in order to score victory tokens. There are also 3 windows of time in which they are gained, though controlling an objective at end of the game yields 2 tokens instead of 1. This means that up to 12 victory tokens can be scored total.

Since the locations are predetermined it is somewhat less favorable to the blue player than Key Positions. This also means that some conclusions can be made about the different possible deployments. In Long March and Major Offensive, each player can easily control the objective on the edge of their respective deployment zone; the battle will likely focus on controlling the center objective with little attempt to contest the side objectives. However in Battle Lines and Disarray all 3 objectives are at equal distances from both sides' deployment zones, which opens up a variety of possibilities.

Some possible opening moves while playing Intercept the Transmissions with the Battle Lines deployment card; the dark gray circles mark the area within range 1 of each objective token. With 2 commanders and superior numbers, the Blue player has planned an aggressive opening that will allow him to control 2 objectives (the center and right) and begin to contest the 3rd (to the left.) This strategy puts Blue in a position to gain as many victory tokens as possible. Meanwhile the Red player takes a more conservative approach. She expects to control the left objective by round 2, and then plans on pushing to the center. If she can control the left and center objectives by round 4 and hold on until the end of the game then she will win in spite of Blue's early lead.

If one player has a greater number of trooper units then they may more easily control the early game. However, diffusing one's troopers in an attempt to control 2 or 3 objective tokens early can leave them vulnerable to the opposing army concentrating on one group of troopers to destroy it before moving on to the next group.

Regardless of deployment zones, you should strive to control at least 2 objectives by the end of the game. Controlling the center should usually put you in a strong position, especially if there is a good amount of cover to protect yourself. With most of your army in the middle you have the option to launch an assault on either of the remaining 2 objectives, while your opponent will be pressured into either attacking into your defensive position or dividing and separating his forces in an attempt to control the side objectives. The latter option gives you a chance to focus fire and destroy half their army.

Though it appears to be one of the more predictable objectives, the different timing windows for scoring in Intercept the Transmissions should allow for a variety of possible strategies.

Continue to Key Positions
Return to Mission Setup